The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-16 00:00:00

'176

Mr. Fergasou concludes that the adoption of the
complicaul and expensive system of guarantee,
under whch every railroad in India is being con-
structed, i, the strongest argument in support of his
statement
THE BISHOPS OF GLOUCESTER AND OF CHRIST-
CHURCH, NEW ZEALAND—the Rev. Dr. Charles
Baring, and the Rev. Dr. Harper—were conso
crated of Sunday last, in the Private Chapel, Lam-
beth Pelace, by the Archbishop of Canterbury,
assisted by the Bishops of Oxford, Winchester, and
Chichester. _ _

A To Box or SPADE GUINEAS was found on
Monday afternoon, in the new Victoria-street, Farring-
don street. The workmen engaged in levelling the
rubbish in the " ruins " near Victoria street, struck
upon a small square tin box, extremely rusty. They
at first threw it one side, but., hearing something
rattle, opened it, and di"covered inside sixty-four
spade guineas, eleven half-guineas, and twelve seven-
shilling pieces.
MRS. MEAD, the wife of a silk warehouseman in
the City, residing at Hammersmith, drowned herself
in the Thames last week, from a morbid fear that
she should never recover the effects of an attack of
smallpox. At the inquest the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Unsound mind."

THE LONDON AND MIDDLESEX ARCHEOLOGICAL
SOCIETY, in a recent examination of the monuments
in Westminster Abbey, noticed the erroneous and, in
some instances, absurd descriptions given of the
monuments, and those they are intended to comme-
morate, by the guides employed. The council of
the society has since addressed a respectful commu-
nication to the Abbey authorities, offering to prepare
for the use and information of the cicerones a
correct description of the monumental contents of
the Abbey, in order that history may no longer be
perverted by them to the stranger, nor the ear of
the antiquary or archaeologist scandalised by state-
ments which the first principles of his studies teach
him are fabulous.
THE INCITIIBENCY OF CLERICENIVELL, now vacant by
the death of the Rev. W. E. L. Faulkner, will be the
subject of a keen contest, as several clergymen have
intimated their intention of becoming candidates for
the appointment. The incumbency, which is a per-
petual curacy, worth about 3001. a year, is in the gift
of the inhabitants, who proceed to the election in
public meeting in the usual manner. The district of
St. James—that which is now vacant—contains a
population of about 36,000, and has been held by Mr.
Faulkner since 1839. Attached to the benefice is
the perpetual curacy of Pentonville Chapel, which is
in the gift of the incumbent of St. James's. The
election will take place in about a fortnight.
DURING Snavice in St. Stephen's Church, West-
bourne-park Road, Paddington, last Sunday, a portion
of the ceiling from the right hand gallery of the church
fell with tremendous noise and dust. Every body rushed
out of the church, and after a suspension of nearly
a quarter of an hour the service was renewed, but
before an extremely diminished congregation, to
whom the worthy incumbent, who had exerted him-
self strongly to allay the excitement, stated that
providentially no injury of serious import had been
sustained.
THE PARIS EXHIBITION CERTIFICATES of honourable
mention of workmen have only lately been received
at Marlborough-house in part from the French
Government, with an intimation that the remainder
should be sent shortly. When a workman, producing
a proper authority identifying him, applies for his
certificate, it is given to him. Three several
applications have been made to the French authori-
ties on the subject. The last answer stated that
" Les diplomes feront l'objet d'un envoi spicial."_

THE GRAND STAIRCASE OF THE ARMY AND NAVY
CLUB is about to be enriched by the erection of a
memorial window, in commemoration of officers who
have fallen in the late war. The window, in the
Venetian Italian style, will be composed of brilliant
cut glass, with medallions exhibiting the names and
dates of the battles, and the arms of the club. The
architraves will be of Sienna marble, with panels of
black marble, on which will be inscribed, m letters
of gold, the names of the officers commemorated.
A CHURCH BATE was refused at South Hackney
last week by a majority of 371 to 202, on a poll
demanded by the churchwardens.
11Essas. BROADWOOD'S large pianoforte manufac-
tory in Horseferry-road, Westminster, was almost
totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday evening. The
fire broke out soon after the workmen left the
establishment, at six p.m., and, although it was of a
comparatively trifling extent, almost immediately
discovered, and the mains on the establish-
ment at once turned on, yet, from the failure
of the supply of water after a few minutes, the flames
broke out afresh, and before any engine could arrive
had gained such a hold that, not only were the
entire premises threatened with destruction, but
from the vast extent of the fire the Chartered Gas
Comnany and the whole of the immediate neigh-
bourhood wtra in great danger. In fact, so alarmed
ere the gas company that they discharged their gas,