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Leader (1850-1860), 11th April 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 345, Untitled Article

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      Dablingtox Entertainments . —There have been some pleasant meetings during the -winter at Darlington , where weekly entertainments are given at the Mechanics ' Institution . A few days ago " the season" closed , with eclat . There -was a large assemblage , -which diverted itself in various -ways . Mr . F . Mewburn spoke to the meeting in behalfof the committee ; the Rev . H . B . Hall , Mr . H . K . Sparks , and Mr . C . H . Compton delivered well-worded and pertinent addresses j and a series of entertainments , in which about fourteen thousand persons have participated during the -winter , were brought to an agreeable close . How to Make as Angel . —The Avenir , of Nice , relates an extraordinary instance of superstition , which , however , in the face of witchcraft in England , will not so much surprise as shock the reader . A servant in a family , consisting of a young man , his wife , and an infant , was found squeezing the heal of the infant to . a jelly , by way , as he said , of making an angel of it . Either , he said , the child will die and go to Paradise , or it will survive and be innocent ever after ! The Apprehended Murrain . —The alarming plague now ravaging the herds of cattle in the north of Europe , and threatening in time to reach this country , has occupied the attention of the Privy Council . A . supplement to the London Gazette of Friday week contains an order in Council of the previous day ( April 2 nd ) , -which directs " that , from and after the date hereof , no cattle and no horns , hoofs , or raw or wet hides or skins of cattle , shall be imported or introduced into the United Kingdom which shall come from or shall have been at any place within those territories of the Emperor of Russia , or of the King of Prussia , or of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin , which respectively are in or border upon the Gulf of Finland , or any other part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Finland and the territories of the Free City of Lubeck , or which shall come from or shall have been at any place within the territories of the Free City of Lubeck ; and also that , from and after the date hereof , no cattle and no horns , hoofs , or raw or wet hides tor skins of cattle , shall be imported or introduced into ohe United Kingdom which shall be , or shall have been on board any vessels at the same time with any cattle , or horns , hoofs , or raw or wet hides or skins of cattle , which shall have come from or shall have been at any such place as aforesaid . And her Majesty , by and with the advice of her Privy Council , doth hereby further order , that all cattle , and all horns , hoofs , and raw or vvet hides or skins of cattle , the importation or introduction whereof is so hereby prohibited as aforesaid , and also all hay , straw , fodder , litter , or manure , being or having been in or on board any vessels at the same time with any such cattle , or horns , hoofs , or raw or wet hides or skins of cattle , as aforesaid , shall , upon their arrival in this country , be destroyed , or otherwise disposed of , as the Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs may direct . " The Rotal British Bank . —The hearing of evidence in this case was resumed on Wednesday before Mr . Commissioner Holroyd . The court was again densely crowded . Mr . John Stapleton was examined at great length by Mr . Linklater . He stated that he became a director of the bank on the 24 th July , 1855 . By a minute , he found that Mr . Esdaile had seconded his nomination for the directorship . Mr . Cameron told him that the bank was then paying 12 per cent ., 6 of which ¦ went to the reserve fund . Mr . Cameron also stated that new shares were issued . He had not heard of Mr . Humphrey Brown's debt at the time , nor of the Welsh ¦ works . The directors did not inform him of the particular debts due to the bank . He had afterwards complained that they had not done so , and expressed himself warmly against Mr . Cameron . In January , 1856 , lie expected there would be a loss by the Welsh works , but he was led to believe that the works would improve and become more marketable . The large amounts then due did alarm him , certainly ; but he did not open his lips . He heard the report and the accounts read , and he held his peace . On the 5 th of February , he was appointed deputy governor , and soon afterwards became acquainted with Mr . Cameron ' s account . The bank had no adequate security for hia debt . They contemplated a considerable loss on Mr . Oliver ' s account ; also a loss on Mr . M'Gregor ' s account . Mr . Blackie ' s account looked very bad indeed in December . On March 6 th , a letter was written to Mr . Cameron remonstrating against hia practice of drawing on the bank . If his account increased after that , it must have increased fraudulently . On the 19 th February , Mr . Deputy Dakin was introduced as a director , and on the 10 th of March he loft , being alarmed at the Welsh works . —Mr . Thomas Crawford , who prepared the balanco sheet , said ho was disposed to think that the general design of the audit was to mislead . —After some few more proceedings , the further hearing was adjourned to Wednesday week , the 22 nd inst ., when Mr . Alderman Kennedy will bo examined . Tnn Recustuar-Gknkral's Quautkrly Rictuhn . — In the first quarter of the year —numoly , the 13 w « foks that ended on March 28 th , the deaths in London wore 16 , 093 , which exceed the deaths of the same quarter in 1856 , but are less than those of 1855 . The increase on last year arises from pulmonary diseases — bronchitis , pneumenia , and phthisis ; for , though the mean temperature- waa nearly 39 dog ., which ia about the average of tho winter quarter , and the mean woekly tomporaturc

      was on nine weeks above the average , the fifth and sixth weeks were very cold , and on two days at that time the thermometer fell to 20 deg . IvObd Douglas died at his seat , Bothwell Castle , upon the Clyde , on Monday morning , in the seventieth year of his age . He was . the son and last male heir of the first Baron Douglas , in whose name " the great Douglas cause " - —a case of disputed right ^ o the estates —was tried in the latter half of last century , the decision being finally given in his favour by the House of Lords , on an appeal made to that body .

      -North-West London Preventive jvnd Reformatory Institution . —A meeting of the friends of this institution-was held on Tuesday in the building in the New-road , at which the Bishop of London delivered a farewell address to ten joung men who have been inmates of the Reformatory , and are about to emigrate . The Bishop was in the « hair , and the Archbishop of Canterbury was also present . Great Flood . — -The late heavy rains have caused the principal rivers in the West Riding of Yorkshire to overflow , and a large district in the vicinity of the Ouse , the Aire and Calder , and the Don , is now submerged .

      Fires . —A fire burst out on Sunday morning on the premises of a greengrocer in Leman-street , Goodman ' s Fields . The house was completely gutted . —On the same morning , the house of a tailor at the rear of the Trinity House , Tower-hill , was burnt down , and some of the adjoining tenements were also injured . Cottqh prom Algeria . —The Moniteur publishes the report of the jury charged to award the prize of 2 O , O 00 f . given by the Emperor annually , for a period , of five years from , 1853 , as an . encouragement for the cultivation of cotton in Algeria . It appears that the natives are every year giving more and more , attention to the culture of cotton . .

      Artists' General Benevolent Institution—The forty-second anniversary festival of the Artists' General Benevolent Institution-was held last Saturday , at the Freemasons' Tavern . About a liundred and fifty gentlemen , most of them connected with art , sat down to dinner under the presidency of Lord Dufferin , who was supported , among others , by Sir Charles L . Eastlake , P . R . A . ; C . R . Cockerill , Esq ., R . A . ; E . M . Ward , Esq ., H . A . ; Alfred Elmore , Esq ., A . R . A . ; T . R . Pickersgill , Esq ., A . H . A . ; W . E . Frost , A . R . A . ; H . Weekes , A . R . A . ; " W . Box . all , A . R . A . ; Augustus Egg , A . H . A . ; R . J . Lane , A . R . A . ; and Mr-W . Simpson , the artist of the well-known " Sketches of the War in the Crimea , " &c . As a proof of the widely-spread sympathy which is felt for the institution , the chairman mentioned that among the subscribers to its funds are two French members of the

      profession of great distinction—Ary Scheffer and Rosa Bonheur . Fhance and England in Westkuji Africa . —The Queen of Great Britain and the Emperor of the French , being desirous to prevent all future cause of misunderstanding with regard to the right of trading at and near Portendic , on the west coast « f Africa , and at Albreda , in the River Gambia , asserted or assumed respectively by the Governments or subjects of Great Britain and France , have concluded a convention for that purpose . In this instrument , - various mutual concessions are made .

      Earl Cowley . —The Queen has directed letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal , granting the dignities of Viscount and Earl of tho United Kingdom to Baron Cowley , G . C . B ., her Majesty ' s Ambassador to the Emperor of the French , and to tho heirs male of his body lawfully begotten , by the names , styles , and titles of Viscount Dangan , in the county of Meath , and Earl Cowley . —London Gazette . Concerts for the People . —Tho 28 th Monday Evening Concert ( of tho St . Martin ' s-haU series ) took place last Monday , and was honoured by the presence of the Lord and Lady Mayoress , accompanied by the ShoriCTa and Undor-Sheriffs of London and Middlesex , who paid great attention to tho performances . Between the parts , Mr . Adolphus Francis read a chapter from Dickens ' s Old Curiosity Shop .

      The Finsburv Ejection Petition . —A mooting of electors of the borough of Finsbury , held at tho Belvedere Tavern , Pentonvillc , has appointed a committee of five , to take measures for supporting the petition to be presented to tho House of Commons against the return of Mr . Cox , and a fund lias been raised to defray the expenses to be incurred thereby without calling upon Mr . Serjeant l ' arry to contribute to such expenses . Mr . Shacn , of Bedford-row , has been appointed the solicitor , and Mr . Edwin James , Q . C , has boon retained to appear in support of the petition .

      The i , atk Vihciountess Kihtii .. — Ilesther Maria Viscountess Keith died a few days ago at her residence in Piccadilly , in her ninGty-ilft . li year . Thin remarkable lady was the last remaining link between the present generation and that brilliant literary circle which congregated round Johnson at " tins dub" which thronged the hospitable mansion of Mrs . Thrulo at Strcatham . Viscountess Keith waa the eldest daughter of Henry Thrale , ( ho friend of Johnson , and tho husband of llosthcr Siilusbiiry , better known to thu world , by the naino of her ( second husband , as " Mrs . Piozzi . "Morning Post . Au . sthama . —The summer in Australia has been

      remarkably fine , an unusual quantity of rain having fallen , causing the rivers to overflow and irrigate the country , whici at this season is generally parched and arid . Great expectations are therefore entertained of a bountiful harvest . —The progress of Melbourne is being evinced at present in the rapid creation of large and architecturally magnificent houses of business ; so that the city begins to look solid and handsome . —Some fear is entertained by the Melbourne merchants of another glut of imported manufactures such as that of 1854-5 . The Ruins op Covbnt-Garden Theatre . —Messrs .

      Eversfield and Home , auctioneers , commenced on Monday the disposal , by public auction , « f the ruins of the Theatre Royal Covent Garden , when a large quantity of loose bricks , charred timber , and sundry old materials lying on the ground , were sold for immediate removal . As soon as the ground is cleared of these , the remainder of the ruins , comprising several millions of bricks , the Portland stone forming the lower portion of the external walls , the portico , and the other building materials , -will be disposed of in the same manner , in order to clear the ground for building the new theatre .

      Caffrarlvn Wool . —The mails just received from the Cape of Good Hope mention a fact which we regard with great satisfaction . An English , settler at King William ' s Town had received two bales- of -wool grown by the Tambookies , and shorn from sheep of their own breeding . This was the first arrival in the colony of wool grown by the natives , and the occurrence was justly regarded as one of no little importance . The getting up of the article was of course , imperfect , but no doubt was entertained that an improvement in that respect would take place , the profit on two bale 3 being quite sufficient to stimulate the growers to whatever exertions might be requisite for the continuance and extension of the trade . —Leeds Mercury .

      Tiee Mighty Fallen . —At the nomination for the Sundcrland election , Mr . George Hudson was arrested by a sheriff ' s officer for debt , judgments for 100 , OO 0 Z . being still out against him . It appeared , however , that a candidate cannot l > e deprived of his liberty ; so the officer let go his prey , and Mr . Hudson being re-elected , was again safe . It is expected that he will shortly be made a bankrupt , and he is stated to be very poor . Report oj ? the Select Committee on Public Printing . —This report , which has just been published , contains a corni > lain ' t that a great deal of public money is wasted in the printing of long reports which few people ever read . The mode of obviating this abuse was pointed out by the committee of 1841- —viz ., by conferring extended and discretionary powers on the Printing Committee , especially as regards the publication of " evidence " and " appendices" to reports . The sale of

      Parliamentary papers , it appears , has averaged an annual net amount of 4000 J . by sale and waste . The committee suggest that every member be recommended to consult Mr . Vardon , the librarian , before moving for a return ; that , after the order for a return has been made , the librarian prepare a form to be forwarded with the order ; that no return be printed without the inspection of Mr . Vardon and the approval of the Speaker ; that no papers moved for by address , or by order of the House , be printed except by authority of the House ; and that extended powers be given to the committee to control more effectively the matter printed in appendices to reports . It is also recommended that the Treasury lay on the table , with the estimates , a distinct account of the amount of printing expenses executed u nder the authority of each Secretary of State or public department , and by either House of Parliament .

      The Kiduerminstkr Riot . —Mr . Lowe lias recovered from the injuries ho received at tho Kidderminster election . He has received an address of sympathy from tho gentry of the neighbourhood . —Two of the apprehended rioters ha-ve pleaded Guilty to a charge of assaulting the police , and have been condemned each to thirty shillings' fine and costs , or , in default , one month ' s imprisonment . Other cases have been remanded . Tower of Lonuom . —The appointment of Major of this fortress , vacant by the demise of Major Elrington , has been conferred by Viscount Combcnnere on Colonel Whimper , a meritorious old woldier , who , in consequence of severe wounds received at the battle of the Alma , has been rendered unequal to active service .

      Tjikatkical Fumjv—The annual dinner in aid of this fund took place on Monday evening nt tlio FreemaBonB ' Tavern ; Mr . Phelp . s in the chair . Sir Charles Ibbetson returned thanks for tho toast of " Tho Army 5 " Mr . T . P . Cooke for that of " Tho Navy . " In vindicating tho nobility of his art , Mr . Phelpa observed : — ' Few , indeed , amongst tlio thousands who have or do practise that art , possess in a high degree , ita requirements ; and , even when that docs occur , it has been considered u drawback upon the actor ' s powers that his creations

      ceaHC to bo when lie shall cease to live . True ; but dc not tho vividness of its present impressions compensate ia a large degree for its want of iicrmancnce ? ( JJheers . ' What other artists can produce such immediate effects ai the actor V What other artist can , by one stroke of hit wand , electrify the heart and brain of assembled thou flunda—striking a chord that acts upon them nil , atone —and compelling a multitude involuntarily to acknowledge kindred t (> each other , and -wonder at tin power that lias thu * exposed them in the fuliicaa o tlieir humanity ? Geiitluineji , if thia bo true—anx

      Untitled Article

      Aprii . 11 , 1857 . ] THE LEADER . 345

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 11, 1857, page 345, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2188/page/9/