The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-12 00:00:00

REFORMATORY AND REFUGE UNION.

The first annual meeting of this union took place yes-
terday afternoon, at Willis's Rooms—the Earl of Shaftes-
bury in the chair.
There was a large attendance of gentlemen interested
in reformatory aed industrial schools.
Mr. R. HANBURY, jun. (the hon. secretary) then rea
the report, of which the following is a brief summary :
On the occasion of the first meeting held at the Man•
sion-house last April, a fund was collected from which
the committee made a grant of 1,0001. to all metropoli-
tan reformatories and refuges and, encouraged by the
successes of the industrial exhibition held last year at
Willis's-rooms, they bad attempted a more permanent
exhibition at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham. The
union had given prizes ior four essays on the practical
management of reformatories, with regard to " food,
labour, and rest," and, aided by the information in those
essays, the committee hoped to publish statistical infor-
matien for the establishment of reformatories. A regis-
ter was kept at the office of applicants for situations as
reformatory masters, and those teachers only would be
selected who were men of piety, as well as of tact, die-
cretion, ability, and good temper. A. ship reformatory
was to be established in the Thames, and persons
were to be appointed in the colonies to carry forward
the good work. Arrangements had been made for
providing lectures to be given to the inmates of reforms,
tories, and their friends, on secular things and B:ble
truths, six of which lectures bad already been delivered.
A bill for removing vagrants from the streets would be
brought before the Legislature. Grants of books had
been made to form libraries in several institutions in
Great Britain and Ireland. The committee had turned
their attention with good result towards assisting insti-
tutions to effect interchanges of their inmates, and had
kept up, with mutual advantage, correspondence with
persons connected with all existing or proposed reforma-
tories. Independently of the large collection in behalf
of the metropolitan institutions the public bad placed at
the disposal of the union no less a sum than 1,0311.
Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE moved the adoption of the
report.
Mr. THOS. CHAMBERS, M.P. (the Common Sergeant
of London) seconded the resolution.
The resolution was then carried.
Mr. RUSSELL GURNEY (the Recorder of London)
moved the second resolution :—" That as it is highly
important for the well-being of reformatories and refuges
that State assistance should be so administered as not to
check the voluntary efforts of Christian philanthropists,
this meeting commends the jticlicious manner in which
encouragement has recently been given to the reforma-
tory work by the Government, and approves of the reso-
lution of the committee of the union to bring immedi-
ately before the Legislature a bill to empower the autho-
rities to save young children from a vagrant life, and to
detTehreanredsopluutniiosnh
wthasoscearbried.
y whose neglect they are ex-
posed to such an evil course."
Thanks were given to the Chairman, and the meeting
separated.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVInIENTN.
from the Board of Works, states
—A return to Parlia-
ment, issued yesterday
that in all 1,129,397/. Os.
ti:ll3:si been advanced out of
the Consolidlited Fund to
s of the act 16
was
575,7821on3solidated Fund
Majesty's Works, under the
Vic., c. 18, The balance due provision
tCvlserniiissioners of her
ed to 144,8531. 19ss..8iidd.., Tlehaevirneg-
opnaytraheent3slsint D,se6ca.,mloBusnst,
a balance due to the Consolidated Fund, on 310 t Dec.,
1856, of 430,9281.4 2d.
RUINS OF CARTOAGE.—Accounts from
,Timis an-
nounce that Mr. Davis, a gentleman who, a xew months
ago, obtained from the Bey permission to explore the
ruins of Carthage under certain conditions, and -who has
been engaged during the last few months excavating in
that locality under the auspices of the British Govern-
-
ment and the Museum, has made some valuable dis
coveries. An Arab having found a piece of elei:ant mo-
saic, Mr. Davis was induced to push his excavations in
that spot, and his labours were rewarded by the discovery
of the remains of an ancient temple, which is believed
to be that of Dido. After cutting through two layers of
flooring, which must have been laid down at lengthened
intervals, he came on a most splendid piece of mosaic of
many square yards in area, and in which were d slineated
two heads, each three feet high, supposed to be those of
Dido and' June, besides several graceful Eastern figures,a." a number of highly elegant devices and ornaments,
Teal, it is alleged, to the !host beautiful.specimens of
eve
art
yet brou‘ht to light. Mr. Davis has taker
of
the' nrecautien to guard the mosaic from the influence
weather. It is supposed that the British Go-
vernment will despatch a vessel to convey it to Eng-
land, as well as o'ther objects of interest which he has
discovered