The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-09 00:00:00

BOROUGH HOP MARKET.-THIS DAY.

Messrs. Pattenden and Smith report that the trade is
rather more active, owing to the ungenial state of the
weather, and prices are very firm for both new and old Rope.

COAL MARKET.-THIS DAY.

Holywell, 16s. 6d.; Eden Main, 17s. 3d. ; Ravensworth's
Hartley, 16s. 6d.; Walls End Hatton, 18s. ; Walls End
Lambton, 17s. ltd.; Walls End Stewart's, 18s. 3d.; Walla
End Tees, 184. 3d.—Ships at market, 167.

WITTIDRAWAL OF CONTRACT MAIL PACKETS TO
AUSTRALIA, VIA THE CAPE OF GOOD ROPY.—GENISEAL
POST-OFFICE, APRIL, 184.—Her Msjest> 's government
having terminated the contract with the Australian Royal
Steam Navigation Company, for the conveyance of the mails
to Australia, via the Cape of Good Hope, a mail packet will
no longer be despatched from Plymouth on the 3rd of every
alternate month as heretofore. Provision will be made for the
conveyance of mails to Australia early in the months:of Jane,
August, October, and December of the present year, re-
spectively; and due notice will be given of the days ap-
pointed for the departure of such mails. In the alternate
months of May, July, September, and November mails for
Australia will continue to be forwarded by the route of
Singapore, according to the present arrangements, on the
4th of the month via Southampton, and on tho Bth via
Marseilles, or when those dates fall on a Sunday, on the
3rd sit Southampton, and on the 9th via Marseilles. Pest-
muters will, for the present, send to London all letters and
newspapers addressed to Australia.
DEPARTURE OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANA-
DIAN MAILS.—On Saturday afternoon the British and
North American Royal Mail Steamship Africa, Captain
Harrison, left her moorings in thsMersey, for New York,
with the usual mails for the United States, Canada, New-
foundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, &c., 74 passen-
gers, and a large and valuable:cargo of merchandise on
freight. Her mails were carried out in charge of Lieut.
Lewis, R.N., Admiralty *Root.
FIRE IN LivEarLIOL. —On Thursday night the
sugar refining premises of Mr. James Leitch, Wellington-
street, Scotlana-road, Liverpool, were destroyed by fire,
together with a large quantity of sugar in vats, on the
premises. The loss was considerable, but it is expected will
be covered by. insurance.
INDIAN REFORM SOCIETY.---012 Saturday, the
7th instant, a meeting of the committee of the Indian Re-
form Society was held at the society's rooms, 12, Hay-
market, at which Messrs. Bright, Blackett, Bruce, BeU,
Crooke, Phillimore, Denby Seymour, and Viscount Gode-
rich, M.P.'s, and other gentlemen interested in the welfare
of India, attended, when several important communications
were announced. Letters from some of the leading native
gentlemen of Madras and Bombay, written in very pure
English, were read to the meeting, describing the excite-
ment which prevailed at those presidencies, under the ap-
prehension that the petitions of the natives would be
unattended to, and their claims for justice disregarded by
the English legislature; and stating that ample evidence
could be furnished of the truth of the allegation contained
in their positions, if time were allowed. These letters were
dated before the formation of the Indian Reform Society
was known in India. A letter was also read from the
Native Association of Bombay, referring to a pamphlet on
"the Administration of Justice in Southern India," by
J. B. Norton, Esq., government pleader at Madras, which
has recently created a great sensation in this country, de-
claring that " the remarks of that author apply equally to
the Bombay presidency." It was fuither announced that
the Native Association at the different presidencies had re-
mitted money to a considerable amount to their friends in
this country, for the purpose of diffusing information through
the British public respecting the wants of India. A por-
tion of these funds was handed to the treasurer of the
society. The committee decided on making an appeal to
public opinion on this question as soon after the Whiftun
holidays as possible.
TESTIMONIAL.—On Wednesday evening last the
young men in the employ of the news agents, Messrs.
Dawson, presented to their late superintendent Mr. Win.
Goodman, a diamond ring, as a slight memorial of their
respect for him during a connexion of nearly twenty years.
MEDICAL BENEVOLENT COLLEGE. Yesterday
' morning the Bishop of Oxford preached a sermon at St.
Peter's or Oxford Chapel, Vere-street, Cavendish-square,
in aid of the fund, of this newly established institution;
which has for its objects the providing a home for the
widows and orphan children of medical men. The right
reverend preacher urged that the institution was an object
particularly deserving public support. The medical profes-
sion was by no means rich, but, on the contrary, poor, as
was shown by the statistics of a kindred instituti,m, to
which no less than one out of every three of the families of
those medical men who had contributed were compelled to
come for relief. There were about 12,000 of the medical pro-
fession in practice in England and \V ales ; 2,600 of whom
were in London and its neighbourhood. It was proposed

to provide for 100 widows and 100 children ; it liad'been
devised by one then in the congregation, one of the oldest
inhabitants in the parish of Marylebone, by whose exer-
tions, of the 20,000/. required 17,0001. had been raised,
leaving 3,0001. to be subscribed, in order that the institution
ma, he opened. The bishop's appeal was followed by the
collection of 108 i. Os. Id.