The Sun. — London, England, 1855-05-10 00:00:00

!''''' r thre e f ,toolt` r , ,er,ser b•bit i°l' i 5 kilt 'fp by pe VA6J see d . 0 1 : b er; bl be Ori l's 4 ,0 itx A :lv ' ; fi 0 't 4, S HREWSBURY RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SALOPIAN STAKES. See C lear., I3ettytayl o * ************************************ Elizabeth Anni " HERBERT STAKES. itasseoo7. .............................................. Four ran. Shorehana **.***..........**** ****************** ****************************** Lurley •• Seven ran. MA R KET ° .11ERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two o'CLocx. Th e clo ßed. Cotton Market at Liverpool yesterday and s n ve ,ry firmly, and prices of American are id. sal es ' 1.4 id. per lb. d earer th an l as t wee k. Th e velliehwere estimated at 18,000 bales (2,500 of B P e eillat' were taken for export, and 6,500 on 44 1 „. I° ,n), comprising 300 Pernam and Maran -411-" °ld. to aid 100 Bahia at 6jd., 1,100 . P t ian at 6d. to 911, and 3,000 Surat at 3d. to and per lb. The Railway Share Market was firm, ,?tesed at an advance of to per Cent. an ner e _ had not been any increase in the attend kleeetio°,,f eit her home or foreign buyers at the Indigo g " B ,' and there is a manifest absence of Russian col:l4 h ' ' t hough the German houses and our own li veries to purchase to a fair extent. The de °f th: e r : l4 April have amply made up the deficiency 'Darter of the year. The value of sugar, as 110„,Messrs. Layton, Hulbert, and Co., inform us, has sitioniieatrlY recovered what it lost upon the impo have ; 3 ;, the new duties. The imports of sugar l 'how a 4 ; l en off materially, and the stock now with 111 i ncrease of only 2,148 tons, compared qualiti e - ,, et Year, at th e same d a t e . Th e fi ne " (4 Plantation Ceylon coffee have been reclll4 ci 4 d the quantity in importers' hands much a gain so , The st oc k o f co ff ee was 139 , 299 cwts., 'took of 78 ,836 c w t s . a t thi s t ime l ast year. Th e • Year - ric e is 4,968 t ons , against 15,205 t ons lastth at , saltpetre the st oc k 6,600 tons in excess The „ e 08 54. I st of J.--1'1) Victoria, which left Adelaide on the landl an d th.;1111, Julian, has arrived with 30,0001. in gold, Hullett, , from the same place, has on Makin -4 ''",°°/. in specie, and 198 oz. in bullion, L'lateet s w l,th Yesterday's arrivals from Van Die ,4n0,00,1,4na, about 300,0001. In addition to this, U nit have this week been received from the 1,, States and 40,0001. from Brazil, &c. th e Z 3 day t i e twenty-second annual meeting of at a l Provincial Bank of England was held ch ai i:e establishment in Bi s h o p sga t e - s t ree t. The reportwas t aken by J. F. L aur i e , E sq . F rom th e it ap pear Which was received with much satisfaction, ketared that th e b an k o f M essrs . Ki nners l y ka t ', o ns at Newcastle-under-Lyme, had been England eve r to th e N at i onal Prov i nc i al B an k of ptlipperi) a nd that thi s b ranc h was now cor di a ll y e d by the cu s t omers o f th e l a t e fi rm . tee n , cnsiness of the brancn at Plymouth had the Of ansferred t o the branch at Devonport. IA th e lO,OOO shares allotted to applicants .entintry, 3 , 9 17 had been recently sold at the too l :" Premium of 61. a share, yielding to the 19 8.1, 1 1137 a Profit of 23,502/., from which '7,473 0 /. ° ,,t • Pr e ji li .,* ; was appropriated to wiping off the balance 11 ' 0 4 -- inerY expenses, and the remainder of Inad (11.6,028/. Os. 6d.) was added to the reserve ` ll e e . , n • 412 Spite of the war, the general . business thea o st f te e ar," l tt P a ll had been very successfulin deductions, ,„"e nett profits for 1854, after all ..de 10_ tt a "' 132 791. 4s. id. The rest, or undivided P Bd. 4e4" 31 -st Dec 1854, was 189890/. 1 this fund the directors now declared a-divia p„l/0148,. Per cent. per annum, together with t " u he 41 Per cent, both to be v p e a t i e d e i f n t J h u an ly ke ne w x as . passed report was adopted, and a s on a t ° the directors, and to Mr. Daniel Robert 44.,,idortvth‘ie officers of the establishment, for their .to , Luring the past year. 4 „ l 'lnuot ll o g y l ia t h Securities there has been no large th e business done, apart from the settlement and which has resulted in the sus- R „a e sh - ,?,' another broker, but not of old standing. th • ii: 4 - o.eas of the current account, ending the tra consequence •l , 4 l , of the early closing of ollut:'o,4te..-iroka,for the purpose of writing in aktn e The ,4,44 calculating the dividends there to pa v e 'tnralo,, ll lators, having precisely the th ey 4,2 will r., 4 ;,,"" 8 and sums of the market a Mont idol wh, gr ally be reluctant to operate as ex i n -- ; ‘ 4 forw ar 'T their bargains had to be adjusted de a l ° -- "e of th,: m c ; Now, there are but 18 day l s, fo r t Cotis o l; k) ndays, during which they B c B o 4 u 8 81 rangie r. havern been 881 f-, and since Ex c h'he Prices for May 30, have been 14 8 . e quer Bills realise Bs., and India ell 87 i to' l.e4li 'am. The New 3 per Cents. have P o S teuhr,,kieetor.,`-ten,rities have been neglected,_ and tvux't that "th h ave advanced to 7 upon the e a e r k a h i tee a ' 4 l English Government is about to C en. has b ee)). iv loan of 3,000,0001. Sardinian pe r ,-7,• havel,,,at 86. Dutch Two-and-a-Half . per f erns " - ` ll . quoted 634 to 4. Spanish Three ,r e d at • h ave been dealt in at 364, and the De 18i. f ollo w i ng ▪ ° CICa • tl e a e o l lri t G e r 2 e i n a;dp , Deferred Bonds 61,- to 7 ; Mexi -41 Out s , .„ .3 .eruvian, 67 to 69 ; ditto Three 4 3 ; " ; Portuguese Four per Cents., 4‘a ponish ur:_Russian„ F i ve per Cents., 98 to 100 per Cents., 87 . to 89Dent ; 361 jo.,yeferred, 18 to 18i ; Di 3 tto to 3 p i er ; 1 1 ( 1. 1 Pas s i, e, 6 „9; Ditto Certificates, 4 to la s t wee tT to 4. this dat e railway receipts ascertained up "re In round figures as under : 44 t w forth a. w ester n 1855. 1854. - W youth ester £25,81 6 £22,358 Western 57,477 54,410 `Rilt n p, stern ............ 14,361 13,472 tiol(114,a.••• 12,618 11,946 t ooth • . 24,579 24,148 `„•ale,l o 4 , 4 a 2 ter n ...... 15,808 15,425 11,552 11,0_2_6_ tkoe a ,Z . Norther 20,022 17, 553 "nrti i ,t e and Yorkshire 19,321 18,511 afiterzt .......... 29,312 28,060 T he e Share . . . b . as been weaker on Th e ` v it ,.hole, h rt4 p r incipally and from the limited business. • (N I . and North E as t ern h ave been rather °Ya hi .' eat W es t ern of Canada Sh ares are united 1'" also Scinde and a East Indian. L ,_4 gala, - atextean Mine are dull. Union of Lon 'e 4 re arn in request. General Screw Steam 20 20 10 10 St. 10 St. 25 10 5 20 20 44 14 ONE O'Cla () K ' 34 ANDS THIS DAY AT B Begin a Par at, b _ 87$ 1 , (From the Official List.) -9. 0c,.. ',winced Annuities ess done 84 a g t tel , a ,_—• eettsola Annuities 87i A ii ull, 4131710..ent. Annuities 1860 .. pi 141.1ttc, 3;ll;eesa%sEirre.srethlo 1 k6 1 4 „a° Yea s, Ex z p P i l re sth Jan, 1860.... 44 Jan., 1859 3 31 %bitto:llticl2l I._ooo .......... ................ 14 1146 Otiola i!„.`ler L.lOOO 881 i " r 441 11 „_ " Ace() tuit, 30th May 4e, ....................................... g 000431er Eills, :2.,id. 8 oiltsoo ................... 1, 11. N ilOnTs-liii.: 3 . per ...... 1141 4 k CU ,4311' FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE 86 .pkijrl nonds, per Cent. itt. 11°I'd8, . 3 per Cent 36i bit— , (.11.ew Deferred, 3 per Cent. — O'CLO OK. "Ni s - 2 1 ' the Account 1 t,,,,t ohainittee Cert. of Coup, not fun 4 Bp 0 bt 13°4,1 8, 6 per cent, for the A ccount.... .... tltit oh t rl x l 1 q , . .c len d a on the above PaYaltie.iln London. Ditto a"aalge, 2i per Cent. 12 ui .... _ _ ' Per Cent. Certifieatos HALF-PAST TWO. Co nsols 1214° ' May actu ir ETe 1 , 1; NEW___S—(THIS DAY.) XEAT MARKETS. l'k/1 Ti 44114 AND LE ADENHALL.—We had a slow t sale for I t, titto h nc l of in e at• as follows•—Beef, from 3s Od to 4s , to 4s i` t i s 2d to 4s 4d ; lamb, 4s 8d to 6s Od ; Veal, 3s 8d Sod ' l'o llc, 38 2d to 4s 4d per 81bs, by the earease. Itith 111,44, May 9 o.day's market was fairly supplied 1114 kind of et k The general demand was in t. ta n ' qate, as follows:—oc:Beef, from 3s 2d to 4s 6d; I ,1 ! ( 1 . to 4s 10d; Lamb, 5s Od to 6s 2d ; Veal, o 4s s o l‘ . d u to 4 1i.4,„ York, 38 8d to 4s 4d per Blbs, to sink .the with Beef, , r0t t , 3 3 % 44d the trade ruled dull, on easier terms. d per tB7ll:'s 43(1,‘2,.(1-vt:a4l:46(lo,:iMtout4tsonB,(l3; 6d to 5s Od; Lamb, 5s Od * ‘'llart,er old Store Pigs, 20 P s o t r o k, 25 3 s s e 6 ae d h t . ° 4.9 a kr , EA.y MARKETS. ditto allriELD.--Mead hay, 2118 s to 51 Os Od ; clover 3U1f:0131.4y.z,u). Areadow hay, ... 141 44;, ° ' t° O r . Os and rd straw, to 1/ 108 per load. •‘ l Utt BUPIY a steady trade. per load. 31 Os to 5/ 03 ; clover fir to. 5 / I SS ; and stray, 11 Cs to 1/ 12. r Otto' IT Re 0,44,1"z11..--11eadow ha 3. , , a 4 Os • sstraw , and ll Se - -•4 to oal. E 10s per 10 a. 21, Ws tJ 5 0.; clova..?! 25 St. 20 St. 4/ 2s ~.lII~7! :?. Ainbg. Nottng. Bos om]. Eastn. Junct. Belfast & Ballymena. Birming. Wolverh. Stour Valley Btrkenhd. Lanesh. t Cheshire Janet Do. Chesil. & Birk £5O and £25 Cons Do., £29.... ........ Blyth &Tyns origina £25 (issd. at £45 Bristol and Exeter , Caledonian Carmarthen and Car digan Chester & Holyhead Cork and Bandon.. Cork, Black, & Pas Cornwall Crieff Junction mblin&BelfastJune. Dundee Perth dab, teen Junction Do. Now East Anglian Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A Stock De., B. Stock Do., New A East Lancashire Edinburgh & Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles.. :din. PAL & Dundef 'orth & Clyde Jung . Furness . i)0. Extension..., Glasgow& S. Weston , lireat Northern Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock Sth. Sityest.(lre. ) .rent Western )o. Stour Val. Rail Qua. Stk rich South-Eastorn, fAineaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds 2)o. Now Thirds Lincash. and York sit p)., Wst. Riding tTn Liv.Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwal Lond. Bright & S.Cst bond. and N. Wostn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/. 5h.,M&8... C Do. Eighths London andS. Westu Do., £5O Do. .£4O Lndii drry& Coleraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Manch.Shef. k Linen Do. Shares, No. I Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland Do. Birmng. & Derby Midld. G. West. (Ire, ) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Nwpt.Aborg. & Hrfd Newry &Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoini and Rostrevor Norfolk Northn.Connties Un North British North Devon, No. 1 Do., No. 2 Do., 2 A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed N. Eastern—Berwick Do. do. Extension Do.do. G.N.E. Purch. Do. Leods Do. York North. London Do. Now £lO N. &S. Wstrn. , Hemp stead, and City in.. North Staffordshire.. North Western N. & S. Westrn. June. Nuneaton, Hinckley and Leicester Oxford, Worcester,Sl Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shropshire Union South Devon South Eastern.. South Wales S. Yrksh. 4 Riv. Dm Do Staines, Wok. &Wol Stockton & Darlin Stuaten & llartlepl Taff Vale Do. £lO shares Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Haven Doel and Railway wale of Neatia., Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of London and Crystal Palace West London. !Wimbledn&Croydonl FOREIGN. Antwerp&Rottordam Belgian Eastn. Juno. Boziers to Graissessac Bombay, Baroda, and Central India. Scrip Central of Italy Demerara Dutch Rhenish Eastern of France Do. New East Indian, g. 5 p.c Do. Exlonsion Do. 4 p. c. Bds., pay: '57; convertible Do. do. do., '59, do Gd. Tk of CanadaA is Do. St. Lawrence Si Atlantic do. Do. Cert. of Deben , con. into Stk. till'63 Do. Comp. 6 p. c., do. Gt. Central of France I Gt. Indian 'Peninsula guar. 5 per cent. Do. New 5 per cent Do. Extensions Great Luxembourg C ons tituted Shares Do. Obligations ' G t.We stern of Canad Shares Do. Bds., payable's7, with option till '55 Do. do., '62, p. '56 Do. do., '76, p.'63 Do. do., '73, without option Hamilton & Toronto Do. 6 por cent. Lake Const. & Basle Lucca dz Pistoj a 5 p.c pref Lyons and Geneva Lyons dr. Mediterran Madras Do. New Maria Antonia Do. do. New Namur di Liege (with interest) Do. (ox interest) Northern of France D o .20/. Shs.late Char leroi and Erqueline: guar. 3$ p. c. & red. at 2211. dur. 88 yrs. from 1 Jan. 1854 , Do. Mt. 3 p. c BIF (Nay. B. dz Ams. Shs. NorwegianTrunkPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds Paris and Orleans.... Paris and Rouyn.— ParisCaen dz Cherbrg Rouen and Havre Royal Danish Royal Swedish Sambre and Meuse Do. 5A p. cent. Prof Sci ad a Southern of France St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) West Flanders Do 5k per c. Pref Western of France West. of Switzerland WlJsbaden Zealand E MARKETS (THIS DAY.) .R.MLIVAY2. Closing Prlces yesterda,y. 19 - 4f - 43 81 - Si 14 - 131 14:1; - 151 9 -. 8 d 87 - 8► 59 - 604 - 12i - 7 5 - 4 6i - 6 it - 15 llk - llg 30 - 32 20 - 22 51 156 2d par 18 20 67 - 69 89 - 90 73 - 75 L 23 - 125 92 -94 64 - 64 - 58 - CO 65 70 5 7 a 5 -..- 7 761 —76 i 7i 98 —99 98 —98 h id Rd 1 d 80 81 9Af 9A 23 - 23!j - 8 69 -69 i 40 - 42 11 - 9 1i - 2 ••• - ••• 47 - 49 27i 28 71 72 7. 7 4 3;3 12 13 47 - 48 48 50 d par 58 —4/ 6 61 1. d rar 25i 26 - 93 - 100 64 - CO 44 - 46 12 13 59i 60 `27 - 28 5 - 3 3 - 1 36 - 38 ••• ....'' ••• 17 18 3 - i - ii.. = 7$ - 2 - 2$ - 1 . 4 d 35} -- 354 64 741 , 23i 24; 2g Zip - 9 15 - 16 49 -51 d 88 90 2if iP * iP t - 111 ) - 2i 2t - 3 191 - 201 99 - 101 99 - 101 103 - 105 98 100 204 - 21 100 - 103 •-• 21 -- 3ip - •• 1 Zip 4 6 ' -- 2i 54 -- 6 35 = ini 124 - 13 241 -241 p 45 47 39 41 Pro 21 22,i i d iP 2 lid 74 8 ... - - li -2 1 p ... - pm 3i 4 d 5 . 6 ii -- iii BANKS. 80 - 82 id— la 1 id —17 A 20 21 Ed—in 32 .- 34 39 - 41 68 • - 70 8! see w "4 JOINT-S! 20 10 20 35 10 22i all all all I. ustralasia British Colonial Bank ~ and Loan Compan3 Britiih N. American Chartd. Bank of Asia Chrtd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China Colonial ................ Commercial of Lond. English Scottish and Australian Chart..., Lond. Chart. Bk. of Australia ............. Ditto New ............. London and County.. London Joint Stock.. Lond. & Westminstei National Provincial of England Do. New National of Ireland New South Wales Oriental Bank of Corporation Provincial of Ireland Do. New Royal Australn.Bkg & Gold Imp Co Smith Australia Union Ji Do. New ........... h Union of London LINES LEASED AT FIXED KENTALs. Leasing Compans London A; N. WAmt. L. &N. W. E. Un. E. C Closing Prices yesterday. Bum!: es 8 this day. NEWMARKET RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPEL) JOCKEY CLUB PLATE. Hermit.............................................. walked over SWEEPSTAKES for Two and 'Three-yr Olds. Cere5............................................................ 1 Lord Raglan .............................................. 2 Br Maass dons this day. Git.Nrtbn. Caldonian. Fact' Pastrycook Do Gt. Wesra Yk. Now & Berw. Y. &NM Do., Five ran. 501. HANDICAP PLATE. Five ran. SWEEPSTAKES FOR TWO-YR-OLDS. 10 SOUS, A 1 a5t0r....................................................... 1 lagoColt ................................................... Two ran. 50 to 3on Alastor. LATEST BETTING. DERBY. 11 to 2 agst Lord of the Isles 7to 1 asst De Clara (offered) 90 89j 75 1241 6 4 1 it 30 20 1 1 98i 98 I 64 i 71i 12 47• 21 201 99 i 21 2} P 69i 2616 k 10 5 St. 25 THE SUN, LONDON, THILTIISDAY EVEN ENG MAY to 1855 Do.. S. Easter Do Peto & Co. Norfolk.. Do. L.StN.W Sy Midld. Stckton Darlingt. En. Coun, E. Count. Do Do L. &N.W &Ln&Yk at North, Laneasb & Yorksh. T. Brassey 51.14 C Leal Stoat. & Darlingt Do C4tWestn - i i - A 1 ii - # 4 - 6 4 -- 6 2 - 3 21 - 3 31. - 33 - i)( 1 54 30 40 2d tar 23 24 1+ li par .-fp 14 a 4 lq i 7 - 7a - 142 -- 152 19 -- 21 5 -- 6 51 -- 6 4 $ 2 --• 3 6i - 6i JE SHARES 9:6 - 98 96 - 98 133 - 135 1.66 -- 1,5 a - 13 23 - 24 11 - 113 2 - , 2 ~1 ii - 94 ip par 51 - 59 fio 7i 21 - 31 -32 A 88 -- 891 THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION 6.1? THE METROPOLIS; The following letter on this subject was lately addressee by Lord Ebrington to a gentleman of influential positio: amongst his constituents : Bruton-street, April 16, 1855. Sir, I proceed, in compliance with my promise, to ex plain to you the provisions in Sir B. Hall's bill for the local management of the metropolis, to which I entertain the greatest objections. As I object to them for reasons which I stated at almost every public meeting I addressed in the course of my election, no elector has any right to" be, surprised at the course I feel it my duty to take with re gard to this important measure. I said on the introduction of the bill that, far from deny-' ing the existence of the evils its author so graphically de scribed, I entirely agreed with him both as to their extent and their indefensible character. Indeed it was not likely I slisuld do otherwise, _after strenuously labouring for more than ten years, both in and out of Parliament, to direct public attention to these evils, with a view to getting them remedied. At the same time the reverse of wrong is not necessarily right • and I think I shall be able to show, that, while the remedy proposed affords little if any prospect of improve ment as regards many of the evils complairied of ; it will not only, if left as it stands, tend seriously to aggravate others, but also to introduce several new and grave ones for, the first time. The bill proposes to establish, including the City, 36 districts, each consisting of a parish, or union of parishes. flobhouseN Act is to be applied to all the parishes, whether, single or in union. In, the 21 single parishes the vestry are to bo the district board. In the 14 unions con sisting of 56 parishes, the several district boards, com prising in all 653 members, will be chosen in certain speci fied proportions by the vestries so elected by the single votei of the ratepayers. The several district boards are to send one member each (except eight sending two members each) to the metropo litan board, which board will therefore, with the addition' of two members from the City, consist of 41 members. And this metropolitan board is to select three persons, of whom the Secretary of State is to appoint one to the office of chairman, at a salary of not less than 1,5001., or more than 2,0001. a-year. The metropolitan'board is to take charge of the main sewers, and is also to be invested with very large powers for the improvement of the thoroughfares of the metro polis. All the other sewers are vested in the 36 district boards, as is also the paving, lighting, &c., within the several districts. I will not call in question the limits proposed for the metropolis, which are s identical with those adopted by the Registrar-General; and I heartily approve, on principle, of the union, under the same authority, of the subterranean road surface management, i. e., of the sewerage and of the paving, lighting, road-watering, &o. But I object to the bill in its present shape. Ist, on account of the number of districts into which the metropolis is to be divided for these purposes; 2d, on account of the nature of these divisions; 34, on account of the large number of the governing body to be established in each division ; 4th, on account of the composition of the constituency to elect each of these bo dies; sth, on account of the mode in which the vote of these constituencies are to bo taken ; 6th, on account of the large numbers of members of the metropolitan board of works, and of their representing only one class, viz., the ratepayers. Lastly, I object to the enormous powers of this over-numerous board, and its probably unsatisfac tory dealing with the local interests of the metropolis ; and I dread its almost inevitably undue influence upon the Go vernment and the Le g islature. Ist. With regard to the establishment of the 36 divisions. This is a retrograde movement. The old separate and in dependent Commissions of Sewers were seven in number, and as such too numerous for economy. There was consi derable waste in having so many separate staffs of officers, quite apart from the inconvenience of their totally inde pendent action ; and a large saving resulted from the con solidation of the seven staffs, especially in the engineering and financial department. The general average cost of management to the ratepayers was, during 1817, more than 7s. per cent, per annum on the rateable annual value of the seven districts ; while (notwithstanding the disad vantage of having to procure information w hi c ought to have been provided by our predecessors) the charge for management under the new consolidated commission, to which I belonged, was actually below ss. per cent, per annum on the rateable annual value of the district under our active jurisdiction. When the expebses of manage ment in 1851 are stated at 23 per cent. of the expenditure in works, it should be remembered that this was in consequence of money being refused us for the execution of works to the extent of hundreds of thousands of pounds, the plans, drawings, and specifications of which bad been prepared at a heavy expense by the staff. The staff ex penses in 1846, under seven commissions, were more than 20 per cent, on the works executed. The staff expenses in 1854, under the consolidated commission, were only 11 per cent., and that included systematic mapping and under ground surveying, items quite unknown in the olden times. This economy resulted from placing seven engineers in charge of a district each, at a moderate salary, under a more highly-paid chief to superintend the whole, with two or three assistants devoted to specialties. The same obvious course was taken with regard to the financial and other departments. A reversal of this system, and the multiplication of sub divisions for drainage purposes to a five times greater extent than prevailed under the Unconsolidated Sewers Management, must inevitably lead to the officers in each district being either underskilled or over-paid, probably, to their being both—underskilled for the work they have to do, and overpaid for the work they do : in other words, to a great additional expense, either in the shape of extra salaries, or of inferior work, and, probably, of both. Add this objection is not met by clause 110, giving to the Metropolitan Board compulsory powers of uniting districts for the election of joint-officers. For the district boards retaining each their separate control of the sewers in their districts, the officer would be placed in a position of almost hopeless difficulty between his several masters, in spite of any directions the Metropolitan Board might issue about him. I therefore look upon the clause only as a confession of the consciously imperfect arrangements made by the author of the bill. When deprecating, how ever, the multiplication of drainage divisions, I do not say that for the far simpler work of superintending the pav ing, lighting, &c., smaller "sub-districts" th an our f ormer sewers " levels," or even, in some cases, than the parochial divisions proposed by the bill, might not work pretty well. Bnt the surface management should, in my opinion, be subordinate and subsidiary to the far more difficult and important work of underground management. And it is for this reason that I object, 2dly. To the proposed 36 divisions for drainage pur poses. I object not so much to their unfairness, though it is difficult to understand on what principle some parishes have been dealt with in the bill. Why, Paddington for instance, with a larger and more rapidly increasing popu lation than St. Meatin's in-the-Fields or St. James's, should be united to Hampstead, with which it is not par ticularly connected, while these two parishes (St. James's, occupying an area of only 165 acres) enjoy the same privi leges (except as to the sending one instead of two represen tatives to the Metropolitan Board) that are enjoyed respec tively by the parishes of Marylebone, which is 16 times, of St. Mary, Islington, which is 19 times, of Lambeth, which is 22 times, and of Camberwell, which is 28 times larger. But I object especially to the parochial character of these divisions, because the parochial boundaries clash, in almost every conceivable way, with the natural watershed boun daries of the eight valleys running down from the north into the Thames, and of a ninth from the west into the Lea. The consequence will be that the branch drains (or submains, as they are sometimes called), if constructed along the best and cheapest lines, will cross a number of separate jurisdictions, with the certainty of delay, and the probability of differences arising between the several autho rities. If the branch drains are taken with reference to the limits of jurisdictions, rather than of watershed, they will be constructed at greatly increased expense, and must act with diminished efficiency. The parish of Marylebone, for example, drains in its different parts, along not one but three separate valley lines, down to the Thames. 0 xford- street, f rom Ed geware-road toottenham-court-road traverses four separate districts ; and moreover has its own sewer, running sometimes on ono side of the street and sometimes on the other, in different parishes, besides being crossed by numerous other sewers going down towards the Thames. It is true that, by claw(' iii, the Metropolitan I Board may place part of a parish or parishes under the management of the vestry of another parish, but this will involve such complicated accounts and such nice questions of jurisdiction ; and, above all, the multitude of such cases as those described is so great, that this provision again must be considered rather as a confession of the hopeless inap- Plicability of the scheme than as a practical remedy for its aimitted defects. 3. I object to the large number of m em b ers com p os i ng the district boards under the bill-120 being, under Hob house's Act, the numbe r o f ves t rymen in all p:Tulous parishes without local acts, and therefore the number in most of the single parishes under this bill ; and up wards of 45 being the average number in each of the 14 ,listrict boards formed by the union of parishes under the bill. The vestry of St. George's as a body, and many vestrymen individually, have declared their inability to transact the laborious and difficult business arising under this bill; and, indeed, such large bodies are found in practice to deal far less efficiently and satisfac torily with detailed business than smaller ones, es pecially when that business is of a kind requiring a constant reference, not only to general principles, but also to the local specialties incident to former defec tive arrangements. Having worked hard myself for seve ral years, in company with some of the most eminent men in England, upon these matters, I can answer for it that they are not to be dealt with so easily as some speakers at public meetings imagine. Notwithstanding the praises lavished by Sir B. Hall at different times upon the manner in which parish affairs have been managed by the large vestries of Marylebone and St. Pancras, I must be allowed to express my doubts whether, even in the far simpler matters of administra tion the working of those v es t r i es h as b een so uniformly conspicuous for eficiency, economy, and discretion, as to lead to the conclusion that similar large bodies would deal satisfactorily with the far more complicated task of man aging the great public works below and above ground in their several districts. But decidedly as I object to the largeness of these boards, I object, lthly, much more to the composition of the constituency by whom they are to be elected. This constituency is to consist wholly of ratepayers voting by single votes. No owner or lease-holder, what ever the amount of his property or the duration of this interest in that property, having any vote as such in the choice of the bodies to be entrusted with such large powers of taxing and dealing with property. We shall be told that this is the case under the Munici pal Reform Act. I know that it is so ; and as regards the Management of Works I deplore it ; because I know that the public works in towns managed by munici pal bodies are, with some striking exceptions, in a far from satisfactory s t a t e . B u t even were th e M un i c ip a l Reform Act working well with regard to sanitary mates of the met ro p o li s i s no t para ll e l t o th e cases of those towns., the case The tax in them is general, and levied in the shap e of a borough rate upon th ratepayers at large. In th polis, on the c on t rar y, the sowers rate b ls , n law, a nd has e metro been for centuries, not an occupier's, utanownefrr'osmrabtebi, which the tenant is entitled by law to deduct landlord's rent. easily which the tenant spe cially takes shall be told that, by the majority of cases, there are clauses in the leases chargesy which the law hac t l , but takes upon himself those al e a se This is true to some ext e en numu_ posed upon his extensivelyla n--o ' so, as is alleged u y th by no means so I bill. tors of the am told, by good auth u tp le t a h s a e t s — ex tc . change of residence, and, consequently , of ces sation and occupier to defray the interest by the tenant—there are large districts sationg?f the tenants where it is not the .t p i ir the s :i i e d e t t a r tintbesu cases sewers rate. Bu t t b it sewers rates in their rents, and that, praltieally pay therefore, the proposed arrangement is not an unfair one. If that be so, however, then the lodgers, an important portion o f the population of the motropolik, have4ve equally a right with the ratepayers to . share in the.repre sentation: —lf - the single voting per capita is with re gard to the management of works, which are in law a charge upon the owners, I keow not on what ground the lodgers are to be wholly excluded from voting ; and I for one should regret their being so, unless the owners are to be admitted. The principle of single voting in regard to the government of persons has always been recogniselby the Constitution, as is seen in the Parliamentary franchise. am not, therefore, adverse in the case of populous town parishes t o th e ma i n t enance of this leading feature of liolehouse'a Act as regards the management of relief to the poor, a matter evidently relating to the government of persons, and involving charges almost entirely of a tempo rary, though to a certain extent a constautly-recurring , character. But the application of this principle to the management of works involving heavy and lasting burdens upon property, and affecting for better or worse its perma nent value--in other words, giving to a fluctuating body elected by men who have confessedly no permanent interest in that property, such an absolute control over it—seems to use an anomaly no; less mischievous than unjust. If the ratepayers, as some say, in general pay the sewers rate, legally due from their landlords, then we have every probability of the sanit ary ev i ls continuing for the most part unr9inedied, as they have b9en, and I fear too long will be, in many of ou r corporate towns. For the apparent, I do not say the real, inter es t o f the temporary ratepayer as distinguished from that of th e l andlord above, and of the lodger below, him in the s oc i a l sca l e, is to put Off doing anything to the last moment, and th en to do it as cheaply as possible ; the efficiency of the wo r k s b e i ng of secondary importance to him, and their permanency utterly indif ferent. The interests of the landlord and of the lodger, on the contrary, are to a great extent identical ; since effi ciency, which is generally found in connection with dura bility and real economy, is to these parties far more im portant than mere cheapness at the moment. If, on the cther hand, as others say, the sewers rates are in reality a landlord's tax, we have the anomaly of the landlords being excluded from all voice in the laying otit of their own money on their own property—that is, representatio n would be, in fact, as it• inevitably is in law, dissevered from taxation by thi s p ro f esse dl y lib era l measure . My opinion, published last spring by Mr. Ridgway, and expressed viva voce over and over again during the last winter to large and apparently approving audiences, has always been, that both the class of owners and of long lease holders on the one hand, and the classes of ratepayers on the other, ought in fair proportions to be represented in the several bodies for the management of public works. But, sthly, I object still more to the kind of suffrage proposed, and to the mode of taking the suffrages, than I do even to the single qualification or the single voting It is proposed that every elector in every part of the parish shall be entitled to vote for the whole number of vestrymen, and shall in person take up to his polling place a voting paper containing the names of the whole or. any less than that number. The parish of St. Pancras contains about 20,000 ratepayers. Each elector would therefore be entitled to vote at each annual election for 40, and in the course of three years for 120, vestrymen. In that parish, therefore, alone, supposing the ratepayers really polled out, the number of names would bo 800,000, spread over 20,000 Hug, all requiring to bo scrutinised and ar ranged. But, further, St. Pancras ii 25 miles in circum ference, and extends overpart of Hampstead and Highgate. It comprehends, therefore, not only crowded streets, but also a rural district. What is a Highgate elector to do when he has exhausted the limited number of those among his neighbours willing, and, in his opinion, fit to servo in the office of vestryman with its double duties of relieving paupers and managing public works ? Either he must vote one-sidedly for a mere Highgate list, or he must take on trust some pink or blue parochial list full of names quite strange to him from the other side of the parish, in consideration of the insertion upon the list of some High gate man on whom he and his neighbours have confidence. Could any better specific be devised for insuring the maxi mum of electioneering agency with all its attendant jobbery and demoralising organisation ?—for excluding from the re presentation all members of the minority, indeed all but the most deeply-pledged thick-and-thin partisans ?—for al ways securing, for the time being, an overwhelming influ ence in the assembly to one or other of the alternately suc cessful parties, each in turn obtaining its triumph through the fairest promises of efficiency and economy—each in turn, after' a short trial in office, being summarily ejected for failing to realise the expectations it had raised? Could a more ingenious scheme be devised for insuring the mini mum of consistency and continuity' of action, the maxi mum of oscillation and reversal of policy in an adminis trative body; together with the greatest amount of change and the strongest sense of insecurity in its paid, I dare not say, its permanent, officials ? Such, experience has shown, to be the natural result of voting " by the ticket," as it is called ; in other words, of the system of, giving to a large body of electors a proportionate number of votes each for a proportionately large number of representatives. The, adoption of this course is the more indefensible when the course of dividing a large constituency into divisions or wards, each returning some one, two, or three members, is recommended by such numerous precedents, and has for centuries worked so well. But, 6thly, the inherent evils of the " ticket " system of voting may be aggravated by the mode of taking the votes. And of all the known modes of taking such multitudinous votes, that adopted in the bill seems :lout the most incon venient, except that originally established by Hobhouse's Act—an act passed, however, before, not after, the success ful trial for 20 years of the improved system introduced under the poor-law. How has the system embodied in this bill worked hitherto in the metropolitan pa rishes? I will take those of Marylebone and St. Pancras. Out of the 16,000 ratepayers in Marylebone at no one of the elections for the last three years have, I believe, as many as 5,500 voted ; though some of the con tests were fierce, and many conveyances wero provided for the voters. ut of the 20,00 ratepayers in St. Pancras, I learn from the vestry clerk, scarcely more than 2,700 voted at the election under Hobhouse's Act in 1853 ; though great excitement is said to have prevailed, and long processions of cabs with banners flying and colours displayed are said to have been seen on the occasion. But at St. Pancras we have some instructive returns about an election in 1.815, conducted on the vote-collecting system. The number of ratepayers then was only 13,030, to whom must be added those entitled to vote as owners under the New Poor Law ; but the number of voters that voted—l say nothinc , of the number of votes given —was more than 7,603. I add that, at St. Martin's-in-the fields, with some 1,500 entitled to a vote, on no occasion before 1835 had more than 750, or half, been brought up to the poll. Under the first trial of the vote-collecting system upwards of 1,50 J voters, or near jths, voted out of the then constituency, which had only been slightly in creased by the addition of owners. But we shall be told that this has resulted partly from the want of additional polling places ; and partly from the absence of that greatly-increased interest sure to be felt by all classes in the election of persons to a trust of such large power and heavy responsibility. What do we find, however, at elections where there are plenty of polling places, and still more stirring interest ? What do we see at Parliamentary elections ? What was the case even at mine, when a far large number voted for me than ever had voted before in Marylebone? a great number of mysupporters having recorded for the first time votes to which they had been long entitled. What happened where no expense was spared either by my manager or by my opponent's ? Scarcely more than half the constituency voted. And is this a singular case? Far from it. The Edinburgh Review gave a list of a dozen largo constituencies, with an ag gregate of some i 30,000 on the register. Of these not more than 55 per cent. (about 72,009 electors) voted at the contested elections at the last dissolution. Nor is this indisposition in the very large constituencies to poll at all surprising, when we remember, that the cost of voting in the shape of time lost, trouble incurred or business neglected, is aconstant quantity; while the value or propor tionate influence of a vote varies inversely with, magnitude of the constituency to which the voter belongs. The re fusal of the franchise, and the imposition of a prohibitory duty of time and trouble (i.e., money's worth) upon its exercise, come practically to much the same thing. The grievance seems certainly more crying in the former case; but is it practically much, if at all, more injurious? You know whom you exclude by the refusal of the fran chise. But do you know whom you will exclude by your discouraging and prohibitory duty upon its exercise—by sending the unpaid many and the paid few, the electors to the poll-clerks • instead of sending the low so un d t o th e , many, the paid vote-collectors to the unpaid voters' resi dences ? Ask any election agent—he will tell you of whole streets in the metropolis full of educated, respectable, and wealthy inhabitants, who have scarcely ever contributed a vote to the decision of any parochialcontast, and contribute very few indeed' even to that of a Parliamentary contest. Even at my election I hear that three-fourths of the elec tors in some of the wealthiest streets and squares never voted at all ; while in Cromer-street I am told that the proportion polling was just about three-fourths. And yet if one or the other class, which I deprecate, is to be with held, which can be best spared from voting on a question relating to the management of works and the taxation of property ? It has been shrewdly observed, as I have elsewhere said, that, especially in the middle and lower ranks, those who occupy themselves most about elections are either the best or the worst citizens. The best take part in public affairs from a sense of duty, religions or patriotic. The worst busy themselves in party contests either from a love of the excitement and conviviality attending elections, or else from the hope of gaining something in the way of patronage. There is, however, a large intermediate class of men of average in dustry and character, who care much for their own interests and their families, and comparatively little for public measures or public men. And these can with difficulty be persuaded, however clear their preference, to support either one side or the other, at the expense of any of that time and trouble, which they value so highly and know so well how to turn to account. And this class is probably nowhere in England more numerous than in the metropolis. I therefore think that it is partidularly essential in this bill to adopt some such plan for encouraging the quiet and the infirm, the thoughtful and the impartial, the busy and the lazy, the fastidious and the timid—all to take their share in the public duty of electing local functionaries. ' I have dwelt thus at length upon • the system of voting by votepapers at home, instead of at a poll, because it seems to me one of the most important questions connected with the franchise. With this system I should dread this bill comparatively little, whatever objections I felt to the composition of the constituency; without it I dread any measure such as this bill, because I judge from experience governing assemblies will be returned in the e w. by what class of the inhabitants almost . eh xclu ni s e iv tr e o ly po t li b.z I cow come to the Metropolitan Board _ e:k _ B; _a r il yy objections 'to that are very similar to tlio_se ar l ds. have be sa:asfieol ject to their composition, I cannot,. urged at too great lengtk' to the district of 3 to rse, largo number of mans is to elected. I object also to the d. And I think this bars of whom it is to be comp oseonly from its practical As ' with the constituencies by which this metropolitan board large number objectionable, notd y all lies app its business (a reason whichnumbers in the proposed Parochial e gi c l i l e m nt or t e ra s n t s r a o c n tt g o ly il to y e tlarger er withaverage and District Boards) n ; r tio e n rrs body would dh e so a fe ff a o n r d hardlyopportu nitiestalkingpoli- tics, but I object to this large number incompatibility those though a smaller body, better orbie steeeac tics, con something of an audience. In this assem lso, ng bly of between 40 and 50, however, I think i n ti mes of ex citement we might have an agitation, possibly a l most of popular bo i dy a formidable kind. For this wonly anxiety t o ara the olleo-fp i u t o a ilti n es Parliament, under the name o those representing esta blishments who i d nodg o fo f atn W h3oert o el r mto k roeo s kt,prgl representing, or professing to repre. sent, a population of more than two 131 illion n s c a re n a d si a n 50,000 a y ear. The ghaalt the f (i.e., more than that of all Switzerland), and i inister, I know, h as announced that he does mte Prime of fully m not share these app re h ension he had no fear b u t t h at the S. I reme m b er, h owever, that Baltic fleet l as t year wou ld d o wonders in th e north, and the Alli e d arm i es ta k e Sebas topol in th e south. But the abs ence of al He had no f ear that our sold i ers would die by thousands of cold, neg l ect, an d pr i vat i on . but, on the ecatary nais f i t v h in e g oo on err h v is ee pa o r t t did no dow t pre vent, ter& And, with the sincerest respect for his experienc sagacity, and statesmanship, I mast be allowed to remark that on complicated domestic questions like de present which,-till quite recently, he never professed having attended to, 'I have less confidence in his judgment than I have for it on military or foreign affairs, to which he has long devoted h,iinself with such signal mummer. In conclusion, I will only add that though I do not think there is any chance of any serious.opposition being made to the bill on the second reading today, I hope and believe that many useful alterations may be made in it in its passage through the house. Indeed, without many such I think it neither could, nor ought to pass into a law. Requesting you will be se good as to show this letter to the other members of the deputation, I remain, sir, your obedient faithful servant, EBRINGTON. METROPOLITAN COUNTIES AND GENE RAL ASSURANCE SoCIETY. Yesterday (Wednesday) the seventh annual general meeting of this society was held at the society's office, Regent-street ; Mr. H. P. Fuller in the chair. The notice convening the meeting having been read, Mr. F. F. CLMROUX, the manager, then read the fol lowing report of the directors, with the financial state ment and report of Mr. Woolhouse, the actuary : "The directors of the Metropolitan Counties and Gene ral Life Assurance Society hare the gratification of report ing to the members of the society a steady progress during th last year. Notwithstanding the unusual obstacles which -the state of commercial aff sirs has offered during a great part of that time to the growth of the business of an assurance office, the directors have issued ,in this year a larger number cf policies assuring a larger sum than the year last preceding :—the number of policies issued being 302, assuring 109,110'., and producing an annual income of 3 ,603.0 a. sd. The arrangements which they have com pleted for local agencies in several important districts lead the m to anticipate that during the present year the busi ness will increase in a still more rapid ratic. The forma tion of a board of reference for the midland district com prising the names of many gentlemen of the first respecta bilitY, is also a circumstance to which the board refers with much satisfaction, as a testimony to the high cha racter which the society has attained. The claims paid during th e year have amounted to 2,6517. 18s. Od. ; being 1,038. ll s. 6 d. less than during the last year. The income of the s oc i e t y ; a fterdeducting lapsed policies. The directors have to submit to you on is n ow 17,0371. is. Bcl. all the present occasion, in addition to the usual annual statement of account, a report from Mr. Woolhouse, your actuary, upon th e results of the business done by the society during th e fi rst seven year of its xistence from which it appear s th a t the society to declare to its shareholder years n l ow e in a pOsition a a bonus of 7a per cent. d r. profits, th ts s a e n p_ oli averageoy h o 1 d b e u r n s u w s who s e re ° nentitledint id-up p a r ti e c a i p p i a t t e e l 'i a n a 33 per cent. upon the premiums paid, Mr. Woolhouse has assured the board that in making the calculations up on which this report is founded, h e h as allowed ample pro vision for every claim to which th e soc i ety can be subject, and. that the result is the l eg i t i mate conclusion from the figures representing the present state of its assets and liabilities, without any attempt on his part to produce an issue in its favour. The directors have therefore no hesitation in recomend ing the declaration of a bonus to the extent mentioned by Mr. Woolhouse. In the case of the shares, this bonus will be added to the amount paid up, and will bear interest ac cordingly. In the case of the policy-holders, the bonus may at their option be applied in reduction of premiums, instead of being taken as an addition to the sum receivable on death. To illustrate - the operation of this bonus, the following cases have been selected from policies now in force suppressing the names : 4 Option of ..Y. Amount 5 Annual of . 0 . it ; s: 2 4 .3 A ge 4 Pre- Prep 4 ca Eft' : A B mium. mtums 12 ` l 4 ;•-• paid. 0 •.) 44 .?0. c3-C 'a tr. 0 'A A - - £ e. d. £ 8. d. £s. d. £ a. d. £ B. d. 1848 38 1001 10 19 2 216 14 2 5 8 4 58 3 0 1.058 3 0 1849 26 1000 22 010 132 5 3 6 1 44 16 6 1044 16 6 1850 30 1000 25 6 8 126 13 4 3 3 4 40 14 11 1040 14 11 185' 25 1000 it 15 0 87 0 C 2 3 6 31 2 0 1031 2 0 1852 32 1000 26 8 4 79 5 ( 1 19 8 25 910 1025 9 10 "Tile directors trust that the shareholders will agree with them, in thinking that these figures frilly justify the anticipations held out in their previous reports, as to the result of the society's operations. The following directors, Samuel Driver, Esq.. Henry Peter Fuller, Esq., Edward Vansittart Neale, Esq , and Sir Thomas Newby Reeve, retire by rotation ; but being eligible for re-election, offer themselves accordingly. Henry Peach Buckler, Esq., and John Soper Streeter , Esq., the auditors of the society also retire from office, but being eligible for re-election offer themselves accordingly. By order of the board of direc tors. F. Ferguson Camroux, Manager." The CHAIR3fAN, in moving the reception and adop tion of the report, said he could not avoid stating the pleasure it gave him in doing so, recollecting, as he did that, at their first annual meeting he ventured to express in strong terms his decided opinion that the society must be successful, in conse quence of the directors having formed the deter mination of making it of a highly honourable charac ter. Whether their business should be little or great, the directors made up their mind that this society should be one bearing the highest character an assurance society could bear, and he felt confident at the time that in a country like this where straightforward conduct, if not at first, was at last sure to be appreciated, that such a society ought and would succeed. (Hear, hear.) It therefore gave him great pleasure to ask them to adopt the report, which showed they had succeeded by his being able to ask them to declare a bonus of considerable extent on all the busi ness done in the office. (Hear.) The society's arrange ments were such that he had no hesitation in stating that he looked forward to their business increasing, and their being able to declare much larger bonuses than they bad yet done. Their arrangements with regard to the country business had been miieh enlarged, and were capable of greater extension; but whilst the directors did all they could to improve and increase the business, it was the duty of every shareholder to assist them, which they could now do with confidence, in recommending the society to their friends as one which was sound in every respect. (Cheers.) He had little to say to them on that occasion , his being a simple tale, and socn told. e had no apologies to make for any wrong-doings, but bad only to point out in a straightforward and honest way the good and favour able condition the society was in to ask them to receive and adopt the n-port. - - - - - - Mr. J. S. STRiETER seconded the motion, believing most firmly that the society was deserving the confidence not only of every shareholder and policyholder, but the public generally. The motion was carried unanimously. The retiring directors, Samuel Driver, Esq., Henry Peter Fuller, Esq., Ed war d V ans itt ar t Neale, Esq., and Sir Thomas Newby Reeve were unanimously re-elected, the Chairman announcing that Mr. John Fisher, of the firm of Messrs. Fisher and . Robinson, of Watling-street, London, had been elected a new director. The retiring auditors, Henry Peach Buckler, Esq., and John Soper Streeter, Esq., were also unanimously re-elected. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, secondpd by Sir T. N. REEVE, the usual sum of 20 guineas was voted to the auditors as remuneration for their trouble in audit ing the accounts. Mr. STREETER acknowledged the compliment of his own and his colleague's re-election, and bore testimony to the accurate manner in which the accounts of the so ciety were kept. On the motion of Mr. CORING, seconded by Mr. SMITH, the unanimous thanks of the meeting were voted to the directors. Mr. NEALE returned thanks, cz - m.gratulating the) meet ing on the prosperous condition of the society as exhi bited by the accounts that day presented which indicated that the society must have been fairly launched ; and he hoped it had a long and 'uninterrupted career of prosperity before it. (Cheers.) The commencement of institutions of this kind was the mosti trying time, both from the largeness of the expenditure and the com paratively speaking small returns; but having succeas fully passed over that period, and established themselves, they might fairly anticipate their expenses would be small in proportion as the business extended, and their profits considerably increased. (Hear.) The society was in a thoroughly sound condition, ana would bear the most strict inspection from any person competent to judge of it. (Hear.) . The CHAIRMAN proposed a vote of thanks to the officers of the institution, who, he was happy to say, worked cordially together for the benefit of the society. fir owed them their thanks r the trouble they tookas in conducting the business in such u s olid marl! r must result in the permanent benefit of the, insure was Mr. GRIFFIN seconded the resol ution, which n'Outsihnaecvs:lin:f. where more than two or hree carried unanimously. thanks, said it afforded him much p Mr. F. F. CAMEROUX, the manager, returning Mr. =Promote cordially the whole of the officers of the soei the pros together, and endeavouremduch , the society was confined as they could. The do; get extended their operations parity of the society foreign parts. The directors to to Ireland, Scotland, ° f r u li n the selection f lives, t w o h E ol n e g o la f n t d l 37 o and were exceedingly re_ they rarely took d a d d to the risk • an d b years had to be a e , . e mentioned 'because, had they done otherwise, a - this much lar g er t of business might have been axiom] tran sacted, It had a l wa ys been the custom of that society to state its ac tual income, and it now amounted, aft lapsed policies, to 17 , 0 37/. is. Bd. P after' deducting all Oa the motion of Mr. / l imn S M ITH, a vote of thanks' wa s ac $ seconded by M r . corded t o th e c h a i rman, which, having been acknowledged by him, the meeti ng separated. LYCEUM T a : com mences a farewell enga g em ent ndammee orAownona BA. C 7 ------l a i tr •— ina ll i a. hweirliarmpieraerrs will have an opportunity seeing this charming next Monday, when she Thillon ofDiahmonearit, six nights, and ther a e d ca am n e and actress and songstress in one of her best characters. beT h i n l 1 0 0 n d ' s o u e b n t g a b g u e t m t e h n e t iis theatre will be nightly fille d to overflowing. •Mr: Alcroft, with his good judgment, has made the price ofadmission very k moderate, so that all classes may have ad opportunity of seeing this delightful actress previous to her final retire ment from public life. Advices from St Petersburg to the Ist inst. state that there had been an increased inquiry for hemp, owing to several vessels under the American flag being expected at Cronstadt. It was hoped they would obtain permis sion to discharge and load there, and hemp, hemp yarn, and iron were being sent down for shipment. Never. theless, there were doubts of the suCcess'of the attempt, as the blockade of all the Baltic ports had been already announced. The weather continued fine, but the com munication with Cronstadt was s t i ll inte4mpted by the ice. From Riga the dates are to the 3d inst. Two ves sels had put to sea the day previously,. and there had also been one arrival. The bay remained full of ice, and the we ather, from a conti nuance o f nort h er l y w i n d s, was ray cold. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT (THiS DAY), OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Cresswell.) Thomas Evans, and George Turner, the two militia men who were convictedyesterday of a felonious assault upon a young girl named Henrietta Gatland, were brought up for judgment and sentenced to six years' penal servitude. 'William Flower Guppy and 'Valiant Melrose, two Post-office letter carriers, who had pleaded guilty to se parate charges of stealing letters containing money, were also brought up for judgment and sentenced to be transported for 14 years. NEW COURT. (Before the Recorder.) John Williams and Joseph Price were indicted for burglariously entering the dwelling house of Joseph Brown, draper, of Finsbury Pavement, and stealing therefrom goods to the value of 250/. In the second count Price was charged with receiving that property, knowing it to have been stolen. Mr. Ryland prosecuted, and Messrs. Sleigh and Salter defended. It appeared from the evidence, which was anything but satisfactory, that a man of the name of Hooker was going with his cart along Golden-lane, when he was stopped by a man not in custody, who bar -gained with him for the loan of it. He was requested to go to a coffee-house close by, and was informed that the cart should, before long, be there returned to loin. He stood looking through the window, and saw the man drive the cart to Mr. Brown's house and wait for it, while another man, whom be believed to be Williams, brought two large bundles out of the house and depo sited them in the cart. They then both got in and drove away. Witness ran after them, and saw them stop at a house in Vernlarn-street, Gray's-inn-lane, where another man whom he believed to be Price, came out in his shirt and took the bundles in. The man then gave him 21.' for the hire of the cart, at which he (witness) was surprised. Other evidence was adduced, but The Recorder said that Hooker could only be consi dered as an accomplice, and therefore he should at once, direct the jury to find Price not guilty, and further, that the evidence was not sufficiently confirmatory against Williams. The jury found both the prisoners not guilty. THIRD COURT. (Before Russell Gurney, E sq., Q.C.) Alf reclKing , 21, labourer, John Grimes, 18, book binder, Henry Esqulent , 26, wood cutter, and William Caddick, 20, hat maker, were indicted for stealing a cbest and 20,000 envelopes, the property of Charles Morgan. It appeared that the prisoners, some of whom were last night convicted of a similar offence, belong to a class of fellows who hang about the carriers and inn, yards in the garb of porters, and carry off what they can. In this instance the envelopes had been sent from the prosecutor's, who is a stationer in tie City, to a cus tomer at Portsea, and had been stolen from a cart it, the Old Bailey, in its transit to the railway. The prisoner Caddick was stopped carrying the chest, and was just about entering a notorious resort of thieves in Gray's-inn-lane, where all the pri soners lived. The jury acquitted King, and the other prisoners were each sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour ; Grimes and Lqulent having been each sentenced to four years' penal servitude for the offence of which they were previously convicted. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCII-(TBIS DAY.) Lord Campbell sat at Nisi Prius to-day. WIDEN V. VISCOUNT CLIFDEN. FORD V. VISCOUNT CLIFDEN. CLARK V. VISCOUNT CLIFDEN. All these cases stood on the paper to-day, in conse quence of the application yesterday of Mr. Edwin James. They are actions brought in each case by the plaintiff to recover the sum of 3,0001. upon bills of ex change drawn by the Hon. Francis Villiers. Mr. E. James, upon the cases being called over, stated that the parties had determined to try all the matters before a special jury, and he had therefore to ask the Court that they might stand on the paper for the first sitting in next term. Lord Campbell had considered the subject since it was mentioned yesterday, and thought that the course proposed by Mr. James was a proper one. All the cases, therefore, were postponed to the first sitting in the next term, upon the understanding that they were to be tried by a special jury. The court then proceeded to hear common jury cases. MOTT V. THE LONDON AND BLACKWALL RAILWAY. This was an action brought by the plaintiff against the London and Blackwall Railway, for the purpose of recovering damages from them for injuries they had in flicted upon houses belonging to the plaintiff. From the statement of counsel and the evidence adduced, it appeared that the plaintiff erected several houses in the neighbourhood of Bow. Sometime afterwards the de fendants made a station to their railway near the houses of the plaintiff, and erected a tank for holding water, which it was asserted by the plaintiff was so defective that the water percolated through it, and so far injured the houses of the plaintiff as to cause the tenants to leave, and rendered it necessary for him to incur great expenses. Mr. E. James and Mr. Powell were for the plaintiff ; and Mr. H. Hill appeared for the defendants. Various witnesses clearly proved the damage done to the plaintiff's property by the overflowing of the defen dants' tank. At the conclusion of the plaintiff's case, Mr. Hill said that on the part of the railway company he would consent to a verdict for 5 01 . damages, on the understanding that no further action should be brought. This proposition was agreed to by the plaintiff, and a verdict was taken for 501. damages. Lord Campbell could not but remark that the whole expense of bringing this action might have been saved if the surveyor of the railway company had efficiently performed his duty. ARMY BEFORE SREASTOFOL COM- MITTEE-(THIS DAY.) The committee re•assembled at the usual hour. Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Board of Ordnance, was examined by Lord Seymour.—He stated he had filled the situation of secretary about 18 months, and had been in the service 51 years. He was not aware whe ther any communication had been made to Lord Raglan as Master-General of the Ordnance since be bad been in the Crimea. The Lieutenant-General had performed his duties. He did not think it possible for one member of the board to perform all the duties of the board, but it was the custom for one to discharge the duties when one only was present. Formerly copious minutes of the transactions of the board were kept, but DOW only the principal ones—these were duly forwarded to the Master-General, who had power to re verse the decision of the board. The Lieutenant- General had not that power. He could not say whe ther all instructions or orders given by the board were entered on the minute-book. In a great measure he himself and those under him were the judges of what was of sufficient importance or not to be entered on the book. The erection of a shell foundry at Woolwich would have been of sufficient importance to be entered on the book. He could not say when the erection of the shell foundry at Woolwich was brought before the board, nor when he first heard of it neither could he remember if a plan of it was submitted to the board. Every paper received into the office was registered, dated, and numbered, and afterwards seat to the 11 taster•General, the business was decided by the majority. The Chairman—But if there is only one member pre sent there could be no minority ?—The decision of that one member is considered as the decision of the board. There were circumstances which required. The signature of two members. _ The witness was then examined at length on the de , tails of the office. Admiral Sir D. Dundas, admiral of the Black Sea fleet, was next examined by the Chairman—He stated that when be was in Besika Bay, in 1854, h e un d erstoo d it was likely his fleet would be used against the enemy. When it was likely war would be declared, he was under Lord Stratford's orders. The Admiralty gave him a rough statement of the power of the enemy's fleet in the Black Sea likely to be brought against him. After ho moved into the Black Sea, he was unable to gain more correct information as to the strength of the enemy's fleet from Lord Stratford, and he was equally unsuccessful in his applications to other persons. The gallant admiral proceeded to read copies of letters he had written with respect to the attacking Odessa and Sebastopol, when he was interrupted by the committee, wh ) thought it desirable they should not be read. By Mr. Drummond—He wrote to Lord Stratford re specting it, but received no answer, on which he sent Captain Drummond to him ; but there was some ditp ‘ilty about the passport, an d h e received no answe r by him. CLErT arnwa.] RAILWAY.. Bedford and Bletchloy Buckghamah. Clydesdale Jo. Col. Stour Vy. Sud. and Hal. E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cont. Glas. Barr. & Neils. Direct Do. New...... Glstr.dx Dn. Fr Hrtlpl. Dk. & Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. d Shares. Lon.&Greenvg Do.Preferen , .e Lon.,Til.,&S. Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per ct. Manch. Batn. and Matlock Middlesbro' & Redear. Midld.Brad.fd Newmarket Bury Exten .' Northern and Eastern.sp.e. Do. 6 per ct. Do. Fixeds p Prest. & Wyre Do. 4 tars. A Roystn.k Hit. Shef.Roth and Goole g. 5 p.c. Shrews. &Her S. Staffordsb. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&gomrst MINES. all all all all 20 St. St. St. 5 all all all 12 12 12i St. St. 10/ 100 100 Agna Fria ...... . Anglo Austrin. Gold Anglo Californian Australian Australian Cordillera Ave Maria Baden (Gd.Dachy of, Bleenarvon Iron and Coal • .• British Iron Brazilianlmp.(issued at pm.) Do. Cocaes & Cuiab , Do. St. John De:Rey Carson's Ci•ePk 20 12. 25 20 20 20 20 25 25 12A Clarendon Cons. Min Co. of Jamaica Cobre Copper Colonial Gold Copper Min. of Eng. Do. Pref. 7. p. cent. Copiapo English and Austin. Copper Smeltg 0') Fortuna General Gt.NuggetVeinßeg, Great Polgooth Liberty Linares Lusitanian Mariquita. , New Granada Now Linares Minin and Smelting Co.. Nouveau Monde__ Pontgibaud Silvc Lead Min. tz Smelt Port lip Quartz Rock Rhymney Iron , Do. New Santiago de Cuba South Australian Tin Croft United Mexican Waller West. Mariposa Worthing Mining Australia Ynha.. PREFEREN , Iberdeen... 102 - 104 89 -91 L I Do. N 0.2, 7 p. 0 13lyth and Tyne 1 0 per c. pref. (issd. at 501 Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares laledonian £lO 92 - 91 ?) . 6 -: o' 'Mester & Holyhead Guar. 5. per cent... no. do. Pref. No. 2.. Do. do. Pref. No. 2.. Cork & Baud Ons ap.c. Dun. Prth & er. J. Auglian CIF. ASh. Do. do. C:s. B 6 p. c. Do. do. Cls. C 7 p. c. Eastern Counties Ex. tension, b p. c. No. I Do. No. 2 Do. New 6 r . a. St. East Un., G. 6 p. c Do. b1.,10 ner cent. Do. 101. Debentr.Sb. Do. do. 4 per cent... East Lancash.6 p. ets. F. &W. York. J. sths K.l.Prth.&Dun.4p.c Furness (Ras. & S.W. G. 5 p.c Great Northn. 5 p. c Do. 5 p. o. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prem... Do. 4a. p.e Do,. 5 p. c. Scrip, Red at 5 p. c. pm... Gt.N. of Scot. Ist Pret S. dr W. (Ireland) Do. 4 per c. Pref. St Gt. Westn. (Berks & Hants Ex. 5 p. Do. con. red. 4i p.c. Do. con. red. 4 p. c. Du. inert. 4p.c. Do. Birm. Pref. Sh Do. Chester 8 p. c.P.S Do. do. 5 p. c. do Do. Birm. Gun. Stk Do. Ches. Qua. Sh Do. do. do Do. do. do., Lan. &York. F. £2O Do. 6 p. o. Stock Lon. & Brigh. G. 5 p.c . Do. Pref., 5 P. o. St. Do. New Guar.6 p. c. Do. do. 5 per cent Lon.&N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton 5 p. ct Lon. & S. W. Con. 3 d F Londy. & Coler. Sh. Londy.&Ennis.a Sb. &tall Shef., & n. New, £lO Do. £6 Warypt .& Carl .4 p o Du. 4i por cent 24 - 34 54 - 6 ,• .... • •• 4- 1 P fi - i p 12i -- 131 58 - 62 ,114 - 116 108 - 110 1100 - 102 * - ip 1 6 -- 65 96 -- 98 88 -- CO 90 -- 92 10 -- 11 17 -17 i 10 - 105 72 -- 74 191 -- 191 9p -- 9h 141 -14 i 1 -- 134 -- 136 ••• ''..' ,•••• ••• • 2i - 3 r, 12i -- 0 Do \lid. Consol.6 p.c.St Do. Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent.... Do. 4l p. c. Pref. St. )o. Pref. per ce,- Do. 5/. Pr f. 4 p. c.. Ditto Leic stcr and llitcl!c n Pr f. 5t.... Norfolk Debenture . Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stoc Do. 5 p.c. Est Do. 5A per ct.pref Do. Way. Val. 5 p. c North British Nr. E. Berw, 4 p.c P Do. do. do Do Leeds 6 p.c :N 0.1 Dc. do. Quarters , P! Do.Vork 1 1, & 4 . Pur, North Staffordshire.. Oxford, Worcester, Wolverh. Xl5, 6 p c Scot. Cent. , New Pre, South Devon C)(1 fixed, 4 per cent S. Eastern (Rea dine Ann.) of A.:l Os. 6d. Do. 4i per cent S Wales Gua. 4p. c Do. do. 4i p. c.... Yorksh.4p.c.Guar. -Stock. &- Dar. , 5 p. c. Do. do. do. Stock. & Harti. g. F p. c. till July 1, '56 W aer fd. & Kilk .6 p c 134 - 136 94 - 96 - 4 - 4i 100 11! all 100 ri - 87 103 - 105 93 100 90 92 3i ai i la 100 - 102 13 14 id Pa' 221 - 23 97 - 99 ii : 1i ' ••• -- • I -- 2 • p ' it - 7- - lid MISCELLANEOUS. 25 ; 174 Australian A gricult. 28 30 10 all Aus';raln. Royal Mail 10 7 Berlin Water Works 3f 50 40 Brit. American Land 5 1 Brit. di Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co ... 100 321 Canada llO 115 St. 100 Canada Gov. 6p. ct Jan. and July lO9 109 1091 5 all Crystal Palace. ...... 5 4 Do. Preference — ip 4 all Crystal Pal. of France 1 s D u ston Tron Ore 25 20 22 8 Easterni Electric Steam Tele g raph 1 all Electric Teleg. of Ir — 15 14 Gen. Steam' Navigat 20 all General Screw Steam —14 j 20 10 Irish Beetroot Sugar 20 10 Magdalena St. Navig 10 all Mediteran. Elec. Tel. 10 9 Mexican&S,Americn. 6i 7 10 2k Do. New 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel 10 5 Netherlands Land — 11 2 1 N. S. W. Coal &Inter. Steam Navigat. Co. .., 1 all N. B. Australasian — 1 20 121 NAIL EuropeSt awn •• • all Peel Er. Ld. & Minrl. 23 50 all Peuinsular& Oriental 59 61 50 10 Do. New llf —11 i 2 all Portland Iron Co 1 100 60 Eoyal Mail Steam 68 70 1 t,ll Scot. Mistral. Invest. 1i 1 11 1 / Ditto New A -I P a 25 all South Austral.f.aad 38 1 ail Subniar. To , , 20 5 Trust& L.Co.I.T.Cau. 100 28 van Diemeed utia O~ ~~ ~ ~~ MO all all 3s 11 16'4 100 9 100 21 all 171 s. 2011 100 20' 20 50 50 100 100 20 50 20 25 16i 10 1313 13.5 25i