The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-29 00:00:00

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The 105th anniversary' dinner of t I ,1 - .
given last evening at St. James's-ha -..' t,i,:. -.1.:- . -.'
Hon. Lord Napier in the chair. Amo ;-M:.O, - ,-
tlemen present were. Mr., C, W. Dilk:?, pre t 01l S
the council ; Mr, H. G. Hubbard, Sir T. Phillips,
Mr.' J. Pt Humphrey. 'Alderman 'Med:ll7 Mr. -P'.
Hennessey, M.P., Mr.....W.:1-Liives, ',Canon Girdle-
stone, General Sir G..Pasleyillr.:W. •Stirlingi'Mr.
T. Twining, Mr. J.,C: Macdonald, &c. , - , , .
After the usual loyal toasts had been honoured, •
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the toast of the
evening, said that a previous course of study could
little enable him to do justice to the important
-subjects which he had to bring under their notice.
He belonged to a profession which had often been
unjustly associated with frivolity and artifice, but
it was a profession which, when rightly practised
and understood, was rather associated with the
weightiest interests of the country, and especially
with the interests of arts, manufactures, and com-
merce. Upon being invited to preside, he felt that
he could not deny himself the advantage and plea-
sure of mixing, if but for a moment, Kith the great
intellectual movement of the time, and meeting an
important and highly intelligent assembly of his
countrymen. He need not tell them that previous
study also little enabled him to draw a picture of the
proceedings of the society during the past year, or,
indeed, during any former period of its history. He
had, however, by the kindness of the secretary been
permitted to inspect a draught of the annual report,
which would be shortly laid before the associa-
tion. He found in that report evidence that the
past year had not been thrown away, and that duo
attention had been given to the three principal
subjects which were indicated in the title of the
association. With reference to arts, he found that
the attention of the society had been bestowed on
the momentous question of copyright in works of
art, and although, owing to the interruption of
public business and the dissolution of Parliament,
the project of law embodying the views of the
society had not been submitted to the Legislature,
it was hoped that before long it would be laid
before Parliament. (Cheers.) With regard to
manufactures,. two_specialities had occupied atten-
tion—viz., the use of gutta percha in manufacture,
and the important articles surgical instruments.
With regard to commerce, the object of the asso-
ciation was to draw public attention to the advan-
tages which our colonies afforded, both as markets
and as settlements, and he had no doubt, that when
the correspondence- which had been, commenced
with the inhabitants of different colonies had been
perfected, a result would be obtained of great im-
portance to the mother country. (Cheers.) Besides
the special subjects of arts, manufactures, and com-
merce, the society had directed its efforts in two
other directions—to establishing an enlarged
system of examination, and realizing another
Great Exhibition Li 1861. The plan of the
exhibition was communicated to many influential
gentlemen, but unfortunately the aspect of the
times was not considered favourable at pre-
sent. It was clear that the public interests in
such an undertaking would be checked and
discouraged by the stilities which had broken
out in continental Europe, and that the co-operation
of foreign countries would for the same cause be
considerably curtailed. The project had therefore
been laid aside for a more convenient, but he hoped
not very distant period. (Cheers.) He believed
that the energy of the society during the past year
had not been thrown away, but even if .it were
otherwise, it was their duty on this occasion to re-
.affirm the great necessity of union and to declare
anew the purposes for which they were embodied.
It was an unquestioned fact that more than half
the population lived by arts, manufactures, and
commerce, in contra-distinction to the simple form
of industry in agricultural pursuits. In works of
skilled labour Englismen might be excelled some-
times by foreign countries, but, at all events, the
unrivalled mineral structure of the soil gave abroad
basis of natural advantage. (Cheers.) He had no
apprehension of the commercial future of this coun-
try, because the demand for British products was,
he believed, capable of indefinite expansion. With-
out reference to the home market, which was un-
doubtedly capable of still further development, there
must be an immense increase by the opening up of
new markets. The activity of a future age would
revert perhaps with curiosity to the respectable
efforts of the 19th century, and possibly China and
Japan alone, to say nothing of the interior of
Africa, would require 60 millions worth of British
manufactures, or, in other words, half as much
again as the whole amount of British production
now exported. (Cheers.) It was the ambition of
the English merchant to promote useful manufac-
tures, and to rival the accredited seats of labour
in the production of articles of an msthetical
and decorative character, and if they were shut
out from continental Europe either by the exist-
ence of conventional fashions, or 'by the more ob-
stinate inipedinients of illiberal legislation., they..
-et would find new markets in those rising States
in America and Australia which had been planted
by the vigour and industry of the Anglo-Saxon
race. (Cheers.) Having referred to the impor-
tance of the gold discoveries, the noble lord com-
mended the establishment of numerous schools of
art, and dwelt upon their beneficial influence, in
educating and endowing the people with an ar-
tistic taste. The noble lord referred to the assist-
ance in the 'promotion of art which had been ren-
dered by members of the Church of England care-
fully reviving the mediaeval style, and by. the Go..
vernMent in seeking designs in an open competi-
tion. But, after all, he said, to have successful
artists they must have a generous public. There
could not be artistic producers without intelligent
purchasers. Fortunately the industry of England
was fostered through a thousand sources. Her
treasures were not laid up like grain in warehouses,
but scattered abroad like good seed in pleasant and
fruitful places. He would give as the toast " Pro-
sperity to the Society for the Encouragement of
Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce." (Loud
cheers.)
Mr. T. WEBSTER responded.
Sir C. PHILLIPS proposed the House of Commons,
which was acknowledged by Mr. W. STERLING.
" Prosperity to Societies in union with the So-
ciety of Arts, was responded to by the Rev. Mr.
HowsoN, of Liverpool. •
Mr. C. W. DILKE, in proposing the health of the
Chairman, referred to the benefits which the so-
ciety had conferred by initiating the manufacture
of cheap paint-boxes, cheap mathematical eases,
and cheap microscopes. In reference to the Exhi-
bition in 1861, he said that when war was declared
everything had been prepared down to a guaran-
tee of £250,000. The Exhibition was only Test-
poned, and he hoped it would take place in 1862 or
1863, when no doubt it would be as successful as
that of 1851. (Cheers.)
Lord NAPIER, in reply, alluded to his
residence
in America. He felt, he said, the warmest i-.
tude for the thousand acts of kindness be had'ex-
perienced there, and the deepest sympathy f.or 'the
destinies of those millions of Englishmen in that
country who were working
out their future on the
greatest theatre which Providence had ever granted
to man. (Cheers.)
The proceedings were thus brought to a most
satisfactory termination, and the company se-
parated.

THE REDUCTION IN THE NAVY.

We are requested to state that the reduction in:
the number of seamen which took place after the
Crimean war was accomplished without prematurely
discharging those who had taken service for, a
specific period of time. The circumstances under
which this sudden, and, as it now proves, prejudi-
cial diminution of our naval forces,look place were
as follows :—The demand for the cessation of the
war income tax forced the Government to bring
the Military and Naval Estimates within the limits
of the revenue as it would stand when the eztra
ninepence was taken off. To carry out this ob-
ject, all the seamen who had not engaged for a
specific time were dismissed, and, though these had
doubtless quitted the merchant service with the
idea that they were to have something like perma-
nent employment in the Navy, and were not to be
sent adrift in 18 months, yet, as no contract for-.a
certain period of employment had been entered
into, it cannot be said that faith was broken with
them. As to those engaged for a specific period of
service, they were simply allowed their immediate
discharge, if they choose to take it. A great num-
ber did so, and thus the number of seamen for the
ensuing year was brought within the limits of the
available revenue. So far as the non-dismissal of
those whom the Government could not legally dis-
miss may be considered as keeping faith with the
seamen, we must admit that the Admiralty has just
grounds for defence ; but it is well knolvn that the
wholesale discharge of men—of all, it appears, who
were not engaged for a definite period—has created
much ill-feeling among
a class on whem the cove-
try's safety depends ; nor can we thiok that the
act was altogether undeserving of the fisPreesi°ns
we applied to it—Times.

THE SKELETON LEAF.—In the old tr
_
opical aqua-
rium on hot house No. 6, in Kew Gardens, there is a fine
specimen of that most wonderful of all vergetable produc-
tions, the lace or latice leaf plant of Mad. vigascar•
,It has
be en copied 'by the 'artificial florists of I ,ondon and has
taken exceedingly well
with the, ladies, of leaves hay lug been made
and mounted into.wreaths, garlands,
ohaple ta, arid coronels
in Clarkenwell alone • it is now being hat ;el y tixported to
and is becoming very fashionable
tuan
y millions
all our colonies, and has produced the maz tufac .turers con-
siderable profit,
This is but one illustration of the commerc 40,1 y alue of Kew
CiArdenti to this country
who have named it th( 3 Skeleton Leaf.