The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-27 00:00:00

REDUCTION OF TILE DUTY ON TEA.

A requisition to the Mayor of Manchester, requesting
him to call a meeting to petition for the reduction of
the duty on tea, is in the course of signature, and will be
presented in a day or so.

Flat AT WALWORTII.—This morning, between
the hours of twelve and one, a fire, that did considerable
damage, broke out in the extensive premises belonging
to Mr. G. Austin, tea-dealer and grocer, carrying on
business at 3, Black Prince-row, Walworth-road, near
the Elephant and Castle. It appears that whilst a
neighbour was passing, he discovered smoke issuing from
the window-shutters ; this satisfied the party that the
place was on fire. Having raised an alarm, police-con-
stable, 181 L, came up, and having roused the inmates,
they succeeded, at some trouble, in effecting a safe re-
treat from the premises. The information having been
sent to the engine• stations, in a space of time, almost
incredibly brief, the brigade engines from Southwark and
Waterloo-bridge-roads, with Mr. Henderson, the chief
officer of the district, and Mr. Connorton, with the West
of England engine, reached the scene. At that time
the shop and its contents were completely enveloped in
flames ; the mains of the Lambeth works, however,
yielded an immediate supply of water, from which the
firemen set to work, and by one o'clock, or a little after,
they succeeded in entirely extinguishing the flames. By
that period, however, the greater portion of the stock in
trade, fixtures, and other effects were nearly destroyed,
and the furniture and upper portion of the premises were
extensively damaged by heat and smoke. The cause of
the fire could not be ascertained. Had it not been for
the timely discovery, and for the police having kept the
doors closed, a most fearful conflagration, and probably
loss of life, must have been the result. Fortunately the
sufferer was insured in the Sun Fire-office.

REPRESENTATION OF WEYMOUTH.-011 Monday
evening a meeting of the friends of Mr. Robert Gordon,
who has flatly declined the honour of representing this
borough, was held at Luee's Hotel, for the purpose of
adopting measures to persuade him to become a can-
didate. Mr. R. H. Swaffield took the chair, and Mr.
W. Hodges proposed Mr. Gordon as a candidate, when-
ever a vacancy should occur. This proposition having
been assented to, a committee was appointed to wait on
Mr. Gordon, and obtain his ultimate determination. A
correspondent says—" It is quite evident that there will
be a struggle for the representation of this borough
whenever a general election arrives. Mr. George
Whioldon is about to be brought forward (in conjunction
with a gentleman whose name is not yet known) by the
Conservative party. If Mr. Gordon is prevailed on to
stand, there will then be three parties to the contest, viz.,
Mr. Christie and Colonel Freestun on the Liberal in-
terest; Mr. Whieldon and another, on the Conservative
interest; and Mr. Gordon, on an interest well known in
religious matters, but hardly understood in politics—the
Independent." . .

MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.— Yesterday morning, at an
early hour, a special general meeting of the governors
and supporters of this extensively useful institution was
held at the board-room of the establishment, for the pur-
pose of electing an assistant physician, and on other
general business. The chair was taken by Thomas
Haviland Burke,. Eq. The report, read by the secre-
tary, Alexander Shedden, Esq., was of the most satis-
factory nature, and some preliminary business having
been disposed of, the election was forthwith commenced.
The candidates for the vacant office were Dr. Robert
Gordon Latham and Dr. J. W. Woodfall. After a very
animated and close contest of four hours, Dr. Latham
was chosen by a majority of 21 over his opponent; the
numbers being, at the close of the poll, for Dr. Latham
190 votes and 93 proxies, and for Dr. Woodfall 200 votes
and 62 proxies. The result appeared to be highly
satisfactory to the meeting, which shortly afterwards
broke up, having paid the customary compliment to the
chairman.
IMPUDENT ROBBERY.--Yesterday morning two
fellows walked into the house of Mr. William Brown,
Prospect-place, Salthill, during the absence of the in-
mates, and after dressing themselves in suits of clothe
belonging to Mr. Brown, walked quietly off in their new
habiliments without exciting the suspicion of the next-
door neighbours. The thieves, who are supposed to be
a couple of well known beggars frequenting the neigh-
bourhood of Slough and Eton, left their rags behind them.