The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-20 00:00:00

TUE ILSPRESENTATION OF LONDON.

Yesterday evening Lord John Russell forwarded
message to Mr. Sidney Smith, the mastery to the Liberia
Registration Association in the City of Loudon, to the
offset that it is his intention to appear at Guidhall on Tues-
day next, where he will be happy to meet the electors.
The meeting is called for two o'clock
An influential deputation of electors waited upon the
Lord Mayor yesterday at the Mansion•house and tendered
to him a requisition most numerously signed by all classes of
the constituency, inviting his lordship to present himself
for election. The chief magistrate at once responded to
the request, and last evening his lordship issued the sub-
joined address:
"To the Liverymen and other Electors of the City of

" Gentlemen,—A requisition of a highly flattering chs.
meter, numerously and influentially signed, having this day
been presented o mo, inviting me to allow myself to be put
in nomination to represent the City in parliament, I cheer.
fully respond to such a call.
Having been for so many years before the public I feel
that it is not necessery for me to make say statement of
my principles or of my political opinions. I, however, de.
sire to ensure my fellow-citizens that my efforts shall
always be so exerted as best to protect the privileges of
this important City, and generally to promote the honom
and interests of thin great country.-1 have the honour to
be, your faithful servant, " WILLIAM CUBIST.
" Mansion House, July 19."
The election will probably take place the week after next.
It is said the liberal party are entering upon the contest
with even unwonted spirit, and with a determination to
fight the battle to its legitimate conclusion. The contest
promises to be a remarkably spirited affair.
A special meeting of the executive committee of the
Ballot Society was held at the offices yesterday, Mr. Bon.
toms in the chair; Mr. Wbitehurst, Mr. M. E. Marsden,
Mr. Elt, Mr. Le Maitre, Mr. Dawes, and Mr. Win. Charles
were ps sent Mr. Whitehurst reported that he had guns.
tinned Mr. Western Wood as to his views on the ballot,
and obtained a satisfsAory answer. The committee accord-
ingly unanimously agreed to an address, strongly Neoax.
mending Mr. Wood to the support of the electors of London

TESTIMONIAL TO THE EIGHT HON.

T. MILNER GIBSON, M.P.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held at
Fes& Hotel, New Palace-yard, Westminster, for the
purpose of taking steps to present the Might Hon. T.
Milner Gibson, M.P., with a testimonial in recognition of
his "persevet:ng, able, and successful exertions during
twelve years, u president of the Association for the Repe-1
of the Taus on Knowkdge." Mr. W. EWART. M.P., pre-
sided ; and amongst those present were Mr. Cobden, LP.,
Sir J. V. Shelley, Bert., M.P., Mr. J. Whit*, LP., Sir
C. E. Douglas, M.P., Mr. Stansfeld, M.P., and Messrs. D.
N. Chambers, John Cassell, G. W. Petter, Hunt,
Luau, &c.

The7CHAIIIMAIS, in opening the proceedings, remarked
that all present would agree that Mr. Milner Gibson had
conducted the causein parliament with consummate ability,
and for that reason a• well as on account of the services ha
had rendered u president of the Association for the Repeal
of the Taxes on Knowledge, it was thought desirable to
give the public an opportunity of presenting him with some
testimonial in appreciation of his merit,. (Hear, hear.)
Many members of parliament as well Nis other gentlemen
hail given in their adhesion to the object of the meeting,
and it had been thought better to limit the amount of their
contributions in order to extend the area of subscriptions.
On the motion of Sir J. V. SHELLEY, M.P., seconded by
SirO. DOW:MAR, M.P., the gentlemen present resolved them.
selves into a testimonial committee, with power to add to
their number, and to appoint an executive committee having
power to appoint local oommittees.
Mr. COBDEN, M.P., who was cheered upon entering the
mom, said it gave him much pleasure in being able to be
present, in order to show his appreciation of the talent
and exertions of Mr. Gibson ; and to offer his
co-operation in some substantial mode with a view of
tendering him hie mead of thanks for his labours.
Those who bad had the opportunity of watching Mr. Gib.
son must have seen that he hail brought an amount of
energy, skill, and address to bear on the question rarely
equalled by any public man. (Heir, hear.) They were not
• class of questions that could be carried by assault, be-
calm. they were not subjects that gained so much atten.
Coe out of doors as to enable them being taken by storm.
They required sapping and mining, and Mr. Gibson bad shown
great talent in that process. They all recognised his merita,and
wen now anxious to show their high appreciation of there.
As to what form the testimonial should take that would be
for • future meeting to decide. It rested entirely with Mr.
Gibson as to what should be done with the money after it
was collected. Mr. Cobden believed there was a general
feeling throughout the country that some recognition should
be made of Mr. Gibson's cervices; but their efforts would
have no success whatever unless a working power was
applied ; and he saw around him gentlemen of just the
kind to make its success if they devoted themselves to the
sulAcct.
Mr. WRIT; M.P., proposed, and Mr. Anions? seconded,
a resolution to the effect that the subscriptions should not
exceed IL, which was agreed to.

THE BUILDERS' STRIKE AND THE WAR-

OFFICE.

Leat evening a deputation from the masons and
bricklayers' societies bad an interview with Mr. T.
Baring, M.P., the Under-Secretary for War, at the House
of Commons, on the subject of the employment of the
Sappers at the new barracks at Chelsea. The deputation
was introduced by Mr. Layard, M.P. for Southwark.
The deputation stated they bad cot solicited that inter.
view for the purpose of entenng on the general merits of
the dispute now existing in the building trade, but simply
to complain of the conduct of the Waroltloe in sup.
plying a body of military to perform the work of a
contractor whose workmen bad struck against what they
deemed an injurious innovation by that contractor on the
established usages and customs of the trade. They thought
that by this interference of the Vv.ar.office the operatives
were placed ate great disadvantage, having thus to contend
rot only against the combined influence and capital of the
association of master builders—a sufficiently powerful restage.
rust in itself—but also against the influence of government.
This interference on the part of the War-office could not but
tell greatly in favour of the employers, giving them ericou•
'ligament to persevere in the course they have thought
proper to pursue • and if carried out to any extent would
be entirely destru'ctive of that right of combination now en.
joed by the workmen under the sanction of the legislature.
AU the workmen required was a fair field on which to try
their strength with the employers, but this interference of
the executive power deprived them of that, and they hoped
to receive from the hon. gentleman an assurance that the
Sappers should be withdrawn, and the contractor left to his
Own resources. _ _

Mr. T. Beam enured the deputation that there had
been no intention on the part of the government to interfere
in the unfortunate dispute now existing on the aide of the
rnployers. The fact was tbe,War-office was bound to get the
barracks finished as speedily as pomade, both in a financial
point of view and for the health of the troops who were to
occupy them. The contractor having informed the War-
office authorities that be could not proceed with the works
for want of skilled labour which he was unable to obtain,
they thought it their duty to send on a body of mappers to
go on with the work in the meantime. Had this not been
a government work no such application would have been
entertained from any contractor. He was not aware
that this would prove so objectionable to the operatives.
He could not promise that the sappers should be at once
withdrawn ; but if, as bad been reported to him, any work.
men had een discharged, soil the rappers pa in their
places, that should be remedied at once. He would, how-
ever, give the whole question his seriuns considerution.

In :newer to a question,
Mr. BA RIIM stated he lind not the slightest knowledge
of any intention on the part of the government to send
sappers to work at the Exhibition. They would not be
allowed to work on any job that was not strictly govern.
meta work.

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S

MEETING AT LEEDS.

LEEDS, Famir.
The attendance yesterday reached. the unprece-
dented number of 73,624, and to-day it will probably 1+•
33,000 or 40,000. The receipts up to last night execee,led
7,30/., and it is expected that the gross receipt, *AI a 4
be lees than 10,000 f., or 4,0011/. more than the society liss
ever taken before.

---.-.-.
The annul meeting was held to-day. The Earl of
Pow is presided. The noble president proposed a vote of
thanks to the Mayor and Corporation of Loeb f..r the rt.
caption accorded to the society, which was carried with sp.
please.
Thanks were also voted to the local committees and to
the various railway companies for the facilities which
they had afforded to those attending the show.

PICTURLS •ND GAS.—The letters written in April
last by the late Mr. Braidwood and Mr. Sidney Smirk. on
the sulijeet of lighting the British Museum with cm have
been laid before Professors Faraday, Tyndall, and Hoffman.
but they adhere to their former 'minicar of the ',arty of the
pa-lighting at South Kensington. and state that the tees•
mature of the picture gallant's there, in the parts most a•
posed to the action of the gas. is not so high when the gas
is burning as when the sun is shining through the skylights.
Professor Faraday, however, recommends that the roofs of
such galleries lighted by gas be of iron, and be obsrx,Fl
that he should greatly hesitate to recommend palighth4 in
the British Museum against the opinion of the architects
who alone is aware of the construction of the building .0d
of the dangers by fire which it may involve. lie r,egak4
that he is very straggly against the common practice of
erecting a church or other building by one set of hands
under one mind, and then giving it over to another oath°.
city and set for the introduction of gas apparatus and mins,
or pipes of hot air or water (frequently at high tempeadetel
and pressures) into parts and places where no intentsg n"
specting them had existed before, where no preparation had
been made for them, and where the final arrangemenu
must partake more of accident and risk thou of premed:J.,'
Iron and forethought.

I