The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-31 00:00:00

THE METROPOLITAN COMMISSION OF SEWERS

The following gentlemen were re-appointed as corn.
missioners on the Metropolitan Commission of Sew( rs:
—Mr. Alderman Lawrence, Mr. Deputy Peacock;
and Mr. Henry Lowman Taylor.

COAL DUTIES.
The Chamberlain handed in a return in confor-
mity with the following order of the Court :—" That
a return he made to this Court of an account of all the
moneys which have been raised for public works exe-
cuted, buildings erected, or street improvements
effected, out of the coal duties receivable by the Cor-
poration of London in the character of trustees for
administration or otherwise, since the same were made
chargeable by Parliament for such purposes in the
year 1766, distinguishing such works, /cc., as are
situated in the city of London, such as are altogether
without the City, and such as partake of a mixed cha-
racter, being for the benefit of the City as well as of
the adjoining districts ; stating also the public bodies
or the persons entrusted by Parliament with the ex-
ecution of such works and improvements, and for
what period the dues are mortgaged for such purposes."
Mr. DARIN said—The return which has just been
presented in accordance with the order of the Court,
I intend to move be printed and a copy sent to every
member, if the Court will ullow me now to bring on
a motion which stands upon the paper of busintes—
namely, " That it be referred to the improvement

committee to direct the City's architect to prepare a
plan of London on such scale as shall be most conve.

ilient, showing the respeotive public works, buildings,
or improvements efiected out of the coal duties, as
stated in a return to this Honourable Court, ordered
23d October, 1851, and that the same be lithographed,
and a copy accompanied by such return be sent to
every member of this Court," and agree therewith.
The two documents which I think so very useful for
the information of the Court are calculated to remove
much misapprehension which exists in the public
mind as to the expenditure of the coal duties which
have been received by the Corporation of London in
the character of trustees. It has been stated in the
House of Commons that if no other reason could be
given for interfering with the functions of this
Court, a sufficient one would be found in the
mode in which the large revenue derived from the
coal duties had been employed, and more recently
we have been charged with the misuse of the
large sum of 172,000/. per annum, without any
adequate public improvements to show for it ;
and an inference has been drawn that jobbery and
corruption exist amongst us. I have been a member of
this Court for some years, and I know how carefully
the rules and orders are drawn which completely pre-
vent any member from deriving any the slighest ad-
vantage from his position, supposing he had the de-
sire.—(Hear, hear.) I know, too, that highly paid
as are some of our officers, considering the important
and onerous duties they have to perform, their emo-
lument does not exceed that which first-class men in
their various professions earn.—(Hear, hear.) In-
deed, in the case of the officer who is mainly con-
cerned in the duties to which this retur❑ refers, I be-
lieve that, taking into account the great talent he
brings to bear upon the business committed to him,
and the large amount of that business, he is very im-
perfectly remunerated, and I trust some steps will be
taken to make his recompense more commensurate
with his labour.—(Hear, hear.) If no waste of large
funds accrues from these causes, I was led to inquire
into the precise state of facts, and I think the return
which will be put into your hands will show that a
principal portio❑ of these large sums has' been dis-
bursed—not for the Ci'y only and by the Corpora-
tion, but by the Woods and Forests and other public
bodies, for metropolitan improvements.—(Cheers

The entire amount of disbursements from these cm.

duties is 3,738,0661., which may be divided as fol

Lows :—..

Improvements within the City .... £1,117,345
without the City
of a mixed character

£3,738,066
Showing the sum apportioned for improvements
without the City, and those of a mixed character, to
be no less a sum than 2,620,7211. As examples of
their improvements without the City, executed out of
these duties, you will find—
Clerkenwell sessions House (by justices of the

peace) £ll,ooo
Court House of Westminster (by Dean of
Westminster and Commissioners)
Paving Southwark andtposwell-street
Making Nev Oxford-street, Cranbourne street,
approaches of Waterloo-bridge, Victoria-
street, Westrnins'er-road, from London
Docks to Spitalfields (by Commissioners of
Woods and Forests).
As examples of the expenditure for improvements of
a mixed character, you will find—

5.500
9,000

Blackfriars-bridge $. 030,000
County Gaol London and Middlesex 'go,ooO
Sessions House ditto 40,000
Debtors' Prison London and Middlesex 95,000
General Post-office (site) BO,OOO
Now, my Lord Mayor, it has been said that the
charge of corruption sits uneasily upon us, and that
we are perhaps better than we were. What says the
report of the Committee of the House of Commons
which, in 1812, ant in revision of the expenditure
of the Corporation ?—(Hear, hear.) It says this—
" They (the Committee) were nevertheless satisfied,
from the documents laid before them, that every ju-
dicious attention and every principle of economy had
been applied by the Corporation of London that was
consistent with the attainment of great public objects
with the execution of which they were entrusted.
They also think it incumbent upon them to declare,
that having had occasion to inspect the various and
complicated accounts which the management of so
p
extensiverod au
produced with
a dab
l indispensablyau llaudable
readiness,requires,
were
after full investigation, that all the details bothit a
ofeatrhse
raencdeichpteked
and the
ietxhpeandviigtuirlaenacree keptm, with an accuracy
upon all who have any part in thhie? superintendencereflec
of this fund." What was the result of the inquiry
by Committees of both Houses of Parliament in 1829,
when the expenditure of these duties wasexamined into,
the Duke of Wellington presiding in the House of
ts honour
Lords' Committee ? Notwithstanding the most sten'o's
opposition of the late Lord Durham and the coalow ners,
a further charge of 1,000,0001. was made upon the
coal duties, and the Corporation of London entrusted
with its expenditure,—(Hear.) Besides this, the
City has expended out of its own revenues, as your
pocket• books will show, since 1780, for public im-
provements, 1,004,5901. 23. 7d., deducting about
100,0001., which is included in the coal duties return,
besides a sum for charitable purposes since that time
of 118,0541. 14s. 11d., and a sum for
public purposes of
54,2561. 2s. sd.—(Hear.) I know the excitement
which is felt in the court in anticipation of the more
spirit-stirring business of this day, and, with the ex-
pectation that these returns will prevent the unjust
aspersions which are sometimes cast upon us, I beg to
move that they be printed, and a copy seat to every
member of the Court.--(Cheers.)
(Kossuth having retired from the court, the mem-
bers did not appear to be inclined to finish the busi-
ness, notice of which was given in the paper of
business.)
The Loan MAYort said, he could not leave the chair
without thanking them most cordially for the very
greatassancehedhuardinrgecehlivsed
mayoralty:
—(Cheers.)
and individually )
He assured them that he felt great pride in the man-
ner in which the business had been conducted during
calculated to
of their proceedings to a
afford a pattern to other corporations.—(Cheers.)
the past year, and that beb cosnuscihdeargedwtahse whole course
The Court then adjourned.

ALLEGED ICL'=---------luaDEß.—Yesterday an inquest was
held at the Percy Arms, Great Percy-street, Clerkenwell,
upon the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Deborah Davies, aged 32,
whose death it was alleged had been caused by the v olence
of her husband, Thomas Davies, who stands remanded on
the charge of murder at the Clerkenwell Police-court. Mr.
Wakeling was retained for the accused. Mr. Henry Har-
dinge, surgeon, of 24, Sackville-street, St. James's, proved
that the injury on the hand of the deceased was the cause
of her death. Henry Lewis, errand-boy in the employ of
the accused, said that, on his return home on Friday last,
he heard Mrs. Davies say that his master had beaten her
with a shovel. He now said that about a fortnight ago he
saw his master beating his mistress. Mr. Wakley said it was
shocking that a man who stood accused of so serious an
offence should not be allowed to be present to hear such
evidence. The coroner said he bad exerted all his power for
years to reform the practice; the public ought to interfere,
and the jury might memorialise the Secretary of State upon
the subject. The jury unanimously concurred in the coro-
ner's remarks, upon which the inquiry was postponed until
Thursday next.
0 r twranas esy,Avs.
visible
they
e3.ao,tntmearal
yl h
theseob eatl, short,ethh ca nesd
thumßus MONOPOLY.—The determination on the
ell
e
part of the proprietors of therumeroTos omnibuses passing
over the Blackfriars, Waterloo, and W estrninster brides to
and from the Surrey side of the water, to uphold the "Ex-
hibition" fares of 4d. for
running all cheap opposition off thee roads, has given way,
for yesterday the figure 3
and :3d. instead of 4d. was the fare. The fact is, the pro-
prietors have got alarmed,
de-
termination on the part of the public to patronise and have
cheap farce ; and, therefore, the act cf reducing the fares was
one of policy and not of favour; and it would be a matter of
greater policy on their parts to lower the fares to still more,
say 2d. They may lest assured that the numerous associa-
tions at present forming for conveying the public fr( in place
to place at moderate fares will feel satisfied with a twopenny
fare, or more likely a penny fare, where the present prgopiohuriscie-s,
tors were charging 4d. and now charge 3d. Horse proven-
sdieiro;
;ayes not been so cheap during " the memory of the oldest
inhabitant." as it is at present, and the charge for travelling
should be proportionate.
understand
i)e
Hunter, of
ofL aDnuens
ibaonrvo uh
unit
i-celav d
near Arundel. his Lordship arrived at the Bedford Hotel a
fiays cgo, but has eince left on a visit to Lady tinter.
"" kfriVilion Gazette,

ADELPHI THEATRE.
MR. MURK FAREWELL.
(From the Scotsman.)
On Wednesday evening the Adelphi Theatre was
crowded to excess on the occasion of Mr. Murray's
farewell benefit. The Rivals was the play, the ma-
nager appearing in his favourite part of Sir Anthony
Absolute. It is needless to say that the whole per-
formance went off in excellent style, assisted by the
kindly volunteered services of Mr. Murray's friends
and fellow-artists--Mr. Mackay, Mr. Glover, Mr.
Lloyd, and Mr. .Powrie ; and the audience manifested
the utmost enthusiasm throughout.
During the evening Mr. Murray delivered the fol-
lowing farewell address :
" Ladies and Gentlemen—lt was within these
walls that, on the 10th of November, 1809, I had the
honour of making my first appearance before you,
and it is within the same walls that I again appear
before you, endeavouring to express to you the deep
and grateful sense I entertain of all the kindness, the
consideration, the forbearance you have evinced
towards me during my long and motley course of
two-and-forty years, and to perform the melancholy
duty of saying farewell to those I have so much
reason to love and to respect. As many may
remember, my earliest efforts here were anything
but successful, and I have great reason to rejoice that
they were not. My father was an actor of dis-
tinguished talent in London, and so great a favourite
with the public and his professional brethren, that on
my entrance into the Theatre Royal, Covent-
garden, under the auspices of Mr. Kemble, I was so
petted and favoured, on my father's account, that I
came before you with all the levity and conceit na-
tural to a boy of nineteen.—(Hear, hear.) But your
frowns, and the darkness of my reception here,
taught me to know myself, and to discover that I was
not ' the admirable Crichton' I bad vainly imagined.
—(Laughter and cheers.) With determined industry,
and doggedly, as Dr. Johnson says, I set myself to
remedy my defects. You, for a time, persisted in
your disapprobation—l was resolute in my efforts to
improve ; you missed—l laboured, until I fairly won
your smiles, and you began kindly to regard the
stripling who strove so unremittingly to please you.
To be brief, I rose in your favour.—(Loud cheers.)
Painful circumstances made me the manager of your
theatres ; and while, like others in my situation, I
could wish undone many things which have been
done, and have left unattempted many others I could
have wished performed, yet, considering the names of
the great artists I yearly brought before you, the
talents of the resident company, the merits of the
pieces annually produced, and the manner in which
they were brought forward, I do not think the court
before which I have the honour of pleading will re-
fuse me their verdict of approbation.—(Enthusiastio
applause.) To my successors in the management of
the two theatres I wish, sincerely wish, every pros-
perity they can wish themselves. They will profit
by my blunders ; they are both in the prime of life,
both of distinguished talent in their profession, both
highly popular ; and I earnestly desire for them
Calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious that shall catch
Their mimic fleets far off'—
wafting them into the havens of a golden fortune.—
(Loud cheers.) To my professional brethren I feel
deeply indebted for their kind and gratifying aid on
this occasion. To Mr. Glover I owe many acts of
liberal kindness, and I feel great pleasure in acknow-
ledging my obligations towards him.—(Cheers.) By
Mr. Lloyd's kind assistance—(Cheers)—l am pecu-
liarly obliged, as it proves the cordial feelings of
regard which exist between us. I have further to

thank him for his great courtesy in postponing the
opening of the Theatre Royal until after the engage-
ment of the Miss Batemans here. To your distin-
guished favourite, Mr. Powrie, I owe many, many
thanks.—(Cheers.) But what shall I say to my old
tried and valued friend, Mr. Mackay—(Loud cheers)
—who, as be once by hia talents saved the Theatre
Royal, has this season, by the attraction of his un-
fading abilities, greatly diminished the losses the
Crystal Palace had entailed upon me—
' We have dumb the hill thegither
And now are toddlin down'—
but I earnestly hope that while we remain on the
pages of the world's volume,' the Bailie and the
Major may cling together in the firmest bonds of
friendship, for the sake of ' Auld Langsyne.'
" To the performers, orchestra, and servants of this
establishment, I return my best thanks for their con-
stant kindness to me, and cannot refrain from ex-
pressing the great pride and gratification I feel at the
splendid testimony of their affection and regard with
which they honoured me this morning—(Applause)
—and also offer my grateful acknowledgments to the
trustees and shareholders of this Theatre for their un-

varying liberality and attention; and I trust they will
not think that the reputation of the Adelphi has suf-
fered in my hands.—(Cheers.)
" And now, my kind and liberal patrons, 'tis time
for me to furl my professional sails, and say farewell
to those to whom

" All my service
In every point twice done, and then done double,
Were poor and single business to contend
Against the honours deep and broad."
you've showered on me. Some of my friends have
led me to hope that rest and retirement may so re-
store me to my former self, that I may occasionally
revisit the glimpses of our theatrical moon.' Should
that hope be &Died me, and this indeed be the last

appearance I sliaN ever have the honour of making
before you, be assured that though the years of your

old servant be allowed to'stretch into eitremest age,'
the list, the most cherished worldly recollection that

trembles on his fading memory, will be the evenings
he has spent in your service, and, above all, that in
which he now again thanks the brilliant assemblage
before him for many, many years of kindness, and

with deep, respectful, and fervent gratitude, bids you
--Farewell."
Upon the conclusion of the address, the entire
audience rose and enthusiastically cheered Mr. Mur-
ray as he retired. During the delivery of the ad-
dress the presentation jugs (referred to by the ma-
nager) wire exhibited on a table in the centre of the
stage.

PRESENTATION TO MR. MURRAY.
On Wednesday afternoon, the members of the com-
pany, the orchestra, and others, employed in the
theatre, requested the presence of the manager, to
present him with a slight token of their esteem upon
the occasion of his retirement. Mr. Mackay, the ve-
teran Scottish dramatist, presided, and addressed Mr.
Murray in nearly the following terms :
" Sir—We have requested your presence among us
for a few moments, though, alas ! we shall not bave
many more opportunities of enjoying such a pleasure.
I have been selected by the company as the medium
through which they wish to express their feelings
towards you on the occasion of your resignation of the
management of the Edinburgh theatres—an occasion
of very great regret to us all. My position as the
oldest member of the company has imposed on me a
task which I find myself very incompetent to per-
form. I could with—had I the ability—to dwell and
expatiate on your excellent qualities, both as a mana-
ger and as an actor; yet, were I able to do so, I
should be only repeating a twice-told tale. The former
have been long and justly appreciated by the public ;
and the latter have been universally acknowledged by
the profession. We have now met, Sir, for the last
time with you as our manager, and we as your com-
pany. Some of us have enjoyed many happy days
under your management ; and ell have met with uni-
form kindness and gentlemanly treatment. In thus part-
ing with you, we felt it to be an imperative duty to
mark the occasion by some tangible token of regard.
We, therefore, beg of you to accept this testimonial
to your many excellent qualities as a manager, and
as a tribute to your talents as an actor. When you
look at this mark of our esteem, it will remind you
of the high estimation in which you were held by
the company over which you have so long presided
with honour to yourself and comfort to us. May
Heaven bless and long preserve you sir ; and that, in
your retirement, you may enjoy health, happiness,
and every earthly comfort, is the sincere and earnest
prayer of all present."
Mr. Mackay then presented Mr. Murray with the
testimonial—consisting of a very handsome silver
claret jug, with water jug, also of silver, to corres-
pond. The claret jug was surmounted by a charac-
teristic figure in silver of Sir John Falstaff (a favou-
rite part of the manager)—the whole being from the
establishment of Mr. Cohnert, jeweller, Leith-street.
The claret jug bore the following inscription:—
Presented to William Henry Wood Murray, Esq.,
by the members of his company, orchestra, and ser-
vants of the Theatre, as a slight token of their affec-
tionate remembrance, on the occasion of his retire-
ment from the management of the Edinburgh Theatre.
—22 d October 1851."

Mr. Murray was visibly affected by the unexpected
gift. lie briefly expressed his gratitude for this token
of the kind feelings entertained towards him by the
member% of his company and others in his employ-
ment. It was to him a matter of the highest gratifi-
cation that he should stand so high in the esteem of
those with whom he had been in such constant com-
munication ; and nothing was so likely to cheer his
rttircnient as the reflection that he would carry with
him their beg wishes for his welfare. Mr. Murray
concluded by acknowledging his frequent obligations
to Mr. Mackay.

BUTCHERS' CHARITABLE INSTITUTION.—Yester-
day afternoon the usual general meeting of the governers
and subscribers to the above charity, which was founded in
1828, for affording relief to decsyed and distressed master
butchers, was held at the Freemasons' Tavern, for the pur-
pose of electing 8 Tale and 4 female pensioners on to the
funds of the institution; Mr. J. Sharp in the chair. There
were 42 candidates for election, out of whom twelve were
electee, and
institution
proceedings terminated. The funded pro-
perty of the now amounts to 12,0001.
A person can now breakfast in London and sup in
Dublin the same day, and vice versa, The whole distance is
26014.1efi by laud, ilucl by sea.

OCTOBER 31, 1851