The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-08 00:00:00

if they place their reliance on such a thing. A float-
ing debt of 20,000,0001. and upwards is not to be kept
afloat but by the diffusion of universal confidence, not
among great capitalists only, but also amongst small-
ones, and undoubtedly all trustees and executors will
rather keep their money in bank-notes in the Bank of
England than bring themselve3 within the peril which
has lately been witnessed, and yet such parties, it is well
known, are the real supporters of the Exchequer bill
market. We speak the opinion of the best informed
persons in the City when we say that.this is not only the
best course for the Government to pursue, but that no
time is to be lost in appointing such a commission.
HERALD.—Two or three banking-houses in the City
and at the West-end are spoken of as having ascertained
on examination probably at the Exchequer bill-office,
that certain batches of bills in their possession are among
the class of fraudulent issues, or forged, as the case may
be, for as yet it is not •onsidered that the point has been
absolutely decided either way. Two of these firms are
said to be holders to the extent of 20,0001. each, and
one firm of 40,0001., but whether taken in against ad-
vances of money upon them direct, or held merely in
deposit for customers, did not transpire. The amounts
themselves are of small consequence in the way of loss to
the respectable and wealthy parties concerned, if held in
their own right, and the facts are only noted by way of
showing that no certainty has yet been arrived at respect-
ing the whole quantity which has been issued, and simi-
larly held amongst bankers and money-lenders. Some
curious stories are in circulation respecting one of the
parties in custody, but as they rest on no positive foun •
dation, so far as can be ascertained, and, what is more
conclusive, might tend, if adverted to, to prejudice the
case of a man about to be placed on his trial, it would
neither be right, nor is it necessary, to repeat them here.
CHRONICLE.—The report of the evidence yesterday
at Bow-street and the Mansion-house on the examina-
tion of Smith and Rapallo, corroborates the views we
have formerly expressed regarding the claims of the in-
nocent holders of the spurious bills on her Majesty s Go-
vernment. It is now established beyond all question
that the spurious bills and the genuine are in all respects
the same, with the sole exception of the signature
" Monteagle," which the Deputy-Comptroller states he
can at once detect to be forged, as they are neither in
his own handwriting nor in that of the Comptroller-Ge-
neral. The origin of the fraud is now distinctly brought
out. It was accomplished by Smith giving instructions
to throw off a larger number of bills than would be re-
quired for the legitimate issues. We also learn that the
fraud began in 1836. Smith said that he gave the bills
to Rapallo without the signatures, but previously ad-
mitted that he had seen the name of Monteagle sub-
scribed to them; but that another hand, which he would
not or could not disclose, had put the name. Rapallo
said that he received the bills in a complete state from
Smith, and had no suspicion of their being spurious.
Be that as it may, we now see clearly that the whole
of the bills alleged to be forgeries are, in all re-
spects, identical with those admitted to be ge-
nuine, with the single exception of the signature.
The only case for the Crown against the bona fide hold-
ers, therefore, is restricted to the supposed forgery of
the name " Monteagle." The evidence of Mr. Perceval,
as regards the test of the counterfoil, does not tend to in-
crease our opinion of its accuracy. The duty of num-
bering the bills fell to the charge of Mr. Smith. Mr.
Perceval distinctly stated so, therefore the numbers on
the disputed bills are genuine, and written by the proper
Government officer. The paper, printing, and stamp
also are all confessedly the same on genuine and spu-
rious bills. There is no attempt to dispute that fact.
There is nothing in question but the signatures and the
technical point of agreeing with the counterfoil. That
of itself is now almost abandoned as a sufficient ground
of rejection, and merely held out as showing " pretty,
clearly that the bills which do not fit the book are genu-
ine." It could not be maintained that if the signatures
were genuine, the mere want of suiting the counterfoil
would warrant the Government in refusing to pay the
.nnocent holders.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
The following are the results of " A Table of Mortality in
the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from all Causes
Registered in the week ending Oct. 30, 1841." The Table is
issued from the Office of the Registrar-General :

Weekly
Total. Average

CAUSES OF DEATH.

1838-9-40
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases l4l 204
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses ll3 151
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of

Respiration
Diseases of the Hea-t and Blood-vessels l2 18
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidnoys, &c. .. ..... ... 9 4
Childbed, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Museles
Diseases of the Skin, &c 1 1
Diseases of Uncertain Seat 96 103
014 Age, or Natural Decay 6B 71
Deaths by Violence, Privation, or Intemperance 25 25
Causes not specified
Deaths from all causes 792
Average Weekly Deaths .. 926
Deaths in the Average Weekly
Week. Deaths, 1838-9-40
Western Districts ..... ... 98 ...... 139
North Districts
Central Districts l3l ..... 190
East Districts
South Districts ... .....

Total 792

It is stated that under the term Metropolis are comprised the
3.2 districts herein mentioned, which include the City of Lon-
don with and without the walls, the City and Liberties of
Westminster, the out-parishes within the Bills of Mortality—.
and the parishes of St. Marylebone, St. Pancras. Kensington,
Fulham, Hammersmith (Chapelry), St. Luke (Chelsea), Pad-
dington, St. Mary (Stoke Newington), St. Leonard (Brom
ley), St. Mary-le-bow, Camberxell, Greenwich, St. Nicholas
and St. Paul (Deptford), and Woolwich. The population, as
enumerated in 1831, was 1,594,890. The weekly averrge for
1838, 1839, and 1810, was obtained by dividing the deaths in
the three years by 156.
TEMPERATURE IN TUE WEEKS ENDING
Oct. 23. Oct. 30.
63' 58'
38 37
50 48
4, 1841.

Highest

Lo—west .

Daily Mean . . .. I
General Register Office, Nov.

RAILWAY RETURNS.

We extract from the Railway Magazine the sums
received on the principal Railways of Great Britain
for the week ending on the day of the mouth prefixed
to each. The return includes the money received for
passengers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails, and mer
chandize :
Week
ended Name of Railway. 1%1 iles.
Openea.
Oct. 30 Birmingham and Derby Junct. 384
30 Birmingham and Gloucester 524
30 Chester and Birkenhead ..... l5
31 Dundee and Arbroath... 16%
31 Eastern Counties
30 Glasgow and Ayr.. .. ...
30 Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock 224
22 Grand Junct. &Chester &Crewelo34
Nov. 1 Great North of England 45
Oct. 31 Great Western .llBl
30 Hull and Selby. . ..
30 Lancaster and Preston Junction 20a
29 Liverpool and Manchester 3l
30 London and Birmingham 1124
Nov. .4 London and Blackwell
... London and Brighton
.40i I
No returns
... Ditto Shoreham Branch ... 54
2 London and Croydon
4 Li ndon and Greenwich 3%
Oct. 30 London and South Western
28 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury 10
Nov. 1 Manchester and Birmingham 5
Oct. 25 Manchester and Leeds 5O
30 Midland Counties .... 57
30 Newcastle and Carlisle 60%
31 Northern and Eastern .... 224
30 North Midland ... 72%
... North Union .... ... 25
30 Preston and Wyre
31 Ulster
Nov. 1 York and North Midland . 23

Total.
X. 3. d.
1,266 19 7
1,677 1 2
440 6 4

251 19 4
727 6 3
1,104 16 9

695 12 2
8,918 7 1
1,476 5 4
12,175 1 11

847 17 3
466 3 10
4,636 13 0
15,9'21 19 4
630 13 5

430 8 10
752 19 0
4,904 11 8

632. 19 11i
289 13 0
4,141 5 4
2,477 14 Ili
1,794 12 8
760 13 10
4,342 8 0
No returns.
290 3 11
185 10 1

1,557 10 10

FIRE IN THE TO WER OF LONDON

About mid-day on Friday smoke issued from one of
the apartments in the Bowyer Tower,iildicatinbugtthiat yt,aitics,
devouring element was not yet powerless,
soon extinguished.
The scaffolding erected in front of the grand entrance
for the purpose of saving the sculptured coat of arms
(and which has been contracted for by Messrs. Harri-
son), is now nearly completed, and hopes are entertained
that this tine work of art will be taken down with very
little injury. It was executed by the celebrated Gib-
bons, and great merit is due to the Board of Ordnance
for their attempts to save it.
Colonel Gurwood, Governor of the Tower, who left
England for the Continent on Saturday se'nnight,
has not yet returned. Despatches were forwarded to
him on Monday, acquainting him with the melancholy
disaster, but it is supposed that they have not yet
reached him.
The Board of Ordnance met again on Friday, and
proceeded with the investigation, Colonel Peel in the
Chair. Mr. Swif te and several gunsmiths were exa-
mined, but the profoundest secrecy is observed.
No person is allowed to go over the ruins, unless pro-
vided with an order in Major Elrington's name.
That portion of the Tower denominated the view de-
partment, in which the arms were inspected previous to
being brought into service, is entirely destroyed, and my-
of cavalry swords, carbines,
riads (it may almost be said)
and fusees are blended in one undistinguishable mass in
the cellars beneath.

---;Major Elrington, the Governor, R Tuesday submitted
to his Grace the Duke of Wellington
Contain-
ing all the circumstances relative fo°tl
Fri-
day the following communication from I afi report
‘e, and on
rela-
tive Fr-
ito the subject was publicly read to his
Grace
officers and
entire battalion of Scotch Fusileer Guards on the ptivade
fronting the Armoury.
" London, November 3, 1
" Sir—l beg to communicate to the officers of 1.
Tower and the warders the expression of the setiseol the
en-
tertain of the general zeal, alacrity, diligence, and in-
telligence which they displayed in the performance of
the laborious duties imposed upon them in consequence
of the occurrence of the late calamitous event in the
Tower.
" I selected them for the appointments which they
hold in the Tower for those very qualifications in the
performances of their duties in their several regiments ;
and I am happy to find that the public have had the ad-
vantage of being served by men of this description.
" I will not fail to report their conduct in such quar-
ters as that a knowledge of their merits may reach our
most gracious Sovereign.
I have the honour to be faithfully yours,
" Major Elrington. " WELLINGTON."

Sir Robert Gordon, the newly-appointed Am-
bassador to the Court of Vienna, had a long interview
with the Earl of Aberdeen on Saturday morning, at the
Foreign-office.