The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-21 00:00:00

APPOINTMENT.
WOOLWICIT, SEPT. 20.—Commander George S.
Hand (1841), to command the Hecate steam-sloop,
commissioned this day at, Portsmouth. The Hecate
carries 6 guns, is 817 tons burden, and was built
at Chatham in 1839 from a design by Captain Sir
William Symonds, and is fitted with engines of
240-horse power.
The Black Eagle steam-vessel, Master Commander
S. B. Cook, returned to Woolwich to-day from her
attendance on the Lords of the Admiralty during tht it
recent visit to the eastern ports, the Channel Islands,
and Queenstown, in Ireland.

THE ROYAL PANOPTICON OF
SCIENCE AND ART.
A vestry meeting of the inhabitants of St. Paul's,
Covent garden, was held last evening, at the vestry-
room, to consider the propriety cf promoting the
erection of an institution to be called 't The Royal
Panopticon of Science and Art," on the vacant ground
in Exeter-street and Burleigh-street.
Mr. GEORGE WILKINSON, one of the churchwar-
dens, presided, and expressed his belief that the pro-
posed institution, which had already obtained a
charter of incorporation, would be a great benefit to
the parish.
Mr. E. M. CLARK F, the reside nt director and cu-
rator of the institution, explained its formation and
objects. The charter secured the limited liability of
the shareholders, while the profits were lac unre-
stricted. The probabilities of its paying were very
great. It had been calculated that upwards cf four
millions were annually spent in London for sight-
seeing—a proof of the readiness of the inhabitants of
the metropolis to support literary and scientific
institutions. There was no doubt the shareholders
would realize ten per cent., calculating the admissions
at only 800 per day. It was proposed to give in-
structions in practical engineering, from which a fur=
ther income would be derived, as well as from the
rent of stalls for exhibiting products of art and ma-
nufacture. The institution would possess a great ad•
vantage in its central position. At the Polytechnic,
Colosseum, and other similar institutions, more than
double the money taken at the doors was paid for
conveyance to the place.
Mr. BROAD said that anything which improved the
moral character of the parish must tend to decrease
the parochial burdens, and he believed that such would
be the effect of the proposed institution, lie moved a
resolution declaring that the institution ought to be
encouraged by the parishioners, on the ground that it
would bring an immense number of persons into the
parish, and would increase the trade thereof.
Mr. VERITY seconded the motion.
Mr. WALKER opposed it, on the ground that so
much property was required for the institution that
it could not possibly be remunerative; and, should it
turn out unproductive, where was their security for
their rates ? Let them look at Covent-garden
Theatre, where the parish had actually been obliged
to put in executions for their rates.
Mr. JENKINS also opposed the resolution, and re-
ferred to the failure of the Adelaide Gallery.
The resolution was carried by a majority of 12
to D.

A further resolution for the appointment of a com-
mittee to carry out the views of the meeting, was
strongly opposed on the ground that it pledged the
parishioners to take shares in the institution, and was
negatived by 13 to 10.
A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the pro-
ceeding.