The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-28 00:00:00

- .
THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 28, 1846.

FRANCE—It. was stated by several Of the Jour,
nide of Monday that the 3fonievrie of the follow,* day
would contain a royal oreonnance, opening a new 'Wit of'
'two millions of francs to the Miniver of Public Works, for
the repair of the damage caused by the inundations. The
ordonnance has not yet appeared, but tho Presse states
that the omission must be purely fortuitous, as the ordon-
nance has received the royal signature, and has been for-
warded to the Bulletin de Lois for publication.
The French government, says the Frew, has just
sent a mission to the Emperor of Morocco at the capital of
empire, where no official personage has hitherto been,
the foreign envoys having alwaysitopped at Fez or Mequines.
IL. de Cnasteau, the chargé d'affaires of the King of the
French in Morocco, is at the head of this mission. He was
to proceed from Tangier to Mangan by sea, and from thence
by land to the capital.
General de Lamoriciere embarked a few days ego at
Toulon, for Algiers, in the steam-frigate Albatros. Re is
said to have received from :he Minister of War full instruc-
tions as to the exchange of prisoners, which has not yet been
effected.
A Toulon letter states that the Bey of Tunis intends
to negotiate for a loan, either in Paris or London and that
this is the reason why his Highness isattended by his Minis-
ter of Pumices.
VISIT OF TILE BET OF TUNIS TO THE INVALIDES.
—On Wednesday the Bey of Tunis accompanied by bis suite,
by Col. Thierry, and M. Alex. Desgranges, first secretary-in-
terpreter of the King, paid a visit to the Hotel des InvHides.
On alighting his Highness was received by Marshal Duke of
leaning on the arm of General Oudinot. After
v~ling the marshal, " I am come, said the Bey, under the
eespiees of a great king to visit the halls of glory, and I am
happy at being received by one so worthy of dwelling there."
All the veterans were drawn up in line. " Why can I not
question them all ?" said the Bey, " they would be for me as
hying books of history ' • and their words would
confirm the high deeds which I read on their
manly faces, and in their noble wounds. Tell th'
so, General." The Bey, then inspected the church and
whilst examining the trophies, expressed hie vows for the
success of French arms. Before the tomb of the Emperor,
be remained thoughtful for a moment, and then raid
" This is he who has tilled the universe with his name, and
whose glory still shines in the world." He likewise visited
the hospital and every part of this noble institution. Before
leaving, he went to take leave of the venerable Duke de
Reggio, who at the Bey's request had retired to his apart-
ments, and partook of a collation, at which the Duchess de
Reggio did the honours. The Bey of Tunis, like most
Orientals, is of an extreme sobriety. His principal food is
rice, but he also partakes of poultry, which, according to the
law of Mehemet, is stilled, and not killed by bleediug lie
drinks no wine, but takes a great deal of coffee. He also
smokes very cons tantly, for ahich purpoee a divan h been
fitted up for him near his sleeping chamber, furnished with
abundance of the finest tobacco.
THE MURDER OF THE MAYOR OF AL-HERE.—We
have mentioned the murder of M. Fulhouze, notary and
mayor of Aubiere, in the Puy-de-Dnme, by a man named
Montel. The murderer was tried on the 18th by the Court
of Assize of the department. It appeared from the evidence ,
that Montel, who was a poacher ant otherwise a man of bad
character, had conceived a hatred against M. Fulbouze,
in
consequence of his haying, in the discharge of his duty as a
magistrate, taken proceedinus against him and having, in a
family dispute which was referred to him, pronounced a
deeSion in favour of Montel's sulversary. The prisoner had
frequently threatened the life of M. Fulhouze, and that gen-
tleman had almost as frequently declared to his friends that
he feared the man would carry his threats into execution.
The murder took place in the middle of the day, as M. Ful-
house was walking in the fields, whin Monte' was waiting
with a gun to shoot him. The WiGOW of the victim appeared
as a witness, but she was so much agitated that she could
scarcely be heard. The prisoner set up an alibi, but it was
overthrown, and the evidence generally left no doubt of his
guilt. The jury gave their verdict accordingly, and Montel
was sentenced to death.
THE INFANTA'S APPRECI.ITION OF ART.—M. Du-
pree, having presented to the Duchess do Montpeusier his
" Art du Chant," has received from her Royal Highness a
very gracious letter, with a magnificent pencil-case, mounted
with a large diamond.
THE HISTORIAN OF CRACOW.—By royal ordonnance,
M. X. Marmier, librarian at the Ministry of Public Instruc-
tion, is appointed conservator of the library of Sainte Gene-
vieve, in the rocm of M. Drevet, deceased.
HORRIBLE DEATII. —A quarrel took place on the
19th in a public-house at Tourriers' near Anuotile'me, be-
tween two men, named Dumoins and Bernard, in the course
of which Dumoina stabbed his adversary with a knife with
such force that he died immediately. The murderer was
arrested and put into prison, where he contrived to get poe-
session of some sulphuric acid, which he drank, and in a few
hours died, after having endured great agony.
NETILEitLANDS.—TUE HAGUE, Nov. 24.
Count Schemnielpenninck, the newly-appointed ambassador
to the court of St. James's, left Rotterdam this morning fur
London. He is accompanied by Viscount de Villestreex
and family. The Catholic clergyman of Gruerdo who, as
already stated in the Daily News, was sentenced to be
hanged, has appealed from the sentence. Some disturb-
ances ensued after his conviction, but they were speedily re
pleased by the military. The Fokkina arrived this day at
lielvoetaluys from London ; the Johanna, from Cardiff; the
Gipsey, from Hull; the Atlas, front Swansea ; the Sky-
luk, from Stockton ; and the Samuel and Sarah, from Sun-
derland.
GERMANY. The Frank Art Gazette quotes a
letter from Berlin, dated 19th November, ais follows :—" The
independence and the neutrality of the republic of Cracow
were guaranteed by the great powers, and by the treaty of
Vienna; but these guarantees regard, especially the treaty
of 3rd May (-21st April, 1810), between Austria, l'russia, and
Russia, anp which created the independence of Cracow on
the condition of the strictest neutrality on the part of that
state. The guarantee of Europe ia not, therefore, an abso-
lute, but a relative guarantee. The republic of Cracow com-
promised its independence by breaking that neutrality,
which was a sine guil non condition. Not content with
proclaiming the revolution, and turning out the
authorities established by the treaty of Vienna, Cra-
cow carried the revolution into the territory of
the protecting powers The inhabitants of Cracow
sent armed bands into Galicia, and propagated their
revolutionary ideas in the Grand Duchy of Posen and in the
provinces of the kingdom of Poland. It will be in vain to
object here that it was the people of Cracow, and not the
republic itself, which made those revolutionary attempts, for
the legal authorities were turned out by the insurgents. It
was in consequence the republic, and not a revolutionary
band, which acted. Austria, though attacked on her own
territory, preferred preserving her character of protective
power than to make reprisals as she might have done,
and she only consented to the incorporation of Cracow in
her dominions, because Russia proposed the alternative
to the two powers to take that step, else Russia would take
Cracow herself. It was an act of self-defence which decided
the powers to take a step which will destroy a nest of insur-
rection. The protective powers had established the inde-
pendence of Cracow by special treaties before the con-
gress of Vienna, on condition of the strictest neutrality. An
act to that effect is inserted in the treaty of Vienna, which,
it is true, was guaranteed by all the powers of Europe ; but
which adds nothing to the indispensable conditions of the in-
dependence of Cracow. The most indispensable condition
of that independence was neutrality,- and Crarow
broke that condition. If the two other European powers
think differently, if they are of the opinion that their signa-
ture to the treaty of Vienna implies a guarantee above an
objection, and they even pretend that the republic of Cracow
might have violated all the conditions of peace towards other
states without stating its independence ; all that they can do
is our opinion is to make their reserves relative to an act
which is not in accordance with their political views.
CRACOW, NOV. 16.—The conductors of three Polish
journals—The Third of May, The Polish Nation, and The
Polish Democrat—have been summoned to appear on the
21st before the police authorities, to answer the charge of
publishing political journals without having deposited the
prescribed securities. It is robable that the three journals
will cease to exist.—Frankfurter Journal, Nov. 21.
DEATH OF TILE GRAND DUCHESS MARY OF RUSSIA.
—This young Princess, daughter of the Grand Duke Michael,
has just expired at Vienna, of consumpton, after twomonths'
illness. She was only 21 years of age.
TRANSMISSION OF THE INDIAN OVERLAND MAIL.
—The Cologne Gazette explains the delay occasioned to the
last courier front Trieste with the Indian despatches as fol-
lows :—" The courier arrived on the 29th Oct., at half-past
11 a.m., at Cologne, but as the hour for granting an
express engine had passed he was obliged to wait
for the 2 o'clock train, thus losing two hours and
a half. At Eschweiler some part of the engine
broke, which caused a delay of four hours, the train
only arriving at Aix-la-Chapelle at six in the evening. It
was ten o'clock before the train reached Verviers, one hour
snore than usual, and the courier was obliged to get post-
horses, as a special train was refused him, losing thus one
hour more ; he reached Tirlemont at seven cm. on the 30th
Oct. Here he had to wait for the two o'clock train, a loud
six hours, and he did not reach Ostend till half-past seven
p.m. on the evening of the 30th, basing taken nineteen and
a-half hours more than ordinary, and 24 hours more
than an express courier. For the next and third trial the tele-
graph between Coblentz and Cologne is to be turned to ac-
count, which will afford four and a-half hours to make the
necessary preparations ; and the news of the courier's arrival
can be conveyed by intervening trains to the steamers at
Ostend.

gbe Court.

The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing in an
open carriage, the l'rincc driving, on Thursday afternoon, to-
wards ootton.
The Marchioness of Sormanby arrived at Osborne
House on Thursday on a visit to her Majesty.
Her Majesty and her Royal Consort took a :drive
in a pony carriage yesterday.
Yesterday was the birthday of her Royal Highness
the Princess Mary. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and the Hereditary
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, arrived in town
I from Kew iu the afternoon.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester
gave a grand dinner, and afterwards a ball, at Gloucester-
house, in honour of the natal day of her illustrious niece
and god-daughter. The juvenile nobility and gentry invited
to the ball began to arrive at Gloucester-horse at 9 o'clock.
At 10 o'clock the Duchess of Gloucester, and the Princess
Mary, followed by the royal and distinguished visitors,
descended the grand staircase and entered the hall room,
and danciag commenced.
Their Serene Highnesses the Hereditary Grand
Duke and Grand Duchess of Saxe Weimar are shortly expected
to arrive in this country from Germany, on a visit to her
Majesty the Queen Dowager.
THE SON OF DON CARLOS.—Yesterday the Conde
de Montemolin received several visitors, amongst whom were
Viscount Palmerston and Viscount Itatielagh.—Morning
Post.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston leave town
on Tuesday morning, for Arundel Castle, Sussex, to meet
her Majesty and the Prince Consort.
A deputation of contractors for cleansing, consist-
ing of Messrs. W. Thorn, E. Reddin, .1. Gore, E. Wood, B.
Westley, and W. Parsons, had an interview with Lord Mor-
peth yesterday, at the office of the Woods and Forests.
Sir George Grey has returned to town from a
visit to the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Mar-
quis of Lorne had an interview with the night Hon. Baro-

at
StoirvinGeoyregesteyrdesteayrdaaftery,
c(edvileststioub,(l7ish7mooeint„).
mecitliet iicasstincalmbus(l,oh,m6oeanc.---.l4sji:Zial,.lice po
tvetLo.HroMdmr
road department C 234,0001.), aborightes,(2,Blll. 10s.), pens,
id
aretwedfimincalelomwifueetes, (d10au,553d.d andaw misci<le,lleaanmeopnoneiserryFicarsish. asic:
Wfriothin
hCisheloniesh.
ipT. hhade Postmaster-Generalry had an inter-
Inte Chan-
real4tUrnT6eidtedto
Gordon
l
John
er yesterday. The Speaker of the
cellor of the Exchequ
of
had
also
tßhievelratbelsopupetka,Lotcek Soefptth.c,
at-lesfiti,ma"
unfavourable aspect of some of them, has been occasioned by
thtees,galvderncithereocnixPplattis thavelyt
the "disturbance in our social system caused by the disraufg- interviews yesterday with the Right Hon. Gentleman.
House of
tion of our peeceful relations with the neighbouring K r The Right Hon. E. Strutt had an interview with
nsurialtnYd the ChairmantheExtras
tribes, and the ensuing war." In respect to the war ex- the Earl of Clarendon yestirday.
penditure he says, "It is impossible to foresee accurately A deputation from the University. Club, consisting
what items of extra expenditure may have to be defrayed in
, fore omitted' such charge', from the estimate which I lay
the ensuing year on account of the Kaffir war; I have there- of
Re Seidr,Gmeorgp ezendhexitwry. nird.,l.lrotch.,eSrirTßoweraibertowC, ohaeadyna,
nCoinlotener!
161,8.54 i. 15s. 10d., leaving an anticipated balance atthe close I before_ you, and have calculated the ordinaq' expenditure at
Earl Grey left town yesterday on a visit to Lord
view with i.:ord idorpeth yesterday.
licable to the payment of any unforeseen charges which Despate ea m e
of 1!147 of 3,3801. 85. 11d. This surplus will, I trust, be found Ashburton at the Grange.
h fro th Governor of the Cape of
may grow out of the present war." Connected
,rith this Good Hope were received yesterday at the Colonial Office.
subject is the following passage iu the minute : The ter-
PROTEST OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AGAINST
mination of the treaties with the bordeting tribes of Kafftrs
the British Government againstthebreach
bwyillwhicrenhdetrherneceasahate
been thase macsomheinneeryw TUE ANNEXATION or CILACOVI.—The solitary protest of
thmade enfftiernulntive7bouft
charges are likely to arise in the place of those which will t ties of Vienna, b the annexation of Cracow to Austria,
tribes,' the item of 2,3111. which is 1,1541 9s. less tha:n and . nna A cop) of that protest has been subsequently
cease, I have inserted, under the head of aboriginal has !
been despatched to the courts of Berlin, St. Petereburgh,
And a new head of expenditure in the present estimates for THE AMBASSADOR TO FItANCE.—The step taken
the estimate of last year." 'Also the following—" You will communicated to the French government.
the establishment of the British Resident among the tribes by Lord Normanby, of paying his respects to the Duke and
beyond the north-east border. The favourable operation Duchess of alontpenaier, after refusing to attend the public
of- the system which has been thus partially intro- levee, is said to have been disapproved of in high quarters.
duced, will, I hope, convince • you of the utility of this
charge. For 1817 it will amount to 7791. I shall have
also to ask you for a supplementary vote for the expenses of
the establishment from its commencement up to the close of
the present year." These indications of the contemplated
Kaffir policy of Sir Peregrine Maitland lose much of their
importance from the possibility that his successor may adopt
a different course.
THE FUONTIEIL—Sir Peregrine Maitland remained at his
head-quarters, near the mouth of the Fish River. A number
of petty affairs are recorded as having occurred between the
llth and the 30th of September, showing only that the
Kadin • continued their predatory warfare with unabated
audacity and great success. The last arrivals brought the
intelligence of Sir Andries Stockenstrom's retirement from
active service in disgust. The present bring the news of
Colonel Hare's resignation it is said, on account of ill-
health. The condition and feeling of the colony is truly and
condensedly expressed in the following extract from the
South African commercial Advertiser, of 3rd October:
It cannot be ooncealed that at this moment a very dark cloud bangs
over the whole settlement. Of this the frontier papers say enough to
alartu the most resolute, but private letters from highly trustworthy
parties are inexpressibly more gloomy. Aftermaking every allowance
for personal suffering, and it may he, defective information, it
is Imps to read tue letters alluded to wi
es thout feeling that despair
ant anarchy begin to prevail where a few months ago there was,
amidst all their griefs, both zealous and hearty service and a ready
obedience? It is everywhere said that the burghers have been ill
used. The feeling is that there has been no pneral plan, or, that
subordinate enumigulers have taken upon themselves to act without
reference it. That there has been no general success is too evident.
litre and therea slight blow has been delivered, but there never has
been any thing that a military man, much loss a Doer, would call
" results." Stockenstrom cleared the Amatola, restrained
Creili, chastised Morass and formed a body of beers
as a guard on tho upper frontier. Captain Hogg and
several other calkers also made successful tripe against
certain portions of the hostile country. But all has ended in retreat
and disruption; there has been no simultaneous movement of the
whole force, and at this date the colonists feel that down as far as
Sundays River and all along the birder for twenty or forty miles in-
ward, they are just as insecure as they were four or five neighs ago.
They may be mistaken, but this is their feeling arising in some mea-
sure from the return of the burghers in a state too deplorable to be de-
'scribed —mimed, lagged, and unable to conceal their discontent and
despondency. All hopes, therefore, respecting an improved revenue
for next year, depend m a sudden change in this condition of affairs.
For this change, it is to be feared, the colony must wait till the re-
ported reinforcements arrive from home, with such additions as in-
telligence brought by every vessel from the Cape, may induce the
government to despatch for the termination of what must, by this
time at least, appear to them a very dangerous contest —by no means
a " firtfewor." It is said, that at present the military on the fron-
tier are about 4,000. In a few weeks there will be upwards of fl,ooo.
In a few months It is not improbable that several thousand,' more will
be sent out—or that native corps will be formed to the amount of
some thousands, so as entirely to relieve the burghers and to enable
them to rename their various employments throughout the country.
Tills will work two ways for the advantage of .he colony in an indus-
trid reuse. It gives scope fur production and a market for produce.
The following are the only other extracts of general
interest we have been able to glean from our files:—
(From the South African Commercial Advertiser of Oct. 3.)
By the lan.st intelligence from the interior it appears that
heavy rains had fallen in the district. of George, Beaufort,
Graaff Reinet, Coleeberg, and Somerset, at length relieving
those important districts after the late tremendous drought.
On the 20th there was much rain and snow in the Lange
district of George. It will be seen in the governor's
minute, that it is proposed to form a series of tanks across the
dry central region called the Great Karroo. Such tanks
should, in the first place, be formed along the line of great
military roads, where water is likely to be deficient.
Amongst other deficiencies that have protracted the present
war, was the deficiency of water and stations for refresh-
ment, along the road from Aigoa Bay to Graham's Town.
(From the Graham's Town Journal, of Sept. 19.)
There is but little change in the aspect of our affairs since
the date of our last number. Numerous parties of the
enemy are scattered along the frontier line, sweeping away
cattle, and exciting alarm whenever they make their ap-
pearance. In this desultory petty warfare there has been
loss of life on both sides, but tho booty has becn exclusively
on the side of the Katfirs, who, in several instances, have been
pflrfeetly successful in getting the stolen cattle beyond the
reach of pursuit, namely, into the difficult jungles of the
Fish River, or beyond that boundary.
The discharge of the Burgher force is another marked
incident of the week—a very important step, considering the
extreme difficulty and cost of bringing them hither. There
is, we think, great danger lest the enemy should construe
this retrograde movement into a defeat on our part, and
should take courage therefrom to renew the contest with
more determined purpose. No dependence can or ought to
be placed in the pacific professions of Kr 4i. Be is known
to be playing a double game, and is only one of a class so
bluntly but truly described by Captain Hogg in his official
despatch, where he says, "Y found all the Kaffirs (loath
friends and foes) guilty of such enormous lying, that I can
believe nothing.,
Some important changes, it is said, are about to be made
in the disposition of the forces now in the field. The Lieu-
tenant-Governor, Colonel Hare, has been permitted to re-
sign his command, and which will devolve upon Lieutenant
Colonel Johnstone, an officer in every respect qualified to
discharge efficiently the duties to which he is now called.
His Honour, Colonel Hare, it is understood, retires in con-
sequence of very seriously impaired health, induced from
intense and long-continued anxiety, as well as from the
Kara-sing duties to which he has been called sine" the com-
mencement by him of active operations in 'the field.
It is understood that Colonel Somerset, in the event of
Colonel Hare's departure from the colony, will, as the
officer next in rank, assume the duties of Lieut.-Gover-
nor, until the pleasure of her Majesty shall be known
thereon. This appointment will, if confirmed, give general
satisfaction to the frontier inhabitants. Colonel Somerset
has been nurtured among them, and has had mere expe-
rience of the Katfirs, in connexion with the defence of the
border, than any man now living.
(From the Graham's Town Journal of Sept. 26.)
There is little in the events of the past week, in con-
nexion with our stet: of hostility with the Kaffir, which
calls for particular or lengthened comment. The movements
of the enemy have been comparatively unimportant, and
would appear to indicate that he is watching the course
our affairs, and is shrewd enough to refrain from exciting
any great alarm at the moment when a considerable reduc-
Con is being made, by the retirement of the Burghers, in
the force opposed to him.
There is, as may be supposed, considerable anxiety felt
by the frontier inhabitants, as to the basis on which the
affairs of Kaffirland will hereafter he placed. An idea is
prevalent that the whole cf the territory of which the Kaffirs
may be dispossessed will be re-occupied by coloured people
exclusively. We do not give credit to this rumour. We are
firmly of opinion that, if it be in anywise practicable, the
country itself ought to he made to pay ultimately the whole
expenses of the war. In no other way will the fact of the
punishment of the hostile Kaffirs be made intelligible to
the other tribes of South Africa. It is of the utmost im-
portance that a deep moral impression should be made upon
these tribes, but this will only be effected by boldly
colonising the conquered country, not alone by blacks, but
bysuch a proportion of whites as may serve to leaven the
whole mass; as may give an impetus to commercial industry,
exhibit by example the advantages of civilisation, and
who thus, by acting as pioneers in reclaiming the wilder-
ness, may be made a blessing to the land as well as in-
strumental in consolidating British interests in this part of
the world.

DOWNING-STREET, Nov. 24.—The Queen has ap-
pointed W. Beckett and R. Therry, Esqrs., to be Puisne
Judges of the Supreme Court of the colony of New South
Wales ; A. Cheeke, Esq., to be Commissioner of the Court
of Requests, and T. Callaghan, Esq., to be Crown Prosecu-
tor in the Court of Quarter Sessions, in that colony. Also,
W. G. Knox, Esq., to be Puisne Judge for the island of
Trinidad; and J. 11. Dawson, Esq., to be Chief Clerk and
Registrar of the Supreme Court, and Clerk of the Ceutral
Circuit Court, of the island of Newfoundland.

THE DEATH FROM STARVATION IN MARY-
LEBONE.—OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION.
Yesterday the board of directors and guardians of
the poor of Marylebone met in the board-room of the work-
house, to investigate the serious charges made against the
officers of the workhouse by the verdict of the coroner's jury,
in the case of Louisa Maudant, as reported in our paper of
Thursday last. Mr. F. W. Bushill was in the chair.
Mr. Meeser, the relieving overseer, presented a report to
the board, concerning the facts elicited at the recent inquest.
He said the case of the mother of the deceased female, Mrs.
Maudant, was well known to him, she having been on the
hooks a, a pensioner for the lust ten years. With respect to
the young woman (the deceased) and Ler sister, they applied
for relief in the month of August lust, and he gave them
some bread, and at the same time offered them the
house. He again did so in the latter end of
October, and told them he could do no more, but
that there was an order of admission to the workhouse
made out for them.—Mr. Walpole Eyre : Did that order i
apply to the old woman, who, I believe, is upwards of 70, and
imbecile ?—Yes, it applied to all.—ln answer to the
Chairman : Mr. Langley was the inspector who left the blue
ticket for the mother to obtain her pension, the day before
the deceased's death. He at first said he left it with the
daughter, but afterwards admitted that he gave it to a lodger.
Such a proceeding is contrary to the express orders of the
board. It Lithe duty of an inspector of the poor, every time he
visits, to see if there are any changes in their circumstances,
either fur good or bad, and whether there are any extraor-
dinary circumstances rendering a larger amount of relief ne-
cessary.—Mr. Mallilieu : Did you inform the Coroner and
jury that the orders of this board were not to give out-door
relief to persons under 60 years of ace ?—I stated that 60 was
the standard age for giving out relLf, and that under that
age we did not give any, except casually, where the parties
were single.—Sir James Hamilton : When these poor crea-
tures applied to you for out relief, and said they were starving,
did you think you were acting rightly in telling them they must
come into the house ?—I offered it as atest of their destitution.
There was no inspection of the cases of these young women.
In answer to Mr. Potter : My opinion of the duties of an
inspector are to make a rigid examination of the condition
of the partitsvisited. Mr. Langley never reported to me the
altered circumstances of the family of the Maudants, when
an officer fails in the performance of his duty, it is my
duty, as the superior officer, to report such dereliction of duty
to the board. I have not done so.—Sir Walter Stirling : In
cases where thecircumstances of a pauper vary for the smee,
is it usual for them to make a fresh application fur relief?
—lt is not an uncommon thing fur them to do so.—Mr. Cal-
ley : Now is it true, Mr. Messer, when Mary Anne Maudant
applied to you for relief, you gave her a loaf of bread, and
said, " Now I have done with you, there is no
more relief for you ?"—I said, "I can give yeu no
more relief; you must come into the house."—Mr.
Colley : It seems to me monstrous that every person,
however respectable, when they apply here for relief,
should be offered the house. Do you not, Mr. Messer, allow
circumstances to alter cases? Supposing a respectable semne
stress applies for temporary relief out, whilst out of work,
would you refuse her ?—lt depends entirely on circum
stances.—Mr. Colley : In this case it was quite clear that
the deceased woman and her sister were in deep distress, and
yet you did nut think it a case requiring instant relief.—l
did not feel justified in offering otlo r relief than bread, and
an order of admission to the workhouse.
Mr. Potter : Are you not aware Mr. Messer that of all
persons likely to become destitute from the precarious nature
of their work, it is needlewomen, and that therefore you
would be justified in going in such cases out of the ordinary
rule.—l considered this Me one coming under the ordinary
rule—in fact a pauperised case. When I refused these par-
ties relief I was not j ustified in doing so from any report of
the inspectors, but from my own impressions on the ease.
Mr. Walpole Eyre said, even in the case of the mother it
appeared to him that justice had not been done. It was the
practice of that board to allow a person like her 3s. 6d. per
week instead of half-a-crown. The most serious portion of the
matter, however, was that which, as it appeared from the pub-
lic newspapers, had occurred between the opening and the ad-
journment of the inquest. He wanted to know if it was true
that Mr. Messer received a communication from the coroner
calling his attention to the starving condition of the family,
and that during the interval between the two sittings of the
jury, he never visited them or paid the slightest attention to
their wants. Mr. Messer said he expected that AP Kenzie, the
summoning otiicer, would have brought the sister of deceased
there for relief. Being himself summoned as a witness, he felt
a degree of delicacy in going to the parties, lest it might be con-
sidered he had influenced the sister in giving her evidence.
Mr. Langley, the poor inspector, admitted that he did not,
as stated by him previously, give the blue ticket to the sister
of deceased, but to a lodger in the house. In answer to
questions by Sir James Hamilton, he admitted that it was
his duty to have inspected the case, but he had been up and
down so many stairs during the day, he did not do so. He
asked no questions as to the state of the parties, nor did he
hear that the deceased was M.
Mary Ann Maudant (sister of deceased) repeated the state-
ment she made before the coroner and jury. In answer to
further questions by the Board she said : The blue ticket
was given by the inspector to a lodger. If the inspector had
made any inquiry he would have known my ;sister was ill.
My sister was affected with spasms, and has several times
applied to the parish for medical relief. She has been re-
ceiving medicine from the Dispensary for the last six
months.

Mr. Messer expressed his ignorance that such was the case.
—Mr. Potter: This poor creature bad been receiving me-
dical advice for six months, and the fact was not known to
one of our officers. I ask Mr. Messer if he, had known the
deceased had been under medical treatment he would have
given the same answer when she applied to him that he has
done ?—Mr. Messer : Certainly not.—Mr, Potter : That re-
ply clearly:shows the inefficiency of our inspection.
IVL.ry Ann Maudant further examined : All the relief I
received myself was seven loaves of bread in the last four
months. I first applied for relief about eight months ago.
I then got a loaf of bread and It, as my case was inspected.
On the second occasion there was no inspection.
By Mr. Anderson: My sister applied for relief herself.
She had no nutriment whatever; nothing but medicine for
day after day before she died. I have several times given
information of her:destitute condition to Mr. Messer. I per-
fectly understood that we could both come into the house.—
Mr. Walpole Eyre: And yet although you were in a state of
starvation, and you knew there was admission waiting for
you to come into the workhouse, yet you did not avail your-
self of it ?—We did not because we thought if we got a little
extra relief we might have got on out of the workhouse. My
sister died of starvation.--The Chairman : You allowed your
sister to die of starvation, although you knew there was an
asylum for her here ?
Mr. Potter said it was quite clear that the overseer had
grossly neglected his duty, in allowing the woman to die of
want when it was considered that he had power uncon-
trolled of giving her relief in food or money to any amount.
The rules of the board were efficient in every respect to
..pre-
vent persons dying of starvation, provided the officers carried
out these rules.
Sir James Hamilton said the inspector Langley, upon his
own showing, had proved his negligence. He should there-
fore at once move that officer's dismissal.
Mr. Anderson did not agree that the visit of the inspector
would have saved the woman's life. The blame was in the
application of the workhouse test, which ought only to be
applied to the vicious and bad. (Hear.)
Mr. Potter thought the board ought not to stop short at
the dismissal of one particular officer. Mr. Messer was to
blame, and there had been, altogether, a scene of such gross
mismanagement, that it involved the question of whether all
the officers were not deserving of dismissal. (Hear.) If,
therefore, Sir James Hamilton would withdraw his motion,
he would move that a special investigation into the mode o
performing their duties by the whole of the relieving officer
and inspectors be gone into.
Sir James Hamilton, having assented to this proposal, Mr.
Potter's resolution was adopted unanimously,—The board
separated.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS. ST. PAUL'S,
COVENT-GARDEN.—Last evening a numerous meeting of the
inhabitants of the parish of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, took
place in the vestry room, to hear the report of the deputation
appointed to wait upon the Metropolis Improvement Com-
missioners, with reference to the prop .sed new street, and
also to consider irony and what steps shall be taken to oppose
the insertion of the following clause :—" And in the said
bill will be contained powers to enable the overseers of the
poor of the parish of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, to levy and
raise, by means of a rate or rates, and as part of the rates
for the relief of the poor of the said parish, a certain sum or
sums of money, to be appropriated towards the expenses of
carrying the several purposes aforesaid into execution, in an
act of parliament proposed to be obtained for making a new
street from Long-acre to King-stret, Covent-garden." From