The Press. — London, England, 1856-11-29 00:00:00

1136 sons, too, were persons eminently unfitted for their office : But what class was it from which the assessors of in- come tax were chosen ? Mostly from the class of retired tradesmen,—men, he did not hesitate to say, most untitled for the office. They were paid, too, in proportion to the return made to the assessment, slid men who had only filled obscure positions were all at once remunerated by au income of 6,0001. or i,OOOl. a year for carrying out a system of espionage into the private affairs of the people at large. The motion was seconded by Mr. Goring. Dr. Watts approved of the income tax ; he thought that if a remission of import duties took place the r'lief would be greater. A long discussion ensued, when ultimately Alderman Sidney's resolution was carried, and several other resolutions agreed to with a view of preparing concurrent petitions to Parliament, and forming district associations in connection with the present in all the large towns of England. THE RIGHT HON. J. STUART WORTLEY, Recorder of London, is appointed her Majesty's Solicitor- General. MAJOR REED, at the Abingdon dinner on Monday. in replying to his health, said he confessed that he felt some alarm at the appearance of the continental powers, and although be hoped that the alliance between France and this country might be continued, he for one could not recommend his fellow country men to remain in blind indifference to any chances which might occur : As they were TIOW at peace, he trusted that it would be permanent, for he put no faith in the little differences which were yet unsettled, nor iu the talk of the necessity of keeping Russia up to the mark in the question of the boundaries. Passing to matters of a social character, be gra phically described the dangers of metropolitan life, and characterised tickets of leave as a " mistaken piece of philanthropy and legislation." He pledged himself that, unless some measure were speedily introduced to correct this existing system, he would endeavour to bring forward one next session, in order that some restriction might be put on the libera• tion of half-reformed criminals. Tua GLOUCESTER " INCOME TAX OPPRESSION " DEPUTATION held an interview this week with Mr.Wil• son, at the Treasury, to appeal against the exorbitant assessment levied upon the inhabitants of Gloucester by the hew surveyor. Mr. Wilson, having heard each member of the deputation, said that of course it was impossible at head-quarters always to control the in discreet zeal of their subordinates, but it. must be borne in mind that in some instances very great advantages had been taken by parties who had been left to assess themselves, and he mentioned the case of a firm who had returned their income at 1,500/., but who had, upon information, been charged 15,1000/., and eventually offered to compound at 18,000/. a year. He assured them that prompt attention should be paid to their representations, and promised to communicate with some of the heads of depart ments to which the subject referred. SIR RICHARD BETBELL, in his address to his con stituents at Aylesbury, soliciting re-election, enters at sonic length on the programme of legal reform to be brought forward by the Government during the next session. He says:— The important subject of the transfer of land has long engaged my attention, and I am happy to inform you that a plan is in preparation which I believe will greatly tacili tate the sale and conveyance of real property. I may venture to assure you that in the coming session measures for rendering simple and expeditious the title and transfer ' of landed property, for the abolition of the ecelesiastieal courts, for the amendment of the law relating to marriage and divorce, for the consolidation of the statute law, and for rendering criminal those gross breaches of trust which have of late been a scandal to the country, will be imme diately introduced, and prosecuted with energy and de spatch. MR. SPENCER PONSONBY, who accompanied Lord Clarendon in the capacity of private secretary to the Conferences of Paris, will be appointed to the vacancy created at the Board of Inland Revenue by the pro motion or Mr. Herries. Mr. Spencer Ponsonby was previously private secretary to Lord Palmerston during the time that he held the seals of the Foreign office. aftetwalitan. A lionox for the "assessment and rating of the city of London, for the purpo-es of the Local Metro polis Act, upon an estimate of the income tax paid," was carried at a meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works on Tuesday. It was afterwards agreed to refer the whole financial statement to the committee of the board. • TUE ELECTION OF A DIRECTOR for the Eastern Counties Railway, in the room of Mr. Waddington, was proceeded with on Monday at the London Tavern. Two candidates presented themselves, Mr. Love and Mr. Matins. Mr. Matins met with great opposition. Allutions to his bankruptcy many years since, when connected with his brother in some was carried at a meeting 01 nie me t ropo l i t an jjoArti disreganling his warning not to love the world, nor the tram siaceening at um eiewum Juucuon t wntre of Works on Tuesday. It was afterwards agreed to things of the world, and his repeated declaration that this there is a rounding) ho stepped off, and, coming refer the whole financial statement to the committee love is incompatible with the lore of the Father- Surely it into collision with some waggons on the siding, of the board. cannot be maintained that the Gospel in its simple fulness was killed on the spot. The body was not at all is not the true remedy for the evils o f thi s c l ass a 15 0.... • TUE ELECTION OF A DIRECTOR for the Easternmutilated. Counties Railway, in the room of Mr. Waddington, In the higher, n.• less than the lower, walks of London ANOTHER ACCIDENT occurred on the North-Western society there is much to deplore, to rebuke , and to reform was proceeded with on Monday at the London The new- *Ter writer, the satirist ,' and' the popular' Railway on Wednesday morninm. The over-night Tavern. Two candidates presented themselves, Mr.evi ls which goods train from Liverpool, behind time by two novelist, are il) labouring to ' correct some of those Love and Mr. Matins. Mr. Matins met with great the church w.;s designed to cure ; and some colour is hours, ran into the 7.45 Dunstable passenger train, opposition. Allusions to his bankruptcy many years given for the startling assertion of a modern historian, that while delivering passengers at Leighton Buzzard. since, when connected with his brother in some ' the press is the chief spiritual power in England. The collision was tremendows break-vans, engines .. . _ . . .........._ THE PRESS. mining affairs, were freely thrown at him, and he was asked if a man who had compounded with his creditors from not being able to manage his own affairs was the best man iu his opinion to manage the affairs of a company ? Mr. Acland censoriously analysed the antecedents of Mr. Malins as those which entirely precluded him from enjoying the con fidence of the Eastern Counties proprietary : Mr. Melina received 1,0001. for his 1,000 one•ponnd shares at a time when those shares Deere at a discount fear ful to contemplate. This sort of thing ought not in these days of fraud to pass muster in the city of London. He put the shareholders' money in his pocket and used the position he held as Director of the Metropolitan L'oard for that purpose. Mr. Molina was not the man for a moment compared to Mr. Love—the candidature of the former gentleman being a mistake, and the proxies be had obtained were procured, he would not say by false pretences. but by " sharp practice," and they all knew what that meant. At this point tho meeting became so turbulent and uproarious that, after vain endeavours by the speaker to proceed, the motion was then put, when the numbers were—Mr. Matins, 30; Mr. Love, 125. A poll was then demanded upon the part of Mr. Matins. THE GOLDEN LECTDRESIIIHE ELECTION will take place this day. There are four candidates for the office ' which merely requires one sermon a week at St. Margaret's Church, Lothbury and is worth about 131)1. a ) ear, namely, the Rev. Daniel Moore, M.A.; the Rev. Thomas Jackson, M.A.; the Rev. Robert Bickersteth, M.A.; and the Rev. Capel 3lolyneux, M.A. _ MR. SPURGEON preached at the Surrey Gardens, for the first time since the accident, on Sunday last. Seine 5,000 persons were present. The sermon was free from any of those laughable sallies which usually characterise the discourses of this earnest, unedu cated, eccentric young man. THE QUESTION OF LEGAL EDUCATION WaS discussed at the usual bi-monthly meeting of the Juridical Society, held this week. Mr. Baron Bramwell pre sided. The question arose on a paper rather archeological than legal, descriptive of the ancient Usages of the Inns of Court and Houses of Chancery. It, however, gave occasion to the chairman to com pare the ancient probationary system to the system of apprenticeship in trades, and to question if both might not be allowed to wear out of custom together, leaving the public to the risk of their own choice as to whom they might employ. The learned baron showed that although free trade in law might be alowable so far as mere advocates were concerted, yet for the character of the bench, both at home and in the colonies, it became important that the barristers, who were to become judges, should be sound jurists, a position they could never attain without a course of legal training. THE CONSECRATION of the Bishop of London and the Bishop of Graham's Town took place last Sun day morning at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. His Grace the Primate, assisted by the Bishops of Lin coln, Chichester, and Carlisle, Dr. Lushington, Dr. Twiss, and others, officiated. The Rev. G. Cotton, of Marlborough College, preached a sermon upon the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, taking his text from St. John xvii. 20, 21. In the course of his remarks upon the duties of the Church, the rev. gentleman male some wholesome observations upon the state of society in the metropolitan see : Let us consider for one moment the condition of differ. eat classes among its inhabitants. First, we will take the lowest class of all—those of whom it has been said that " they perish in the .pen streets beneath the pitiless pelt. ins of the storm, of cold, of hunger, and of broken hearts." It is well for us to be mindful of the utter infidelity which is gradually spreading among the working classes in our ctties, of the speculations of secularists, as they are called, who deny to man any hope beyond the grave,—any duty except that of providing for the wants of this life, and against whom Christ's servants are bound to contend. not only in argument, but with the yet more efficacious wea pons of Christian faith and love. Or, if we ascend higher in the scale of society, to that commercial class which forms the pride and support of London. there also we must often lament the absence of any practical faith that Christ has redeemed the world from sin. As a commer cial nation we have been startled and have felt degraded by the revelation of dishonesty among them, of reckless speculation—sometimes with the property of others—of ruin and misery widely spread through careless or dis honourable selfishness; while the frauds of the princely merchstits are only too faithfully imitated by the petty cheating and adult e rated goods of the tradesman. Advan cing yet lumber, we come to that class which seems to pride i!self t n contradicting the very words of Our Lord by boastfully claiming the title of the world, and thus openly disregarding his warning not to love the world, nor the things of the world, and his reputed declaration that this love is incompatible with the love of the Father. Surely it cannot be maintained that the Gospel in its simple fulness is not the true remedy for the evils of this class also. . . . In the higher, re, less than the lower, walks of London society there is much to deplore, to rebuke, and to reform. The newspaper writer, the satirist, and the popular novelist, are labouring to correct some of those evils which the church was designed to care ; and some colour is given for the startling assertion of a modern historian, that the press is the chief spiritual power in England. SATURDAY, THE RECORDERSHIP OF LONDON will, it is assumed, be conferred upon Mr. Russell Gurney. For the otlice of Common Sergeant, which will become vacant by this promotion, Mr. Bodkin, Mr. Prender. gait, Mr. Thos. Chambers, M.P., Mr. Keating, M.P., Mr. Atherton, M.P., Mr. Sergeant Thomas, Mr. Sergeant Channel, and several other learned gentle. men are candidates. THE REPORTED RETIREMENT OF THE BISHOP OF ROCHESTER is denied. Mn. Comm, Police Magistrate of Clerkenwell Court, has resigned his seat at the Metropolitan Board of Works, from inability to give sufficient time to the duties of the place . DR. TAIT will preach his first sermon as Bishop of Londonlto-morrow afternoon at St. James's, Piccadilly. AT A MEETING OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY this week Lieut. Pim, R.N., read a paper proposing a renewed search for the survivors of the Franklin expedition. The scheme Lieut. Pim proposed is as follows :—A small screw vessel, with a complement of twenty men, to penetrate as far down Peel Sound as possible, take up winter quarters, and, assisted by teams of dogs purchased at Disco or Uppernaick, extend the search down both shores of the Sound. Another vessel, similarly equipped, to push through Behring'sStraits.aud winter at King William's Land, whilst an overland party descend the Great Fish River, with orders to make for a certain ren dezvous, previously arranged. Lieutenant Pim insisted that the most important locality for search was undoubtedly King William's Land, for, situated at the mouth of the great Fish River, and inhabited by a vast number of Esqnimaux, "in all pro bability it was the repository of the Franklin secret." The paper was received with applause, and an inter esting discussion ensued, in the course of which Dr. Rao announced his intention to renew his attempt to complete the survey he left unfinished. AT THE MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF ARTS this week, Dr. Royle, F.R.S., real a paper on " Indian fibres," being a sequel to "Observations on cordage, textile, and papermaking materials." The author stated that he was induced, from the great import ance of the subject in a mercantile point of view, to bring it again before the notice of the public. He pointed out the enormous variety of fibre producing plants, the fibres of which were applicable under their various heads :-1. Bast and bark. 2. Platting and matmaking materials. 3. Cordage fibres. 4. Textile fibres. 5. Paper materials. The paper was illustrated with numerous specimens of fibres, fabrics, cordage, and paper made from the materials men tioned, and a machine was exhibited by Mr. Rout ledge and worked in the room for preparing these fibres for the market. THE STATUE OF GENERAL SIR CHARLES NAPIER has this week been erected in Trata'gar-square. Tile statue, the work of Mr. Adams, stands upon a simple granite pedestal, inscribed " CHARLES JAMES RAPIER, General, born MDCCL.XXXII ; died MDCCCLIII. Erected by public subscription from all classes, civil and military, the most numerous subscribers being private soldiers." . THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'SRETTIRES exhibit a decided increase in deaths, which have risen from 1,000 a week at the beginning of the month to 1,201 for the last week. This is 82 above the highest average, allowing for the increase of population. To lung diseases and typhus are attributed this sudden increase of mortality. The births last week amounted to 1,578. Vrosincial. A FATAL ACCIDENT happened to the mail train from Preston to London on Monday night. After passing Warrington, the engine, when at full speed, ran off and across the rails into the field on tile other side, where it buried itself in the soil. The tender, the guard's van, and one or two carriages followed, and were thrown over one another. The fireman was killed on the spot, and the driver seri ously injured. The passengers and guard happily escaped with a few cuts and bruises, and a great fright. THE BODY OF A GENTLEMAN, found on the Lon don and North-Western Railway line, near Newton Junction, this week, was recognised by the 'offi cials, and found to be that of Mr. Robinson, re siding et Rainhill. It is presumed, as he was a con tractor with the railway company for conveyance daily to his residence at Rainhill, that he must have fallen asleep and passed Rainhill, and that on the train slackening at the Newton Junction (where there is a rounding) ho stepped off, and, coming into collision with some waggons on the siding, was killed on the spot. The body was not at all mutilated. ANOTHER ACCIDENT occurred on the North-Western Railway on Wednesday morning. The over-night goods train from Liverpool, behind time by two hours, ran into the 745 Dunstable passenger train, while delivering passengers at Leighton Buzzard. The collision