The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-12 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 12, 1846.

and mild-looking young curate, but obviously afraid of
the baby, appeared like the principal character in a ghost-
story, " a tall figure all in white ;" at sight of whom Paul
rent the air with his cries, and never left off again till he
was taken out black in the face. Even when that event had
happened, to the great 1'6;4 of every body, he was heard
under the portico, during the rest of the ceremony, now
fainter, now louder, now hushed, now bursting for h again
with an irr, preasible sense of his wrong!- This so distracted
the attention of the two ladies, that Me:- Chick was con-
stantly deploying into the centre aisle, to mud out menages
by the pew-opener, while Miss To= kept her Frayer-book
open at the Gunpowder Plot, and occasionally read rtsponses
from that servitc.—Dornbsy and Son.
OLIN S tWDUST.—We find in the Athenceum of last
Saturday the following: " We have submitted the specimen
of gun sawdust sent us by Mr. Turner to experiment ;—and,
although in our hands both its igniting and explosive powers
were less than that of gunpowder, we have no doubt that
sawdust or any other kind of vegetable tissue containing lig-
nine, may be converted into an explosive compound by the
agency of nitric acid." The sawdust to be used should
obviously be from such woods as contain the leant quantity
of resinous matter, for that leaves a residuum after explosion
which clogs the gun from which it is discharged.
THE 'l' Ka DUTIES.—The following are extracts from
a letter, dated Birmingham, addreseed to us Oil the tea trade:—" My
object is to show that the present high duty does not materially
limit the consumption of tea. That tea is not only ill general, but in
universal consumption. and that the increase of consumption would
• tailleg, even if the whole of the present duty were remitted.
Telhis Wit' will bringtny experience as a retailer of tea for the last
twit* pew% and show ling the little probability of any greatly in-
most einnempllea amongst the very poor. It wad my lot to serve
rep eppretalkwito one of the lowest parts of London, aboutuling
WAD et pewit, the poorest of the poor; but they all eon-
*" gni Wed Y bega day to day, l at a time. lam
yews leek when tea of moderee quality was de
let &pw 4w=tite iron was flee farthings. It fell to four tarthings,
ned spin PM MI thaw farthings; but they still bought, and to this
any MN Vey may the l oz; and this is all they wouW buy if the j oz.
weeretlfea& to a hallpetuiy, which would be a reduction of I6d. per
lb. I will now take the respectable mechanic or When whose
wife buys her 2 ca. of tea on the Saturday night. l was first
la trwle, the 2 oz. was ;it fell to Dd.; again to Lid, and again to
ed. ; but ',be still bnye her 1 oz., and only 2 oz. ; nor would she buy
mere if it were reduced to 4d. There is, therefore, little incrca'e to
be expected from this class. I will take now the middle ekes.
Twenty years aeon this class bought its 11. or jib. of tea at 6s.
or 7e.: and, although many of this cu.., buy tea at de, and
some even lower still, they buy only their customary lb. or 41b.
and very frequently avail themselves of the opportunity afforded them
of buying a superior quality ut the old price: hence the reason why
the great majority of families still pay Is. or fel. for ten, whilst as good
quality can be obtained now for 41. as was obtainable at Os. a few years
hack. We can look, therefore, for little increase of consumption In
this quarter. An to the rich, we cannot suppose they are ever guided
by price in the use of tea. I must, therefore, repeat that
no reduction of the duty on tea would be attended with any
material increase of consumption. Year by year, for the last
ten years, has the price of tea been (idling; but little do I see
In the yearly comparative statements of consumption, beyond an in.
crease which merely keeps pace with the growth of the population.
That the reduction in the tea duty would :vivre our trade ;or even im-
prove our trade) with China, unless the coneumption of tea greatly in-
creased, is not attempted to be shown ; but there is a class that would
most certainly be benefited by a reduction of the tea duty, and that
elaus consists of the wheltuale tea dealers; and, 1 am bound to ac-
knowledge, that even in my humble business a reduction of Is. per lb.
would be equal to an accession of 2,0001. capital. And here is the
grand secret. Who are they who form the anti-tea tax league ! The
wholeude tea dealers. In conclusion, Mr. Miter, let tare express a
hope that our trade with China rests upon some more solid bads than
a sudden and greatly increased coniumptioa of tea ; and let us also
hope (in allusion to one of the paragraphs in the anti-tea tax pre-
amble) that the sobriety and secial feeling of the nation are not de-
pendent on, or regulated by, the price of an owner of tea.
FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEAR THE ROYAL
ESC/lA:VC/E.—ln addition to the vario';s alterations on this
spot, with the new buildings erecting by Alderman Moon in
the rear of the Union Assurance Office, it has been arranged
to build a commercial adjoining the Hall of Com-
merce. It was in contemplation to obtain the concur-
rence of the directors of the Union to join the corporation
of London in making further improvements upon this spot,
more especially the rebuilding of the Union Office on an en-
largi d scale, in conformity with tho other public buildings
in the immediate neighbourhood. The directors, however,
of that ancient institution preferred the 10,0001. or 12,0001.
which it would cad in rebuilding to remain in the coffers of
the society, for the benefit of the shareholders : thus the '
public lose an advantage. The inhabitants of Finch-lane
have petitioned the Commissioners of Sewers to allow the
thoroughfare to be made for foot-passengers only, which is
now under consideration.
ANOTHER BRIDGE OVER THE THAM F.S.—Yester-
day, notice was given to the public that application is in-
tended to be made to Parliament in the next cession for
leave to bring in a bill for making and constructing a bridge
over or across the River Thames, at from or near Essex-
street, Strand, to the opposite chore, at or near to Dowson's-
wharf, in the Marsh and Wall liberty. Also fur making and
maintaining a market, at or near the south end of the pro. I
posed bridge ; and also to obtain powers for the compulsory
purchase of lands and houses, and to levy tolls, rates, or
duties in respect of the said bridge and market.
THE GOODMAN'S-FIELDS ESTATE.—For some years
past the whole of the extensive property, known as the
Goodman estate, in Whitechapcl, has been without any
ostensible proprietor, the occupiers of houses living rent
free ; and when, from circumstances, quitting their dwellings,
generally selling the keys of the houses to new corners, sel-
dom for less than 201. Within the last Law days, however,
a notice has been extensively circulated in the district, mach
to the dismay of these squatters, that " Goodman's-fields,
along with several other places—Northaw,l'a Hertfordshire ;
Rampton, in Cambridgeshire; and Warboys, in Hunting-
donshire, is the property of the Lemons, now claiming the
ancient estate of their ancestor..."
ESTATE OF THE LATE MARQUIS OF EXETER.—
The London portion of the estates of the late Maiquis of
Exeter, situate in the Strand, Catherine-street, Wellington-
street North, and the neighbourhood, together with the
Ezeter-change, and the New Engli-h Opera-house, the
whole producing a yearly rental of .5,0001., are announced fur

sale.
FEVER AND SMALL PDX HOSPITALS.--The removal
of these useful institutions at King's-crow, which, it was
feared, would become necessary, as their site was selected as
the proposed terminus of the Londan and York Railway,
will not take place. A clause in the art required that a
notice of vacation should be given for sir months, and that
within twelve months after the act had received the royal
assent. The company have marked out the site of their
terminus at Pentonville, opposite the Bagnigge-wells-road.
THE CASE OF MRS. CAMPBELL AND TIIE COVENT-
GARDEN THEATRICAL Fr:CU.—OM' Southwark police report
of last Saturday contained, it will be remembered, a narra-
tive of the pitiable condition of Mary Campbell, once an
actress at the Edinburgh Theatre. Having been refused, with
her fuur children, admission into the St. Saviour's Union work-
house, she broke a pane of glass to obtain the shelter of a
prison. It transpired that Mrs. Stanley, of the Haymarket
Theatre, had benevolently assisted her, and the case having
been seen by the Secretary of the Covent-garden Theatrical
Fund (Mr. Drinkwutcr Meadows), that gentleman imme-
diately forwarded to Mrs. Stanley 2!. from the fund, for the
use of Mrs. Campbell. It is hoped that this example will be
followed.
TIIE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—Yesterday
were printed, by order of the House of Commons, four re-
ports from the Select Committee of the House of Lords
appointed to inquire into the progress of the building of the
Houses of Parliament, together with the minutes of evi-
dence. The committee, in February and March last, ex-
amined Mr. Barry, Dr. Reid, Mr. A. Milne, and Mr.
J. Gwilt, and, in their first report, declared that the system
of ventilation contemplated by Dr. Reid could not be carried
into effect for some years, as it depended on the completion
of the central and Victoria towers. "The committee are
satisfied, from the evidence given before them, that the
House of Lords may without difficulty be co upleted with
permanent fittings fur the opening of parliament next year."
In the second report the committee stated, that they had ex-
amined Mr. G. Gurney as to the best system of ventilation,
and were of opinion that further icquines and experiments
should be made before the final adoption of any plan hitherto
proposed for that purpose. Before the third report was
made Mr. Barry was again examined, and they reported,
That the committee have met and further considered the
subject-matter referred to them, and have examined two
witnesses in relation thereto, and the committee are of opi- j
n'on that the only impediment to the preparation of the new
House of Lords for the commencement of the session of 11147
at ices from a delay in the arrangement for warming and ven-
tilating the apartment according to the views of Dr. Reid.
That the architect has expressed his willingness to under-
ta'ce the warming and ventilation of the new House upon a I
plan of his own and on his own responsibility. That the
committee are convinced, that if this proposal of the archi-
tect be not accepted, the occupation of their new House by
the Peers will be postponed to an indefinite period." Mr.Barq
and Dr. Reid were further examined before the fourth
report was presented. The Committee kad received an
assurance from the architect that the House would be in a fit
state for the occupation of the Lords at the opening of the
session next year. " The attention of the committee having
been called by the Lord Great Chamberlain to the inconve-
nience which has been felt from the manner in which the
House has been crowded on state occasions, they are of
opinion no ladies, except peeresses and their daughters,
should be permitted to sit in the new House upon any of the
benches in the division nearest the throne, and that all the
front benches throughout the House, and two more benches
on each side in the centre division, should be reserved exclu-
sively for the use of the Lords." The reports, with the evi-
dence, extend to forty-nine folio pages; they are now given
in one Parliamentary, document.—Tisses.
THE ANDOVER INQUIRY BLUE BOOKS.—The printer
to the House of Commons has just sent forth the report of
the Andover inquiry. It occupies two thick folio volumes,
containing 2,031 pages ; 15,619 questions ; and 704 pages of
appendices ,• the whole, weigh within an ounce of fourteen
pounds. We are told by an experienced printer that the
mere cost of paper and print cannot be less than from 1,5001.
to 1,6001. This being the lightest item in the expense of
the inquiry, it affords some means of estimating what the
country has had to pay for the flirtations of Mr. McDonghnll
with the Andover paupers ' • and for the vs cries of Mr.
Assistant Commissioner Parker during the delicate investi-
gation which they occasioned.
EXTRAORDINARY ROBBERY BY A YOUNG FRENCH-
ROMAN.—On Wednesday evening, the 27th ult., amongst
the passengers brought by the up train from Southampton
to the terminus at Nine Elms, was a young Frenchwoman,
fashionably dressed, but whose appearance was rendered
more than ordinarily attractive from the fact of wearing her
hair, which consisted of a profusion of magnificently black
tresses, wholly unconfined, and flowing over her shoulders
to her waiat. The young woman, who spoke English with
difficulty, inquired for an hotel, and was taken by the ser-
vants of the railway company to the Railway Hotel. Upon
being introduced to Mr. Howse, the landlord, she stated
her name to be Mdlle. Malvina Florentine de Saumarez.
Having remained in the house some days, Mr. Howse ques-
tioned herg
as to her connexions, and her reasons for remain-
timeslon in London, but her answers were, if not at all
perfectly satisfactory, sufficient to lull suspicion. She