The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-21 00:00:00

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Mr. W. BALL then read an extract from his lecture
on the Ancient English Ballads, particularly those
referring to Robin Hood; and concluded by
singing, accompanying himself on the piano,
the celebrated ballad of " Robin Hood and
the Bishop of lieretbrd," founded on the tradition of
the woodland hero having feasted the Bishop on the
King's venison, and afterwards made him pay 300
crowns for his cheer. The performance was highly
humorous.
A Lecture on Artificial Light, illustrated by ex-
periments, was then delivered by Mr. Jones, of the
Adelaide Gallery.
Other entertainments followed, extending to a late
period of the evening. All of them were well received.
If we can at all read physiognomy, the attendance
was not confined to members of the Jewish persuasion,
but included a considerable sprinkling of members of
other commut,ities, who had been attracted by the
novelty and interest of the occasion.
Several donations were announced in support of the
institution.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS
FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DA!.
CITY, MONDAY EVENING.
TIMES.—The rejection of various projected lines by
the Berard of Trade necessarily produces dissatisfaction
among the parties interested in the schemes, however
the soundness of the decisions may be recognised by the
public at large. The Board of Trade appears as an en-
tirely new power in the field of railway property, and
while confidence is generally placed in its judgment, its
proceedings in each case are liable to be watched with
jealousy and criticised with severity. The voices raised
against it will usually be raised by interested parties,
but nevertheless, as recorders of public opinion, we
cannot let these expressions of opinion or of feeling pass
unnoticed, when so much property is at stake, and so
large a power is vested in a Government Board. It
must not be implied from the extract of the letters refer-
ring to the subject that may be printed under this head,
that we at all adopt the opinions they contain. Our
only motive is to give a hearing to all parties that ex-
press themselves with a reasonable degree of plausibility.
Several of these letters refer to the decision of the
Board on the subject of the Kent lines, and treat the pre-
ference given to the South-Eastern Company as tending
to form a spirit of monopoly. From one of these com-
munieations the following extract has been taken :
" Whether viewed as to its engineering arrangements,
or as t the public sere ice, in relation to the naval and
military depots connected with the line, or as to the feel-
ings of the proprietors of the land through which it
passes, there is not an argument in favour of the prefer-
ence which has been so unaccountably given to the South-
Eastern line.
I may be told that the decision is arrived at in car-
rying out a general principle; and that, after the course
adopted with regard to the Portsmouth Direct,' no other
than this could be followed. Did time permit I could
easily prove that the two cases bear little, if any ana-
logy ; but, even if they do, I still join issuo as to the
principle involved, and I contend that it is inconsistent
with the public feeling as regards monopoly of every
kind ; that it is injurious to the public interest, as
throwing an obstacle in the way of every improvement
which is likely to arise out of the free employment of
capital upon works of general utility ; and, more over,
it is at variance with the animus of a resolu-
tion on the minutes of the Lords of the Committee of the
Privy Council, from which this Sub Committee of the
Board of Trade emanates, for in the resolution to which
I refer the projection of even parallel competing lines is
evidently contemplated. They direct this Sub-Com-
mittee to look narrowly into any branch and extension
lines in cases where a presumption is raised that the
object of the scheme is to throw difficulties in the way of
new, and probably legitimate, enterprises.' Now, what
are the features of the scheme proposed by the Dover
Company, and approved by the Committed of the Board
of Trade ? The Dover Company originally determined
upon traversing the southern division of the county of
Kent. They cared nothing for the inhabitants of the
central or northern divisions ; but the moment an inde-
pendent line is talked of, coming through a populous dis-
trict with which they had hitherto had no connexion,
they raised money in every channel through which
money can be raised, and throw out branches to some
of the large towns which the new scheme is intended to
supply.

But
to return to the character of the decision come
to by the Board of Trade: the only entirely new line to
which they have given their approbation—viz., the
South-Eastern, North Kent, Hungerford-bridge, and
Chilham, has. beside all other objections, no legitimate
existence. The required forms have not been complied
with, and they cannot move a step in their progress
through the House of Commons without a relaxation of.
the standing orders of the House in favour of monopoly."
Connected with the absording subject of railways is an
analysis, which has appeared in the Banker's Magazine,
of the proposed application to Parliatnent, with the re-
mark that it is a very good approximation, if not exactly
accurate. The number of notices is as follows:
" 1. Notices by old Companies for Acts for short
branch lines, minor deviations, and amendments of
legal clauses of existing Acts
" 2. Notices by old Companies for important new
lines, as extensions, &c.

30

"3. Notices by 'new Companies for new lines,
which are alternatives to other proposed lines
" 4. Notices by new Companies for lines which
are not alternatives

" Total number of notices 937"
SUN.—English St.,)cks lertve off firmly to-day, Consols
being # for Money, an.l 100; A for Account. Exche-
quer Bills were scarcely si nigh as in the morning.
The Three per Cents. Reduced were 100 i to /. India
Stock for Account was 288 i-.
The Foreign Market was dull, but for Account
Spanish Three per Cents. advanced to 401 ; and the
Five per Cents. to 29A- ; Porttymese Converted were
59 ; Colombian, were ; *Brazilian, 90 ; and
Danish, 894.
The additional transactiOns in Railway Shares hare
been these : —Birmingham and Gloucester were 8i ;
Bristol and Exeter, 7 ; Bristol and Gloucester,
131 ; Cambridge and Lincoln, 3f ; Churnet Valley, 3
to 3 ; Dublin and Belfast, 2# ; Edinburgh and
Glasgow, 13; Great Western, 96; Great Western, Half,
52; Harwich, # A ; Birmingham, Quarter, 26/ to 27i ;
South-Western, 38# ; Ditto, New, 10/ ; Croydon, 2
London and York, 1/ ; Manchester and Leeds, 60 ;
Ditto, Half, 25; Midland, 30 to 32; Ditto, New, ti to 9i;
Newcastle and Darlington, to 42k; North British,
3 to 31; Northern and Eastern Scrip, 14i; Rugby, 11 ;
Shrewsbury and Birmingham, q to 1; South-Eastern,
15*; Ditto, New, 171; Yarmouth, 9; York and North-
Midland, 61 ; Ditto, Half, 30 ; Boulogne and Amiens,
9-1 • and Paris and Lyons, premium. Eastern
—8
Counties have been 6 to 6/ ; Black wall, 9 to 81 ;
Greenwich, 1# to ; Midland, Birmingham, and
Derby, 2 ; and Portsmouth Direct, 1 discount.

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO STRATIIFIELDSATE.--
The visit to Strathfieldsaye is intended to be of a more
private character than either of those with which her
Majesty has lately honoured any of her subjects, and
the members of the press will not, therefore, all enjoy
the same extended facilities that they have possessed
elsewhere. The following characteristic reply from the
l)uke of Wellington to an application for admission (not
on the part of the Times) will show that his GrileA gt
least will not allow the royal privacy to be unduly dis-
turbed :—" Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington pre-
sents his compliments to Mr. , and begs to say
he does not see ' hat his house at Strathfieldsaye has tc,
do with the public press."-7'imes.
UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA.--Testerday a Sper,aal
general meeting of the proprietors of this company was
held at the office in Old Broad-street, City. The chair
was taken by J. J. Cummins, Esq. A report was read
by Mr. Jackson, the secretary, the subst,anee of which
mtotherleah intevured s j m
commercial, the
o cl-'ll:Bmttrheaerlcolonies, "hi
firms, and even some banking establishments
in ruin. The directors, howeve; spoke with confidence
of returning prosperity, and the trade now carried on,
though restricted, was of a sound and legitimate charac-
nteere.tedT,,hiethdiaffifcourlmtieers
pwehriioedh. stTilhlerdemireacintoerds,winerceonceru]
siun, were happy to congratulate the proprietors upon
the present position of the bank's affairs, and to express
their entire approbation of the conduct of M
or n—yrne l‘ae rr
ea
enabledicaldrn
dis-
tress. si
.n spTechteorre,
sult throughoutor operationsthe periodf
ther of
halfc
the directors to declare a dividend at the rate of six per
cent, per annum. The net assets to the 31st December
were, paid up capital, 820,0001.; undivided profit at
J t,‘iumtnteeesr tie
, 011f844, 42,5651. is. 111 ; net profit for past half
year, 24,953/. 16s. 10d.;
reserve. fund, 36,924 L 6s. 3d.
naretr;eotritngevausiiirieaf;lr, ainreerseonlusitnio;t
ifure salarychan of the
directors the
e
directors were passed, when a vote of thanks was passed
'o the directors of the company, and the meeting ad-

rn6

ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT SOCLETY.—A general
Quarterly Court of the members of this Society was held
yesterday- at the Thatched-house Tavern, St. James'i,
street. Admiral Si: Edward Codrington was in the
chair, and amongst the officers present were Lieutenants
Reid, Andrews, and M`Lean, and Commanders Tyte,
Marshall, Houghton, Whisht, &c. The minutes of the
previous meeting having been read and confirmed, docu-
ments showing the state of the finances were presented
to the mecting. It apdeared that the receipts during
the piist year anieunte.l to 3,1401. 19s. Id. Of that sum.,
2,164 L les. had ben distributed in relief to the widows
and orphans of naval officers in distressed circumstnnees;
and after the payment of the whole of the expenses, a
balance of 5951. remained in favour of the Society.
There had been 157 new subscribers, and 63 ietubs and
withdrawals, during the year ; and from a review of
the condition of the institution, it was found to be in a.
more favourable state than it had been for some time.
past. The accounts were passed,
after vs hick
ing proceeded with the examination of several v
to the
ture rapt.
jeappstva.
,nt
h •
lions for relief; and made grants altogether
of 5001. Thanks
wore then given to the gaietet
Ad-
miral
in the chair, and the meeting separated.

simplicity, and beauty of winch sere, cocordizi
Bishop Lowtb, a Christian prelatbov-enOtiiiiefi .
Jewish literature was, he remerkeiP ;the tifiselshitaxlit
companion of civilisation. Long before they heard
of the Henrys and the Edwards of English history,
schoolboys w ere acquainted with their Joseph and
their Moses; long before they heard of the glorious
names of Waterloo and Trafalgar, they could describe
the fight between David and the Philistine. After
some further remarks in the same strain, he concluded
by expressing a hope that the Institution would be
the instrument of diffusing knowledge, virtue, and
social happines,, throughout their own body, and so•
ciety in general. The conclusion of this oration wu
the signal for a general and prolonged burst of ap-
plause.