The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-09 00:00:00

GENERAL COMMITTEE OP ELECTIONS.—The fol-
lowing members were yesterday selected to try the merits of
the Longford petition :—L rd EL Sentinels, Memel. R. O.
Blaney, W. H. P. Cars+, E. Headlam, Bouverie. The
last-named chairman.
PRAYER BOOK AND HOMILY SOClETY.—Yeeterdeir
the supporters of this society held their 36th annual meet-
ing, at Exeter Hall, the Marquis of Cholmondeley in the
chair. Prom the report read, it appeared that during the
past year the society's agents bad visited 3.097 merchant
ships between London an t Gravesend, and distnbated
amongst the crews no fewer than 2,856 prayer books, be-
sides a large number of homilies in Englisn and foreign lan-
guage.. The convict establishments had also been visited,
and tbroueh the instrumentality of the society many of the
convicts had been Aught to read. Th, y wi re then pre-
sented with prayer books, which they took wi'h them to the
penal settlements. An interesting feature in the operations
of the pa.t year was the circumstance that 31 emigrant ships
izt leaving Enind had been supplied with religious books.
The distribution in this quarter had been 390 prayer
books and Sunday services, 1,307 homilies, 2, .Z 6
family prayers, 1160 collects and catechisms, and
nearly 10,000 tracts. The operations of the society •
Ireland, the British colonies, and the continent c
Europe, were equally satisfactory, though not so apparent.
The receipts of the society amounted to 2,2521., b. ing less
than the expenditure by 1461., and in addition to 'he balance
agaiast the society, there were outstanding debts to the
amount of 2321.—The Rey. Mr. Thetwell moved the adop-
tion of the report, and also a vote of thanks to the Archbishop
of Canterbury fur accepting the office of president of the
society.—This and several other resolutions hiving been
carried unanimously, and thanks voted to the noble lord
the chair, the meeting separated.
CRARTIsT ASSEMBLY.—At the meeting of this
body, yesterday, the following resolutions were agreed to :
That a committee should be appointed to draw up an address
all sections of reformers, to ask them what their iiitentiuns really
were with respect to as extension of the suffrage, and other reforms
embraced in the charter. That a deputation oultl be dipointed to
wait upon Mr. goitrous °Towner to request him to bring boone the
legislature at the earliest possible moment a hill embodying the prin-
ciples of the peeple'e charter.
It was proposed that meetings should be held throughout
the country, at which petitions should be azreed to and
signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting, and pre-
sented to the House of Commons by the members of parlie-
ment for the different localities. Upon this resolution the
previous question was moved, and carried by a large
majority,. the assembly thus resolving not to petition parlia-
ment again. The following plan of organisation for t
movement was presented from a committee appointed ,
draw it up
Nome : National Chat tilt Association of Gre..t Britain and Ireland.
--Object : To obtain the enactment of the people's charten—Diwislon
of country: To consist of eistriets, localities, wards, and sections.
Fitch distnct to be divided into localities, each localitY into wards, am'
each ward into sections. Lash ward to soneist of 100 members, aw
each section el membera—Conciitimi of membership : Actitaieming
in the °Nests, and bong enrolled the books, of the /a...elation.—
Officers: A general executive of five members, to be elected by the
assembly, arid ten comniEsioners to be similarly eleetci. District
and local otticero to be elected by the localities. General financial
recreants to be appointed by the executive. A treasurer to be simi-
larly appointed. —iodates of officers : Executive, 21. & sweet ; second-
claw tire and 2s. 6d. a day when travelling. Executive to superin-
tend the movement when the aseembly adjourn., and tube empowered
to call the assembly together when it shill won to them fit.—Fund
General fund 10,0661., and local funds to be raised-4)oin : A metro-
politan office to be taken for the executive.
The original proposition of the organisation commitfile,
that the subscriptions to the chartist fund should be volun-
tary, and that there should be no stated amount of subscrip-
tion, was carried by a large majority. A notice of motion
was given for advising the people among other things not to
support any political movement which did not folly embrace
the people's charter ; not to pay any tuxes, poor rates, or
tithes; not to rent a house of any but a chartist, nor'
deal with any but a chartist tradesman ; to abstain from t
use of exciseable articles; to convert their paper aecurit
into geld; and to supply themselves with arms, in order'
they might exercise their constitutional rights, and for
maintenance of peace, law, and order. A long discussion
ensued as to the mode of electing the general executive r'
five persons as recommended above, but no mint had
arrived at when the assembly adjourned.
ORDNANCE SURVEY OP THE METROPOLIS.—Yi
terday a detachment of the Royal Sappers and Miners we
employed at the summit of St. Paul's Cathedral, erecting
temporary observatory immediately beneath thb ball and
cross, for the purposes of the ordnance survey of the metro-
polis. The dexterity with which the men pursued their
operations at that dizzy height, their only support the stein.
Lecture] ornaments of the building, excited great curiosity.
COLLISION AND LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA.—A fat
collision was reported yesterday at Lloyd's. which occurred
the night of the 27th of last month, in tat 4650, lung. 23. 7
Cove, which sailed a few weeks since from Gravesend
Quebec, was beating during a strong gee, when, about
o'clock, a large vessel was descried t• the westward r'

An attempt mu made to steer clear, so

upon her. •
allow the unknown vessel to peas, but unhappily there
not time to accomplish it, for almost the next moment
vessels bounded on to each other with prodigious force.
Cove loot both the main and Mzen masts; her stern
also carried away. The vessel that ran into the Cove
the pactet-ship West Point, Capt. Allen, from New Y.
bound for Liverpool. The damage she sustained was ye
considerable. Her jib-boom, cutwster, and beadstal
were carried away, sad her bows stove in. The Co
had two passengers end sixteen officers and seamen
board, four of whom (the chief officer and three seamen,
were missing after the collision ; it was supposed they w,
either crushed. to death between the fragments of the -
or were thrown overboard by the communion and droi
After several hours' anxious suspense, the West Point
up to the dismantled wreck and took off the remaiodi
the crew and passengers. The wreck was then ationdo
and the West Point proceeded on to Liverpool, where
arrived on Sunday last. According to the log of the "
Point, it appears, the moment she saw the Cove, they
hivd a light on the forecastle, which those on board
Cove could not have seen, for they suddenly veered •
course running directly across the West Point's bow.
heavy yea running at the time, the crew and masengers wet
taken off prevented anything being sari d from the wreck.
It is eupposed she foundered in the course of the day.
cies of insurances to upwards of 20,0001. are said to
been effected on the untortuuate vessel and her cargo.
SUICIDE OF A MERCHANT.—An inquest was
last night by Mr. HiErgs, the coroner for the duchy of i
caster, at the King's Head, Acre-lane, Clapham, to imp
into the death of Mr. Samuel Biackaller Venuing, aged
It appeard by the evidence that the deceased was -
chant in the City, and had a residence in Atkins-road,
ham New Park. On Saturday morning, about eight Wm,—
the cook, hearing her mistress scream, went to the deceased'
dressing-room, and found him sitting on the floor, with
loaded pistol in his lett-hand, cocked, and one that had be
discharged, lying in a pool of blood by his side. He
peered to breathe but twice, and then expired. There
a large wound over the right temple and under the left
Dr. Ord, of Brixton hill, attended, but c.ould fender
sistuice. The decesud had of late been in a very deapoat.
state, owing to the loss of his son, and exhibited signs
monomania. Mrs. Venning had left him only a few min,
before. Verdict, " Temporary inssnity."