The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-16 00:00:00

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of the royal marriage, I
under the direction of Signor
Com, by the private band of her Majesty. The
vocal solos will be intrusted to Mlle. Clara Novello
and air. Sims Reeves.

Volitzt al.

THE EXTENSION OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA WEIS
again discussed on Tuesday at a special meeting of
the Church M issionar SocietArchbishop of y, held at Exeter hall,
under the presidency oy f the
bury. The archbishop, the Bishops of London,
Winchester, and Norwich, and the Hon. A. Kinnaird,
31. p., addressed the meeting at great length, and
proposed various resolutions in accordance with the
object of the meeting, the Bishop of London express-
ing a hope that " all Christians, sinking sectional
differences, would unite in an effort to evangelise
India." A meeting of the Christian missions for a
similar object was held at Glasgow on Monday, and
most influentially attended.
SEVERAL REFORM MEETINGS have been held during
the week. On Wednesday night Mr. Ingram, M.P.,
presided over one at the Freemasons' Tavern, and in
opening the proceedings expressed himself strongly
acainst a 51. franchise, against an educational fran-
chise, and against the division of the country into
electoral districts. Mr. Ingram did not state the
nature of the reform he was prepared to support.
Mr. P. Edwards said it was on record that Lord Pal-
merston had said to Sir J. Walmsley that "if the
working classes got the franchise, it would degrade
the franchise," and he proposed a resolution to the
effect that no Reform Bill would be complete which
did not include as a leading feature "the principle
of manhood imffrage." Mr. E. Jones seconded the
resolution ; and Mr. Coningharn, M.P., though he
agreed to the general principle of the resolution,
would not preclude himself from accepting a large
And liberal measure of reform. Mr. Coningham con-
demned the recent reappointment of Lord Clanri-
carde as " an act of daring presumption on the part
of the Prime Minister, and as a downright insult to
the respectability and truthfulness of the united
kingdom." The meeting after this was shortly
brought to a close amid great riot.—At Woolwich,
Newcastle, Birmingham, Dudley, Stockport, &c.,
similar meetings have been held, and the Reform
manifesto of Messrs. Roebuck and Co. universally
condemned, and declared unworthy of support
because it does not include "manhood suffrage." The
reorganisation of the Reform party has been decided
on at Manchester, and Mr. George Wilson, late
chairman of the Anti-Com-Law League, has agreed
to join the movement.

Rlttmolitan.

THE SUNDAY EVENING SERVICES at Westminster
Abbey were repeated last Sunday with less incon-
venience than on the previous occasion. There is
still great room for improvement. A larger number
of working people were present. With respect to the
service to-morrow, we are requested to state that an
alteration has been made in the order of preachers.
The sermon will be preached by Archdeacon Sin-
clair, and that on the 24th inst. by the Bishop of
Oxford. The Dean of Canterbury will preach some
other Sunday.
THE ANNUAL RETURN OF FIRES IN LONDON shows
an increase in the past year over that of 1856 of 158
fires. On the average of the foregoing 24 years, the
increase is 373. The number of fires in the list of
" totally destroyed " shows a decrease of 2 as com-
pared with 1856, and on the proportional average
of the last 24 years a decrease of 7. The number
fires from the Ist of January to the 31st December
has been as follows :—Fires at which the premises
were totally destroyed, 32 ; ditto, ditto, slightly
damaged, 644; ditto, ditto, considerably damaged,
430 ; total fires, 1,115. False alarms of fires, 90 ;
chimneys, ditto, 91; total, 187. Total calls, 1,302.
THE MAIN DRAINAGE QUESTION again came be-
fore the Metropolitan Board of Works on Monday,
when a communication from Sir B. Hall, declining
to afford the Board certain information, having been
read, a resolution referring the plans received from
the office of the Chief Commissioner to the engineers
appointed by the Board was carried by a majority of

26-I0 8.
AT A COURT OF ALDERMEN held on Monday last,
a retiring pension of 4001. per annum to Mr. Bunion,
late Governor of Whitecross-street Prison,was agreed
to. Mr. Burdon's successor has not yet been pre-
seat d by the sheriffs to the Court of Aldermen.
AT A MEETING OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
held last Monday, Sir R. Murchison stated that a
communication had been received from the Foreign-
office relative to Dr. Livingstone's proposed expedi-
tion into Africa :

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Lord Clarendon had communicated to the society the
expression of his lordship's wish that the geographical
Council of the society should submit to the Foreign-oflice
i.ny suggestions they thought proper in reference to the
reposed expedition to explore the Zambesi River and
.chat portion of the interior of Africa. That cow:tinnies-
t-ton had been brought] before the council, and they ap•

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