The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-25 00:00:00

THE SECESSIONS.

TO THI IDITOR OF Tlll DAILT NEWS.
SlR,—The recent secession of Archdeacon Man-
ning, Mr. Hope, and a group of clergymen and lay-
men at Leeds, has naturally created no small sensa-
tion, and has made people inquire more keenly than
ever, what are the causes to which this ever-running
stream of defections from the Church of England
must be ascribed. Even the high church correspond-
ent
of the Morning Chronick, "1). C. L.," feels him- 1
self compelled to notice these painful events, and to
offer such explanation of them as may administer
comfort for the loss, and suggest some remedy
against its recurrence. The cause of the evil he finds
in the imperfect carrying out into practice of the ca-
tholic principles of the Church of England; and his
remedy is a more vigorous insisting on the doctrines
and privileges of what he calls the apostolate.
I conceive that he has mistaken the dews which

infi;;;;il;;:cea;r74. It i. not defects in the ad-
ministration of the church which have driven them
from its pale, but a settled conviction, arrived at after
long and painful deliberation, that the church of
England cannot stand the test of church principles ;
that if these principles are true, that church cannot
satisfy any consistent and honest inquirer who is
seeking a church founded on those principles. This
is the issue which has been and is still being tried;
and no one can dispute the competency of the judges
to determine it. Such men as Newman, Oakley,
Dodsworth, Haskell, Manning, /4:c., were not the
parsons to rend themselves away from a church
which they loved on account of mere short-
comings of administration. They could not be
blind to the prodigious influence which they
were rapidly gaining over the minds of the clergy;
nor to the manifest success which attended their
efforts to spread their ecclesiastical theory. To sup-
pose that they abandoned the church of England
because they had not yet won over all the bishops
and clergy, would be to represent them as fools and
traitors to their own came. Neither "D.C.L." nor

any one else will feel disposed to place them in that
category.
But, indeed, there is no room for doubt. They have
set forth abundantly the reasons of their change.
They found that they must either abandon their
principles or the church which contradicted them : '
they adhered to their doctrines, anti abandoned the
church of England. And they did not do this
rashly ; but with much reluctance and distress of
mind, with severe struggles within their own hearts,
after the most anxious deliberation, carried on by
what "1). C. L," must admit to be consummate
. .

learning, eminent ability, the most reverential at-
tachment to the church of their birth, and the most
heroical and truly astonishing efforts to justify their
continuance within her communion. the sincerity
of their religious convictions compelled them to try
the Church of England, and they gave judgment
against that church. And the result has been that
every believer in the apostolate, or what is more
generally known as church principles, in proportion
us he is a logical and consistent thinker, moves on to
the Church of ltome.

gbe Court.

WINDSOR, TRVIUIDAT.

The Queen and Prince All;Wwiiieciiiiiirzorn-
ing in the slopes.
The Royal family took their usual airings.
The Queen and l'rinoe Albert rode out on horseback this
afternoon, attended by the lion. Miss Macdonald, Lieut.-
Col. the lion. C. l. Plupps, and Col. Buckley.
The Queen and Prince also rode out on horseback in
Windsor Park yesterday afternoon, attended as usual.
The Princess Royal and Princess Alice took an airing in
• pony carriage this afternoon.
The Queen and Prince Albert, with their Royal High-
nesses the Princess Royal and Princess Alice, and attended
by the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, promenaded for
'mac time on the eastern terrace, on Tuesday afternoon.
The unfavourable state of the weather prevented the Queen,
Prince, and Royal family walking on the eastern terrace on
Monday afternoon.

A deputation, including Mr. llsstie, 31. P., Mr. Marv,
and Mr. Graham, had an interview with the Commis-
sioners of Railways yesterday, at the office of the Board of
Trade.
Despatches were sent off yesterday from the Colonial-
office to the Lord High Commis,ioncr of the lonian Islands,
and to the Governor of Malta. Despatches were also tent off
to the Governors of Ceylon and Hong Kong.

THE MARRIAGE OP LORD WARD WITH Mts.
SELINA CONSTANCY Da BORON, eldest daughter of Hubert
De Burgh, Esq., of West Drayton, was celebrated yester-
day at St. tieorge's Church, Hanover-square. The cere-
mony was conducted in a comparatively quiet manner,
owing to the recent demise of a member of the De Burgh
family.
THE LORD MAYOR and the Lady Mayoress enter-
tained a large party of private friends at dinner last even-
ing at the Mansion-house. About sixty ladies and gentle-
men sat down to a superb banquet in the lung parlour. The
mayors,. afterwards gave her third soiree danswite, at
which upwards of two hundred additional guest' as-
sembled. Lancing was prolonged until after two o'clock in
the morning.

FISHMONGERS' AND POULTERERS' INSTTEUVON.—
LAM night the sixteenth annual meeting of the Fish•
monger. and Poulterer,' Institution was held at the London
Coffee-house; Mr. Sprigens in the chair. Mr. Brooke, one
of the honorary secretaries, read the report of the com-
mittee, which stated that the institution had, during the
past year, experienced considerable prosperity. The com-
mittee had been successful in obtainingan increase of perma-
nent income, nearly 100 additional subscribers having
been secured. The casual relief fund had afforded timely
assistance to a number of needy and deservinn persons.
All the liabilities of the institution had ceased, with the ex-
ception of the ordinary and current expenses. The receipts
had exceeded those of former years, and it was recoil'-

mended that exertions should be'ma de' to secure funds, so
that the taunt houses might be filled. The accounts of the
treasurer haring been revel, it appeared that the income of
the society during the past year had amounted to
2,040/. Ils. Gd., the expenditure to 1,6-i3l. and
that there was a balance in the treasurer's hands of

366/. 164. Id. The report and treasurer's uccounts having
been adopted, votes of thanks were unanimously passed to the
president, the vice presidents, the treasurer, the directors,

the solicitor, the skeretaries, and the auditors, for their
efficient services to tho institution. A discussion then
took place in reference to the filling up of the vacancies in
the asylum, at the close of which it was agreed that the
attention of the new committee " be particularly called to
the present vacancies in the asylum, and the best mode of
filling the nine at the earliest period, having regard as well
to the iecome of the society as to the sum %Welt the former
committee thought would be allowed to each inmate," and
that the committee should report to a general meeting
of the institution. The meeting was then resolved into
a general meeting for the purpose of considering a
number of alterations iu the rules, suggested by Mr.
Ilubbard. The first of these alterations was, that the
surplus of the occasional relief fund should be in future
applied to the relief of the inmates of the asylum, instead
of, as heretutere, to the endowment fund. This alteration
was unanimously agreed to. The other alteratieus were
in effect for the purpose of increasing the amount of the
payments by which parties were entitled to the benefits of
the institution. The meeting seemed generally of the
opinion that the present pecuniary test was too low, and by
a majority agreed to the alterations. A motion was then
made and agreed to, that annual subscribers only should
be eligible. Office-bearers were appointed for the current
year, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the
meeting broke up.

Now, such being the case, it is clear that in the
Judgment of these men, and grave indeed was their
authority with high churchmen, church principles
are brought to a reductio qd absurdum in the Church
of Englund. They necessitate secession; they can-
not therefore be the principles of that church. The
correctness of the logic whereby this conclusion is
come to, is unimpeachable; and we thus ar-
rive at the causes of the calamity which
I deplore in common with " 1). C. L.^ The
true principles of the Church of England
are repudiated by tractarian teaching; others are
adopted which arc not hers; conflict and separation
are the inevitable results. The Church of England,
whilst she retained no small portion of the hierarchy
and ritual of the church she broke away from, is at
bottom a truly protestant church built on the two
fundamental principles of protestantism—the appeal
to the Word of God as interpreted by private judg-
ment, and the right of self-government inherent in
every Christian society. For these, tractarianism
substitutes authority, the authority of a perpetual
ecclesiastical corporation; but as the Reformation
was a palpable rebellion against that corporation, it
has ever been found most embarrassing to reconcile
that great event, solemnly recognised as her
charter by the Church of England, with the doc-
trines of the high church theory. Accordingly, from
Fronde downwards, every tractarian supporter of the
apustolate has fretted against this cardinal, and for
them most indigestible, fact. Every art has been
= ted to get rid of the necessary inferences it
It has been treated as an act of violence,
a pawing storm, intervening between two periods of
the same bright day. And undoubtedly such it might
have been represented fairly to have been, had the
Church of England been subsequently absorbed back
main into communion with Rome. One society, one
church, might then have been reasonably insisted
upon. But, alas! the Church of England was isolated
by the Reformation, and she persists in her isola-
tion : her very continued existence as a distinct
church attests her belief that the act to which she
owes her origin could confer a legitimate title on her.
And thus the tractarian is compelled, solely against
his inclination, to justify the Reformation, and to
solve the difficult problem of making it a regular
lawful normal proceeding—the result of an ordinary
exercise of their functions by the regular authorities
of the church. The Church of England is, therefore,
denied to be the child of the Reformation ; she was
the same church, we are told, before and after that
event ; the Reformation was her own deed, an act of
self purification, carried out under her own name and
by her own authority. This latter statement is most
Ms: but not in the sense in which it is made by the
trattarian. lie proclaims the identity of the English
church before and after the Reformation : but he
ignores the absolute revolution which has
occurred in her government : end the to-
tally new principles of government which
that revolution has established. There is unques-
tionably identity ; but it is identity of the Christian
people, the Christian society, but not identity of
Christian government, nor of the principles on which
that government rested at both periods. The first
government was destroyed de facto, and also in
respect of its authority; the authority of the new
government was derived, not from any decree of
its predecessor, nor from any sanction whatever
emanating from it, but from the will of the Chris-
tian society to exercise its right of framing a new
government for itself. Tho civil revolution of 1688
furnishes us with a perfect analogy, by the help
of which wo may discern the real character
of the ecclesiastical one. There was a coa-
-1 plete identity of the English people before
and after the revolution : but that event put down
the doctrine of the divine right of a particular
family to the throne, and established the grand prin-
ciple, that by the will of God every nation may
select any form of government it pleases. On this
truth the legitimacy of the existing governments of
the world is founded. Queen Victoria's title is
built on no other charter. Precisely similar was
the significance of the Reformation. The Chris-
tian society remained the same : but they set
up a new government, which rebelled against
the old. The regular authorities of the old
church denounced the rebellion: far less did they
authorise it. The new church was the creation of a
minority. The bishops of the Christian church, of
which England had formed a part in solemn mune%
I branded our new polity with the charges of schism
and heresy; and therefore that polity thus estab-
lished by a minority could find no legin!
__lds• In the regular constitution which
it, and had nothing else to fall bacC—up"Tn
bat the right of that minority to think and
set for themselves. Such a doctrine is the
overthrow of the theory of church principles; and, to
escape from such a catastrophe, a new modification
is given to the application of these principles.
It is asserted that no new government was set up,
t bat only the ancient constitution restored; that the
encroachments of a foreign power were swept away,
and that by the regular constituent government of
the English church; that the church reformed her-
r. self by re-asserting her rightful independence, and
redressing abuses occasioned by the violence of a
er usurper; and that therefore the Reformation was an
L orderly proceeding rightly performed by the legiti-
'l.
mate authorities of the church.
ek
and I reserve my remarks on this allegation for another
occasion. I remain your obedient servant,
I at 31. A.
de-

C.ILI. TO TEI

YOREKRIEE SOClETY.—Yesterday a meeting of
the members of this society—the object of which is " to
provide board, clothing, and education for boys, the sons
of respectable Yorkshire parents or parent, reduced by
misfortune, and resident within ten miles of the General
Post-utlice, St. Martin's-le-Grand"—took place at one
o'clock at the London Tavern ; Dr. Saner in the chair.
The meeting was convened for the alteration of certain
rules regulating the management of the charity. Hereto-
fore the first rule rendered it necessary that all applicants
for relief should be three years resident within ten miles
of the General Post-olfice In order to entitle them to re.
ceive assistance from the society, and provided also that
their parents should not have received parochial relief. In
alteration of this rule a resolution was moved and adopted,
dispensing with the previously required three years' resi-
dence, and extending the benefits of the society to the male
children of Yorkshire parents, who shall have resided or
shall reside within ten miles of the General Post-office,
and whose parents shall not have received parochial relief.
The seventh, eighth, and tenth rules were also altered to as
follows That every person subscribing one guinea an-
nually be a governor, and entitled at elections to one vote
for each boy to be admitted, and an additional vote for
each annual guinea subscribed; that whenever such an-
nual subscriptions, by continuous payments, amount to ten
guineas, the subscriber be entitled to an additional vote
for each; and every tea quinces, provided that
an annul subscription of one guinea be eontinucd
to be paid. That every person subscribing ten
guineas or upwards at one payment be a life governor, and
entitled on all elections to two votes for each boy to be ad-
mitted, for each and every ten guineas so paid ; and every
life governor of ten guineas or upwards giving or subscrib-
ing to the amount of five guineas, in addition, be entitled
to an additional vote for each and every such five guineas.
That the elections into the school be by ballot by the majo-
rity of governors, each governor being at liberty to give all
the votes to which he may be entitled in favour of one can-
didate, or to divide them, as he may think proper." Quar-
terly bills to the amount of 1861. were announced as having
been paid, the sum remaining in the hands of the treasurer
being about 3001., and the number of boys at present in the
institution 39.
THE MODEL FRIGATE FOR THE SERPENTINE.—
Lord Adolphus Fitrilarence, of the Royal Victoria and
Albert Steam-yacht, visited Woolwich Dockyard yes-
terday, accompanied by Captain Sparshott, for the pur-
pose of inspecting the progress made with the 20-gun
frigate, preparing for being rigged, and at present in
the mast-house at this port. This beautiful little craft is
38 feet long, and of 26 tons burthen, and will be fitted and
rigged even to the minutest detail as one of the frigates in
her Majesty's service. The bottom of the vessel is sheathed
with copper, and her keel is of iron, weighing 23 cwt. She
will be navigated by 20 boys. Her bilge-ways are already
put on, and she will be launched into the river on Satur-
day morning next, and be towed up the river to the Tower
on the same day by a steamer. On the following del she
will be towed by boats, 'and at the height of the lids be-
twist 12 o'clock on Sunday night and 1 o'clock on hismiay
morning be taken on shore at Vauxhall-bridge, end be
conveyed overland to the Serpentine river in liyieirielt,
where she will be launched at an early leas ea
morning before the traffic commence In tae Noe* sheiU
have to pass along. The rigging is now all ready, and will
be put up on her masts when afloat In the Serpentine.
A CONVERT FROM ILOMANISIL —Oa the afternoon
of Easter Sunday an overflowing congregation assembled
in the Reformed Baptist Evangelising Chapel, Charles-
street, Jarratt-street, for the purpose of hearing, according ,
to announcement, " the public recantation, by a Masashi,
of the delusive doctrines and usages of the papal church.'
The name of the convert, who is a labouring man, is
Francis Read, who has, it would appear, been brought up'
in the Roman catholic faith, end has fur the last four
years emus 'stinted with the Rev. Mr. Tmppcs the
priest of the Raman Catholic Chapel in Jarrett-street.
In his recantation the convert declared that he was con-
vinced that the church of Rome was is fearful error ;
that she had grievously apostatised from the truth as it
is In Jews, both regarding faith and ralline • that he re-
pediated the debars doctrines of tiansubstintiation, of
=to the Virgin Kern the here ti striate, and the
of purgatory and he away preesseal Ids te in
the holy mittens. the only Indelibleseerlard of faith and
seethe." Towable the weirder et the serriee, • Ro-
mans In the body of the shaped iSiesprai to raise a dis-
turbance, in which he was secededby sins ardent co-
religionists, who were pesaest, sad dermadsil te have the
question of the sesgeative rievite d Pretestestist and Mo-
ussaka &sided en the spot by scatroverey. The minister,
the Day. Mr. Males IOW& that he hal se sideetisa to do
M • SSA line silks bat that the sherd la which
they were essaided was agerdeed far reel • dismission.
The digtabesse seatiaalag, Mr. Masa Shensi the
peaty whit bed Urea solely isansteatsi In onakag it, that
the chapel was • Memel plasm of sash*, esi that, than.
fore, the movie's of • ptilseases sesMepeedly be procured,
and the ellmakag yards polished es the kW provided. Oa
this Wised= the snagyeses ceased, and the ileTs
were KOK after gismiesed. The savert was baptdt titti
evening, at the estelusica of the evening serviee.—Beriens
Counties Herald.
FATAL ACCIDENT IN THE TEMPLE.—Last night •
barrister, named Tomlines, residing in Paper-buildings,
Temple, fell from an upper window to the ground, receiv-
ing such severe injuries that he died at three o'clock this
morning, in King's College Hospital. It is supposed that
Mr. Tomlines, while going rapidly up stairs, slipped
through one of the staircase windows, which are level with
the landing-places, unprotected by ban, and generally left
Wm-
FATAL ACCIDENT IN REGENT-STREET.—Yesterday
see deg' sere werinesa were engaged painting the
Male 1 the hems is the Qmskant, and one of the
MOE sesswied the Was far the purpose of getting one of
hilaillodela previous te swkiveig the ladder, and had un-
framed** use width had hies attached to the railing',
Whoa. la islesedleg. WAN slipped on one side, and
prodoilMi Ilia to as him an the spot,
Ma err Ise dews two young ladles, sad
booking Ifs lag et ow of

TEYPLE, Arai 24.

—Alexander Denney, Bq., was this evening called to the
aerie of burettes at law by this society.

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 25, 1851.

MEETING IN MACCLESFIELD, IN AID OF
A PUBLIC PARK AND FREE LIBRARY.

On Wednesday evening a crowded public meeting
was held in the Urge room of the Macclesfield Sunday
School. in aid of the above object.
The Rev. C. A. J. SMITH, minister of Macclesfield, said
he took the chair with heartfelt pleasure, because he was
happy to aid every object conducive to the welfare of the
working class and the amelioration of their condition. He
felt anxious on this point, because, whenever labour or
capital affected the condition of society, the poorer classes
were always the greatest sufferers. He came to that meet-
ing more 'as &listener than a speaker, in order to understand
the plan upon which the committee proposed to act.
Mr. J. WRIGHT, the secretary, then read letters of
apology from the following noblemen and gentlemen, who
were unavoidably absent front the meeting:—The Lord
Bishop of Chester, the Dean of Manchester, Chas. Dickens,
Esq., the Earl of Carlisle, It. A. Slaney, Esq., M.P., Rev.
W. A. Osborne, Cornwall Leigh, Esq., M.P., J. Break-
hurst, Esq., M.P. J. Williams, Esq., M.P., J. Brother-
ton, Esq., M.P., the Rev. J. Thorneyeroft, rural dean,
the Earl of Harrington, John Potter, Esqr., Mayor of
Manchester, and Lord Ebrington. The writers expressed
the best wishes for, and promised to support the move-
ment, more especially as it had been originated by the
working classes.
Mr. J. MAY, in proposing the first resolution, would state
what the committee were prepared to do. Sonic 9 months
ago a number of working men were desirous of perpe-
tuating the memory of the late lamented Sir It Peel, by
the formation of s public park and pleasure-grounds, to be
called after his name. The is uc of their labours had re-
sulted in the collection, by pence alone, of upwards of 3001.,
which had been put into the bank. They had fixed their
eyes upon a plot of land, called tho " Town-field,"
which seemed eminently calculated to suit their
purpose. They purposed to have this ground laid
out with walks, gymnasiums, and cricket-grounds.
They were to have a public reading-room, and they
also proposed appointing a public reader, whose duty
would consist in reading aloud every evening, on some
popular subject, reserving one evening during the week for
reeling from religious works. The manner in which the
articles would be arranged would be the means of improving
the tastes of many of our lowly householders, and he hoped
this scheme would meet with their entire approval. In
cosclusion, he would tell them that the committee would
never rest satisfied till they had accomplished all that the
working classes had entrusted them with. Ile then pro-
posed the resolution, which was in favour of the establish-
ment of a public park or recreation grounds.
Sir J. K. SHE'TTLEWOIITII, in seconding the resolu-
tion, expressed the pleasure he felt in taking part in these
proceedings, lauding the conduct of the 17,000 penny sub-
scribers who had originated the fund. lie alluded to the
improved state of the working classes, in having abandoned
those brutalising sports, such as bull baiting and dog fight-
ing, for healthful excursions to the various romantic and
picturesque places in the country,—the great amount of
travelling by third class passengers over those of the other
classes—the abandonment of rioting, and the prevalence of
peace,—all these were signs of improvement in the working
classes. He advocated temperance for the industrious
classes, reminding them that the annual expenditure in
spirituous liquors, beer, porter, tobacco, and snuff,
was fifty-three millionssterling. In 1819 government spent a
million of money upon education, and had built 3,000
schools. Ile urged them to prosecute their object with un-
procrastinating zeal, reminding them that, whatever amount
of money was collected fur the public park, the government
would double it.

E. W. M ILL'MOTT, Esq., rose to propose the se-
cond resolution. lie said he came among them no a
farmer, and as the working classes were his best customers,
they had a right to act together. He would support the
improvement of their mind. It was the mind, and tha
mind alone, that could make the man.
Mr. It. M. MILNES next addressed the meeting, advo-
cating public parks and free libraries, as the best means
of improving the mind of the artisan.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman and visitors
from a distance, when the proceedings terminated.

SIIAKSPF.REAN CLUB ANNIVERSARY DINNER.—
This annual gathering of the members of the club took
place at Stratford-upon-Avon, on Weunesilay last, the din-
ner being provided for the members and their friends at the
Town Hall, in commemoration of the birthday of the great
poet. The chair was occupied by Mark Philips, Esq., the
high sheriff of the county, and a numerous company was
asAmbleil. The committee in their report stated that the
debt incurred in 1848 with the Stratford bank for the pur-
pose of completing the purchase of tho Shakspeare premises
was at present nearly liquidated, but that the state of their
finances bad prevented up to the present time any attempt
at their repair or restoration.
COUNTY COURTS EQUITABLE JURISDICTION.—A

correspondent says: " There are several forms in the
County Courts Equitable Jurisdiction Bill in the House of
Lords, which bill was noticed in the Laity News of Mon-
day, by. which it is proposed to effect some Chancery re-
forms in small estates and rescue that court from the ex-
pense and delay of its proceedings. The only question
seems to be whether the County Courts, with the accu-
mulated business, can attend to such matters. It is pro-
posed to give a like jurisdiction to the Court of Bankruptcy
in London, and there is no reason why the Insolvent
Debtors Court should not be similarly used in assisting the
Court of Chancery. In the schedules annexed to the bill
there arc various forms in respect of claims which it is
proposed may be entered in the County Courts of an equi-
table character, and which in the Court of Chancery are
now attended with no inconsiderable expense, such as a
claim by a creditor upon the estate of the deceased's per-
sonal assent, by • pecuniary or residuary legatee, by an
- seeking to have the estate administered, or
• of a partnership estate, or for the
There -- . doubt

for the

appointment of a trustee. .. can be no - .that
such matters were allowed to be beard, in a short time and
at a small expense by competent judges, great assist-
ance would be rendered to the Court of Chancery, and
that suitors in equity proceedings would be greatly
benefited."

DETERMINED ATTEMPT OP A MINORITY TO EN-
roitez • C 131: 11C11 RATS FIitSTRATED.—A handful of rate-
payer, headed by the churchwardens of Chorlton-cum-
Hardy, near Manchester, and forming a minority of a
meeting called for the purpose, have been aspiring to the
unenviable notoriety of enforcing a church rate against the
majority. The meeting was held last July, when the ma li
-
jonty negatived the proposition for a rate, but it was laid
notwithstanding, and the collection has gone on smoothly
up to the present time; but Mr. T. Pollitt having refused
to pay his portion of the rate, amounting to 71. Ss. Bd., he
was yesterday summoned before the county magistrates for
the hundred of Salford, troernbled at the New Bailey
Court-house. Mr. H. L. Trafford, stipendiary magistrate,
was on the bench, assisted by Mr. Samuel Fletcher, mer-
chant. Mr. Emanuel Turner, one of the churchwardens

of Chorlton-cum-Hartly, was present to prove the lay-
ing of tin rate, and the Rev. W. Birlcy, the rector,
and chairman of the meeting at which the rate
was laid, was on the bench, but not as a ma-
gistrate, not being in the commission of the peace,
—Mr. Tamer, hiving been sworn, stated that the de-
fendant was rated to the church-rates in his book to the
amount of 71. Bs. &I. He had asked him for the rate.—
Cross-examined by Mr. Bent (solicitor for the defendant) :
The rate was laid on the 30th July, 1850. I was present at
the time. The motion for laying the rate was not nega-
tived by 14 to 7, but it was negatived. It was negatived-by
14 to 13. The clergyman, the schoolmaster, and the clerk
voted in that minority of 13. 1 did not vote.—Mr. Traf-
ford: We have nothing to do with who voted. Were they
all inhabitant ratepayers who voted ?—Mr. Turner: I be-
lieve not, Sir.—Mr. Bent : The rate was not levied at all
then ?—Mr. Turner: The vote was negatived, but the
chairman declared the rate levied.—Mr. iTraffora : By
whose authority is the rate laid?—Mr. Turner:
By the authority of the minister and churchwardens.
The rate-book was here put in, and Mr. Trafford pro-
ceeded to examine it. The book had a printed title-page
and printed headings, and appeared to have been printed
as a poor-rate book. The title was in these words: " Rate-
book. Clsoriton-cum-Ilardy." At the head of each of
the other pages was written the words " church rate." At
the foot of the last page was the following certificate: " I
do hereby certify the contents of this book to be a true and
correct copy of the poor rate useamsent for the year
1850 to 18.51, for the township of Chorkon-eum-Hardy.
Edward Smith, assistant overseer. 23rd July 1850."
Mr. Trafford having examined the book, continued
his examination of the witness as follows:—What

are y
ou? I am one of the churchwardens. Mr.
Trafford : Why have you not filled up this form in the
rate book? This is a poor-rate form. Where is the
church-rate form ? Mr. Turner : There is no church-rate
form. Mr. Trafford : Then you merely take • poor-rate
form and try to convert it into • church-rate book, you
draw up a kind of assessment, signed by the churchwarden,
without any heading to say for what purpose. All that I
see here is, " I hereby certify the contents of this book tube
a true and correct copy of the assessment of Chorlton-cum-
Hardy for the year 1850 to 18.51. Signed, Edward Smith,
overseer." It does not state for what purpose a rate was
laid, it is not signed by the churchwarden, and there-
fore there is no rate levied. The rate cannot be enforced,
for it has not been laid. The summons was dismissed.

RAILWAY IN BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.—The
Cape Breton people ate agitating for the extension of the
Portland and Halifax Railway to Sydney, a great coal port
on the norther coast of Cape Breton Island. At a recant I
meeting hold ha Sydney Brown, Esq. said, the last time
he wiser set ben , in the steamer, Sydney could
have beat reedisdlichlti:ys from the M ersey, whereas I
they IMO are Halifax, 24 hours of which they
were detained off that harbour by log. In lea than a year
we should have a telegraph from hence. lie had ascer-
tained that by the Quebec boats touching at this port for
I eel% • semis' of 2,0001. soak voyage would be made, by reams
of tees coal being shipped at Liverpool, and • greater
amtent of freight, Ike.. and the difference in the price of
the coal at this pees asul that at Quebec ; Havannah could
washed
frame Uverpool via Sydney, by the additional
of I2S melee; that a saving to steamers bound
thither would thereby be effected in the increased quantity
of freight which they could carry. This is, however, a
formidable objection against Sydney, which Mr. Brown
was forced to admit. The port is frozen up four months of
the year, whereas it is important that the port which forms
the Atlantic terminus of his great communication should be
always open.
POPULATION OF BRADFORIL—EXTRAORDINARY
licazass--The pepolation of Bradford, Yorkshire, has
imunsitrana M 1,718 in 1841, to loaara. This is perhaps
Oa amt re nerkable increase in population whack the
prima asses will present.

GREAT WESTERN AND SHREWSBURY AND

BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.

A special meeting of the Shrewsbury and Bir-
mingham Railway Company will be held at Wolverhampton
on the Bth of May, to consider an agreement proptra‘el by
the directors of the Great Western Company with the di-
rectors of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham and the direct-
ors of the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Companies fur
en amalgamation of the said three companies, as from the
led of January, 1868 or 1857. The heads of the money terms
of the proposed agreement are to the effect that the
Shrewsbury and Birmingham and Shrewsbury and Chester
companies are to be secured, out of the grog earnings
of the London through traffic to places beyond Bir-
mingham, and ries rersti, over the London and Birming-
ham line, rid Oxford, from the Ist of January next, such
a sum as will, in case the receipts of the Shrewsbury and
Birmingham and Shrewsbury and Chester companies,
from their own proper and through traffic and other re-
ceipts fall short thereof, make up the following dividend
on their ordinary share capital, after the payment of interest
on the debenture debt and preference shares and all other
outgoings of the two companies,—viz., 3 per cent. in the
years 1862, 1853, and 1854 ; and either 3 or 4 per cent. in
the year 1865 ; and if the former, 4 per cent. in the year
1956. The three companies to be amalgamated from the
Ist of January, 1866 or 1857, into one company, receiving
stock in the amalgamated company for their shares on the
basis of their proportionate net earnini.., during the year
1865 or 1850, after payment of all fixed charges, including
interest on debentures and preference shares. The above
objects to be earned out by an act of parliameat. The chair-
man of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Company states,
in his letter to the shareholders on this subjeet, that the
. .

fund out of which the minimum divitleud is tube secured is
the gross earnings or revenue derived by the Great We tern
Railway Company upon uud over their line from London to
Birmingham, tin Oxford, front all traffic brought to the
Shrewsbury and LI irmingham,or the Shrewsbury and Chester
Company to carry north of Birmingham, and rice rersti; and
that, at the cud of the period above named, the company is
proposed to be amalgamated with the Shrewsbury and
Chester rind Great Western companies upon the basis
of the earnings either in the ear 185.5 or 18.-al, as shall
be determined. 'fire pro agreement presents, there-
fore, the twofold object o securing to the proprietors an
immediate return upon their capital and a just fixing of its
value after ample time has been given fur the development
of the resources of their line. lt goes on to state that if the
Great Western proposal be carried out a satisfactory de-
termination will be come to of much, if not the whole, of
the present litigation and vexatious proceedings in
which the company has become involved, 114 the arrange-
ment with the Great Western Company will be in accordance
with the previous contracts of this company with the Shrews-
bury and Chester Company, and put an end to any contest
upon the existing agreement with the Great Western Com-
pany. The chairman and deputy-chairman call attention to
the strong feeling which exists in the important and populous
districts connected by the undertaking us to the advantage
of the line being made part of the great through communi-
cation between London and the North by means of an ar-
rangement with the Great Western, instead of being a mere
branch of the London and North-Western Company. At
the above meeting it is proposed to authorise the directors
of the company, either alone or in conjuctiou with any
other company or companies, to enter into au agree-
ment with the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire
Junction Railway Company for working over the liar
of the latter company by tho Shrewsbury and Birming•
ham Company for such period, and upon such terms and
conditions as may be agreed upon, and, if necessary,
to apply to parliament for an act for the purpose
or for including the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and
Cheshire Junction Company in the above amalgamation.
It is also intended to alter or rescind any of the resolutions
passed at certain meetings of the proprietors convened for
the 12th of February and the 4th of April, 1511. It
appears that the inhabitants of the districts through which
the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, the Shrewsbury
and Chester, and Shrewsbury and Birmingham railways
pass are most anxious that thews lines should be worked in
connexion with the Great Western Company, and, by means
of the proposed amalgamation, to give them a second and
independent line of railway to London and the south of
England. The proposed new route from London by the
Great Western to Birkenhead, Liverpool, and Manchester
is about 24 miles longer than that by the London and North
Western Railway. The route by the Great Western Rail-
way is from l'addiugton to the Didcot junction, thence over
the Oxford junction line to Oxford, from Oxford to Bir-
mingham by the Oxford and Rugby and Birmingham and
Oxford lines, and from Birmingham to Wulverhampton by
the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway.
At Wolverhampton the latter line, belonging to the Great
Western Company, forms a junction with the Shrews-
bury and Birmingham Railway, which extends to Shrews-
bury, and there joins the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway,
which joins the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Chester Rail-
way at Chester.

NATIONAL FLORICULTURAL SOClETY.—Yeaterdav
a meeting of this society took place, at their premises, 21,
Recent-street. There was a show of flowers, principally
cincrarias, auriculas, pansies, and rhododendrons. K.
Staines, Esq., presideil, and, after the election of a number
of fresh members, Mr. J. Edwards, the secretary, read the
awards of the censors, as follows. Certificates: Geranium
(Pelargonium), named Chieftain, exhibited by Mr. Hoyle,
of Reading; a fancy pelargonium, named formissimum, by
Mr. Hares, of Blackheath; cineraria, alha magua, by Mr.
S. Smith, of Hornsey-road ; auricula, named Beauty of
Bath, by Mr. Griffin, of Bath; cineraria, named Margaret
d'Anou, by Mr. E. G. Henderson, Wellington-road, St.
John `s-wood. The following were commended: A cinera-
ria, named Model of Perfection, exhibited by Mr. Hares, of
I Blackheath; a pelargonium, named First of May; by Mr.
Turner, of Slough; a cineraria, named Beauty, by Mr.
Imre, of Peckham. The meeting was then adjourned to
the 9th of May.
LOSS OF THE. JENNY LIND, EAST INDIA TRADER.—
We have to announce the wreck of this tine East India
trader, a new ship, nearly 500 tons burthen, with passen-
VMS for London front Singapore, on a reef of coral rucks in
the Southern Pacific Ocean, 400 miles off the Australian
coast, %hero they endured the utmost suffering and pri-
vation for a period of thirty-five days. The ship left
Singapore on the 3rd of August for Melbourne
and London, under the command of Captain Joseph
Taylor; Mr. Masters, chief mate; Mr. Harper, second
mate; and a crew of sixteen seamen aqd appren-
tices. Her passengers were Mr. and Mrs: Somerset,
and three children, Mrs. Harpur, Mr. Noble, Mr. Acker-
man, Mr. Beal, and several others. The chief mate took
charge of the watch at 10 minutes past 4 o'clock of the
morning of the 21st, and enjoined the man on the forecastle
to keep a sharp look out, and at the same time be directed
the man at the helm to keep the ship N. by W. The wind
at the time was W. by S., and the ship going nine knots
through the water. Immediately afterwards the officer of
the watch saw something black a-head, and asked the look,
out man what it was, who answered that it was the
reflection of a heavy black cloud that was hanging over head.
A quick glance over the gangway seems to have shown the
mate better, and he immediately had the helm put hard up,
and all hands called fore and aft. The vessel wore off to
the wind, but before the traces could be touched she struck
aft, and immediately afterwards lay broadside on the reef,
the sea making breaches over her. The masts were cut
away as quickly as possible, but the vessel continued to
lurch heavily upon the reef, and it was plain that she
must soon break up. An attemt was made to launch the
pinnace, but this was unsuccessful, and the master got him-
self hurt in the attempt. After great difficulty the jolly-
boat was launched, and two hands being placed in her, she
SIRS Oaken to a rock a short distance inside the reef, which
rdr.:to be the Keen's-reef, in lat. 21-15.13 S., loe.
8., some four hundred miles north of Pdureton Bay.
The ideas of the passengers were got out of the vessel, sad
leaded ma ea the islet, which was about 150 yards by 40.
Pereliema were fetched from the ship, which with great
maalsomot were made to sustain the party. Mr. Beal, a
who was on board, contrived an apparatus for dis-
tilling for consumption from that of the sea, while a
party were employed in constructing • boat in which at
length they embarked on the ocean. They made for
Moreton Bay, but the wind eventually in the course of five
days drove the boats towards the entrance of the Brisbane
river, and reached the town in safety, where they met with
every kindness and attention from its inhabitants, all of
them, including the women and children, comparatively
well, a circumstance almost incredible, after having been
exposed for 37 days and nights on a desolate cold bank in
the Pacific.

LOVE AND SUICIDE.-00. the 18th inst. an inquest
was held on the body of William Creason Quiball Hall. at
the Swan Inn, Sneinton. Deceased was a miller and corn-
factor, and lived at the Sneinton Hermitage Mill. Elisa-
beth Hall, housekeeper to the deceased, said that on Tues-
day morning last her master complained very much of a
pain in hie head; during the morning his brother came
and staid with him a short time, and When he was gone he
lay down upon the sofa for a time, and shortly afterwards
came into the kitchen, and said, " I've got a little errand
for 'you to do," and gave her a letter to take to the
post-office which he placed in her basket, and she put it
into the office without looking at it. On her return she
went up stairs and found the deceased lying upon the
door with his face covered with blood. She immedi-
ately ran out for assistance, and was followed by Mr. Good-
son
and Mr. Burrows, surgeon, of Sneinton, who said
he was quite dead. On examination he found • pistol
shot wound. He had 'pistol in his right band, and another
in his left. He had been very lowspirited for some time, ,
and frequently moaned in the night. When his house-
; keeper asked him the cause of his depression of spirits, he •
said, " It is a disappointment, a cruel disappointment ;"
and at times sbe pressed him to tell her what the disap-
pointment was, when he told her that the lady he had a
sincere regard for was married. This disappointment she
felt confident had affected his mental faculties so as to
render him of unsmuid mind. Mr. Goodson, of the Her-
mitage Steam Mill, had also observed a very material alter-
ation in his manners and spirits for some time, and was
aware he was labouring under a disappointment in conse-
quence of a female to wham he was attached getting mar-
ried. Deceased had often told him he had felt the disap-
pointment, and he had frequently talked to him, and tried
to calm his mind. One of the pistols had been recently dia.
charged, and the other was loaded with ball.—Verdict,
" That the deceased shot himself during a fit of insanity."
Notts. Mercury.
ROBBERY OF THE EX-MAYOR OF LEEDS.—As the
late Mayor of Leeds (Joseph Bateson, Esq.), was last night
(Wednesday) proceeding home from te half-yearly dinner
of the borough magistrates at half-paet eleven o'clock, he
was stopped by three men in Woodhouse-lane' who
knocked him dawn and robbed him of a gold watch, with
guard and two gold seals. The perpetrators of the outrage
han sot been detected.