The Press.
London, England, 1853-05-21 00:00:00

MAY 21, 1853.

otitital.

THE NUMBER OF CAPITAL. CONVICTIONS in England
and Wales during the fifteen years 1838-52 is set forth
in a parliamentary paper just issued at 998, of which
209 were for murder, of whom 148 were executed,
2
transported for life, 11 received a free pardon. and
the rest minor punishments. Ninety-five persons
were convicted of attempts to murder, accompanied
with injuries dangerous to life ; of these 4 were exe-
cuted, and 05 transported for life. For shooting and
stabbing, 13 ; for rape, &c., 68 ; for unnatural
crimes. 195, of whom 108 a ere transported for life ;
for burglary, 56 ; ditto N..til violence, 107 ; for '
robbery, 20; ditto with violence, 108 ; by persons
armed, 12 ; for arson, 1 ; ditto of dwellinghouses,
18 ; feloniously rioting, 12 ; for high treason, 9, of
whom 7 were transported for life. Of the 998 per-
sons capitally convicted during the above period. 152
were executed. The sentences of the remainder
were commuted as follows :-617 were transported
for life ; 79 for 15, 41 for 10, and 19 for seven years;
4 were imprisoned for three years; 19 for two years
and above one year ; 34 for one year or above six
months ; and 11 for six months anal under ; 17 re-
ceived a free pardon ; 4 committed suicide ; and one
died in prison.
A PAIIIJAUENTART l'Arcn states that 14,413401
gallons of proof spirits were distilled in the United
Kingdom during the year ending the sth of January,
1853. of these 5,180,312 gallons were distilled from
malt only (Ireland and Scotland) ; 15.300,143
gallons from malt. with =naked grain ; 1,108,107
gallons from sugar or molasses, with unmated
grain ; and 6,792 gallons from molasses only (Scot-
land). The quantity distilled in England was
6,303,276 gallons ; in Scotland, 9,041,218 gallons ;
and in Ireland, 8,117,708. In the same year
9,820,008 gallons paid duty for consumption in
England; 7,172,015 in Scotland; and 8,208,2541 in
Ireland; making a total of 15,100,879 gallons,
which paid 0,155,7081. in duty during the year.
A MEmoutm. has been addressed to the Chancellor
of the Exchequer by the provision and egg mer-
chants of London, acknowledging the value of the
proposed remissions of duty on butter, cheese, and
eggs, but praying, in the latter case, for a total repeal
instead of a reduction from 10d. to 4d. per 110. The
plea is that a uniform duty of any kind falls more
heavily on the small and cheap eggs consumed by
the poor than ou the larger ones, and thus dis-
courages the use of an article of food which is
every day increasing in importance to the working

classes.
THE CHIEF BARON OF THE 'EXCHEQUER has ap-
pointed Mr. J. Templer, who has for some time ably
practised as a special pleader, to the vacant Master-
ship of the Exchequer.
THE ORDNANCE SFRVEY of the County of Ayr is to
proceed forthwith. A party of Sappers and Miners
have already arrived iu Ayr for that purpose.
THE LONO-PENDINO DIFFERENCES between Dr.
Reid and the Office of Works and Public Buildings,
on the subject of warming and ventilating the new
Houses of Parliament, have at length been brought
to a close by a court of arbitration. The arbitrators
nominated respectively by the office and Dr. Reid
were Mr. W. Forsyth, banister-at-law, and John
Forbes, M.D. After a long anti elaborate investiga-
tion of the whole case, the arbitrators gave their
award against the Government and in favour of Dr.
Reid, adjudging to that gentleman 3,2501.
INTELIJOFNCE has been received at Lloyd's, under
elate Gslle, April the 17th, that the II ydaspes steamer
had broken down on her outward voyage to Calcutta
on reaching the Mauritius. The mails were sent on
by another conveyance, and the Hydaspes is now
making her way back to England under canvas.
Loaf) PALvensros has issued to the authorities of
St. Mary's, Newington, an intimation of his intention
to apply to her Majesty in Council for an order to
close the burial-mund of that parish forthwith. The
authorities have offered VOL an acre for about twenty
acres of land in Surrey, seven miles from London.
THE SENDERLAND SHIPOWNF.RS are by no means
disposed to accept Mr. Cardwell's bill as a boon. In
a resolution unanimously carried at a very crowded
and influential meeting it Was declared "that the
bill is unsatisfactory, inasmuch as it makes no
change in the constitution of the Trinity-houses, and
leaves many flagrant evils and inconsistencies in the
present pilotage law to be dealt with by the caprice
of ill-constituted pilotage authorities, instead of re-
medying them by specific enactment."
THE FIRST SIONE OF A MAGNIFICENT 'HALL in-
tended for the use of the Hull Literary Society and
Hull library was laid on Tuesday by the Earl of
Carlisle, assisted by Lord Londesborongh. The
Freemasons of the district assembled in large force,
and a splendid procession was formed.
As amended bill of the Lords has just been
printed, to authorise the sale of specifications under
the Patent Act, and to dispense with the transmission
of specifications to the offices in Edinburgh and

THE PRESS.

THE thirty-second party of female emigrants sent
out through the agency of the Female Entigration
Fund were sped on their way on Tuesday from
Gravesend in the Widmer Cast/e. a fine vessel of WO
tons burden, bound for Port Phillip. The fund,
which was commenced in the winter of 1849, has
amount:d altogether to 24,1031., of which 92'1. has
been contributed by friends of emigrants towards
paying their passage. The number of persons sent
out timing that period up to the commencement of
this year have been 1,071, anti then the balance in
the hands of the committee was 3,N410/.
'Phis is,
however, now expended ; and fur this reason, and
also because there is not the same suffering and
distress at home among the classes which the
association was formed to relieve, it is not the in-
tention of the society to send out any more perfectly
free emigrants.
Tan eIIAIIIIVIILAIN OF LONDON.—Mr. Anthony
Brown, who was elected in 1844, died on smalay
last. The candidates spoken of in the City for the
situation are—:Aldermen Sir John Key, Bart., Fare-
brother, ilumphery, and Sir William Magnay, Bart.
Mr. William Hawes, who is not connected with the
corporation, and Mr. Benjamin Scott, who has been
several years performing the laborious duties of the
office of chamberlain, are also candidates.
Tun STRIKES oF WoutotEs continue anti spread
among various trades and in different localities.
The earpenters of Birmingham demand au advance
of two shillings per week, with the pri‘ilege orienting
work at four on Saturdays. The masters, it is said,
have a very large amount of work on hand, and, as is
often the case at such times, the men think it. a fit-
ting season to make unreasonable demands. The lamt
and shoe makers of the saute city are in a ferment, and a
strike isthreatening in that quarter. The carpenter: of
Preston are demanding the same advances and coneys.
sions as their fellows of Birmingham. In Salisbury
the same class of operatives, by threatening to strike
have induced the master builders generally to in-
,
crease wages from Is. to 2s. per week. Owing to a
scarcity of hands, the painters, plumber:, and brick-
layers participate in the advance. The South Shit+la
shipwrights, a numerous body of operatives, have
struck work. They now demand 30s. per week anti
a half hour's rest per day. It. is every way probable
that the request will 1w acceded to. The joiners
of South Shields are turning out. Journ►eyman
tailors also struck for an advance of sixpence per day
on Monday.
A Btu, is now before the House of Lords, brought
forward by Lord Berners, to "abolish poor-law re-
moval." His lordship proposes that "from and after
the passing of this act it shall not be lawful fur any
justices of the peace to remove or convey, or to order
to be removed or conveyed, any person to any parish
in England and Wales, on the ground that ho
is
legally settled there."
TILE MORTALITY IN THE METRoPoI.tS, though regu-
larly diminishing from week to week, still remains
above the average of the Reason. During the seven
days terminating on Saturday last the Registrar-
General reports 1,099 total number of deaths, the re-
turns of the two previous weeks having been 1,159
and 1,089. The average mortality in the ten corre-
sponding weeks for the years 1843-51, when corrected
for the increase of population, amounts only to 1,027.
Hence the deaths of last week show an excess of 7'2.
A MEV:VINO ()V MF.RuiIAsTR (which was presided
over by the Earl of liarrowhy) was held in the City
on Tuesday, for the purpose of promoting the estab-
lishment of a mercantile and maritime college. The
meeting having passed resolutions declaring that the
city of London, as the focus of the mercantile inte-
rests of the empire, anti the nursery of the largest
mercantile marine in the world, demanded that it
should possess among its other institutions such a
college, with a trade museum, appointed a committee
to carry out the object in view. The committee was
recommended to consider how far ;resham College,
or any other similar institution in the City. might be
made to serve as the basis of it mercantile and mari-
time college.
THE ELECTIoN OFEIcNoR ( TI I: ON Fold)
Comm GAOL took place on Tueaday, at an adjeurned
sessions. There were originally filly-six anditlates
for the situation, but these were reduced by the com-
mittee to eight, anti ultimately to three, monelY,
Lieutenant and Adjutant Harrison, of tho Royal
Dragoons; Mr—lames Kelly, superinteteletit. of the
Great Western Railway station at Rirmingliant ; and
Mr. A. W. Maconoellie, warder of the cenviet depart-
ment at Wakefield gaol. The votes were—for Lieut.
Harrison, 29; Mr. Kelly, 9; Mr. Nlaconechie, 5.
Lieut. Harrison will enter on the duties of his (nee
on the 20th of June.
A RETURN has been issued, by order of the house
of Lords, of British ships employed in the trade of
the United Kingdom in the year 1852, compared with
the year 1851. In 1851 there were 114,184 ships em-
ployed, of 3,360,935 tonnage, anti 141,937 men were
employed, while in 1852 the vessels numbered 17,819,
the tonnage 3,380,1484, and the men employed, ex-
clusive of masters, 159,503.

55

THE progress of the CRYSTAL PALACIS AT SYDEN -
I%M. though marked by ROM of that extraordinary
rapidity of execution nor witnessed with a tithe of that
interest displayed in the erection of its great original
in Ilyde-park, has still been such as to excite the
wonder of those who remember that, but a few
months since, the first column was raised upon green
and grassy slopes, now buried beneath mountains of
earthwork, lost in deep excavations, or partially co-
vered with n crystal roof. 'there art, many reasons
why so marvellous a rapidity RA that displayed in
Hyde-park was not possible. nor indeed necessary.
For the Great Exhibition it was essential that them
time fixed for its opening long before the building
was commenced should be punctually mothered to, as
Any postponement would have ineonvenienced foreign
exhibitors, and thus imperilled its success. The
Crystal I'alace at Sydenham stiffens in almost every
rospect from the character of the Exhibition in flydo.
park. Except for pecuniary purposes, the Crystal
Palace Company have no speeial reasons for opening
their edifice upon any fixed day, and the directors
have' prudently resolved not to risk success by any
precipitate step. The character of the present build
ing, differing so materially as it. dots from its prede
cessor—the one being erected for a temporary, the
other for a permanent, purpose—ationts also grounds
for supposing that, even with the vast energies
and
of the etintrartors, it would net. be possible
to complete it in the same short. period as that occu-
pied by the boildiwf in Ilylle-park. At the pre-
sent moment the columns for the whole length
of the building are erected, anti a very large
portion of the that roofing is glazed ; the gallery
doming is laid for a considerable distance along cavil
side of the building, atfording the most eommatoling
views of the surrutmdiiu country. The circular roof
of one of time end transepts is nearly finished, and
about one third of the entire length; of the nave now
supports the *relies which will earry the crystal roof.
The whole of the piers are 113141 many of
the columns for the wings of the Wilding aro raised
in their places. In railer parts of the building own
and horses are actively engaged in all those sperm.
lions which must still be familiarly remembered by
those who witnessed the novel and systematised pro
ecedings by which the former Great. Exhibition was
raised. The internal arrangements of the building aro
proceeding with activity, but, while 111114.1 i has been
achieved, very much yet remains to be done, and
is hardly to be anticipated that the Exhibition will be
tit for opening during the present. season.
Ton sixth piddle drawing for rights of choice
amongst the uncompleted shareholders of the Cots-
si-ttv Alive !Aso Sr 14:tvry took Owe sin Sattirday last,
at the offices, 3:1, Norfolk .st reel, Strand, in presence
of Viscount. Itanulagh, the Rev. Dr. Worthington,
Mr. Fedor Lawrie, Mr. Crildm, and other members of
the executive cemtnittee and society. Fifty four
rights were drawn by members in the following
counties :—Middlesex, Surrey, I lereffirdshire, York-
shire, Essex, Kent, libairester, mot I lots. Twenty-
five shares wt's' ambled to the list by seniority. It
was announcedo loan the chair that the society had
progressed, and was progressing, in a way unequalled
by any other society of a similar nature; that seme
additional purchases of estates will shortly Is- made;
and that. the next drawing will take pimp in the third
week in dune, at the Freemasons' TILVITII. on thelr-
eaSten of the third quarterly meeting ef the moiety.
A Preto' MEETINO atile inhabit ants of Ile. borough
of Southwark was held on Wednesday evening in the
theatre of the Southwark Literary Institntir al, to ex
141.54 disapprobation and abhorrence at the introduc-
tion of the spy system into England, and also sympa-
thy with M. Kossuth. The chair was ',yowled by
Mr. A. Pellatt, M.P. Letters were rend front Sir
Wahnsley, Lord It. C. Stuart, Mr. Bright, Inn Alcoa,
met Mr. L. King, M.P.'s, excusing their now attend.
awe on various grounds, but expressing courtirrence
in the objeetm of the meeting.
Amovo. the passengers by the Sown, which arrived
on Monday at Southampton, was him.° Sidi, the eon
of a prayerful African chieftain ruling the Trarz.as
people, whose territory adjoins the French colonial
establishments between the Senegal and lis
rivers. 'l'l)4, prince is about twenty rani of age, with
regular Aral, features. llis language is Amide, and
his religien Mahommedan. lie visits England, with
his father's consent, front motives purely of curiosity.
The Trarzas muster I 5,000 fighting men, and are on
the most mm 14.111414, terms with the Emmett en the
western coast of Africa.
A Cover.vsv is being organised for the purpose of
establishing a Crystal Pollute lh Glasgow, on the plan
of the great institittion at Sydenham.
Tilt; Marquis et' Clanricarde is named as the
tamest certain successor of Lord Cowley as Ambas-
sador at the French Court.

Paati.otrutArty CnANotts that have occurred
since the opening of the session up to tho Whitsuntide
holidays, and which, from the various casualties that
Mal men and members, aro unutotally numerous,
am thus set forth in a return moved for by Mr.
Locke King :