itt Yattruitutio.

The eighty-sixth exhibition of the Royal Academy was celebrated on Saturday, by the usual annual dinner ; at which Ministers, present and past, are expected to make pleasant speeches about art and artists, and to interchange happy compliments with the President of the Academy. Sir Charles Eastlake, of course, filled the chair ; making perhaps rather more than the average number of speeches. Ten Ministers were present,— Lord Chancellor Cranwortb, Earl Granville, Lord John Russell, Lord Palmerston, the Duke of Newcastle, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Hardinge, Mr. Cardwell, Sir Charles Wood, and Mr. Sidney Herbert ; a good sprinkling of the Opposition,—Sir John Pakington, Mr. Disraeli, and Mr. Walpole; several "independent" Members ; the Bishops of Oxford and London, &e. The picture of chiefest interest in the East saloon was a portrait of Lord John Russell by Mr. Grant, which every- body noticed and everybody praised. As usual, the speaking was dis- cursive. On behalf of "the. Army," Lord Hardinge said—" I never saw so fine a body of men leave these shores as that body of men which has gone out to the East under Lord Raglan." The Earl of Hardwicke, re- presenting "the Navy," spoke of the value of art to seafaring men, as it enables them to take portraits of their wives and children with them to sea ; and delivered an extempore lecture on the impolicy of setting ships to fight stone walls. With a graceful allusion to the Chevalier Bunsen, whose absence he regretted, the President coupled the name of Lord Clarendon with "the Diplomatic Service" ; a compliment duly acknow- ledged. The Lord Chancellor, responding for the guests, pleasantly dis- serted on the value of art ; vindicating the British love of portraits, and remarking that it showed the strength of our domestic affections. When it came to the President's turn to speak on his own behalf and that of the Academy, he put in a claim for art, hoping that it would not be forgotten during the vigorous prosecution of a just war ; and he proposed "the Chancellor of the Exchequer." Mr. Gladstone understood the proposal as a kind of parable, meaning "that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to be considered as a symbol of the pecuniary resources of the country, and that the funds of a great nation ought to be dispensed for every civi- lizing purpose, and not least for the purposes of art." All his colleagues, and even himself, acknowledged that truth; and he trusted the nation would not condescend to the narrow economy of stopping those fertilizing influences by means of which education and the fine arts have flourished.

The President ventured on a novelty that took the company by sur- prise. Remarking, that at the dinner two years ago, Mr. Disraeli, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, had invited Lord John Russell to cooperate with him in any judicious scheme for promoting the fine arts, he hoped neither had changed his sentiments although they had changed their re- lative positions; and he finished by proposing "the health of Lord John Russell and Mr. Disraeli,"—which provoked a roar of merriment with the cheers. Lord John Russell said, that although political antagonism had never produced the slightest ill-will between himself and Mr. Dis- raeli; and although he was glad to see talents like his receive their meed of approbation, yet, as far as politics were concerned, the President had produced the most violent contrasts in the composition of his toast, and had not manifested that harmony which ought to distinguish him as a painter. But in one thing Lord John and Mr. Disraeli agreed—they had both the good fortune to have their portraits painted by the same eminent artist. Mr. Disraeli made a facetious reply ; rejoicing in the honour of having his name associated with a celebrated artist and a famous states- man; complimenting Lord John on his good looks—" in the Royal Aca- demy" ; and, with a look towards the portrait, saying—",I have sat op- posite and watched him for seventeen years ; I have seen him in the ela- tion of triumph ; and I do not think that I have ever seen him of a better figure and appearance than I see him this evening." Lord Palmerston was toasted and thanked for his achievements against picture-defacing smoke : on which the lightsome Secretary remarked, that "the consumption of smoke is no novelty—it has been going on for ages—but in our lungs, not in our chinanies."

The Duke of Argyll distributed the prizes to the students of medicine attending the London University, on Saturday. The Duke delivered an eloquent address, according to custom on these occasions, on the im- portance of studying the natural sciences in connexion with medicine.

The sixty-fifth anniversary dinner of the Royal Literary Fund was also on Wednesday,—Lord Mahon in the chair. The son and grandson of Tippoo Seib, and Lord Stanley, were among the guests. The chairman stated that 14901. had been distributed last year among thirty-one gen- tlemen and sixteen ladies. The subscriptions for the current year in- cluded the Queen's seventeenth donation of 1001., Lord Mahon's fourth donation of 201., and subscriptions of 101. each from the Earl of Ellen- borough, the Earl of Ellesmere, Mr. Hallam, and Mr. Macaulay.

The annual meeting of the Church Missionary Society took place on Tuesday ; the Earl of Chichester in the chair. The income of the Society was stated to be 123,915/. ; the expenditure 131,7831. The Society has 118 stations throughout the world; is served by 1661 teachers of all. classes ; and during last year (it is estimated) 107,000 persons attended divine service in the Society's missions, of whom there were 17,824 com- municants.

At the annual meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society, on Wednesday,—Lord Shaftesbury in the chair,—it was stated that during last year 66,5071. had been raised for Jubilee objects; 30,4851. for the, Chinese Testament Fund ; received for Bibles and Testaments, 66,0091. ; and for general purposes, 59,656/. The aggregate amount raised was 222,6591.—en increase of more than 16,0001. as compared with the pre-, ceding year. During last year 1,367,528 copies of the Bible were issued at home and abroad ; making the total number since the commencement of the Society 27,938,631.

The third annual meeting of the Protestant Alliance was held at Exeter Hall on Thursday ; Lord Shaftesbury in the chair. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts were 9361. ; the expenditure, 11991. ; balance against the Alliance, 2631.

The annual meeting of the London City Mission took place on Thurs- day; Mr. J. P. Plumptre in the chair. During the year, 1,439,380 visits had been made, and 1,931,705 tracts distributed. The income of the Bo- ciety was 27,484/. ; an income of 10,0031. over the preceding year.

The Governesses Benevolent Institution has now been in existence eleven years : on Wednesday Lord Newark presided over a dinner to celebrate the anniversary, and to present a testimonal to the Reverend David Laing, for his services to the institution. Since the society was founded, aid has been given to 3300 governesses, at a cost of 9000/. ; and sixty ladies have been allowed small but certain incomes. The provident fund is now 108,0001., all invested in Government securities.

Lord Shaftesbury presided at the twelfth annual meeting of the Field Lane Ragged and Industrial School and Nightly Refuge for the Desti- tute, on Wednesday. He protested that what they are doing for the ragged children is of little use while they live with their parents in such pestilential habitations. According to the report, 26,399 persons had slept in the Refuge during the year ; 20 boys had been returned to their friends; 85 had been taken into reformatory institutions ; and 112 placed in situations. The receipts last year had been 1020/. ; the expenditure, 781/. ; leaving a balance of 2391.

The twenty-second annual meeting of the Literary Association of the Friends of Poland was held on Wednesday : notables present, Lord Dud- ley Stuart the chairman, the Earl of Harrowby, the Earl of Harrington, the Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord Beaumont, and Mr. Monckton Manes. In the report it was stated that the recent dinner realized 9001.

Mr. Rose is the new Alderman of the Ward of Queenhithe. At the poll, on Thursday, Mr. Rose had 37 votes ; Mr. Crook, his antagonist, 25.

At a special meeting of the Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers, on Tuesday, Colonel Dawson asked " what progress has been made with the arrangements for reconstructing this Commission ? " Not wishing to- embarrass the Government, he yet desired that the public should know why the Commission continue in office. The Chairman, Mr. R. Jebb, said that he could give no information on the subject ; but he had reason to believe that before long a bill will be brought into Parliament. Pro- bably nothing can be known until the bill be laid on the table of the House of Commons.

Professor Owen has forzarded an elaborate protest against the use of the Square of Lincoln's Thn Fields as a site for the proposed new Law Courts, to Dr. Waller Lewis, who has enclosed it to the General Board of Health, with a recommendation that the portion of St. Clement's Danes parish, now overcrowded with alleys and courts, should be the site chosen.

It is stated that a scrutiny of the votes for the election of a Church- warden of St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, has resulted in a majority for Mr. Davidson, and that legal steps will be taken to prevent Mr. Westerton from exercising the office.

An aggravated case of bill-dealing came before Mr. Baron Alderson, in the Court of Exchequer, on Tuesday. The facts of the case are these. Thomas Newcombe, a lawyer's clerk, wanted very much to get an acceptance from John Meiklam, a young gentleman twenty-two years of age, who " lives with his parents in Bryanstono Square." To effect this, he suggested to a Mr. Elliott, formerly a wine-merchant at Liverpool, and having some know- ledge of Meiklam, that he should get his acceptance. Meiklam gave him one for 1001. at two months; " understanding that the other person wanted to specu- late " on his bill. Elliott took the bill, and handed it to Newcombe ; who thereupon lent Elliott 11/., and it was understood that if he got the bill " done " he should have 301. Newcombe tried, and he says failed, to get the bill discounted ; and being in debt to an attorney named Sherwood, he, without stating under what circumstances he became possessed of the bill, gave it to Sherwood as a security. All this time, the original acceptor, Meiklam, had not received a farthing's consideration. The bill became due on the 27th January last. On the 15th December, Meiklam wrote to ask that it might be returned. From that time he heard nothing of the bill, until the 25th of February, when he received a letter from Sherwood, the attorney, stating that as Elliott could not be found he was compelled to take pro- ceedings against Meiklam ; and accordingly Sherwood commenced this action. On learning, however, the true nature of the case, that no consideration had been given for the bill, Sherwood at once consented to a nonsuit. The bill was impounded. In the course of the trial, Mr. Baron Alderson made these remarks—" I think I could cure this bill-system in bill-discounting matters, by making it a felony. It is perfectly disgraceful. It would be a most bene- Scial act if any gentleman would take the subject in hand, and bring in a bill making such a transaction a felony. It is no less than stealing a man's mo- ney. If such an act of Parliament were passed the good effected would be incalculable, and the parties would be at the bar at the Old Bailey." The Jury said, they were quite of the opinion expressed by his Lordship as to the necessity of something being done by the Legislature in order to put a stop to this system of bill-dealing.

In the Insolvent Court, on Thursday, Mr. Sackville Walter Lane Fox, formerly Member for Ipswich and for Beverley, applied for his discharge. Mr. Fox had been in the Queen's Bench since March 1853. His schedule showed that his debts were 168,8031. 17s. ld. ; of which 36,7491. 15s. are without consideration, and 28,0001. unsecured. The insolvency is attributed to the granting of heavy annuities upon his life-interest under the will of his brother-in-law, the late Duke of Leeds; to heavy interest and discount, to expenses of establishment, and electioneering expenses. Among the items of expenditure are 70001. on account of a contested election at Beverley ; 6391. to an Italian warehouse firm ; and 5001. to a fishmonger. The property of Mr. Fox, in land, a house in St. James's Square, and money in the Funds, yielded a gross income of 17,0001. a year ; which, deducting certain charges, was re- duced to nearly 12,0001. It is now heavily encumbered. There were two opposing creditors; but Mr. Commissioner Law decided that the insolvent was entitled to his discharge. Mr. Law censured the vicious practice of credit as exhibited by this case. Tradesmen went on trusting when they must have known the position of the insolvent : sober persons were surprised at the credit given. The prisoner must be discharged.

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Monday, John Kirby was brought up for judgment. He had been convicted at the previous Sessions of receiving albands stolen from trucks on the North-Western Railway ; the Company were anxious to learn which of their servants were the thieves, and Kirby's sentence was postponed to give him an opportunity of making disclosures; but he made none. His counsel, Mr. Ballantine, urged that his silence was oreditable to him—he stood at the bar without any imputation of treachery upon him. The Assistant-Judge, not viewing his conduct in that exalted light, sentenced him to six years' penal servitude. While awaiting this judgment, the prisoner said he was anxious to tell all he knew ; but the Judge told him he must now forward any disclosures to the Secretary of State.

At the last Sessions, four pickpockets were convicted of stealing a watch in the confusion caused by one of them pretending to fall down in a fit : on Tuesday, six young rogues belonging to the same gang were convicted of attempting to pick pockets. It is believed that the entire gang is forty strong, and headed by a burglar called "the Chelsea lawyer." On Wednesday, Eliza Scott was convicted of stealing a purse from Mrs. M'Arthur. A woman named Blackford had been committed by the Magis- trate with Scott ; she was with Scott when the robbery was effected ; but four days before the day of trial a Judge had admitted her to bail. She did not appear on Wednesday ; her recognizances were estreated, and the money was paid. The counsel for the prosecution remarked that the Judge's act in liberating a person under such circumstances had caused a failure of justice; and the Assistant-Judge said he was astonished at it : he intends to make some inquiry into the matter, especially with regard to the affidavit sub- /pitted to the Judge.

During the recent contest for the Churchwardenehip of St. Paul and St. Barnabas, Pimlico, party-spirit ran so high that the Reverend Mr. Lowder, one of the Curates of St. Barnabas, incited the lads employed as choristers to pelt with eggs a man carrying a placard for the opposition candidate. Some gentlemen waited on Mr. Lowder, and he admitted but regretted his Offence. Subsequently he was summoned before the Westminster Magistrate : he repeated his regret, recompensed the board-man, and the matter was allowed to drop, after the Magistrate had expressed a hope that no such un- seemly proceedings would occur again. [In the civil jurisdiction the matter was allowed to drop, but the Bishop of London took it up for serious expos- tulation.]

Policeman Norman discovered two men attempting to force an entrance at night into a gentleman's house in Globe Road, Mile-End : one of the bur- glars he recognized : he had a desperate struggle with them, but they got off. Next day the Policeman watched the house of the man he had recog- nized, and seized him as he came out. The prisoner is Charles Frederick Rawlings, a middle-aged man of respectable appearance; who describes himself as a tobacconist out of business. An alibi attempted to be esta- blished before the Worship Street Magistrate broke down, and Rawlings was .committed.

jMany forged bank-notes have recently been passed upon publicans, by persons who made considerable purchases. The Police seem to have got hold of some of the most active of the utterers. Henry Feuch, a tobacconist of Castle Street, Leicester Square, has been committed by the Marylebone Ma- gistrate for passing a forged ten-pound note; and Eleanor Baker, who lived with him, for uttering several false notes. The Marlborough Street Magistrate has committed William Turner on a number of similar charges. John Ro- wan, or "Irish Jack," has been committed by the Lambeth Magistrate : he passed a forged five-pound note at an ironmonger's, and a forged note for ten pounds at a public-house.

A fire attended with dreadful results occurred in Colchester Street, White- -chapel, very early on Saturday morning, at a beer-shop and lodging-house, kept by a person named Brossette. A Policeman perceived smoke issuing from the windows, and he raised an alarm : there were many persons sleeping in the house. John Fosst jumped from a window, and was fatally hurt; the Royal Society's fire-escape was the means of rescuing Brossette, his wife, and three children,—Wood the keeper of the escape carrying down Mrs. Brossette in his arms, and one child with his teeth ; but when these people had been taken down the ladder, the flames burst forth so fiercely that the ma- chine caught fire, and it could no longer be used. Soon after this, part of the house suddenly fell down, and two of the firemen were all but sacrificed. Brossette stated that unless the lodgers had escaped by the tack of the house there must have been many burnt to death : it was too true—when, after the lapse of many hours, the ruins were searched, no fewer than eight bodies were found. They were those of persons who had been nightly lodgers in the house,—a German hawker of jewellery, a tailor, a Hungarian refugee, a commission-agent, a carpenter, two slipper-makers, and a man unknown ; nearly all foreigners. inquest nquest was commenced on Tuesday. Brossette and his wife could not account for the origin of the fire. There was an oven in a cellar for baking bread, but the fire was safely extinguished on Friday night. A blacksmith stated that the gas-pipes in the front cellar had been in an unsafe state; Brossette had desired him to repair the joints, but he had been too busy to undertake the job. Mr. Culverhouse, a trustee of the parish, complained that twelve hours elapsed before a search was made in the ruins; neither firemen nor parish officers did anything in the matter, and he himself hired labourers and set them to work.

One of the arches of the South-Eastern Railway, at Bermondsey, occupied by a cab-master as a stable, was burnt out last Saturday morning; and four horses perished, while two rushed out of the flames with their coats and tails on fire.