The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-04 00:00:00

CITY SZWZRIT COMMISSION.

The weekly meeting of the Commissioners of
*men for the Oily of Leedom wr held yesterday, et Guild-
bell, Xr. Deputy eiliffll in the chair.

/7LE EAIRTAXT °OPORTO' OF TEX CITY.
Dr. Letbsby, the medial otboer of health, re upon
the state of 187 house, that had been inspected during the
week, and he submitted a list of 39 places for sanitary im-
provement. He also submitted certificates of the indecent
and uuwholesorce crowding of three houses in Plumage.
court and lroioneourt, Holborn. He likewise reported that
the markets and slaughterhouses had beim duly inspected
during the week, and that the officers bad seized 1,4191 b.
of meat, and 159 bead of poultry as unfit for buntaa food ;
1,07716. were clamored, and 34Zb. were host annuals that
bad died from natural canoes.

The mortality returns for the week are greatly below the
' average for the season. The number of deaths was only b 2
instead of G 7, which is the mean proportion for the corm.
=og period of tbe last six piste Nioeteso of the
W•l3 among children at leis than Ave years of age,
arid thirteen amongst aid peruse of 10 sad upwerds.
chief causes of death wan as follows :—Pultuonary roe-
au:option, G ; broechitis, 6 ; peeensorde, 1 ; mesenteric
disease, A ; whooping cough, 2 ; motioned fever, 2 ; scarlet
form, 2 ; remittent fever, 1 ; Ned p.ic fever, ! ; mak*
together rise deaths from takaeslr diseases, seven frogs
acute lung diseases, and eight from zymotic. 'The condition
of the public health sa indicated by these returns is Attie-
factory. Sixty-two births were registered during the week,
viz., 22 boys and Si girl.

THIC OAS QUESTION.

A petition was presented Cill;Titundcrs, signed by a
great number of the inhabitants of the ward of Coleman.
street, praying the court to take into consideration the
whole question of gas supply is the City.
As usual, considerable discussion took place upon this
subject, and the petition was ultimately referred to the
special committee.
A report was read from the special committee appointed
to consider the gas question, stating that they had taken the
opinion of counsel upon the requirements of the new Gas
Act, and they were of opinion that the Gee Act of 1860 did
not repeal the Great Central 'lee Act, by which the Gnat
Central (cue Company are restricted to a charge of 4e.
Upon the motion of Mr. Deputy HAMMON it was agreed
to refer the report back to the committee to arrange, if
possible, with the Great Central Gam Company to have a
awe stated for the opinion of the Court Of QUIIOII.II BOSICh
upon the construction of the two acts.

LITELORDOURY PROCEEDING&
The ninth annual meeting of the ehareholderg
of chi@ Society was held yesterday at the office in Nor-
folk-street, Strand. Before the hour for commencing
the proceedings the room became unusually crowded,
and it was soon evident that something more than the
usual business was to occupy the attention of the
shareholders present. Two o'clock having arrived, the
hour for which the meeting had been convened, Lord
RADRIAGH, who had been am:mum:ad to take the
chair in the circular convening the meeting, eutered the
room, accompanied by the officers and members
of the board. His appearance wail the signal for
an immense uproar consisting of cheers and hisses, is the
midst of which the Rev. Dr. Worthington moved that
Mr. Hardwick should take the chair. The motion was
seconded, and Dr. Worthington was about taking the show
of hands on his motion, when Lord nelagh took posses-
sion of the chair, and ;tiled upon the secretary to mad the
notice of_ meeting, which was done amidst loud uproar and
cries of " No chairman!"

Lord RANICIAGH then rose amidst a scene of the most
istleaceitable confusion, and said he took the chair by
virtue of he °face chairman of the society, and in pur-
suance of the wording of the notice calling the meeting;
and there he intended to remain, in spite of Dr. Worthing-
ton anuilearrties he lad brought to support him. He
was • at the unseemly conduct of • .Ernian.
Mr. nawsca—And lam surprised at the conduct of •
military sm. (Hear.)
Lord RanciAsa—The gentleman who interrupts me, and
who has bees moved into the chair, oaly became • share-
holder yesterday, sad raid IM. fur the purpose of attending
the mine Hs wee not in the chair se a military men,
aer as a atteia., bat as chairman of the baud. He woe
mei the ma be bad been takes for, if the meeting supposed
be would allow himself to be bearded and browbeater by
say camber of men, however numerous they might be.
(Cheers.) He declared the meeting was puked for • fac-
tious purpose, and he would defeat that purses% eves Ithe
hail to reeve the adjournment of the meet Fig. (Cheers,
been, and cries of '•Go one!," "tio chairman!") Ho
would not then trust himself to speak of the conduct of 1)r.
Worthington, but would reserve that course for • future
occasion.

The Sicitement here became intense, upwards of twenty
shemholders jumping on the chairs and tables, vociferating at
the top of their voices, some in support of Lord Raselsgh
end athm In favour of Dr. Worthington. A voice, riming
above the others, having called out, " The meeting has not
got a eesitmea,"
Lord &mum( said—Oh yes it has. As long as lam
in the room the meeting will not want a chairman. (Cheer-
ing sod laughter.) No pinion in this room shall remove
me from the position I have taken without my ciamait.
(Cheers and biases.)
The Rae. Dr. Woevenrorom again insisted that Mr.
Hardwick should take the chair, concluded a long speech,
interrupted by all descriptions of noise, by charging
the secretary, Hr. Gruneisen, with paying the mosey of the
society into his own banking socount. If this meths was
not checked they would become like the Hank of Deposit.
It is impossible to describe the scene that sunset on this
charge big nada The chairman, the secretary, the mem-
bers of the and others, all jumped up fawn their
meta, and it was thought an attempt would be made to
eject Dr. Worthington from the room.
no eIKWAST. with great excitement, said Dr. Worth-
ington had gives utterance to a deliberate falsehood. He
aired blin to the proof.
There wore here loud cries of " No chairman f" from Dr.
Worthington's frauds, and " Put Hardwick in the *hair."
Lord latherrth said he felt thoroughly ashamed of the
tended of Dr. W
aortitrahiewl If his charges were true--
width, however, he y denied—Dr. Worthington
meet hers connived at as he bad been until lately,
and for thalami eight yearn, a member of the board. (Hear.)
Ths How and Mr. TALBOT and Mr. H. POWNALL
straggly oondemeed the course Dr. Worthington and his
friends were pursuing.
Lord RAKILAGH implored the shareholders present to con-
sider the intend. of the large number of absents threholden,
whisk mull be severely damaged by those outrageous pro.
medlar and random charges. The profanities' accountant,
Mr. Harding, wee in the room, and the mething would hear
from him se tow frith of Dr. Worthington's assertion.
A Toros—Look at the Beak of Deposit.
. .

Lord RAIILLAGR epdn TON highly excited, and 'for •
nionsent led the good temper he bad hitherto preserved,
and toms. pima having celled out "Send foe the police,"
be said, "Oh no, I can manage the meeting without thorn.
If any attempt is made to remove me from this chair by
fere% although suffering from rheumatism, I ant good for
any half-down in the room." (Cheers and laughter.) lie
wasidered the conduct of some parties in that room not
NAY turgeetlemenly but ruffianly in the extreme. At
any ether meeting they would bare been Ignominiously
erected, sad Y they cootioued their candid, ha, with the
assistance of the board, would turn ilieru out. Let the
meeting hear the opinion of Mr. Harding, whose respect-
ability and trothfuluese in hie profession were above re-
proach. (Hear.)
Mr. Haulm stated that he had 00 connection with the
society, but had been employed professionally to audit the
accounts, aid he was prepares' to say that the assertions
made by Dr. Worthington were quite iucorrect. No such
proceeding could have bike, place without • conspiracy on
the part of the officers of the society and those of the
bank. He considered the accounts of the society perfectly
satisfactory. (Load cheers.)
Dr. WORTIIINGTON reiterated his statement, that the
secretary had paid over the money of the society to the
amount of 3,000 f. per week, to his own private banking
account, and this was not • proper course to pursue.
The excitement, which bad partially subsided, here broke
out with renewed force, and • personal collision appeared
inevitable.

Lard Hafinaoit said he Well prepared to prove that I)r.
Worthington had left the board, not as he bad stated be-
cause he was dissatisfied with the accounts, but because he
had been requested to resign by his late colleagues, owing
to his own conduct. Hence the secret of lies conduct that day.
He had the names of thirty persons who lied only qualified as
shareholders yesterday to enable them to 'twat that meet-
Log. He was justified, therefore, in saying it was attempted
to be packed. He was happy to say the business of the
society was increasing and prosperous, as they would bear
when it was their pleasure to have the report rend. (Hear.)
Several shareholders here protested appiinst the repwt
being read, or any other business teen•neted at that meeting,
sad it was ultimately resolved, by a majority of 3 to 1, that
the meeting should stand adjourned for a fortnight, the
broad pledging themselves to be prepared with a complete
answer to Dr. Worthington on that ocimision.
A large majority of the meeting having concurred in a
vote of thanks to Lord Itanidagli fur Lis couduct as chair-
man, the westing, which lasted fur more than two luaus,
was brought to a close.

NARROW ESCAPII OF THE " FEJLILI r BLONDIN."

For some days past (hays the Western Morning
lieuv)annowicemeats have been made that the " Female
Moodie " would give some performances at St. George's
Hall, &outhouse, and that the lint would take place on
Monday night. The rope was stretched from Ups organ
loft to the platform, being at one end about 30 feet high,
and at the other 10 or 13. But it had evidently been
put up in haste, sod was nut at all properly secured. A
few men proceeded to tighten it by attaching ha thuudred
weights to the aide ropes, but this was obviously insufficient
for the purpose, and the wonder was that the foolish wo-
man ventand her life upon it at all. When she had got
half-way across the Una time she suddenly stopped and
loudly milled to have the rope tightened, as it wria vibrating
strongly. This was done and she imina,.,ed to get to the each
The tope having been further tightened she walked back.
Some men were afterwards stationed at tho aide ropes,
which ran through tackling at each window, and the " Fe-
male Blondin " again proteins' to walk. She stopped on to
the platform and bandaged hor eyes, after which
she put on a Lick over her head, her arms
being at liberty for the purpose of using
the pole. Again she started, everybody beholding her with
terrified looks, in cousequence of the slack state of the rope.
When just humid the chandelier nearest the rattan-loft,
one of the aide ropes suddenly broke, and the rope an which
she was standing actually tell about three fest. A subdued
groan instantly went through the room, as all expected to
see her tumble headlong down. But, strange to my, she
did not fall, as she managed to save herself with the
balancing pole. How she got up the remainder of the rope
was a mystery; for our own part we coniem that a sickening
sensation at the sight prevented us from seeing. The
" enterprising proprietor" and cis asabitunta instantly rushed
to the gallery where they rescued the unfortunate woman
from the penlous positive iu which she was placed. The
performance then terminated. Upon examination the rope
which broke proved to be totally unfit for the purpose for
which it was need.