The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-23 00:00:00

Dlttrogolitait.

THE GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF METROPOLITkN
VESTRYMEN against the Confessional and otter Tractarianinnovations in the Church of England
took place on Monday in St. James's-hall, which was
crowded on the occasion. Mr. Alderman and Sheriff
Hale presided, and was influentially supported by
the representatives of the metropolitan municipalities
and its environs. Several eloquent addresses were
delivered by a number of the vestry representatives
of the metropolis, on the main topic of the Confes-
sional, and cogent resolutions weie enthusiastically
carried against the aggressions on the Church of
England of the Puseyite party, pledging the meeting
to use all legitimate means for the revision of the
Prayer-book and the expurgation of everything from
it leading to confession and absolution; the resolu-
tions to be embodied in a petition to be presented to
the House of Commons, praying an address to her
Majesty to issue snch directions as might accomplish
the great objects the meeting had in view.
A CHURCH RATE CONTEST HI the parish of Allhal-
lows, London-wall, on the question of making a rate
to meet the expenses connected with the church,
took place in the vestry room on Saturday. At the
close of the poll the numbers were—For the rate, 57;
against, 34 ; majority, 23.
THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN THE TEMPLE GARDENS,
grown with such success by Mr. Broome, will be in
full perfection about the first week in November.
Mr. Broome has specimen plants, grown in eight-
inch pots, measuring tour feet across, from one stern
only, on which thousands of blooms already appear.
The large varieties, in a bed 150 feet long and 0 wide,
are also very promising for a display of
.monster
blooms, such, perhaps, as have never been witnessed.
SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM was visited during
the week ending 16th October by 9,405 persons.
THE BIRTHS of 912 boys and A 55 girls, in all 1,767
children, were registered in London last week. The
deaths registered in London rose from 993 in the
previous week to 1,149. The mortality from scarla-
tina still continues vet, great. One woman died at
the ripe old age of 100, and two females died from
want. _

CArrr.E.nruvrHo through the streets was one of the
questions discussed by the Court of Common Coun-
cil on Thursday. After some discussion, during which
the existing nuisance was fully acknowledged and de-
precated, the report on the subject was agreed to as
far as the routes were concerned, and the committee
were instructed to confer with the metropolitan
police commissioners with respect to the days and
hours during which the cattle should be driven
through the streets.
THE GREAT EASTERN STEAMSHIP COMPANY have
agreed, with the consent of four-fifths of the share-
holders, there being only three dissentients, that the
original company shall be dissolved, and a new com-
pany formed ; it being also agreed that the cost of
building and launching the Leviathan, 640,0001,
should in the new company be reduced one-half.
THE GREAT BELL AT WESTMINSTER was raised to
its final altitude on Thursday, and nothing now
remains to be done but to remove the hoisting appa-
ratus with its massive timbers and platforms, and to
bolt the bell up to the iron girdle, which are all in
their proper places and ready for the onerous duty of
sustaining it. As in the case of the Great Leviathan,
the sponsors of the great bell have seen tit to change
its name, which henceforth is to be " St. Stephen,"
in place of the more familiar but less dignified ap-
pellation of " Big Ben." The ceremony of baptism
was performed with all due formality, although after
a ritual which was specially invented for the occa-
sion. A workman gave the monster twenty-one
successive strokes with a hammer, while his master
called out in chorus " St. Stephen " after each
successive stroke, and St. Stephen the bell was
declared to be from henceforth. Too much credit
cannot be given to Mr. Quarm for his skilful super
intendence of the operation, nor to the workmen for
the care, patience, and perseverance which at last
brought it to a final and satisfactory issue.
THE LONDON GENERAL OMNIBUS COMPANY is about
to be registered on the recommendations of the
gerants and council of supervision, adopted at a
meetinc, of shareholders in Paris, to be registered as
an English company, on the following fundametital
principles:-Ist. The same canital. 2nd. Exchange
of share for share. 3rd. Limited liability. 4th.
The tranfer of all property, assets, and liabilities.
sth. Direction composed of English and French
elements. 6th. An office in Paris for correspondence
and transfers. 7.h. Payments of the dividends in
London and Paris. The following is a mammal
the operations of the company for the last si?l
months of the present year as extracted from the
report:—
The total receipts amounted to 291,6041. 14g. 71;
"We"; 28'2,3`,:a1. 17s. ; the Approximate balance is
9,080/. 17s. 51 If we (Ampere the receipts of the first.si!
Maisthe with the corresponding sit months of 114:17, we °V
tleoreue of 16,8071,) 71, 04, PO reren" °
ditto
f

ferent kind manifests itself in the expenses, which have
increased 5,6151. 16s. 6d. above those of the first half-year
of $57. However, the traffic has not diminished; on the
contrary. In 1857 we carried in the six months about
16,000,000 passengers ; in 1858, about 16,800,000 pas-
sengers, i.e., an increase of 700,000 passengers. In 1857
we had—omnibuses running daily (average), 560 ; days of
omnibuses, 103,600 ; miles run, 5,680,023. In 1858 we
bad—omnibuses running daily, taveragel, 581 ; days of
omnibuses, 106,904 ; miles run, 5,815,036 ; i.e., an increase
et 21 omnibuses, 3,304 days of omnibuses, and 126,013
miles. Thus have our industrial operations developed
themselves, and the service rendered to the public means
of transit been greatly increased. Our business has
therefore augmented ; and, under this first view, we are
evidently in a prosperons situation. But on the one hand
the amount received hos been less, because it has become
reentsite to reduce the fares; on the other, the proper-
tioncte expenses have increased, because it was necessary
to maintain our position against our opponents at any
coat. During the half-year the company have put in cir-
culation 74 new omnibuses, and 2.2 others have had their
roofsraiaed and ventilation improved. On the 30th of J me
the company had 6,383 horses, being 288 more than in
December last. The correspondent s 3 stem, it is ascer-
tained, is not appreciated in London as it is in Paris ; only
10,000 passengers resort to it weekly. The gerants
strongly recommended the transformation of the French
company into an English one in the following terms:—
" It becomes necessary (proceeds the report) to choose
between the maintenance of the present situation ; that is
to say, the severe struggle with reduced profits—perhaps
one day an actual loss—and the conversion, which may
suppress all the evil causes from which we now suffer. As
for ourselves, the choice is not doubtful. We have
therefore to propose to you to authorize your gerants in
the manner and under the conditions which are about to
be explained, to effect the transformation of the company
into an English company under the law of limited
liability."