The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-23 00:00:00

T Hilt IT

EDITION.

SUN OFFICE; Seven o' Clock.

CITE OF LONDON ELECTION:

PUBLIC MEETING.--(THIS DAY.)
A public meeting of the supporters of Lord J.
Russell, Sir J. Duke, Baron Rothschild, and Mr.
Crawford, took place this afternoon, at the Shaftes-
bury-hall, Aldersgate-street. The members pre-
sent were—Lord John Russell, Sir James
Duke, and Mr. Crawford. Baron Rothschild was
not present, owing to the Jewish Sabbath not hav-
ing terminated. Mr. Besley occupied the chair.'
The CHAIRMAN said, he need not tell the
electors for what purpose they had assembled

—they all knew that perfectly well. (Hear, hear.)
He was afraid that notwithstanding the great show
that had been made, there would be nothing more
than show, and the election would turn out a-sham
fight. (Hear, hear.) He had to ask the assembly
to accord to each speaker a fair and patient hear.
ing, and he would therefore call upon Sir J. Duke
to address them. (Cries of " Lord J. Russell.")
After a few compliments had passed,

Lord J. RUSSELL then came forward and said he
was happy to have the present opportunity of ad-
dressing the electors, and whatever might be the
pleasure of a poll for the city, he was afraid that
on the coming election there would be no such
exciting proceeding. Thecircumstances showed that
the principle of reform was well understood in the
City. The Reform Bill brought in by the present Go-
vernment had brought about this election, and he was
glad that a measure containing such disfranchising
clauses had been utterly and entirely rejected. (Hear.)

He thought there was also another circumstance
connected with this election somewhat curious,
namely, that two highly respectable gentlemen had
been attempted t' be set up in opposition to their late
members, but he hardly thought that a section of the
electors of the city of London should attempt to
filch two candidates from places that were already
demanding their services. (Hear, hear.) Lord
Derby, on the last night of the session,
alluded very ominously to the state of
affairs abroadz and he could not feel surprised that
bad laws and cruel oppression had brought about
such lamentable consequences. He had on a former
occasion entered so fully into what was called
the Italian question, that he need not detain
them now with more than a few brief remarks. He
felt certain our only safe course was to keep honestly
and strictly neutral. (Hear.) Lord Derby had said
in his speech that it was to be an armed neutrality.
He said, let us wait a short time, let us see which
side was right, and then we could take part
on one side or the other. (No, no.)
But, unfortunately, Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli
had very partial views, and showed a very strong
predilection for Austria; and if, pursuing that
view, Lord Derby took the part of Austria, he
(Lord John Russell) protested against such a
policy. (Hear, hear.) He was for preserving
peace. In a goat many of the continental
wars that had taken place, it always seemed to be
the object of all parties to see how much they
could get out of England in the shape of loans or
subsidies, but in his study of history he had dis-
covered that, when they found there was no more
money, an end came to all differences. Now, if we
did not find the means—(hear, hear, and laughter)
—and not take either side, hostilities would not
last long, and the belligerents would soon
find some way of making peace. (Hear, hear,
and laughter.) Besides, this country had
plenty to do. (Hear.) The people had determined
that the state of the representation was defective,
and they were intent on amending it ; and
was that great and important work to be given
up in order to interfere in Italian affairs ? (Hear,
hear, and No.) He again said he was for peace.
(Hear, hear.) If we did not go to war there
would not be that strain on our resources which,
to a great degree, paralysed commerce. (Hear,
hear.) If we did not go to war, he did not despair
of seeing the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a
position to reduce many of the duties that now so
heavily pressed on all classes of her Majesty's sub-
jects. He again assured the meeting he felt great
pleasure in meeting them ; and he begged to thank
them for the kind attention they had given to him.
(Cheers, and cries of " How about the ballot 2")
Sir J. DUKE said he had always great pleasure
in meeting his constituency. (Hear.) He could
not but help thinking that the present time was
about the worst that could have been chosen for a
dissolution ; but he felt certain that, having, with
his colleagues, fearlessly done his duty, opposition
would be fruitless. It was exceedingly pleasant
to him to appear before the citizens of London ;
but he should feel more than an ordinary amount
of satisfaction when he, with his colleagues, ap-
peared in the Guildhall upon re-election. (Cheers,
and cries of " It's all right.")
Mr. CRAWFORD said he did not prepare himself
for a long speech, therefore he trusted the meet-
ing would excuse him. Hehad, however, to inform
them that the civic gentlemen who had to make
the usual preparations, had received notice
from the parties opposing the return of
Lord John Russell, Sir James Duke, Baron
Rothschild, and himself, that they did not
intend to proceed further with the contest. (Loud
cheers.) 'With respect to Lord Stanley, he was an
exceedingly able and talented nobleman ; he had
voted for the ballot—(a cry, "That's more than Lord
John Russell ever did")—or, rather he should
say, he had expressed his intention to do 'so, and
many other liberal measures ; but in taking office
under the present Government many of those libe-
ral opinions must of necessity be abandoned. (Cries
of " No, no.") He (Mr. Crawford) had voted for
the ballot (loud cheers) for the total abo-
lition of church rates—(cheers)--for Mr. Locke
King's motion for the extension of the privilege
of the franchise, and he could truthfully say he
had never been absent from a single division in which
the interests of the City were in the slightest de-
gree interested. (Cheers). He should continue to
use his best endeavours on behalf of the great
work of reform. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. EDWIN JAMES having been espied on the
platform, a loud cry for him arose, in answer to which
the learned gentleman came forward and addressed
a few observations to the meeting. He said he had
so much to do in his own borough at the present mo-
ment—(loud laughter)—that he hoped they would
have excused him from addressing them. The
Government had dissolved upon a question
of reform, and he felt satisfied that this
time there would be no mistake about the result
of that appeal. The people wanted nothing wild,
reckless, or revolutionary. What they wanted was,
Reform, and that they would have. (Cheers.)
Resolutions were then adopted, pledging the
meeting to support the four Liberal candidates.
After the usual compliment to the chairman, the
meeting separated.

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION.—At the last
meeting of the above institution a most instructive and in-
teresting lecture on " The Screw Fleets of England and
France in 1858-59," was delivered by Charles L. Pickering,
Esq., member of the Society of Arts. The subject was
illustrated by a number of admirable diagrams, prepared by
the lecturer fromthe original models, and reduced to a guar
ter-inch scale; and from the peculiar opportunities he has
enjoyed of obtaining authentic information upon this sub-
ject, which at present absorbs so large a share of public at-
tention, there was a numerous attendance of distinguished
officers of both services—Captain Fishbourne, taking
the chair. The lecturer first addressed himself to the argu-
ment that Sir Wm. Symonds' ships, though not perfect,
were the forerunners of our present best models of each
class, and gave numerous proofs that the screw steamers of
our fleet, in beauty of construction, power, and general effi-
ciency, were unapproachable by the very best built abroad;
and that our ships, when completed entirely upon the plan
of Sir Baldwin Walker, were as near perfection as possible.
These facts were proved by trials at which he had himself
assisted. He demonstrated that, from the small number of
our ships, our admirals were unable to carry out Sir H.
Douglas's suggestions on the new combinations of tactics
likely to come into practice, and which he foretold would be
carried out in the French service. The lecture appeared to
be designed as an answer to some anonymous letters that
had appeared in the public journals and to those of some
ill-informed foreign writers. In adducing numerous in-
stances not hitherto made public in England, the lecturer
expressed his opinion that whilst naval architecture was on
an equality, or nearly so, in both countries, our own was
certainly not in a satisfactory state in respect of number as
compared with that of France, and verified the statements
of Sir J. Pakington and Lord Hardwicke on this subject.
In every other respect we had no reason to fear a compa-
rison with our gallant neighbours. At the conclusion of
the lecture Mr. Pickering was complimented upon the able
manner in which he had treated the subject and the plea-
sure it had afforded. A short discussicn; ensued, and the
proceedings were brought to a close,