The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-19 00:00:00

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

week 10.4 year
LONDON AND SOUTH-BASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the woeitnding Dec. 16, 1854 £13,469 16 10
12,819 19 5
£649 17 5
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—
Traffic return for the week ending Dec. 16,
P°lnndilicregase in Mit
£10,745 11 7
week last year 10,019 9 8
ComescoiiTBs4espon.ding
Total of the half-year to this date, 1851 366,878 17 10
Total of the half-Tou to this date, 1850,„„, 436,66$ 0 3

The following is the report of the Consolidated Com-
mittee, containing the propositions to be submitted to
the Court of Common Council to-morrow. It is ex-
pected that the aldermen and their deputies will oppose
the reception and adoption of the report in the most
strenuous manner, and that the doors rill be closed :--
" To the Right Ilon. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and
Coannons of the City of London, in Common Council
assembled.
" We whose names are hereunto subscribed of your
Consolidated Committee, to whom cu the 18tli (lay of
May last, in accordance with the recommendation of our
report, then agreed to by this honourable Court, it was
referred to consider the report of the Commissioners of
Inquiry into the state of the Corporation of London, and
to subunit our suggestions as to the course to be pursued
by the corporation in this very important matter, do cer-
tify that we leave accordingly from time to time delibe-
rated upon the several recommendations of the commis-
sioners, and have carefully considered the same eeriatim.
" The recapitulation of the recommendation inserted at
the close of the report of the commissioners contains
propositions, and your committee deem it most explicit
and convenient to state them in the order in which they
stand, together with the opinion formed by your commit-
tee upon each proposition.
" We submit that the corporation should express their
concurrence in propositions 1 to 5 inclusive, as follows :
" `l. That a now charter be issued containing all such
provisions in existing charters of the Corporation of Lon-
don, and all such customs of the City as it may be deemed
expedient to preserve.
"' 2. That the Lord Mayor be elected by the Common
Council from the common councillors, or from persons
qualified to be common councillors.
" '3. That the aldermen be elected by the burgesses of
the wards for six years, and be re-eligible ; that they be
justices of the peace during their terns of office.
" 4. That the powers of the Municipal Corporations
Act, with respect to the appointment of stipendiary ma-
gistrates, be extended to the Corporation of London.
" 5. That the Court of Aldermen be abolished, and
that its functions be transferred to the Common Council.'

" That the 6th proposition—
" 6. That the number of wards be reduced to some
number not less than 12, nor greater than 16, and that
their area and population be as far as possible made equal
be concurred in, except that the number of wards should
not be less than 16.
" That the 7th proposition—
"' 7. That each ward return one alderman and five
common councilmen to the Common Council, and that their
qualification be that prescribed by the Municipal Corpora-
tions Act for the larger class of boroughs—namely, the
possession of real or personal estate of 1,0001., or being
rated in an annual value of at least 01., be concurred in,
except that the number of common councilmen for each
ward be not less than six.
" That the propositions 8 to 14 inclusive be concurred
in as follows :
" 8. That the voters in the wardmote elections be the
occupiers of premises in the ward rated to the amount of
101. per annum, without any adAtional qualification.
" 9. That the elections in Common Hall be abolished.
" 'lO. That the sheriffs be elected by the Common
Council. _ _ _

' 11. That the Lord Mayor's Court and the Sheriffs'
Court be consolidated, and that an appeal be given from
such Court to one of the superior Courts at Westminster.
" 'l2. That the Court of Hustings be abolished.
" 13. That the Court of St. Martin's-le Grand be
abolished.
" 14. That all regulations prohibiting persons not free
of the City from carrying on any trade, or using any handi-
craft within the City, be abolished.'
" With respect to proposition 15,
" 15. That the metage of grain, fruit, and other mea-
surable goods be no longer compulsory,' your committee are
of opinion that the power and control of the corporation
over the metage of corn, seeds, fruit, &c., is nocesary to
be maintained, but under now and modified arrangements.

" With respect to proposition 16,
'" 16. That the Fellowship of Porters be dissolved, and
that other privileges of porters be abolished,' your com-
mitee are of opinion that the abolition of the Fellowship
of Porters would be injurious to trade, but that a revision
of the system is required.
" With respect to proposition 17,
"' 17. That the admission of brokers by the Court of
Aldermen be abolished,' your committee are of opinion
that the abolition of the control over brokers would be
injurious, but that the system requires revision.
" With respect to proposition 18,
"' 18. That the street-toll on carts not the property of
freemen bo abolished,' your committee are not required to
express an opinion, the preposition having been carried out
by the resolution of this honourable Court of the 27th day
of July last.
" Your committee cannot recommend the corporation to
agree with the propositions Nos. 19 and 20.
" 'l9. That the City police be incorporated with the
Metropolitan police.
" 20. That the conservancy of the river Thames be
transferred to a board consisting of the Lord Mayor, the
First Lord of the Admiralty, the President of the Board of
Trade, the Deputy-Master of the Trinity House, and the
First Commissioner of Woods.

" With respect to pr.position 21,
" 21. That the exclusive privileges of the Company of
Wate:rmetz and.Lighteruieu of the _River Thames be abo-
Hama,' your committee are of opinion that the corporation
arc not called upon to interfere.
" With respect to proposition 2?,
" 22. Th t the accounts of the revenue and expenditure
of the corporation be consolidated,' your committee are of
opinion that the various trust-moneys and properties in the
care of the corporation should not be consolidated with their
various reveilms, but be kept separate and distinct.
"four committee cannot possibly recommend the cor-
poration to agree with the proposition No. '23.
, "
23. That the money and securities of the corporation
be lodged in the Bank of England.'
" With respect to proposition No. 24,
" '24. That the election of auditors bo amended,' your
committee are of opinion, that the principles of the pro-
position should be adopted, and that three auditors should
bo annually elected by the Court of Common Conseil, but
that they should not be members of the Court.
" That your cousinittee cannot recommend the corpora-
tion to agree with the propositions Nos. 25 and 26.
" 25. That the provisions of the Municipal Corporation
Acts, with respect to mortgaging of lands, and the making
of an annual return of revenue and expenditure to the
Secretary of State, be extended to the Corporation of Lon-
' don.' _ . .

" ' 26. That the Irish Society be dissolved ; that its
trusts bo declared by Act of Parliament ; and that new
trustees be appointed by the Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
" That the proposition No. 27,
" ' 27. That the external boundaries of the City remain
unchanged, but that the municipal connection between the
Corporation of London and a part of the Borough of South-
wark be abolished,' bo concurred in.
" With respect to proposition No. 28,
" ' 2V. That the rest of the motropolis be divided into
districts, for municipal purposes, your committee are of
opinion that the subject to which it refers is not one upon
which this corporation are required to express any
opinion.
" That the proposition No. 29,
" 29. That in the event of such division being made, a
Metropolitan Board of Works be created, composed of
members deputed to it from the council of each metropoli-
tan municipal body, including the Common Ceuncil of the
City,' be concurred in. .

"With respect to the propositions, NOB. 30 and 31,
" 20. That the coal duties, now collected by the Cor-
poration of London, so long as they remain in force, be
under the administration of this board ; and that in case
the coal duties, which expire in 1862 should not be re-
newed, the fourpence duty now levied on behalf of the
City should cease at the same time'
" 31. That this board be empowered to levy a rate,
limited to a fixed poundage, for public works of general
metropolitan utility over the metropolitan district ; your
committee deem it necessary to state that the fourpence,
part of the duty on coals, is the property of the corpora-
tion as secured by charter and statute ; and your com-
mittee are of opinion that the tax upon coals is one of the
best methods for raising funds for improvements in the
metropolis.'
"That the proposition, No. 32,
" 32. That no works be executed by this board unless
the plans have been approved by a committee of the Privy
Council,' be concurred in.
"Your committee have thus expressed to your hon.
Court the resolutions at which they have arrived as to
the recommendations of her Majesty's Commissioners ;
and, with reference to the course most expedient to be
pursued, your committee recommend that, if your hon.
Court should adopt the suggestions they have given above,
a copy of them be sent to the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, and that the Remembrancer should
request, on the behalf of your committee, an early inter-
view with her Majesty's Government on the subject ; and
that your committee should be authorised to take such
other steps in furtherance of the object as nay appear
advisable.

"All which we submit to the judgment of this hon.
Court. Dated this 13th day of December, 1854.
"W. A. PEACOCK. " WM. GRESHAM.
" JOSEPH PERKINS. "T. J. HOLT.
" T. H. HALL. "JAMES BAILEY.
" W. S. HALE. " WILLIAM COX.
" H. L. TAYLOR. "HENRY BLAKE.
"B. HICKSON. "THOMAS DAKIN.
" JAB. ANDBRTON. " BENJ. BORER."
" JNO. WooD.

SEAHAM HARD:intl.—The seamen of this port have
clubbed together to supply the harbour with a life-boat.
They have advanced 10/. from the funds of their associa-
tion, and subscribed small sums amongst themselves.
They have also appealed to the Royal National Institu-
tion for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck for
assistance, and the council have given them a favourable
reception. The institution is running short of funds,
and is about to provide two boats to southern ports,
but Captain Ward, R.N., inspector of life-boats, has
written them a very encouraging letter, warmly eulogis-
ing their spirited attempt to help themselves by putting
their own shoulders to' the wheel, and at the same time
he pays a flattering compliment to the seamen of Hartle-
pool, whose boat has merited a reward for saving life
twice in a very short time, and the pliant captain has
no doubt the tars of Seaham will emulate their example.
As one means of raising the wind, the committee of the
Seamen's Life-boat Committee have published a poem,
placed at their service, entitled the " Beacon ;" and,
by way of encouragement to so laudable an enterprise,
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have given
them a good order for copies, for the service of the eet,
to start it with.
THE CHIEF END or GIRLS.—Young women generally
do much better when set up with men than when set up
in business. The two arrangements are quite different.
If there is one thing more than another that the female
institution was cut out and finished for, it is the other
half Oa courting match..lnteric4n paper.

Exmouth. 90, screw, Captain lion. F. T. Pelham, is
in a forward state at Devonport. The seamen and
riggers have discontinued working extra On her. She
is in all respects ready to he taken nut for trial so soon
as her crew join from ti,e Prince Regent.
Calcutta, S 4, Captain James John Stopford, returned
to Devonport from Fahm.uth yesterday afternoon, hav-
ing picked up several good seamen.
The Ajax, 60, screw-block ship, Captain Warden, was
undocked and hauled into the fitting basin at Ports-
mouth yesterday. . , ,
The Penelope, 11, paddle-frigate, Captain Caffin, ar-
rived at Spithead yesterday from the Baltic, and will go
into Portsmouth harbour to refit.
The Malacca, 17, steam-sloop, Captain Farquhar,
arrived at Devonport on Monday, and saluted the flag
of Admiral Sir *William Parker, which was answered by
the Impregnable. A very large mail is here waiting for
her to take to the Black Sea.
The new screw-sloop Ariel, 9, steamed out of Ports-
mouth harbour yesterday, and made a first trial of her
machinery at the mile in Stokes Bay, after which she
returned to harbour to complete her outfit far the
pendant.
The Geyser, 6, paddle-sloop, Commander Roderick
Dew, steamed out of the factory basin at Portsmouth
yesterday morning, and made a trial of her engines at
the Measured Mile in Stokes Bay, after which
,she re-
turned to harbour to have her compasses adjusted.