The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-21 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS.

The usual weekly meeting of the Metropolitan
Board of Works was held yesterday in the Council
Chamber, Guildhall, Mr. J. Thwaites in the chair.
The financial statement was presented, which
showed a total cash balance of £413,057 ss. 10d.
Payments were ordered to be made to the amount
of X 10,253 14s. ld.

BILL FOR THE AMENDMENT OF TILE METROPOLIS

MANAGEMENT ACT.

Mr. Deputy HARRISON askod the standing coun-
sel of the Board, Mr. Woolrych, when the Bill for
the amendment of the Metropolis Management Act
would bo ready ?
Mr. WOOLRYCII stated that he hoped to be able
o furnish the bill in about three weeks.
SOUTHERN OUTFALL, MAIN SEWER.

Mr. CRELLIN, pursuant to notice, moved,

" That the order of the Board of the 6th of January,
1860, accepting a tender for the construction of the works
for the Southern Outfall Sewer, with the condition that se-
curity should be given for £20,000, be so far varied as to ad-
mit of the reduction thereof to £lO,OOO, and that the secu-
rity be £lO,OOO accordingly."
The motion was agreed to after some discussion.

THE NORTHERN HIGH-LEVEL CONTRACTS.
Mr. TITE, M.P., wished, while the subject of
contracts was under discussion, to make an obser-
vation upon an article which had appeared in the
Observer of Sunday last, and copied into the
limes, on the subject of the difference betwten
the amount of the contract taken by Mr. Brother-
hood, of Chippenham, at £282,000, and that pro-
posed by Messrs. Peto, Brassey, and Betts, which
was £431,000. He wished to point out that Mr.
Bazalgette's (the engineer) estimate was £291,000,
and although Messrs. Peto, Brassey, and Bett's
estimate was £431,000, yet there was the firm of
George Baker and Co., who were the contractors for
the British Museum, also the contractors for the
Plymouth Dock tendered for this work at £294,000,
which was within £3,000 of Mr. Bazalgette's esti-
mate, and he considered that firm was quite as com-
petent to do works of this description as Messrs.
Peto and Brassey, as far as capacity and respecta-
bility were concerned. He considered that it was
no part of the duty of the Board to investigate the
difference between contractors, or to inquire why
one contractor required £431,000 to do works which
another firm, equally respectable, was willing to
execute for £290,000. He conceived that all the
Board had to do was to see that the work was pro-
perly executed according to the contract; and, if
they were to ask those gentlemen why they charged
so much more than other contractors, of course they
would refuse to assign their reasons for doing so.
He would beg to call the attention of the Board to
a circumstance more particularly under his own
cognizance with reference to the subject,—he meant
the contract for building the Royal Exchange, a
work which had elicited universal satisfaction ; and
while, as regards other buildings of magnitude and
importance, innumerable complaints had been made
now and then as to the perishable nature of the stone
of which they were built, no indication of decay
was to be found at the Royal Exchange, the con-
tract for which was taken by Mr. Jackson, of Pim-
lico, at between 30 and 40 per cent. less than the
highest tender. He might also refer incidentally
to the difference between the contracts for the
Hanwell Asylum, the one that was taken having
been £46,000, while the highest tender was
£63,000, and as regarded the Chelsea new vestry-
hall, the contract for the building of which was
taken at £5,200, being £2OO less than the
estimated price of the superintending architect.
The highest contract was absolutely £lO,OOO.
It merely proved that builders in many cases
must make enormous profits; but he thought he
had stated to them sufficient to show that such dif-
ferences were constant, as reference to newspapers
in the building interests could testify. Without
understanding the duties of the Board, it was now
the fashion of newspapers and others to find fault
with their proceedings.

NEW-STREET TO COVENT-GARDEN.-DELAY OF

WORKS.

The following letter in reference to the delay in
tho formation of the new street from King-street,
Long-acre, was received from the Strand District
Board of Works

"The Board of Works for the Strand District, Jan. 15.
" Sir,—l am directed by the Board to call the attention
of the Metropolitan Board of Works, in the strongest pos-
sible language of remonstrance, to the long and unaccount-
able delay which is taking place in the formation of the
new street • to Long-acre. They are overwhelmed with
complaints of the inhabitants of the locality to the serious,
and, in some cases, almost ruinous effect on their business
by this delay. In the first instance the Board were in-
formed that the Metropolitan Board were advised to take
no steps until the whole of the funds necessary for the pur-
chase of the houses was in hand. That point has many
months since been obtained, yet still unsightly blocks of
houses stand in the way and nothing really effective has
been done. Surely your Board has under the Act of Par-
liament sufficiently extensive power to carry out its work.
A railway company having the funds would soon have
found out the way. No legal difficulties of title can be
pleaded, because the purchase money could be paid into
court, and if the present legal advisers of the Board are too
occupied or too timorous for the work in hand, my Board
earnestly entreat, on behalf of their suffering ratepayers,
that the matter may be placed in other hands, and some
more decided and energetic steps may be at once taken to
carry out the street, failing which my Board very much
fear that the public voice will be brought to boar by an
organised local agitation on the subject.
"I am, &c.,
"J. H LEWIS, Clerk to the Board."

" J. Pollard, Esq.
The letter was received and ordered to be ac-
knowledged, with explanations.
Mr. Deputy HARRISON observed that he
thought the streets were not proceeded with
as fast as they ought, and he believed the
real reason to be that the solicitors were
not paid enough for the amount of work they had
to do. With regard to the Southwark and West-
minster communication, they had obtained the whole
of the money required, at a large rate of interest,
which was lying at deposit at much less, and it
would be an absolute saving to the Board to increase
the legal staff, irrespective of the fact that they
were not obtaining rates which would accrue from
the new houses that were to be built. They had
absolutely obtained the powers and money for
making the street a year and a half ago, and there
were not more than 20 houses down at the present
time.
NEW RAILWAYS FOR THE METROPOLIS.
The engineer reported that he had inspected the
Parliamentary plans of projected railways in the
metropolis for which bills were now before Parlia-
ment, and the solicitor was instructed to take steps
to protect the interests of the Board.
PROPOSED INCREASE OF THE SALARIES OF THE
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD.
A report was brought up from the Finance Com-
mittee recommending an increase in the salaries of

various officers, amounting in the aggregate to £9OO
per annum, the consideration of which, on the mo-
tion of Mr. F. Doulton, was deferred for a month,
Mr. Doulton and Mr. D'lffanger declaring that
their intention was to oppose any increase in their
present expenses.

Some other business was disposed of, and the
Board adjourned.

THE LATE MYSTERIOUS MURDER IN

PARIS.

The Gazette des Tribunaux says :—" The sup•
posed author of the assassination committed in Rue
Sainte-Anne, upon the girl Marie Tourtoulon called
Celina, has just been placed in the hands of justice
by the chief of the service of safety.
" We said yesterday, when giving the details of
the crime, that it had been occasioned in all pro-
bability by a feeling of vengeance. On this hypo-
thesis, suspicion could only fall on individuals that
had known the girl Celina intimately, and in the
house they could only point out one, but were un-
able for the rest t) give either his name or profes-
sion.
" The chief of the service of safety, who on the
earliest information had repaired to the spot, as
we mentioned, and who wished to direct per-
sonally the inquiries, obtained a precise description,
for he also was convinced that the motive to the
crime had either been vengeance or jealousy. He
soon learned that the individual whose description
they had given him had previously had a warm al-
tercation with Celina, and that in the course of last
week she had even requested the porter not to suffer
him in future to come up to her room, but this pro-
hibition could be easily eluded by him. The chief,
when he saw this first suspicion of his was corro-
borated by this circumstance, made personally some
numerous and minute investigations which he pur-
sued without loss of time, and at their close suc-
ceeded in learning that the individual in question,
believed to be a saddler, had a strong southern as-
cent, and lived somewhere in the Rue Francaise,
but no one knew his name or the number of the
house.

" After inquiring from doer to door along this
street, the chief came at length to a house, in which
there was a lodger, whose description corresponded
exactly with that of the man he wanted to find.
His name is Philippe C , age 28, comes from
the department of the Herault, they said to the
chief, but he is not a saddler, he is a leather trunk-
maker • his room is on the seventh floor, and he has
only this instant come in.' That is the man I wish
to see,' replied the chief. And he instantly mounted
the flight of steps.
" But on reaching the seventh floor, he found
himself in a long dark passage with several doors
opening into it, and he did not know the room
where the man lodged whom he was seeking. As
it might be inconvenient to trust to chance, he em-
ployed a manoeuvre that was perfectly successful.
Eh, Philippe!' he cried out, as if the man was
wanted ; a voice answering from within showed
which was the room, to which he advanced, and im-
mediately the door was opened he pushed his way
in by force ; then taking the lodger by the
arm, he said to him, ' You are Phillipe C--. In
the name of the law I arrest you!' The latter, who
could not conceal his emotion, answered directly,
Why do you arrest me ? I have committed no
crime!' Upon being requested he changed his dress,
and it was not without some hesitation that he con-
sented to put on the clothes pointed out to him, and
which exactly tallied with the description. Observ-
ing that ho attempted to hide one of his hands,
they looked at it, and saw that it lyze the mark of
a recent wound, the origin of which he declined
accounting for.

"The chief caused him to be immediately con-
veyed by two of his agents to the spot where the
crime had been committed. There they found M.
Comusat-Basserolles, the Judge of Instruction, and
M. Try, the deputy of the Attorney- General, where-
upon the prisoner was in the presence of this
magistrate confronted with the dead body of his
victim. He endured the trial without any visible
emotion, and limited himself upon looking at tho
corpse to the remark, Poor girl !' He maintained
that he was ignorant of the crime, declaring that
he had not seen Celina since the beginning of last
week, contrary to the affirmation of several wit•
nesses. He then contradicted himself; and this
only served to increase the grave suspicion resting
upon him ; his arrest was maintained as valid, and
after being interrogated by the magistrate he was
sent to the depot of the Prefecture of the Police on
the charge of assassination.

" Celin—a's body was removed yesterday evening
to the Morgue, where it was placed in a private
room. This morning Dr. A. Tardieu made a post-
mortem examination, and ascertained that several
of the wounds received by the victim were mortal.
Most of them were in the breast, which was much
mangled. Other wounds were observed on the
head, behind the ear, and on the neck. All these
wounds had been inflicted with a knife-dagger or
sharp-cutting instrument like the one found in the
room, as we mentioned yesterday."

TIIE VIOIORIA CROSS.

(Front the Gazette of last evening.)

The Queen has been graciously pleased to-signify her in•
tention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the
undermentioned officer and soldiers of her Majesty's army,
whose claims to the same have been submitted for her Ma-
jesty's approval, on account of acts of bravery performed by
them in India, as recorded against their several names,
via.:

Lieutenant Alfred Spencer Ileatheote, 60th Rifles—For
highly gallant and daring conduct at Pelhi throughout the
siege, from June to September, 1857, during which ho was
wounded. lie volunteered for services of extreme danger,
especially during the sixdays of severe fighting in the streets
after the assault. Elected by the officers of his regiment.
Trop Sergeant-Major James Champion, Bth Hussars—
For distinguished bravery at Beejapore on the Bth of Sep•
tember, 1858, when both the officers attached to the troop
were disabled, and himself severely wounded at the corn-
mencement of the action by a ball through his body,
in having continued at his duty forward, through.
out the pursuit, and disabled several of the enemy with his
pistol. Also recommended for distinguished conduct at
G walior.

Colour-Sergeant George Waller, 60th Rifles (Ist Batts-
lion)—For conspicuous bravery at Delhi on the 14th of
September, 1857, in charging and capturing the enemy's
guns near the Cabul-gate ; and again, on the IBth of Sep-
tember, 18.57, in the repulse of a sudden attack made by the
enemy on a gun near the Chaudney Chouk. Elected by
the non-commissioned officers of the regiment.
Colour-Sergeant Stephen Garvin, 60th Rifles (Ist Bata..
lion)—For daring and gallant conduct before Delhi on the
23d of June, 1857, in volunteering to lead a small party of
men, under a heavy fire, to the " Sammy House," for the
purpose of dislodging a number of the enemy in position
there, who kept up a destructive fire on the advanced bat.
tery of heavy guns, in which, after a sharp contest, he suc-
ceeded. Also recommended for gallant conduct throughout
the operations before Delhi.
Bugler William Sutton, 60th Rifles, Ist Battalion—For
gallant conduct at Delhi on the 13th of September, 1857.
the night previous to the assault, in volunteering to recon-
noitre the breach. This soldier's conduct was conspicuous
throughout, the operations, especially en the 2d of August,
1857, on which occasion, during an attack by the enemy in
force, he rushed forward over the trenches, and killed one
of the enemy's buglers, who was in the act of sounding.
Elected by the privates of the regiment.
Private John Divane, 60th Rifles (Ist battalion), for die.
tinguished gallantry in heading a successful charge made
by the Beeloochee and Seikb troops on one of the enemy_'s
trenches before Delhi, on the 10th of September, 1857. Hs
leaped out of our trenches, closely followed by the native
troops, and was shot down from the top of the enemy's
breastworks. Elected by the privates of the regiment. •
Private James Thompson, 60th Rifles (Ist battalion), for
gallant eonduct in saving the life of his captain (Captain
Wilton), on the 9th of July, 1857, by dashing forward to
his relief, when that officer was surrounded by a party of
Ghazees who made a sudden rush on him from a gorm—
and killing two of them before further assistance could
reach. Also recommended for conspicuous conduct through-
out the siege. Wounded. Elected by the privates of the
regiment.
Private Samuel Turner, 60th Rifles (Ist battalion), for
having, at Delhi, on the night of the 19th of June, 1857,
during a severe conflict with the enemy, who attacked the
rear of the camp. carried off on his shoulders, under a_heary
fire, a mortally wounded officer, Lieutenant Humphreys,
of the Indian Service. During this service, _Prteis
Tur-
ner was wounded by a sabre cut in the right arm.wa
recovered
e rtlelo
fgallantothers,cond conduct
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Troops at that station, in having
ainswereolfincoetr
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family, who were surr with
hedtwyo nrwl.

At a recent meeting
of shipowners and others
connected with the general shipping interest of the United
Kingdom, it was resolved that Mr. R. W. Crawford, one of
the members for London, should be requested to bring under
the consideration of the House of Commons at the opening
of the session the state of British navigation, in accordance
with the resolution of the public meeting of the 29th of
November last. Accordingly, Mr. Crawford has under-
taken, it is said, to give notice immediately for the appoint•
went of a select committee to "inquire into the condition of
the commercial marine and the operation of all legal enact-
ments and local burdens especially affecting the same." In
taking this step Mr. Crawford, of course, does not commit
himself to any particular opinion, but simply lends hie
ready aid to a full and impartial investigation with a view
to eliciting the truth on a controverted question of the
highest pulic interest and importance.
ST. KATHERINE'S DOCK COMPANY.--A meet-
ing of this company was held yesterday, Mr. J. W. Carter
in the chair, when the report recommending a dividend for
the past half-year at the reduced rate of 2 per cent., free of
income-tax, making a total distribution for the year 1859 of
41- per cent., was agreed to. In the last six months it has
been found necessary to lower considerably the charges on
many of the principal articles of importation , but the direo-
tors have reason to believe that the income fif the year 1859
has been to some extent affected by tameely temporary
muses. In the goods landed there has been a diminution,
but the stock in warehouse on the 31st of De comber shows
an increase compared with 1858. In the ahi Aping entered
an augmentation has:likewise taken place.