The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-13 00:00:00

JUNE 13, 1857. THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ELECTIONS have fixed Monday, the 29th of June, for the trial of the Maidstone and Sunderland petitions, and Tuesday, the 30th of June, for the trial of the Oxford, Tewkes• bury, and Bury petitions. The petition against the return of Mr. Ennis for Athlone is thrown out. Rlttrogolitan. A MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRE, such as happily is not often seen in the metropolis, occurred last Tuesday night, and totally destroyed Messrs. Pickford's vast warehouses at Camden town, a series of buildings covering upwards of five acres of ground and storing an enormous amount of goods for railway transit. It is impossible to state with any degree of certainty the origin of the fire, though it is more than probable that a single spark from a pipe or a lucifer•match in a very short time destroyed this property, worth a quer ter of a million of money. The fire broke out about twenty minutes past ten o'clock. The gas was burning brilliantly in every part of the immense area, while the numerous clerks and other officials were busily engaged in their respective offices preparing the invoices and in other necessary occupations for the transit of the merchandise. On a sudden a more than ordinary blaze of light was discovered in the northern portion of the building, in that part known as the hayloft and corn•stores, where the fodder for the horses was kept; a dense and suffocating smoke immediately succeeded, and a cry rang through the building that the premises were on fire. In a few minutes the flames shot up through the roof, and the whole neighbourhood became enveloped in a dense cloud of smoke. There was no time to save property ; books, ledgers, papers, cash-boxes were snatched up as they lay, or left to their fate. The first thought of the carmen was for their horses; 360 were stabled below the sheds. The flames were now surging madly round the building, and, bursting through the roof, shot up into the air to an enormous height. There was not a moment to lose. The car men rushed into the stables below, let loose the terrified horses, and out they rushed at their utmost speed, to the imminent peril of those who were not fortunate enough to get out of their way, while the shouts of the people, the furious raging of the fire, the cracking of the ignited timber, and the continuous explosion of combustibles within the building maddened them in their fright. The brigade and other engines were now quickly on the spot, but the fire had gained such an ascendancy that little could be done beyond confining it to its own limits. The entire body of the building was one mass of flames, the great gates were gone, and in the centre could be seen waggon after waggon and truckload upon truckload of goods dropping down with a loud crash as the fire gained the mastery over them. In the interior of the burning warehouses beam upon beam and roof after roof came crashing down, and explosion after explosion added to the scene of devas tation, which was not a little heightened when, at about half-past eleven o'clock, the roofs of the stabling, upon which the solid paving of the sheds was laid, and which were all supported upon arches to the extent of about two acres, gave way, carrying with them the whole of the burning mass beneath. Shortly after, the great northern wall fell with a tre mendous crash upon two large barges laden with corn, which were lying in the cut of the Regent's Canal immediately beneath. With the fall of the buildings the fury of the fire became to some extent subdued, and in a few hours it sunk into a vast smouldering heap. Thousands of people from all parts of London were present, and many remained till daylight. The magnificent sight the fire pre sented about eleven o'clock has not been surpassed by any fire of recent date. The destruction of pro. perty is enormous, but with characteristic energy Messrs. Pickford have set up temporary sheds and conduct their business as usual. They were insured to a large extent. THE BISHOP OF LONDON held his second ordina tion at St. Paul's Cathedral last Saturday. There were lofty candidates for priests and deacons' orders. The Very Rev. Henry Alford, M.A., Dean of Canter bury, preached upon the occasion. His lordship was assisted by the Very Rev. the Dean of St. Paul's and the Venerable the Archdeacon of London and other clergymen, and was attended by the Rev. Edward Parry, M.A., his domestic chaplain ; the Rev. W. Knight, M.A., another of his chaplains; by Mr. John B. Lee, his secretary; and bf Mr. J. Has sard. The service commenced at a quarter before ten o'clock, and was not over until almost three o'clock. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REFORMATORY FOR LONDON has not yet been decided on by the authori ties. A report of the Gaol Committee read before the Court of Aldermen on Tuesday proposed sending a limited number of boys for the present to the Reigate school. The question was postponed. AT A MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, on Wednesday, for the purpose of consider ing what steps should be taken with reference . to Certain appreheeded olterstioo it; the constitut io n THE PRESS. of the University of London, intended to dispense with the necessity of candidates for degrees in arts and laws being educated in any college affiliated to the University, the following resolutions were passed : That this meeting, regarding with great satisfaction the intention of the Government to grant to the University of London a new charter which will incorporate the graduates, but understanding that the Senate propose that collegiate education shall no longer be necessary for candidates for degrees in arts and laws, desires to express its disapproval of the proposed change, as one likely to be injurious to the cause of regular and systematic 'ducation, and as not only lowering the value, but altering the very meaning, of an English University degree. That University College having been pointed out in 1835, by the Address of the House of Commons to the Crown, es the future University of London, and having cheerfully waived its claims to that high dignity in order to promote the public welfare, has a peculiar right to object to a change which will destroy the essential character of that University constitution on the faith of which it consented to sur render its position. That the Council of University College be requested to communicate with the Senate of the University of London, and with the Home•ofiice, and to take such steps as will, in their opinion, give the greatest weight to the views of the meeting, as expressed in the above resolution. THE FINSBURY-PARK COMMITTEE of the Metropoli tan Board of Works have reported the cost of the proposed park at 291,830/. The Government pro pose to give 50,0001. towards the expenses. THE ADELPHI ARCHES are reported to be in such a pestiferous state as to call for the immediate interference of the Board of Health. There is not another spot in London that rivals these arches as an abode of profligacy, wretchedness, and filth. SUNDAY EVENINGS IN EXETER•HALL are Dow mai ked by the performance of special religious services. The Rev. C. Molyneux preached on Sunday last, when an enormous congregation of persons of the class of respectable tradesmen attended. THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY held its nine. teenth quarterly meeting this week, Viscount Ranelagh in the chair, when a most satisfactory report was read. The receipts from Lady-day to June oth amounted to 8,154/. 19s. 10d., and the grand total to 295,5081. Os. 10d. Total number of shares, 13,000; total sale of land, 205,3751. 14s. 2d. The proportion of Conservative voters among the investors is at least ninety per cent., and the " fidelity and consistency " in the late lection was specially alluded to in the report. THE PARISHIONERS OF ST. BARNABAS, PIMLICO, dined together on Thursday, at the school-rooms, in commemoration of the anniversary of the foundation of the church and schools. The Rev. Mr. Liddell pre sided, and in propos;ng the toast of the evening, " Prosperity to St. Barnabas, and the Health of its noble Founder, the Rev. Mr. Bennett," vindi cated the character of " High Church " men from the charge of Jesuitry. With reference to the recent legal decisions, Mr. Liddell observed "that they had been tossed about a good deal, but they had come to a happy conclusion at last, as things remained very much the same as they were before." THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS exhibit a still further decrease in deaths, 868 only being registered for last week, a number 209 below the fair average. The births reached 1,542. Vrobintial. Trim NEW STATUTE AT OXFORD relating to middle class examinations passed Congregation this week. The statute provides that an examination of candi• dates who ate not members of the University shall take place twice a year, either at the University or elsewhere—one for boys under the age of fifteen, to be called juniors, and one under the age of eighteen, to be called seniors. The examinations shall be made in the rudiments of religion (unless parents or guardians desire otherwise), English literature, his tory, languages, mathematics, and physical science, and in the rest of the subjects belonging to a liberal education. The new statute, having passed Congre gation, will shortly be submitted to Convocation, when, if approved of by that body, it will be duly carried out. THE FIRST LocotaoTivE built by the great George Stephenson is to be placed on a pedestal in front of the Darlington station. The Darlington and Stock ton Railway was opened in September, 1825, with this locomotive, which seldom attained a greater speed than eight miles an hour. Vtiant. MR. HERBERT, the new Chief Secretary, has been re-elected without opposition for Kerry. THE LORD-LIEUTENANCY OF THE COrNfY OF TIPPERARY, vacated by the death of Lord Lismore, has been conferred upon his son, the present viscount. la THE AGRICULTURAL PROSPECTS of the COUDITy are good. The crops are reported as looking remark ably well, apd an early harvest la anticipated, 579 Hls EXCELLENCY THE EARL OF CARLISLE will be the guest of the Marquis of Waterford at Curragh more during the agricultural society's show in August. HER MAJESTY has conferred the order of C.B. on Major Brownrigg, Deputy-Inspector-General of Constabulary, as a recognition of his eminent services to the Crown in Ireland. THE LORD CHANCELLOR has decided the great jewel case in favour of Mrs. Berry, daughter of the Master of the Rolls, on the ground that the jewels in dispute (value 9,0001.) had been gifts to her by her late husband. ( *ab3 anti Volite. THE QUESTION OF LIABILITY TO SUCCESSION DUTY, in a case where a tenant in tail, whose right was created under a deed executed prior to the Succession Duty Act, did not come into possession until the death of the tenant for life, was decided on Saturday in the case of "Willcox v. Smith," by Vice Chancellor Kindersley. The Vice-Chancellor, in giving judg ment, said, the petition was presented by the Attorney-General, praying the payment of the suc cession duty upon certain real estates, which duty was sought to be charged upon Charles W. Willcox, who came into possession as tenant in tail male under the will of his grandfather. The will was dated so far back as June,lB26. By that will certain real estates were devised to the use of the testator's son, William Willcox, for his life, with the usual limitation to trustees to preserve contingent remain ders, and from and immediately after the decease of William to the use of his first and other sons in tail male. The testator died in May, 1827. At that time William, the tenant for life, had no son at all. Some years afterwards, and prior to 1853, be had a son born, Charles W. Willcox, the respondent to the present petition. William, the tenant for life, died on the 18th of July, 1853, and his son, Charles W. Willcox, came into possession as tenant in tail male. The question, therefore, was, whether Charles W. Willcox acquired his interest in this property in such a way and under such circumstances as consti tute a" succession" within the meaning of the act. His Honour entered into an elaborate verbal criti cism of the words of the tenth section of the act, and then observed that the case came, not only within the literal words of the act, but within the meaning and intention of it. The Legislature meant to make the accrual of interest in the survivor the circum stance which was to impose liability to the duty. The fifth and ether sections contained inaccuracy of language. The fifth set out by making a future verb apply to a past event. In the act there were not mere inaccuracies, but considerable ambiguities. He had not, however, any fair and reasonable doubt as to the intention of the Legislature, that a party in the position of the respondent was liable to pay the succession duty. Some discussion then arose upon the claim of the Crown to costs ; but this being re sisted, the claim was waived. THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK DIRECTION at length find themselves within the grasp of the law. Bench warrants for the arrest of governor, managers, and directors have been issued, and several of the principal persons connected with this huge conception of mischief and swindle have been arrested and let out only on bail of 4,000/., and two sureties of 2,0001. each. Mr. Humphrey Brown, ex-M.P. for Tewkes bury, has obtained a still further unpleasant notoriety, by a reward of 2001. being offered for his capture, which has been duly effected. Mr. Cameron and others are still in Paris, and it is anticipated that before long these astute gentlemen will be safe in the hands of our police. THE DIVORCE CASE OF " EVANS V. EVANS," in which, it will be remembered, Inspector Field played rather a prominent part—behind the scenes—was adjudged at Arches Court un Tuesday,, and Mr. Evans's application for a divorce refused. A MURDER was committed at Dundee last Satur day, by a weaver named Coyle. who in a drunken fit burst into the house of an old woman named Mar garet Burn, and so ill-used her that she died shortly afterwards. Coyle has been arrested and committed for trial. A Bntrrir. MURDER is suspected to have been committed in London. The body of a gentleman was found in the Thames just off London Docks on Tuesday night. He was well dressed, his pockets were turned inside out, his head was severely cut and bruised, and his body bore marks of violence. The deceased was about six feet high, round fea tures, with black hair and no whiskers, bald on the top of the head, and with a scar on the left hand. THE RAGE FOR BANK SWINDLING has extended to Hobart Town, where we find the cashier of the local Commercial Bank tried and found guilty of embezzling 7,0C0/. out of the bank till. Beanies trial for poisoning his mother will take place, al "mord ? theft w 4 ,bp Centrlll crOliOal Court, _ • •