The Express. — London, England, 1849-01-18 00:00:00

~..... ! 11111.1111•11mmW lad Wheat. 17 et., 375. to 41e.; 174 et., 40e. to 43s ; dem 044 e. Whites, la. men mesiey, asserting saything very geed, whisk lashed amour reds, _this mast above an average of red. 026,1141. WK. ger M • ho ss a Pr ow l72 / 104. W Ild. ; new Baas, geed anildry,29l. to ski, 348 . tit dle. Dviuw, Jam 16.-Oer mishit remise +phut 'alma' ties; but the budiez e rsinsau ne meady es the Mani of Friday kr rum we make a it is is hvcar elf buyers. The haw* was the gene ral oeseeney :-Wheat, white, 24.. fad. to 36e. 6d. ; 21e. to 13s. 64. per 91011 es. Oats, 9s. to 10s. H. pelhide. lie. to les. per 13114 e. (Oatmeal, lls. to lii. 64. per um Meer, ssesside, 14e. M 15e. per swL India. Cu.., 31s. to 335. her 41611 e. Hoiriatmeco, Jon. 1849.-The last par tufted with se peat peewees for a lively business la the Caen Was, as the Auk whisk this trade experienad is Bashed = s the semen 011147 was tee severely felt all over the t, sad emend both end doglegs te est with the greatest scath Ce. e r ea reat esernshion whisk place serly la the year gad Ilgraid over the peaked part of W Barepsaa Condiment, bevies bees, iscreaver, almost immediately followed by the Gsemaa-Daaith war, prevented again all spa-abides, sad made all nes of property doubly cautious he an sorts of husk eggegements. Though our pubes wes, of all parts of Prude, the least touched by the revoltitioneey movements, the stagnation in business was se lees telt liere than everywhere eke. The eassequaige was, that with the except* doom few trairactioes intend 'stoutly in wit terope. sake. or trams from abated, lad Wind width the Wpmate were effected by nested vessels-little or setking was ding here full after the termination of the Data war, whoa crop, harvested in geed eider and ecedidee, W the Aso quality Cl the growth, gout temptation fir bulbul, as pekoe ware, at the same time, appeready low emeach to promhe eatideateey pate. It thee harpetted that sines Septembte a fair sant of hie bum dime hem this poet, musk faciliteestl W the Madams el the ear see, permitting shipmate till late is Deeembret hat the remelt of this budissee we Eger has by as MOM erwered the mustache et these eisamesisill, sa prises in the Imp map senile' movies receded hem newalk M arm* , and soca bad sexpegsd the ha whis t * g rommethe bed se enbmit to for theft pelage in our seil. TAM( the different artistes specially. mid with Wheat, of which we had emly auto* of about 1 hashers as the In the *la g* of the year, this jeered wheal a the actual treats, se, aotwithetsadieg hat eery suPidios the winter meth, hem Ow ameiCie. sad equally :Mitby waft', alter the merman edge savigatiaa , prises et be meistnieed upon the rates they had opened on the lit January, lea steadily declined from about 455. to 37e. et 36a to 375. la Apra, and to 32.. to 33e. in Kay, at which rates they wietineed till about the end of July, when, in 0041111111111110 P of the very much reduced storks, a few Scotch orders raised them again to about 409. to 43e. per qr. t. o. b., which rho was putted in August up to 46e. to 48.. per quarter. An locust* of supplies from Poland, *esker witn the new crop coating into market, canted prices to flecteate, during September to ()etcher, from 42e. to 46e.; and mode them decline again in November to 40s. to 42e. ; sad in Dumber to 3135. to 40a, with but little doing. At the rates quoted hereafter are insisted spa by and though they must be called but nominal, from want of tranasetimse, needy buyers would have to submit to the some, as holders are by no means anxious to sell. The stock es hand is estimated at about 3,400 hats, a groat part of which cons* of old Polish, flee mixed to high mixed, weighing 60 lbs. to 61 lbs. per brad. The cup of Wheat in our province has been peer in gaudily for the finer descriptions of wide* sad high mixed but ample for the inferior mixed and red mss. cpali•y and condition generally good, sad weight Nadi. homey, averegiss 611 b. to 621 b per bushel. The exports last year amounted to about 7,400 lasts, of which about 5,806 went to England. A. Rye could not atria the attention Cl speculators abroad, but remained merely an article for hem ooneumption, its value of about 265. to 28e. 9d. per qr. at the let Jan. receded 'lowly till the rropenieg of navigetioa to about 204 to 21e. per qr., and later on even to 18e., int persenclog soon after harvest only a short rady up to abut 21s. to 23e., from which it declined spin till the end of the year to about 168. to 17s. per qr., its present value. The crop of 1818 proved a very line owe, both in quality and quantity; and, if no demand from abroad should spring asp diode/ winter or early in spring, prices are likely (saw Se drop, as we may also look out for liberal arrivals et deb article from Poland. luring the past year, about 6,700 bah were exported, chiefly to Holland and Norway, end about 1,000 lasts to Cheat Britain, almost all to Ireland, for which imentry we should think the article well worth attention at its event low priess. Thu stock on hand is about 2,000 lasts. Sultry could only es* In question after harvest, it having Vela 1 trop of tolerably goad quality and condition. riclos ik tpud at T. 2.. to 23.. for 108Ibs. to 110Ibs. new large, and 18s. 6d. to 19e. 9d. for 1021 b. to 1031 b. small, but non on. dined h. to 6s. per qr., msintaining a value of from 16s. 9d. to 17e. far large, and 134 to 14s, 64. for small, at which purchases ea preeendy be made. The export since harvest amounted to about 3,450 lace, of which upwards of 3,000 lasts went to England, the remainder to Norway. The stock on hand is only about 450 lists. Oats yielded a good average crop, both for quality and quantity, though part of late harvested corn show culler weight, this letter varying from 701 be. to 80. be. Dutch, or about 3311b5. to 39Ibe. per bushel. Late in autumn about 1,900 lest of Oats were exported to Engl sod, at from 104. 9d. to lbs. 6d. per qr. free on board. Its present value is from 9s. 9d. to I le. per qr., and the stock on hand about 800 lasts. Pules also came only into conside ration after the tree had been secured; this proved very good for Beans and Tara, but middling es to quality far FOOL The mho', dry condition in which the new fruit ea* to merits admitted its immediate shipment, and as prices ruled reedorate, we texperieneed a lively demand for the different deeeriptioss from England. The export of white and grey Peas amounted to about 3,600 lasts, of which about 3,000 lasts went to England, the remainder to Holland. The stock on band of both sorts is about 500 lasts, chi, fly of a secondary description of quality, held at prices quoted hereafter. Of Beano, about 1,230 lasts were shipped to England, and about 900 lasts left in store. The export of Tares amounted to 2,400 lasts, leaving only about 100 lasts la hand ; this crop wee better than many years past. Lin seed proved a good crop for candid= and quality, and though priees opened pretty moderate, the demand from abroad was slack, and by far the greatest part of the quan tity reported, of about 5,600 kitty was shipped on consign meet. To Great Britain, about 3,600 lasts were shipped, chiefly to Hall. The present low prime( this article senate attract the attention of speculators at home and abroad, and we must believe that an improvemeat is value is near at band. The stock on the spot amounts to about 1,000 lasts. Oil Cakes met with a good, steady demand, since the re open* albs Sued, at moderate prime, varying from 61. 2e. to 61 per ton f.o.b. for Linseed Cakes ; and from 42. 10s. to 31. 16s. for Rape Cakes. The export of Cakes amounted in all, including the near ports es the Haft, to about 3,300 tons. Of Bum mile about 370 tons were exported, at front We. to 86e. per toe, delivered on the pat roast of Groat Britain. Flax sad Cedilla were such neglected throughout the year, at dulls* pries. The arrivals from Poland were of about the gam* retest as last year, and the quality generally good. The export amused to about 810 tons of Flax and 450 toes of Coddle. The stock on hand may be estimated at 1,600 tons of Flax and 150 tons of Cedilla. The new crop is not go well spoken of as lest year's growth had been. Priem as quoted hereafter, rate very low, and deserve the attention of speculators. ;Hemp and Tow met a good sale in the in terior of Oenaany. A good stock cm band, of about 1,750 tons of Hemp and 180 tons of Tow, Olen se tisfactory opportasity for purchase at the quoted prices. The new crop is described es pretty good in quality and queetity. Freights ruled moderate till the latter part of Sept., when they surpassed Se. pm qr. Wheat, and Is. per last, sad advanced, by and by, to 6s. 3d. per qr. and la per het to Loaders or Best Coast, declining again to about fee. 9d. per qr. only in the very hat moment before the epee of the eadgedm. All these quotations are from Konigsberg turn ; if the cargo was to be seat free on board alp to Pil about 9d. per qr. leis was taken. MANUFA CTURES. —BARNSLEY. —The improve ment which we anuosseed a short taw lillloll in the staple trade of this town continua, and is visible in every branch of the Linea manetacture. In many of the warehouses they are working overtime. The stocks, or rather goods on head, is very light ; in fact there ere no stocks, as the manure/s -tar n have been to order for soma time hick, and kept no stake. Illna the opening of the year, the demand Le Damasks, Diapers, and Elnckabacks, which has bee. sleek foe some time, WI well as fancy Drills, have a do. sided improvement, sad as the year advances the demand beresess. HOPS.—WORCESTER, Jas. 17.—A rather better demand for fine hops on Saterday, et in improvement of 2s. te L. in price. Little doing in old Hope. Prices of new Hop mace from 635. to 70s. for fine ; 48s. to 665. frir mid dling. UAY.—Snrsnst o, Tiou d Gock.—Meeas. Cooper use Davie more the following quotation. : I I=lleanew. eh to 75e. Bowen 40e. to Ma I fie toles 60n to dB. Cover . 60.1. WKa CATTLE. &e.—LlscoLs, Jan. 17.—There was • large show both of Beasts and Sheep, and • fair attendance j Web of hose and west country buyers. The dammed waspell, sadsales west o ff briskly, prices for Mutton being stes.virs sad Beef lower, than last market. Beef, 6 1. to Bs. Bd. per stone. Mutton, Ewe, 51d. ; Wither, Id. pot lb. Barran, Jan. 16.—1 n strict order of time this was our great marlest, but in point of supply was not to be so re this being only of ordinary amount, and of fat Willis scarcely equal to that of the preceding week; neither were these on quite a, goad este as on that °MAIM ; and although it will be seen that the better price we thou reported was as, yet must it be acknowledge d that it was but barely supported. Still, regnrdi das a w hole, and the quality of the stook looked to, the circumstances of this part of the market meld semessly be considered as disootsing. The supply of gimp swam large, but there wen Mn looking out fee these from the metropolitan, Bath, and Bristol mar. ken, sad we me justified in saying that in this repeat a 'lowans* of the market was as nearly effected as this will be likely to be the case. Although the lots sold also were more this umally largo, yet must prices be regarded as pretty well supported, as aho th at all things hers were encouraginq for th e agriculturist rather than wenn**. The quotation for fat bullocks were from 44e sd. to 514. fid. per cwt., or from As. to Ba. 31. per soon. Butches' Calves of a choice description were seam, and articles such as skis, estimated at 251ba. the quarter, were sold for 545. a pies, or Aid. per lb ; the quotation in this way being from bed. to Sad. per lb. The gustation for fat Sheep was from about sd. to Bd. per lb. In point of number there was a pod show WC** and Calms. These, however, were very generally of about a medium rate, with some of a rather • finnwiptlea._ TN patsies Wog teem 41s. to 48e. pK ow l .. Off he Ts. 3d. to Be. N. per ewe. Regarding W oalk•S al a 1 / 1121 e, Mere wee a tamable show of steam Cattk, so ebb that in ads way there was some balms dews. Of Henn a the meet famarite them were same in • very forward state, indeed that Mans ; and Nome a them, estimated to grass 38 seen the Bases, ware tad at rather over 131. 10s. • plies, or 425. per ewt , KU. ed. par mere. Bat to, ea the ether heal. Ow Bal kan, estimated to grave 30 more ma, wens sold kr • Grown p oat of 81. a pine, or about 294 U. per sort, or 59. 34. per ensue. Comegantly, the quotation is this rasped, must be stated at from 29a. 3d. to 425. per cwt., or trent 5s 3 , 1. to 7s. N. pm seem. ewe Pigs wars in somowitat largo sap ply, bat wry dull sale, sad prlese redwood. Peat, eareasse, Si par score ; the satire quotation being hem Ms. to 44054. per cwt., or from tie. to Is. per store. Shoop, Weems Than was a very geed simply, tie mho of which were at Dew 44. to sd. per lb. LORDS, Jan. 17.-T apply of Meade to-day was again mweiderable, eta as there was • entstanden', abatehers, the elm 1111/111 amewroas, aad late prime were rally ✓eallead. Of Sheep also there was a geed show, isiladiiig ems Slag neimele, and a large number amp' iamb, via , sat any mormial &asp of value, as sinpared with the prises at ha lertaght fair. Rottman, Jan. 17.-Our Beef trade Ina a very bad sale W largest part at market being tamed out unsold. Mutton sold at last week's primes ; and Vial a short supply, and rather dearer. Beef, 3e. to fkr 84. Mateo, 3s. 84. to 4s. Bd. Veol, 4s. to 49. ed. Pork, 3s. 84. to 4s. 6d. Sonnua.z., Jan. 17.-Supply short; trade heavy. Beef made from 2s. to 3a. 104. Mutton, 3 .. to 4s. 10d. Veal, 3e. 44. to 6.. Pork, 3.. 2d. to 4s. 4d. per stone of Bibs., sinking the offal. Woncarraa JAXIIMLY FAIL Jan. 16. - The show of cattle was meat for a "now lab, ." awl buyers were also nu merous. Bea averaged from N. to 614. Of Store Cows there was a bad show, bat those that were good sold at former rater. Sheep en average supply ; prices from 6d. to 84d. ; few went back unsold. Bat few Pip were exhibited, and prices lower. A large supply of Horses, but even good ones did not sell at such prices as former fain, waggon Hawn and Nags being considerably lower. For Yesterday's markets see lasi page. ICU erprefiL The ataLle kr Gibraltar, Nett; sees, the kens Wands. limn. MI" Onion, India, Haeg-Ktreg. end Gine,wL litathaaptat, will be made up on the waning of the 101 A Jan. The immils, eie Iterwillen to the lialtterrnien. l ypf, Men. • S u l ink liontang, In, will Is made me an the sedan et the Jan. Tire mile he Vie% Oi l Liehan , Madeira, Cadis, end Gibraltar will he emit op ea the at the 27th Jan. 71te men We Man Livid" end the Galled Brans, will be made lap an the evonlag at the 27th Jas. The main ter New dans %Wake. Yen Drina's lAA mad New inland will he wade up as the waning at the Slat Jan. The ails kr the Net 0:44 of Atria and Naddra will be made an at Use sweslag *hie laa. Net IMs Nal* insioding Berfads. Nan, Hanna, n"d New Orions, and Nano, sad excluding lbws tar liaden. t. Jum.daNiesregua. New Granada, Chili, and PET% will be made se an the arattetag at the Ind Feb. The wain Orr Madeira. the Brazils, sad lama Ayr% will be weds ap an the wenn( at the 4th Feb. M.D.—The Report of the loe;ilile 7 4 01 . a.71;;Trae publiMel verbatim from the Whig statement at the Dome of Health. DION Wall •T LONDON MUDD; 1,0,111:.=1::= 27 - ""'" . ° 0. rroo.lo N. pen la. LONDON, THURSDAY, JAN. 18. READING, and its gaol, however buttressed and cas tellated, form certainly the weakest point of that party. which may be called the humanitarian in prison discipline. Mr. CHARLES PDAILSON has taken up a position in Aidersgate-skeet ag&inst it, and has erected a battery, which seems to have made a practicable breach. The chaplain and the governor, able contro versialists however, still man this )3:each, and it is yet to be seen how they will defend themselves and their fortalice. Bat Mr. PEARSoN, WI we observed of Sir PETER LAURIE on a former occasion, batters down more successfully than he builds up. The exorbitant ex pense of both Reading and Pentonville, the lenity and literary amenity of the one, the clockwork, dull seve rity of the other, with the more than doubtful success of either in restoring the patient—for as inch they treat the criminal—to honest and self-supporting habits, have been ably set forth by Mr. Ca.tauts Peattsoa. But when he comes to tell us what sys tem he would substitute in their stead, then, we fear, he erects an establishment quite as open to objection and attack as Reading itself. The financial part of the argument was the most suceessfully wielded by Mr. PFARSON. His address was opportune. JOHN BULL is putting both hands into his pockets just now, with a determination not to draw out his purse until he sees very good reasons for it. The advocates of a vast prison expenditure will have as much difficulty in making out a case as the advocates of political expenditure. We will help Mr. PEAR:ON and the City magnates, with a few facts in sunport of their retrenchment notions. The matter stands simply thus : we have some thing like 120,000 persons in prison annually, for terms longer or shorter. This number will give us a permanent average for a gaol population of more than 20,000 persons. For these, and a margin I beyond—say, altogether, 25,000—prison acconsmo dation must be found. Tnis number is about the total of what is called the " criminal population" of I this country—that is, of England and Wales. Scot- I land and Ireland, with the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Man, &c., probably furnish about an equal num ber. But, for the moment, let us only take England and Wales as an example. To build prisons in vu rious parts of England and Wales for the acoommo dation of 25,000 prisoners on the separate s would require an extravagant sum. See whet= 1 ing cost. The number of cells as given in the last gaol returns is 248. The prison cost in round number, 50,0001. A palace for 248 unfortunate persons, with various conveniences not to be foam* in the houses of the middle classes, cost the ratepayers of Berke an in significant trifle under 50,0001. That is. about 2021. for the apartments of each individual. If the general magistracy of England and Wales were to follow the example of their brethren of Berke, they would re quire from the tax-payers for building alone not less than 5,050,0001. But, it may be said, that Reading gaol is unneces sarily expeumve. We don't want a " collegiate, cas tellated gothic, or Tudor syle," as Mr. FIELD de scribes his prison to be oL Then let us go to the " model" for all England—Pentonville. It holds 500 persons, and in the first instance cost 90,071/. 155., that is, for each prisoner's accommodation 1801. 31. But since than considerable cost has been incurred in addition, and the price of the land is entirely left out. If these two items were added to the amount of the outlay rendered in the official report, we have doubts whether the average per cell would be much below that of Reading. If a difference were to appear, the " collegiate and castellated" principle would be suffi cient to account foe it. A sum of five millions! But this is not the worst hataTe of the cue—even as to the simple question of lacpenss. The eat of carrying on the system merits no lees serious an attention. The expenses of Pen !twills for 1847 amounted to 19,3431. ss. 9d.; prisoners' earnings and sale of old stores amounted to 1,1441. 17s. lid.; leaving the balance of expenses against the prison of 18,1981. Bs. 3d. for the year. To this must be added 5 per cent. on the outlay, say on 100,0001.-5,0001. These sums added together make 23,198/. Bs. 3d. as the total dead loss to the comma aity far the "separate" management of a daily ave rage of 457 prisoners. In other words, each prisoner has cost the country—over and above the produce of his labour—nearly fifty guineas a year! At Reading it is still more. And this is the system which is sought to be ex tended throughout the empire. Let the taxp ayer. open their eyes . Lancashire is already stirring in the matter. What would it cost to manage the twenty-five thousand permanent criminals of Eng land and Wales on this magnificent scale of ex penditure? Not much less than a million and a half per annum. A million and a half of taxes to support criminals in idleness—in well-warmed and ventilated rooms—furnished, not only with conveniences, but with positive luxuries! How many—we will not say of the poorer classes—of the ranks from which the criminal population rises—bat how many of the eons and daughters of luxury have their dressing-rooms fitted nn with patent machinery supplying warm or cold water at the option of the drawer ? How many of them can boast of a drawing-room so scientifically constructed that in the most changeable weather the temperature will not vary more than two degrees in a wee& ? These things are so at Pentonville. It would seem that the promoters of that scheme considered criminals as delicate, fra gile plants rare and sensitive exotics only to be preserved in conservatories. But what is to become of these hot-house plants when they are cast iato the cold earth again to take their chance ? THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUOI jig \ 1849, How will the habit iffi .-e esswf i thee-of tode—of luxury, owe of * W *IF the woad of stragglteg, self-week esif-esnieellid men P Mr. Twitteoi would be/be by haling a eluswer gaol. He has, however, as yet but got the estimates, 1 and the estimates of Pentenville too were modest. Ha would get the thing dons no doubt. And the cultivation of the land a a prison could be made to pay, at lout, the expenses of the inmates' hod. It might also pay the expense of seeperiniendesee, although, if any discipline was to be observed, it weld scarcely be less costly than the superintendenoe of Pentonvilk. But, in attaining the great oiled of self-snbsistenoe foe peisoeseu, would not the objest ef pseality be lost sight of ? Of all employments agricultural labour is the most varied, the most agree able, the mast healthful, and the most difficult to -en der severe. Earning his daily bread by labour in the field'. bow would the lot of the criminal be celculeted to inspire awe to the peasant, who also tries to earn his bread by laborer in the fields, and who often fain to get that labour ? Why has the labour test so generally failed under the orders of poor-law guardians? Be cause it rendered the lot of the able-bodied pauper 1 more enviable than that of the industrious poor,sub jected to the chances of want of employ and starva tion. The tendency of the age is intolerance of severe punishment. To inflict death has been impowible, save in extreme cases. The treatment of hollow criminals is, therefore, to be provided for. And the penalty, whatever it is, has to be proclaimed as a terror to evil-doers. Is spade husbandry within spa cious walls, on the Isle of Dogs, sufficiently deterring ? Two objects are to be sought in prison dircipihe— punishment and reformation. We would most wil lingly give Capt. MACONOCHIE fall scope to devise means for obtaining the latter. Bat the former is not to be overlooked. Has Surrey a coroner? or is it an exceptional county unprovided with such an officer? An epidemic has broken out in a village of Surrey, carrying off by wholesale the children in one establishment. Children removed from the locality of the disease have carried its latent germs in them, and died of it in other places. Inquests have been held on the bodies of each children at Chelsea, in Gray's-inn-road, in Hackney. But the coroner of Surrey, within whose jurisdiction is seated the original and central locality of the disease, remains inert. It does not appear that an inquest has been held on any one of the numerous victims of disease in the Daourr establishment at Tooting. This is an omission equally injudicious and cul pable. The investigations in Gray's-inn-road, at Hackney, and Chelsea, have necessarily led to inqui ries into the condition and management of the esta blishment in which the disease first appeared, whence it was brought by the parties on whom the inquests are held. The coroners and their juries could not help going into these inquiries :even if they had wished to avoid them. Nay, more, the state of public feeling and opinion requires that each inquiries should be instituted, and the coroner's court is the na tural place wherein to set them on foot. Parliament is not in session; the poor-law commissioners disclaim all authority over such establishments as that at Toot ing : the coroner alone remains. Yet the coroner of Surrey continues inactive, although from the local seat of the epidemic being situated within his j uriediction,he can most effectively prosecute the investigation, and al though medical officers of the various unions, officers of the poor law board, and the general public (including his own rate-payers) have expressed their sense of his neglect in no equivocal terms. He cannot but be aware of the injurious suspicions he provokes by thus appearing to suppress inquiry. Until such time as the coroner of Surrey awakes from his state of suspended official animation, the public must rest contented with the information which his brethren less favourably placed for eliciting the whole truth, can obtain. There is danger, how ever, that their scrutiny may be rendered less produc tive of practically umf , :l information than it might be. There are symptoms of a disposition to convert the coroners' inquests into a battle-field of the partisans and adverraries of the Board of Health. They are in imminent hazard of being overwhelmed with learned discussions on what is and is not cholera, and whether the directions contained in the mani festoes of the Board of Health were judicious or the reverse ; and with evidence given under the bias of theories in order to establish particular views on these points. These are important questions, but rather beyond the reach cf coroners pries, and at best, subordinate to the real aim ot coroners' investi gations. The points which a coroner and his jury are ex pected to throw light upon are—how did the deceased come by their deaths ? is any person respon sible for these deaths? and who? In the Tooting cases the natural line of inquiry would go to find out the circumstances of the deaths; the apparent causes; the fact whether the causes of the deaths do not ne cessarily imply culpability in one or more persons, and who these persons are. That all the deaths ori ginated in an epidemic which first showed itself in the pauper children's asylum at Tooting, sad which has not spread beyond it, inasmuch as all the vic tims caught the die-use there, is not denied. It is in the condition of that establishment that we are to seek the cause of all the deaths that have occurred. legitimate one. If (as it at prima emme likely to be waved) the experiment lme been a failaria, the nee to be made of it is to derive from a detestlea the causes of the failure euggesdone fora hater plan. It does not appear difficult to devise a better, but that is a topic that may be more adviuriageounly discussed after the termination at the inquiries. The learned disquisitions, and more learned lan guage of the medical witnesses, may be safely disre garded. They are all agreed that the disease is of such a nature as affords presumptive evidence that it has been occasioned by insufficient drainage, and the accumulation of nuisances; or by overcrowding of the inmates of the house, deficient ventilation, or dampness ; or by insufficient food or clothing ; or by the concurring influence of several or all of these causes. Tux new First Lord of the Admiralty was one of those who exclaimed loudest during the last session against the unequal burden of taxation, as it weighed upon different clauses. Plainly he told the First Lord of the Treesury that to raise the income tax, or to levy any new tax, was impossible, without first giving to all taxes a character of equality and justice. Mr. BARING was right, and it is to be hoped he will still be found so. We believe that if a simple motion was proposed in the House of Commons, embodying a resolution to the effect that persons of moderate income in England were taxed in an extravagantly larger proportion than persons of large incomes, we have not the least doubt that the assertion could be so fully proved in debate, that it would be impossible to reject it, im possible to refute the assertion, and equally impos sible to avoid acting upon it by a speedy reform in the repartition of taxation. There is no one tax that calls so imperatively for adjustment, and that is so avowedly based on the principle of sparing the rich and crushing the poor, as the entire of the stamp duties. Mr. BRIGHT gave a striking instance of their operation in his recent speech at Manchester, when he said: If any man hers wishes to apprentice his son to a profes sion, when the apprentice fee amounts to the sum of 4001., and there are many such, the tax upon that indenture of apprenticeship is not less than 251. • and you may settle for itinerations the largest amount of fended property which the eye em look over, and your payment for a ramp would not be sore than 251. We have before us a "statement showing the un equal bearing of the existing stamp laws, with sug gestions for their amendment, by a London Soli citor," which exhibits, in a concise and tabular form, several examples of the kind we refer to. Thus, on bonds and mortgages, where the sum secured is more than 501. and does not exceed 1001., the stamp duty payable is 11. 10s.; where the sum secured does not exceed 2001., the duty is 2/. ; not exceed 3001., 31. ; and so on until we get to the larger amounts, when we find that the stamp duty of 151. is paid on a bond or mortgage to secure 15,0001.; 201. on a security for 20,0001. ; and 251. on a security for upwards of 20,0001., at which point the increase of duty ceases altogether. The man, therefore, who borrows 100,0001. or any larger sum—and there are many of these large transactions—on the security of his pro perty pays no higher duty than the borrower of 20,0001. This seems to be an anomaly not to be ac counted for except by the fact that the landowners, who make our laws, are usually borrowers of large sums of money on security of their estates. But let us trace the operation of this part of our stamp duties on the more numerous transactions, ranging from 501. to 20,0001. There we find the bor rower on security of a sum not exceeding 1001. pays a stamp duty of 21. per cent. on the amount. His some what more wealthy neighbour who mortgages for 200/. pays only 11. 6s. Bd. per cent., while the man who can secure 300/. is taxed on the transaction at 1/. 41. per cent. • and so on until the more responsible borrower of 1,0001. finds he is taxed only 13s. 4d. per cent. on the sum he secures. And as the sum secured increases, the rate of taxation rapidly diminishes. Thus where Ike sum secured exceeds 4,000/., but does not exceed 6,0001., the duty is 91., which, taken at the medium rate, gives a tax of 41. per cent. ; a security for 15,0001. pays 2s. 4d. per cent, and one for 20,000/. 2s. 3d. per cent. At this point the duty remains stationary let the sum secured be ever so large, so that when we estimate the taxation on the great securities made by our high aristocracy and princely merchants, the per centage must be stated in pence and farthings only. We leave the reader to calculate what rate per cent. the stamp duty of 251. will amount to on the 900,0001. borrowed by the Duke of BUCKINGHAM on the Stowe estate, mansion, and furniture. What possibla justi fication can exist for this gross inequality of taxation P The shrewd London solicitor appends to the table from which we have taken the above figures this remark : "The larger the transaction the better in geteral can it afford the tax, but justice seems at least to require equality of taxation ; " and he suggests that a stamp duty equivalent to 1 per cent on the amount of the sum secured should be charged on all such transac tions : and it is quite certain that an even rate per cent is the only fair, nay, toe only honest, mode of laying on such duties ; and whether one, one-and-a half, or two per cent, or any other rate of duty be required to furnish the necessary amount of revenue, it is quite obvious that the same rate should be paid on all securities, be they for 501. or 500,0001. In deed, the existence of such a gross inequality as that now pointed out could scarcely have been allowed to exist had the people paid any serious attention to the fiscal laws our rulers have made. The stamp duty on conveyances of property is about 11. per cent. on the amount of the purchase money, with this exception, that when the purchase money amounts to 100,0064 the stamp duty on the conveyance is 1,0004 or 11. per cent., but from that point the duty does not increase, the stamp duty on a purchase of a million sterling or upwards being still only 1,000/. Assuming one per cent. to be the proper rate of duty on purchases of less amount than 100,0001., why should the larger purchases pay a lower rate ? The stamp duty on probates of wills ranges from 11. 68. Bd. per cent, to 2!. Bs. 9d. per cent. on the amount of the personal property—and personal pro perty only—passing by the will. Real estate passes by will not subject to any duty whatever. Though the probate duties are less grossly unequal than the stamp duties on securities, still the heaviest rates are levied on the moderate properties. Thus on pro perties from 3001. to 3,0001. the probate duty varies from 21. to 21 88. 9d. per cent. ; from 3,000 upwards to 30,0001. the rate is from 1!. 17s. 6d. to 11. 11s. ld. per cent., and decreases slightly to 1,000,0001., where the rate of duty is 1/. 10s. per cent. Here, as in the instanoe of the duty on conveyances, the duty ceases to increase, 15,000!. being paid as probate duty wherever the property passing by the will is a million sterling or upwards. Practically there are not many eases of larger sums passing by will, but still the principle is the same, and the rate of duty should be the same on the largest as on smaller amounts. The " London Solicitor" suggests an equal probate duty of 2/. per cent. on the amount of the property. In the legacy duties equality of taxation is recognised, the rates being so much per cent. be the property large or small, and the probate duty should conform to that rule. _ _ _ _ As yet, the evidence taken has been principally of parties who incline to attribute the disease to one or more of these canoes. A conclusive case has not been made out, but certainly a case that requires explai.a tion. It is averred that the establishment is situated among a system of stagnant ditches. It is averred, that one part of the building (in which 150 children slept) was erected among pig-sties. It is averred that there were nearly 1,400 children on the este b.ishment, and that Mr. HALL, assistant poor-law commissioner, declared in 1846 there was only ac commodation for 1,100. It is stated by a guardian of the Holborn Union that when he visited the estab lishment r year ago he saw bad potatoes served up flit the children's dinner; that a number of the chil dren complained of not having enough to at; that Mr. Dsourr bullied both the children and the visit ing guardians on that occasion; and that no com plaints have been made since. It is stated by Mr. GILAINGER that he found the surgery inadequately supplied with instruments and medicines; that there was a deficiency of attendants ; and that the clothing (at least of the girls) was insufficient. It is affirmed that a disease (the itch) was prevalent among the children, which implies enfeebled constitutions, in consequence of dirt, insufficient clothing, &c. Unless these allegations shall be satisfactorily dis proved in the course of the inquiries now in pro gress, it will be impossible to escape the conclusion that there has been gross and culpable neglect of duty somewhere. In that case there are only two parties who can be legally and morally held responsible for the neglect and its consequences. In the first place blame will attach to the proprietors and managers of the establishment : they will be open to the charge of having sought to augment their ' profits by adopting a system which of necessity ex posed the children to moue disease. In the second place blame will attach to the boirds of guardians who sent children to the establishment, for not taking i due precautions to ascertain its sanitary condition t beforehand, or to enforce proper treatment of the in mates afterwards. A positive opinion regarding the merits of the case mast, in common fairness, be reserved until the in quests are concluded. There is, however, no reason to shrink from the plain and unequivocal statement that the proprietors of the establishment and all the boards of guardians who have had children there are ' I at present placed upon their trials. And now is the time to deprecate any perversion of this inquiry to I serve the purpose of sentimental or interested clamourers against the new poor-law system. Supposing the worst features of the case to be substantiate d, as bed or worse abuses have occurred under the old system of poor laws ; and with regar d to the scheme of farm ing oat the children, as it is ceded, no blame can attach to the parties who first tried the experiment. Had there. been sufficient authority to enforce good conduct on the part of the " farmer" ; had due vigilance been exerted to enforce proper manage ment; had the thing not been overdone by cro eding too many children into one place, the experiment might have answered. At the outset, the atumpt to secure fresh, country air for the children was a most Another class of stamp daties to which the " Soli citor" refers, is the duty on settlements. There, where the money or funds settled do not amount to 1,0001., the duty is 7a. per cent., diminishing as the sum set tled increases, until at 20,0001. the rate is only 2s. 3d. per cent. The chief inequality of the duties on settlements of personal property , arises, however, when they are compared with the duties on probates. Such settlements are in fact and effect gifts of the na ture of bequest by will, and therefore ought to be charged with the same rate of duty, say 21. per cent. on the amount settled. Indeed, a &higher rate of duty might fairly be charged on settlements than on pro bates, because the property passing by will pays ' legacy as well as probate duty, while a large propor tion of the settlements of personal property are made with the express object of evading payment of legacy duty. This is especially the case where the persons intended to be benefited are remotely, or not at all, connected in blood with the donor ; the legacy duty in such cases being often as high as 10 per cent. The paper to which we have alluded does net refer to the larger question of inequality in the stamp duties on real and personal property: that requires separate notice; but we find a ongst the stamp duties im posed on various dealings with personal property the most gross inequality, for which no conceivable reason can be assigned. It may, perhaps, be said that it is necessary to raise a large revenue by means of stamp duties, and therefore a high duty must be imposed on transactions of moderate amount, as being the most numerous ; but that only makes out a case i for a high rate of duty on such transactions, not for • high rate on the small, and a low rate on the large transactions. It is to this point in particular that we I on the present occasion seek to direct attention. And here let us remark that it is a favourable sign of the times that the intelligent solicitors, London and pro vincial, are generally turning their attention to this class of questions. Nobody can tell better than they 'can the grievous hardships inflicted by the pressure, especially the unequal pessure, of the stamp duties. ROME, Luc 6. We are in the utmost calm. The churches (this being Epiphany) are as usual crowded, and there is not the slightest symptom of the country being in the abnormal condition attendant on great political con vulsions. This orderly and composed state of public feeling is a deathblow to those who speculated on a violent and sanguinary reaction. The hopes of others who looked forward to a ra tional arrangement conducive to a reconciliation be tween the Pontiff and his diocesans are sorely blighted by the conduct adopted in many parts of Europe, where it has been thought advisable to render all mutual approximation impossible by irritating to madness the national and personal character of the Roman people. Torrents of devout Billingsgate have flowed from episcopal pens, the only result of which has been to aggravate the complaints of the laity in this metropolis and in the provinces against the form of government to which they have been subject for ages, and which is the only hour when they could give utterance to their own political views, they have sought to modify and place within due bounds of con stitutional control. The most odd delusion prevalent beyond the Alps is, that this territory is under the fictitious or factitious management of a few rebels. There never was a more gross imposition on the stupidity of foreign countries than such an assertion. The few discon tents at the present state of public affairs breathe not a faint syllable of dissent. There is not a civic fire lock in the 100,000 national guards from Terracina to Ferrara, and from Civita Vecchia to Ancona, that would not fire a shot to support the Coastituent As sembly, whatever be its decision. Then comes the question what will be the upshot of universal suffrage ? Is there a chance that by a vigorous combination of rural pastors and lay friends of the Pope throughout the country districts, if not a majority, at least a powerful party of the representa tives may be secured to the sustentation of his claims ? Would to God that I could hold out to others, or my self indulge in such a hope ! His friends have neither organisation, nor courage, nor sense: and as to the Roman princes who fluttered in the sunshine of fashionable idleness, the Borghesee, Dories, Rospig liosis, Massimi, and a long list of mediocrities, they had neither the education nor the habits nor the taste of statesmanship. MADRID, JAN. 10. General Pavia's amendment to the address in the senate, condemning the course pursued by the govern ment in conducting the war in Catidania, has pro duced the only notable debate which has hitherto taken place in the present legislative sessaion. Pavia might have damaged the government more, if his case had been conducted with more address. But his speech, con sisting of scraps of despatches, was cold and ineffective, while tke sudden betrayal to the public of official documents, without giving his old employers and present adversaries any warning, has laid him open to the charge of unfair dsaling. Nay/ate answered without temper or dignity, and began by calling the speech of Pavia anarchical and revolutionary. He went on calling names, and said that he should leave the Minister of War to deal with the arguments. Mirafbres bettayed much poorness of spirit in not calling the dictator to order for his vulgar and uoparliamentary intemperance of languace. The President of the Senate sat as tame as a mouse while the military despot disgraced the assembly with his virulent personalities, and administered a fierce lecture to himself for permitting official documents to be read. Pavia refused to withdraw his amendment. Only two votes joined him; but that of General O'Donnell had at least some weight. The other was of Caamano Pardo, one of the oldest senators. Even Baron de Meer, who has been Pavia's patron no lass than model, voted against him. Pavia's sys tem of warfare was no doubt defective in ticetodve dsperstoat of the troops. Someiimes he le/ as iew as four soldiers to guard a village ; and his scanty detachments had generally to shut themselves up in their forts, while the Carlists levied their contributions and rifled the government funds at ple t sure. H • persecuted the liberals of the towns with little Ices cruelty than the Carlini*, so that he was cordially de tested by both. And now he has engaged in a single-handed quarrel with the goy, rnment, whatever biases he may get no side will have the least pity on him. THE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER GREATWESTERN LEFT 801:11AWPTON yesterday with the West India mails. She took out nearly 100 passengers, amongst them were Mr. Darkly, the governor of British Odiana, and several persons bound lot San Francisco, rid Panama. Amongst the cargo was a number of large bundles of pickaxes and shovels, des tined for California. It was noticed that the personal bag gage of the passengers or Chagres WAS of extraordinary weight, and was supposed to contain instruments used in the extraction of the precious metal in the gold regions. Through some mitundentandieg, Reverel friends of the passengers, who were on board to see them off, were carried off in the Great Western, and will be obliged to return with the pilot, who leaves the steamer in the English channel. Stir 21,50urt. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAT.—NidIIe. Jenny Lind, 'Mrs. Anderson, and Signor Belletti had the honour of per forming at Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening. The following is the programme : Overture, Promethee Cavatins, " Di Placer," Mdlle. Jenny Lind (La llama ladra) Allem (Frio, E flat), pianoforte Mrs. Ander son, violin, M. Santee, and violoncello, Mr. II Chill Beethoven. Lieder, auleika," Mdlle. Jenny Lind Mendelosohn. Ari " Foto II pegno," Signor Mad Doirretti. Lieder, " 0 Jugend 0 Schone Rorenrelt," " Das erste Veilclien, Mlle. Jenny Lind Adagio (Trio, E hat), pianoforte, Mrs. An der son. violin, M. Balaton, and violoncello, Mr. IL Ching Beethoven. Loretto, " Pee placer'," Mlle. Jenny Lind and Signor Belletti (II Turns) Rossini. Lieder, " Am Meer," " kb muse nun einmal Bingen," Millie Jenny Lind Taubert. Marian Walser Stream. The royal dinner party this evening will include the Duchess of Kent, Prince George, the Princess Amelia of Hehenlohe Schillingsfurst ; the Princess Elise of Ilohenlohe Schillingsfunt ; the Duchess of Sutherland, and Lady C. Leveson Gower, Lady Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, the Duke and Duchess of B dford, the Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl Ssencer, and Colonel Wylde. The band of the 2nd Life Guards attend during dinner. The Queen's private bead will afterwards attend in the Castle. Mr. H. Maclean had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday. Sir C. F. Smith and Sir John Felly had also interviews with the noble earl yesterday at the Colonial office. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Pattison, Mr. Masterman, M.P., Mr. John Woo.l, Mr. Deputy Har rison, Mr. John Dixon, Mr. Lort, Mr. T. H. Hall, and Mr. R. Taylor, had a conference with Lord John Russell, the Earl of Carlisle, and the Hon. Charles Gore )esterday, at the official residence of the noble Led in Dawning-street. The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord President of the Courcil,hu issued invitations to the cabinet ministers and the great officers of state of the Queen's household, to a grand dinner on the 3rd February, at Lansdowne Reuse, to settle the roll of sheriffs for the present year. Mr. Locke King had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday. Sir Benjamin Brodie had also an interview yesterday with the right hon. baronet at the Rune-office. Mr. John Wood had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer yesterday at his official residence in Downing -street. The Right Hon. Sir F. Baring attended at the Ad miralty on Tuesday. LONDON AND WESTMINSTER BANK. The annual general meeting of the proprietors of this bank was held yesterday at the bank premises, Charles Gibbes, Esq., In the chair, for the i purpose of declaring a r:ividend ;of electing three directors n the room of Thomas Chapman, Eel., Joshua Walker, Esq., and H. Buckle, Esq., who went out by rotation, but being eligible, offered them selves for re-election ; and for other punvies. The CHAIRMAN, in opining the business of the day, con gratulated the propnetors upon the improvement in the aspect of their affairs since their lut half yearly meeting, when a portion of their dividends had to be taken from the reserved fund. Now, on the contrary, as the report would show, their reserved fund, instead of being re duced, would be anima ented. The SECRETARY lb en read thr following report : The directors have le report that the net profits of the bank, during the last harrier , have amounted to 37,2371.35. Id. Out of these pro. fits they now dec lare &dividend, at the rate of six per cent. per an num. After the Pero:tent of this dividend there will remain the sum of 7,23 71 . 3 . 1 . HAD be added to the surplus fund, which will then amount to 102,71111.16 e. 1 Id. Dr. LONDON AND WINTMINNTIB RANT. M.T 1848. Cr. To proiwtetort for £ e. d. 'By Oorernment o. d. paid up cabinet 998,768 0 0 stoat, Exchequer To amount due by Milo, and Eaai the honk fr,e India (tondo 1,180,213 1 3 nook% circular By other roeuritles, notes, 3,08%659 3 7 Including Milo di* To rest, ow MTh, counttol, limns to fund . To proll'a of the By cash on hand .. 645,464 410 Put Wolf year.. 37.237 3 1 £4,221,151 0 5 PRDTIT AND 1,0 , 6, TROY 14 Da £ ad. Tu poymmt of the 111 rid now do ctored. at the rate of ti per oent per mown, on a tai of E 1,000,00), fur tho half nor ending 316 De cember, 1848...... 30,000 0 0 To balance ut. unap profits 102,711 16 11 0=351 0 'LT TO 31,T DICISI4IOIO, 1448. C. E 5. d. By balance of unap -1..315/taxi vont. on 3otb J one. ISM 95,486 13 10 By net profit,. of the paothalf year,after tlyfra)ing tho total expon.c.f manage ment, paYtex the Income tax, and fßol k lrig - 0 n i oo doubtful det.‘ 37,17 3 1 X 132,723 30 U Itl 11 By inisnot of may rro,quviittclupro.tl.v...4l.„2,723 The Cmainaux having put the question Hitt the rele n t be s !Mt, in seconding the proposition, expressed the oot the augmentation autte a n i ra r trof oi th a e . d ' iv itil ide t n ' d h frurr ye l l:: V ir a l: objected to the amount invested in government securities o e en addition to the report. The hon. proprietor valeta -- that there should bee general meeting twice a year: ea late ! arranged, but that th e accounts s h ould only lac elms once a year, a half-yearly statement of accounts hie i • n g b oo r t found to be injurious in its op era ti on upon the value of their stock. This proposition having been opposed by weed gentlemen, The CHAIRMAN said that, an a matter of convenience, the directors would prefer a yearly statement of accounts ; they were entirely in the hands of the p ropr i etors. but Mr. Martenate considered that, with a board of el* 0 , 2 In whom the proprietary had such entire contidence,it wo u ld be most flattering top lace the matter at the discretion et the board. The seamed suggested that b a th e opinion of the pro. prietors seemed in favour of the yearly meeting, p er . haps Mr. Tite would let the matter stand over --at all events toe another year.—Mr. Tite having adopted this sup the report was carried unanimously and ordered to be priee4 Mr. mAnnat,At suggested that in future the meet s should be distributed a week or ten days before each shot . ing, and not merely on the day of meeting. He also remis e d an opinion that the directors should net fill up any yr in the board occurring between the meetings, but leave eta appointment with the proprietors at the Ili xt mseting. A oo . 'her point suggested was, that the district managers should be permitted to hold shares in the company. The ho n . p roprietor further suegested that a byelaw should he passed, reodenag every director who voted for an advance to a brother director personally liable for the amount. He objected strongly to the large advances which had bet n made, contrary to every mined principle of banking, upon colonial produce during th e past year, advances which, he said, had been attended with a loss of 20,0001. to the company. The CHAIRMAN said there certainly hod been a loss upon a transaction of the kind referred to, but it was to nothing like the amount stated, and the arc ,sent had been written off. As to the principle of making advances upon colonial produce, on the part of banking companies, this was matter of controversy. Such advances were constantly made by bankers, a margin, of course, being left more or leas wide according to circumstances. Mr. THOMAS CHAPMAN'S name having then beet pro. posed for re-election, that gentleman, in reply to a propri e t or, said he had always held th e qualifying number of shares, an d was ready to increase the number it the company thought necessary. (No! No')—Mr. Chapman was then tnni meuely re-elected a director of the company, as wen also Measrs. Joshua Walker and Henry Buckle. Mr. JOSEPH LAmeßt said that he undentoo I the Leaden Joint Stock Bank directors were about to pay their proprie tary a dividend of 10 per cent. upon a sock of 000,0001. Ins than that of the London and Westminster Bank. In mu nexion with this marked discrepancy, he begged to adt the board whether it was their rule to refuse accommodation to guaranteed or permanent railway stock. It appeared to him that much good would be done to the company by some what more liberality on the part of the direction is relation to such accommodation. He complained that the salaries paid to the clerks of the company were inadequate to their services : the clerks of the London and Westminster Bank received only from 801. to 3.501. per annum, while those of the London Joint Stock Banking Company had up to 5001. The hon. proprietor moved a resolution calling upon the directors to raise the salaries of the clerks. Mr. Ideuitse objected to the resolution as wholly irregular. Mr. Alderman SALOMONS assured the proprietors the* the directors had throughout been desirous that every per son in their employment should be fully and fairly paid. The CHAIRMAN said there were several gentlemen in the employment of the board as clerks, whose le tvices had been peculiarly appreciated by the boar!, and who were somewhat hardly pressed by the operation tat the scale upon which the board acted in their salaries. The board would, as COMM. stances enabled them, gladly act upon the le, ling now mani fested by the meeting in favour of these special cases. A Puoeuirron moved that the salary of the directors be reduced from 4,600/, to 3,1 1 001. per annum. Mr. Idenuae objected to such a propel Lion being made, at all events without notice, and when a large numbirof proprietors had gone away, thinkin.;r the bu.iness at an end. —Several other proprietors also strongly objected to the ras a. n.—The pr-prietor consented to postpone his motion until the next January meetiog. Thanks having been presented to the board of directors, the meeting separated. CuoLnwn.—Yesterday the following fresh cases were reported by the Board of Health 1— Wh techspel, 2; London-docks (en board ship), 1 fatal ; 11 .ckney (from Toot ing), 1 fatal ; Wandsworth, 6, 4 fatal ; Battersea, itlthorpe house, 1; Workhouse, Howden union, 6; Reading, 1 Wakefield, 3, 2 fatal ; Edinburgh, 2 fatal ; Ol sarow , 62, 19 fatal ; Old Monklaud, 18, 8 fatal; Wilton, by Biggar, 1; Jedburgh, 1; Se!kirk, 2: total new cases, 107, 37 deaths. THE TOOTING CHOLERA CASES. Yesterday favourable reports were issued by the medical officer, in charge of cholera cues at Tooting, at St. Paneru work house, and the Free Hospital, Gray's-inn-road. Ns fresh cases bad occurred. PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETY.—A general meeting of this society was held yesterday, at the London Tay, rn ; Mr. W. Oladsden in the chair. 'T..e secretary read the report, which stated that the managing committee had selected what they considered a suitably spot for the erection of a model farm, but a friend of the society objecting to it, offered the large donation of 1,000/. if the cite were changed for one more eligible, and the committee had concluded arrange ments for the lease of a farm at Red hill. The grounds were tithe free, and well supplied with water, and the lease was for 150 years, with the liberty to purchase at a stated perild. The rent was 3001. per annum. Nearly the whole of the London estate was let on good terms on building leases, and when it was all the ground-rent would produce about 3501. a year The houses and chapel had already produced about 4,0001., and were expected to produce as much more. Nothing now remained but to affix the corporate seal to the agreement, and to con sult His Royal Highness Prince Albert as to the time be would lay the first atone of the new buildings, and which would be at once done on the sanction of the court being given to the present report. Immediate steps would be taken to remove some of the boys to Red-hill. The report was unanimously adopted, and it vote of thanks passed to the donor of the 1,0001., whose name at his own request was withheld ; and also to Mr Otadeden, the treasurer. It appeared that from the Ist of May to the Ist of December, 1818, 70 boys bad been ful -1 mittcd to the society from various prisons in England, and 65 discharged during the same period, of whom 25 had been apprenticed, 19 had emigrated to Australia, 1 gone to sea, 2 died, and 18 re turned to their friends; 138 remained in the institution ; 36 bays educated by the society would sail se emigrants to-morrow to Algoa Bsy under the charge of an experienced person. Some routine business haying been dis posed of, the court, which only sat halt-an-hour, broke up. NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTITUTION.-A meeting of this society was held yesterday at the London Tavern for the purpose of considering the propriety of altering and amending the third rule of the institution, by rendering the retiring directors eligible for immediate re-election, and to insert in some one of the rules the classes of assurance effected by the institution. Mr. Lucas having taken the chair, Mr. Lockhart, of Dunstable, rose to move the first resolution, providing for the alteration of the third rule. It was the general feeling, he said, of the country members of the insti tution that wnen the present directors gave satisfaction, it was hard they should be lest at the very moment when they were getting familiar with their duties. The change pre pared would leave the society with hands free to change their directors if necessary, while it would prevent their being arbitrarily deprived of 6 fficers who had earned the con fidence of the proprietary. The motion having been seconded, Mr. Richardson moved as an amendment that the rule remain as it is. Re wished to know why, when improper practices had been discovered in 1847, they were n •rt brought before the proprietary ? Mr. Richardson was pr. neding with some further observations, when helms called to order by the chairman.—Mr. Ballam seconded the amendment. —Mr. Gammon, as one of the auditors, felt it hie duty to support the original institution, and should give his reasons for doing so. They had a large amount in the hands of trustees, say half a million, and it was highly important that its dis poni should be carefully watched ; and who more fit than those who had hither o given ouch satisfaction ? The crew that had hitherto navigated the ship so well were the fittest to bring her safely to harbour. There was much of their money out on mortgage, and the best persons to manage those mortgages were those who had already been made ac quainted with all their details. He thought it unfair that men who had given their best exertions, all their interest and knowledge to the promotion of the so ciety's objects, should be summarily ejected.—Mr. Shaw begged to remind the proprietors that bye previous alteration of the rules, their power of changing the directors sea , only limited to two, and he contended that the public competition for those two vacancies was calculated to benefit the insti• tution. He believed that the institution had already ben fited by the agitation of this question. The policies had in creased threittourthe since 1846, the period at wh'elr nomi nation in the directory was changed for election, at least to the extent of two directors. He feared much that a elan borough system in the direction would diminish the public confidence in the institution. It war denied that it would be a close borough system, that two directors would annually be put out at the coor, but let the proprietors take care that those who were put out at the door were not slily taken in again at the window. After a great deal of discussion, Mr. Dodd thought teat the experience they had had of the integrity and high character of the directors made it imperative on the meeting to give the greatest weight to any recommendatien emanating from that body. The resolution was put and envied by an im mense majority, only six hands being held up for the amend ment. Another resolution for inserting in the rules the classes of insurance V. be taken by the institution was also agreed to, and the proceedings terminated. DISPENSARY FOR CONSUMPTION AND I)ISEASES OF THE Casse.—Yesterday the first anniversary festival of this charity was celebrated at the London Tavern. Mr. B. B. Cabbell took the chair, and, in proposing the tout of the evening, said in explanation of the circumstances under which the institution had been founded, that the Hospital for Consumption having b, en removed to Brompton, it was considered desirable to establiffi a charity nearer the centre of the metropolis, where outpatients could he treated. The number of the sick poor who had availed themselves of the dispensary had fully justifi.ei its establiskm nt. The report stated that since October, 1847, 923 cases had been treated b., the medical officers, ',hitt at present there were 400 patients on the books.—Subscriptions were announced amounting to 1781. MIMMIEMMIIp r Aft