The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-05 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EXPRESS.
SIR,—In your report of the proceedings last
night of the Social Science and Law Amendment Societies,
Mr. Davey is represented as having described my Bill to
provide better dwellings for artizans and labourers as
" objectionable, inasmuch as it would place the protection
of the labouring classes in the hands of the vestries—the
very bodies against whom they had need to be pro-
tected." The Bill, as reported to the house by
the Select Committee, confers no power and de.
volves no responsibility whatever on vestries. As origi
rally framed, an alterwitive jurisdiction would have been
vested in them, under the over-ruling authority of the
Secretary of State in the metropolis ; but in compliance
with the opinion prevalent among the best friends of the
cause the local authority for London was substituted,
the Metropolitan Loud of Works, and that Board was
empowered to charge upon a metropolitan rate any amount
not exceeding threepence in the pound which might be-
come necessary to rep. ‘y government the loans with which
the new buildings should be raised. The measure as it
stands, and as I purpose reintroducing it early next session,
authorizes no action in any metropolitan district or parish
by the vestry or district board,and contemplates no peculiar
liability of such district to any additional rate or charge•
I think the indiscriminate imputation of hostility to the
interests of the poor on the part of the vestries is alike
ungenerous and unjust. I presented last session several
petitions from these bodies in favour of the Artisans'
Dwellings Bill ; and from many of their leading n.embers
in all parts of the town I have received the most cordial
encouragement and aid. But my present purpose in ad.
dressing you is not their vindication, but the correction of
a mis-statement calculated to create a certain amount of
prejudice in the public mind, and thus to impair the
chances of our being able to obtain next year the sanction
of parliament for the much discussed and well-considered
provisions of the bill.—l am, Izc.,
W. T• M. TORRES'S.
26, St. George's-road. S.W., Dec. 4.

BIRMINGHAM CATTLE SHOW,—The returns of
the receipts on the " private view " day shows the fall-off
in the admissions consequent on the
absenceas of cattle to
have been not nearly so great as aiated The
receipts amounted to 2141. 10s. against 244/. last year. By
subscribers' tickets this year, 4,097 ; by sa. tickets, 1,004
last year by subscribers' tickets, 3,084 ; by ss. tickets,
1,540. The amount received at the door of the dog show
on Monday was 230/. against in Isez. A highly
aristocratic companvisiteO both exhibition', on Monday.
y_
GALE ON THE BAST COAST.—GREAT YARMOUTH,
TCEsPAT.—The weather, which had been exceedingly
threatening and stormy during the last few days, culmi-
nated last evening in a fierce gale from the W.S.W.,
which, accompanied by heavy rain, continued to rage with
unabated violence during the whole night. Several
well
dis-
asters to the shipping are reported, with loss of life as
as damage to property on land. At about 9 p.m., during
the height of the storm, the brig Avon, of Scarborough,
from Cronstailt for London, with tallow, drove from her
moorings in the roadstead, and came into collision with
another brig named the Oregon. The vessels were much
damaged, and bunt flares. Guns were also fired from the
St. Nicholas lightship for assistance from the shore. The
Gorleston lifeboat put off, and in the teeth of the gale
saved the vessels from drifting on the Scroby.
The schooner William Thornborrow, of London, with
came into collision, off Haaborough, with the
French schooner Eliza, of Nantes. In the confusion which
ensued a French sailor was unfortunately washed over.
board and drowned. It is believed that the fishing boat
Leo, belonging to this port, has foundered with all hands. '
Other smacks are also missing. A foreign vessel was seen
to strike on Winterton Ridge, about twelve miles from
land. One of Hewitt's smacks ran down to ber, and
picked up one man ; the remainder of the crew were
drowned. The smack has not yet come into the harbour.
At about 7 o'clock the town was plunged into darkness in
consequence of the sodden extinction of the gas. A large
gasometer on the South Denes, belonging to the Yarmouth
Gas Light Company, and holding 100,000 cubic feet of gas,
was blown from the guides by the force of the hurricane,
and heeling over the ponderous mass was driven on to an
1 tank, which was completely doubled up. All the gas
rued.eted.ln some localides near Yarmouth the marshes
are