The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-12 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE =PRES&

Sts,—Seeing that public attention ha. at last
bees drawn to the private injury done to person and pro-
perty by the formation and working of the Metropolitan
Railway, and as it would seem that Loudon is to be tun-
nelled in • similar manner in all directions, I am induced
at last to give vent to a few reflections and repioings on
Us subject. Some years since I sought my ➢resent real.
deem, as one in every way suited to my family require-
mewle, and by no means the least attraction we're admir-
able Update De water at the top of the street, abutting on the
Maryleboas-roest. I need hardly say that, being a w►ter-
drinker, it was of more coommence to me than • gorgeous
"public" to the imbiber of John Barleycorn, for did be not
approve the tap, ten to one but • few doors off another
stared him in the face, and competition begets good I
quality. The find infliction I hod to endure was the de-
striation of ilia source of supply. By dint of a week's in.
esseant work with a powerful steam engine the course of
t►is splendid spring was turned, and no stone left to mark
the spot where my hopes of health sod comfort lay buried,
Since then I have been obliged to put up with the vapid
filtration one gets from one of the companies, a most valu-
able auxiliary to • household for general purposes, but I
humbly submit altogether unfit to wash down • respectable
dinner. The next thing to which my attention was called
affected my poorer neighbours. It really wu painful to a
degree to see and hear of the misery caused by " paling
in" the small shops on the line of numb. This was,
indeed, beyond • hardship, for scores of respect-
able small dealers and tradesmen were so reduced
by the lack of foot traffic and consequent loss of custom
for many cooserntive months, that they had, firstly, to fall
beck .upon their sparse savings, and these exhausted, in
many indearee, they changed their reindeers to the large
building in my immediate proximity, " Where strong ooni-
pulsion plucks the scup from pride," and • home of some
sort is supposed to be found for the destitute bankrupt. Of
course, we all have had dinned into us the supposed axiom
that, " private interests must give way to the public good.'
This may be very well up to • certain point, bat when •
mesa and his family are reduced from comparative comfort
to abject minty, to which, is many caws, death
would be preferable, it certainly is not too
much to ask those who are catering fur the public, and ex-
pecting to fill their coffers at that public's expense, to hold
out • hand of mercy if not of justice, and in the cause of
our common humanity to do something to assist these poor
people to continue to ears an honest living, with the free-'
doni of mind and body that this colossal undertaking has
deprived them of. By the time the line was completed, the
shops found new tenants, while the old, having never bed
• thought wasted on them, were soon forgotten. As soon
as the trains were in fall working order, I discovered,
I although my house is substantially built, and several doors
from the end of the street, that the loss of
I the pure liquid element was not the only
tion I had to mourn. I fond, and tied that
the vibration caused by the trains is snob as absolutely
to shake me and others of my family out of oar sleep, and
unless care be taken in the arrangement of the glue and
! mockery on the wash-stand, an intermittent discord 611111.11114
that might unhinge the equanimity of • less sensitive ear
' than that of • Ilabbage. I do not know if there is any
immediate likelihood of the house coming about our ears.
That may, be or not. They say "habit gives endurance,"
and "fatigue is the best nightcap ," but for the find I am I
fain to my I do not see its truth, and as my boisterous days '
are over, with respect to the latter, I am • light eleven
Certainly the shakings I have had at timeshare led me to think
seriously of the stability of my domicile, and I bare come to the
moclusios with Hotapur, " Out of this nettle danger to
pluck this flower safety," and at very cousiderable trouble,
annoyance, and expense, to leave • house that sing me
otherwise very well, bat which, in consequence of the
grievances I have explained above, I do not choose leeimr
to inhabit. It is a great question in my mina whether 1
I shall have my case submitted to a jury or not, but this I
do know, that it would not be difficult to show that 1,0001.
I will not compensate or recoup me what I shall have to ex-
pend in getting quit of my present abode and taking
shelter in another of similar size and potassium.
I dislike trouble, but the time was, I should not
have ►esifated • moment to contest the right of this peat
company to interfere with my comfort and levy black mail
on my puns with impunity. I should boldly hare thrown
myself in the gap, and tried the issue of a conflict, great as
the disparity of force undoubtedly is. I may in some irritable
moment ordain to do so, and if I might anticipate the rem*
it certainly would not be failure.
Begging to apologies for the length of this lelsr, and
asking the favour of its insertion in your widespread

columns—l am, kc.,
Noitingham•plaes, Regest'rpark, Doc. 5.

A. W.

Tom Timis IN PARIS. —Our Paris correspondent,
writing os Friday night, mys :—" I must put upon record
that I have this day had the honour of an interview with
General Tom Thumb, Mrs. Thumb, the baby, and the baby's
aunt, Miss Minnie. I received a polite note from the
General's private secretary, intimating that, although the
public receptions were over, the ' family' would have
pleasure in receiving myself and wife at a private inter-
view. In a handsome drawing-room, No. 95, on the first
floor of the Hotel In Louvre, we found tlicqiuteresting party.
The only visitors besides ourselves were the Peruvian
minister, with his wife and two ladies. The General, who
has long; been well ,known in Europe, is in spleedid
health ; his manners are affable and unaffected, and his
toilette unexceptionable. His wife is really pretty,
sad like her Lilliputian sister, Miss Minnie, re-
markably intelligent. But the lion of the party was the
baby, a little girl twelve months old, looking the picture of
health, and, without exaggeration, extremely beautiful.
The face has nothing of the dwarf about it, but my ob-
servation that she looked as big as an ordinary child of her
age was not approved of by the secretary, who assured me
that the weight was somethiog very far below the average,
and, lifting up the expensive lace frock, showed me her
little fest in red morocco shoes, which are not larger than
those of a moderate sized doll. My inquiry whether the
child was expected to grow up • dwarf met with the cau-
tions answer that there was no precedent.' This
is, I believe, true. There is, lam pretty sure, so instance
of such a email couple as Tom Thumb and his wife having
been the progenitors of a child. I venture to prophesy,
however, that Miss Minnie Stratton (that is the Dame of the
infant) will, if the lives to attain her majority, be nearer
the ordinary size of mankind than that of her parents. I
do not believe in the foundation of a race of pigmies. The
General is going to leave Paris almost immediately to fulfil
an engagement in England. He has not seen the Emperor
on this OCOIlli00."
TAR STIIRL/IT-CONWON MAR DER. —Mrs. Col-
borne, the young married woman who was so barbarously
murdered oa the 3rd instant, mess buried at Shirley on the
Bth isstast. A large crowd attended the funeral. The
following is the report of Dr. Shortu, the medical officer of
the Royal South Hants Infirmary, as to the state of the
murderer's health, on Friday night last :—" George Broom.
field contiaues as well as can be expected frees the nature of 1
the wound. He has passed a very qniet day, and slept
several hours. The bullet entered homes, the cartilages of
the third and fourth ribs on the left side, rather more than
half an inch from the sternum. It pawed is a slanting
direction downwards, sad outwards into the cavity of the
Ctrwhere it so doubt sow remains. lafiammation hes
set up, and if this can be subdued by the treatment be
L undergoing, be may probably recover. About six lathes
from the bullet wound, and over the seventh rib, is • cir-
cular mark which doubtless was caused by the shot he fired
first. This did Doe penetrate the flesh, but glanced off from
the rib end attired hie wet, where it has since been toned."

[TwthVi4l

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

WOOLWICH. Dec. 11.
The iron paddle sloop Trident, of fi guns, 850
taw, and SiOdione power, Commander Chutes L. Balfour,
errived in the river yesterday afternoon from the lied.ter-
reclean station, and made fast to the buoy off the Royal
Arsenal, for the v.irpose of discharging her poi.ler and
ammunition. She will proceed to the dockyard tomorrow
to discharge her stores and dismantle, previous to being
paid off. The Trident was oommiuioned by her present
commander in January, 1862, and has since been on service
in the Mediterranean.

CHATHAM, Dec. 10.
In consequence of the course pursued by the
Admiralty in mending tho vowels constructed at this port
to be equipped and fitted at other ports, to the manifest
injury of the trade of the town, a meeting el the leading
residents has been held for the purpose of memorialising
the Admiralty on the subject, and praying that a fair pro-
perties of the ships to be fitted and paid oat of tomiaisaios
way he not to this port.

AMERIcAN HAIL STEAMERS DrE AT LIVERTOOL
Tins WEEK —There are three steamers due at Lic.rpool
this week with the American sod Canadian mails, viz., the
Etas and Nora Sootier, the former with dales from New
York to the 3rd, and the Liner with corresponding dates
from Portland. The Etna may be expected to reach queens-
town, and the Nova Sootien Greenentle, in the course of
Wednesday neat. Oa Saturday neat the Cunard steamer
Asia, from Boston on the 7th, and Halifax early on the
morning of the Bth, will no doubt arrive off Crookhaveu or
quondam'.
Tats INDIAN Amer.—The following general order
has been tinted dated Hone Guards, November 21
" His Royal Illiiness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-
Chief has been sand, with the concurrence of the Secre-
tary of State for India in Council, to decide that, on the re-
commendation of the local government, of India, and with
the sanction of his royal highness, exchanges may be per-
mitted between officers of the staff corps under the substan-
tive rank of field officer, and properly qualified regimental
officers of the same rank, without reference to the htation
on which the regiment of the exchanging officer may be
*ening."

THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.—The Lords of the
Treasury—following the precedest of the 17th December,
1869, in which year Christman also fell upon Sunday—Dave
made a minute that Monday, the 28th inst., should be ob-
served a. a holiday in all the public offices under their con-
trol. They have directed that the Poet-office should be
eloped, in order to give rest to the several persons em-
ployed in that establishment. They have also ordered
that the Customs and Inland Revenue Departments,
lad all their dependencies should only transact on
that day indispensable business, and they have di-
rected that notice should be given to the Bank of Eng-
land that all bills accepted by the Paymaster-General may
be presented and paid on the 24th—but that any bills pre-
seated on the 28th should be paid, if required. The early
promulgation of this notice may possibly induce Merchant',
bankers, tradesman, and other employers to ettend the
holidays over Monday, and only to keep oyes sufficiently
for those duties that are essential, and that cannot be post-
poned. We see that there is a movement to Iraqi leave of
absence from Friday afternoon till Tuesday, which we hope
to see made as general RS possible, since there is time to
come to a common noderstanding.—Obscrrer.

St. James's-hall on Saturday was filled with a
Legs amembly of juveniles. By the invitation of the Wizard
of the North the lollowing schools were present, having•
been admitted free :—St. George'a (Hanover-square/. 200 ;
Hanover branch, 250 ; St. Peter's National (Belgravia),
162 , Parmitisee Charity (Bethnal-gives), 25; total, 637.
The Wizard announces hie last week but three, and states
that he has various novelties In store for the holiday folks
at Christmas.

THZ BISHOP or LONDON IN SPITALFIELDK. —The
Bishop of London, on Thursday evening last, attended a
tea party sesembled in the rooms of the St. Stephen's
School, Spits/fields, wherein were assembled nearly WO men
and their wires. Them were mostly members of as in-
'tastien called the St. Stephen's Social Institute. The
end sought to be achieved is set forth as "to better t►e
condition, physical, mooted, end moral, of those of our poor
parishioners who need its aid," and on Thursday
evening the bishop went amongst the members
sad supporters, the special occasion being the third
anniversary of the coasecration of the church. A com-
mittee presented to him a short address, expressing an
earnest ammeiation of his lordship's episcopal labours, both
for the bodily and spiritual wellbeing of his people. The
bishop replied to this in kindly terms, and in the course of
his remarks said that be thought., could the gentlemen
connected with the Bishop of Loudon's Fund be pre-
sent at that gathering, their heart, would be gladdened
by the sight more than they would rejoice in the longest
bet of subscriptions. After the proceedings the bishop
preached in Bt. Stephen's Church to a congregation which
was crowded to the doom._

•
THE SHIPMENT or GCNIIJWDEIL ON THE THAMES.
—Charles Jarvis and George Chaiden, powder lighternien is
the employ of Mr. T. F. Wood, were *Liaised before the
Ilford bench of magistrates on Beturday for a breech of the
Thames Conservancy bye-laws, in loading gunpowder on
board the ship Fort Regent whilst attached to a oteamtng in
Bagaby's Role. Mr. Frere appeared for the Raines Con.
errancy insupport of the information, and Mr. John Fern.
field for the defendant'. It appeared that the men were
emu to hand fire came of powder net of a powder-boat on
board the Fort Regent while she wee proceeding down the
river. Mr. Farnfield mid the defendants had erred in ignorance
of the real stated the law. The Thames Coeserrencr Act
was passed in 1867. In 1860 another elate* known sa the
Gunpowder Act, became law, limiting the coeservators•
officers to taking coronaries of shipmeets above Black-
well. Subsequently to this the Thames couservators'
made a bye-law tinder their act, which, although it had
formally received the sanction of the Lord Chief Justice
of the Court of Common Pleas, had really not become
known to the men employed in the trade on the river
Thames, as it bad never been acted upon until the re-
cent catastrophe at Erich bad aimed them to hike action
The chairman (Mr. Baro/ay) considered the cave proved,
but owing to it" being the first idea:cation of • the kind,
a invicted the defendants kith" mitigated penalty of 10e. and
meta

----
ANOTIII.B Da2fGZIOCK FRILAIL OF • SAILOR.
Oa Friday morons, about four o'clock, se the mail trait
,going north was pining through Bconghtoo, ue the Lan-
costar sad Preston Railway, shoat a mile south of the
Broughton and Barton fitiatirm. • sailor, a pis/anger in one
of the second-chas stepped out of the train as it
was going at full speed. • fell on the line, but fortunately
rewired to further injuries than slight braless on one
shoulder sad one Mom There were three Mime sailors in
the same compartment, and MI of them hernia been parta-
king rather too freely dreg, thew had been fast asleep. One
of them awakening, or only partially awakening, being tioder
the impression that he was at his journey'," end, got
up, with the intentioa of alighting, and stepped out,
but was surprised on Sadie( himself cast to the ground
with meth force. On recoveries from the shock of his fall,
be saw the signal light of the station at Barton ahead, and
made his way thither, and related to the astonished station-
master his adventure. He remained at the station about
four hours, until the arrival of the neat train winch stopped
there, when be was sent inwards. Except that no startling
story of a Muller-like catastrophe followed the discovery of
the sailor baring fallen from the carriage, the ,incident is
something like one which occurred on the London and
North Western Railway, a few days ago, when a drunken
sailor fell out of the train when at fall speed, sad hit com-
panions were apprehended on the charge of nuirder, and
were only released on their committee appearing in p.ropeid
persond, and unhurt, to tell the pollee he had not been
murdered. —Preston Chronicle.

SCICIDE ON • RAILWAY BY • LI'It•TIC.—A
shocking occurrence happened in the neighbourhood of
Gloucester on Saturday, which has mused a good deal of
commotion there, a lunatic having merle his soaps from the
county asylum, after attacking his keeper, and then com-
mitted suicide by placing him bead under the wbeeis of
railway train. The unfortunate man was named Josiah
Davis, and was a native of Leominster. He had been an
inmate of the Gloucester County Lunatic Asylum for nine
or ten months, and on Saturday morning was walking in the
airing grounds attached to that establishment with sin other
patient., the whole being in charge of two keepers owned
Constable and Willis. While walking in the (minds Davis
appears to have been seised with a sudden manna and made
a violent attack upon the other pstienta with a stick.
knocking dawn a man named Sadler, and injuring him
severely. The keepers endeavoured to take the stick from
Davis, but be resisted them successfully, and as Willis was
raising Sadler from the ground, Constable in the meanwhile
taking charge of the other patients, Davis gave Willis a
severe kick in the rein, which quite disabled him. The
lunatic then ran wily' sad was followed for a considerable
distance, but he ontran his pursuers, and succeeded in
reaehing the Midland Railway about a mile from Gloucester.
At this moment • goods train was coming along the liue, and
Davis, getting on the embankment, deliberately placed his
bead across the mils, and the engine passing over it severed
it etas from hie body beforeithe driver could pol op.
TIM ASSIZES AT LIVEAPOOL.—Mr. Justiee Black-
barn arrived in Liverpool from Cheater at five o'clock on
Saturday afternoon, and was received by the high sheriff,
the mayor, and the deputy town clerk. He prooieded at
once to St. Georges Hall, and opened the commission. The
crown and nisi priva courts will sit and proceed with trials
and causes to-dai (Monday).
0117frAI. rA.Lacx. lIALy-Citowic DAT.
Sannizur' Daa 10.—Admissisera ee mutest, 977 ; ditto
by men tickets, 3,487; total, 4,464.

FIELD'S celebrated UNITED SERVICE SOAP
TABLETN, 4d. and fkl. each, sold by all chandlers and
throughout the kingdom bat the public should ask
and see that the name of J. C. and J. FULD to
ea each packct, bun, and tablet Wholesale and for exportation
at the Works, UPPED, SIAILYH, LAM ISK rii, LONDON, P., where
also may be ...bushed their Prise Modal Pueblos Caadlaa.

NEGRETTI and ZLIEBRA'S One *nines and
Two now.. ra ISLII GLAdIRS and 'fILISCOPLi ars war-
rotted as ands...nod for power and brillianoy. 21.. and 425. In
Wee iht.oU-WIPIOI3, ; Se. Condilll. 122,,
Beranaa." rt. W.; ISA riect.amt ; and Crystal Palmas.

_TORN BRO(DEN'S EXCELLENTE BIJOU-
iv TER It. COURA NTE SIOIALKS SPECIAUX Ilea YARRIQUE
J. M h.mmirrd with a Vint-claw Medal at the Paris
Ilmtert.t: Exbi 'Anon. accompeuled by the above nattering ten-
Mantdel. t writes the palate to an Inspection ..f Ms
001.1)ch.t INS and extensive sesortifeut of JItWELLICHY, all
made al :.te p-enthea—JOHN BROODEN, Oeldnalth. Manu-
factory. No. In, Henrietta-street. Covent-peden. W.C. &Le-
la:bed I) 17,i. Assays made of Chains and Jewellery for la
each. N. I;. 1 ion ettabltshrueut I/closed at gm the smile% and
to ,aturtlays et 1 o'clock.

M Rw.
0,5112 LE S
amM 18:13 (the 0R I GllbeN A T
had .? R
7 HRI -srnerr. HANOVE. T80Q5689 can MUABE.
• bare "MlllsetitiOn Li I.drly distanced by WM."
ALYBED WEBB MILLS. ESTABLISHED UHL

WINTER OVERCOATS. Gentlemen are
ito4 to lorpect the NSW GOODS at
HAMILTON sod HIMPTON'S,
[snore and Overeoatmeke
10. STRAND (opposite Eseter%lllo.

REMEMBER! we wait Supper for you after
the Covent Garden Opiam. at EVANS . ld not.

Onirtoo.

TO COILIIIMPONDIINTS.

Adrertmementa Intended for " The /spread" tosdon Resift'
mu 4 he at the Moe. 10, Bamako-attest, I,y Taro
o'clock on the day of pubheatloa.