The Sun. — London, England, 1854-11-30 00:00:00

IVROUHT IRON ORDNANCE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir, —Deeply impressed with the intimate and vital connection which the subject of these remarks has with the successful, speedy, and glorious ter- I mination of the present great war, I earnestly beg you will permit me to offer them through your medium to all concerned. If we investigate in a common-sense spirit the cause of the all but entire failure of our great naval expedition to the Baltic, as also the cause of the protracted, and, as yet, unsuccessful operations be fore Sebastopol, involving, as they have already done, so fearful a sacrifice of our bravest men, it appears to me we shall find that the want of ord nance of power adequate to the emergency lies at the root of all these disappointing and sad results. Had we armed ourselves, as we might have done, and might yet do, with such guns as would be cap able of throwing shot and shells of 2 cwt. to 3 cwt. each, and that from distances sufficiently great to keep us out of the reach of the missiles of the enemy, we should thus be able to knock his strongest forts to ruins. The reason why we have not been able to do so simply rests with the fact, that we continue to em ploy for our great ordnance a material (cast iron) which, on account of its inherent unfitness to with stand violent shocks and strains, has, in every other case, been discarded from use. Were we to revert to the employment of wrought iron, possessed as that material is of every quality requ i s ite, and aided as we now are by the ample and energetic means which my steam-hammer has given us for forging ordnance of yet unheard-of power, we should thus be enabled to arm ourselves with guns the tremendous powers of which would only be equalled by their perfection of performance; as, admitting of the introduction of the Minie rifle principle, in union with those capabilities of throw ing shot and shell of vast weight, we should soon, by such powerful agents, bring this great war to a most glorious termination. When I inform you that the strength of forged iron is to that of cast iron as six is to one, you will at once see how important such an accession of ex plosion resisting capability bears on the matter in question, as it is simply the strength or tenacity of the material of a gun which limits the capabilities of it as to the distance and weight of missile it is capable of discharging. It requires no lengthy reasoning to prove or show what mighty results would issue from the employment of groat ordnance formed of a material at least six times stronger than what we at present employ. In order to place the matter, perhaps, in a stronger light, what would be thought of the judgment of a man who should propose to employ cast iron for an anchor or railway axle ? How in finitely more absurd, then, is it to employ cast iron for our great ordnance, as it is well known to practical men that, besides the vast inferiority in strength in the case of cast iron, its tenacity de creases in a rapid ratio' with the increase in the massiveness of the object it is employed to farm I - Why, then, do we continue to use cast iron for our great ordnance, which are naturally subjected to vastly more severe shocks and strains than an chors or railway axles, and in so doing limit our de structive power to itsverylimited capabilities, to ac commodate which we are obliged to came to such close quarters and discharge such comparatively in effective shot that we sacrifice in consequence thou sands of lives of cur bravest men, and spend millions of. money in our endeavour to accomplish, by throwing a vast number of small pieces of iron, that which we might to a certainty accomplish by massive shot and shell discharged from our wrought iron ordnance at distances quite out of reach of the enemy; for nothing but such massive missiles as I refer to—namely, shot of two and three hundred weight, will ever effectually destoy the tremendous forts in question Having spent the best part of my life in most iLtimate connection with the working of wrought iron on the greatest scale, and where that admira ble material has to resist shocks and strains of the utmost violence, and having besides had the hap piness to give to the world the most energetic agent mankind has ever possessed for the forging of great masses of wrought iron, I trust I may be permitted to speak on this subject with some degree of confidence, as it is one that has a most vital a n d important bearing on the speedy and successful issue of this terrible war. Had I but the opportunity given me to bring all the experience I possess on this subject to bear, I should go heart and soul into it, and soon show, what my steam-hammers can do towards helping us to solve the fearful problem that, if we value our position as a free and powerful nation, we must, and that soon, accomplish. I may state in conclusion that, although I have submitted most complete plans and designs for such great wrought iron ordnance, with the same for appropriate Mini© rifle shells and shot, should I not be entrusted with the carrying out of nay own designs I shall not be the less zealous in affording the most hearty assistance to whomsoever may be selected to give proof of what wrought iron can do for us in our present great emergency. I am, Sir, yours most respectfully, .TASIES NA - SMYTH. Bridgewater Foundry, Patricroft, • near Manchester, Nov. 24. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,—Observing in the Times of Saturday last a letter signed "Horace J. Rockwell," in which that gentleman gives it as his opinion that wrought iron guns ought to be excluded from our service —first, because of their insecurity ; 2dly, the enlargement of the bore ; 3dly, their liability to rapid heating ; and 4thly, their expense—l beg leave to state the following facts, which came under my own obser vation, and which seem to me to render the cor rectness of Mr. Rockwell's opinion doubtful. About five years ago I was applied to by some gentlemen of Bristol to obtain at Woolwich a trial for a gun made of hammered iron, constructed by Mr. Wm. Morgan, whose reputation as a naval en gineer is well known, whether as the engineer to the Austrian Lloyd's Company or w ith re f erence to the steam-ships he kas oonstructed far our own mercantile marine. Lord Anglesey, who was then Master-General of the Ordnance, granted the trial sought for, the parties paying all expenses. A - pounder gun, 5 feet in length, and weighing under 6 cwt., was accordingly forwarded to W oo l w i c h i n I order to have its qualities tested, more particularly its durability and powers of resistance. Mr. Morgan had constructed the gun as light as it could be, that the trial might be made on the most disadvantageous terms possible : ho was aware that a brass 9-pounder gun weighed 13 cwt., six feet in length, and consequently he gave away full 5 cwt. of metal, which ho might have used, and yet made his gun as light as r. brass fieldpiece. The trial sought for was, that the gun should be burst upon progressive charges. I was present upon the first day's trial, the charge, powder, wads, and shot, being p rogress i ve l y i ncrease d ; the gun did not burst. On the second day's trial they did . burst the gun—that i s , was r i ppe d open a b ou t ten inches half way up. The trial was admitted by all the authorities present to have been a very severe one, and the following were the results :—firstly, the great durability of the gun ; secondly, the absence of h ea t on it s re peated discharge ; thirdly, the absence to enlarge ment at either muzzle . or touchhole ; and, lastly, as it had been prophesied that the smoothness o f the bore would be ploughed up by the passa ge o f iron shot, the gun a t the conclusion of the trial was found to be as smo oth as it was at the com mencement. As regards the expense, I remember that Mr. Morgan calculated that a hammered iron gun might be made as cheap as a brass might gun, and, when worn out, the same material, as in a brass gip, . ghtbe used again. I have bad no communication with Mr. Morgan on this subject, nor do I know your correspondent who writes under the name of " Hammered Iron," but, if you think the fore going ad rem, it is at your service.--I am, Sir, Yours obediently, F. HENRY F. BERKELEY , 'Victoria-square, Nor. 26. TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. Sir,-13eing interested in wrought iron guns, and reading in your valuable paper several letters on the subject, I beg to hand you tho particulars of a wrought-iron gun which I forged at the Mer sey Steel and Iron Works, Liverpool (which was said to be for th e United States steam-frigate Princeton), and proved on the North shore at Liverpool in the year 1845, viz. :—Length of bore, 12 feet ; diameter of bore , 1 foot ; we i g h t of shot, 2191 b each. Proving—lt charge, 451 b of powder and double shot ; 2d and 3d charge, 441 b of pow der and double shot ; 4th and 20th charge, 301 b of powder and, s a in m g , e Sir sh , o y t ours very respectfully, JAMES EASTWOOD. Railway Iron Works, Derby, Nov. 28. [ADVIIRTISEMFNTI—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills the first remedies in the world for the cure of Bad Legs. —Anne Williams, of Tillage - p lace, Claton-street, Liver pool, states, in a letter to Mr. Robinson, druggist, 51 Copperas-hill, Liverp ool, that she had an ulcerated leg for many months, and that she tried various remedies in anticipation of effecting a cure, which appeared quite hopeless, as it became worse every day until she made use of Holloway's ointment and pills. The first dress ing there was a decided improvement, and in a few weeks the wounds were co mpletely healed, and s dorshe new "Pr most excellent health.—Sold by all ven cf - =me, and at Professor Hollo wa y 's Establia,h- N '4, 244 1 Strand, London; And BQ, Maiden - lan e, ew xork. METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF SE WERS. OPENING OF ME NEW COMMISSION. A special Court of Sewers was held yesterday, at the Cenrt-house, Greek-street, Soho, for the purpose of opening the new commission, and making arrangements for the regulation and management of the business of the - -- . . commission. The members of the commission present were Messrs. R. Jobb, T. Hawes, L. Redhead, G. S. Smith, J. Hodg son, J. Pascall, G. Offer, F. Chalmers, J. Thwaites, and W. Evans, Sir J. V. Shelley, Dr. Sayer, Dr. Lewis, and Captain Johnson. The commission was then read by the secretary, and The CHAIRMAN proceeded to make some general oh. servations upon the leading features of the present state of the commission. He observed that few of the new commissioners were, perhaps, aware that previously to the year 1848 London and its neighbouring city was, with respect to its sewage, governed by seven separa t e commissions, and that the jurisdiction of those commis sions extended over an area of 200 miles. The commis- sion just read and every commission since 1848 had been nearly identical in regard to the extent of the jurisdic tion which, under previous commissions, had existed for upwards ef 300 years. But the limit of 200 miles did not represent the full extent of her Majesty's powers, for she was able to extend the power of the commission, net only over the territory subject to the old separate commissions, but also over any district which was within twelve miles of St. Paul's, which would in clude an area of 400 miles. That power had not, how ever, been acted upon. Again, the commissioners had in their discretion forborne to act in many of the out lying parts of their own jurisdiction, where, if they pleased, they might have levied rates and have ex ercised the powers of drainage. In 1848 the act of the 11th and 12th of Victoria, ehap. 112, was passed, which first established the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers. The first act of that commission was to in crease the area of some of the existing districts, and to form some new districts, the total area of all the districts being 114 square miles. He wished particularly to draw attention to the new districts, the state of which would require attentive consideration, in consequence of the gross inadequacy of the sewers, and of the amount of the rates to supply the wants of those districts. A six penny rate was altogether inadequate to provide for what was required. The large area under thejurisdic tion of the commission was divided into 25 districts ; each district was rated separately, and the rates raised in each were expended solely for that district, and could not be expended for any other district. On the north of the Thames the general course of each district was at right angles with the river. They had been formed with "reference to the natural fall of the groued. The drainage of each district might be considered as corn. 1 posing a principal contributory to the Thames, with a hill ion each side, forming its boundary, the drain or sewer being in a valley. On the south there was the areat Surrey and Kent district ; on the south-west there was one of the newly formed districts—the Wandle dis trict ; more westward there was th• Richt - net:el district. I These districts the commissioners had rated ; but there were other districts which they never had rated, such a; Kew, Mortlake, and Putney. It had been, he believed, the intention of the commission of 1849.50 to rate those districts, but it was never acted upon. Oa the south east was the Revensbourue district, formed also in 1849, and the Greenwich district. Oa the north wer • Fulham and Haertmersinith, entirely new districts. To them, and also to Ravensbonrne, would app'y the ob servations he had already made as to the inaletpacy of the rates to provide for all the wants of the district. The chairman then proceeded to notice the financial position of the commission. The rate which Parliament originally empowered the commissioners to levy was is, in the pound. Two years afterwards the rate was re duced to 31. in the pound, and in 1852 it vies raised to Gcl., at which it stood at the present time. The commissioners who had just gone out of office came into office about two years and four months ago. After carefully examining the state of the financial accounts, they wore of opinion that a sixpenny rate would not be sufficient to provide proper sewage for the different districts; they, therefore, had felt it their duty to raise in each district the full six penny rate, except in the Regent -street and Regent's park district, where a rate of fourponce only was levied. The total amount which had been raised by the late com missioners in the two years and four months was 438,0001. A sixpenny rate would realise 216,000/. a year, over the whole taxable district, with the slight ex ceptions he had stated. The next topic to which the chairman adverted was the nature and extent of the works which had been executed or undertaken by the late commissioners. Tho works to which the commis sioners felt it their duty to attend were of three kinds— first, the main drainage works, or what were called the arterial works. Those were the sewers which wore in- I tended to convey away the sewage from the Thames. They were intended to intercept the general sewers which ran at right angles into the Thames, and, instead of run ning north and south, they would carry the sewage from the intercepted sewers from west to east, about four miles below Blackwall. That was the first great work to be accomplished; the second was the formation of the subsidiary sewers ; and the third, the construction of the house drainage. Up to the present time it had not been in the power of the late commission to commence the main drainage works. The works hitherto put in hand had been limited entirely to the subsidiary drain ' age. Everything had been made subordinate to the main drainage, and no sewer had been constructed which would not fall in with the main drainage scheme. The total amount of money expended by the late commission, , luring two years and four months, on works which were either executed or now in progress, was 595,0001. That included 31,000/. for repairs, 43,000/. for cleansing, 50,0001.'f0r pipes, sewers, &c. The total length of the sewers constructed was about 114 miles ; of that length 92 miles consisted of brick sewers, and the remainder of pipe sewers of various sizes. In addition to this, a vast amount of sewerage work had been done by private indi viduals, not merely in house drainage, but in subsidiary drainage ; the expenditure for which was not less than 255,000/., up to the close of the present year. Many of those private works could not have been constructed if the works of the commissioners had not formed an out let for them. The amount expended on the works ex ceeded the receipts from the rates ; but certain sums had been borrowed by the commissioners to carry out the works. He would now call the attention of the court to the main drainage question. In 1849 and 1850 a vast number of schemes were brought before the commis sioners in consequence of invitation by the commission. The late Mr. Foster, who was employed by the commis sioners, was directed to prepare a scheme for the main drainage of the metropolis. He did so, and his reports upon the different portions of that drainage, north and south, were among the papers of the commission. Mr. Fester estimated the amount of the cost at 1,250,0001. One of the first labours of the late commissioners was to reconsider the whole question of the main drainage, and they referred Mr. Foster's report to their own engineer, Mr. Bazalgette, in conjunction with Mr. Heyward, con nected with the city commission. Those gentlemen prepared a plan which was afterwards fully considered by, and received the unqualified approbation of, the commissioners' consulting engineers, Sir W. Cubitt and Mr. Stephenson. The late commissioners adopted the scheme so prepared and approved, and were desirous of carrying it into effect. The money it would require to do so was 3,000,000/. [The chairman here explained the cause of the great difference between the two esti mates.] Mr. Foster did not provide for the drainage of the western section on the north side of the Thames, nor for compensation to parties whose lands might be inter fered with, nor for the purchase of land that might be re quired. Those and other items omitted would have tnade a great difference in the amount of that gentleman's esti mate. The difference of the two estimates was, there fore, after all, more apparent than real. The r eport of Messrs. Bazalgette and Heyward had been printed and widely circulated, and the commissioners were very de sirous it should be well understood by the publio. [The chairman here referred to a plan lying on the table, and pointed out to the Court those portions of the main drainage scheme which demanded their earliest and most earnest attention.] In reference to the question of con- verting sewage into manure and making it an article of sale, the commissioners had thought it right to take ad vice upon the matter, and had consulted Mr. Wickstead on the subject. That gentleman had entirely disposed of one part of the question—namely, the rendering of tie sewerage of London available in a liquid state ; for if the drainage were all upon a level, the first outlay would be no less than 20,000,000/. And, even if it could be disposed of in a solid state, that would not dispense with the necessity of constructing the Hackney -brook sewer ; nor, if the scheme were considered applicable on the south side of the river, would it materially interfere with the design of the main drainage on that side of the river. The north portion of the work might be more or less affected by the success of the scheme , but, at all events, no less a portion than 1,000,000 i. out of the 3,000,0001. of the cost of the main drainage would re main unaffected by any plan for converting the sewage into manure ; the commissioners, therefore, would be I justified in at once commencing that portion of tho works which would remain untouched by the success of Mr. Wiokatead's, or any other person's plan. The late commissioners made several ineffectual attempts to ob tain from Parliament the necessary funds, but circum stances prevented the Government from attending to their demands, at least, to their full extentof 3,000,000/. But in 1853 the commissioners obtained powerto borrow2oo,ooo/. They were anxious to begin the main drainage works, but, not having an assurance that moneywould be forthcoming to enable them to complete those works when once cem menced, they came to the conclusion that they would not be justified in entering upon the main drainage scheme at all. Having, however, so large a sum in hand, they devoted 180,000/. thereof to the carrying out of the subsidiary works, which works were now either com pleted or in progress. As to the remaining 20,0001., it would be for tie new commissioners to decide how it should be applied. It was true, he considered, they would be in some degree fettered by what had already been done; for Parliament had called upon the late com missioners to make a return setting forth the way in which they proposed that that 20,0001. should be appro priated. A statement showing the manner in which it was intended to expend the money had been presented to Parliame n t, an d to this extent he felt there was a sort of moral obligation imposed onthe presentcommissioners i7uo expiredr, o e g o regard . d there dr t e h s e eox l i p sot p oe r dz o p a r i at . ion o f that sum. He should have stated that when the old separate commissions to 100,0b0/. perm therefore, ; ther permanent debt of between rowed, the _ , which was afterwards increased er L aff a i es s ce t t ea s session further stiow no loans,sura o f a 3 m o o o u , O n 9 t o/ . when the 200,0001. was bor roweranwenats givendebt a te me tb u e nt e e e d mu to liss 3 io o n o, e o r o s o t / o . The cerrunis loners had and a sum of 10,000/. wahpipelicationenabled, a dvancedof this s f from o a ci p o r l. i , - vate quarter. Asto se t d he before, the bill pas the commis sioners to borrow it he was requeit' y th e Home Secretary to make a statement of what was proposed to be accomplished in the course of 12 months, on their being authorised to raise that money ; he was to state the extent of the works, the mode in which they were to be made, and the advantages to result from them ; and he believed, it was greatly owing to the stateme nt which he made that the power to borrow the 300,000/. was given. He did not mean to say that any such communication with the Government could ne cessarily fetter this commission, but the view taken by the late commissioners was that they were morally bound to fulfil the kind of engagement which was made as to the application of the money. The decision to which the late commissioners came as to the applica tion of the 300,0001. was what they believed would give the greatest satisfaction to the public. If they had looked at the subject in one aspect only, they might have applied the whole to the formation of the Hackney-brook sewer the whole way from Hampstead to the river Lea. It would have just completed that part of the scheme. But they thought the people on the south of the Thames would have reason to complain if the whole sum had been appropriated to the north. They, therefore, ad vised that 110,0001. should be applied to the Hackney brook hewer, and 190,000/. te the drainage on the south of the Thames. The 110,0001. would construct a sewer from the river Lea to Stoke Newington. It would, in fact, supply the main trunk sewer of the valley of the Hackney-brook district, and enable the subsidiary sewers to be formed. It would be a deep-covered sewer. The work proposed to be done on the south side of the river was not that which was the most advisable in an engineering point of view, but perhaps the best under the circumstances. Such, then, was the present state of the question with regard to the main drainage, and it would be for tho Court to consider whether they would adopt the views of their engineers, approved of as they had been by their consulting engineers and by the late commissioners. Probably most of them were acquainted with Mr. John Rowe, formerly connected with the Fins bury Commission, and afterwards with the Metropolitan Commission, who considered that their scheme might be materially diminished in cost if certain suggestions of his were adopted, and he laid before the late commis sioners a plan which was to have that effect. But cir cumstances prevented the late commissioners from attending to that suggestion. The plan itself had only recently come into their hands. It was now before their consulting engineers, Sir W. Cubitt and Mr. Stephenson, and the Court right expect to have their report in a few days. Whether the sugges tions it contained would be valuable or feasible ho was not in a position to say, but they would soon know. He believed ho had now adverted to all the prominent topics connected with the commission. He had shown what was the amount, of their receipts, what the sum in which they were indebted—being 600,0001., the full extent to which the commissioners were enabled to borrow by act of Parliament—and he had also stated what were the works they were endeavouring to accomplish. He had little further to add. As to details, they would come before the Court at different times. Mr. OFFER—What is the rate of interest you pay far your borrowed money? The CHAIRMAN—The interest varies from 41 to 5 per cent. Captain JOHNSON expressed his extreme satisfaction at what hart fallen from the chairman respecting the main drainage, compared with which all other matters were of minor importance. He wished to be furnished with copies of all the reports made by the engineers with re ference to that great question, and also for a copy of M r. Rowe's report. He thought it would be likewise desir able that espies should he supplied of all the general orders relating to the drainage since the breaking up of the commission in 1849. The CHAIRMAN said the engineer's report should be furnished, but Mr. Rowe's report was as yet only i❑ manuscript. The general regulations would be found in the blue-books. Mr. OFFER supposed it would be for the new commis sioners to consider whether they were to be the general orders and roles of the commission or not. The CHAIRMAN—UntiI they are repealed or altered they must be the rules of the commission, otherwise the commission would be at a standstill. Of course. the new commissioners bad the power to alter or rescind what orders and rules they pleased. Mr. OFFER regretted to find that a rate of 61 in the pound was not sufficient to carry on the local drainage. lie trusted it would eventually be found an adequate 'barge. Sir J. Snentuv wished it at once to be understood that, looking at the importance of the duties they had to perform, he should he very sorry if it should be supposed that he came to that Court with his mind made up to op pose everything that had hitherto been done. Still, he should Lel it his duty to make himself fully acquaiiited with all matters that came before him for decision, and, if any inconvenience arose from the delay which would be necessarily occasioned thereby, the blame could not be considered to attach to him. He had been appointed to the commission several months ago, and yet those who were introduced into the commission with him had only been called upon to attend that Court on almost the last day of November. He deemed it right at once to say in reference to the main drainage of the metropolis, that at the time the 300,0001. was voted there was a distinct understanding that the amount so raised under the sane tion of Parliament was to be wholly expended on the outfall works of that drainage. It was never contem plated that such a sum as that could complete those vast works. In fact the report of Sir W. Cubitt and Mr. Stephenson showed that 300,0001. would go a very little way. But he understood the chairman to say that 110,0001. was to be expended on works at what was called the Hackney-brook district, which only affected a small portion of the drainage on the north of the Thames. That could hardly be called the outfall of the works north of the Thames. The hon. baronet concluded by saying that while he shonld on the one hand refrain from opposing everything that bad been dune by the late commission, still, on the other band, he should require to have his mind fully informed upon every subject which he might be called upon to sanction. The CHAIRMAN could not conceive that any commis sioner would comeand in a blindfold manner approve of all that might have hitherto been done. Of ct urse they must examine into every question, therefore any delay that might occur would bo inevitable. He was happy to find that the hon. baronet approved of the whole of the 300,0001. being applied to the main drainage. It would be so applied ; for, although 110,0001. would be laid out on works in the Hackney-brook district alone, it was not with the view principally of benefitting that district that it was proposed that the money should be so expended, for, if the commissioners had now the whole 800,000/. in their hands, that would be the proper mode in which to apply it. The locality lay high, and the works ought naturally to commence in the highest por tion of the area where they were to be constructed. Dr. Siren, referring to the non-success of all preced ing commissions, said that the real cause of their failure was to be found in the acts of Parliament which consti tuted the commissions. It was well that the old sepa rate commissions should be superseded ; they had the representative principle, but no unity of action. But what had the acts of Parliament done t They gave unity of action, but no representative principle, and so long as the representative principle was denied to that board they would not be able to do more than their predeces sors had done. With respect to the formation of this commission, he was himself nominated en the 21st of July, 1854, and the commissions had not been called into action till four months afterwards ; and, according to the live continuation act, their powers would neces sarily expire on the 31st of August next ; thus the com mission would only have eight months' vitality, There was no act of Parliament by which they had any reA legal existence. There was nothing more to authorise their acting than the kind permission of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Were they to be a transition commission ? or were they to form an experi mental commission ! With the limited powers and means they possessed, the public must not expect from that new commission more than they had received from any previous commission. In reference to the conver sion of sewage into an article of manure, he thought it would be quite practicable at the great outlets. The thing had succeeded in Paris, and he saw no reason why it should not be successful here. Mr. THWAITEH was of opinion that the first act of the new commission should be to make themselves masters of their finances. He therefore moved, "That the secre tary do prepare and lay before the court a detailed state ment of the liabilities and resources of the commission, setting out the date, the amount, and the time for the completion of all contracts, and the payment, if any, made on account thereof." Mr. Wain seconded the motion, which, after a few remarks from the chairman, was agreed to. It was then ordered that a communication be made to the Lord Mayer, Aldermen, and Commons of the city of London as to the opening of the commission. A long discussion ensued as to the day and time for the court holding its meetings, when it was agreed that for the present the court should meet on Tuesdays at 12. The usual routine business was then disposed of, and ' the court adjourned. is CITY COMMISSION OF SZWERS. On Tuesday a court was held for the despatch of pub lie business. Mr. Deputy Peacock occupied the chair. Mr. DAIS', the chief clerk, read a m emorial to the court, numerously signed by salesmen of meat in New gate-market, complaining of the arbitrary and oppres sive manner in which Mr. Pocklington, one of the City inspectors of meat, discharged his duty, and charging him with not making returns of the proceeds of animal food condemned and seized by him as unfit for human Consumption. The memorialists prayed the court to direct a searching inquiry into the subject. Nearly a dozen of the memorialists atttended as a deputation from tho general body. Deputy HICKS moved, " That it bo referred to a com mittee to inquire into the conduct of Mr. Robt. Pock lington, as one of the inspectors of slaughter-houses for the City ; also, as to the disposal of the condemned meat and the appropriation of its proceeds." Deputy HOLT seconded the motion. A lengthened discussion ensued, And eventually, Mr. ABRAHAM moved, and Mr. ROSS seconded, by way of amendment, "That it be referred to a committee to inquire into the disposal of bad meat and the appropriation of the proceeds." The amendment was carried. A letter upon the discharge of poisonous water into the Thames from the City Gasworks, being read by Mr, Dow, Mr. Ross moved that it be referred to the medical officer. The motion was carried, and the court adjourned. FALMOUTII, Wednesday Night.—But in, the British Queen, screw steam-ship, from Constantinople for Liver pool, short of fuel, 15 days from Gibraltar ; sovgral in valided officers from the Criidea aro passeogera. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER SO, 1854. NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. The Royal Albert, 121, Capt. Sir T. Pasley, was seen to pass down the Channel on Sunday afternoon. As she left Portsmouth at midnight on Saturday she murt have bad a good run down the Channel. The crew of the Royal George, 120, Capt. Eyres, will be paid four months' wages in a day or two, at Devon port. The Princess Royal, 91, screw, Captain Lord C. E. Paget, with the flag of Rear-Admiral Seymour, and the St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw, Captain the Hon. H. Kep pel, are both ordered to Devonport from the Baltic to be refitted. The Princess Royal will be docked in the dock yard, and the St. Jean d'Acre UR the new steam-yard at Keybam. The former is to have a false keel, and both ships are to be got ready with all possible despatch. It is said they will take troops to the Black Sea. The Exmouth, 90, was commissioned at Devonport on Tuesday by Mr. Loney, the master, for Captain Pelham. With the exception of the master and the captain she is to be officered and manned from the Prince Regent. About 140 of the Prince Regent's Marines are to be turned over to the Exmouth, and her complement to be completed from the Marine Artillery at this port. The Monarch, 84, sailing two-decker, is selected to carry Rear-Admiral Bruce's flag on the Pacific station, and will sail in a few days under the command of Cap tain Henry Lyster. The Ajax, 60, Captain Warden, was docked on Wed nesday at Portsmouth, to have her bottom overhauled. THE RUSSIAN SHIPS ESSE AND ATLANTIC. The notices required by the act of Parliament in re spect to the Russian vessels Esse and Atlantic, seized in the port of Leith under simulated papers, and the For tuna, prize to her Majesty's ship Archer, having expired, the Court of Admiralty will forthwith proceed to their condemnation. The next Russian vessels to be sold are the Volga, and Bog Noja Nadischa. LAW INT. ,Nov. 29 EXCHEQUER CHAMBER. ;Sitting3 in Error.—Present, Damns Parke and Platt, and Justices Maule, Cresswell, and Williansi.) HUGHES V. LUMLET. Mr. Unthank moved to quash the proceedings in error in this case, on the ground that they did not fall within the provisions of the Common Law Procedure Act. It was an action of ejectment brought to recover possession of her Majesty's Theatre. A special case had been agreed upon, and there had been an undertaking not to bring error. The case had been decided on the 24th of November, and a rule in error had been lodged, so that the plaintiffs were kept out of the fruits of their verdict. There was now an offer of 9,000/. a year for the theatre. Rule granted. COALS FOR THE EAST. The Government, it appears, has engaged several of the screw colliers plying between the northern coal ports and London to take out stores to the East. They are stout vessels, and have been able to make runs to Lon don in very bad weather with 600 tons of coals. A num ber of merchant ships are also engaged taking out coals to Constantinople for the supply of our fleets. FIRE ON BOARD THE JUSTITIA. CONVICT HULK. At a quarter pat 7p.m. on Monday, the quarter-master of the watch on board the Fiegard flag-ship reported that a fire bad broken out at the Royal Arsenal. Mr. Bean, commanding officer in charge of a portion of the crew of the flag-ship, proceeded immediately in the pinnace and cutter, followed by the quarter master in charge of a party with the dockyard floating fir,.• engine, and on arriving at the Arsenal found the Justitia convict hulk on fire, and the gentlemen cadets on the land side hard at work with a fire engine, who by their exertions succeeded in keeping the fire confined to the galley in which it had broken out, until the arrival 4,f the engines and officers and men of the Royal Artil lery, and the men of the Boy - al Sappers and Miners, who soon extinguished the fire and i emoved all appre hensiOns of further danger. The officers of the Royal Artillery were dining in their mess-room when the alarm was given, and on the call of duty proceeded to the Ar senal without a moment's delay or attempt to change their full dress uniform. The governor of the Defence convict hulk was on board the Justitia, and aided ma• tmally in subduing the fire by his judicious directions. DEVONPOB,T DOCKYARD. Such are the requirements of the Government service at present, that. the Admiralty have been compelled to refuse applications for the repair of merchant vessels at this establishment. On Satui day a large emigrant vessel moored off Keyham-yard in the expectation of getting docked, but under the pressure of Government work the hands could not be spared for that purpose. An order was received on Mon(lny to enter 19 ship wrights, 12 joiners, 1 plumber, on the establishment, and 4 hired joiners. THE MILITIA. General Mansell inspected the militia in Cork on Saturday, and addressed them to a short speech, calling on them to volunteer for service in the regiments of the line. Great exertions are being made to secure men for 1 service in the regiments doing duty in the Crimea. The sum of 7/. bounty is given to each recruit. Considerable numbers have been enlisted within the last few days. No less than 200 men from the East Suffolk Artillery have volunteered into the line, and as the regiment itself is ordered to be embodied, it must be raised to its fall complement. Ths enrolment for the Edinburghshire militia, though only commenced a fortnight ago, has already been half completed. At all the meetings hitherto held large num bers of candidates have presented themselves, and the officers enrolling have en each occasion been enabled to make a creditable selection. At a meeting held in the Lothian-road Riding School in Edinburgh, the Duke of Buccleuch, colonel of the regiment, presided at the en• rolment of about 70 men. His grace carefully investi gated the character and qualifications of each candidate, and addressed those enrolled, instructing them on their , duties and obligations, and exhorting them by their die• i cipline and conduct when called out to acquire a good ' reputation for the regiment. Several of the principal districts of the county have yet to be visited, and it is not doubted that the complement of 650 men will speedily be procured. The South Devon Militia on garrison duty at Devon port is now actively engaged in transferring volunteers to the regular army. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir J. Yarde Buller addressed them on Monday morning at a special parade, and explained the terms upon which volunteers would be received in the lino, and strongly urged all those who by strength, activity, and height were eligible for foreign service, to accept the terries at once, and thus show how the county of Devon could behave at the present crisis when strong arms and brave hearts were wanted to emu late the heroic deeds already accomplished in the Crimea. The Lieutenant -Colonel declared that, were he a younger man, no consideration should have withheld the tender of his own services. Three cheers were immediately given for our noble fellows in the East, and three cheers for Sir John. Shortly afterwards the band of the Royal Marines, accompanied by the drums and fifes of the militia, led the recruiting party to the three separate barracks occupied by the South Devon. They were followed by a similar turn-out from the 34th depot at Plymouth, and thus the town of Davenport was kept alive until the usual hour of tattoo, when some 50 men had "pronounced." DESTITUTION AND NIIGLECT.—The magistrates of Bristol were on. Monday occupied with examining into the circumstances connected with the condition of a married woman named O'Hara, residing in Duke street, gi a o--s_quare. Witnesses who had vi s it e d th e p l ace d e . posed' to havine• ' found the p oor woman i n a state of filth, and destituti on . Sh e was a l most naked, gre ism an e d ry the atmosphere of the place was polluted with unwholesome smells, arising from uncleanliness. .Her legs were covered with deep sores. The woman's husband, on being questioned by a medical man who was a wife sent h to d the condition in w hi c h saying that she w as jealous temperament, and that sh e h a d b e h ave d i n hisotheb been n house, found explained by merely the same way for years. By direction of the magis trates, Mr. Bernard and Mr. Bleak @ surgeons, assisted by Dr. Budd , wer e desi red to make a medical exami nation as to the state of mind of Mrs. O'Hara, and re port thereon to the magistrates. -EXTRAORDINARY LAUD SLIP.---A. land slip of a very extraordinary character has taken place at the Rhiw frank Mountain, near Abersycban. It appears that on Tuesday morning, between 4 and 5 o'clock, the inhabi tants of the neighbourhood were alarmed by a strange rumbling noise in the earth, as if of an approaching earthquake. The noise was very distinctly heard at the house of Mr. Roger Newell, in the vicinity of the British Iron Works, at the base of the mountain. On the approach of daylight Mr. Newell went out to ascer tain the cause, and was ranch alarmed by finding that there had been an immense land slip of almost the entire top of the mountain to its base, carrying with it the oak and other trees which had been torn up from their roots, and were split to shivers, besides committing other ravages. The causes of this land slip are completely enveloped in mystery, as there have been no underwork ings of any description in the mountain. Some of the country people declare that in the coarse of the night they saw fire issuing from the top et the mountain. This is not believed, but should it be true it would then ap pear that the cause must have been some electrical dis turbance. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Du Barry's Delicious Revalenta Arabica Food invariably restores health, without medi cine, inconvenience, or expense, as it saves fifty times its cost in other remedies. We extract a few out of fifty thousand testimonials of cures, which had resisted all medicines. Cure No. 180. —"Twenty-five years nervousness, co nstipation, indigestion, and d e bi l i ty, from which I h a d suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effec tually cured by Du Barry's Food in a very short time —W. F. Reeve, Pool Anthony, Tiverton." Cure No. 4,208.—" Eight years' dyspepsia, nervousness, debility, with cramps, spasms and nausea, have been effect tually removed by Du Barry's delicious Food in a very short time. ---Rev. John W. Flavell, Ridlington Recto Norfolk." C ure N o . 1 , 784.—N 0 t ex p ec t e d t o li ve six d ays longer, I was cured by Du Barry's admirable Health-re storing Revalenta Arabica Food. Magdalen Purvis, Moffat, Scotland. C ure N o. 51 , 416.—" Fifty y ears ' i n d escribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, consti pation, flatulency, spasms, sickness at the stomach and vo mitings, have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Food. —Maria Jolly, Wortham, Ling, near Diss, Norfolk." Cure No. 3 , 9o 6.—Thirteen years' cough, indigestion, and gene ral debility have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Food.—James Potter, Athol-street, Perth." Cure No. 81.—" Twenty years' liver complaint, with disorders of the stomach, bowels, and nerves, have been perfectly cured by Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica.— Andrew Frazer, Haddington, East Lothian." " Trevagler, Gulval, near Penzance. Feb. 20th, 1851.—Eighteen years' nervous debility, violent palpitation of the heart, t hrob bing of the temples, violent pains in the left side and back, shortness of breath, coughs, numbness of the extremities, cramps, spasms, flatulency, retching, and such general weakness, that I was constantly fearful of falling when on my legs ; all these symptoms have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Arabica Food.—Mary Gilbert."--In canis ters, suitably packed for all climates, and with full instruc tions —llb., 2s. 9d.; 21b., 4s. 6d. ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 228. ; super-refined, 11b., 6s. ; 21b., 1 ls. ; 51b., 225. ; 101 b., 335. The 101 b. and 121 b. . carriage free, on post office order. Barry du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London ; Fortnum, Mason, and Co., purveyors to her Majesty, 182, Piccadilly ; also at 63, Cornhill; 60, Gracechurch-street ; 330 and., 4 451, Strand ; 63 and 150, Oxford-street ; 55, Charing-cross ; 4, Choapside ; 54:Upper Baker-street ; and c ma e r sy be , and o cr hdeerined ists t . hroit m ig al po h rta l respectable utcautio bkse nasai o n e stth ll e er f s e , gro cers, dangers of spurious imitations. NEALE V. SETTLE. The question in this case was whether, under the pecu liar words of an agreement, an interest was given in the land, or whether it was a mere hiring of a servant. The Court below held it to be the latter. Mr. Keane now urged that an interest in the land was given. The Court thought differently, and confirmed the de cision of the Court below. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Lord Campbell and Com. mon Juries.) BROWN V. SINGLETON. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and Mr. Lush appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Knowles and Mr. Garth for the defendant. This was an action on a horse warranty. The defendant admitted both the warranty and the breach, but disputed the amount of damages, and under the 15th and 16th Viet., cap. 76 (the first Common Law Procedure Act), paid 101. into court, as being all that the plaintiff was untitled to recover. The plaintiff was a hormedealer in Oxford-street ; the defendant was a gentleman residing at I'ocklington, in Yorkshire. In July last the plaintiff was, in the usual course of his business, travelling in the north, among the great horse fairs held there, and while upon his journey he saw and admired a mare the property of the defendant. He entered into a negotiation for the per chase of the mare, and finally agreed to give 1001. for the animal, receiving at the same time a warranty of soundness, except for a trifling defect on one of the hocks. The mare was sent up to London, and after her arrival here the plaintiff wrote to the defendant to say that she was lame in the forelegs, but he had no doubt that that was a mere accidental matter. A few days afterwards the defendant came to tho plaintiff's stables and saw the mare, and said he was sure that she was sound, but offered, if the plaintiff doubted it, to return the 1001. and to receive back the mare. The plaintiff said that ho did not doubt the soundness of the mare, and therefore declined the offer. A few days afterwards he sold the mare to a gentleman for 1301. and sent her away, but in twas days after leaving his stables she was returned as unsound in both fore legs. Some - communications then took place between the plaintiff and the attorney for the defendant, and ulti mately the mare was sold at Aldridge's for 401. The defence was, that after the plaintiff had discovered the only matter which was even now alleged to be an un soundness he had been offered his money, but had re fused to take it, alleging that the mare was not unsound, and so had thought fit to keep her, and run all the ehaeces of unsoundness. He had afterwards obtained a sale for her, which gave him a very handsome profit, and es he must be supposed to have known when the de- !nea,at:ol offer was made that the mare was net unsoun he could net now recover on an unsoundness afterwards found out by him. Lord Campbell left it to the jury to say whether the plaintiff had offered to return the mare as soon as he was clearly satisfied that she was unsound. If so, he was entitled to the verdict. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 601. beyond the sum paid into court. Lord Campbell observed that the form of the question loft to the jury in this particular case must not be taken to imply that a person who purchased a horse upon warranty was bound to return it after it proved to be unsound. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. (Nisi Prius Sittings at Westminster before Mr. Justice Crowder.) DYKE V. FARMER. This was an action by the assessor of taxes for the parish of Putney against the defendant, a chemist and druggist in that parish, for an assault and false impri sonment. The damages were laid at 1,0001. Mr. Sergeant Byles and Mr. J. A. Russell were coun sel for the plaintiff; and Mr. J. J. Powell for the de fendant. The plaintiff's evidence was that on the 30th of August last he called at the defendant's shop, and said to the defendant, " Will Mr. Farmer tell me what rooms he occupies in the adjoii.ing house, and what rates he pays for them ?" and the defendant replied, "If you are the muddle-headed man that made the muddled assessment for this parish, as I believe you are, I won't give you any information." Plaintiff replied by protesting against such language being employed to him when he was only discharging his duty, and asked defendant how he would like to be accused •f muddling his medicines I De fendant then used abusiie language, and told plain tiff that if he did not leave his shop he would kick him out ; and, as plaintiff did not go, defendant came round the counter, struck him on the mouth, and a struggle ensued, in the course of which both fell to the ground, and the clothes of both were torn and other wise damaged. Plaintiff then left the shop, and went to an inn next door, and soon afterwards the defendant came with a constable and gave him into custody on a Charge of assault. The policeman took him to the station-house, where he was bailed out, and on the following morning the magistrate, on hearing the case and the plaintiff's explanation for being in defendant's shop, dismissed the charge, and said he should leave the defendant to bring his action, or prefer an indictment. On cross-examination, the plaintiff stated that pre viously to his appointment as assessor he carried on the business of an engineer and surveyor, his office being a room in Millbank-street, Westminster, which he occu pied jointly with "the Conservative II hip of the House of Commons." He denied that he was intoxicated when he called upon the defendant, or that he had conducted himself in an impertinent manner towards him. He said that out of all his assessments only 45 had been appealed against, but that the union still acted on the old assessment, and not upon his. He had never seen the defendant but twice before, and that was 12 months previously. Two witnesses proved that the plaintiff was sober, and that his lip was bruised, and that he appeared to have been engaged in a severe struggle. On the other hand the defendant was called, and de posed that the plaintiff came to his shop, and in a very offensive manner demanded to know what rooms he oc- oupied, and what taxes he paid. He said that not hav ing seen the plaintiff for twelve months, and know ing that the plaintiffs assessment had not been acted upon, he did not recognise him, and thought be might be an impostor, and told him he should not give him any information. Plaintiff then called him a fool, and accused him of charging two prices for his medicines ; upon which he told plaintiff to leave his shop, or he would put him out. Plaintiff refused to go, and continued to be very abusive, upon which defendant went round the counter to open the door, and to order him out, when plaintiff struck at him, but defendant warded off the blow. They then struggled together, and fell, and the plaintiff bit him in his arm and tore his coat. Defendant's wife then came into the shop, and sent for a policeman, when the p'aintiff wished to go, but defen dant would not let him, upon which plaintiff threatened to smash him and the door also. Plaintiff was then permitted to go ; but when the policeman came he was sent after plaintiff to the inn he had gone to, and plaintiff was there given into custody. Defendant's wife and the policeman who took plaintiff into custody spoke as to a bruise upon defendant's arm, which might or might not have been a bite, and the policeman said he thought plaintiff was not drunk, and that he was not sober. Mr. Powell having summed up the evidence for the defence, Mr. Sergeant Byles replied upon the whole case. Mr. Justice Crowder then summed up the evidence minutely, and told the jury that, upon the pleadings, they must find for the plaintiff; but left them to say, upon the whole facts of the case, what damages they thought him entitled to. The jury, after some consultation, returned a verdict for the plaintiff, with 101. damages. COURT OF EXCHEQUER. (Sittings at Nisi Prins, before the Chief Baron ARNOLD V. ALLCROFT. Mr. M. Chambers and Mr. Phipsou were counsel for the plaintiff ; Mr. Whateley and Mr. Ogle appeared for the defendant. This was an action against the defendant as the ac ceptor of a bill of exchange, dated the Ist of June, at three months' date, for 3001., the plaintiff being the pro prietor of the Lyceum Theatre, and the defendant a gentleman well known in theatrical circles and to the public at large as a steadfast friend and supporter of Mr. Charles Mathews, the co medi a n a nd lessee of the Lyceum, th roug hout all his late pecuniary difficulties. In answer to the declaration, the defendant pleaded payment, and a special plea setting forth that at the time he accepted the bill of exchange in question i t was a greed between the plaintiff, himself, and Mr. Mathews, that if any moneys should be realised by the letting of the Lyceum Theatre during the theatrical recess then next ensuing such moneys should be paid to the plaintiff, and should be received by him towards the satisfaction and discharge of the said acceptance. The plea then alleged that after the said agreement, and before the said bill became due, the sum of 3001. was realised by sheenttin was of tpaid he said theatie during the said recess, whichsum him in satisfaction the plaintiff, and was received. by and discharge of the said bill. In support of this plea, the defendant and Mr. Ma thews were to day called, and from their united testi mony it appeared that Mr. Mathews's lease of the Lyceum Theatre having been put an end to by his bank ruptcy in the last summer, when a large sum of money was due for rent, and it being in contemplation that another lease should be granted him on his o btaining his certificate, a negotiation was set on fo ot for the paymen of the balance of rent due to the plaintiff, or the giving of security for the same by Mr. Mathews. In the ex tremity of his friend, Mr. Allcroft here stepped forward, and at a meeting with the plaintiff and his solicitor, and on the Ist of June, he paid 4041. down to the plaintiff, accepted the bill in question on the express terms set forth in the plea, which were at once assented to by the plaintiff. On the 29th of June the season closed at the Ly ceum, and Mr. Mathews having obtained his certificate, renewed the negotiation forhis new lcase, which was even tually granted. By that instrument tho sum of 151. ss. 6d, is reserved nightly for rent throughout the year, hud one quarter's rent, or 1,1951., was required to be de posited or secured as a guarantee for arrears which would almost necessarily accumulate during the "recess," and until the Christmas piece should replenish the treasury of the lessee. In this matter Mr. Allcroft appears again to have the friend of the lesee, and, that dime, the plaintiff gave him permission to play operas at the Lyceum in the recess. The speculation was not very successful, and was soon abandoned ; but the defendant paid 501. for rent to the plaintiff, and after that Mr. Henry Russell took the theatre and kept it open by his single efforts during several weeks, in respect of which he paid 2501. rent to the plaintiff. At the close of the recess Mr. Arnold's attorney wrote to Mr. Mathews, calling his attention to the " heavy balanee" then due for rent, and giving him credit for the two sums above mentioned, on which Mr. Mathews very properly at once wrote back that he was not entitled to such credit, as, by the terms of the agreement under which the defend act had accepted the bill for the arrears under the old lease, all receipts for rent in the recess were to go in payment of that bill. At the close of the defendant's owe, Mr. PHIPBON stated that, in the exercise of his dis cretion, and the temporary absence of his learned leader, the plaintiff having placed himself entirely in his hands, he should not offer any evidence in opposition to that of Mr. Allcroft and Mr. Mathews as to the terms of the agreement on which the bill had been accepted. Ho must, however, be allowed to say that Mr. Arnold was fully prepared to pledge his oath to his firm belief that no such terms were mentioned in that interview. He (Mr. Phipson) felt the difficulty of presenting such con tradictory evidence before the jury, as he could only hope fir a verdict on the ground that they would find that Mr. Allcroft and Mr. Mathews had deliberately perjured themselves. He did not feel himself justified in pursuing that course, as he could not but feel that there was no ground for so serious an imputation on those gentle men. In truth, the cause might resolve itself into a balance of recollection, and he would not oppose Mr. Arnold to Mr. Allcroft and Mr. Mathews for the pus pose'of solving that question, especially as Mr. Arnold's solicitor, who was vouched as having been present at the meeting, had assured him (Mr. Phipson) that he could only say that he had no recollection whatever, one way or the other, on the subject. Under these cir cumstances, he (Mr. Phipson) would not offer any oppo sition to a verdict being returned for the defendant on the special plea. But he thought it proper to set his client right in the matter with the jury, and to add, on his behalf, that until Mr. Mathews's letter was received, he had no notion of the existence of any suoh special agreement as was now set up by the defendant, while the bill had actually been renewed at his request, the option to do which, Mr. Arnold was ready to admit, did form a part of the contract. The Chief Baron said that without Mr. Arnold's evi dence there was clearly an end of the case, and he thought that Mr. Phipson had exercised a most wise and proper course in not putting him into the box. The probabilities of such an agreement having been made as that relic t on by the defendant were very great, and, in his opinion, Mr. Mathews's letter was in itself quite sufficient to put an end to all doubt on a balance of recollection. He thought the course now adopted eras - a very proper one on the part of the plaintiff, who would have a verdict on the other issues. A verdict was then taken for the plaintiff on all the issues but that raised by the special plea, which was round for the defendant. EEALTII Off LONDON DURING THE MEEK (From the Report of the Registrar-General. ) The deaths of 1,262 persons, namely, 618 males and 641 females, were registered in London in the week that ended last Saturday. This is a high mortality as com pared with the returns of ten corresponding weeks of the years 1844-53, in which ta• average number of deaths was 1,021, or, as compared with this average raised is proportion to increase of population, which is 1,123. 139 persons died last week above the number thus estimated Although the aggregate number of deaths last week was less than that of the previous week (when it was 1,309), it will be seen that fatal cases, arising from zymotic diseases, remained exactly the same, having been 332 in each return, while those from diseases of the organs. of respiration suffered a considerable increase, rising from 240 to 292. Both these classes of diseases exhibit at present an excess above the ordinary mor tality. The deaths from scarlatina rose to 118 ; there were 23 from small-pox, 33 from measles, 37 from hoop in ;-cough, 6 front influenza, 50 from fever, 8 from cholera, and 21 from diarrhoea. From bronchitis 144 persons died, the corrected average being 73 ; and from pneumonia 121, the average 103. Mr. Butterfield, the registrar of Islington East, writes : "Notwithstanding many defects in the cmnpulsory Vac cination Act, besides the proximity of my district to the Small-pox Hospital, which, however, is net situated in it, and the number of infants who die under three months old, I have received upwards of 1,500 certificates of vaccination. I believe that with a very few altera tions the act might become efficient, if properly attended to. As it is, the majority of the medical profession in Islington consider themselves bound to obey the law, onerous though it may be, and, with a few insignificant exceptions, have cordially assisted me in carrying it out." Mr. Watts, registrar of Islington West, observes that " in the London Fever Hospital there has been a great increase of patients for some time past, and 7 deaths have occurred between the 19th and 25th." OR 16th November, at 15, Charles-place, Shadwell, the widow of a porter is reported to have died of " natu ral decay" at the great age of 103 years. In Woolwich, at 37, Warwick-street, on 21st Nov., the wife of a mariner, aged 38 years, died of "dropsy (8 days), want of the common necessaries of life." At the workhouse, Bishopsgate, Dunning's-alley, the son of a soldier, aged one year and 9 months, died on the 3d October of " mesentric disease, brought on by want of food and exposure." Post mortem. Inquest. A boy, aged 2 months, died of "retrocession of eczema (from birth) convulsions (24 hours)." A woman, aged 43 years, died of " lupus exedens (several years), phthisis." Last week the births of 819 boys and 774 girls, in all 1,5i3 children, were registered in London. In the nine corresponding weeks of the years 1845-53 the avenge number was 1,379. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 29 . 397 in. ; en Monday the mean reading was 30.010 in. The mean temperature of the week was 36.5 deg., which is 5.3 deg. below the average of the same week in 38 years. On Thursday and Friday the mean temperature was more than 7 deg. below the average. The highest tempera ture in the week was 44.2 deg., on Tuesday ; the lowest 23 . 4 deg., on Friday. The mean dew-point temperature was 33 . 7 deg,. ; and between this and the mean tempera. ture of the air, the difference was 2 . 8 deg. The wind blew from the north-east in the beginning of the week, afterwards from south-west, and on the last two days 'rem the north. The rain was 0.22 in. MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS. /cUMBBR OF BEAMS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOV. 25 Zymotic Diseases Diseases of Uncertain Seat Tubercular Diseases Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs o. Respiration 292 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c..... Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. Malformations Premature Birth and Debility Atrophy Old Age Sudden Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance Causes not specified DEATHS YBOM ALL CAUSES 1,262 Population Deaths in corre- Deaths Enumerated. spending week in the 1851. of 1853. Week West Districts North Districts 490,396 Central Districts 393,256 East Districts 485,522 South Districts Totals Males Females 1,162 1,262 618 644 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. 1,593 Males Females.. Total .. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. GREAT NORTHERN R.A.ILW A.T.—Tra , ffie return for the week ending Nov. 19, 1854 £21,477 6 2 Corresponding week last year 17,666 8 9 LANCASHIRE AND YORKS HIRE RAILWAY.--Traffic re turn for the week ending Nov. 26, 1854 £18,268 17 2 Corresponding week last year 17,621 4 9 CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the week ending Nov. 2 1854 £4,234 8 7 Corresponding week last year 3,579 3 1 __— Increase in 1854. . £655 5 6 GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN R AlLWAT.—Traffic re turn for the week ending Nov. 25, 1854 ...... £5,683 2 7 week lad year ..................... 5,225 12 7 ijorresponding Lamm() in 1854 £157 10 0 DELICATE INVESTIGATION.-W• understand that, at the Judges' Chambers, on Friday, before Mr. Justice Crompton, an application was made in the forthcoming crirn. con. case of Hope v. Aguado for a commission to examine the Count de Morny, who has lately received the appointment of President of the Corps Legialatif in Paris. In consideration of the Count's Parliamentary duties, the application for a commission has bees granted. The case is likoly to afford some curious revelations of Parisian life in its highest circles, and already .consider able inte res t i s f e l t i n the coining " delicate investiga tion." The plaintiff is Mr. Adrian Hope, son of the author of " Anastasius," and one of the three brothers who inherit the large fortunes of the house of Hope ; and the defendant, Count Olympe Aguado, has been long known in the fashionable and sporting circles of 819 774 COU. "ETS, EDINBITRGII MEAL MARKET—Nov. 28. There were in the market to-day, 16 sacks oatmeal, each weighing 2801bs imperial, which sold thus :-12 at 2/. 6s, 4 at 21. 5s Od, and 0 at 0/. Os. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARKET- NOT. 2s. There was a large supply of straw of all descriptions in he market. The prices to-day were as follow : Oat straw, from 7s 66 to lOs Od per kemple of 16 stones iron ; wheat do., Gs Oct to 7s 64 ; barley do., 4s Oct to 6s Od. Hay from 10d to 124 ; now ditto, Od. to Oct per stone. DALKEITH MEAL KET—Noy. 27. Oatmeal, per sack of 2801bs First. I Second. Third. imperial Barleymeal, per ditto Peasemeal, por ditto Flour, per ditto l—s Od I—s Od —s Od Pot-barley, per ditto DUBLIN, Nov. 28. Whito wheat, 41s Od to 435 . 0 d; red ditto, 36s 01 to 42 , ; barley, 17s Od to 20s Od ; oats, 15s Od to 17s Od ; rapeseed, 27s Od to 28s 6d por brl ; oatmeal, 163 Cd to 17s Od ; bakers' flour, 24s Od to 283 Od per cwt; Indian corn, 40s Od to 473 ed per 4801b3. '.—Nov. 29. the close of the market. Wallsend, &o. Killingsworth E Northumberland Eden Main (Bell F. d. .19 9 .20 0 .23 0 .22 6 Haswell IKepier Healiam ..24 0 ..23 0 _l7 Stowart's . Whitwell ICaradoc .............., Heugh Hall . Kelloe ~23 0 ~23 6 ,23 6 19 6 South Hartlepool ..... .. Whitworth Birehgrove Graigol a 25 0 Wayue's Merthyr 24 0 COAL MARK. Prices of Coal per ton at t] a. a.l 13uddla W. Hartley l9 9 Carr's Hartley l9 9 Howard's West Hartley Netherton 19 9 Reclheugh Main 17 Raveusworth Hartley l9 9 Stobart's Hartley l7 6 Taufield Moor Butes 17 6 Townley l9 f West Hartley 19 West Pelton l7 6 Wylam 00 Wallsend, &c. 801 l and Brown 22 01 Eton 2O 0 liedley 0 2 0 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, Nor. 29. STOCK EXCHA.NGE.—The market opened firm this morn in, went better, but Las since become very bad on politi cal rumours, and closed weak. Caledonian, 29k; East Lancashire, 17i ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 711 ; London and North-Western, 98 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lin coln, 21/ 1; Midland, 67i 7 ; South-Eastern, 17i /. MANCHESTER, Nov. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been dull, and closed very inanimate. Bristol and Exeter, 95; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 70 4 ; London and N.-Western, 981 ; Man chester, Sheffield, land Lincoln, 21k 1; ditto, 10/. Pref., 101; Midland Consols, GU 7; South-Eastern, 17a 5-10. BIRMINGHAM, Nor. 29. STOCK EXCHANGE. — Tho market opened heavy, with no tendency to an improver ient; but towards mid-day a some what better feeling existed on 'Change. London and N.- estern Stock, 93 ; Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley, 88. BRISTOL, NOT. 29. STOCK EXCIANGE.—The market this morning wee very dull, and prices without alteration. SEABORNE MAILS. (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Pest-WACO hy the night—and M by the morning—despatch.) Day whgn made ul From wits. When COUNTRIES. in General Post- port due in Office, London.. Dispatched. England. • Amerlea(byßrit.pack)N Every Friday .. • • Liverpool Each. MCA kmerica (by United Sts. Nov. 14.... .... • • Liverpool ... NOV. 2 2 packet) America (by U. State, pocket) ..N Nov. 22.. • • .... • • Southampton Lustralia (via South-I ampton) Jan. 4 ••• •••• Southampton Deo, 4 Ditto (via Marseilles) N Jan. 9 •• • Dover •• •• •• ov. 80 Ditto (via Capo of Good! Hope) '•3d of the month.. Plymouth .. Dec. 4 .. .. Uncertain Africa (West Coast) :Alexandria........ 9, 24, & 30 of rn. Dover •••••• Alexandria I 4th & 20th of moo • Southampton Bahamas of the month Southampton Belgium Daily • • • • • • • • • • • • Dover ...... Daily Brazil ...... of the month.. Southampton Buenos Ayres 119th of the month.. Southampton I Cape of Good Hope ..N Various ports Uncertain Cape of Good Hope ..bi r Cape de Verds 9th of the month Southampton Nov. 16 Ceylon (see India) Ceylon.. Channel Isles • • ..11 Mon ~Wed.,lsFri; Southampton ra•Th. c t9 Chili— • • • 25 & 17th of wont: Southampton China (see India) Constantinople 8,13,19,23,&28 of n Dover Constantinople ........,4th & 20th of mon. Southampton cont. of Europe hi & N Twice daily Dover Twiendaily Egypt (see India) Franco ........ M & N Twice dai1y...... Dover Twicedaily 4 .7, 17, 20, 27 aro. Southampton No v. 20 areece (ace India) •lreytown 2nd & 17th of mon. Southampton Nov. 20 llouiburgh Tuesday & Friday London ..... Eiavannah 2nd of the montl Southampton Deo. 1 Holland —3l • Dover Daily Flonduras • • M 'l7th of the month. Southampton [mita (via South ampt.) AI I 4th & 20th of mon. Plymouth • . Nov. 29 india (via Marseilles)M 1 9 th& 25th of month Dover ...... [onion Isles (see India) 7, 17, & 27 of mon D0ver...... [reland ......M & N Twice daily 11013 head TWieolll l 4 Lisbon.. 7, 9, 17, & 27 of m. Southampton adeira Madeira .• N i23d of month •• .. Liverpool ... eo. 3 ilalta (see India) Malta 18, & 28 of men. Dover ...... N0v.,28 Mauritius (see India) Mauritius 14th of the month Mexico •• •• ..14 2nd of the month.. Southampton Des. 1 Naples .. • ... Nlsthlsth2stholmon. Dover ...... Nov. 21 New Granada 2d& 17th of mouth Southampton New Zealand By private ship .. Various port' Uttcertal Papal States ........N sthlsth2sthoflnon. Dover ...... • ov. 22 peninsula lthl7th27thoflnon. Southampton Peru .......„ m 12d & '27th of mon. Southampton Port Natal private ship... Various ports Uncertain Sicily stlllsth2sthotnaon, Dover ...... Nov. 22 Tuscany ............Nl s th ls th 2s thormon. Dover Nov. 22 Venezuela ~31 2d& 17th of month Southampton °v. 113 Van Diemen's Land (see Australia) . . West Indies %I& 17th of month Southampton\ WIND AND WEATHER REPORT. WIDNESDAY, Nov. 29. Stations. Conroe of Wind. State of Weather. Greenwich S.W. Cloudy. Lothbury .... rain early this morning. Dublin W. Wind y—MlA rain. Liverpool Bangor N.N.W Windy. Holyhead Manchester Sheffield. Wakefield Whitehaven Maryport Lancaster Carlisle Bradford W. Rain and windy. Stoke-on-Trent Leicester W. Very fine. Derby N.W. Masboiough Normanton.. S.W Cloudy—Windy, 54 Stamford W .... Fine. Nottingham 1 1 Burton-on-Trent.. S.E. Rain. 16 Bristol S.W. Unsettled. 12 6 Plymouth 8 Totness 3 Merthyr Tydvil... S.W Rain. 27 Taunton S.W Rain. 4 2 Bath 4 0 Gloucester W Cloudy. 18 Swansea W Cloudy. 22 Haverfordwest ... N.W. Southampton W Fine. 10 , Cowes W.. Cloudy—Fine. Portsmouth Poole Dorchester W. Cloudy. Leeds Brighton N. Fine. Lowestoft W. Fine. Yarmouth Boston w.5.w....., Strong breeze. Great Grimsby Ipswich Hague W. Fine. Hull W. • Cold Fine. Scarborough Whitby Bridlington Berwick York 1352 49 144 117 66 • BIRTHS. OF A BON. On the 27th inst., at 2, Woburn-square, the wife of J. Brandram Peel, Esq. On the 27th inst., at 11, Cleveland-square, Hyde-perk , the wife of William Tottie, Esq. Or A DAUGHTER. On the 27th inst., at Kingweston, the wife of F. Dickinson, Esq. On the 20th inst., at St. Peter's Hotel, Manchester, Mn'l John Higginbotham. MARRIED. On the 23d. inst., at Old Widcombe Church, Bath, Rat- Henry Bartum, Esq., of the Bengal Medical Service, to Catherine Mary, second. daughter of J. Wright, Esq. , Bloomfield House. On the 25th inst., at the parish church of St. Martin -in' the-Fields, Thomas Steers, Esq., to Isabella Sarah, relict of J. Seton Chisholm, Esq. DIED. On the 25th inst., at Abbotsford, John GibsonLoekha r ‘ Esq., aged 61. his Oa the 10th inst., on board the Golden Fleece,,pn passage to Malta, of wounds received at the battle 'of IF kerman, Major Edward Rooper, of the Rifle Brigsa, e, youngest son of the Rev. T. R. Rooper, Wick-hill, Brie ton. On the 28th inst., at his residence in that city, the Be" • Henry Raikes, M.A., Chancellor of Chester, aged 73. On the 21st inst., Ellen, wife of Richard ThernPoPP Esq., Stansty-hall, near Wrexham, aged 62. On the 22d inst., at 17, Green-park-buildings, Bath, M IS ' Mary lixeter, aged 87. On the 20th inst., at Reading, Mrs. Lloyd, relict of the late David Lloyd, Esq., of Homerton. LONDON : Printed and Published by 11IIIIDO your; of No. 112, Strand, Priater, at The Sun Office, 00. 11 2 . Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the vitiutY Middleitx, Theiriday, Nov. 30. 1854 rwicedally No v. 20 Nov. 20