The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-20 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 20,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
THIS DAY.
BOW STREET.

PICKING Cr MONSYIF ;;ITWiltiVlLS.—Ellen C044110T,
• wretched-looking woman, who carried a child in her
arms, was charged with picking up a half-aocercign, with
the intent to steal it.

Last ovening,a boy named Gould was in Endell-street, Bow-
street, when he dropped a half-sovereign from his pocket. He
=hoed it soon afterwards, and vi,ot bock to look for it.
, Two men informed him that the prisoner hail picked up
something. Ile forowed, and relied her if she had found
a half-sovereign, and she said no. She afterwards admitted
the had stooped, but had not picked up anything. A police-
constable was called, and she dropped the half-sovereign
down an area grating.
The prisoner, who cried very much, said she did not
know the half-sovereign belonged to the boy. She hoped
the magistrate would discharge her, 33 she had a little girl
at home depending upon her for support.
Mr. Hail said the primer ought not to have denied
finding the half-sovereign. If she did not know who it
belonged to, she should have handed it to the police, who
would have inquired for the proper owner.
The prisoner was committed for
LAMBETH.

SEMI'S CHARGE frO;;3l7;l4.:HGTGN.—Triitiani G.
Sm7th, surgeon, who stood remanded from last week on
ranoui charges of seduction, was finally examined, and com-
mitted to Newgate for trial.

NATIONAL REFORM ASSOCIATION.
MEETING AT ST. MARY'S CRAY.
Last evening a crowded public meeting was held
in the Lancastenal Institute, St. Mary's Cray, Kent, for
the purpose of promoting the principles of the National
Parliamentary and Financial Reform Associatior. On the
motion of Mr. JUTNSUK, Sir JOSHt e WALKSLET WKS
called to the chair.
The CIIAIRMA.N said the association they were to
support had been in existence about two years and a
half, and its progress as an association had bern almost
unparalleled. It commenced under great difficulties, as
almost every political association did. its great object was
to obtain for their fellow men justice, by placing in their
hands the privilege, as some called it, but the right, as they
termed it, of the franchise. He was himself perfectly con-
vinced of the integrity, the uprightness, and the intelligence
of the industrious class's Ot. this country, and If they
hail the franchise, could it fur a moment be sup-
posed that the House of Commons would now be
wasting its lime in discussing as to which of the
religious bodies should have the greatest share of the
loaves and hello ? or debuting the question of free
trade? (Hear, hear.) This association thought the time
had arrived long since when the franchise ought to have
been extended and placed upon a proper baste. lie
came there to ask them to support the principle, on which
the aseociation was founded, sad to assist in placing them in
a position in which they could tell Lord John Russell that
the proper time had now arrived. They "redit pewee rest
till they had a fair and free representation of the people
of this country.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON, M.P., said he came there bar-
' hag been invited to share in the hospitality of his excellent
friend on his right, Mr. Joynson, an.' hardly thinking that
it would devolve upon him to make a political speech at
this meeting. lie certainly was happy to have it iu his
power to testify his approval of the principles of the Na-
tional l'arliamentary and Financial Reform Association.
In parliament and out of parliament hr had always sup-
ported the principles of that association, and should continue
to do so. For one, with regard to the extensionsof the
suffrage, he never could understand what particular
advantage they derived from preventing a great number
of people in this cauntry from having the right of
voting for members of parliament. They heard of England
being a free country, of its being the land in which freedom
was secure, of its being a constitution which had been said
by some to be the marvel of the world and the envy of sur-
rounding nations ; but when they came to look into the
matter, they found that a great part of the virtue Of this
constitution depended upon preeentiug a certain number of
people from having the right of eating for members of par.
liament. (Hear, hear.) lie always th night that the great
merits of a free constitutions were, that those who lived
under it had a soice in making the laws which they were
called upon to obey; but it Srrtllril that nor con-
stitution, " the envy of the a oald " and " the
marvel," as well it might be—(latighter) "of eurround-
ing nations," depended not PO much on the number which
it admitted within the pale of the constitution, but on the
number which it excluded, inasmuch us only one was ad-
mitted to the right to see, while six were kept out ; about
one in seven, he believed, being about the proportion rib
male adults who had the franchise. Now with r,garil to
this voting for members of parliament what were
they afraid of? They admitted a man to marry
a wife, and they let him have thildnu —(a
laugh)—and they allowed him to educate those
children as he best could, and they let him turn those
children loose upon society; and they let him be at large
and employ the various talent. with which Cod had blessed
him. Now, he said that in the discharge of all these tune-
thins a man might exercise a much greater influence upon
society, either for good or for bad, than by being one of
vast number who voted for member,, of parliament. ,
Advocating iteuerally the extension of the franchise, lie
should be prepared to vote for any well-considered measure
fur that purpose. Ile had voted for Mr. Home's motion—
(elieers)—and should do so again, as setting forth the prin-
ciple on which lie thought parliament ought to act. The
right hon. gentleman then referred to the question of pm.
teetion. Ile said he felt sympathy fur the farmers who per-
haps might be considered au ill-treated body of men,
but their position must be attributed to their having
foolishly placed reliaace on statesmen and parlia-
ments, who promised them that protection should he
I maintained. What he blamed the farmers for was in
believing thu,e statesmen and parliaments. (Cheers.) Those
who made these promise's constituted a parliament repre-
+wilting only a section of the people, and their promises
ought nut to have been received by the farmers as promises
that could be relied on. When the first severe corn law was
put on in 1815, the towns, to a great extent then wartime-
senttal, iindested against it, unit deelaml that they would
never cease agitating until they obtained its repeal. Ile
advocated the repeal of the corn law, and he should advo-
rate the maintenance of that policy intact. (Cheers.) Ile
would never give his consent to keeping out food, and de-
priving the people of the advantage of its free importation.
(Cheers.) But while lie thought this a wise policy for the
nation, he regretted that the farmers had iiermittilal them-
selves to be bamboorled by the political chiefs of Comer
times, and that they had built their hopes upon such
an unstable basis as protection. Ile did nut thick
it possible to restore protection, and there was no
are iu trying. When there was a large majority
fur it ill one house of parliament, and there was
almost unanimity in itx favour in the other house, they
could not maintain it; what folly, therefore, to expect that
it could ever be gut buck. Ile believed that by the iliffu-
eion of knowledge they would promote the happieess and
best interests of the nation. (Cheers.) .hnowledge
sus power, and by education, based upon round
principle's, not sectarian education, not handing over the
people to the Aurion• denominations, for the mere purpose
lof being made members of particular sects, by opening to the
people the right of free education,as far as secular and ordinary
knowledge was concerned, and leasing to the ministers
of the different persuasions to provide religious instruction,
they would be conferring a great boon ou the people. lle
would have secular knowledge, primary instruction, to be
placed within the reach of all without let or hindrance,
without charge, and without may sectarian influence or in-
terference whatever. (Hear, hear.) Ile believed that such
a system of education would du more to elevate and to im-
prove the great body of the working classes not only in what
was called secular knowledge, but also to give them a greater
amount of moral and religious teaching than any other sys-
tem that he hid vet heard proposed either in Parliament or
out of Parliament. (Cheers.) Although he differed
perhaps from hie hon. Intuit, Mr. Jovnson, as to the ;Arti-
cular wove in which education should be carried out, yet
they would all agree that nothing should he done to hinder
the :diffusion of knowledge. (Rear, hear.) Ile contended
that by placing taxes on the materials by which knowledge
was diffused,' they prevented the spread of informa-
tion among the people. Do away with the tax,s
on knowledge, and they would do more to attain
the object which this association had in view
than by any other course of policy they could adopt.
In conclusion, the right hon. gentleman said he
supported the principles of this aseactatiou because he be-
lieved they were calculated to promote the happiness of the
great body of the people, to secure the stability of all good
institutions by creating general contentment, and to guard
us against the dangers of foreigu aggression, come from
what quarter it might, because there was no security against
foreign aggression in any country so good us attachment
aaiougst the people to their laws and institutions. (Cheers.)
Mr. KLXNEDY and Mr. SLACK, Milo were deputed from
the parent society, then adilreseed the meeting; after which
Mr. JOYN*ON made a short speech. in which he spoke
of the manner in which lie had • tultneoured to promote the
well-being of the people in his employ; and he asked them
to juin thus society because he thought it would be well for
them so to do. Re concluded by placing a cheque for 501.
in the hands of the chairman, as a subscription to the funds
of the association. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. Sw AVILA:SD said he would give ten guineas.
Another gentleman, whose name we did nut learn, gave
51., and a number gave each a sorer, ign. Altogether nearly
1001. au* subscribed, and about 100 members were enrolled.
the _

IMPORTANT EDrCATIONAL Mt:CU:ca.—A meeting
took place yesterday at the Town Hall, Manchester, the
dean in the chair, upon the subject .of education on the
plan first drawn by the 51ev. C. Hich.-on, to carry out
which the following were given as the commencement of a
subscription Ste J. Kay Shuttlewortb, 500/. ;_ Mew,. W.
Eotwi 500/. •S. Fletcher, 5001.; J. C. Harter, 500/. ;
li. Gardner, 5001. ; E. Team], 6001.; R. J. Jones, 500/. ;
W. Slater, .3001.; W. Neild, 0001. ; J. R. Barnes, 500 E ;
Dean and Chapter. 2001.; John Peel, 5001. . • J. 'it*.sthead,
100/. : Dr. Wood, 2404 ; and J. A. Turner, 1001.
„„_
Tin SEAMEN'S STRIKE IN LIVERPOOL —The
partial strike against the Mercantile Marine Act still eon-1
tinnes at Liverpool, and from 300 to 400 of the men still
refuse to ship in the new office. The turn-outs walk in
procession every day through the principal street with a
band of music and several flags. The men hitherto have
behaved peaceably, so far as public demonstration goes ;
but Warrants have been issued against three men for having,
with others, mobbed the crew of a vessel, and attempting to
prevent the ship putting to sea. Captain Beohy is ex-
pected in Liverpool.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN TOOLEY-STREET.

The following arefurt particulars of this
&staler, a reportor width appeared in yesterday's Lunen
At four o'clock yesterday afternoon the firemen, who had
been working fur twelve hours uninterruptedly, were re-
lieved by drafts from other diN isions of the metropolis,
under whose dinstions several engines continued to pour
water on to the ruins throughout the evening and night. At
nine o'clock last evening the concrete door was still
standine.

As to the origin of the fire nothing is known with cer-
tainty ; ut the same time the concurrent testimony of those
who docoe creel the outbreak leaves no doubt tact it Jaunt
have broken out in the kitchen of the house occupied as
Wilms by Messrs. Wigan and Company. The man and
woman in charge of the premises declure that they left
everything quite safe before going up stairs to bed. This
may be quite true, Ilb far as they believe ; but it is reason-
able
to infer that some unfortunate accident may have
happened of which neither the man nor his wife have any
knowledge.
There is some degree of uncertainty as to how the fire,
commencing in the private house, communicated with
the warehouse. The hack of the private house had windows
looking into a very small court yard. The warehouse had
also two windows at different heights, looking imtu the
same yard. It seems probable that the flames having
found a vent through the back windows of the private
house may have entered the warehouse by these
windows. Another opinion is that the roof of toe ware-
house first ignited, and that the fire descended. l'roliably,
both these hypotheses are correct. The only communica-
tion between the private house and the factory was by an
iron door on the ground floor, and, as this was always kept
closed, the tire could not have made its way through at this
point.
It has been stated that the buildings destroyed are the
property of Mr. Alderman Huiaphery, M.P. The hon.
member owns, we believe, this whole range from Welling-
ton-street to the end of Duke-street—nearly all of which
has been rebuilt within the last few ve ars. The ground
floor of Messrs. Wigan's warehouse wasllet by the alderman
to Mer-srs. kenning, the extensive whartingers, whose pre-
mises face the river and abut upon 'rooter-street. A por-
tion was occupied by that firm as counting-houses, and other
offices were sublet to Messrs. Nesbitt, provision merchants;
Mr. John Webb, also a dealer in provisions, and one or two
other permits. The whole of the upper portion of the
warehouse was occupied by Messrs. Wigan, and contained
several thousand bags of hops—most of them of the best
quality.
Meson,. Wigan are insured to the amount of 50.n00/., the
insurance being shared by several insurance ottier.,s. The whole
of the buildings the property of Ald. Ilumphery a •se insured
in the Sun lire-office. The worthy alderman %.14 on the
spot early yesterday morning, and continued throughout
the day to give instructions to the firemen as to the best
means of staying the ravages of the conflagration. There
was no excitement of manner about the hen, member ; he
hoe; the catastrophe with his wonted maid humour, aud,
in answer to the express v 1 sympathy of a group of his con-
stituents during the afternoon, lie exclaimed, "Oh, never
mind ; it can't be helped. If it please God, I'll have it all
up again in less than three months."
The vaults underneath the warehouse are occupied by
Mr. Alderman Ilumphery as a storehouse for gods received
in his Imam*" its u whartinger. Among other valuable
property, they contained no less than 2,000 tons of oil. All
this, it is hoped, will he found to be uninjured. On the
ground floor Messrs. Wigan had a strong room hi which
were deposited 60,00 W. worth of bills and other securities.
This room is happily uninjured.
Mr. Benjamin Etigington, whose extensive premise* are
situated in dangerous proximity to Messrs. Wigan's, has
fortunately escaped with saute slight injury to the ilagstalf,
which forms so conspicuous a landmark on the top of his
house. Iliad the wind blown from the north instead of the
south, Mr. Edgington's warehouse must inevitably have
, been burnt down.

UFFICIAL REPOIIT OF TII LOs..

851.

No. 4, Duke-street—Messrs. Wigan, hop factors. fund-
ing and contents totally destroyed. Contents insured in
the Phrenis, Guardian, Royal Exchange, Imperial, and
Monarch once. The building insured in the Sun.
No. 5, Duke-strett —James Wynn and Co., boot and shoe
makers. Back shop and content., damaged by fire and
water, also by cutting away joists. Content% uninsured.
The building insured it: the Sun.
No. 3, Duke.strect.— Mr. Bolton, coffee-shop keeper;
building and contents seriously damaged by fire and water.
Contents insured in the Guardian; the building in the
Sun.

No. I, Duke-street.—C'harles Smithery, fishmonger; back
window. burnt out, and content. dammed by %enter. Con-
tents and building in.ur..l in the Monarch.
No. I, Toolerstrect.—Mc.srs. Wigan's hop warehouse •
the tour upper floors wholly destroyed. Contents iu.urcd
in the Phnom', guardian' Royal Exchange, Imperial, and
Monarch ottlec:; the building insured in flt, Sun.

No. I, Tads}-strect.—Messrs. Fenning's counting-house ;
seriously damaged by water. Insured.
No. 2 and 3, Tooley-street.—J. Cloodchild, window ftlass
merchant ; warehouse and contents damaged by water. In-
sured in the liana-in-Hand.

No. 1, Wellington-street.—William Lawson, hatter; side
front scorched, and contents damaged by water. Contents
insured in the Atlas.

The ruins were still smouldering this morning.

DESTRMTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY
ON TILE LONDON AND NOILTU-WESTEUN LINE.

On Tuesday evening an accident of an extraordinary
nature happened on the London and North-Western Rail-
way, near Alderley, which wit. most devtructive of railway
property, and productive of condderable interruption of the
traffic. The government train, which left London at wren

o'clock on Tuesday morning, owl Crewe at 5.10 p.m., con-
sisted of nine or ten carriages. The train proceeded in
s.tfety until it reached a point nhout half-a-mile on the
other side of Ahlerley (14 miles from Manchester), when it
was going at an ordinary spcxxl, although it was seven
minutes late on leaving Crewe. At this point about one
halt' of the tire of one of the leading wheels flew off ; the
engine alter losing the wheel appears to have got off the
line, and to leave proceeded so fur a short distance; it
must then have fallen over on the off side, and been im-
' mediately brought to a stand by being firmly fixed in the
ground. Chadwick, the driver, was thrown off on the up
side of the line ; but the stoker fortunately remained on the
engine. The carriages were smashed and heaped together
in the most extraordinary manner, and the shrieks of the
passengers were fearful. The mischief was discovered from
the neighbourhood of the .11derley station immediately alter
its occurrence, and the station-master there proceeded to the
spot with all thel aid he could collect. lle also desputehed
an engine to Manchester in order to give information of the
accident there. . .

As soon as men could be got to work, the pmsengers were
extricated, fortunately all alive. Chadwick, the driver, was
almo,t immediately found, in the gutter or water-course on
the up side of the line, under the tank part of the tender.
Ile lay across the gutter with his feet towards the line ; and
although nn part of the tender rested upon his body, a
screw-jack lay upon his chest, and rendered fruitless all at-
tempts to remove him. By dint of great exertions fur
about half-an-hour, the tender was liftml, the screw-jack
removed, and then the unfortunate man was taken out,
quite dead. His body was removed to the Queen's Hotel,
at Alderley.
All the injured persons were taken on to Manchester,
with the exception of a married lady, named liaise, who lay
at the Queen's Hotel, suffering front a spinal concussion.
She was on her way from London, to pay a visit to some
friends in Salford. Mr. Allison, u medical gentleman re-
siding at Bridlington, Yorkshire, went on to Manchester by
the first train. He bad sustained a fracture of the UMW, a
laceration of the forehead, and a severe contusion of both
thighs. The following persons were among the it.jured
passengers : Mrs. barber, l'endleton ; Brown,. 7,
hack Garden-stmt, Shudehill ; Bernard Hughes, police-
man, Birkenhead ; Mr. Houlisten, KS, New Bond-street,
London ; Alta. Cope, 8, Fleet-street, Salford ; Mr. Banks,
North Bridtfe, Edinburgh ; Mr. ROW, Northampton-street,
Leicester. rhe guard of the train was severely bruised,
and had his shoulder dislocated. The stoker was also
much bruised in several parts of his body.
In the confusion which prevailed in the neighbourhood of
the accident we could nut, of course, learn anything with
certainty as to the number :injured or the extent of indi-
vidual injury ; but a glance at the extraordinary eight pre-
sented by the wrecks of the train makes it a matterof won-
der that no greater loss of life has been caused. The heap
of ruins, consisting of fragments of the engine, tender, and
carriages, was about 2(1 feet high, the whole being fumed
together in a manner which showed the terrific nature of
the mischief. The engine is literally smashed into pieces,
the boiler being the only part that at all retains its original
shape or appearance. 'f he lower part, or framework of the
tender, is overturned on the up side of the line, while the
tank part is thrown some 20 feet further forward in the same
direction; it was under this that Chadwick was found. But
the most extraordinary part of the affair is, that one of the
carriages—apparently that next the ten,fer—has been
thrown completely over the tender and engine, and now
lies on its side, some ten yards iu advance, on the down
line. In this carriage there were fortunately no passengers.
Four or five carriage's are completely destroyed, and nearly
all the rest are off the line.
At half-past eleven o'clock on Tuesday night, a large
number of men was engaged in removing away the (1, %wt.,
and it was hoped that the up line might be cleared by an
early hour next morning; the down line can hanlly be
cleared before the middle of Thursday.

Mn. L. J. HANSARD.— Yesterilny, a preliminary
meeting of the represeutaitis es of the operative printers,
bookbinth r, and othh trades of the metropolis, was held
at No. o, Pemberton Row, Mr. C. Cochrane in the chair,
when resolutions were adopted expressing sympathy with
Mr. Luke James Hansard and his family, in the • ul cir-
cumstances in which they are placed ; declaring eir know-
ledge of his benevolence and generosity, and lusreadiness to
assist any cause of charity and good works. They also fat
bound to express their readiness to aid him and his family
in every way within their power, by raising subscriptions
among the working classes of the metropolis and the
country. And, further resolving, that a copy of the rerio-
[ lotion just paired io forwarded, with the printed appeal
now before the meeting, to the secretaries of the various
trade societies, and th.it they be requested to assemble to
confer together on the subject of the tattorancmenta of Mr.
Hansard and his Emily ; that the secretaries ba also re-
quested to inform the member of their 'rations trades, and
to induce as many as possible to attend with them.
toxin STAITORDSUIRE RAILWAY.—Return for
railway and canal week ending Feb. 9, 4,396/. ; correspond-
ing week last year, 4,1681. The above is exclusive of the
receipts available under the agreement with the Loudon
and licatt-Weiders Railway Campany.

CHURCH RATES. - MEETING IN
CLERKENWELL

Last evening a public meeting of the rate-payers
and inhabitants of the parish of St. James's, Clerkenwell,
was held at the Crown 'I tavern, Clerkenwell-green, to re-
ceive a report upon the appeal against the above rate,
which was heard at the Guildhall, Westminster, on Mon-
day, the 10th inst. The report of the proceedings appeared
in the Express of the 12th inst. The grounds of
appeal against the rate were that it was excessive
oud unnecessary. In the year 1784, the then existing
church of St. James being in a ruinous and decayed OM-
glide°, an act of parliament was obtained whereby powers
were obtained and trustees appointed to have the old
church pulled down and n new one erected ; and the neces-
sary fees, pew rents, and other dues payable iu respect of
the church, were to be received by the churchwardens, and
after paying the requisite charges, were to pay the balance
Ito the trustees; and if the money was not sufficient, the
trustees were empowered to make a rate to carry out the
purposes of the act.
Mr. I'ETCII, overseer and trustee, was in the chair.
Mr. MASON gave a report of the circumstances of the
appeal. The rate was excessive, many of the items of ex-
penditure were illegal, and the trustees had no right to
make a retrospective rate. The parishioners had been de-
prived of the privilege of inspecting the accounts. On the
appeal it was found that, according to law, the rate could
not be amended, but only confirmed or quashed. This fund
had been often called the sporting fund, and it war a rate
which, if the parish had had honest officers, would have
been extinct long ago.
Mr. HENCE stated that so long as there was a state
church there would be these broils. [here were no seizures
now. If any parishinner could he frightened into paying
church rates it seas done ; but if the people would stand out
against them there would be no rate next year.
Mr. CAMERON moved the following resolution :
"That the laudable step taken by the reformers of
Clerkenwell in appealing against the present excessive and
unnecessary church rate deserves the best thanks of this
meeting, and are also of opinion that the result of such
appeal is decidedly favourable to the interests of the
parishioners;" and stated that the church rate was
the most obnoxious and unjust rate which they were
called upon to pay. Parochial was as much demanded
as national reform, and it was by the people themselves that
it must be obtained.
Mr. BENNETT seconded the resolution, and stated that
he considered commotion as very necessary.
The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried

unanimously.
Mr. MENDE moved the second resolution as follows:
" That this meeting believes it to be the duty of all true
reformers to secure good and just local government, and as
the objects of the Clerkenw•ell Parochial Reform Associa-
tion are to promote the amendment of laws relating to
pnrw•hial management, to protect the right of the rate-
payers to control over their own funds, to secure the elec-
tion of efficient and proper persons to till the various paro-
chial offices, and to secure economical expenditure in the
general rates of the lumber, we therefore earnestly call upon
the rate-payers to give their hearty co-operation to such
objects by every means in their power."
Mr. GREEN WOOD seconded the resolution, and stated
that it was only by such agitation as the present that they
had got their rates reduced, and they must continue their
provxdings till their affairs were conducted with the
strictest justice and economy.
The resolution was then put to the meeting, and carried
unanimously.
The usual compliment to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

TILE EMPLOYNIENT OF CONVICTS AT

PORTSMOt:TU.

The deputation, appointed bv the Portsmouth
Town Council to wait ou the Home tkeretary in reference
to the projected convict prison adjoining the dockyard, pre-
sented their report of the results of their interview to the
council on Monday last. The report stated that "the
Home Secretary entered fully into the subject, stating that,
after long and mature consideration, the government had
come to the determination to abolish the present system of
confining convict, in hulk', ou the grounds—firstly, of
the saving to the country which would be effected by their
being confined in prisons vu shore ; and, secondly, for the
enforcement of a better system of discipline than could
possibly be maintained in prison ships. ith reference to
the apprehensions entertained by the inhabitants of Ports-
mouth of a large addition being contemplated in the cons ict
establishment, Sir George Grey added that while the pre-
sent hulks would take 1,50 convicts the intruded prison
would contain only 1,000." A less objectionable site to
that resolved on was suggested to Sir George, but he uddecl
that whilst he was not wedded to any particular spot, it
was the convenience of the Admiralty that was mainly to
be considered. In addition to what was elicited in con-
versation from Sir George Grey, the Mayor of Portsmouth
has received the following letter from the Dome-office re-
capitulating the views of Sir George Grey :
" Whitehall, Feb. 14, 1811.
" Sir,—l am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey, with
reference to the interview you had with hint this months:,
on the subject of a convict prison at Portsmouth, to report
in writing what he stated to you in conversation, namely,
that the proopood prison is intended not as an addition to,
but as a substitute for, the hulks in which the convicts em-
ployed at Poortsmouth arc at present confined; and that the
number of eons lets for which accommodation' is now pro-
vided in the hulks in Portsmouth harbour is about 1,280,
whilst the new convict prison will only contain 1,000. It is
intended that the hulks should be entirely removed, and I
am to state that the object of this change is to se-
cure a more efficient system of discipline among the
convicts than it has been found possible to maintain in the
hulks, and at a less expense to the public. The site of the
prison was grunted by the &ant of Admiralty on applica-
tion from this department, as being one not required for
any other purpose connected with the public service, and as
being very comveniently situated as it respects the dock-
yard, and completely separated from the town, with which
the convicts would have no intercourse. With reference to
your suggestion that another site might be preferable, Sir
George Grey will request Colonel JAN the Inspector of
Prisons, on hit next visit to Portsmouth, to communicate
with you, but he apprehends that the arrangements for the
erection of the building are at present in too forward a state
to admit of an alteration of the site, even if another site
could be obtained without any increased expense to the
publie.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
" H. WADDINGTON.
" Benjamin Bramble, Esq., Mayor of Portsmouth."
The above explanations were by no means satisfactory to
the council, and strong tempt:dots were made of the mea-
sures intended, and also of the want of assistant° from the
borough members, Sir Francis Baring and Sir George
Staunton, in opposing them, or at all events in getting
them modified. The council unanimously resolved on en
address to her Majesty, praying her Majesty to interfere
with her authority to prevent the accomplishment of what
was conceived to be an injury and disgrace to the borough.
It as, IiCISIDOIDTI to forward the address to the Duke of
Wellington for presentation to her Majesty.