with the entry of the chief officer—the "Angel" wearing
a purple cape, denoting authority, and otherwise
magnificently clad. Then followed the "Prophets" in blue
stoles; the Evangelists in red; the pastors, elders, and
others. The service is said to deviate little from that of
the Church of England. Among the office-bearers of
the "Holy Catholic Apostolic Church" are Admiral
Gambier, Mr. Henry Drummond, M.P., the Honourable
Henry Parnell, Mr. J. P. Knight, R.A.; and among
the members of the church are Lady Bateman, Lady
Dawson, and Lady Anderson. All who join the church
offer a tenth of their income towards its support and
extension.

An Entertainment to the Lunatic Patients at Colney
Hatch was given on the 4th inst. The patients were
assembled in the exercising-hall to the number of 650,
and entertained in the customary manner with cakes,
fruits, &c. The patients were delighted with a series
of dissolving views, which were exhibited through the
kindness of Mr. Charles Woodward, one of the visiting
justices. Songs and glees were sung, and the amusements
continued till half-past nine o'clock. An alarm
of fire was at one time raised, but fortunately, owing to
the exertions of Mr. Pownall and the clerk to the
committee, the patients were kept tranquil. A piece of
ornamental calico, placed under one of the galleries with
some evergreens, took fire, but it was torn down by Mr.
Pownall and Mr. Pryor, with the assistance of the
female warders in attendance, and all danger removed.
Order was restored in a few minutes, and the rest of the
evening was passed in the most cheerful and satisfactory
manner.

The Marylebone Free Library, the first institution of
this kind established in the metropolis, was opened on the
9th inst., for the gratuitous admission of the public, at
27, Gloucester-place, New-road. The books are arranged
round the rooms on the first floor of the house, tables
being placed in the centre for the convenience of readers.
The name of the institution is local, but persons of any
locality are equally allowed free access to the books. The
library already possesses about 5000 volumes, comprising
works in all branches of literature, and endeavours are
making to increase the number.

The half-yearly general meeting of the Governors of
the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb was held on the
9th instant. The report stated that the institution since
1792, the date of its foundation, had under the divine
blessing afforded a useful education, combined with
sound religious instruction and moral training, to
upwards of 2,500 children. It appeared from the statement
of accounts that the income of the charity for
the year just concluded had amounted to £11,721 17s.,
of which sum £1,179 16s. 1d. formed the balance from
the previous audit; £1,787 the amount of annual
subscriptions, and £2,879 that of legacies. The disbursements
amounted to £8,552 5s. The trustees invested
£1,501 17s. 6d. in the purchase of £1,500 Three per
Cent. Consols, and there remained in banker's hands a
balance of £1,667 14s. 6d. The report was unanimously
adopted. A poll was then opened for the election of
thirty pupils from a list of fifty-seven candidates, at the
conclusion of which the chairmen announced the names
of those who had been successful.

The winter show of the Metropolitan Poultry Club
opened to the public at the Baker-street Bazaar on the
9th. The Queen was among the first to avail herself of
the rule of the club, which declares that any pen of
birds may be claimed at the price affixed to them after
one o'clock on the first day of the show, by claiming at
the price affixed to them, viz., £10 the beautiful pen of
gold-laced (Seabright) bantams, numbered 973, in class
51, bred by Mr. Uriah Spiney, Market-street, Dunstable,
hatched in 1853. Prince Albert also claimed the splendid
Dorking cock, bred by Mr. Fisher Hobbes, of Boxted
Lodge, Colchester, which obtained the first prize in
the class 7, and numbered 145. The second prize in the
same class, also carried off by Mr. Fisher Hobbes,
numbered 147, was claimed by Colonel Kingscote for
ten guineas. Prince Albert's pen of Brahma Poutra
fowls, numbered 581, in class 22, and to which his royal
highness had affixed a price of £25, were claimed,
although they had received no prize, at that sum by Mr.
Fox, of Skinner-street, Snow-hill. Lord. R. Grosvenor
claimed, at £15, No.135 in class 6, a Dorking cock and
two pullets, which obtained the second prize in the class,
bred by Mr. E. Terry, of Aylesbury.

Lord Palmerston has addressed a letter to Prince
Albert as Chancellor of the university of Cambridge, on
the subject of Improvements in the University. After
narrating the steps already taken, Lord Palmerston
directs the attention of the university by its Chancellor,
to five points with respect to which government conceive
that Parliament would desire to see plans of improvement
entertained. These points are, an alteration of
the constitution of the universities, with a view to the
more general and effective representation of the main
elements of which they consist; extension of the benefits
of training, whether in connexion or not with colleges
and halls; the abolition or modification of restrictions
attaching to fellowships; regulations to prevent open
fellowships from degenerating into sinecures, and to
provide for their relinquishment at a given time; and the
establishment of provisions by which colleges with ample
means might render some portion of their property
available for the general purposes of the university,
beyond as well as within the college-walls. Lord
Palmerston states the reasons for delay hitherto, but
adds, that her Majesty's government feel that the time
has now arrived when these questions should be decided;
and he requests the Chancellor to inform him what
measures of improvement the university of Cambridge
may be about to take. Believing that repeated and
minute interference by Parliament in the affairs of the
universities is an evil, her Majesty's government
earnestly hope "to find, on the part of these bodies, such
mature views and enlarged designs of improvement as
may satisfy the reasonable desires of the country," and
may obviate the occasion for further interference.

The annual general court of the governors of the
Royal Humane Society was held on the 11th inst. Mr.
Benjamin Bond Cabbell, M.P. in the chair. The report
stated that during the half-year ending 31st December
last, the society had brought under its notice 102 cases
of drowning, involving the risk of 105 persons, of whom
8 had been beyond recovery, and 24 had been attempted
suicides. The circumstances attending 10 of the above-
mentioned cases had been so extraordinary, as to induce
the committee to refer them to the General Court, with
a view to the society honouring those who at the peril of
their own lives humanely rescued their fellow-creatures
from a watery grave. The total number of cases during
the year had been 152, and the persons attended to 165,
of whom 153 had been recovered, 12 had been beyond
recovery, and 31 had attempted suicide. The total
number of cases referred had been 19. During the same
period the society conferred the following rewards,
namely, 24 silver medals, 36 bronze ditto, 9 testimonials
on vellum, 6 on parchment, and 108 pecuniary gifts.
There had bathed in the Serpentine during the last
season, 223,250 persons, or about 40,000 fewer than the
average of some years past. The casualties, none of
which had proved fatal, had been 21. In the interval,
between the 19th of last month and 6th of the present,
there had been on the frozen waters of the Royal Parks
about 253,000 skaters, several of whom had suffered
immersion, and would probably have perished but for the
assistance afforded to them by the society. Of these
only 49 left their names and addresses. The thank-
offerings for rescue were confined to one poor boy, who
with gratitude greater than his means, subscribed
twopence to the funds of the society. Mr. H. Goring, one
of the vice-presidents, presented the society with a
donation of £105.

A new Trade School has been established by the
exertions of Sir James Kay Shuttleworth, of Gawthorpe
Hall, near Padiham: on the 11th inst. it was inaugurated
by a tea-party. Sir James Shuttleworth addressed
the meeting, showing the mischief of strikes, and calling
upon the manufacturers of the district to help in carrying
on the school, by which the working men would be
disabused of the fallacious doctrines out of which strikes
arise. Going very fully into the subject of the relation
of capital and labour, and minutely into a history of
strikes, Sir James showed that there had been a great
improvement in the character of these proceedings;
opinion and sympathy doing now what violence did in