The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-29 00:00:00

fliE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EV ENINFG, ATR IL 1'29, 1857

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-April 28.

lishmeut can clrry on business with ordinary safety, if
such publications can be for a moment tolerated.
Now this affects to be the criticism of a person who
is one of those public instructors that claim the
right, I suppose, of expressing their opinion upon
everything and upon everybody. We go to Somer-
set-house to find out who is registered as the pro-
prietor of this publication. There is no eatrywhat-
ever there of any owner at all, or of any proprietor.
We go the place where it is described as being
printed, and we there find a carpenter's shop, and
no account of the printer and publisher. We then
find that the defendant, who appears to be the
most active person in the dissemination of these
libels, has been himself often to the bank in ques-
tion, soliciting, begging, and entreating that they
would give him the employment of inserting adver-
tisementsin his newspaper, as he termed it, on ac-

MANSION-HOUSE.—Mr. Wm. Cockburn, a
newspaper proprietor, appeared before the Lord
Mayor, in answer to a summons which charged him
with having unlawfully and maliciously written,
printed, and published, a certain false and defama-
tory libel of and concerning divers persons trading
in the City under the firm and title of " The Bank
of London."

---------
Mr. Bodkin, instructed by Messrs. Tyrrell,
Paine, and Co., solicitors to the Bank of London,
appeared for the prosecution.
The defendant had no legal adviser present-, and
the hearing of the case was adjourned for half an
hour, for the purpose of enabling him to procure
the attendance of his solicitor, who, however, did
not make his appearance during the proceedings.
Mr. Bodkin, in opening the case for the prosecu-
tion, said—My Lord Mayor, I appear before you,
instructed by the Bank'of London, to make an ap-
plication that has been almost too long dqlAyed.
This is a question not affecting the particular bank
in question. But your lordship, and subsequently
a jury of the City of London, will have to say whe-
ther a system, base and unfounded in its nature,
carried on with pertinacity, the object of which is
to extort money from gent:mien of character and
station, engaged in commercial enterprises of
great moment, is longer to be tolerated in a city
like London. It is known to tour lordship till this
case ccmes before you in consequence of the taking
into custody by one of your officers ofa lad, a child,
' who was carrying about the City a placard similar

count of the bank, and to pay him whatever was
usual for such insertions. His applications were re-
jected ; the bank would have no connexion at all
with either him or his publication. He has then in-
serted, without any authority from them, their ad-
vertisements, and that they could not help. When
he found bis attempts to obtain money from them
unsuccessful he descended to the meanness of try-

ing to bribe the clerks at the bank by offering to
give them tickets for the theatres.
Defendant (interrupting)—l must call the gen-
tleman to order ; that is not so.
Mr. Bodkin—l am not stating a single circum-
stance that I am not in a condition fully to prove.

to these now before you. The lad could only be
considered an innocent instrument in the hands of
other persons, of some of whom we have informa-
tiol . which will induce me on this occasion to con-
fine the eviieuce that I shall lay before you to just
enough to justify the remand of the defendant, be-
cause we shall apply for process which will secure the
attendance here of another person, against whom we
have a charge of conspiracy to make, and the charge
then will be against that other person, whose name is
—, and the defendant, of wickedly conspiring by,the
publication of false, defamatory, and malicious mat-
ters, to injure the credit of the Bank of London, on
behalf of the directors of which I to-day appear. In

order that you may understand this matter, it is
necessary that I should remind you of a case that
occurred just before you came into office, which was
inquired into by your predecessor, and in the course
of which it appeared that this person, of the name
of claimed to have some right or title to the
appellation of "The Bank of London;" that he had
first thought of the advisability of a bank in Lon-
don, to be called " The Bank of London," without
any knowledge at all that such an idea had occur-
red to any other individual. The gen,lemea wish
whom this bank originated formed and established
it, and I am happy to say, that it is enjoying the
confidence of the public, and doing an amount of
business exceeding that of any other joint stock
bank during the time it has been in existence. It
has been established ; but still, if a system of this
sort be permitted to go on uncontrolled, there is no
establishment of a commercial kind, where credit
is so important, that can hope to outlive attacks of
this kind. The person whose name I have men-
tianed imagined that he had some claim upon the
score of this pretended or real fancy of his own of
calling an institution the Bank cf London, and he
brought an action against the directors of that bank
upon the subject of this claim. That action entirely.
failed, the court holding that he showed no rightor
title whatever to maintain it. Ever since that time
attacks have'been made upon this bank, and a per-
son was brought here who was considered by the
directors to have been au agent or an instrument
in the hands of these Parties, and he was commit-
ted by your lordship's predecesser to the Central
Criminal Court, where he was indicted for attempt-
ing to extort money by threatening to make dis-
closures suppered to be capable of affecting the cre-
dit of the bank. Upon the occasion of the trial.
a course offproceeding was taken of which, whether
right or wrong, I must take the so:e responsibility,
because .the directors were no party to it ; but
it appearing to me that he was a young man who
had probably been misled by others, and be, through
his counsel, expressing contrition for his miscon-
duct, and promising not to repeat it, I did not
press the tharge against him, and he was permitted
to go at large. From the time of that trial those,
annoyances have commenced and continued, and
at last they have arrived at such a pitch that it is
necessary to put a stop to them. In a publication
called the Joint Stock Companies Jourpal, articles
have appeared from time to titre, with the sole
object of attacking and realigning this bank and
the individuals who compose its direction. I will
not trouble your lordship by going through them,
but will call your attention to one dated the 18th
inst., which was being hawked about the City when
this lad was taken into custody. It appears that
there had been an article in a newspaper called the
Atlas, observing upon this bank, and upon an ap-
plication being.made to the publisher of that paper
by letter, signed by Mr. Frith, a gentleman who
holds/the office of vice-chairman of the bank, that
paper very properly inserted his letter, and made a
recantation and apology for the error that they had
been led into in the observations they had made.
On the same day appears the Joint Stock Com-
panies Journal, dated the 18th April, and in which
is this article :—" An article which appeared in
the last number of our excellent contemporary, the
Atlas, has, it seems, raised the bile of the Board.
of Directors of the Bank of London. The Tice-
Chairman, as he calls him-.elf, John Griffith
Frith, Esq., has addressed a letter to the Times
in defence of the moral character of his colleagues
in the direction, and of the chairman, Sir John
Villiers Shelley, in particular. In our impression
of the 4th inst., we gave it as our opinion that the
Bauk of London could not much longer afford to
treat publiciopinion with contempt ; the letter above
referred to, which will be found in another column,
is a clear proof that our opinion was sound. Those
who are familiar with the circumstanc s attending
the antecedents of the Bank of London, which
have from time to time appeared in this journal,
can now form an opinion whether the parties
whose moral conduct has been denounced in
our columns are, or are not, capable of helping
themselves to the funds of the bank in the manner
announced by the At'as, namely, That the direc-
tors received advances, and were debtors to the
Bank of London, and the free ma of the names to
whom such advances have been made at once at-
tests the public opinion that such a practice is radi-
cally unsound.' The article from whence we quote
the above goes on to assert what we have over and
over again asserted—' That the men who se-k to
become direct.a.s, in order to avail themselves of
their position to secure facilities of credit, denied
to them on their own intrinsic merits, are not the
men to be retained in positions of such command-
ing influence ;' and further, that confidence would
be felt, in fact, greater confidence cannot exist
whilst a baronet and a country gentleman holds
the post,' and that it is time that a man of com-
mercial Position was sought and secured as chair-
man.' " It then goes on—" The worthy vice-chair-
man of the Bank of London repudiates and-utterly
denies the above assertion respecting his col-
leagues." That is, that they help themselves to
the funds of this bank, " but we belong to that un-
sophisticated class of individuals who cling to the
old-fashioned axiom, that where there is smoke
there must be fire.' Does any one in his senses
suppose that the respectable parties connected with
the tlas newspaper would gratuitously have in-
serted so damaging an accusation without having
good and solid grounds to justify them in drawing
public attention to the circumstances alluded to
The public will do welt to place iu juxtaposition
the two assertions—the one emanating from a pub-
licjournal, the directors of which have a duty to
perform and an interest to maintain, and on
that account no doubt feel themselves justified
iu holding up to scorn and contempt the conduct
of suck as would endeavour to impose on pub-
lic credulity. On the other hand, WQ have
the denial of an interested party, one whose
public conduct and moral character is on trial,
and whose interest it is to prevent by every means
in his power the transactions of the board of direc-
tors becoming known to the public." That is, in
reference to Mr. Frith's letter, which is in the same
paper, and which I will now read. This is a!-
dressed to the editor of the Times :

" Bank of London, Threadneedle-street, Aug. 16.
" Sir,—A statement having appeared in the columns
of one of your weekly contemporaries (the Atlas) to the
effect that the directors of this bank are debtors to the
bank, that they became directors in order. to avail them-
selves of their position to secure facilities of credit denied
to them on their intrinsic merits, and connecting the
name of Sir J. Shelley with the statement, with the evi-
dent intention of leading the public to infer that he is
indebted to this bank, I beg the favour of your afford-
ing me the opportunity for the instant contradiction of
so false and Injurious a statement.
" Sir J. Shelley is not indebted one shilling to this
bank ; on the contrary, the bank has a considerable
balance standing to the credit of his account ; and, with
respect to the unworthy motive attributed to the other
' directors in joining the board, the best reply will be that
no director of this bank has or can have an advance upon
anything but first-class bills of exchange, or upon such
convertible security as would be readily taken by the
Bank of England or by any London banker.
" Sir John is not in town to-day, but I have felt it
due to him as a gentleman, and also to the bank over
which he presides, to I,se no time in contradictingso
unwarrantable a statement. —I have the honour to be,
sir, your very obedient servant, (Signed)
"Join/ GRIFFITH FRITH, Vice-Chairman."

No man living, I apprehend, can doubt that the ex-
tracts which I have read from the'article are libellous
in the highest decree, and that no commorcill estab-

upon their notes, joint and several, for which they
are all personally responsible.
Alderman Humphery—How many members have
withdrawn from the-society ?
Mr. White—About 300, and we have paid as
much as 6,0001. in that way.
Alderman Humphery—Have you money enough
to pay off all the members
Mr. White—Certainly not, sir, without bor-
rowing.
Mr. Martin (the chief clerk)—Are you in a posi-
tion to realise your securities and pay all the
members ?
Mr. White—No sir. The money is all let out
and well invested, but we cannot at present call it
in because it is lent to members for a term of years
and we cannot coerce them into payment, and that
is the reason we are obliged to borrow to pay off
these claims.
Alderman Humphery—Well, Mr. Abbott, I am
afaid I cannot assist you in getting your money.
Mr. White says you shall be pai I with interest, but
you must wait patiently until your turn comes
round and they have the funds.
Mr. White—Mr. Abbott knows the rules have
been sanctioned by the members, and this case
ought never to have been brought here.—The par-
ties then withdrew.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—James Harrison I
described as a gentleman, was charged with ringing
bells in Jermyn-street.
The constable on duty saw the defendant and
four other gentlemen ringing the different door
bells in Jermyn-street. He succeeded in taking the
defendant, who was ordered to enter into his own
recognisance to keep the peace for one month.
Frederick Thompson was charge 1 with embezzl-,
ing considerable sums of money belonging to the
Ottoman Club, 14, Regent-street.
The prisoner was clerk to the club, and be was
charged with receiving one amount from the mar-
kers of the billiard rooms, and paying over to the
manager a less sum than he received.
Remanded till Tuesday.
From Mr. Peter Pickwick, the half of a N. note
has been received for the poor-box.

They afterwards resorted to the mode of ge,ting
this paper printed and be ought into the City, where
they employed these wretched boys to offer them
for sale to all the banks and mercantile houses in
Lombard street. Boys were also sent with placards
similar to the one I hold in my hand, to stand at
the door of the bank, and to infest the public streets
and thoroughfares of the metropolis. A great many
people (and I was one of them) thought that this con-
duct might be treated withcontempt, but publiceredit
is so remarkably delicate a subject, and there are so
many persons who unhappily at tbe present dayin con-
sequence of the failure of banking establishments, are
alive to the most contemptible suggestions against
the credit of any such - establishment, that it has
been endeavoured at last to put down by the strong
arm of the law a system which is infamous, and
which it would be a disgrace to any civilised coun-
try if their laws for a moment permitted it to con-
tinue. That is the case which I now propose to
establish. With respect to Mr. —, as our evi-
dence against him has only just reached us, I can-
not go intolhe charge of conspiracy, but I shall
prove sufficient to justify your lordship in calling
upon the defendant to find bail ror his appearance
on a future day, and then I hope to have Mr. --
hero for conspiring with the defendant to extort
money from the bank.
Frederick Simms was then sworn, and said—l
reside with my father, at 25, Holles-street, Clare-
market. lam 13 years old, and have been in the
employment of the defendant from 9 to 12months.
My wages were 3s. per week. The defendant lives
at 38, Clarendou-street, Kent-street, Borough.
Yesterday I was carrying a placard swung over my
neck, when I was taken into custody. The defen-
dant met me by appointment at the Royal Ex-
change, and told me to walk up and down Thread-
needle-street till he saw me again. He gave me at
the same time about a hundred copies of the Joint
Stock Companies Journal, and told me to go into
all the banks in Lombard street, and try to sell
them ; but 'I did not go into the banks, not liking
to do so. I gave the defendant ss. 10d. that I had
received from the sale of the papers. They were
dated the 18th instant. The journal is printed at
Mr. Muir's, 274, Strand. I used to take proofs
from the compositors to Mr. Lawson's at 51, St.
Mary-axe. Mr. Graham, in New-street-square,
was the printer of the journal at one time. Mr.
Lawson, after correcting the proofs gave them
to me to return to the printer. The defendant,
whom I used to see at Mr. Graham's, gave me
orders to take the proofs to Mr. Lawson. I was in
the habit of delivering copies of the paper at the
different banks and insurance offices. I told the
defendant that the London Joint Stock Bank did
not want any more papers, and would not pay for
them ; and the following morniug he told me to
leave them without being paid for them, and I did
so. I have seen the defendant speaking to Mr.
Lawson in the street, but I have not seen them a
good deal together.
Joseph Rogers—l' live at No. 6, Plough-court,
Whitechapel. The defendant came up to me at
the corner of Threadneedle street, and offered me
a quantity of the numbers of the Joint-Stock Com-
panies Journal of the 18th inst. to sell, and told
me he would give me a halfpenny for each copy I
sold. I objected to a halfpenny as being too small
a remuneration, upon which he agreed to give me
a penny. I sold copies-in Gracechurch street, Fen-
church-street, and round the Bank. I was selling
the papers when an officer took me into custody.
Mr. Bodkiu here asked for a remand.
The defendant said he was neither the printer
nor the publisher of the newspaper, and that a
great deal that Mr. Bodkin had stated had nothing
whatever to d 3 with the case. He was a news-
paper agent and a canvaser for advertisements,
and had been in the habit of sending the news-
papers out for sale by regular newsvendors.
The Lord Mayor reminded the defendant that
the time had not arrived for his defence, and ad-
vised him to consult his solicitor before making any
further statement.
The defendant was then called upon to enter into
his own recognisances in the sum of 1001. to appear
ou a future day, which he did and left the court.

LAMBETH. —Alfred Strickland, a chemist,
No. 13, Bolingbroke-row, Walworth-road, and
who is a married man with a family, was brought
before Mr. Elliott on a charge of indecently as-
saulting William Rider, a boy of 1.4 years.
Remanded. -

WANDSWORTH. —Miss Susannah Phillips,
the daughter of a declared lunatic, was summoned
before Mr. Ingham, as the owner of a field in
Wandsworth in which a fair is usually holden on
Whit-Monday and the two following days, without
lawful authority.
An attorney attended on behalf of Miss Phillips,
as the committee of her father's property.
Mr. S. Fenn, the superintendent of the V divi-
sion, said he was directed. by Sir Richard Mayne to
proceed against the defendant, for the purpose of
obtaining his worship's order against the holding
of the annual fair on Whit-Monday and the two
following days. The fair was held in a field ad-
joining the railway station, and the occupier' was
the defendant.

The attorney said Miss Phillips was not the
occupier. The field was let to a man named Cox
for the whole of the year, with the exception of the
_ .

thrae days during the holding of the fair. The
occupation ceased at that time, and was again re-
let when the fair was over.

Mr. Fenn said' h 3 had seen Miss Phillips, and
she had told him that she did not intend to offer
any opposition to the fair now being held. She
also said that an offer bad been made to her for the
holding of the fair, and she was glad that she had
received the information in time. She further said
her father was a lunatic, and that last year the fair
was conducted by one of their awn men.
Mr. Ingham asked the attorney if he had any
proof to show that the fair was held by lawful
authority?
The attorney said be wished to explain that a
Commission of lunacy had been held upon Mr.
Phillips, who had been declared a lunatic. The
daughter had been appointel by the committee,
and the question would arise whether his worship
had the power of making the order, without the
consent of the Lord Chancellor.

Mr. Ingham said that would certainly raise a
doubt as to the legality of an order from him.
The attornay begged to be understood. that he
did not oppose the suppression of the fair. The
committee was placed iu an awkward position. She
bad rendered one account in which appeared the
sum of 55/. fox the holding of this fair. If it was
now abolished, that sum would be deficient in the
next year's accounts, and the Lord Chancellor
would say that she ought not to have disposed 'of
the property without his consent. The luna'ic
might recover and would say that his property had
not been disposed of to the best advantage. He
(the attorney) had books to show that the fair had
been held for the last 100 years, and was formerly
held in the High-street.
Mr. Ingham said be should dismiss the summons,
and the police could apply to the Lord Chancellor.
- Mr. Fenn was afraidthere was not sufficient time.
The summons was accordingly dismissed.

GUILDHALL.—Mr. Abbott, a fruiterer, in
Gracechurch-street, applied to Alderman Hum-
phery for Ids advice. He complained that, having
invested about 301. in'the Metropolitan and Gene-
ral Benefit Building 6ociety, whose office is in
Fenchurch-street he gave notice about eighteen
months ago to withdraw it, and notwithstanding
repeated applications since, he had not been able
to get his money back.
Alderman Hunaphery directed Mr. Roe, the
summoning officer of the court, to inquire into the
matter, and in consequence of an application made
by him to the society, Mr. White, the secretary,
attended yesterday, with the view of explaining
the, cause of the delay in paying Mr. Abbott's
claim.

Alderman Humphery—Now, Mr. Abbott, just
state your complaint in the presence of Mr. White.
Mr. Abbott—l deposited about 301. with the
Metropolitan anclGeneral Benefit Building Society,
and upon applying to withdraw that amount about
seventeen or eighteen months ago, I was told by
the secretary that I could have it in a few weeks ;
but I have not yet been able to get it.
Alderman Huniphery—Well, Mr. White, what
is the reason you did not pay Mr. Abbott's claim ?

- . • -
Mr. White—This is an enrolled, mutual society,
and the rules, which have been certified by Mr.
Tidd Pratt, do not allow any one member to claim
any advantage over the others. The complainant
wants his money out of his turn, against the rules
which have been made for the guidance of the
members ; and his claim cannot, therefore, be
entertained until there are funds to enable us to
pay him off. This society is in the same position
as many others that have been suddenly called
upon to repay money that had been advanced by
depositors.
A'derman Humphery—What is the total amount
of subscriptions you have received in,this society ?
Mr. White—About 20,0001., and during the last
twelve months the society has paid out about
2,0001. to members, and Mr. Abbott will receive
his money, with interest, in due time ; but there
are 84 on the list before him, and that number
will require about 1,100/, to pay off.
Alderman Rumphery.:—What interest do yrju
pay `l,
Mr. White-51. Bs. 6d. per cent., which is equal
to .5 per cent. for 13 montias instead of 2 1 - Some
of the claims lately paid off amount tQ 3001. and
4001. each.

Alderman Humphery- —Can the members with-
draw when they like
Mr. White—Yes, si e, but when so many mem-
bers withdraw at one time they must take the hinds
at hand as far as tb ey will go, fur it would not do
for us to borrow tr.oney while the rate is so high,
and pay 7 or 8 per cent, for it to repay money for
which we are only getting 5 per Cent.
Alderman Hurowhery—Well, Mr. Abbott, if you
have to wait foy: your principal, you get your inte-
rest upon it.

Mr. Abbot, —I have never had any interest yet.
Mr. White;—The interest is added to the princi-
pal, so that, when the funds will permit it he will
be paid in full. Mr. Abbott's claim is only about
331., inctuding interest, and as soon as the rate of
money is . easier we shall borrow money and pay him
off.

Alder man Humphery—What security have you
to offer iu borrowing money ?
Mr. White—Mortgages and title deeds held as
securit3 for loans to members in the shape of ad-
vanced shares.

Alderman Humphery—l do not understand this
balance-sheet you have produced. Perhaps you
will explain the items. How much do you owe
Mr. White—Our liabilities on the I,st of January
were about 4,0001., and we have semrity by mort-
gage to the amount of 13,0001. representing the
sbares advanced_ We only owe 4,0301. to mem-
bers, and. 0,0001. to bankers, solicitors, and others
for loans..

Alder man Rumphery—But do you part with
your nJortgagai for these loans, or what security do
You give, for bankers will not lend money without ?
M. White—We retain all the mortgage deeds in
our, pvin possessitm, and our directors burrow money
•

could be made, but the story offers striking evi-
dence of the extent to which the greatest enter-
prises may be affected by even small infractions of
sound commercial principles. Monopolies are just
as great mistakes now as in any former age of the
world. It may be undoubtedly desirable, and'in
some instances even imperatively necessary, to en- '
courage undertakings of high public utility but '
dubious commercial promise by the support
of a guarantee, but these considerations contain
no warrant for the addition of a monopoly
to boot. In the present instance, the ex-
clusive right of telegraphing across Newfound-
land a privilege to be regarded, perhaps,
with extreme unconcern apart from the oceanic ex-
tension of the wires—actually governs the Trans-
atlantic communication between the two Conti-
nents, and the effects of a monopoly have to be
overcome by. a State guarantee and Government
control. The Government may fix the rate of
c'►arge for the public, and therf ore for itself, but
it must make up the sum of its payments to
14,0001. at the end of each year. It may protect
the public from extortion, but only at the cost of
that kind of interference which must be trouble-
some to itself, and which we are not apt to regard
as conducive to good management. Finall.f, if
contrary to present expectation, any telegraphic
communication should be found practicable be-
tween our own coasts and points of the opposite
sh•ra not covered by the monopoly, Government
may remain committed to an unnecessary and un-
productive guarantee. As things stand, however,
there is not much to complain of. Compared with
the magnitude of the enterprise and the value of
the results, the amounts of the capital and the
guarantee involved are but small ; and, if, as wt
truss will be the case, th• experiment of next July
should prove successful, and the American Conti-
nent be brought within a few minutes aef our
shores upon reasonable terms of communication,
there will be no reason to regret the concession of
the guarantee. It is in principle rather than
effect that the Newfoundland monopoly is so
noticeable. It may seem an inconsiderable cir-
cumstance, or even wear the aspect of an excellen
bargain, if any company or association can be in-
duced to accomplish at their own- cost a most
desirable work on the sole condition that nobod
else shall be permitted to do it over again ; but
experience has taught us, and the present example
shows, that such a surrender of general rights may
eventually carry with it unexpected disabilities and
serious embarrassment. Enterprise, when beyond
the scope of private venture, may be fairly entitled
to public aid, but not to aid of, such a kind as may
strangle for the future all similar enterprise in the
same field.—Times.

BRITISH' EXPORTS AND ENTERPRISE,

To speak of the state of the country at the present
time is only to reheat continually the word " prospe-
rity." Both the United Kingdom and its colonies seen)
to be advancing in a career of material increase of which
it is impossible to predict the term. The accounts relat-
ing to trade and navigation for the first quarter of 1857
have just been published, and show an advance suffi-
ciently striking even on the prosperous year 1856. The
total declared value of the exports of the United King-

dom for the month of March was 10,456 3481. sterling,
and for the first quarter of the year 28,827,493/. Both
the month and the quarter show a considerable increase

over the corresponding terms in
_3 856 and 1855.

Totals
Males
Fomales
BIRTHS IN TUB WEEK.

1,043 1,065
539
526

Males
Females

904
884

1,788

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.
Thomas Owen, builder, Liverpool.
BA.NKR'UPTS.

HEALTH 01P LONDON DURING THE victualler--Ist dividend of 23. 112 d., any Wednesday, at
WEEK. ; Whitmore's, Basingball-street.
As_ William -
Puddieombe, Bridge-street, Southwark, iron-

(From, the .Report of the Registrar-Central. ) monger—ist dividend of is 9d, any Wednesday, at Whit-
In the week that ended on Saturday 1,065 deaths more's, Basioghall-street.
Junes Divi4s, Newport' Monmouthshire, currier—divi-
were registered inLondon,
London, a number which differs dend of ss, May 6, and any subsequent Wednesday, at Mil-
only in a small degree from those of the two previ- I lot's, Bristol.
ous weeks. In the ten years 1847-56 the average I
number of deaths in the weeks corresponcling with
last week was 1,048. Bat as the deaths•of last
week occu red in an increasel population, the
average, to admit of comparison, should be r wised '
in proportion to the increase, in which case it will
become 1,153. The result is that the num' • now
returned is less by 88 than the de ;tits thatisrould
have occurred if the average rate of mortality had
pre7ailed.
The births registered last week weee 1,788 ; they
were numerous enough to supply the vacancies
canted by death, and to contribute, moreover, 723
lives to the increase of population.
Although the weather has lately been change-
able, and on some days of an ungarial character, it
does not appear as yet to have fatally aggravated
those complaints which are most subject to its in-
fluence. The deaths caused by diseases of the re-
spiratory organs were last week 205, having been
in the two previous weeks 222 and 200. The cor-
rected average for last week is 200. From brin-
ct,itis and pneumonia together 179 persons died
iast week ; of these 83 were children less than three
years old. Whooping-cough continues to be the
most fa.,al of the diseases in the zymotic class—:t
numbers 57. One death from smallpox occurred
in the west district, arid 2 in the north • there
were none in any other part of the metropolis. The
:eaths from typhus (and common fever) declined
To 29, of which 14 occurred in the east districtQ.
Ile west districts return n )ne from fever. A case
of bronchitis and typhoid fever which proved fatal
in Somers-town is sta'ed by the medical attendant
to have arisen from the opening of a foul drain in
the house. Scarlatina was fatal in 20 cases, 3 of
which occurred in the sub-district of Kennington
(Ist part), in houses t. at are situated not 100 yards
trom each other. In one of these houses 6 perscns
have been attacked with scarlatina, and 2 of them
have died. Four nonagenarians, all women, died
in the week ; the oldest, a widow, iu the Hornsey-
road, had attained the rge of 96 yea-s. Two cases
of intemperance are recorded in the present return.
Last weak the births of 904 boys and 884 girls,
in ag 1,788 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the ye ors I 847-56
the average number was 1,583.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.882 in.
The mean rtadin,gs on Monday and Tuesday were
.hove 30 in. The highest reading was 30 14 in.
on Monday. The mean temperature of the weer
was 46.6 deg., which is 0.6 deg. below the average
of the same week in 43 years. On Sunday the
mean temperature was 564 deg., which is 9 9 deg.
above the average of the same day ; it continued
above the average t,ill Wednesday ; and on the last
three days it was from 7 deg. to 9 deg. t elow it.
The higheit reading was obtained on Sunday, and
was 69 deg. ; the lowest was on Friday—viz., 28.2
deg., showing a range of temperature equal to 40.8
deg. in the week. The mean dew-point tempera-
ture was 40.1 deg., and the cliff,Tence between this
and the mean temperature of the air was 6.5 deg.
The wind in the beginning of the week was for the
most part in the south-west; on the last three d .ys
it was generally in the north-east. Rain fell to the
amount of 0.32 in., most of which fell on Wednes-
day. Hail fell on Friday. The last three days
are described as very cold and bleak.

DIVIDENDS.

May 20. R. Redman (separate 'estate), Mark-lane, City,
wharlinger—E Redmaniseparate estate); Mark-lane, City,
wharfinger—W. Bailey, Jun , Buttesland-street, 'lloxton,
carver—W. Bardgett (separate estate), Old Broad-street,
City, merchant—May 19. B. Collis, Bishops Stortford
Herd()) dshire, draper--A. Gibson, Grant St. Helen A, City,
ship and insurance broker---May 20. T. Koowles, Seymour-
street, Euston-square, chemist—C. A. Markham, Godman-
chester, Hunringdonehire, currier—May 19. E. Crofts,
West-plade, St. Luke's, hearth rug 1113E1 LI fact tire r —C.
G-aigeri Winchester, draper -O Gra3 G reat Tower-street,
(AV, builder—May 20. L Pearson, Rochdale Lancashire,
wholesale grocer— J. Whittaker, Bulge-End, near New-
church, Lancashire, cotton manufacturer--May 22. J. A.
Jacques and L. Selig— May 21. J. A. Jacques (separate
estate)—J. Mitchell, Crew's Hale and Westbnry-upou-
Trym, Gloucestershire, copper and lead smelter—Ana
Rees, Llanelty, C ,rmartheushire, grocer—R. Radnor,
Presteign, Radnorsh;re, maltrter—F. Every, Exeter, and
St. Thomas the Apostle, Devonshire, scrivener.—May 20.
J. F. Reeves' (separate estate), Taunton, Sotnersetshire,
scrivener—O. Reeves (separate estate), Taunton, Seiner-
setshit e, scrivener—G. Puckria, Tunstall, Staffordshire,
grocer.

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED
IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Zymotic Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat
Tubercular Diseases
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 56
Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of
Respiration 205
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion . 73
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of'the Uterus, &c.
'Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles .. 10
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
Malformations 5
Premature Birth and Debility 23'
Atrophy 37
Old Age
Sudden ll
Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 23
i Causes not specified

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES 1,065
Population Deaths in corre- Dett s
Enumerated. sponding week in tbe
1851. of 1856. Week.
West Districts
North Districts 490,396 ' 222 ...... 230
Central Districts 393,256
East Districts 485,522
South Districts

From the London dazette of Last Night

COMMISSION SIGNED BY TFIE QUEEN.
East York Militia—James White Minchin, Esq., late
Captain in the 62d Regiment of Foot, to be Aljutant,
from the 2tith Feb., 1857, vice Cradock, resigned.
COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD-LIEUTENANTS.
East York Regiment of Militia—Adjutant Jas. White
Itinchin to serve with the rank of Captain.
3d Regiment of the Duke of Lancaster Own Militia—
Thomas Monk, Esq., M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Brandt,
deceased.

Elizabeth Silby Small, plumber, Foothill-place, Clap- I
ham-road, to surrender May 7, at one, and June 9, at
eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee,
Coleman-street-buildings ; Fraser and May, Dean-street,
Soho.
Joseph Brew, grocer, Yarmouth, Lie of Wight, May 9,
at eleven, and June 11, at two, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basingball-street ; Har-
rison and Lewis, New Boswell-court, Lincoln's-inn ;
Eldridge, Newport, Isle of Wight.
Robert M`Lean and James M`Lean, builders, Huhn°,
May 15 and June 12, at twelve, at the Manchester Dis-
trict Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Manchester ;
Rowley, Manchester.
George Alexander Hewitt, chemist and druggist, Derby,
May 12, and Juno 9, at half-past ten, at the Shirehall,
. • Nottingham. Harris, official assignee, Nottingham ; Robo-
tham, Derby ; James, Birmingham.
William Tacker and John Amine, potato merchants,
Selby, Yorkshire, May 8, and June 5, at eleven, at the
Leeds District Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds;
Hodgson, Selby ; Bond and Barwick, Leeds.
Thomas Harnson, timber merchant, Maidstone, May 11
and June 10, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Nicholson, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Bennett,
Ludgate-hill.
Paskell Garrard, wine merchant, Little Tower-
street, May 13. at half-past twelve, and June 15, at one,
at the Court of Bankruptcy. Penne], official assignee,
Guildhall-chambers ; Young and Plews, Mark-lane.
George Parker, grocer, Leeds, May 11, ht' half-pa'st
eleven, and June 8, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court.
Hope, official assignee, Leeds ; Richardson and Zadler,
01,1 Jewry-chambers; Bond at d Barwick, Leeds.
Henry Walters and Benjamin Walters, druggists, Al-
freton, Derby, May 16 and June .13, at ten,
sat
effitheeCld ; un.
Council-
, hall, Sheffield. Brewin, official assignee, h
win, Sheffield.
Henry Markinfield Addey, bookseller and publisher,
Coventgarden, May 12, at half-past two, and June 12, at
half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards,
official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Cooper and Hodgson,
Gray's-inn.
Alfred Hinton, druggist and grocer, Birmingham, May
11 and June 8, at half-past tan, at the Birmingham Dis-
trict Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ;
Griffiths and Blcxham, Birmingham.