The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-25 00:00:00

THE PEISONE.

The reports of the visiting justices of the poisons were
brought upp and read. There were 1,238 prisoners in the
House of Csefeetios, Coldtoth.fiekla ; at Westminster, 131
boys and 556 females ; and iu the House of Detention, 219.
It was dated in the Coldbath•fields' report that " the
visiting justices :egret toreport to the court that on the 19th
of April last James Cuckatun, a sub-warder,Was assaulted by
John Buck, a prisoner, who struck him so violent a blow on
the back of the skull with the head of a broom, that the scalp
was cat to the bone, to the extent of two inches, and
it was a fortnight before the surgeon was able to pronounce
him out of danger. Nor is be yet sufficiently recovered to
be able to resume his duty, his nervous system in particular
remaining much shaken by the severity of the injury. The
prisoner was committed to the Central Criminal Court and
indicted for the capital offence of cutting and wounding
with intent to murder, a coast for assault for grievous
bodily harm being added. He was convicted on the latter
count, and thereupon sentenced to three calendar months'
imprisonment, to take effect after the expiration of his exists
bag term. The visiting justices feel that remarks are not
to be lightly made upon the exercise by a judge of the dis-
cretion which the law vests in him, but they, nevertheless,
consider it their duty to remark that the gravity of the
crime committed in the present instance, and the vital im-
of protecting the lives of the various officers,
ee
demanded in their opinion a much more severe punishment
than that which has been imposed upon the prisoner
Buck. 'James Cuckston, the officer inMred, baying, in
consequence of the shock to his nervous system, felt
himself unable efficiently to discharge his duties, has
requested leave to resign, but the visiting justices strongly
recommend the court to defer the acceptance of his resig-
nation until Christmas next, and to give him leave of ab-
sence, in the hope that rest from fatiguing duty and change
of air and scene may re-establish hie hollth."
Mr. Corram, in the absence of the chairman of the com-
mittee, called attention to this portion of the report. A
good deal had been said about flogging both in prison and
out of prison, but he had faith in flogging prisoners for these
atrocious seta. He knew many instances in which the com-
mittee had felt constrained to order flogging, and three
dozen had had the effect of restraining the most desperate.
In cases of this sort it was the only kind of punishment that
was of any real use, and, for so serious a crime as Buck com-
mitted, a sentence of three months' imprisonment was, as
he had before said, moat inadequate.
On the report of the visiting justices of Westminster
Prison, and of a special report of a committee appointed to
consider the desirability of all male prisoners being sent to
the House of Correction, Coldbath.fields, and all females to
Westrqinstar, the court made an order to that effect, to
come ffito operation on the 25th of June, on which day all
the male prisoners then in Westminster Prison will be
transferred toColdbath-fields. The committee recommended

..,.......
that on the 26th of June the services of the governor be
dispensed with, and other officers, and that the present
matron be appointed keeper. The reports were adopted
and the recommendations agreed to.
TILE a►t.L OF GAS ACT.

A deputation from the gas meter mannfactorers of Great
Britain, consisting of Messrs. Thomas Glover, Meade,
Hulett, and Defnes, presented a memorial relating to the
delay in making the appointments of inspectors of meters
' under the Sale of Gas Act pissed last session.
In the course of a discussion it was stated that it was
contemplated by Lord Redealale to bring in a bill to amend
the act, and if that bill related only to an alteration in the
scale of fees.. was thought, and not to the main provisions
of the act, the court would proceed to elect inspectors on
the 19th of July, or if neemeary, before that day, at • special
court to be convened by the clu.irman, on the model pa-
holder being deposited in the Exchequer.
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE said they bad appointed their
inspector in the City, and expected to be shortly in full
operation. They understood that the government would
have the standards or models ready early in June, and
premises were being fitted up for the office under the direc-
tion of the inspector.
The deputation said it was of the utmost importance
that the inspectors should be appointed without any fur-
ther delay. Their trade would be stopped virtually.
They then withdrew.
On the motion of Mr. Corrasm, • sum not exceeding
1,200/. was granted for the fittings and furniture of the
Bossious.house Clerkrnwell, DOW nulling, &c.
The other business was of a formal nature, and the court
adjourned.

Ma. BAse, M.P.—We regret to state that our
excellent member Mr. Baas is obliged for a time, to retire
from his parliamentary duties on account of the extremely
deranged state of his nervous system, occasioned by over-
work. Mr. Baia has been unwell fur some time
past ; but, contrary to the urgent remonstrances
of his medical adviser, his anxiety to attend to
his parliamentary duties would not yield to advice,
until at length he was compelled to submit, and to act,
upon the recommendation of Dr. Beaman without
delay. The hon. gentleman placed his resignation in the
hands of his friends, who, however, would not listen to
any snch suggeetion and at a meeting representing all
motions of the Mienl party—Churchmen and Dissenters—
strong sympathy was manifested towards him, and hopes
expressed that by abstinence from public and private
business, and a brief sojourn abroad, he will return to
public life with an invigorated constitution, and with that
genial temperament which is so characteristic of the man.
As his political opponent, the Mercury, says, "We
earnestly hope that the relaxation which Mr. Baas so
much needs, and which none can begrudge to a member
who has been so indefatigable us he is in the discharge of
his duties, may teed to complete his restoration to perfect
bealth.• We are sure that this sentiment animates every
man in the borough of Derby, whatever may be his political
opinions; and it mast he gratifying to Mr. Bass's feelings
to find tat he is held in such high esteem by the iuha-
bitaats of Darby. Mr. Bees will pair in favour of the
Reform Bill with some manlier of the Opposition benches.
—Derby Reporter.
Tag FLOATING POPULATION OF THE
Mr. D. W. Harvey, the Commissioner of the City of Lon-
don Police, has, upon the application of Mr. Alderman
Cubitt, Chairman of the Police Committee, caused an ac-
count to be taken by the police of the number of persona
entering the City within &given period. The result shows
that the amazing number of 706,1121 individuals passed into
the City by its various entrances during the 24 hours tested;
and as the day selected for the enumeration was free from
any extraordinary attraction to the City, there can be no
doubt that the return furarshes a fair estimate of the aver-
age daily influx. Of the 706,921, the aggregate of this
census et a day, 49,242 only, or less than one fourteenth,
entered during the night, viz., between the hours of 11 p.m.
and 7 a.m. It is hardly necessary to add that these num-
bers are altogether irrespective of the resident population;
Tau SECOND FAXODUB.—After all, the stare and
stripes seem to have more attraction for the Irish emigrant
than the cross and keys. To the letters of the celebrated
Father Cahill, late of Dublin, and for some time a resident
in the United States, is attributed in • great measure this
second great flight of the Celtic mos from Ireland.
Tipperary, north and *oath, appous to he the chief
point of departure. The Conn& Ckrootele of Wedces
thus reports :—" The tide still flows onward, and vast
numbers of the peasantry, although the country was seldom
so prosperous as now, are still leaving for the 'Far West.'
The rage for emigration would seem to be general, nor is it
easy, considering the high rate of wages for all sorts of
labour, to guests as to what is the probable cause. This
morning twenty families, chiefly from the county of
Waterford, passed on from this by train, en route for
Liverpool, whence they intend to start for America. We
learn that large remittances have been received by them
from their friends there to assist them, besides the ad-
vantage of a free passage for their distant voyage. Our
coteroporary, the moot Guardian states that crowds are
leaving that locality ; probably the bright hopes held out
in the dreaming productions of Dr. Cahill' alluring the
incredulous peasantry to forsake their friends and native
land !"

Tau Caors.—The grateful change which recently
took place in the weather has throughout the whole of this
district produced • most pleasing improvement in the
growing crops of all descriptions. The mil forebodings of
a late and deficient harvest, which a short time since were
continually being uttered, are changed into thankful ex-
pressions of astonishment at the wonderful alteration
which is everywhere visible. Front the menhir, and from
the fens—from chalk lands and clay lands—we now hear
only of indications of coming plenty. With graziers, who
scarcely know whets to obtain fodder for their stock,
tho difficulty now is where to obtain stock for their pastures.
In the rich marsh district this is especially the (age, for
there so rapid has been the production of herbage that we
are maned on good authority that in three or four days last
week the grass grew more than in any fortnight of the pre.
ceding year.—Stautford Mercury.
FAILURE lot BIZMINOKAW—The failure of Mr.
Jolts Plimley Edwards, merchant, of Birmingham, in the
Zest India trade, was announced late on Tuesday, and a
meeting of the creditors held ywiterdiv. The liabilities ar-
med 810,000 e. Edwards has absconded, and a reward for his
apprehension is offered. The day lie went he got bills dis-
counted in London, amounting
_Without 4,0001. A petitioo in
bankruptcy has been filed. Edwards had been intrude only
three or four year*, and his failure will really be • calamity
in the town, his indebtedness being to so many persons who
were not in a position to bear the loss.