The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-01 00:00:00

state of things was as near perfection as Whig-Radical
legislation could possibly produce.

THE MUNICIPAL REFORM OF

THE CORPORATION OF LONDON.

---,
The Guildhall Committee upon Municipal Reform
have made a calculation of the number of Common
Councilmen each ward would be entitled to, in exact
proportion to the relative number of houses and amount
of rateable property therein, taking the total for all the
wards at 240, the present number. They then pro-
ceeded to divide the several wards into classes or
schedules, as follows :
Such wards as are entitled to a number
not exceeding 3, in respect of a total
of 240, to have ... 4 Members each
31 and 'wider 6 to have
6 and under 14 to have 8 ditto each

Farringdon-within having double the
number of houses and amount of
rateable property, compared with
those wards which are proposed to
have 6, to have l2
Farringdon-without having double the
number of those proposed to have 8
to have

Bishopsgate having a larger number of
houses and amount of rateable pro-
perty than F3rringdon-within, and
less than Farringdon-without, to have 14
Making a total of 196, being a re uc
hick
Members to be returned from the large wards, v
would otherwise have to return an inconveniently larts'e
number. of 42
d dot:
But this number, 196, is an increase of the original
total of the Court, as constituted in the year 1549,
when it was fixed at 187 Members. The number has
been increased from time to time to 240, the present
number, in consequence of petitions, and the occurrence
of circumstances in those wards which have increased
in prosperity, while no reduction has taken place in those
wards which have suffered diminution in amount of pro-
perty and number of inhabitants.
The Lord Mayor has appointed next Friday for
taking this subject into consideration. The great bulk
of the citizens entertain the opinion that the present
number is much too great, and that the business of the
Corporation is impeded instead of being accelerated by
that circumstance. The Bill for reducing the number
will, if successful, be followed up by other important
changes. A great deal of interest springs out of an
intimation which has been received, that if the Cor-
poration does not very quickly reform itself a measure
of a sweeping nature will be brought in by the Minis-
ters of the Crown.

CORONEICS INQUEST.

FATAL AFFRAY AT DEPTFORD ON SUNDAY
NIGHT.—The extraordinary excitement which has
been created by the circumstance of William Al
dridge, No. 204 R, having lost his life on Sunday !n.
the execution of his duty (an accouot of which will
be found in another column), has been ziaterially in-
creased by its being reported, at Deptford, that Ser-
geant Wylie, 16 R, and John Westmorland, 93 It'
had nearly met a similar fate at Rotherhithe or, the,
same night, by the violence of John M'Carthy and
Michael Dormough, two drunken Irishmen. Eight
persons are in custody.
George Stevens, 165 R, examined before the Coro-
ner, said that he was on duty in New King-street,
Deptford, about half-past six o'clock on Sunday night'
I saw the prisoner John Pine in the act of wrestlingwith another man, I went up to them and ordered
them to go quietly home, as they were making a
great disturbance. The prisoner John Pine said be
would see me d—d first. I told them if they did not
go quietly I should be obliged to take them to the
station-house. John Pine then said neither I nor
ten more should take him. He (Pine) and another
man began hooting along the New-road, and ex-
pecting a disturbance he followed them at a distance.
Pine and the man he was wrestling with stopped near
to Mr. Ocley's timber-yard, in -the New-road, Dept-
ford, with a large moo around them. I then went
up to to them a second time, and told them if they
did not go quietly home I must take them
to the station-house, when the prisoner Pine
struck me violently, and I immediately col-
lared him ; and at this moment it was that the de-
ceased, William Aldridge, 204 R, came up to my assist-
ance. Pine was exceedingly violent, and I and deceased
both drew our staves. At this period there was a mob
of 500 or 600 persons, who tried to rescue Pine.
The witness further stated that showers of stones were
thrown by the mob, one of which hit the deceased on
the side of the head, when he put up his hand and ex-
claimed, " Oh, my poor head,"
and fell to the ground.
Several other witnesses were examined, and at the
suggestion of a Juror, the inquest was adjourned till the
surgeon had examined the body.

THE MARKETS.