The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-23 00:00:00

CITY COUAT 01' SEWERS.

The Commimionere of &were for the City of
Ueda' held their usual weekly court yestenlay, at the
othma of the eonnnission in Guildhall ; Mr. Deputy CERES.
TIE, the chairman of the comnuasioe, presided.

SANITARY CONDITION OP THE CITY.
Dr. Lcrituut, the medical officer of health, reported on
the state of 182 houses that had been visited during the
week, and he submitted a list of 47 places for sanitary ini-
pnivement. All the City slaughter-houses and markets had
been iuspected during the week, and the officers had seized
4,33411 n., or nearly two tons, of meat as unfit for human
food; 2,57611 e. were seised in Newgate-market by lir.
Fisher, 456 lbs. in Lesdenhall by Mr. Davidson, and
1.32"1b5. in Aldgate, Tyler's-market, and elsewhere, by
Mr. Newman. Of these quantities, 3,790 lbs., or nearly •
ton and • quarter, were seized on account of disease, 416 lbs.
by reran of putridity (all of which wan venison), and
11$11a. on account of it. being from animals that had died
from natural cause.. The atonality returns for the week
are still in excess of the average. In the corresponding
week of the last five years there were but 60 deaths,
whereas in the week which has just expired there
were9o-32, or rather more than athirdof these, were among
children of less than five years of age ; and 30, or just
another third, were among old persona of 60 and upwards.
ca The chief uses of death were diseases of the resprratm7
organs. There were U from phthisis, 9 from pneumonia,
and 28 from bronchitis—in all 49 deaths from these affec-
Mons, of which 40 were caused by the exciting influence of
the weather. Zymotic dimities were fatal in only a instances,
viz. :-2 from scarlet•fever, 2 from measles, and 1 from con-
tinued fever.

64 baths were registered in the week, viz.:-30 boys and
34 girls.

THE ADI•LTFRATION OF FOOD ACT.
The Improvement (onimittee made a report, as did also
the General Purposes Committee, which latter recom-
-wended that a consolidated rate of Rd. in the pound should
be levied, and a sewers rate of :id. in the pound. The latter
committee also reported that it had been in communication
with Dr. Letheby, the medical analyst under the Adultera-
tion of Food Act, and recommended that a short abstract of
the act should be printed and put in circulation throughout
the City of London.
In answer to questions put by Dr. Rosa, it was stated
that the balance at present in hand on account of im-
provements was 20,000(. ; and on that of the sewers about
1,500/.
Dr. ROHR then inquired whether any inspectors had been
appointed to carry out the Adulteration of Food Act?
The CHAIRMAN said that this subject had been mentioned
on a former occasion, and it was thought by the court that
the better course would be to leave the matter in the hands
of the public for the present.
Dr. Ross said he was afraid if this was the case that the
act would become a dead letter.

Mr. Deputy FAR HER inquired or Dr. Letheby whit steps
had been taken to bring the act of parliament into opera.
lion, and whether it was likely to carry out the object for
which it was framed ? He also wished to know whether it
war not necessary to prove that any party complained of
had acted knowingly and wilfully?
Dr. Lrruner said that any person who sold an article of
food wu supposed to do so with a knowledge that it was
pure and unadulterated.
Deputy FAIMER said he doubted whether this was so.
Dr. Lrnimir then real the clause in the act, which is
as follows :—" Any person who shall sell any article of
food or drink with which, to the knowledge of such person,
any ingredient or material injurious to the health of the
person eating or drinking such article has been mixed, mid
any person who shall sell as pure and unadulterated any
article of food or drink which is adulterated or not pure,
shall for every such offence forfeit a penalty not exceed-
ing 5/.," &c. The act, he said, evidently contemplated two
descriptions of adulteration—one that was likely to be inju-
rious to health, and the other the deterioration of the quality
of the article that was sold.

Several members of the court expresso:4l their opinion,
after considering the terms of the clause of the act, that it
would be entirely inoperative, as it would be next to impel.
aible to prove that the party complained of had " know•
ingly" sold an adulterated article.
Dr. ASHAHAII said he did not concur in the opinion of
his brother commissioners in this respect. He was of
°plaice that tradesmen were bound to take care that they
sold a pure article, and if they did not do so they were
hal& to be fined, ad that time wee the intention of the
statute.

Dr. UTUEBY observed that even if the law would not
reach parties who were guilty of selling adulterated articles
the ant of parliament would still do good in this respect,
that it would afoul an opportunity of publishing the
names of those who had sold articles that were adulterated.
Deputy HA millHoN said he was satisfied from the remarks
that been made by his brother commissioners in refer-
ence to the matter that any further discussion upon the
subject of this act of parliament was not likely to be
attended with any good effect, and he should, therefore,
move that the court proceed to other business.
The subject then dropped.
THE ILLUMINATED COLEMNS.

.... .....
Dr. Ross called the attention of the court to the fact
that some time back permiseion had been given to erect an
illuminated advertising Column in Holborn, the conditions
for the permission being that it should be lighted at night,
and that an illuminated clock should also be put up, chow-
ing the hour. lie had mused down Holborn on a great
mane occasions at night, and he found that the column was
not lighted at all, there 11114 no clock put up, and in fact all
the conditions upon which the permission -for the erection
of the column was given had been violated. lie there-
fore moved, that the inspector should give notice to that
effect to the parties by whom the column had been erected.
and that it would be removed forthwith.
_

The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously.
Mr. HAYWOOD, the engineer to the commission, re-
ported, amongst other matters, that he had received an
application from the City of London Volunteer Rifle Bri-
ride, for permission to erect shooting butte near the ceme-
tery at Word.
Deputy HA HEDY IN said that the matter did not strictly
come under the cogniaince of this court, but he would ob-
serve that the brigade had expended a large sum of money
In the purchase of ground near the Crystal Palace for the
purpose of shooting exercise, and an injunction bad been
obtained by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood restrain-
ing them from using it for that purpose, and the money was
all lest. As to the proposed site near the cemetery, the
project might possibly enhance the value of that particular
erectiou—(a Laugh)--but lie doubted whether the inhabi-
tants would be agreeable to the plan. In order to afford
time for further consideration, be should therefore
move that the matter be referred to the General Purposes
Committee.—Agreed to, and the court adjourned.

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
--*--

CARLISLE, MIDWAY.
Last night a great meeting was held in this city
in favour of parliamentary reform. Mr. Councillor Poarra
predded ; and the resolutions and petition which were
adopted, were moved by electors, seconded by non-electors
and supported by Mr. Lawson, M.P., and Mr. W. Wilke.
Mr. LAWSON, M.P., in the course of his speech, said—l
think that this moment, just before the opening of parlia-
ment, is a right moment for meeting together to press upon
the government the importance of settling this great ques-
tion of parliamentary reform. We are fortunately living in
quiet times. Now is the time to set our house in order—
for think of the effect upon this country of two or three
bad harvests or the failure of the cotton crop in America.
I think no one can look without alarm at the prospect of
hundreds of thousands of working men thrown out of em-
ployment by such a calamity, when, in addition to the
pang. of hunger, they at the same time feel the sense
of injustice rankling in their breasts. I do not
say that it would be right to do so, but we
know what human nature is—and at such a time
when four-fifths of the people of this country are ex-
cluded from taking any part in what is called self govern-
ment. which they suppose is their right, we need nut be
aurprised if they felt disposed to revenge thenieelves upon
the one-fifth who excluded them from that power. I 'ay,
then, let us be prepared. Let us make everything secure
before the storm comes. As good citizens, 1 believe we are
doing our duty by meeting here to-night to urge upon the go-
'eminent the settlement of this great question—a settlement
which will not tend to set one class against smother, at is
falsely and foolishly predicted, but, on the contnirv, will
tend to make all classes live together in a more friendly and
harmonious spirit, and will also. I believe in my conscience,
do much to promote peace, prosperity, and contentment in
our country.

The BUR3LEM POTTERIEN.—The extensive pottery
works at Biuslem. Staffordshire, formerly in the possession
of !lawn. Alcock and Son, have Cow peeled by purchase
into the hands of Alderman Sir James Duke. M.P. for the
City of London, and of his nephews, Mr. Junes Duke Hill
and Mr. John:ilia-dr Hill. These works, known in the trade
as the Hill Works (now doubly entitled to that borne), have
fora long time cojuyed a high reputation for the excellence
of their ceramic ware. As Alderman Copeland also baa
extensive works in the neighbourhood of the New Etruria,
the 6ctile manufactures have in Sir James Duke obtained a
second representative both in the legislature and in the
corporation of London.
WHY BURN GAR IN DAYTIME 7 CHAPPIAn'
nennereas diffuse daylight in all dark places, and at night save
60 per east of pa.—Patentee and manufacturer, P. X. Cusertis.
en, neetaireet.--(Advertlactuenti