The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-04 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.)
The Steam took the char at a quarter post 12 .'clock.
STREET MUSIC REGULATION BILL.
This bill was read a Ant time.

THE MOVEMENT OF THE AUSTRUN FLOTILLA.
Mr. D. GRIFFITH pee settee that at the nnt:oo 01
adjournment ea UM 17111 et May, he should cell the ettee.
Moe of the home to the morementa of the Austrian Beet
tweet& the Baltic without my cheek or 'operetta*.

WEIGHTS AND MILLSERES (METRIC SYSTEM)

BILL.

Oa the motion for gob( into committee on this bill,
Kr. HUMBERSTON waled to state that he saw great
objections to the propeeed nimenre, whether u regarded
our foreign or intersal eommoros and trading trassactiore.
Oar great export tee& was to countries when the metric
system did not exist. It did not exist is auy of our colo-
nist. Bolleeing that the common sense of the conotry was
spinal the proposal, he should say " No" to it. going into
coseasitimb.

Yr. ADDERLEY said the house had already adopted the
principle of the bill, and he saw no reason why they should
not now go into committee upon it. The metrical 'piton'
was almost tutiveesslly adopted by civilised sations, and it
it was sot adopted is the colosies it was because their great
trade was with this country where the slowness of the
Hoses of Commons prevented the system from being
adopted. He believed that both coevenience and science
were on the aids of the adoption of the metrical system.
After a few words from Mr. GIIPITrii,
The hones west into mmunittee on clause I.

On aims 2,
Mr. GIBBON mid that this dams proposed that certain
weights and meesures should be lepl after a certhia
date. The proposition our neither more nor lam than
the establishment of a new =timid standard. (Hear, hear.)
He thought his has. Mead was going too fast. He did not
beams there was a single retail trader in the country who
would go to the expense of getting metric weight. and
mesetires—whith would not about 3.—iu order that he
might sell hi wares by metres and immmes instead of by
rerds and °moss. (Hear, hear.) He thought
his hon. friend would do well merely to coofine himself to
enacting that onetrects expremed In the metric system
between parties should not be thereby illegal contract..
When the critical standard yard was destroys} by the
busing of the houses of pediment, a commission comisting
of the mast seisatthe men in the kingdom was appointed to
tied a new standard. With rapid to the metre it was not
*rough that a metre existed in Paris or in the Royal society,
With regard to the metre they were in the same position
that they were in with regard to the yard after the burning
of the Howse of Parliament, and if it was to be adopted,
it should be stir a commission was appointed to fix the
standard. The. was absolutely emential.
Mr. AYRTON thought that an investigation should be
made es to what the metric standard was, that the wei,thte
and measures should then be distributed with a view to their

nomodueda
m a.
B urged the adoption of the metric system u
the most convenient.

Mr. PACER considered the decimal system so simple
that it requirepozil • first introduction to bare it soon
universally s
After farther conversation,
Mr. EWA RT said he should be willing that the Chairman
should report on the understanding that him right
hoc. friend should undertake so far as possible to carry
out the object of the bill (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN reported progress, sad the house re.
awned.

[Left sitting.]

BRITISH AND PORSION BIBLE SOCIETY.

(THIS DAY.)

The sixtieth anniversary muting of this society
was held this morning at Exeter Han, the attendance being
somewhat thioner than nue', owing probably to the on.
favourable state of the weather . The chair was taken by
the Earl of SHAPTESBUST, and on the platform were the
Bishop of WincbeMer, the Boehm of Ripon, Lord Charles
Resell, Mr Jobe Keassway, Mr. A. Rimbaud, 1L P., Mg.
E. Belau M.P., Yr. R. Maabary, M.P., the Hos. and Rev.
Baptist Noel, Dean Goode, Caeca Stowell, the Revs. C. F.
Maritsa, E. Bayley, E. Collinaon. D. ooberee, sod Canoe
Oars; Mr. John Rockall, and the imbued:dors from Made.
gum.
]horn the report, which was read by the Rev. Mr. JACK-
SON. it appeared that the receipts of the year midis( March
31, 1864, had exceeded thou of any preoediog year. The
amonot epplicable to the of the society wee
89,61114 13.. beimg ea=sPealral. 13s. 6:1. over the
prosodies year ; while the must remind for Bibles sod
Testaments bed hem 79,0071. 10s. 6d., or 5,2931. 6s. 6d.
'Dore than in the preceding you Tbe total re-
ceipts from the ordinary sources lncome bad amounted
to 168,9051. la. Wing 1.2211. 2s. Sd. more than in any
foram yam.. To the above ma added the sum of 770/.
19s. 11d. for the Chinese New Toatemoot Fond. sod
27/. 13s. Bd. few the special fluid for Lodi& • making a
read total of 160,703/. 17.. 7d. The Musa al
the society for the year were as follows : From
the depOt from bane, 1,849,767 ; from degas abroad,
645,351-2,495,118 copies. The total Manes of the society
now amount to 45,539,452 copies. The ordinary payment
have amounted to 144.3161. 1.3 a, Bd.. and the payments on at-
oust of the special funds to 7,0391. lb. 3d. . • making the
total expeaditare of the year to amount to 151,3551. 13s. 11d.,
being 8161. 13e. 3d. wen Uwe he the Melding year. The
society I. seder engagements to the extent of 109,619/.
14s. 111.

6aiik; ovum of the Bishop of Wricworra, secouded
by Lard CaAz Rcsact.i, the report was adopted. Ocher
speeches sad resolatioes succeeded.

LONDON BANK OP SCOTLAND.-(THIS DAT.)

At noon to-day a general mooting of the share-
holdersd this beak was held at the Loam' Tavern, foe the
purpoes of • a reseintioe of the board for in:rese-
wpied the the ef the compasy. Ir. CaCunt,Cunt,H.P., mos.
.
The SICILTAZT (11,..1. Maurice) having reed the sakes
maven* the rosetiag.
The C[AIRMAN seated that it wee proposed to Menem the
capital by the Imes al 10,000 new shares al 1001. each, to
walleged rateably emorm the shareholders ea the miner
tie Mk proMmo. He stated that moose arrangements
with other eisepseies bad bees mitered isto with refemmee
to the hew of soups till • general bill coo the sub-
ject was introduced, and they would proceed at one.
with the hosiers in London. The propmed increase in
the capital was as account of the growing disposition of the
public to presort busioess with joint stock in preference
'to other heals. The directors reserve to themselves the
power of running the premium at which the shares should
be issued, and also the payment of calls as the new shares.
The resolution was earned unanimously.
A short ammunition occurred with reference to the
propriety et ism* the new duns at 41. premium, as pro-
posed is the shanks' to the shareholders ; but
The esursuse Meted that since that circular had been
Weed the Mate of the terms, market bad blooms such that
it was doubtful whether the shares would be placed at 41.
premium ; and therefore the shareholders would reserve the
power of naming the premium.
A voted Hooke to the chairman conaleded the pro-
eselisp.

THE SHAXWEARIAN COIGIMSOILATIVE FESTIVAL
, AS OrSel7OllD-UPOMAVOS.—At 7 o'clock on Monday sight
it use annommed I. the same of the committee that the
balloon would sot go up—the apology being that the wind
was leo violist to alio. as moist to take place. The specta-
tors received the notification, is great good humour, as it was
promised that Mr. Doswell would ascend nest day ; bat
yesterday worming it was discovered that the gas otimpany
could sot supply the pa, sad the attempt at inflation wee
therefore abandoned. The ball os Moeday niebt ended in
diesppoistenest ; only shoat 140 parsecs senseibled. Yew
terday mantis( " the pageant cenuottee " spin perambu-
lated the tows, •
Falstaff% portly hams bong this time
reouated spot a horse. Tearly part of the mooting was
wok bat toward. ems the weather cleared up sad remained
flw for the remainder of the day. A very large somber of
poems cane into the town from the ern s.Jiag villages,
Birmieghau of coarse oostributire greely to swell the
multitude. To-night the festival will be brought to a ekes
by Shabeepeare's comedy of Neck Ado Abort Nothing.
ATICHTTICTURAL EXHIBITION, 9, CONDCIT-STREET,
Rsomrmitimer.—lest evening Professor Dooaldson, prei-
dest of the Rotel Institute of British Architects, delivered
a loiters "Ot the Military Arcititectuni of the Middle
Ages." The lecture was copiously illustrated by drawling
of Raglea, Bessmarls, Cbecatow, Conway, York, Hoer,
Ala wick, and other conies, sod the lecturer pm a full and
interesting aceoent of the history of the several Strada/fa,
...,:=Les their coestructive peculiarities sod
The met lecture will be delivered on
Turßotates.ay, May 10, by Dr. Dow, "Os the Decoration of
Met

ASSOCIATION MI PROMOTING THE GENERAL WF.I,
PARR OP THE Bum —The =coal general meeties of the
members of this society took place yesterday, at the iota-
tattoo. Ihmice-road ; Eler John Amos. Bart, fa the chair.
The repast for the year ending Dec 31, 1863, showed that
the total number of promos assisted was the setae as last
year. via, 170, bat the applimets bad Marseaed from 290 to
upwards of 300.

Num ROMAN CATHOLIC CHCILCH AND SCHOOLL
A sew Berea enthrall church was emoted yesterday at
It has been built from the &algae of
Deere.= and NichoU, of Maryleboce-road. It is •
landesene building, Gothic to style. There wen pre-
sent Oardheal Whams and many other eccleinaMios, sod •
large amt., of the Imity. The sermon was prembed by
Omdinal Wiseman, who dwelt at oonsiderable length or- the
deist of the Raman catholic religion to @redeem of derbies.
He referred to Dr. Colesso's worts, sod also to " ramari aid
Reviews .• he .her spoke in strong terms of cesidenum-
Noe of °the atisalien paid to Gentekli by protein's*
bishops. After the sorrier the coreeratene was laid of new
Roams catholic schools which are being erected f. the same
neighbourhood from designs of Mr. Pugin. There was after-
wards • dtjoamar, at which eardioal Whew presided.