The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

1111.E.tD RIOTS.

Ar Exeter and in several towns and villages in ita
vicinity riots consequent on the high price of pro-
visions occurred at the close of last and the commence-

meat of this week. There was nothing to distin.
guish them from ordinary riots of a similar nature.
Windows were broken; bakers' shops to some extent
pillaged ; the police were inadequate to the 'miler
gency ; the military were called upon to aid the civil
power ; the mob was dispersed, some prisoners were
captured, no life was lost, and " order reigns at
" Exeter." It is not long since some of our con-
temporaries were singing triumphal chants on the
universal tranquillity that prevailed, notwithstanding
the extensive strikes and the enormous price of
food. They could find but one cause for this calm.
True it was that bread was dearer than ever it had
been under Protection; but then, now "it was no
" longer leavened by a sense of injustice, therefore
" the people were tranquil." We are sorry that these
riots have come to dispel the theory of our con-
temporaries, not that we suspect for a moment they
will admit that they were mistaken, for if, like the
French philosopher, they are told that facts are
against them, with him they will doubtless reply,
" Then so much the worse forthe facts." The truth
is, the people under Protection, as also under Free
Trade, act in these sudden outbreaks (ruin mere
passion, not from reason—from that strong im-
pulse which originated the homely proverb that
" hunger will break through stone walls."

EAST GLOUCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.
THIS election terminated on Thursday in the triumph.
ant return of Sir M. H. Beach, the Conservative
candidate. At the close of the poll the numbers
were :—For Sir M. H. Beach, :1,364 ; for Mr. Holland,
2,34:1 : majority, 1,021. The votes were distributed
among thirteen polling districts, as follows :
District. Beach. Holland.
Avening 228 .. 75
Maley 126 .. 181)
Campden 234 .. 71
Cheltenham .. 405 498
Cirencester .. 392 .. s 170
Gloucester .. 672 .. 47$
Minchinhasuplon.. $ll .. 58
Northleach 3011 .. 60
Stonehouse .. 113 .. 134
Stow on•Wolil .. 269 .. 52
Stroud .. 113 .. 269
Tcwkesbury 255 100
Winclicomb .. 120 160

3,841 2,1148
This is the first occasion on which the new act,
limiting the poll in county elections to a single day,
had come into practical operation. Not the slightest
difficulty is said to have occurred in taking the votes
of the electorate during the limited time thus pre-
scribed at the thirteen polling stations scattered
throughout the eastern division of Gloucestershire.

THE BADEN DIET was opened on Thursday. In
alluding to the conflict now existing between the
State and the Church, the Regent said that he
deeply regretted the disturbances caused by the
step taken by the Archbishop of Freiburg, as well
as the misapprehensions which prevailed in some
foreign States on the subject. Under such circum-
stances it was satisfactory and reassuring to find
that the greater part of his people took a more cor-
rect view of the course pursued by the Government.
No effort would be spared, while asserting the rights
of the Crown, to bring about an amicable adjust-
ment of the misunderstanding, and to secure to the
Church a safe and dignified position.

GENERAL LOPEZ.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."
Sir,—Though I differ toto ado from you in politi-
cal opinions, I am persuaded you would not know-
ingly make mistatements. Therefore, cognisant of
what did occur in this country, I assure you that the
treaty concluded at Assuncion between England and
Paraguay has been ratified, and, having been so, it
has been published in the London Gazette for gene-
ral information.
When General Lopez was in London the Court
was: not in town ; and as the General only spoke
Spanish, a language the Queen does not speak, a
visit would have been inconvenient and unpleasant.
Her Majesty, however, did receive the General, both
in coming to, and in leaving, England—graciously,
we may be sure.
His Excellency saw Lord Clarendon whenever he
had anything to communicate. That he was disap-
pointed in his communications I quite admit; not,
however, from any discourtesy or neglect, but for
reasons which the Examiner has correctly explained

in its issue of to day.
For the inattention of other foreign diplomatists,
if any there were, the British Government was in no
way responsible. But there obviously could be no
great intercourse where there was no language
spoken in common ; and I have heard one say that
the general rather shrunk from than sought society.
—I am, sir, your obedient servant, C.

January 7.
[Although the foregoing letter is not authenticated
by the signature of the writer, we waive in its
favour our usual rule and insert it, because it ap-
pears to come from one who has a right to speak
with authority on the subject to which it refers.
" C." first asserts what we have never denied, '
that the treaty has been ratified ; secondly, that
Cleneral Lopez was only received by her Majesty on
his arrival and at his departure, which we are surely
justified in calling "a bare recognition of his diplo-
matic character;" and lastly, that the Foreign Minis-
ter of England Llmitted a foreign envoy to an inter-
view whenever "he had anything to communicate."
Neither the letter of " C." nor the article in the
Examiner to which he refers, appear to us to con-
flict with the statement we have made.—En. of
PLtElis.]

THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.
TO THE. EDITOR 01 " THE mess."
Sir,—l shall feel obliged by your inserting the
enclosed in your valuable journal.
A short time since a communication appeared in a
weekly paper entitled " The Dangers of the North-
West Passage." I beg to offer a few observations,
showing that the writer has not overstated the perils
we have to encounter, or the occasions whence they
may arise. The great acceleration of speed of the
trains on the North-Western Railway on this side
Watford has of late been observed by many persons
whose residences are in that neighbourhood, or
whose business obliges them to use that part of the
line in visiting town. I recently took a first-class
ticket from the Watford station by the mail-train
due at Watford at 10.23, and at Euston-square at 11
a.m. The train did not reach Watford till long after
it was due, and the speed with which we dashed
along to make up for lost time was fearful, and the
oscillation of the carriage was so great as to render
it difficult to keep our seats. When we reached the
Euston-square terminus some observation WAS made
by an official as to the lateness of the train, where-
upon the driver of the engine made answer, " And
yet I went like the devil, too." In fact, the distance
between Watford and London is become a kind of
railway steeplechase.
At a time when awful catastrophes occur, and the
public, aghast, asks, "How can these things be ?" it
surely requires no long scientific investigations, no
heights, no depths of knowledge before a verdict can be
given as to the possible cause of accidents. As long as
there exists such great want of punctuality in the start-
ing and arrival of trains—as long as the welfare of pas •
'wagers is postponed to the interests derivable from
increased traffic, or to any other arrangements in
which the consideration of safety is excluded—so
long will danger attend us on our great iron-ways.
The object of those who direct and manage ought to
be to save men's lives, not to destroy them ; whereas
the results often point to culpable supineness and
carelessness of their sacred trust.
1 have repeated the exclamation of the engine-
driver. Your readers will judge for themselves
whether they will in future calmly recline in the
corners of a railway-carriage should they have reason
to suspect the mighty engine attached to the train
is under the command of an imitator of the arch
enemy. A safe conduct under such auspices is not
very probable. The only thing we have to do is
what a celebrated French writer has forcibly ex-
pressed thus :—" De remettre votre ante a Dieu et de
contempler le paysage en attendant le Inert on un
miraele."—l am sir, your obedient servant,
A Ensquxxx M.MUS.&
London, January, 104.

111.1.

THE PRESS.

THE CITY COMMISSION—DEFENCE OF THE
CORPORATION.
THE City Corporation Commission resumed its meet-
ings on Wednesday, after the Christmas recess. Con-
siderable interest attached to the proceedings of the
day, and the I'rivy Council Chamber in Downing-
street was thronged with civic dignitaries, headed by
the Lord Mayor, as it was known that a formal and
elaborate defence would be presented on behalf of
the corporation against the manifold charges adduced
in previous sittings, or ventilated through the press,
against their administration. This defence accord-
ingly appeared in the shape of a voluminous " Re-
port," signed by the Town Clerk, Mr. Sergeant Mere-
wether, and read by the Recorder, the Hon. Stuart
Wortley. This document extends over six or seven
columns of close print in the daily journals. We, of
course, can Lind space but for a bare abstract of its
principal allegations.
Preluding with some observations upon the parties
by whom the City corporation is assailed, and who,
says the report, "have constituted themselves at once
accusers, witnesses, and prosecutors," and upon
the statements whereon the assault is based, in
which " are mixed offensive misrepresentations,
exaggerations of assumed facts, spurious arguments,
groundless opinions, and speculative projects," the
document proceeds to answer seriatim the charges
brought under six several heads of accusation.
I. That the revenue of the corporation is exces
sive. This they declare is not the case :
" The proper income of the corporation averages about
2(X),0001. per annum, of which a little less than one-half
is derived from freehold and leasehold rents, and a little
more than the other half is derived from tolls, offices, and
casual sources of revenue. This sum represents the grass
receipts of the corporation in respect of its corporate pro-
perty. Besides the proper revenue of the corporation,
the Police Committee of the Common Council and the
Commissioners of Sewers, consisting of members of that
body, have the raising and expenditure of an average
amount of about 111,0001. per anutun by rates upon pro-
perty in the City—namely, fi4,0001. for paving, lighting,
and sewers, and about 27,0001. fur police."
11. That the City income, or part of it, is derived
from objectionable sources. These sources too
examined separately :
" The RENTAL, amounting to nearly 100,0001. per annum,
is chiefly derived from houses in the City, from the perpe-
tuity lessee and occasional fines of the Conduit Mead
Estate, and from the rents of the Finsbury property,
which is held upon lease. The entire amount of rental
derived from embankments made, not for the sake of
revenue, but for the improvement of the river and the
convenience of commerce, did not exceed 1,100/. per
annum. On this head the report alludes to the steps
taken by the coiporation in reference to the conservancy
of the river, and justifies the resistance they offered to the
proceedings of the Crown in respect to the bed of the
river. With respect to the revenue derived font TOLLS,
(fellers, and tares, the corporation, while contending that
they were derived from prescriptive or recognised legal
title, were willing to make those modifications which the
interests of trade and commerce required. The first of
these revenues to which objection had been made was the
charge upon the admissions to freedom. This charge,
which, until within the last twenty years, was 271. (is. Md.,
and produced some thousands a year, is now reduced to
the ancient fee of'.:!. tis. Sd., yielding very little more than
one-tenth of its previous amount; and was obviously too
small to deserve a single comment, except from the mis-
representations which had been made as to the proceedings
taken within the last few years to compel persons to be-
come free, not for the purpose of increasing the amount of
the funds of the corporation, but to increase the number
of the municipal constituency. They denied that the pro-
ceedings to compel the retail traders to take up their
freedom were conducted in a harsh and vexatious split ;
and in all the cases but one the costs of the proceedings
were remitted to the recusant patties. With respect to
the COAL DUTIES, the annual amount of which was 70,01X.d.
a year, they say, that, if public improvements are to be
effected, it appears difficult to devise means by which the
amount required can be raised in a manner so little inju-
rious to the public, and falling so equally upon the persons
for whose use the improvements are required. The
avenues of the city of London are sufficient for the inha-
bitants of the city of London ; and the necessity for their
improvement and enlargement arises from the immense
concourse of people who daily frequent the City from miles
around it. What, then-fore, can be more equitable than
that the persons residing within twenty miles round the
metropolis should contribute to the improvements required
for their comfort and convenience ? Ult.!' respect to the
alleged extension of the area of the limits of taxation by
the act 14th and lath Vict., cap. 140, the opinion of the
16w officers of the Crown is conclusive that the area of
taxation was not extended by that act. The revenue de-
rived from the METAOS or cons amounts to about 10,0001.
a year, subject to the cost. of collection and management.
In reference to this the corporation have for several years
been irupressed with the opinion that the time was
approaching when the interests of the commerce of the
port would require a considerable modification of the
ancient customs of Loudon, as far as both metage and por-
terage were concerned, but those motliticatious could not
be effected without an act of Parliament."
That the expenditure of the corporation is
excessive in amount and useless as to its purposes.
" To support this allegation," the report observes,
" it is aaid that the costs of the mayoralty are excessive,
anti that the inaugurat'en banquet and its attendant

SATURDAY,

pageantry are expensive, useless, and absurd. To this we
reply, that the allowance to the Lord Mayor to maintain
the state and hospitality of his office (including his propor•
tion of the banquet and pageantry) does not exceed a sum
between 8,00(1. and 9,0001. per annum. The casual
sources of income, such as the tines for the admission of
Jew brokers, grants of freedoms, &c., referred to by some
of the witnesses, which were formerly perquisites of
office, have been for some years abolished or commuted
for money payments included in this sum. We con-
tend that the inauguration banquet is not profuse either
in its character or cost, and that it is conducted as

becomes a state banquet. given to the Ministers of the
Crown, the representatives of foreign powers the elite of
the learned professions. and the great commercial and name.
tary establishments of the City, by the corporation of the
first city of the first country in the world. There are about
1,101) guests entertained—the expense, defrayed by the Lord
Mayor and by the Sheriffs in equal moieties, amounts togs.
then to about 2,2001., of which sum the cost of the pageant
and procession by land and by water does not, on an ave.
rage, exceed 2001. Besides this sum, the corporation de-
fray the cost of lighting and fitting up the hall. We like.
wise contend that the pageant, being in continuation of
an ancient cui'dom, ought not to be abolished without
stronger reasons than have yet been assigned for its aboli.
tion. Previous to the last 9th of November, the Lord
Mayor took the opinion of the bankers in Lombard.
street, of the brokers in Mincing-lane, and of the market-
traders in Thames-street. They did not feel that it would
occasion any such inconvenience to their pursuits as would
render it improper for the procession to pass along those
streets in its progress. Great economy had taken place
in the administration of the different City committees since
the beginning of the present century, and their great
efficiency had been admitted by the former commissioners.
With respect to the salaries, the same commissioners
stated that though they were framed on a liberal scale the
question of their amount might be safely left to a civic
legislature, fairly chosen. The duties of the officers had
greatly increased since then, in consequence of the increase
of the City property • notwithstanding which their net in.
come was less now than it was at the period of their report
(1882)."
IV. As to the City police. In answer to charges
under this head the corporation observe that

" the general interests of the metropolis could not in any
degree suffer from the independent exertion of two co-
operative forces, acting as they did in harmony with each
other for all purposes, when co-operation was required, and
acting separately only in the instances where special cir-
cumstances require a special treatment. The objection to
an independent commission for the lighting, paving, and
sewerage of the City is founded upon the same arguments,
and is to be met by the same reply as in the ease of the
police force."
V. That the City accounts are intentionally kept
in an unintelligible form. This allegation the report
meets by a peremptory denial both of the stated fact
and the imputed motive :
" The chamberlain kept the requisite set of books
for the conduct of the business of his office, in which the
general transactions of all the various funds in his depart.
went were daily posted and balanced. He kept in addition
a separate set of books for each of the distinct accounts or
trusts in respect of which he was treasurer, the entries of
which were regularly balanced with the general cash-
books. Thus separation of funds (without which incl.
trieable confusion would result) was provided for at the
same time that an efficient check was furnished by the re-
duplication of entries. These accounts were again arranged
for audit, according to the system known as ' Charge and
Discharge,' which had been iu operation more than a
century. This system affords proof of accuracy, and has
called forth expressions of satisfaction from all who
had made themselves acquainted with its working. This
branch of administration would not be found unworthy of
comparison with that of other public departments, wing-
cilial or even imperial, and was undeserving of the censure
bestowed upon it."
'VI. That the personnel of the corporation was de-
rived from the lower ranks of City trade—the Mayor,
the Aldermen, and Common Council having during
the present century been shopkeepers, greatly in-
ferior to corporators of former times, in station,
respectability, intelligence, and public spirit, unfit
for their positions, and unrespected by their fellow-
citizens. Replying to this personal charge, the re-
port states :
" That of the existing Court, of Aldermen, eleven of its
members graduated to their present position through the
Common Council. The personal honour and respecta-
bility of the iddermen, and the perfect honesq and inde-
pendence with which they discharged the duties of their
office, hail not been impugned by any witness. There
existed amongst the citizens of London a very strong pre-
possession in favour of the retention of aldermen as
magistrates, instead of having justice administered in the
City by stipendiaries, and in their opinion there existed
well-founded reasons for this prepossession. Of the twenty-
six, eight of them were, or had been, members of the House
of Commons, five of them for large metropolitan consti-
tuencies. Fifteen of the aldermen, as well as several
members of the Common Conne“, were county magis-
trates, some of them for two or three counties. One of
the aldermen was and had been for many years a Bank
director, and was the chairman of the Society of Merchants
trailing to the Continent ; another is chairman of the
Committee of the Joint Stock Banks of London ; two
' others were directors of the London and Westminster
Bank ; two were directors of the London Joint Stock
Bank, and two more of the Union Bank ; and most of
, them who have leisure and inclination, like many of the
i Common Council, wore dilutor* Of insurance cewpanicli

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