The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-18 00:00:00

TRAFFIC' RETURNS.

Mee P. M. Total. Tsai
llAttlriTS. slim sues. shmedlea U. UAL
Week ending August 5 4 41 L A
Royal Danish — 047 580
Week ending August 11
Belgian Radars Juiselion 9Se 110 176 US fila

The police have been engaged in prosecuting an
investigation at Road, the nature of which is, for pruden-
tial reasons, not permitted to transpire • but we believe we
are correct in stating that they entertain'the hope that some
light aAI shortly be three .c on this hitherto impenetrable
mystery.—Bristol Merrary.
METROPOLITAN BOARD or WORKS. —l7oBtoTtlAy tbe
usual weekly meeting of the metropolitan board was held
in the Council Chamber, Guildhall ' • Mr. John Thwaita in
the chair. The cash statement showed a total cash balance
in bands of the treaserer, amounting to 283,884/. Bs. 4d.;
on deposit, 180,0001. ; and government securities,
92,4791. la. 10d. Mr. Henry Lowman Taylor, pursuant to
notice, moved " that three committees be formed, consist.
We of fifteen in each, of the members of the board ;"
" The Finance Committee," " Works and Improvements
Committee," "Building Ac:. and General Purposes Com-
mittee," the .Main Drainage Committee still continuing a
committee at the whole board. The motion, after a very
long diricassica, was agreed to. Mr. Aird's tender (9,1001.)
was received for the execution of the works for the
southern how level sewer through the Surrey Consumers'
Gas Company's premises at Deptford, at a schedule of
prices or at a lump rum, and to take such steps ss may be
nseessm7 in order to roonmmence the works forthwith.
After the routine business bad been gone through, the board
ad until the 28th of September next.
IicaegWEDINDORCIAN CONFREENCE. —The annual
conference of the New Church, commonly known as that
of the Swedimborpans, opened its sittings on Monday, in
Same
forty church in Percy-street, Newcattle-on-Tyne.
forty or fifty ministers and representatives from different
pai.• of the kingdom have attended the meetings. It ap-
pears this body has not a wirstory ministry to deal with,
like the Wesleyan% but a considerable portion of time is
devoted to day -choola, of which some stand in the fore.
moat ranks of the government inspectors' reporA ; one
large school in Manchester in particular. Le nests of
money are left from tins* to time for this purpose, and last
year, tt seems, no Ism than 18,0001. was so bequeathed,
and pet at the disposal 0( " The Conference." They hays
also numerous Sunday. schools, and support a "Society for
Wet* and publiehiog the works of - Swedenborg," two
tract societies, and two missionary societies. A monthly
magazine has a sale of about 3,000 copies • but there are
' others published by private members. The church in
Amm.ca is said to be more extended than in this country.
Their numbers, as yet by no means large, are said to be
increasing, though it seems "The Conference^ has no
means of accurately ascertaining, as there are as many
societies not in oonnezion with it as there ate of those

which send representatives.—Smiderfond Herald.
Tne Roves or COMMON& —A stranger in the
approaches to the Palace of Westminster would be incredu-
lous as to the fact that parliament was still sitting.
The long vista of Westminster Hall is dotted by
• single policeman ; in St. Stephen's Hall the
statues gleam white in the empty space, and the
pervading silence givesthat impreesson of still-life whisk
seems properly to belong to sculpture. In the osatral
hall the olcials of the Tisph Officio Mead
idle at the doors, or break the atsUsem by • mall*
practical joke. At the end of the haterraisable cerraces up
stairs the chief functionary of the maimitese cam sits as
hie door in • state of dresuoy abetnieeks, mum=
purger air considerably out of tune. The committee
those remarkable specimens of gentlemanly young men, who
always appear to be working under protest during the
session, have vanished, and probably, wrapped in their
waterproof cloaks, and ensconced under their umbrellas,
are enileavoaring to realise, with little success, the fact that
that glorious holiday of ha/ a year whisk it is their proud
privilege to enjoy has actually 001131111111011 i Even in the
lobby of the C 0160200/ when the loess is sitting you oily
hear the echo of the footstep of an bleb member
now and then se be wanders towards the deserted
library, the empty smoking-room, and the desolate refresh-
meat. rooms, where it is to be supposed he has resort to the
usual consolation of excitable and negations gentle-
men when they ere placed in the painful and
unwonted situation of being alone. The doorkeepers, no
loner baited by the endless stream of inquiries from out-
sider; repose in their bugs chain undisturbed, and, m
consequence, are almost civil, and as nearly courteous as
their natant, actual or acquired, will permit them
to be. Last and most mgoincant sign of all, the
government whippers-in are more often to be seem seated
quietly in the house than flitting from the door into the
lobby with that gliding ghostlike pace which is peculiar to
their official idioeyntreay. Without, the appearance of
thin p has quite arrived at the semblance of • parlia-
mentary Tadmor, while within everything betokens the
beginninx of the end.—lf f turreted Londo* Neve.
tons DRAMATIC ALMSZOVAMA —We heir Mr.
Dodd ia still determined to prose* his promised land seer
Windsor to the Viral ice/ profession, and proceeding, me
an PrePwes to carry out hie intentions. Independent cif •
free et ef Ss osed, he wffl pommel), endow the build-
sung with • of B,l:4ool.—Era. •