The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-22 00:00:00

THE NEW CITY POLICE BILL.

The City Police Committee continue to sit daily at the
Exchequer Coffee-house, in Palace-yard, to receive infor-
mation. Copies of the two Bills, viz., the Metropolitan
Police Improvement Bill, and the Metropolitan Police
Courts Bill, having been sent all over England and Wales
by the Committee, and Mr. Hawes having intimated his
intention to adhere to the course he means to pursue with
respect to the principle contained in those Bills, very strong
indignation has been expressed by the several corporate
bodies as to that gentleman's announcement of his, inten-
tion in the House of Climmons. The last conference
which the delegates from the Police Committee had with
Lord John Russell, in which his Lordship manifested so
strong a disposition to conciliate the Corporation of Lon-
don, and spontaneously pledged himself to support the Bill
of the Corporation itself, has greatly disappointed those who
were at the trouble of producing the two Bills, the provi-
sions of a hich have excited such strong displeasure through-
out the country. One of these persons is a Police Magis-
trate, of no long standing at the bar, at which his name
was never known until his appointment to the situation,
the profits of which one of his Bills proposes shall be
raised from 800/. to 1,200/. a-year. No doubt whatever
is entertained by the City authorities who have been in
communication with Lord John Russell that his Lordship
was kept in ignorance of the oppressive character of the
measures to which his name gave sanction, and it is very
positively asserted that Lord Melbourne was also in the
dark on the subject until ho received so intelligible a hint
at the Ministerial dinner at the Mansion House from the
Lord Mayor, and from the speech of Mr. Crawford, one
of the City representatives, who declared that he had be-
eome a convert to the opinions of the Corporation from
conviction, and that be would give the most decided oppo-
sition to any measure calculated to interfere with the
power of self-government on which the citizens have acted
from time immemorial.

The assurances of support from the Members of the
Legislature, both those who are in the habit of voting with
the Government, and those who are in opposition, have in-
finitely exceeded the expectations of the sanguine friends
of corporate privileges, but the Committee are resolved not
to relax in their labours until the Bill they are preparing
shall have passed the House of Commons. That Bill is,
with the exception of two or three clauses, in which are
embodied the suggestions of Lord John Russell, as to the
appointment of a Commissioner of the City Police, and
the establishment of a co-operative intercourse between
that Commissioner and the two Metropolitan Commission
era, the identical Bill which passed the House of Com-
mons some time ago, and was withdrawn from the House
of Lords in consequence of objections on the part of the
Common Council, now no longer existing.
The following are the general heads of the Bill :
Repeal of the Act 10th George 11.
The City authorities having appointed a police force of
500 men, who have been sworn in as constables, the men
to be appointed by them from time to time to be sworn in
as constables.

A police committee to be appointed by the Common
Council. The Common Council to make regulations for
the management of the police.
The Common Council to appoint a Commissioner of
their police force, who alone is to appoint and discharge
the men, subject to the sanction of the Lord Mayor.
The powers of the police officers defined.

The City police to act within the metropolitan police
district, and the metropolitan police to act within the

VVarrants of the City justices to be executed within the
metrcpolitan police district, and warrants of the county
justices to be executed within the City.
The corporation, out of their funds, to contribute one-
fourth part of the expense of the police force.

Power to make rates on the inhabitants for the remain-
leg three-fourth parts, upon the basin of the poor rates.
The City not to take on men who have been discharged
from the Metropolitan police force, nor the Metropolitan
to take on men who have been discharged from the City
police.

The Committee continue to receive notices of the pro-
ceedings of t'Le Councils through the country, adopted in
consequence of the Town Clerk's circular, which was a few
weeks ago transmitted to each corporation.

Lafont, the best remaining tragic actor of the
Theatre F,ancais, took leave of the stage and the public
list week. lie had belonged to that theatre for the last
thirty years, and though during the latter fifteen his p, r.
formances had been confined to a few characters of the
classic drama, which enjoyed little favour, he had, in the
commencement of his career, not only been Talma's most
dangerous rival, but had even completely eclipsed that
great tragedian for two years together. His farewell
benefit, wherein Mdlle. Rachel played for the first time
the part of Laodice in Corneille's Nicomede, yielded
14,000 francs.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH BY DROWNING.—OIS
Wednesday an inquest Wa3 held before Mr. Wakley, M. Y.,
at the Yorkshire Grey Tavern, Hampstead, on the body of
Richard Martin, aged 25 years, late footman in the service
of Mr. Clayton, a gentleman of fortune residing at Branch
Hill. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased
was a mai vied man and of a very cheerful disposition. On
Saturday afternoon last he went to the Spotted Dog, in the
Strand, where he had formerly been a waiter. He slept
there, and left the following afternoon. At six o'clock he
was seen running about Hampstead heath, and between
nine and ten o'clock his hat, coat, and waistcoat were found
on the banks of a reservoir on the Heath, and search bring
made, the body was found in the water. There were no
marks of violence on it. A half sovereign and four slit-
lines ie :silver were found in his pockets. The Jury, after
some consultation, returred a verdict—" That the deceased
was found drowned ; but by what means he came to his
death there was no evidence to prove." At this inquest
the foreman of the Jury was Mr. Adcy, the oppo,
cent of Mr. Wakley in the late contest fcr the office of
Coroner. Upon the meeting of these gentlemen they
shook hands together in the most cordial manner, the
former congratulating Mr. Wel:ey on his appointment;
to which the Coroner jocosely replied, " Ah, if you had
not attended to my summons I should have fried you
heavily."