The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-17 00:00:00

ABOLITION OF THE CITY STREET TOLLS.

Mr. GILPIN gave notice of a motion that, in accordance
with a former resolution of the court embodied in the sug-
gestions made by the court to the commissioners, the street
tolls be abolished at the end of the year. (Hear.)
Deputy PEACOCK : Why, everybody knows that the
street tolls are all mortgaged. (Hear, hear, and laughter).

A MEMBER : Never mind, it is only notice of motion.

REFUGE FOR CRIMINALS AND OUTCASTS.

Mr. BUTLER brought up the report of the Coal, Corn,
and Finance Committee, recommendieg the grant of 1051.
to the Metropolitan Industrial Refuge for Criminals and
Outcasts.

Mr. ELLIOTT objected in the strongest manner to the re-
commendation, as he considered the question of criminal
reform, according to the present sentimental acceptation,
ono of the grand humbugs of the day. He reprobated the
idea of watching over and indulging, to an extent never
thought of as regarded industrious and blameless people,
the very worst and basest of mankind. (Hear, and no, no.)
By encouraging such a system, the corporation would be of-
fering a temptation to persons to become dishonest. He had
lately talked with a professional man connected with the
prison in a country town, who had considerable experience
as to the effect of the sentimental treatment of the class of
persons to whom he alluded, and stated to that authority his
opinion that nothing would be likely to lead to their refor-
mation but stripes, and pains, and punishment. The answer
was, that there was no doubt of the correctness of the opi-
nion, but that the public honest avowal of it would be de-
structive of the very means of livelihood possessed by the
official, who would in fact be persecuted to death by the
powerful supporters of the system. He thought that to
encourage such a proposition at a time when soldiers and
sailors were required for service (criminals being for the
most part able-bodied fellows, able to fight for as well as
to break, the laws of their country), would be wholly un-
worthy of the corporation, and with all his heart he op-
posed the grant recommended by the committee.
Mr. GILPIN regretted that the race of persons who bad
offered such memorable opposition to the humane efforts of
Howard was not yet extinct, and that at the present day
an individual, who must be considered as a type of the ad-
versaries of lenity, was to be found within the walls of the
Common Council. (Laughter.) Yes, he knew the bene-
volent reformer to whom he alluded • was told by the
Elliotts of that day, that the dirtier was the prison, the
heavier the lash, and the longer the incarceration, the
better for society and for the offender against its laws. But
his worthy friend was quite mistaken in the view he had
taken of the objects of the refuge for which the sympathies
of the court were implored. Many of the poor children
whose reformation was contemplated were actually ignorant
that they bad acted criminally until they were locked up
in prison for the violation of the law. (Hear, hear.)
The question was then put, and the grant was agreed to
by a large majority.

- Upon the Motion of Alderman CUBITT, a petition from
the inhabitants of St. Paul, Deptford, for pecuniary assist-
•ance towards completing the church of St. James,
Hatcham, was referred to the Coal, Corn, and Finance Com-
mittee.

Several petitions were presented by Sir James Duke for
the alteration of the metropolitan cattle-market day from
Monday to Tuesday, and referred to the Market Improve-
ment Committee.

PURCHASE OF THE SITE OF GILTSPUR-STREET PRISON.
Mr. THORP presented the following memorial from the
treasurer and committee of almoners of Christ's. Hospital.

. -
" That on the 26th of October last a memorial was ad-
dressed to your honourable Court by the president, trea-
surer, and committee of almoners of Christ's Hospital, re-
questing to be allowed to enter into a negotiation for the
acquisition and purchase, by the governors of Christ's Hos-
pital,,of the Compter, in Giltspur-street, which memorial was
referred by your honourable Court to the City lands Com-
mittee. ,

" That it having been 'intimated 'to your memorialiSts that
the City Lands Committee were willing to consider any pro-
posal which the governors of Christ's Hospital might think
proper to make, a proposition was submitted to them on the
part of the said governors to purchase the site. of the Comp-
ter (with or without the buildings thereon) at such a price as
the surveyor to the city of London and the surveyor to
Christ's Hospital, or, in case they could not agree as any third
person, to be previously named by them should determine to
be the fair value of the property; and thereupon a 'deputation
of the governors of Christ's Hospital was invited to attend
the City Lands Committee at their next meeting. A deputa-
tion of the governors attended accordingly, 'when they were
given to understand that their proposition to refer the ques-
tion of value could not be entertained ; but that if they do.
sired it, another opportunity would be afforded them of
making a. definitive offer for the property.

" That, in consequence of this intimation, the surveyor of
Christ's Hospital was directed to report to the governors his
opinion of the extreme value of the property; and in pur-
suance of his recommendation they offered the sum of 15,000/.
for the ground (exclusive of the buildings) ; which sum your
memorialists are advised is not only the full value of the
property, but above any estimated value that could be made
of the ground for any ordinary purpose to which it could be
applied.' And they further offered to pay the amount either
in money or by an exchange of freehold property in London
of equal value.

"That your memorialists have been informed that a report
has been presented to your honourable Court by the City
Lands Committee, certifying their opinion that it is not expe-
dient to accept the proposition of your memorialists, or to
comply with the memorial of the said president, treasurer,
and committee, and that such report was agreed to by your
honourable Court on the 18th day of May last. ..
" That the extent of the accommodation afforded by the
present building of Christ's Hospital is inadequate to the
large number of children maintained and educated therein ;
and that the - 'governors contemplate making' various altera-
tions and improvements iu the system of education and ge-
neral management of the charity, which will require enlarged
space for the erection of additional school-rooms and other
buildings.

"That on the discontinuance of the Compter as a prison
the governors had hoped to have obtained the consent of
your honourable Court to the sale of it to them, and to have
been enabled thereby to carry out their contemplated im-
provements; but if your honourable Court shall determine
to adhere to your resolution of the 18th of May last, they
will be obliged either to abandon their intentions from want
of room, or to reduce the number of children in the hospital.
" That yotir memorialists have heard that an impression
is entertained by some members of the City Lands Com-
mittee (which may have materially influenced their report),
that the governors of Christ's Hospital are desirous of obtain-
ing the property in question with the intention of letting it
for building, and deriving an income therefrom; but such an
impression (if it has been entertained) is erroneous, inasmuch
as it is the object and intention of the governors to appro-
priate the ground solely to the purposes above-mentioned.
" Upon these grounds, your memorialists request that
your honourable Court will reconsider the subject, and con-
sent to the sale of the Compter in Giltspur-street, to the
governors of Christ's Hospital, for the purposes of the said
hosp
your honourable Court should still be of opi-
nionther the proposition of your memoriolists to re-
fer the question of value to the surveyors of the two corpo-
rations,
,nor their offer of 15,000/. for the property can be
thatta l ;
and
nei if
accepted, that your honourable Court will be pleased to state
to your memorialists the terms upon which you may be
willing to consent to such sale, as they cannot but entertain
a confident expectation that the corporation of London will
not withhold from the governors of Christ's Hospital the only
means which are ever likely to present themselves of extend-
ing the benefit of an institution in which the city of London
is so largely interested.
" By order and on behalf of the treasurer and committee
of almoners of Christ's Hospital.
(Signed) " GEORGE TROLLOPE,
" July 4, 1854." - Clerk of Christ's Hospital.
Mr. 'THORP then moved that the memorial be'referred
to the Committee of City Lands, that a further opportu-
nity of negotiating might be afforded in so important a
question.

Deputy BEDFORD seconded the motion.
Mr. Cox moved the previous question, upon the ground
that the offer was by no means proportioned to the value
of the site. He would be happy to givelo,ooo/. more than
the proposed sum, and was sure the property could be dis-
posed of to vastly greater advantage.
Mr. DE JERSEY seconded the amendment.
Deputy CORNEY supported the memorial, and urged the
claims which the great institution had upon the corpora-
tion of London.

A discussion of considerable length took place, in which
several members joined. A division at length took place,
when there appeared—For referring the petition to the
committee, 34; against that proposition, 29; majority in
favour of tho petition, 5.

Mr. Cox then propOsed another amendment, to the effect
of referring tho question to the City Solicitor to give his
opinion as to the legality of the reference.
Upon that proposition a long discussion likewise took
place, which was ended by the counting out of the court.
The matter therefore remains in state quo.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.—The Gazette .17elidomadaire
de Medecine et de Chirurgerie gives an account of some
experiments equally important in a practical as a theore-
tical point of view, and from which it results that air
passed through cotton no longer produces either fermen-
tation or putrefaction. The journal describes as follows
the plan of proceeding of two German savants who have
made these experiments. The apparatus made use of is
simply composed of a glass globe, hermetically closed by
cork covered with wax, and provided with two tubes,
oine Of which is in communication with one of the
extremities of the filterer, which is itself terminated by a
small tube at right angles. The second tube serves as
an aspirator ; it goes down almost to the bottom of the
globe, and communicates hermetically with a gasometer.
The globe contains the fermentable substance. When it
has been ascertained that the joints are perfectly closed,
the globe is placed in a vessel containing boiling water,
where it is kept until the different tubes of communica-
tion have become hot, after which a second examination
takes place to see that every part remains hermetically
closed, and then the cock of the aspirator is placed in
such a manner that the water runs drop by drop. A
first experiment was made on muscular meat, with water
added, and in order tl make a proper comparison there
was placed near the apparatus'a second globe containing
the same kind of meat, and communicating freely with
the atmospheric air. At the end of a fortnight, the
matter contained in the second globe was in a complete
state of putrefaction, whilst that in the globe which
only received the filtered air was not at all changed, and
when at the end of 23 days the apparatus was opened,
the meat was just as it was on the first day. From
those experiments it results that meat recently boiled,
and fresh broth, may be kept thus good for several
weeks.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT A LIVERPOOL DOCKYARD.—
On Thursday night, shortly before eleven o'clock, a very
destructive fire broke out in the dockyard belonging to
the Dock Committee, situate on the west side of the
Brunswick Dock and south side of the Coburg Dock,
Liverpool. The fire raged fiercely from eleven o'clock
p.m. to two o'clock a.rn., but at the latter hour it had
expended its fury on the devoted building in which it
originated, and the exertions of the fire brigade pre-
vented its extending to the moulding room or saw pits.
At present it is impossible to estinnte the damage, but
it must be 4,0001. to 5,0001., and it was also stated that
the premises were uninsured. The tool boxes of the
men working in the yard were plaeed on one side of the
building, and the whole were destroyed.—Liverpool
Chronicfr.