The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-04 00:00:00

ARTISANS AND THE SOCIETY OF ARTS.

It will be remembered that, owing to the exertions of
the Council of the Society of Arts, and notably of its
chairman, Mr. W. Hawes, assistance was given to a num-
ber of English artisans to enable them to visit the Inter-
national Exhibition at Paris last year. The object of the
council was that those artisans should do more than make
a mere casual inspection of the arts and manufactures dis-
played in the great show. They were expected to institute a
comparative examination, and to state the result of their
observations in reports. They fulfilled their mission, and
their reports have been published to the world. It would
appear that they regard the efforts of Mr. Hawes and the
council as beneficial to the skilled working men of this
country ; and in order to mark their sense of his services
in the matter they entertained him at a complimentary
dinner in the Freemasons' Tavern on Saturday evening,
and took that occasion of presenting him with an address.
Lord Granville had been asked to fill the chair, and had
readily consented to do so, but to the regret of the
company an attack of gout obliged him to send an apology
at almost the last moment. In his absence Mr.
Coningsby, chairman of the Artisans' Committee, presided.
Mr. Russell Gurney, M.P., Mr. Samuda, M.P., Sir C.
W. Dilke, M.P., Colonel Dixon, R.A., of the Enfield
Small Arms Factory, Sir D. Cooper, Mr. C. Critchett,
Mr. E. Beales, Colonel Dickson, and other gentlemen
were present as guests. The loyal toasts were drunk
with enthusiasm, and in giving that of the Prince of
Wales, the chairman mentioned that the first sub-
scriber to the fund for sending the artisans to
Paris was his Royal Highness. Special mention was
made of the Duke of Edinburgh also, Mr. Coningsby
observing that the attempt to assassinate him had
been made because he was an Englishman. In
returning thanks for the address which was read by
Mr. Elliott and for the toast of his own health,
Mr. Hawes spoke in laudatory terms of the reports drawn
up by the artisans. He said it had been alleged that those
documents were not the composition of the men whose
names they bore ; but, having seen the reports in manu-
script, he could deny this, and assert that no sentiment or
idea in any one of them had been altered. There had been
some grammatical corrections, but only very few. Mr.
Critchett, the editor of the reports, stated at a subsequent
period of the evening that from time to time he had had
much more trouble with papers contributed to the Society
of Arts by persons holding high positions than with those
of the artisans who had reported on the Exhibition. In
referring to the merits of the manufactures of England
as compared with those of other parts of Europe, Mr.
Hawes took a view which, if well founded, will be very
grateful to the national sensibility.. He does not agree
with those who think the foreigner is getting ahead of us.
The continental manufacturers, he said, compete with and
rival us in imitation, but we far surpass them in invention
and execution. At ne Paris Exhibition he had shewn an
ex-Cabinet Ministee the superiority of the work of Eng-
lish engineers. Mr. Hawes admits, however, that we mey
have something to learn from our own flesh and blood in
America. Their agricultural machinery, ho has observed,
is light and efficient, and from America Europe has received
the sewing machine and other very important inventions
which have come into general use within the last few years.
He is organising a movement to scud out certain selected
citizens to make their observations and reports in the United
States. Sir C. W. Dilke, in proposing the Vice-Presidents
and Council of the Society of Arts, told the company that
it is not from the inventive faculty of the Americans he
apprehends- a dangerous competition with the English
manufacturers in distant markets, but as a consequence of
the abundance of coal and iron in districts bordering at the
Pacific. Mr. Samuda, who asked the compaby to ,isink to
"the good understanding between employers and le em-
ployed," took occasion to say that, though in the rein he
agreed with Mr. Hawes, he felt bound to express I: opinion
that, to say the least, the continental manufa' 'arers are
treading very close upon the heels of those of England.
As a large employer of labour, he is convinced that what
really tends to the permanent advantage of the ertisans is
for the benefit of the manufacturers themselves ; but he
thought it important the employed should bear in mind
that it is out of profits the wages of labour must be
derived. Mr. Couolly, Mr. G. Howell, and other artisans
made speeches indicating much intelligence on their part ;
and the entire company seemed to much enjoy an evening
the proceedings of which certainly were instructive as well
i as agreeable.

A vacancy has occurred in the representation of
the eastern division of Worcestershire by the succession of
the Hon. Frederick H. W. Calthorpe, M.P., t.) the
peerage by the death of his father, Frederick, fourth Lord
Calthorpe, who died on Saturday last.
It has been determined to erect a church in
London for the deaf and dumb. The site is intended, if
possible, to be in the western central district, as the
friends of the scheme deem a church in that part more
convenient for those specially to be benefited than one in
South London.

The Marquis Townshend, say the Hertford. Mer-
cury, has rebuilt the nave of East Raynham Church,
Norfolk, at a cost of £l,OOO. The reopening of the church
has just been suitably celebrated on the Raynham estate
of the marquis, who went down specially from London on
the occasion with the marchioness. The tenantry on the
estate were entertained by the noble marquis at an elegant
luncheon ; and 300 school children and aged people were
entertained at tea.

ELhe-rioli EXPEN S Es.—A return has just appeared
of the expenses incurred at the late Cambridge University
election by Mr. Beresford-Hope, M.P., and his unsuccess-
ful opponent, Mr. Cleasby, Q. C. It appears that Mr.
Beresford-Hope expended £2,237, viz.: 2,074 in London,
and £133 in Cambridge. The charge for advertising, print-
ing, and stationery, and clerks in the metropolis was no less
than £l,BBB, and the corresponding total at Cambridge £99.
Mr. Cleasby expended £1,250-21,021 in London, and
£229 in Cambridge. Mr. Cleasby's metro' olitan expendi
ture for advertising, printing, and stationery, was £894.
DEATH OF LORD FORBES. —The death is recorded
of Lord Forbes, which occurred on Friday last at Rich-
mond. The late Right Hon. Walter Forbes, Baron Forbes
in the peerage of Scotland, Premier Baron of Scotland,
and a Baronet of Nova Scotia, was the second son of
James Ochonar, 18th Baron Forbes, by his wife Elizabeth,
eldest daughter and co-heir of Mr. Walter Hunter, of
Polwood and Crailing. He was born May 29, 1798—con-
sequently he was in his 'Toth year—and married January
31, 1825, Horatio, seventh daughter of Sir John Gregory
Shaw, Bart., by the Hon. Theodosia Margaret Monson,
by whom, who survives her husband, he leaves issue five
sons and a daughter. The ancient family honours devolve
upon his eldest son, the lion. Horace Courtcnay, Master
of Forbes, born in February 1829.

TER MCRDER AT BRISTOL.—An inquest was held
On Saturday on the body of the private soldier of the 3rd
Buffs, Robert Sy non, who was shot by a sergeant of the
same regiment, named Robert Maskell, on the night' of
Thursday last. It appeared that the sergeant was seized
with an ungovernable fit of rage, and was heard threaten.
ing revenge, stating that "it was all over twopence," but
without saying on whom he would be revenged. He fired
his rifle four times at parties of men indistinctly seen in
the barrack-square at the time, but fortunately missed
them all. He then went to the sergeants' mess-room, and
fired at the deceased with fatal effect. It did not aprear
from the evidence that there was any reason for the ser-
geant's singling out the, deceased as his victim, A yerdict
of wilful murder was returned,