The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-24 00:00:00

IMPORTANT MEETING AT PLYMOUTH,

For some time a war has been waged at Plymouth between
a portion of the ratepayers on the one hand and the corpora-
tion on the other, in regard to certain alleged illegal expendi-
ture incurred by the latter, and defrayed out of the borough
funds. The ratepayers formed a committee for the protection
of their interests, and this committee instituted a suit, which
is still pending, against several members of the corporation.
On Thursday week a great meeting of the ratepayers wag held
in the Guildhall for the purpose of hearing the report of the
committee, and the proceedings, which were very noisy, ex-
tended to great length. The report communicated the offers
for an amicable settlement proposed by the Town Clerk, and
the determination of a majority of the committee to recom-
mend the ratepayers to refuse to consent to any arrangement
short of the repayment out of the pockets of the promoters
of the Water Works Bill, of the whole of the money applied
to that object, and of the cost of the suit in Chancery. It
also announced the defection of Mr. White, one of the
relators to the suit, and of Mr. Elworthy, the solicitor,
who had hitherto gratuitously conducted the proceedings on
behalf of the committee, both those gentlemen being of opinion
that the terms offered by the Town Clerk ought to have been
accepted. The committee recommended that the ratepayers
should insist upon the repayment of the whole 1,8831. ; and
that notice should be given to the defendants, that, if within
three days they did not return an answer in the affirmative,
the suit would be proceeded with without delay. On the
motion for the reception of the report, an amendment was
proposed to the following effect :—" That the relators be au-
thorised to accept the offer made by the defendants, namely,
the payment of 5001. into the borough fund ; and to pay all
costs on both sides, such costs being costs out of pocket
only ; and no costs to come out of the borough fund. The
arrangement to be confirmed under a decree of the Court by
consent of both parties." This was carried by a large ma-
jority, amidst loud applause, and the original resolution was,
consequently, negatived. The effect of the amendment will
be to torminat3 the Chancery suit. —Plymouth and Devon-
port Journal.

The mortal remains of the late Lord Gilbert Grosvenor,
son of the Marquis of Westminster, will be removed on
Monday next from Portsmouth, where the noble and
gallant young lord's body was removed from the Bos-
cawen, ship of the line, previous to that ship sailing for
the Baltic, for interment in the family mausoleum at
Eaton Hall, near Chester, where the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of "Westminster are at present staying.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester was
better yesterday. Her Majesty the Queen, attended by
the Countess of Mount Edgecu►nbe, visited the royal
duchess yesterday.
The Admiralty have adopted the code signals in their
communications by electric telegraph, in order to en-
sure secrecy for their orders to the outports.—Plymouth
Journal.

DOUBLE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THE ClTY.—Yesterday
afternoon a female, of the name of Sarah Ann Collins,
Mark-lane, Fenchurch-street, attempted self-destruction,
under the following circumstances :—lt appears the un-
fortunate young woman had been in a desponding state
of mind for some length of time, but it was not antici-
pated that she would attempt self-destruction. Being
missed, search was made after her, when the poor crea-
ture was discovered in her bed room, labouring from the
effects of poison and strangulation ; a part of an apron
was tied tightly round her neck, and had it not been for
the timely discovery, the Unfortunate woman would have
completed her object. Police-constable, No. 586, con-
veyed her without loss of time to the casualty ward, St.
Thomas's Hospital, where Dr. Bennett was promptly on
the spot, when, on examination of the contents of a tea-
cup, it was found that she had also swallowed a large
quantity of copperas. The stomach pump was used and
other antidotes, but she now remains in a precarious
state,