The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-02 00:00:00

It_ was reported that the institution had sent,
during the past month, a new lifeboat and tran-
sporting carriage to St. Ives, Cornwall. The ex-
pense of the boat (£180) was the munificent gift to
the society of a lady who had previously given the
institution t le value of the lifeboats at New Quay,
in Cornwall, Buckie, in Scotland, and Tyrella, in
Ireland. The lady had herself witnessed some dis-
tresssing shipwrecks from which life had been lost
from the want of a lifeboat.

Lifeboats were also ready to be sent by the in-
stitution to Southport, Scarborough, and Aberyst-
with. Lifeboats were also building for several
other places. The expense of these numerous life-
boat establishments pressed heavily on the fends of
the institution. The average cost of a lifeboat sta-
tion, including boat and equipments, transporting
carriage, and boathouse, was said to be £450. The
society had eight or nine such establishments now
completing. Independently of these heavy de-
mands, the large and increasing charges on its
lifeboat stations situate on various parts of the
coasts of the United Kingdom, entailed great ex-
penses on the institutign ; but the committee felt
persuaded that a work so philanthropic and na-
tional in its character would not be allowed by the
British public to languish for lack of funds .
It was paid that Earl Russell had been one of the
vice-presidents of the National Lifeboat Institution,
and a liberal annual subscriber to its funds since
its first establishment.
It was also stated that a legacy of £lOO from the
late T. F. Hemington,Esq., of Uplyme, and 'one of
£5O from the late E. Cuthbert, of Cheapside, had
been received by the institution during the past
month.

Vice-Admiral Sir Jas. Hope, K.C.8., had sent

. -
from Hong Kong a very liberal donation of £5O to
the institution, and the Royal Yacht Squadron had
decided to increase their subscription to £lO a year.
Payments amounting to nearly £l,OOO havitig
been made on various lifeboat establishments, the
proceedings closed.

THE LATE DUCHESS OF KENT.—The remains of
her late Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent were yester-
day removed in the strictest privacy from St. George's
Chapel, Windsor, to the mausoleum erected in the grounds
at Frogmore, attended by Colonel the Lord James Murray,
the Dean of Windsor, the Hon. Spencer Ponsonby, and
Mr. Seabrook.

Mr. Juland Danvers, of the India-office, has been
appointed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to
succeed the late Sir .Tames C. Melvill, K.C.8., as Govern-
ment Director of the Indian Railway Companies.
FETE IN THE PREMIER'S PARK.—Lord Palmer-
ston's splendid estate at Broadlands was the scene of
great festivity on Wednesday, his lordship having gene-
rously given permission to the committee and members of
the Southampton Polytechnic Institution to hold a grand
fete in his grounds on that occasion. It was estimated that
there were 3,000 or 4,000 persons present from Southamp-
ton, Romsey, Winchester, Salisbury, and the adjacent vil-
lages, and the weather being very fine, all enjoyed themselves,
to their heart's content in one of the most delightfully
situate of the many noble estates belonging to the aristo-
cracy of this country. Every portion of the park, flower
gardens, and pleasure grounds was thrown open to the
visitors. The fine bands of the 2d (Southampton) and the
11th (Romsey) Rifle Volunteers were in attendance, and
dancing on the green sward, boat racing on the river Test,
which flows through the park, footracing, and divers other
amusements, even including the eccentricities of " Mr.
Punch" and his colleagues, were provided and sustained
with unflagging spirit. An electric telegraph was also
erected in the park, and the photographer's art found a
temporary home under canvass, both of these attractions
to the scientifically inclined being well employed during the
afternoon. At 3 o'clock a good party of the committee and
other gentlemen dined together in a handsome tent, the
president of the institution, Mr. J. It. Stebbing, F.A.S.,
occupying the chair. _ _

TIIE CROPS IN IRELAND.—The Northern Whig,
referring to the reports of its correspondents on the subject
of the potato crop, some isolated cases of disease having
produced anxiety among the farmers in Ulster, proceeds—
" We still incline to the conviction that the Irish potato
crop of 1861 will be the finest we hare seen for a quarter of
a century, and that the yield will be abundant in quantity
and of excellent quality. A return of fine weather for a
month would make the fortune of the Irish farmer. All
other crops are flourishing apace. Some flax is laid by the
heavy rains, and in white wheat a few cases of rust are re-
ported. The wet weather has caused a heavy return from
the meadows, and hay will be abundant. The yield of oats
and straw will be profuse, if we have sun to ripen it, and
fodder will, in that case, be very cheap next session. All
root crops are reported as in most luxuriant condition."
THE LIVERPOOL DOCKS AND THE MERSEY
SHIPPING.—With a view to relieve the great pressure for
accommodation in the Liverpool docks, the Mersey Dock
Board, at their meeting yesterday, adopted such a scale of
charges, as would induce vessels lying by idle, or for sale,
to be taken over to Birkenhead docks, and create an addi-
tional space at the disposal of Birkenhead from the Liver-
pool side. A rate of 2d. per ton upon ships lying by after
three months was adopted for the Liverpool docks, whereas
at Birkenhead the rate was reduced to id. per ton per week.
ERITII SUNDAY SCHOOL FESTIVAL. The
teachers and scholars of the Sunday-schools, belonging to
the Congregational Church, Erith, held their annual fes-
tival on Wednesday last, in Belvidere Park, the seat of Sir
Culling E. Eardley, Bart., who kindly appropriated it for
the occasion. The Rev. Samuel March, who has just com-
pleted the second year of his ministry, at Erith, was most
indefatigable in his exertions to promote the comfort and
happiness of the children, of whom a very large number
with their friends, and the principal inhabitants of the
locality were present. Tea, cake, &c., with amusements of
all descriptions were provided, and the pleasures of the day
were greatly enhanced by the Jnv3nile Drum and Fife
Band, of Dartford.
shiTreacEorreesltpoonPLll3:N
saSyos
that
hEaRtS Et
hTeS IclolrßnE .c—r
crops
a Sr
00 To
rewr saerdt
but are not very good. The present unsettled weather is
much against them. Potatoes are remarkably good, and
are in many cases turning out quite equal to the old style
of production, of 120 to 130 sacks an acre. There has been
nothing like it since the disease first appeared. The dis-
ease has, however, made its appearance this season in a few
places,