The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-23 00:00:00

NEW WORE..

New works were ordered oo the
general committee, to be executed in the following districts:
in the Ranelegh district, to the amount of 16,6331. ; in
the Spitalflelds, dtc., level, to the amount of 2,3601. ; in the
Surrey and Kent district, to the amount of 8,6601. ; in the
Eastern division of Westminster sewers, to the amount of
1001. ; in the Wandle district, to the amount of 1,5001.; in
the Greenwich district, to the amount of 1,0571. ; in the
Upper Limehouse level, to the amount of 1401. ; in the
Hackney Brook level,) to the amount of 1,0221. ; and in the
Counter's Creek district, to the amount of 9621.—T0ta1,
32,4241.

of the

TENDIRS.
The tender of Messrs. Rigby was accepted for new works
In various districts. This tender, as the lowest, was
24,6901. There were six other bidden.
The rest of the business trans►cted by the commissioners
was of a merely formal character.

PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 22.—About 80 men belonging
to the Vengeance, 44, Captain Lord E. Russell, embarked
on board the Sprightly, steamer, this afternoon, for convey-
ance to Plymouth. The Vengeance was paid down a fort-
night since and part of her crew granted 14 drys' leave.
She was fitted out at this port, a large number of her men
belonging to it, and having wives and families here. They
consequently made application to the Commander-in-Chief at
Plymouth for a steamer to bring them round. This request
(which would have entailed but a small expense, the steam-
tug Avon being entirely disengaged, while the Rhadanum-
thus steamer was actually under orders for this port) was
not granted, and the men had to come round by railway at
an expense of about 34. to each. Much dissatisfaction was
the result, the men declaring they would not go to a similar
expense, to the injury of their families, in re-
turning. They accordingly determined to deliver
themselves up on board the Victory, flag-ship, here ;
but the Sprightly was ordered to take them
round. The ruggarCiutoe referred to above is an incon-
sistency on the part of the naval iiuthorities, for last :reek
the Barracoute, steamer, was sent round from Chatham to
this port and Plymouth with the men paid off from the
Castor, 36. The Agamemnon, 91, screw steam-ship, Cap-
tain Sir T. Maitland, came into harbour to-day from Spit-
head. The sickners on board this vessel is declining.
The Blenheim, 60, screw steam-ship, Captain Henderson,
went out of harbour to-day to try her engines. In doing
so she saluted the flag of Rear-Admiral Fanshaws. The
Rattlesnake, store ship, Commander Trollope, has taken
her stores on board, and will sail to-morrow for the Arctic
regions. It is reported that the Basilisk, steam sloop,
Commander Egerton, will tow her as far as the Land's End.
The Illustrious, 72, up in ordinary, is ordered to be brought
down the harbour to be docked. She is to be converted into
a block ship, to be stationed outside the harbour as a de-
fent* to the harbour channel. She will mount 40 guns of
heavy calibre, and will form an excellent floating battery.
She will not be fitted with the screw, being intended for
stationary duty.
THE REMALNING TWO COMPANIES OP the 48T11
REGIMENT, with head quarters, embarked at Portsmouth
yesterday (Tuesday) on board the Thomas Arbuthnot, for
conveyance to Corfu. She was then towed out of har-
bour to Spithead, and is the afternoon proceeded on her
voyage.
CONVICTION POE MURDER.—At the High Court
of Justiciary, Edinburgh, on Monday last, John Williams,
an American, was charged with the murder of Andrew
Mather, toll-keeper, on the 4th or sth December last, on the
turnpike-road between Cleikumin Inn and Toll, parish of
Lauder, Berwickshire, by inflicting various blows on his
head, face, and neck. He was likewise charged with rob-
bing the deceased of a snuff-box, a tobacco-box, and a pipe-
pin, which were all the articles on the person of the de-
ceased at the time of the murder. The deceased not return-
ing home on the night of Saturday, the 4th December, his
daughters went out in search of him, and found him lying
on the roadside, and the prisoner beside him. The clothes
of the deceased were all torn, and he was nearly naked about
the breast. There was a great deal of blood on his head
and neck, which were disfigured with wounds. When they
went to seek for assistance, the accused ran away. Ho was
apprehended the Tuesday following ; and, on being ques-
tioned, he said he had killed the man, and that the devil
had tempted him. He said he did not think they would
hang him ; but, if they transported him, it was just what
he wanted, as he could not get back to his own country any
other way. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the
court expressed concurrence in the verdict. The Lord Jus-
tice Clerk sentenced him to be executed at Oreenlaw, the
county town of Berwickshire, on Monday, the 14th March.
GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.—Tho
fifty-sixth half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in this
company was held yesterday, at their offices, 71, Lombard-
street; John Wilkin, Esq., in the chair. The report of the
directors, and a statement of the accounts for the year end-
ing the 31st of December last, were read to the meeting.
The report, which was very satisfactory, was unanimously
received and adopted by the proprietors. The usual divi-
dend and bonus were declared, and the cordial thanks of
the proprietors voted to the chairman and directors for their
zealous services in the management of the company's affairs,
after which the meeting separated.
COURT OP COMMON COUNSlL.—Yeaterday a court
was held for the despatch of business, the principal matter
for consideration being the report of the Improvement Com-
mittee on the Railway Terminus Company's bill, the dis-
cussion on which had been adjourned at the previous court.
Mr. Obbard, the deputy of Farringdon-without ward,
' presented a petition from the inhabitants strongly urging
' the court to negative the report of the committee and to
' support the bill as calculated to be infinitely serviceable
to the trade citizens of London, especially to t4ss txten-
' sive district which the terminus was intendedgnadsupy.'
Considerable discussion took place which ton do
adjourned to Monday. so--; r
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41.
offs