The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-05 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

Yesterday a special meeting of the board was held in
the Council-chamber, Guildhall, to dispose of the business
left over from the last board-day. Mr. J. Thwaites pre-
sided. A long discussion took place on a motion by Mr.
Howe, that the finance committee should ascertain from
the Government whether they were willing to advance
a sum from the Consolidated Fund to aid in securing
Eampetead-heath as a place of public recreation. Ulti-
mately an amendment, by Mr. H. L. Taylor, acknow-
ledging the great advantages which would accrue to the
northern suburb of the metropolis by the preservation of
Hampstead-heath as a place of public recreation, but de-
clining to entertain the question, as beyond the limit of
powers conferred on the boarl by the Metropolis Local
Management Act, was adopted by 20 votes against 10.-
Mr. Ware then moved a resolution referring to the com-
mittee of works and improvements the expediency of open-
ing a thoroughfare or making anew street in as direct a
line as practicable, from the end of Old-street, St. Luke's,
to the new street from Fart ingdon.street to Clerkenwell.
The motion was carried by a majority of 12. It was' re-
ferred to the Finance Committee to prepare an estimate of
the sums which ought to be charged for defraying the ex-
penses of the board, having regard to the annual value
of the property in the several parts- of the metropolis,
preparatory to making the necessary calls upon the pa•
rishes. Mr. Hows moved, and Mr. D'lffanger seconded,
the following resolution :7" That the Finance Commit-
tee be instructed to inquire and report upon the most
practicable method of throwing open Southwark and
WaterLio-bridges to the public for the purpose of reliev-
ing the prest nt exces.tve traffic over London-bridge, and
01 Equalising that of the Other thoroughfares of the me-
tropolis."—Agreed to. A motion by Major Lyon, that
the Bank of London be required to find a larger security
than 55,000/. for the moneys, &c., of the board, having
been negatived, the board adjourned at five o'clock.

CAPTAIN BAGUE.—We regret to announce the death
of this officer and companion of Nelson. Captain
Bagne_Peryed at the Battle of Trafalzar, awl Previously
inmgaszetntnts with otbey captaing.
He. bad been for many years a magistrate and deputy-
lieutenant for 'the county of Middlesex.

" In the last ann,ial report the directors announced the
desp'atch of the Nubia for India, and they are now enabled
to state that she has made her first trip from Calcutta to
Suez at a very high rate of epeed, and to the satisfaction
of a largo bo ,y of passengers. The intended departure of
the Alma, which was noticed at the same time, was how-
ever deferred, it having become necessary to employ this
ship for a short time on the home station. She is now on
the point of starting for Calcutta, and will no doubt prove
as successful as her kister ship.

". THE TRANSPORT SERVICE.
" Five of your shipg, the Simla, Candia, Ripon, Co-
lombo, and Rajah are still retained iu the transport ser-
vice. Their employment in that service must, however,
ill consequence of the peace, terminate in a short time,
wheu,they will be made available for the commercial and
postal operations for which they were originally destined.

"THE AUSTRALIAN POSTAL SERVICE.

" In their last report the directors stated that they had,
at the request of the Government, submitted a proposal
to establish a monthly postal communication with Austra-
lia. No measure to carry that proposal into effect was,
however, adopted by the Government ' • and in the month
of February last the Admiralty issued an advertisement,
inviting tenders from parties willing to contract for the
establishment of such a communication, leaving the choice
of route open to the parties tendering. In responding to
this public announcement, your directors considered they
coati do no more than refer to their former proposal ; and
it appears by a statement made in Parliament that none
of the the tenders then made were of such a nature as the
Government considered it right to accept.
" Pressing representations by parties interested in the
colonies having been again made to the Government, urg-
ing the prompt establishment of an efficient postal com-
munication, au advertisement has within these few days
been issued by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
for tenders to establish a monthly postal communication,
by means of lam screw-steam-ships of full power, between
Suez and Australia,b touching at Point de Galls, both on
the outward and homy a and passage, and to be independent
of the postal communication with India. The tenders are
to be lodged on the 12th inst.
" The anticipated early release from the transport ser-
vice of the ships still remaining in it will place this com-
pany in a position to undertake the Australian postal ser-
vice on the enlarged plan now proposed ; while the posses-
sion at the various stations along the whole line of com-
munication of completely formed agencies and coaling esta-
blishments, gives to the company important advantages in
competing for it. The directors, therefore, propose to
lodge tenders for executing the service, on such terms as
they may consider compatible with a fair protection of
your interests.

" If it should devolve upon this company to undertake
this service, its establishment must, in consequence of the
class of vessels stipulated for, and from other circum-
stances, be attended at the outset with very heavy ex-
penses; and a considerable time will probably elapse be-
fore a remunerative traffic can be developed. Hence the
prudence of the measure which you adopted, on the re-
commendation of your directors, at the last general meet-
ing, of setting aside out of last year's profits 100,0001. as a
' contingency fund,' to meet this and other anticipated
extra expenses connected with the change of employment
of your vessels, will be fully evident.

" VACANCY IN THE AUDITORSHIP.
" Your directors regret to announce that in consequence
of observations made by some proprietors at the last general
meeting, Mr. R. Currie, M.P., desired at once to be re-
lieved from the duties of an auditor of the company, and
although the directors explained to him that they did not
concur in the remarks alluded to, namely, that his occupy-
in.. the post of chairman of another company formed any
objection to his retaining his post of auditor to this com-
pany, they were unable to induce him to withdraw his
resignation. You will, therefore, be called upon at a spe-
cial meeting, which will be held immediately on the con-
clusion of this, to elect an audf:.or from among the quali-
fied shareholders to fill the vacancy which has just occurred.