The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EV EN INO DECEMBER 22 55. V

tr. Os
' Attp` 4 4

SUN OFFICE, Six o'clock.

with the City of London, from the re•buildiag of Lon-
don•bridge to the present time. Objections might be
taken to his appointment to the chair from his being in
business, but if they elected him ho promised them faith-
fully that he would devote the whole of his time to the
duties of the office,

Mr. T. HAWES' (a former chairman of the Metropoli-
tan Commissioners of Sewers) name was next placed be-
fore the meeting, and a letterifrom the candidate, stating
his qualifications for the office, was read by the h on
secretary.

Mr. MORELANB, his seconder, having introduced him
to the meeting in a few words,

Mr. HAWES as briefly addres.ed the meeting, pledging
himself efficiently to discharge the duties of the office.

Mr. Hum . advocated the claims of Mr. Jobb, Ckair-
man of the Metropolitan Commission of Sowers, to his
appointment to the office of Chairman of the Metro-
politan Board of Works. That gentleman must "•e
better acquainted with—the various schemes and plans
that bad been brought forward relative to the carry-
ing out of works such as would devolve on them
than those gentlemen who bad been proposed for
the office unconnected with that Commission.
Mr. PASCAL also advocated Mr. Jebb'a claims to the
appointment.

Mr. JEBB, in addressing the meeting, begged to dis-
abuse the minds of the board from certain statements
that ha I been made relative to who he was. Ile
was a distant relation of Colonel Jebb not his
son. He was Chairman of the Metropolitan Com-
mission of Sewers, and repudiated having used
his influence as tutor to the Duke of Cambridge to ob-
tain this appointment, assuring them that he relied
alone on bis qualifications to fill that office to obtain
their suffrages. He was by profession a barrister. His
special claim on them arose from his thorough knowledge
of the sewerage and drainage of the metropolis. He
thought it presumption on the part of any person not a
civil engineer to put himself forward as the bead of any
particular party relative to the superiority of any one
system of sewerage and drainage over the others.
The Hon. SECRETARY said that by mistake the name
of Mr. Arthur Rose bad been omitted from the list.

Mr. FEW moved, and Mr. DREW seconded, the nomi-
nation of that gentleman.

Mr. CHALMERS, the seconder of the Hon. J. Percy,
M.P., urged his claims as a gentleman of ability, energy,
and integrity. That gentleman was absent, not knowing
the 'carious candidates were expected to be present to
state their opinions to the board.

Major LYON, in proposing Mr. Roebuck, raid they
wanted the best man they could find to fill the °See of
chairman, no matter who he was or where he came
from—a gentleman possessed of integrity, honesty, tact,
and time to bring to the discharge of the important duties
of that office. At the former meeting of the board it
was c.nisidered by many that it would be a disgrace to
the members of the board to go out of the board to find
a chairman. He thought they had since seen that that
was a mistake, and it would be an error, then, attempting
to take a gentleman from themselves. It was, therefore,
from no want of respect to them that ho and others sug-
gested taking Mr. Percy, Mr. Roebuck, or Mr. Baring.
The latter gentleman had declined the office. He thought
it was objectionable, then, taking a member of Parliament
for either of the metropolitan boroughs, or a gentleman con-
eected with the Government. He thought this first objection
did not affect Mr. Roebuck, and with regard to the lat-
ter, he (Major Lyon) believed him to be less influenced
by a Government than any other they could select.
(Hear.) It had been said, "Take care in doing a kind-
ness to Mr. Roebuck you do not inflict a cruelty on
him ;" but he was happy to say that that gentlemaa had in-
formed him he never felt better in his life than he did
then. He believed Mr. Roebuck to be a gentleman of
business habits, and capable of presiding over any public
body.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, that ho had not solicited this office,
but had been asked to come forward, and had done so
with ratber bad feelings on his mind. Hitherto when ho
bad had to appeal to the suffrages of the people, no
man had been able to say that he had had any
other personal consideration in that appeal than an honest
ambition to fill the office of a representative, and which
should only distinguish every gentleman who aspired for
such an honour. (Hear.) He had served the country
for 23 years without pay or reward, and he certainly had
felt a little hesitation at accepting that office from the
pain it had given him of pay being attached to it, having
hoped that his life would have been passed without the
slightest possibility of any imputation being made on
him of being influenced by place. (Hear.) Still, how-
ever, he thought circumstances justified his makiag that
appeal to them that day to fill the office of their
chairman, because that board was a great experi-
ment at self-legislation. Hitherto the elective
body had been confined to the legislation for the
country, but here they had an executive one, and it had
been always said by the enemies of the people that they
were unable to govern themselves in an executive man-
ner. (Hear.) He believed there were many diffi-
culties presented themselves to them in doing so, and it
seemed to him that a man who had given up the whole
of his time to the business of Government was a man
eminently qualified to take the load as their chairman
in propounding a scheme of self government in execu-
tive affairs. It might be said that he had not that ca-
pacity for business that their chairman ought to pos-
sess, but it appeared to him that his education that
of a lawyer and a legislator give him that qualification.
Their duties would be to do certain things, but before
that to weigh and understand evidence that would be
brought before them, and the man who had been trained
during the whole of his life to the investigation of evi-
dence was the man for that purpose. (Hear.) The hon.
and learned gentleman then referred to the many thorny
investigations he had conducted to show his business
habits, especially that relative to the corrupt cainpro-
mises made at elections (which he conducted withor.t a
division in the committee), and that of the committee on
the army before Sebastopol, in the course of which the
committee only divided twice. (Hear.) After alluding
to some other matters, and that his health permitted
his undertaking the duties of the office he said he would
cheerfully devote his time to them if they elected him,
but not at the expense of his seat as a representative of
the people. It he were called on to give up one, he
would resign all pretensions to fill their chair. (Cheers.)
The various gentlemen who proposed and seconded
the remaining gentlemen addressed the meeting in sup.
port of their claims, after which these gentlemen ex-
pressed their views on the duties of the office, and the
manner in which they should be carried out.
Mr. TIMAITES remarked that, if elected, he would
make arrangements to devote hie whole time to the
duties.

Some difference of feeling existing whether the board
should at once proceed to the election or adjourn to
Wednesday, a resolution was proposed for the immediate
election.

The board divided, when the numbers were—For the
resolution, 21 ; against it, 6.

The thard then proceeded with the election, after
various absurd propositions bad been put to the meeting
as to the best course to pursue to reduce the number of
candidates to two. Ultimately the names were put
singly. Each of the candidates whose name was put to
the vote denied being connected with the Metropolitan
Sewage Company.
The numbers wore then taken and declared to be—
For Mr. Carden 0
For Mr. Corrie l2
For Mr. Deputy Harrison
For Mr. Hawes.
For Mr. Jebb. l4
For Hon. J. Percy — 4
For Mr. Roebuck l7
For Mr. Rose
For Mr. Thwaites 26
For Mr. Turner

The names reduced by the persons lowest on the poll
were put to the meeting until the list had been reduced
to two, namely Mr. Deputy Harrison and Mr.Thwaites.
The numbers were, for
Mr. Deputy Harrison l3
Mr. Thwaites 26
The question was again put :
For Mr. Thwaites
Against him
showing a majority of the votes present in accordance
with the act in favour of that gentleman, when the chair-
man declared him duly elected, and congratulated them
on the choice they had made.
Mr. Tuivsn'Es thanked the Board for the honour con-
ferred on him, promising them he would do his utmost
to discharge the duties of the office.
The meeting shortly after separated, arrangements
having previously been made for the next meeting of the
Board on the let of January.

MONEY ORDERS FOR THE ARMY IN
THE CRIMEA.

GENERAL POET OFFICE, Dec., 1855.

The Postmaster General having authorised the
officers of the British Army Post-office stationed at
Constantinople, Scutari Hospital, Head Quarters of
the British army (Crimea), and Balakava, to draw
Money Orders on the several post-offices in the United
Kingdom at which Money Orders are paid, postmasters
are instructed to pay all such orders whenever the neees-
sary advice, made out in conjormity with the standing
regulations, and on the usual printed form, has reached
their hands.
This regulation is confined to the issue of Money Or-
ders, and consequently, no Orders must be drawn upon
the offices above-mentioned.
ROWLAND HILL, Secretary.

THE GRAND DUKI' NICHULAS OF

BUSS7A.

A. letter from St. Petersburg, of the 11th
says
_:7—

" I have already sent you an account of the betrothal
of the Grand Duke Nicholas. He was born on the 8:h
of August, 1831, and the Princess Alexandra, daughter
of Prince Peter of Oldenburgh, to whom he is affianced,
on the 12th of June, 1838. The trousseau of the future
Grand Duchess is exhibited at the Oldenburgh Palace,
on the Neva Quay, and is visited by crowds. The Em-
peror has paid for it from his privy purse, owing to the
compsratively small fortune of Prince Peter, and the
number of children be has to establish. When princes
and princesses of the Imperial house of Russia are affi-
anced, it is the custom to place at their disposal a spe-
cial residence, and to create for their service what is
called a court— that is, to designate the principal officers
and functionaries of their household. The usage, how-
ever, has not been fully followed in the case of the Grand
Duke Nicholas, and this has given credit to the report
which Las been current for some time, that his Imperial
Highness will soon be called to the throne of Poland,
it being intended to declare the Grand' Duchy of
Warsaw independent immediately after the death of
Marshal Paskiewitch. The Qeeen Dowager of fthe
Netherlands, Anna Pawlona, aunt of the Emperor, has,
since her arrival, been residing in the Palace of Anich-
kiew. I am told that she has succeeded in establishing
a sort of harmony bet veen Alexander 11. and the Grand
Duke Constantine. The Emperor is generally beloved on
account of his mild character, but the Grand Duke is
heartily detested ; ho is likewise dreaded, his violence
of character being such that he too often passes the
bounds of ordinary brutality. This fault, which is gene-
rally so rare in a young man, is strikingly developed in
the Grand Duke Constantine, who resembles in all re-
spects his two uncles Constantine and Michael, of de-
plorable memory. The Grand Duke, who is sincerely to
be pitied, falls at times into paroxysms of terrible fury ;
and these attacks are followed by a sort of physical and
moral prostration. Do not, therefore, believe the s-
mongers, who announce that the Crown of Poland wid
be given to the Grand Duke Constantine ; the Emperor
knows him too well, and the excesses to which the vio-
lence of his passions may carry him, ever to confide to
him the task of directing either the whole or part of the
empire."

THE FIRE IN MINT-STREET, SOUTH-

WARK.

DISCOVERY OF THREE BODIES IN THE
RUINS.

Yesterday forenoon, shortly after 'll o'clock, as the
men were employed in searching the reins of the pre-
mises occupied by Mr. Bygrave, furniture broker and
blacksmith, No. 25, Mint-street, Southwark, which were
destroyed by fire on Thursday morning, they discovered
the bodies of Lydia Thompson and her:child, about six
years old. They also found the body of a newly-born
iefant, all which were removed to the workhouse to
await a coroner's inquest.
Mrs. Thompson, it seems, was the first person who
discovered the fire, and having alarmed the other in-
mates, who got upon the adjoining hou,e•, it looks
somewhat remarkable that the poor creature was unable
to effect her own escape, unless it was that in conse-
quence of the sudden fright she was seized with the pains
of labour, and whilst in that state gave birth to the in-
fant found in the ruins.

Mr. Henderson, the chief officer of the Firo Brigade,
has minutely examined the ruin., and from his experi-
ence as a practical fireman there is no doubt entertained
that the fire commenced in the adjoining premises, and
not in Mr. Bygrave's. The melancholy event has created
a painful sensation throughout the neighbourhood.