The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-08 00:00:00

THE PIGEONS OF GUILDHALL

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At a committee of aldermen, held nt Guildhall,
Alderman Wilson 'mein repreiseated that Mr. Temple, the
hall-keeper, had given directions to some of the peruses in
waiting upon the several committees to destroy the pigeons
witch have been sheltered in the nooks and crannies of the
building for many years, and have of late become tamed-
iogly numerous, that officer was called before the aldermen
to account for having issued an order so much at vatiauce
with the taste of the corporation.
The Hall-keeper said the inhabitants of Kine-street,
in the immediate vicinity of Guildhall, bed often com-
plained of the nuisance occasioned by the pigeons, a nui-
sance of which none but those who were subjected to their
frequent visits could form en adequate opinion. Tho
dresses of several ladies who happened to sit under the ele-
vations on which they perched themselves in ►warms, had
suffered more or less from the birds, and the familiarity
with which they were treated by the people all round ac-
tually caused them to Ay in at windows and down chimneys
to the great annoyance of (studies. (Laughter.)
Alderman Wilson—l should wish to hear some instances
in which the poor pigeons have given such mortal offeuce.
(Hear, hear.) Sir James Shaw, our old chamberlain, with
whose kindness of heart we are all acquainted, took grc..t
delight in supplying them with food, considering that it
was essential to the character of Guildhall for hospitality
that such harmless tenants should receive a littie of the
bounty of the corporation.
The Hall-keeper said that about three or four yearn
ago the splendid dress of a lady who eat at the Lord
Msyor's dinner in the hall was completely destroyed by the
unceremonious conduct of some of the pigeons above her
head (Laughter.) Two years ago, when his servant girl
went into one of the bedrooms she was horrified by ■ noise
in the chimney, and immediately afterwards down titmtiled
a quantity of soot, end a pigeon in the midst of it. Hut
that wu not the may disagreeable coesequence of the un-
welcome visit, for the bird in its fright fluttered not only
against the walls of the room, but sguirst the curtains cd
the bed, and did a gr.-at deal of damage, very much to the
annoyance of his wife, and the terror of his children.
(Laughter.)

s Aaernuat Lawrence—How much soot came down upon
that occasion ?

The Halt Keeper—The room was covered with it.
Alderman Lawrence—lt sei me, then, that the pigeon
saved you the expense of employing a etiimney-sweeper. It
is quite evident, Crum the quantby of soot which accom-
panied the bird in its visit to your to drount, that you don't
lay out much money iu currying ou: that portion of our
sanitary regulations. (Laughter.)
The Hall.Keeper—The passages to my /inure are een-
gauntly covered with dirt from the multitude of pfgeonv.
They were endurable when there were no more than 1.5 or
10 ut them about the building, but the number has in-
creased to 70 or SO, and lam owe I would be obliged to
any one who would kill them.
Alderman Hurnphery.—No, no! I would recommend you
Mr. Hall.keeper, to torn what you a.em to be bi disgusted
with to advantage, by setting up a guano shop and eel ing it
as manure, (Laughter.)
Alderman Cubit' said : at Venice pigeons were so much
respected that they were maintained at the publ.c expense,
and nobody was permitted to molest them. " Ile could not
see why the Guildhall pigeons, which had, as it were, be-
come part and parcel of the corporation should be disturbed,
except, indeed, it was intended to make ;its of them for the
use of the corporation. (Great laughter).
Alderman Hump:nay said, he thought the Hallkeeper
could give the committee a very fair idea of the flutingr of
the birds as he bad so great an anxiety to put them to
death.

The Nall-keeper.—l assnreyou,sir,that I never tastedone
of them in mWe.
Alderman Wilson—We will certainly not allow a whole-
sale destruction of the pigeons, which ere objects of interest
in the neighbourhood, rnd bad been all of them born under
and upon the roof of the building.
' After some further conversation, in the course of which it
was admitted that it would be very proper to dispense with
' the presence of the pigeons at the dinner of the 9th of
November, the hall-keeper succeeded so tar in substantiat-
ing his complaint as to obtain trom the committee their
consent to decrease the number of the °Modem to about $
moiety. It was agreed that the argument of the injury to
the ladies' dresses, not to say a word about the beards and
bald heads of the ambassadors, and the wigs of the bishops
and judges and terjeanta learned in the law, was fatal to
the cause of the birth.. which are said from their chattering
and cooing to take delight in the mischief they dropped
upon the magnitimnee below.
Alderman Wilson advised the hall-keeper to employ some
of the pigeons he was about to banish to scour all his
chimneys before they departed.

SPORTING.

TATTERSALL'S.-31oxDAT.
NOTTINGHAM SPRING HANDICAP.
3 to 1 agst Mr. Meson's The Bishop (t)
7 to 2 Mr. J. Osborue's B.dd Davie (t)
NOTTINGHAM TWO-YEAR•OLD STAKES.
7 to 4 aest Lord J. Seutt's Lady Audrey (t)
3to 1 Mr. J. Osborne's Bridesmaid
LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE.
6 to 1 agst Mr. Mason's Miss Mowbray (t)
8 to 1 Mr. Mason's Oscar (t)
11 to 1 Mr. Barnett's Sir Peter Lanrie (t)
• NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
20 to 1 •tat Mr. Luniley's Maria
NEWMARKET HANDICAP.
10 to 1 apt Mr. T. Parr's Contentment
15 to 1 Mr. H. Boyee's Herbert
TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES.
4 to 1 apt Duke of Bedford's Sittingbourne (t 9 to 2)
4 to 1 Mr. Bowes's West Australian (t 9to 2)
METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.
_ _

7to 1 eget Mr. 1. Par's Contentment (t)
20 to 1 Mr. J. IL Cowley's Lansytttlo (t and
aft off)
25 to 1 Mr. Kimberley's Snowdon Dunhill (t
and att off)
25 to 1 Mr. Lmuley's Maris (t)
We give the lest quctation aget Contentment, about
whom, however, 10 to 1 was laid once to a small sum, and
8 to 1 to 1601.

CHESTER CUP.
20 to 1 apt Mr. T. Parr's Contentment (take 25 to 1)
35 to 1 Mr. Saxon's Richard Primmer (take 40 to 1)

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DERBY.
10 to 1 apt Mr. Bowes's West Australian (taken)
14 to 1 Mr. Powney's Cineas (taken)
16 to 1 Duke of Richmond's Pharos (taken) ,
16 to 1 Duko of Bedford's Si!tingbourne (taken)
20 to 1 Mr. Spencer's Elnuthorpe (land alt off)
3.5 to 1 Mr. T. Parr's Contentment (40 to 1t)
40 to 1 Mr. Suttees's Honeyuoood.
Owing to the departure of many of the anbeceiben for
Nottingham, the betting was dull, and except in the in-
stance of Contentment, who is 'quotad at a decline, without
say material influence on the praxes.

SCARCITY 01, SAILORS.—In our police report of
Friday will be found the case of a man named Gavle, a
sailor, sentenced to ten days imprisonment, with hard
labour. Mr. Castle stated that to his own knowledge
there was a vessel now lying at Kingrood, and the owners
had sent to Cardiff, Newport, G oucester, London, Lire►-
pool, and other ports, to get a crew, but could not complete
the required number, owing to the present great scarcity
and demand for seamen.—Reino/ Mirror.

--• • -• •
DESTRUCTION OF A VESSEL BY FIRE OFF TIIE
KENTISH COAST.—LVDD, Fkk. 6.—A serious lose took
pleas yesterday morning off Dungeness, by the destruction
of a French vessel by fire. She was a fine schooner, called
the Zelinia, Viand, master, and was bound to Loudon front
Nantes, with wine and a general cargo of merchandise. She
was wending her way up channel elf this coast, when the
crew were alarmed on discovering a fire to be kindling some-
where in the hold. Every effort was wade to arrest the
I progress of the destructive element, but to little purpose ;
and with a double view of preserviug their own lives, aad
as much as possible the vessel and cargo, it was deter-
mined to make for the shore in the west bay of Dungeness.
Her approach had been ohm reed from the coact, and assist-
ance sent off to her. She at length took the ground nctween
No. 3 and 4 stations, some four miles to the weetwerd of the
Ness, when, with the aid of the coast guard and other par-
ties from shore, increased exertions were mace to extinguish
the fire. It had obtained, however, too powerful a hold of
the ill-fated craft to admit of her preservation. The most
prompt measures were therefore taken to save all that was
possible of the cargo, and much, it is reported, ICA go: out.
In the meanwhile the flames continued to exter.il over the
Tinsel, until at length she was burnt to the water's edge. It
is gratifying to add, however, that the crew and all those
who assisted in endeavouring to stay the conflagration, stle..
eeeded in reaching the shore in 'piety, out a lite being lest.
At present the cause of the fire has not transpired. The
unfortunate ship and cargo are reported to have been in-
mired fur considerable sums.

A BOSTON VESSEL WRECKED ON PLYMOUTH
Bansustimsn.—The smack Ocean, of Boston—Giistellow,
master—was wrecked on Plymouth breakwater on Wed-
'lmlay night last. The o.,ean was laileu with wheat, con-
signed to Messes. Collier and Sons, merchants,
.ol Ply-
mouth, which she had embarked at Shoreham. 'tbe mas-
ter, who was also principal owner, 'ming a strangi.r to the
port, thought the lighthouse on the eastern end of the
breakwater, instead of the western end, and ran the vessel
right end on the breakwater. The night was very dark,
and {here was a strong swell at the time. The vessel be-
came a total wreck; but, fortunate/y, the master and crew,
two men and a boy, were saved, haring been taken off by
the crew of the Tavy, thi: yacht of Mr. Thompson, the
Queen's harbour muter at Plymouth. Neither the vessel
nor cargo was insured, we believe.
EnTILtORDINAKV MARINE CONVULSION. - 011
Saturday information WaA received at Lloyd's, under date
Liverpool, Feb. 4, of an extraordinary marine convulsion
experienced by the Manes im her pes,ige from thence to
Caldera. On the morning of the 13th of October, the ship
being twelve miles from the equator, in long. 19 W., a
rumh.ing noise appeared to issue twin the ocean, winch
gradually inereased ha sound till the uproar became &alin-
ing the sea rose in mountainous wave/ ; tie wind blow-
ing from all quarters, the control over the ship was lost,
and she pitched and rose hightfully, al on board expecting
each moment to be their last. Tins continued film*
ea
The water then gradually subsided, when several
vessels in tight at the cammenctimmit el the ironvultion
' were found to have disappeared. Shortly afterwards •
quantity of wreck, • pact of a ACC, w strainer, were pasted,
to :lost some vessels and lives were lost.