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The Corporation of the Trinity House held its anniversary dinner on Saturday, the Master, Prince Albert, in the chair. Some interesting facts were mentioned, and opinions expressed in the after-dinner speeches. The Prince Consort, for instance, in proposing the health of the Prince of Wales and the royal family, said :—

"The younger members of the royal family are rapidly growing up. The Princess )loyal has already become the founder of a new family destined to mount the throne of Prussia ; the Prince of Wales is following his academic course at Oxford, which he proposes to complete at the sister university, Cambridge—(cheers)—while his younger brother has by the prescribed ap- prenticeship earned his rating as a midshipman, and serves zealously as such in the fleet. (Cheers). It will be a curious coincidence that, nearly at the same time, a few weeks hence, though almost at the opposite poles, the Prince of Wales will inaugurate, in the Queen's name, that stupendous work, the Great Bridge over the St. Lawrence, in Canada, while Prince Alfred will lay the foundation stone of the breakwater for the harbour of Cape Town. What vast considerations as regards our country are brought to our minds in this simple fact! What present greatness f What past history ! What future hopes; and how important and beneficent is the part given to the royal family of England to act in the development of those dis- tant and rising countries, who recognize in the British crown and their alle- giance to it their supreme bond of union with the mother country and with each other. (Loud cheers.) In speaking of the Army and Navy, the Master paid a high compli- meat to the Volunteers whom he had just seen march past her Majesty. The Duke of Somerset, answering for the Navy, said:- " If ever this country is is danger, and if ever any hostile armament should be raised against it, that the first line and the first boundary which has to be broken through is that of the navy of England. That is the first line of your defence, and I trust it is a line which will never be broken. I trust that that army of volunteers which we have seen today, and the other army, welt disciplined and organized as it is, will never do more in this country than fire salutes in honour of the victories which the navy may gain. I believe that the same volunteering spirit and feeling of courage which you saw today animating civilimui for the army would animate the sailors of this country if once they believed it was necessary they should be called out in defence of their country. I am convinced that all the sailor population of the country would come forward with the same will and the same energy that you have seen today. (Cheers.)

Sir John Burgoyne replied for the Army, and practically for the Volunteers, using, with regard to the latter, the following emphatic lan- guage :-

" I cannot, when talking of the force of the country, help adverting to that splendid display which was witnessed a few hours ago in Hyde Park. As one of the oldest officers of the army—perhaps the oldest—I wish to add my mite of respect to that movement. The strength of the force that was exhibited today may not, perhaps, be thoroughly known yet, and it is a matter of very great doubt to me whether you will be able to ascertain it by the returns that will be given ' • but I made a little observation myself that I believe is not far from correct. I observed that MO men passed her Ma- jesty every minute; they were occupied 65 minutes in going by, and that brings the total number to nearly 20,000 men, which I think very near the number. [A good estimate : the exact number was 18,450.] Those men, sir, are full of ardour. They have an ardour that does not require to be stimulated ; on the contrary, I think it requires to be moderated. I think myself they have been going on rather too fast. I am sorry to see them goin,g out and getting wet through day after day. ("Hear, hear! " and laughter.) I see no cause for any such hurry. They will get on remark- ably well without proceeding quite so fast. It is like learning to swim— everything they learn will rest by them ; and if they go on progressively, you may depend upon it that in a very short time they will become excel- lent soldiers, and equal to any emergency that may arise. Do not require too much work from them at the present moment. Now, with regard to what they could do, I think we may judge of what they are capable of doing from what they have done. It was a remark of the Duke of Welling- ton that if there were 10,000 troops in Hyde Park he did not know a dozen generals who would be able to get them out within a reasonable time. There was a friend of mine speaking to me today, who could not get sight of the display, and he said, Never mind, I will go tomorrow morning and see the tail." Now, sir, two hours after the review the whole of the 20,000 men were out of the park. I say that is very creditable to the Vo- lunteers, and very creditable to the officers. (Cheers.) There are a few excrescences that might be lopped off with advantage, and after that, and indeed even without, I am quite certain they will form an efficient and valuable element in the defence of the country, and they will also be the foundation of giving us the means of applying force offensively. I should be sorry to see the latter become necessary, but if ever we should be attacked I am quite sure they will materially assist us in any defence we may have to make against aggression, from whatever quarter it may come."

Among the other speakers, were Lord Palmerston, Lord Taunton, Mr. Milner Gibson, the Earl of Derby, Sir Charles Wood, and the Duke of Newcastle. Lord Palmerston made an amusing speech in answer to the toast of her Majesty's Ministers :-

" We may feel perhaps also that we have been, even before your Royal Highness gave that toast, indirectly included in the compliment which you very properly paid to the volunteers of the country—(Cheers and Laugh- ter—for we belong to a corps of volunteers who undertake arduous duties, and, as your Royal Highness has mentioned, without any sort of compulsion and with the purest goodwill. (Renewed laughter and cheering.) There is this pecular circumstance connected with that corps of volunteers, that there is always going on a little sort of internal war between the members. Fleetimur inquam, et Resurgemus.' (Laughter and cheers.) But there is this comfort for the country, that when one of the detachment goes off duty, there is always another ready to take his place, so that the public ser- vice is never injured. (Laughter.) What perhaps we might complain of is, that our period of service is not quite so long or so certain as the period of service in the army and navy; but as your Royal Highness has mentioned the fatigues which are incident to the performance of our duties, it is well that we are sometimes relieved from them before human nature renders us unequal to the continuance of those duties. (Renewed laughter.) ' We must always feel great interest in the corporation whose hospitality we are this day enjoying, because the duty of this corporation is to erect land-marks and beacons, and buoys to guide the voyager, to point out quicksands, shoals, and rocks ; and no set of people are more in need of those warnings to guide them than the persons who from time to time are included in the toast whichyour Royal Highness has proposed. (Shouts of laughter.) But, sir, we really do most sincerely take the greatest interest in the prosperity of this corporation. Everybody must feel that the life of this nation is al- most as much on the waters as it is on land. (Cheers.) We do not live, like the Chinese, on stagnant pools and canals ; but wherever the waves of the ocean roll, in the most distant parts of the world, there you will find those waves wafting British life, British industry, British enterprise— things which constitute the vital functions and powers of the English na- tion; and, therefore, I am sure you will understand that those who may from time to time be charged with the conduct of the affairs of this great country, must take a lively and sincere interest in the welfare and pros- perity of this great corporation."

The Duke of Newcastle made allusion to the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada, remarking that he was about to attend the Prince :-

" I am confident that that illustrious Prince, if by the blessing of God he returns here, will bring back to his illustrious mother and to your Royal Highness the information that that spirit which has been evinced in Hyde Park today, and which is shown throughout the whole of this country, is equally strong on the other side of the water. He will see, no doubt, in miniature, the same efforts which have been made in London today. He will convey to this country the information that, as in the arts of peace, of which this corporation is a partaker, so in the arts of war, for the purpose of self-defence (though for the purpose of self-defence alone), they are equally ready to come forward, and to maintain in its integrity that great empire which is reigned over by her Majesty, and I hope, by God's provi- dence, will tend to produce the greatest blessings of peace and happiness to the community of the whole world." (Cheers.)

The Prince of Wales laid, on Wednesday, the foundation-stone of the Vauxhall School of Art. Among those present, were the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of Bath and Wells, Winchester and Chichester, Earl Granville, and several Members of the House of Commons. The Reverend Robert Gregory, curate of the parish of St. Mary, read an ad- dress, to which the Prince gave this reply :-

" Gentlemen—I thank you very sincerely for your address, and for the gratifying terms in which you allude to my presence here today. Although I have hitherto refrained from taking part in ceremonies of this nature, it has afforded me much pleasure to accede to your request, and thus to asso- ciate myself with an undertaking the objects of which you have so well de- scribed, and with which I most heartily sympathize. Permit me then to tender to you my warm congratulations upon the success which has already attended your zealous and judicious exertions in behalf of those who could not otherwise have obtained the advantages which this institution is in- tended to confer, and to express my earnest hope that the results, both as regards the individuals immediately benefitted and the public at large, may exceed your most sanguine expectations."

At a Common Hall held in the Guildhall on Monday, Alderman Abbiss and Mr. Andrew Lusk were nominated Sheriffs of Middlesex for the ensuing year.

A Church-rate contest has taken place in the parish of St. Clement Dane& The objectors to a rate went to the poll, and were beaten by _ 210 to 13.

Shocked at the defeat of the Reform Bill, the inhabitants of Chelsea and Kensington held a meeting last week to record their feelings of dis- appointment at the postponement of their enfranchisement. Mr. Collier presided, and Mr. Torrens M'Cullagh made a long speech. The meeting adopted a resolution, proposing that the two seats formerly held by St. Alban's, but now vacant, should be appropriated to Kensington and Chelsea.

An open-air public meeting was held on Wednesday evening, in Pad- dington Green, for the purpose of investigating the causes of the present "famine" prices of provisions, and for considering what steps should be taken to obtain them at a cheaper rate. Mr. Steadman presided. In opening the proceedings, he said that similar meetings had been held all over the country, and at Sheffield the people had been recommended to abstain from butcher meat. He did not agree with this recommenda- tion, and he thought the best course would be to adopt a resolution, call- ing on the Government to appoint a commission to investigate the sub-' ject. Mr. James Bligh, boot-maker, made a long speech, and concluded by moving the following resolution :— " That this meeting is of opinion that the present high prices of pro- visions generally do not arise from any scarcity of food in the markets, but from a monopoly on the part of the rich provision dealer ; and this meeting is further of opinion that it is the duty of the Government to appoint a com- mission to inquire into the matter, and take such measures as will place the working-classes beyond the pale of starvation." Mr. Donovan, in seconding the resolution, said he believed it would be an unwise course to abstain from butcher meat. The resolution was agreed to, and the meeting was adjourned for a week. About 300 persons were present, and they belonged almost exclusively to the work- ing-classes.

A Mr. Hearne, bookseller, has obtained a verdict and 251. damages in the Court of Queen's Bench against the Kerning Star for libel. The libel was contained in an article commenting an proceedings in the Divorce Court affecting the character of Mr. Hearne. Lord Chief Justice Cockburn, in summing up the case to the jury, said the defendant rested his defence upon two grounds—first, he said that the article was only a fair comment upon what had passed in a court of justice ; and secondly, that the facts alleged in the article were in themselves true. His Lordship said it was matter of regret that the latter defence had been placed on the record. It would have been better if the defeqdant had confined himself to the defence that he took the facts to be true, because evidence was given of them in a court of justice, and they were not denied. If he had done that, and commented upon the facto so proved in good faith, that would have been a good defence, and it was not necessary for his defence to allege that the facts were true. It was not suggested that the defendant had any personal malice against the plain- tiff; but still he had no right to distort or discolour facts in order to make his arguments more cogent and conclusive.

An action has been brought in the Court of Probate by a Mr. Sims, praying that probate of the will of Mrs. Arabella Watson, granted to Mr. Hutehin- eon, might be revoked. Mr. Hutchinson is a medical gentleman ; he at- tended the late Mr. Watson in his last illness, and Mrs. Watson during her life. In gratitude to him she left him from 18,0001. to 20,0001. The next of kin, Mr. Sims, sought to set aside the will on the ground that the testatrix was not of sound mind and had been under undue influence. There was no evi- dence whatever to support the allegation, and Mr. Hutchinson got a verdict Mr. Selfe, the active Thames Street Magistrate, is still busy looking into the transactions of the United Kingdom Mutual Annuity Society and the United Kingdom Benevolent Annuity Society—one concern under two names. Several gentlemen of position have offered large sums wherewith to defray tbe expenses of any prosecution that may be desirable. But Mr. Selfe has declined the money offered. At present, ho is only anxious that the facts should be laid before the public.

Henry Finch, landlord of a public-house, in Lower Thames Street, and several other persona, were summoned by the Vicar of Allhallows Barking, within the City, for arrears of tithe. Finch took the house, with some heavy arrears due. He objected to pay; the Vicar, disinclined to be severe, offered a compromise ; Finch still refused, saying be could not pay. After considerable discussion, however, and learning from the Mansionhouse ma- gistrates the severity of the law, he agreed to a compromise. The others followed his example.

Mr. Charles Babbage is renowned for his warfare against street musicians. The sound of a brazen instrument, even if it be a hundred yards off, brings him down like a Zouave. He has caused a band of Germans to be arrested and fined for playing in a neighbouring street. Mr. Seeker thus laid down the law. He said that it was an offence against law to continue playing, when they were told to leave by anyone to whom their noisy instruments were an annoyance. There was, however, another offence committed by them which was that of cause of an obstruction. They had no right to oc- cupy the thoroughfare so as to cause an obstruction, and they were liable to a punishment for doing so. No man has a right to put himself in a position to occupy the public highway, or to play his noisy instruments within the hearing of person who are pursuing grave occupations. The street is not to be infested with persons who disturb the inhabitants. He should inflict a mitigated fine on each, but if they were again summoned he should inflict the full penalty of 21., to which each was liable.

Mr. Dray, a master baker, has been fined 10s. and costs, for selling a meat-pie after the hour of half-past one on Sunday. The prosecutors were the Journeymen Bakers' Protection Society.

On Wedneeday, Antonio Debrang, a Frenchman, murdered his wife and killed himself in broad day in Hyde Park. He fired one pistol, crossed the road, fired another, and then cut his throat. On entering his abode his wife's body was found lying naked on the floor, the head being thrown into a cupboard. Jealousy was the cause of these crimes.

On the next day, an Indian tried to kill himself in the House of Lords, but was prevented inflicting a dangerous wound.

The riots in the turbulent parish of St. George's have broken out again with increased ferocity. On Sunday they not only interrupt. d the service, but pursued the choristers through the streets, knocked them about, and forced householders who sheltered them, to give them up. The victims of the mob only escaped by the resolute stand made by four or five constables while the choristers ran away.