The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-26 00:00:00

PRICE 4d.
STAMPED sd.

endeared to us by the presence of her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales, which, while it adds grace to the cere-
monial, will animate our exertions in a cause which looks
for success, under the Divine blessing, to the unwearied
tenderness of woman, as well as to medical and surgical
skill. That Almighty God, the Lord of life and death, may
have in His holy keeping, both for time and eternity, your
Royal Highness and your illustrious consort is the sincere
prayer of all the friends and supporters of the infirmary,
with all our fellow-subjects of this favoured realm.
"Signed, on behalf of the Committee of the North Staf-
fordshire Infirmary.
I • " GRANVII.LE."
HIS ROYAL HianNEss replied,—illy Lord Duke,
my Lords', and Gentlemen,—l thank you for this
address, and for your, kind expression and good-
will towards the Princess of Wales and myself. It
is truly gratifying to us both to assist in this day's
work. A common sympathy has brought us
together, and our proceedings derive more than usual interest from the combination of all classes I
to-day in alleviating the misery and suffering inci-
dental to a mining district. Where all have con-
tributed so nobly to so good a purpose, I may be
permitted. to offer a prayer, and it is that the
Divine blessing may descend upon your undertak-
ing, and that your exertions may be rewarded with
success. (Applause.)
The Prince then proceeded to lay the stone in a
cavity, in which were deposited a copy of the Times
of the day, current coins, and copies of the local
newspapers. The trowel, Wade by Hancock, of
Burton-street, was a tie silver in2plement, and
the mallet was the same used kiareorge IV.
Mos
when laying the fir-t .7terallmiste.valonktion of
'Windsor Castle on the 12th of iiiigiiiirtM:' e
stone having been set, a special prayer was offered
by the Bishop of Lichfield, and the Hundredth
Psalm (" All people ") was sung with splendid effect
by a trained 'choir of 150 voices, accompanied by
the band of the Volunteers. The R.W. Brother
W. K. Harvey, P. G. M. of Staffordshire, then
"proved the stone according to the ancient custom
among Masons," and poured corn, wine, and oil
upon the stone, with the usual Masonic prayers,
the choir chanting as responses Psalm lxxii., 16,
Psalm civ., 15, and Genesis xxxv., 14. An address
by the P.G.M. and a prayer by the Chaplain, con-
cluded the the ceremony. The presentation of purses
to the infirmary, an idea which had been warmly,
taken up in the district, followed. 159 purses
were presented from persons and the work-
people of different establishments, - producing a
total sum of £1,420. Her Royal Highness graci-
ously undertook the duty of receiving the purses
from the bearers, and when these had passed and
handed in their offerings the National Anthem was
sung, and the proceedings at the stone terminated:
About 12,000 persons were present as spectators,
among whom, in addition to those composing the
Royal party, were—the Earl and Countess of Lich-
field, the Earl of Harrowby, Viscount and Lady
Sandon, Sir E. M. Buller, M.P., Right Hon. C. B.
Adderloy, M.P., Mr. Buckley, M.P., Alderman
Copeland, &c.

After the ceremony of laying the stone a luncheon
was given in an adjoining tent. The Earl of Lich-
field presided, and proposed the toasts of " The
Queen" and' The Prince and Princess of Wales,"
which were heartily drunk.
The Prince of WALES said—Your Royal High-
ness, my lords, ladies, and gentlemen,—For the
Princess of Wales and myself I return you my heart-
felt thanks for the very kind manner in which our
health has been drunk, and for the way in which it
has been received on this occasion. (Cheers.) The
welcome we have received to-day will not early be
effaced from our memories. (Cheers.) It is now
our second visit to Staffordshire, and though we had
not forgotten the kindness with which we were re-
ceived the first time, we are still more grateful for
the way we have been received a second time.
(Cheers.) Sincere pleasure has also been afforded
us by the hope that our visit may have been pro-
ductive of some good. (Applause.) We have this
day been engaged in a great and noble work—the
laying the foundation stone of the North Stafford-
shire Infirmary. The building will, I hope, afford
great relief to those who among the great popula-
tion of a mining district may require its shelter.
(Loud cheers.) Although I fear that its wards may
be often full, still I may express a hope that it may
seldom be the case. (Cheers.) Let me now thank
you once more for the kindness with which you have
received us to-day, and say to all that we shall not
easily forget this reception. (Loud cheers.)
Lord HARROWBY proposed " success to the North
Staffordshire Infirmary," and the health of the Duke
of Edinburgh was also drunk and briefly responded
to by his Royal Highness.
The Royal party returned to Trentham shortly
afterwards.

The C...st of a General Election.

There are rumours that there is to be a second general
election within twelve months, and at such a time a glance
at the cost of the last appeal to the country will be found,
of some interest. The return of each candidate's expenses
was ordered to bo presented to Parliament soon after the
opening of the present session. They have appeared in
isolated batches from time to time. The last was issued on
Friday, and although a large number of plaoos, especially
in Ireland, have furnished no returns, we may still arrive
at some definite idea of what the last general election cost
the country.

The expenses of each kingdom were as follows
s. d. .£
England—Counties BOO,lOB 0 71
„ Towns 304,069 19 8 —604,178 031
Ireland Counties 44,768 8 5
, Towns 24,603 16 3} 69,372 48}
Scotland—Counties 82,244 12 1
Towns 17,743 4 7 49,987 16 8
Wales—Counties 12,095 5 4
„ Towns 4,211 18 11 16,307 4 3

s. d.

Total cost 739,845 5 101
Dividing the cost of the counties from that of the towns
the following is the result :

Counties 4389,216 6 51,
Towns

The following places have not furnished any returns :
In England—the counties of Barks, Bucks, and Middle..
sex ; the boroughs of Bedford, Chichester, Dorchester,
Shields, Warwick, Wells, and Worcester. In Wales—the
county of Brecon, and the boroughs of Brecknock, Flint,
Radnor, and Swansea. In Scotland—the county of Caith-
ness. In Ireland—the counties of Armagh, Cavan, Clare,
Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Meath, Roscommon,
Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Wicklow ; the cities of
Cork and Kilkenny ; and the borough of Dundalk. Even
in the returns which are given in many cases the elected
members only, and not the unsuccessful candidates, publish
their accounts. The official returns are, therefore, so far
defective ; yet even from what they set forth the cost of
a seat in the present Parliament may be assessed at a high
rate. For instance, there are 147 county seats in England,
and, as more than £300,000 was spent to obtain them,
each is worth about £2,041. There are 820 borough seats
in England, and they make up an aggregate cost of about
£4,000 more than the counties. Each English borough
seat is, therefore, worth £950. The fact that so many Irish
counties have furnished no returns renders the estimate
each county seat of little value, but, accordin!ot tpiece,
formation we have, they are worth about £iOu
vere
The borough seats in Ireland, as paid for lastore July, were
at the rate of £630- each. Scotland
The price of every county seat was
reasonable. The
burgh seat £770. Wales was inuclitilwas
£BOO, and of a
average expense of a county
Tole of the United King-
dom, and deducting
h members. The average
there are 652 county and boroug
these hon. gentlemen is
cost of each seat now held by
the intehienbevlrs for the Universities,
£1,135.
illustrated in the case o r•
county is inns
11 for the North Riding of York-
gMa contest
tnikn an
hEongcs.linsihe
iala'thetheenothineaoduosfetxhpiea nso attendifu
more than £13,000. How Mr.
be • for the county of
sAiiiiilrebanakermaun4coxryndittEret\lo
Down, who, according to the sheriff, were returned for
five-and-twonty shillings each! This is all the returns
"Expensesof putting up and taking down hustings, £2los:
Tho election for the borough of Dowupatrick was equally
cheap. In both cases, of course, there was no opposition.
There was likewise no contest for the county of Kildare,
where the total expense is put down at £7 10s. Lord
Otho Fitzgerald and lir. Cogan each paid £3 15s. for their
seats. Captain Mervyn Archdall and the Hon. A. L. Cole
were returned for the county of Fermanagh for £lB and
£ll9s. respectively. The sheriff of the county of Leitrim,
where there was a contest, writes:—" I cannot give the
returns required, as my sub-sheriff has disappeared for
Isom time past. - I believe he received £6O from each of