The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-02 00:00:00

826

DONCASTER RACES, which will commence on the
12th inst., promise abundant sport, the entries being
excellent, and the amount of added money (1,600
guineas) unusually large.
THE DIRECTORS OF THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAIL-
WAY COMPANY intend to recommend the proprietors,
at the ensuing half-yearly meeting, to declare a divi
dend of Bs. Od. per 30/. share, being at the rate of
2/. 16s. Bd. per cent. per annum for the half-year.
THE NUMBER OF PERSONS RATED TO THE POOR
in England and Wales at 10/. and under 201. is
177,397; at 201. and under 301., 82,375; at 30/. and
under 401., 48,873 ; at 401. and under 501., 34,043 ; and
at 501. and upwards, 182,677.
A UNIFORM PENNY POSTAGE is to be proposed for
adoption in Ceylon. The deficiency created by the
change is to be made up by the imposition of new
import duties.
KILLARNEY was never known to be so frequented as
at present by visitors. All the hotels and lodging-
houses are crowded.
THE LORDS OF THE TREASURY have declined to
grant any allowance to an officer in the Customs who
was about to be placed on the superannuation list,
on account of his conduct while in the department
not being of a character to warrant them in granting
him a pension for his services.
THE report on the state and condition of Penton-
ville prison, and the convicts confined in it, has been
printed for the year 1853. The buildings throughout
are in substantial repair. Twenty additional baths
have been completed, and several minor repairs
within the prison have been completed by the pri-
soners at a very moderate cost. The exterior work
has been executed by hired labourers. The directors
have reason to be satisfied with the manner in which
the officers have executed their duties. As compared
with the three former years, the number of punish-
ments awarded to prisoners is somewhat increased ;
and the number of prisoners who have escaped
unishment, in proportion to the total population, is
less than in the same year.
THE SHIP Essex, Captain Martin, from Melbourne
in 117 days, arrived at Falmouth on Thursday. She
has gold on freight valued at from 180,000/. to
200,000/., and landed her mails at Penzance.

SIO3 an Voila.

NUMEROUS " BEER BIM, • CASES continue to come
before the metropolitan magistrates for adjudication.
Mr. Hardwick, in one of them, has ruled that al
though Londoners going into the country a little way
may legally obtain refreshment in the character of
travellers, they cannot enjoy a similar privilege upon
returning home again, and he acc9rdingly convicted
and fined a publican who served liquor under such
circumstances. Mr. Norton, on Wednesday, fined
the wife of a publican in the Waterloo-road 405., no
fewer than seventy-five customers having been found
in her house on Sunday evening. She pleaded that
the customers had returned by railway and almost
took the place by storm, forcing their way and in-
sisting to be served, with the threat of helping them
selves if their demands were not complied with. Her
husband was absent at the time, and she drew beer
for them in sheer terror. Mr. Norton, though in-
flicting a file in this special case, expressed his con
viction that the act must be modified. He said :
" The present act cannot. in my opinion, last; for the time of
opening (from one until half-past two) is not long enough for a
publican to serve his customers and clear his house; and, there-
?ore, I feel confident it must be repealed. and, indeed, I feel
much surprised the public did not oppose the passing of such an
act. With respect to the much-canvassed question as to who are
travellers and who are not, it is my opinion that a person going
from the east end of the town to the west is as much a traveller,
and, as such, as much entitled to refreshments, as the person
going to Hampstead or Richmond—indeed, they are more en-
titled ; for, in one case, the people go on business. and in the
other (the latter) for pleasure.
A publican who has a house in the vicinity of the Waterloo
station said it was perfectly distressing to hear the lamentations
and entreaties of those arriving by the excursion and other trains
after ten o'clock on a Sunday night to be served with a glass of
ale or a pint of beer, and nearly as distressing to be obliged to
refuse them. On last Sunday night he sat outride the door,
when a lady and gentleman came up to him, and the former almost
implored him to give her a glass of ale. He was obliged to refuse
her, but it went to his heart to do so, particularly in the state she
was in—far advanced in pregnancy—but he knew If he did so an
information would be laid against him, as a policemau was within
sight.
Mr. NORTON did not think that if an information was laid a
magistrate would, under the circumstances, convict.
MADAME CARADORI, the prima donna of the com-
pany lately performing at Drury Lane, was arrested
on Saturday, the 10th ult., for an alleged debt
claimed by Benjamin Sloman, a carpenter and ma-
chinist employed at the theatre. The claimant ob•
tamed a judge's order for the arrest upon an affidavit
declaring that his debtor was about to leave England,
and this statement Madame Caradori (who had ob •
tamed release by depositing the money claimed) dis-
puted by bringing a charge cf wilful perjury against
Sloman. The case was investigated at Bow street
Police Court on Wednesday :
From the opening statement of the case it appeared that Mme.
Caradori and Signor Pavesi had engaged to sing at Drury Lane,
on the reopening of the theatre " under new management.," and
Were announced to appear on Monday evening, the 2lst ult., in