The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-23 00:00:00

THE PROJECTED POLISH BALL.
Yesterday, in the afternoon, a meeting of the com-
mittee for the management of anticipated enter-
tainment was held at the Guildhall. Mr. Deputy
Peacock presided. The Right Hon. Lord Dudley
Coutts Stuart, M.P., was present, and a number of
the gentlemen connected with the association insti-
tuted for the relief of the Polish refugees ; also several
of the members of the Court of Common Council,
amongst whom we noticed Mr. Deputy Holt, Mr. De-
puty Britten, Mr. William Barber, Mr. George Wal-
ter, fur. Meade, Mr. Cotterell, Mr. Carr, &c.
In opening the proceedings,
Mr. Deputy PEACOCK said that it was with no
small degree of pleasure that he fn.ind himself again
in the chair in behalf of such an excellent object as
that of supporting the project of a ball for the benefit
of the Polish refugees. For several years he had felt
great pleasure in forwarding that object, and he was
proud to find that so much success had attended the
efforts of those who had patronised it. Seeing Lord
Dudley Coutts Stuart present upon that occasion he
(Deputy Peacock) hoped that his Lordship would
have the goodness to state for the information of the
committee how matters stood with the association
with which he was connected, and whether any dimi-
nution bad taken place in the claims upon the insti-
tution. He (Deputy Peacock) thought it would be
most desirable if his Lordship would do so.
Lord D. C. STUART, in acknowledging the constant
and disinterested kindness of the Chairman and the
members of the Corporation generally with reference
to the condition of the Polish refugees, observed that
he felt exceedingly thankful to Deputy Peacock for
the desire he had expressed for information upon the
subject of the association. He would say, as he bad
before said, that be was very happy to meet them
there again; and he felt a renewed pleasure once more
to be associated with them in so good a cause. The
cause was a good one—it was one of benevolence and
of kindness towards men in distress.—(Hear, hear.)
It was true that it might want the charm of novelty
to recommend it, and it might not be so attractive to
the public as it once was, but still he (Lord Dudley
Stuart) believed it to be, as he considered it always
to have been, the cause of truth and justice.—
(Cheers.) He would not go into the merits of the
question at all in its political aspect, for it was
enough for them to know that there were foreigners
amongst them who required their aid, foreigners who
were brought into the melancholy condition of exile
by their resolute discharge of that which in theisview
they considered to be their duty. It was to assuage
the pain and to mitigate the sufferings of these exiles
that those who desired to promote the. Polish Ball came
together.—(Hear.) They might have—indeed they
had—different political views and feelings, and so had
the Poles themselves ; but the object that committee
had in view was not to assist any political design, but
to render the lot of such men more tolerable whilst
they were in this country, and to save them from com-
plete destitution. The facts of the case, which it was
most desirable that the public should fully understand,
he would shortly state. Some years ago about 700
Poles received a weekly allowance from the Treasury,
and there were about 60 or 70, whose cases did not
come within the rules of the Treasury, who formed
what might be termed a supplementary body, the
whole of whom received weekly relief from the
" Association of the Friends of Poland." In 1848
350 were receiving assistance from the Governnent ;
in October, 1850, the number was diminished by
deaths, removals, and other causes by 139, so that at
that time there were but 211 recipients from that
source.—(Hear.) In October, 1848, 32 were sup-
ported by the association; at the present time 15 only
—showing a diminution of 17 within the last two
years. There were 505 refugees—Polish refugees—
in England, the whole of whom received medical as-
sistance in cases of need from the institution. The
weekly allowances, however, were very small, for
no man, let his rank in the army or in society be
what it might, had more than 15s. per week, while
captains and subalterns received but 103. a week, and
privates 91 per day or ss. 3d. weekly. —(Hear,
hear.) He bad always felt for the condition of the
officers; they were, in his opinion, greater objects of
compassion than the private soldiers—not because
they were more meritorious, but because their posi-
tion in this country was far more different from what
it was in their own than that of the private soldier.
He was anxious to impress upon the committee the
fact that in distributing the moneys raised upon the
last occasion the managers of the Association of the
Friends of Poland had laid out no inconsiderable
sums in forwarding Poles to countries where they
might obtain work and a good remuneration for their
labour. Several had been sent to New York, and be
had seen letters from some of them, in which the gra-

tifying intelligence was conveyed that the majority
of them obtained work the day after they arrived, at
very excellent wages.—(Hear, hear.) Some parties
had grudged the use of the Guildhall for the Poles,
inasmuch as the claims of the English poor were pa-
ramount to those of foreigners. That was true ; but
it did not follow that because the Poles were benefited
the purse strings of the promoters of that charity were
so closely drawn in consequence that the English poor
could not obtain the assistance they deserved. It had
been said, also, that the Poles ought to find a refuge
in their own country. Now, it was impossible for them
to do so; in most instances they were compelled to be
exiles. Then, it had been said, "Why do not their own
countrymen support them ?" The reason to the com-
mittee he was sure would appear perfectly plain. No
one dared openly to do so, although he (Lord D.
Stuart) was happy to say that some kind-hearted men,
pitying the condition of their fellow-countrymen in
exile, had forwarded to him (though he never saw the
bt-nefactors, and obviously could not use their names),
so large a sum as 1,2001., which he was empowered to
lay out for the refugees according to his own judg-
ment. He heartily thanked the committee for their
kindness in aiding a cause in which he had been so
long deeply interested ; any moneys which might be
collected should be economically spent in aid of the
object. Some complaints, it was true, had been urged
against the association, and it bad been said that be-
cause an applicant for assistance was a democrat he
had been refused. The fact was that no such instance
had occurred. Their rules, which were very simple,
imposed no restrictions: none but proper characters
were permitted to become recipients, but no inquiry
was made either as to the political opinions or the
peculiarity of the faith of any candidate. He would
thank the committee again most cordially for their
kindness in so readily coming forward to assist the
good cause in which they were mutually engaged.
Deputy Hotir said that he was delighted to see his
Lordship present at the meeting. He (Deputy
Holt) was of opinion that the city was much indebted
to the association for having asked for the use of the
hall for the Polish ball. It was an opportunity for
those who delighted in such spirit-stirring amuse-
ments to gratify a most natural desire, while at the
same time it caused money to be circulated, and
numbers of tradesmen specially connected with the
fancy trade were benefited. The association, further,
had set them a good example. Years since he re-
collected a ball was got up for the good of the ward
schools, but that proved a failure ; since the Polish
efforts had been made, however, another attempt for
the benefit of these schools had been made, and that
had proved to be eminently successful.—(Hear,
hear.) To his own ward upon that :occasion the
profits arising from the ball were from
1201. to 1301. With regard to the Polish
ball he might say that it was one of the most magni-
ficent sights that could be witnessed, the coup
d'ceil being shown to so much advantage in their an-
cient and splendid hall.—(Hear.) He had seen the
Prince Regent's ball, and he had witnessed the enter-
tainments given by the Marquis of Stafford and other
noblemen, but for beauty, brilliancy, and splendour the
Polish ball stood unrivalled.—(dear.) That was an
entertainment with which he was sure everybody must
be fully satisfied.
Mr. CARR, the honorary secretary to the commit-
tee, then read the resolutions come to at the prelimi-
nary meeting, which was confirmed.
The business which followed was simply of a routine
character, after the transaction of which the com-
mittee adjourned.
The Lord Mayor elect and the Sheriffs have inti-
mated to the committee their willingness to aid them
in giving their sanction to the object.
Those eminent caterers, Messrs. Bathe and Breach,
have obtained the order to serve the refreshments for
the occasion, and Adams' quadrille band is to be
en, •ed.

igagi

LIGHT AND DARKNESS; OR, MYSTERIES OF LIFE.
BY Mns. CROWE, author of " The Night Side of Nature,"
"Lilly Dawson,"&c., 3 vols. This extraordinary book seems
likely to exceed in popularity all the former productions of
the clever writer. The Athentzum, in reviewing it, says—
"'l'o those who are unfamiliar with the Causes Cklebres,'
the Collections of Feuerbach,' and other such works, Mrs.
Crowe's Mysteries of Life' may be strongly recommended.
As a grim November book, holding fast the awe•stricken
reader,,it can have very few,if any, competitors. Its authoress
has a way with her very nearly as impressive as that of the
Ancient Mariner.' In all her larger stories, even where
the incidents are most ingeniously improbable, Mrs. Crowe
has narrated them with such sincerity as to fascinate us into
acquiescence with their wonders. In this respect she ap-
proaches Miss Edgeworth."
EXFENDITURS OF COMMISSIONERS OF WOODS AND
For.r.sTs.—lt appears by the general abstract of the accounts
of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests for
the year ended the 31st of March, 1850, that the total re-
ceipts were 1,:'32,976/., and the payments 1,155,9471., leaving
a balance of 122,951,199/. The following were the principal
sums paid by the Commissioners in compliance with votes of
Parliament :—Publie buildings and royal palaces, 97,575/. ;
Buckingham Palace improvements, 21,066/. ; new palm house
at hew, 6991.; temporary
Houses of Parliament, 3,1771. ; new
Houses of Parliament, 92,662/. ; Holyhead harbour, 8,8164 ;
Harbour of Refuge at Holyhead, 1,789/. ; British Museum
buildings, 26,1591. ; Geological survey, 14,774/. ; Nelson mo-
nument, 1,914/. ; Ambassador's house at Paris, 9171. ; Ambas-
sador's house at Constantinople, 5,7871.; Metropolitan im-
provements (3d and 4th Vic. c. 9 and 10), 411,0001.; Chel-
sea-bridge and embankment, e,9301.; Battersea Park,
30,881/. ; Menai and Conway bridges tolls accounts, 2,143/. ;
Windsor town improvements, 20,447/. ; New Forest, 2,685/.
The total cash balance due to the Commissioners by the
several banks in the United Kingdom on the 80th of .Alarch
last, WM 171,06/. llet ad.