The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-02 00:00:00

EVENING, MAY 2, lB5O.

PUNCH'S HANDBOOK TO HER
MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Leaving for awhile the regions of royalty, we descend
for a moment to the fluor of the house, a floor which Mr.
John O'Connell, a moribund notoriety, might be ex-
cused for a desire to die upon. The floor to which we
allude is the parterre of her Majesty's Theatre—a par-
terre abounding in flowers, some of which are of the
most exquisite beauty, some a little full-blown, some
rather faded, and a few that might be a eeded out with
advantage to the general appearance of the locality.
Among the flowers of the parterre there is a slight
sprinkling cf the Pinks of elegance; a large assortment
of the White Stocks, which give a sort of starched regu-
larity to the scone; a strip or two of London Pride;
and a goodly collection of those highly respectable
tenants of the soil, that, although neither forced in the
hot-beds of luxury, nor connected with the old roots of
venerable ancestral trees, are a very favourable specimen
of the productions of the land in which they flourish.
There may be occasionally remarked in the parterre
the sudden appearance of an object surmounted with a
hat, nu object which is always looked upon in the light
of a scarecrow among the surrounding flowers. Some-
times the pleasing aspect of the place is impaired by the
waddling in of a pair of ducks; but though ducks are
net positively prohibited from entering the parterre,
there is about them the awkward air of raree ayes, and
they are very seldom met with.
The visitors to the realms of Opera is the height of
the season include all the compor.ent parts of that vast
mass commonly termed Society, the analysation ofwhich
would be a process almost too vast for the resources of
chemistry, even were we disposed to submit society to
all the various tests. Within the realms of Opera, how-
ever, there are some wonderful combinations of various
quaLties and properties, which amalgamate only here, as
if there was something in the softening and refining air
of the place which blends into harmony those matters,
which are antagonistic everywhere else.
We find, for instance, in her Majesty'a Theatre, the
laws of political chemistry suspended, as it were, in the
rigorous harshness of their operation, for we witness
the correction of Protectionist Acidity, the fusion of
Whig Oil with Radical Vinegar, and the easy mixture
of the Sublimate cf Aristocratic Alkali with the com-
mon Potash of the numerous essential extracts of which
Society is formed. It is difficult to account for this
phenomenon, when we remember that there is in the
social structure a chilly ingredient which seldom can be
got above freezing point, and our only solution is, that
in the genial sunshine of the realms of Opera, every
quality is held for the time in solution by means of that
liquid harmony we have already spoken of, which could
melt the snow that caps the summit of that Mountain, in
his own opinion, and Molehill in other people's—an up-
start Lord.
Besides the neutralisation of political acids, the eva-
poration of aristocratic airs, the giving off cif vapours
which are invariably dissipated at the Opera, and other
great chemical results of the delightful climate, all lead-
ing to the harmonious blending of a variety of naturally
repugnant parts, we may look upon many of the boxes
as little laboratories themeelves, for the formation of
other unions of a still more delicate kind. Here
is carried on the great science of Maternal Alchemy, the
art of match-making, which consists in the happy com-
bination of objects possessing various properties, as dis-
tinguished from the unhappy combination of objects pos-
sessing no property at all. The mysteries of Maternal
Alchemy are practised with immense success in
the regions of Opera, where they can be car-
ried on with far more effect than in that most laborious cf
laboratories, a crowded drawing-room,• where the fair
practitioner finds herself, after all, in the position of an
exhausted receiver, with no satisfactory result achieved.
In an Opera box the best ingredients required for
match-making can be used to the best advantage, and
e might, without difficulty, furnish a manual of meter-
nal chemistry for the guide of those desirous of prac-•
rising the art. For instance, we might suggest a pro-
cess like the following, which has often been adopted
with success. Having found the objects you ;wish to
bring into union, you must place them together in the
same box. Use a good quantity of the essential oil of
Macassar, for capillary attraction has been known to
exercise a very powerful influence, and, by the means
of these oils, external properties have been made to sup-
ply the place of a vacuum within. With the materials
for combustion thus prepared, you must be careful to
prevent contact with ordinary spades, lest spontaneous
combustion should take place in a 1 quarter for
which you were not prepared. In making up
your mind as to the object you are about to introduce
fur the purpose of union, you must take care that, in
selecting anybody, you select one that is—in chemical
language—a solvent, fur if you should happen to hit upon
an in-solvent, not only would your labour be thrown
away, but a terrible explosion might ensue, and, in any
union that should take place, both the objects would be
kept constantly in hot water through the inability of one
of them to liquidate. The ascertaining a body to be a
solvent is a very delicate process, and it is sometimes
attempted by the application of a variety of tests, which,
however, are not always to be relied upon, for several
bodies have been known, when under the melting opera-
tion, to give out a quantity of gold, of which there may
have been a little loose upon the surface, without
its being a fixed property of tho object, which has
turned out to be anything but a solvent at last.
There are numerous properties favourable to the for-
mation cf a matrimonial union, but care must be taken
that these ;properties are not ,neutralised by others.
of a different kind. The extract of roses in the com-
plexion has, for instance, been frequently known to fail,
in consequence of its being made up of some deleterious
compound when nature has failed to furnish the usual
supply; and the pearliest of teeth will go for nothing, if
the speech is sour, for vinegar will dissolve the finest
pearls. In Matrimonial, as in other chemistry, the re-
tort is serviceable when used with discretion, but a re-
tort must on no account whatever be so negligently ma-
naged as to lead to an explosion, or blow-up. The
theory of refraction and reflection is also to be studied
by the match-making experimentalist, for, in giving out
rays of light or sunshine from the countenance, it is use-
less to give them. out *upon anybody of such density
that the rays do not penetrate; but when a refraction
takes place, and one object consequently becomes re-
fractory, the other object has a tendency to reflection,
and no union is formed. The maternal alchemist has,
however, only to manage matters with care and prte;
deuce, for success to crown her efforts, and, though the
machinery is rather expensive—consisting of the cost of
a box, to form what may be called " the plant"—the re-
sult is generally achieved in a single season, after which
the laboratory may be given up for a repetition of
similar experiments by other hands. Having carried
our remarks on the chemistry of matrimonial combina-
tions to a considerable length, we will pause, lest we.
make the reader feel as if his head were a mortar, and.
every paragraph we pour into it a fresh drug. In treat-
ing of the physical aspects of our subjeots, we have got
for a time into a sort of Apothecaries' Hall, which we
hasten to get out of, and to return to Her Majesty's
Theatre, where we hope to be found again by the reader
next week.—Punch.

Sst 121 b; five and upwards, 9it 31b; mares and geld-
ings allowed 31b. The winner to be sold for 200
sews., if demanded, and allowances of to be sold for
less. D. M.
Mr. W.Ed ward's Whitstone,s yrs,gst 1116 (W. Boy c,a) 1
Col. Peel's Vasa, 4 yrs, 7st 111 b (Flatman) 2
Sir J. Gerard's Jest, 5 yrs, 7st 71b (G. Brown) 3
Lord Bateman's Goodwood, 4 yrs, 7st 51b (Chapph ) 4
Lord Exeter's Visite, 3 yrs, sst 111b...(W. iforlocli ) 5
Mr. Roger's f by the Earl of Richmond, dam by
Glaucus, 3 yrs, 6st I Ilb (Dockeray ) 6
Betting-2 to 1 agst Vasa, sto 2 agst Jest, and 4to
I agst Goodwood. Won by two lengths, Vasa betting
Jest by a length, the latter finishing nearly two lengths
before Goodwood. Run in 1 min. 47 sec.

Sweepstakes of 50 sous. each, h ft, for three yra old;
colts, Bst 71b; fillies, Bst 31b; those got by stallions, or
out of mares that never bred a winner, allowedi 3!b..
D.M. (14 Subs.)
Duke of Bedford's Bordeaux, Bst 71b (F. Butler) 1
Mr. Combe's Necklace, Bst (R. Cotton) 2
Lord Exeter's Nutcracker, Bst 41b (Flatman.) 3
Betting-2 to lon Bordeaux. A very hollow race
from first to last, the favourite waiting into the cc rds,
and winning in a canter by two lengths. Run in 1 min.
50 arcs.

Sweepstakes of 50 SOW. each, for four yrs old and up-
wards. T.Y.C. (3 Subs.)
Mr. Payne's Crucible, 4 yrs, 7st Slb (Flatman) 1
Lord Clifden's Rathmines, 6 yrs, Bst 71b (Pearl) 2
.1.41 Glasgow's fby Lanercost, 4 yrs, 7st 41b (Pettit) 3
Betting-2 to lon Crucible, who led from end to
end, and won easily by half a length. Run in 1 win.
16 secs.

Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, and only 5 if
declared, &c., for three yrs old and upwards. A.F.
(6 Subs.. three of whom pay 5 sous ft.)
Mr. Barnes's Sotterley, 5 yrs. Bst 12Ib (FJatman) 1
Mr. C. Marson na Pius IX., 5 yrs, 7st 9lb ...(Pettit)
Lord W. Powlett's Give and Take, 3 yrs, 6st 121 b... 3
Betting-5 to 4 agst Give and Take, 6 to 4 agst Sot- ;
terley, and 7to 2 agst Pius IX. Won cleverly by three
parts of a length, Pius IX. beating Give and Tako by
half a length. Run in 2 min. 22 sees.

Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each, for three yrs old colts, Bst
71b; fillies,Bat 21b, not engaged in the 2,000 Guineas

or 1,000 Guineas Stakes; 4lbs allowed, &c. A.F.
(5 Subs.)
Duke of Rutland's Ondinc, Tat 121 b (Boyce) 1
Mr. Combe's The Trump. Bst 31b (R. Cotton) 2
Mr. Ford's Satire, 7st 121 b
Betting-5 to 4 each agst Ondine and Satire, and sto
4 agst The Trump.

Satire cut out the work at a moderate pace to the
bushes, where itwas taken up by Ondine, who maintained
it to the end, and won very cleverly by a length. Run
in 2 min. 25 sec.

Handicap Plate of 50L; for four yrs old and upwards.
Cesarewitch Course.

Duke of Rutland's Fire-eater, 4 yrs, 7st 81b (Chapple) 1
Capt. Lowther's Watchdog, 6 yrs, 7st 11b (Dockeray) 2
Betting-7 to 2on Fire-eater. The favourite made
all the running from the ditch, and won cleverly by a
length; the horses having only trotted for the first mile,
it would be absurd to give the time in which the race
was run.

BETTING ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

ONE THOUSAND-GUINEAS STAKES.
6to 5 agst Exotic filly Isto 1 agst California
2 to 1 agst Tiff

OAKS.
10 to 1 sgst Exotic filly 115 to 1 agst Probity
10 to 1 agst Tiff

DERBY.
Offers to take 15 to 1 ahout Ghillie Callum.
NEWMARKET, WEDNESDAY.
ENTRIES TOR THURSDAY.
Queen's Plate. R.C.

Sir Peter Laurie, 6 yrs—Setterley, 5 yrs—Dover, 5
yrs—Fernbill, 5 yrs—Firs-ewer, 4 yrs—ltetail, 4 yrs.
Sweepstake for two years old. T.Y.C.
Beaufort—ch f by Slane, out of Receipt—Lady Stuart
—Nineveh.
Sweepstakes for three years old. T.Y.C. Winner to

be sold for 150 sous.
Falcon—br cby the Nub out of Harmony—c by
Gla-
diator, out of Revival—Rose Pompon—Nuthatch.
Sweepstakes for three years old. First half of Ab. M.

_
Winner Co bo sold for SO sovs.
Falcon—b fby Nutwith, out of Agnes—Visite—Paul
—Bullfinch—Dolly's Brae—Diligence.

LATEST BETTING.
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
ONE THOUSAND GUINEA STAKES.
sto 4 agst Exotic filly 1 Bto 1 agst California
2 to 1 twat Till'

CHESTER CUP.
8 tol t Peep-o'-day Boy 16 to 1 agst Ellerdale
0 to I agst Essedarius 16 to 1 agst Chantrey
2 to 1 agst Miss Ann 30 to 1 agst John Cosser
4to 1 apt Glauca 160 to 1 agit Collingwood
4 to 1 apt Fogleman

DERBY.
6 to 1 agst Bolingbroke l4 to 1 agst The Nigger
3to 1 agst Ghillie Callum' 17 to 1 agst Mildew (t)

OAKS.
.0 to 1 agst Tiff I 15 to 1 apt Probity.
Bto 1 agst Exotic filly I

CRICKET.

ELEVEN OF ENGLAND v. TWENTY-TWO OF CARLISLE

AND DISTRICT.

This match was commenced at Carlisle on Tuesday. It
is the first grand match of the season. The following is the
score of the first day's play :

ENGLAND-FIRST INNINGS.

Adams, b Lawrence 0
Clarke, b Wright ......
Parr, run out..
Box, b Thompson 27
Chatterton, b Anderson
N. Felix, Esq., b Thompson ..... ........ .... ... 12
A. Alynn, Esq., b Anderson
Guy, b Wright
➢lartingell, not out
Wisden, not 0ut.... 1
Hillyer
Byes, 7; wide, 7; no ball, 4 ..

Total 147

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—A paragraph appears in 3 our journal of last
evening, signed "H. Dempster," professing to give the
results of the author's inquiries on the subject of who and
what are the Fishmongers' Company. 1 have neither
time or inclination to enter into a controversy with one
who has made such vague and superficial inquiries on
the subject. But I think Mr. Dempster will find on in-
quiry that the Fishmongers' Company appoint two free-
men, who act as the compan3's meters to prevent the
landing and sale of unwholesome fish within the juris-
diction of London and its suburbs, the salaries of whom
are paid by the company. The other statements of this
astute and painstaking inquirer are equally void of
truth, and are gross perversions of the actual facts of the
case, and I would recommend him before he again trou-
bles the public press on such a subject to consult "Her-
bert's History of the Twelve Livery Companies," where
he will get all the information he requires, and thus save
both his time and credit.—Yours, obediently.
April 25, 1850. VERAX.

SPOONER AND ROGERS' SEVEN MILE MATCH FOR
THIRTY SOVEREIGNS.—This interesting affair came off yes-
terday at the Flora Gardens, Bayswater. Young Spooner,
whose name has recently been L.• o much before the public
from his defeat of Ferguson, and his twenty mile match in
three hours tor 100/., was pitted against Rogers, a well-tried
fast one of the old school, giving him half a minute start. In
this half minute Rogers managed to get over about 140 yards.
The style of his going seeming to be, as Lady Macbeth says,
" stand not on the order of your going—but, go !" And so
he did, and as he was not turned by the referee, we chari-
tably suppose he was walking. The consequence of this, and
Spooner feeling even too much confidence was, that Rogers
at three miles and a half actually cleared 240 yards, or a
clear less of the ground, and came alongside Spooner. The
betting now changed, and slight odds could be had that
Rogers won.. -At four miles Spooner let go in fearful earnest.
Ile walked clean away from -the " ould un" at a terrific bat,
and in a mile bad made up eighty or ninety yards; at five
miles he was about the same distance in front; in the sixth he
made it safe by coming within thirty or forty yards of Rogers,
having made up the turn deficient previously. In the seventh
mile he walked by his man ad lib., and won by a sovereign a
yard of the distance between them.

Ma. LEIGH MURRAY.—This popular and talented
light comedian, who so ably fills the situation and discharges
the duties of stage-manager of the Strand Theatre, has an-
nounced his benefit for Friday night. Few actors of the day
have so rapidly acquired the favourable ear of the play-
goingt part of the public as this gentleman, whoses
notver sae
histrionic ability may be equalled, but certainly i
sur-
passed by any actor in the same line of business. The bil
fare he has provided for the occasion is highly calculated to
please the palates of his nunieroustadmirers, and will
of itself be sufficient to secure him a bumper. The
comedy of London Assurance, strongly cast, stands first, then
recitation by the venerable though never fading Mrs.
comesGlover.a
This will be followed by the Eton Boy, and the en-
tertainment will close with an introduction to that droll
fellow, Compton, as
Friend Waggles. There is only one
reason to apprehend disappointment. It is quite clear the
little house in the Strand will turn out to be too small to ac-
commodate all who will be anxious to be present
EAST INDIA HOUSE.—ELECTION OF A DIRECTOR.
—Yesterday a general Court of the East India Company was
held at their house in Leadenhall.street for the election of a
director, in the room of Major-General Sir A. Galloway,
K.c.8., deceased. The only candidates were Major J. A.
Moore and Mr. 11. T. Prinsep. The poll commenced at
o'clock and closed at 6. The result was made known
shortly after 10 o'clock, when the scrutineers, accompanied
by several of the directors and the candidates, entered the
Court-room. The chair was then taken by Captain East-
wick, and the numbers were announced as follows :—For
Major J. A. Moore, 1,096 ; for Mr. H. T. Prinsep, 1,026 ;
majority 70. Major J. A. Moore was thereupon declared
duly elected a director, and the Court then adjourned.
CONTINENTAI. TRAFFIC.—The South-Eastern and
Continental Company's steam-ship the Prince Ernest sailed
from Folkestone harbour for Boulogne at noon yesterday,
with 47 passengers; and the Princess Mary arrived from
Boulogne, bringing 80 passengers, amongst whom were Lady
Chesterfield, the Earls of Aylesbury, Wilton, and Sandwich,
the Count Avigdor, Mr. Lambton, &c., with several car-
riages and horses.

THE ARCTIC EXPEDlTlON.—lntelligence has just
been received of the arrival of Mr. Roe and Commander
Pullen, of the Plover, at the Mackenzie; thus establisbing
the fact that Sir John Franklin's party had not reached any
part of the coast between Behring's Strait and the Copper
Mine, whilst the check which Mr. Roe appears to have re-
ef ived in his course to the north of the Copper Mine tends to
give increased importance to the quarter eastward of that
position.
GRAY'S INN, MAY I.—At a Pension of the Hon-
ourable Society of Gray's Inn, holden this day, Henry, Wu._
liam Vincent, Esq., her Majesty's Remembrancer in the
Court of Exchequer, was called to the degree of Barrister at
Law.
INCOME-Tax IRELAND.—In a return which
has just appeared the amount of property assessed under
schedule I), arising from securities and possessions in Ireland
iu the year ending April,
.1349, is stated to have been
734,352/. The amount of dividends ander schedule Cin the
public funds was 106,3091., and the amount of salaries as_
owed gado; actiodalo B WM 82,7326

!,

,!.;

,
~;L.,t__ -,f,.-.\
NAVAL COURTS-MARTIAL,. .::''7.-'77 - - ----d 0,
(From the Portsmouth Times and Naval QaZette;) .-: i :4:.--,-1-,g''. ti
If we were asked, what, in our opinion, is\ the most , f
.sj:s.si
inscrutable, unintelligible, perplexing thing upon earth; e re-,
,'_.:..'' i'
we should be inclined to answer, a naval courtemartial;_ , --24,r, AI
for its doings baffle all calculation, and are pas/441fiing , ti
, ~ „, ..,:s--
out. We defy the man who is best versed in th 6 !We& i :Ifn .11-P4
courts-martial, and the recognised rules of the service, to
predict the effect which evidence will produce upon the
judges of such courts upon any particular occaeion, or
even to make a tolerable guess as to what decision they
will come. In several recent cases these courts have, upon
precisely a similar state of facts, pronounced diametrically
opposite decisions : one officer has been acquitted, while
another, to all men's eyes but the court's, far less blame-
able, has been condemned, and this, with a reckless dis-
regard of both private sufferings and public opinion, as
if the Honourable Court was solely bent upon furnish-
ing a naval illustration cf the old adage, " One may
steal a horse, while another is hanged for only looking
over the hedge."
The case of Commander Michell, just dismissed from
the command of her Majesty's sloop Sappho, by sentence
of a court-martial held last month, on board of her Ma-
jesty's ship Imaum, Commodore Bennett (President of the
Court), the chief prcceedings of which will be found re-
ported in another column of our paper, justifies UF, in
our estimation, fur the reflections we have cast upon
judgment afloat.
The salient points of Commander Michelest case
are succinctly as follow :—Sappho, through the ob-
stinacy cf a second-waster, lent her by Imaum, her
own matter being laid up dangerously ill in hospital,
and the negligence cr conceit of a young lieutenant,
who, in spite of the express command of his
captain, written in his night order, would not keep
the leaf going, ran upon one ot the innumerable reefs
in the bay of Honduras, on the 6th of December last,
the weather having been thick and rainy for several
previous days. We need not do more than remind
our nautical readers of the rapidity as well as incal-
culable variability of the currents in the Gulf of
Mexico and its adjacent bays, its fogs and atmospheric
perturbations—rain, hail, snow, and vapours—in dreary
December, and they will properly appreciate the difficul-
ties with which Commander Mitchell was surrounded.
He appears to have been unremitting in his personal case
to provide against casualties, he took the best obser-
vations hecould in the weather which prevailed, and again
and again told the master lent him from the flag-ship,
that he thought he was wrong in his reckoning as to the
ship's position. The master persisted in his own opi-
nion, and the commander, as the rules of the service
require, yielded up his own judgment. After taking
the utmost care that his anchors, cables, b: ate,
&a, were fit for instant service on the occurrence of
any emergency, ',and leaving strict written orders
that the lead should be kept constantly going,
Commander Michell went below to snatch some
short repose. Sappho ran aground during his brief at-
scence from the deck, upon tho Seal Cays upon
which her Majesty's ship Spitfire was wrecked a few
years ago, where she left her bones, and everything be-
longing to her, except her crew, who barely saved their
lives. Tho same was the case with twelve other
merchant vessels lost upon the same reef about tke
same time with Sappho's disaster. Spitfire's com-
mander and crew were brought to trial for her loss, and
honourably acquitted. But Sappho, with all her sticks,
guns, anchors, and stores, was rescued from the yawning
and hungry deep by the admirable skill and indefatiga-
ble perseverance ot her commander and gallant crew,
who declared at his trial, with emphatic and affecting
simplicity, that his conduct had uniformly Leec " good,
nothing but good." But let us note en passant, that by
recent rules, as the complaints of a ship's company do not
damage an oppressive officer—" Discipline must be ere-
forct d, sir"—so the favourable testimony of his crew
does not avail their commander on his day of trial—" He
is too indulgent. sir; under such officers the service would
go to the devil!"

After a torturing suspense of three months' duration,
Commander Mitchell was brought to a trial, which
was protracted through three tedious days. He
was then sentenced to be dismissed his ship,
the Court, at the same time, pronouncing their
opinion that the testimony of all the witnesses
against the prisoner, except that of the surgeon, whose
evidence was on a collateral point unconnected with the
loss of Sappho, was "frivolous and malicious."
We will not attempt to describe the puzzled astonish-
ment which, we are informed directly from Port Royal,
was produced by this amazing verdict, but will pause to
ask in what a position do the officers commanding her
Majesty's ships now wand? If a captain differs in
opinion from his master as to a ship's proper course,
and explains his reasons for differing (Commander
Michell's case), and that master does not formally re-
linquish charge, the rules of the service require the
captain to defer to the master's judgment. He may, to
be sure, call upon the master to give up charge, and
place him under arrest if he refuses, but if a mishap
afterwards occurs, what is the captain's fate? Certain
dismissal from his ship, and probable dismissal from the
service altogether!

Again, supposing the captain, after patiently unfold-
ing his own views, yields to the master, and the ship is
lost, what then? Commander Michell's case shows that
he is still dismissed his ship. The Court pronounced
Commander Michell guilty of " great negligence in
steering and conducting" his ship, for the proper super-
intendence of which he had a master sent him from the
flag-ship, to whose judgment the rules of the service
con train him to deter: the Court with the same breath
stigmatizing the said master's evidence as " frivolous and
malicious," yet concluding thus: "therefore, this Court
adjudges Commander Michell to be dismissed his ship."
Oh, fie! on such a " therefore." Is not its logical se-
quence from such premises tantamount to the reasoning
of some solemn wiseacre who should syllogise thus: the
angles of an equilateral triangle are equal to two right
angles, therefore mustard is a good accompaniment to
pork chops.

We are almost sorry for having entertained aludi-,
crous idea while discus:4ng a case so provocative of in-
dignation, so truly alarming to every naval officer who
cannot, if in trouble, evoke the most sweet voices of
Greenwich electors to his rescue, but the absurdity of
this court-martial is irresistibly comic as well as crud.
We have by no means said our say upon it, but we can
only to-day notice a fact or two without comment for
the present. Three of the six officers composing the
court belonged to the Admiral's flag-ship, and the day
after Commander Mlchell's dismissal Flag-Lieutenant
the Ilonourable Arthur Cochrane, the Admiral's son, was
appointed to her. We make no unkind comments upon
this paternal act, we impute no unworthy motives, but
will others be equally forbearing?

CENTRAL GAS CONSUMERS' COMPANY.—The first
half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was held on Tuesday
afternoon at the London Tavern ; Mr. Thomas Dakin in the
chair. The secretary read the report of the directors as to
the state of the company up to the present time. After de-
tailing matters which have already been before the public,
the report stated that the directors had entered into con-
tracts to supply the inhabitants along the line from Bow-
common to the City with gas as soon as the mains were laid
down ; and they had also agreed to supply the inhabitants
of Dlile-end Old Town, andother places near it, within twelve
months after they had commenced supplying the city of
London. The receipts, up to the 30th of April, 1850, were
32,0091. 19s. ld., and the directors wished that the third
call should be paid up, as they were anxious to have the
amount of 75,0001. at command before commencing laying
down their pipes. The works at Bow-common were pro-
ceeding rapidly, and the wharf at Limehouse had been com-
pleted. The retort-house and station-meter-house were
rapidly proceeding, and the excavations for the purifying.
house and for the tanks for the two large gasometers were
finished and ready for the construction of the brickwork. In
the event of the trustees of the Essex-roads continuing to
refuse the company permission to lay down their mains, the
cost of diverging from them would not exceed 5001., a cost
which it might be judged better to incur than the delay
until the passing of the Bill. The cost of the mains to Mile-
end Old Town and Whitechapel would not exceed 10,000/.,
as no great lengths of pipe.were :required. This report was
received and adopted, and the meeting (which was a very
full one) separated, after a vote of thanks to the chairman.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY.--
In the event of the Royal Academy giving up their rooms to
the National Gallery, would it not both be desirable and
practicable to make one uniform and connected building of it,
by doing away with the present entrance to the barracks, and
ass under
thence
eeman e archway
out i nteTarta
itahi
ge
alevel u
ao
rt
etbhye
and
ofpr se
mp
basement,letting t the
an inclined plane ? The farthest entrance near St. Martin's
Church might be done away with altogether, considering the
little use it is of to the public.—Builder.
FATAL EXPLOSION AT MENAI-BRIDGE.—OR Thurs-
day evening last Mr. John Thomas, one of the firm of Messrs.
R. and J. Thomas, druggists, met with his death in the fol.
lowing sudden and awful manner : —lt seems he was very
fond of reading chemical works, and of trying chemical ex-
periments. On the above evening he was maing some de-
tonating powder (probably for the first time), and having
had the ingredients properly dried proceeded to mix them
together in a Wedgwood mortar, when the friction of the
pestle caused the powder to explode. The explosion, which
was attended with a very loud and strange report, shivered
the mortar, bottles, jars, window, &c., to atoms. Mr. Thomas
immediately ran through the back door to the house of a
neighbour opposite, where he immediately fell. and weltering
own blood almost instantly expired. Mr. Cb ar ler,
surgeon, of Bangor, who had just left the bridge, was _aw
a
s imme-
diately sent for, and having been found at Gorphwy t
- help a
on the spot in a few minutes, but too late to be of any to
of the mortar,
the young man. It turned out that a portion_
ed the groin, or some other broken fragment, hadentered
rapid log of 'and
penetrated the main artery, the great and
thumb blood
from which caused almost instant death. The of the
left hand was almost completely severed at the joint which
attaches it to the wrist, a narrow piece of skin on the outside
alone keeping up the connexion. Numerous small pieces of
glass had also penetrated the flesh about the face and head.
The apprentice was the only.personi the shop at the time.
Ile was looking out at the window, having his back turned
towards Mr. Thomas at the moment of
the explosion. Two
pieces, o f the entire thickness of the mortar, about an inch
square, lodged in his arm. Mr Charter dressed the wounds.
and we understand he likely
is to do well. An inquest was
held on Friday morning on the body of Mr. Thomas, when
f Accidental death"
a verdict o was returned. The de-
ceased was a very amiable and steady young man.—Cheater
Courant.

FATAL EXPLOSION.—TLYMOUTH APRIL 30.—The
Lestwithiel powder-works, at Herod's Riot, five miles west o
Liskeard, exploded at nine o'clock on Friday night, the 26th
inst. There were in store three or four tons of gunpowder,
which went off in three different explosions. The premises
were blown to pieces, and the bodies of the two watchers,
Pengelly and Truscott, shockingly mutilated. Cottages, a
quarter of a mile distant, are said to have been unroofed and
the walls damaged.
The Honourable Artillery Company gave a splen-
did ball at their Artillery-ground on Tuesday evening last,
the 30th ultimo, which was attended by upwards of 300 per-
sons. The company began to arrive at nine o'clock, and
shortly after dancing commenced to Adams's fashionable
band, which performed a new selection of quadrilles, polkas,
waltzes, schottisches, &c., which were greatly admired. At
one o'clock an elegant supper was provided ; after which
dancing was resumed with reanimated spirit, and continued
until dawn, when the company separated, highly delighted
with the night's entertainment. Amongst the company we
noticed the Lord and Lady Mayoress, Sheriff Nicoll, &c,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HO USE OF COMMONS, May 1.
LANDLORD AND TENNNT BILL.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
:,fir. Al{) supported tee second reading of
the I3dl, believing it would relieve trustees from the re-
&pousJsility whits at present rested oa them in reference
Lo making egreements with tenants in certain cases.
The Bill was then read a second time.
Mr. PUSEY hoped the House would grant an early
day for the committal of the Bill, looking at the dis-
tressed condition of the farming interest in the country.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER would resist any attempt to
hurry this Bill through the House without the fullest
discussion.
Colonel SIBTHORPsaid there could not be a more un-
fortunate time for bringing in a Bill of this kind than the
present, and he would oppose it at every stage, believing
that it wasLill-timed, and calculated to lead to disappoint-
ment among the tenant-farmers.
The Bill was then ordered w be clmmitted to-morrow.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC BILL.

Mr. RICAItDO proceeded to move the second
reading of this Bill. He was chairman of a rail-
way company which bad in view the shortening of
the distance between London and Manchester.
Sea Committees hal sat on this subject, and had pre-
sented reports, indep-ndent of the reports of the
Railway Commissioniirs, and he thought that if any gen-
tleman went through these reports carefully he would
come to the cenelusion that some such measure as the pre-
sent was required. The Committee of 1835 recommended
that all the lines o, railways should be subjected to some
general control, as did also the Commit:ea of 1841.
A Commit:ee, over wh ch the Right Hon. Gentleman the
Member for the University of Oxford presided, recom-
mended the interference of the Board of Trade in the
matter of Parliamentary trains, and be would just quote
a few figures to show the result of Parliamentary in-
to' ference. He found that the receipts (if the one
Parliamentary train per day were 1.055,7851., and
of the other six or seven trains 5,035,0001.
The average per , mile for the Parliamentary train
Ras 6.. 6d., for the other trains, ss. So much for
the interference of Parliament, and he could only point to
this fact, when he saw parries come to Parliament with
Bills empowering them to increase their rates of toll.
The iriteiference which he proposed in this measure of
his was C. rtainly no greater than had been proposed in
the ele.u,es of at least 26 Bills introduced into Parlia-
ment in ti,e sessions of 1846 snd 1847. He thought
that the time was now fairly come for Par-
liamentary interference. They had sanctioned 500
miles of railway at a cost of 15,000,0001,, merely
for the purpose of connecting point to point.
The public were entirely in the power of railway com-
panies. The moment they entered a carriage the power
of free agency ceased, and the train went just when,
where, and at what rate the rail% ay officials thought
fit. He did not blame the administrators of railway
affeire themselves for the existing evils, but was rather
inclined to a tlibute the blame to the defective rate of the
law. It was entirely en public grounds that he had been
induced to propose the present measure, and he thought
it would conduce greedy to the public advantage. The
Hon. Gentleman alluded to several cases to show the
obstructions and impediments to which the public were
sutiected on certain railways, both in respect of the time
occupied in the journey and the fares which were
charged and rated; he proposed to remedy the evils by
requiring in the first place that passenger-trains
and trucks should be stopped at. junctions. He
next proposed that trucks should be pro-
vided at junctions to meet corresponding trucks
belonging to other companies. Such an arrangement he
did not think would act prejudicially to the railway in-
terest, but he was willing to reconsider this part of the
Bill if necessary. There were other propositions which
he elsu intended to make, one of which was, that when
a train arrived after i.ts time at a junction, it should be
forwarded at the expense of the company, who had been
guilty of the irregularity. Another proposition was, that
minerals arriving at a junction, should be forwarded if
rt quired, but the most important part of the Bill was the
equal rating clause, whice he believed had given rise to
the opposition of the railway interest, but in reality it
was nearly similar in terms to that which had been in-
troduced into several railway Bills. He was astonished
at that opposition, seeing that railway proprietors had
bt come peculiarly sensitive owing to the great depreci-
ation which their property had lately undergone, but he
believed that by doing away with the obstructions and
iie; eiliments of which ho complained, and affording
facilities for the conveyance of traffic from one line to
another, every railway company throughout the country
would be beeefiteel.

Mr. GLYN said the very objects which the Hon.
Member (Mr. Itcardo) had in view would not be car-
ried out by the Bill brought in by him. He called on
the House to pause before they passed a Biil of this
kind without sufficient information bearing upon the
criestion. He particularly objected to the first clause,
which rendered it iusperatise on passenger trains to
stop at all junctions. The express trains especially
would ho retarded by an arrangement of that kind.
The Bill would also seriously interfere with the system
of season tiek(ts which tad worked so benficially tor the
public, and with the practice of excursion trains, to which
the railway companies had given facilities with the view
of promoting the comfort and recreation of friendly so-
cieties and the humbier orders of the people. The Hon.
Member further canvassed the details of this Bill, to
which he was opposed, ar.d characterised it as a piece it
crude legislation which would only throw greater diffi-
culties in th w.:y of so interest which was already suffi-
ciently eepressed.—(Heat, hear.) lie begged to move
that the B:11 iie read a second time that day six months.
.Mr. 13. DENISON suggested that the Hon. Gentle-
ma:l the' 111._mber fur Stoke should withdraw the present
1.11, and intr duce one less subject to objection. He
was, h 0,., ever, quire certain that there was an tOsolute
nscessity of some general Parliamectary control over all
railway directors. The Railway Commissioners had been
mentioned, and be was sorry to say they were not very
popular, bit for no reason that he could see, as be was
rureuthst they performed their duty in a most proper
manner.

. Mr. A GLIONBY supported the Bill, because he
thought it was calculated to afford extended accommo-
dation to the public. Though professing every deter.
ence for the position and experience of the Hon. Member
for Kendal, he did not altogether go with him in
all his remarks. He did not think that the
Railway Commissioners had sufficient control, and he
should certainly vote for any measure which extended
their influence. He was sure that, the public would have
the same opinion, especially if they considered the many
iestancee of gross mismanagement which they read of
in the papers. ile should certainly give his cordial sup-
poll to the Bill, and he had not the slightest objection to
curtail the power of railway directors.
Mr. V. SMITH objected to the Bill being withdrawn
in,the hope of the matter being taken up by Government.
Tfiere was no chance of Government ever being able to
introduce a measure which should be acceptable to the
public and railway directors. The Railway Board had
never been very popular, and he was very much afraid
thkt if they waited till that body took up the subject they
would have to wait till doomsday. The Hon. Member
for' Kendal's speech was all very well as far as it went,
but it altogether avoided the principle of the Bill. Now,
whet was that principle? Why, simply that it was ex-
pedient that better accommodation should be made for
the,: public—not on one railway, but on all rail-
ways;. and, to show that that was wanted,
they need only refer to every-day experience. In
hislown neighbourhood, for instance, there was a junc-
tiorecf three lines, but, from some unfortunate diffe-
rences which had arisen between the three companies, a
party' going from- Northampton, either north or south,
waideta'neii at this junction two hours.—(Hear.)
Mr.'iIENLEY had no connexion with any railway,
hu(Still he could not support this Bill, because the means
e .
propoied were not likely to accomplish the end in view.
When they considered that 5,000 miles of railway had
la!=eleeelled into existence within the last few years the
mareel,was not that there had teen occasional step.
rages and inconveniences, but that the traffic on railways
had ',been , werkei so regularly. It was far better to
i
4,.trigetme matter in the bands of railway managers
Lletu.titAves, than, by a bungling mode of legi-lation, give
retieecceevils which would be more irksome to the public
.iarethe del iyi and inconveniences which now occasion-
elle: toc, ik iciece.—(Hexer, hear •)
:Snell. VERNEY observed that that many of those delays
areseliiiit t f a break
menuteil resueed s ot• gauge which years ago Perlis-
-0 merrier° with. He denied that
rail.4...k;raire,..k.,-,s were uticaineful of the public accom-
modetion. It easfornrtoheifteinterest to give the public
the hest pos,ibhl ac
eocnd,i
shf.'h and this matter might
therefete be
ly left in their hands.--(llene.)
MireiBANKES had no co,nfidenee
of th
in the existing Rail-
way board, and until that branch public service
was remodelled he could not conseetto:invest Govern-
mentievith the extensive powers which
.ihs Bill proposed
to estat3lt4h. , Nothing but.trivial cistit
n 4 wearerdresviehrricehd
to the'cOnsideretion of the present iteilway
Bo
eel teidAY. did not justify the large i,xvniiiture which
invoi V(;(.1; slid uni.il it was made a more useful and efficie it
tribunal he must resolutely decline to increase their funliet•
tions. .
' Mr.W. WILLIAMS wished to know if the Hon. Gen.
tlema6 who had charge of the Bill was prepared to intro-
duce seClauee which should prevent any party who raiK.‘ee,
be connected with a railway management from carrying
coals and minerals over that railway with greater facilities
and advantage than wit; afforded to the ordinary trades.
Mre,RICARDO was understood to reply in the affir-
mative.
Mr. LABOUCRERE before the division was called
wished' to address a tew words to the House on the sub-
ject of:this Bill. And first he would apply his observa-
tions lea :the remarks of the Honourable Member for
D"se4eveho certainly appeared to him to have said more
in support of tee Bill than against it. He denied that
the matters which came under the consideration of the
Railway Board were of a trival character; the functions
of thattody related to property of immense value, and
so long as the House thought such a board ought to
exist, it was their duty to take care that the re- '
Muneration voted for its maintenance was sufficient
to ensure the services of Commissioners whose station
and pit conduct would afford a guarantee to the public
that the motives which would actuate them in the dis-
charge ,of. their duties would be beyond suspicion.
Now, witleregard to the Bill itself, it certainly was a most
importiint measure, and although Government might be
taunted fer their silence upon the subject, he could assure
the fLeuse that neither the Railway Commissioners
11.0 r the. Board of Trade had been unmindful
Of the public interese. The functions, of the Railway
Board necessarily made it unpopular, and the reason
that hee had not tiederteken to introduce a Bill of
this natere was simply that he was afraid it would
have thrown still greater difficulties in the way of
that boird,. while he bad felt that the
.House would
not be ' toe ready to appreciate the disinterested
spirit which might have dictated its provisions. '
'Those were necessarily unpopular functions in that '
House. i There was never a more deserving public func-
tionary
than his friend (Mr. Strut* ,
, who had been one '

of the Railway Commmissioners, and yet there was
never a more unfortunate public servant than he was.—
(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Labouchere) was unwilling in
the present state of the public feeling t 9 throw another
element of discord before the country with reference to
railway questions. He despaired of carrying this or any
other kindred measure through the House unless there had
been a previous inquiry by a Committee up-stairs. He (Mr.
Labouchere) would therefore join in the suggestion that
the Hon. Member for Stoke-upon-Trent should with-
draw his Bill, though he thought the objects of the Bill
were well worthy the consideration of the House.—
(" Divide, divide.")
Mr. GLADSTONE said the Right Hon. Gentleman
had addressed the House with his usual frankness; but
he (Mr. Gladstone) could have wished that the Right
Hon. Gentleman had stated more clearly what his in-
tentions were with respect to the Bill before the
House. The Right Hon. Gentleman had characterised
Mr. Laing as a law clerk, with a few hundreds a year;
but when he used that expression he must have forgotten
how much more successful that " law clerk with a few
hundreds a year" was, in his humble department, than
the magnificent establishment of which he was a
subordinate member.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Glad-
stone) thought the House would be wasting its
time in passing the second reading of this Bill.
He was quite certain that at present a scheme like this
would meet with insuperable difficulties. The time
might come when the public would be roused by suffering
en immense amount of inconvenience. when it would he
necessary for some gloat measure of the kind, when
Parliament, as the agent of the public, would have
to take the railways into their own hands
end make arrangtments for them as it thought
fit. He need only refer to the speech of the Right Hon.
Gentleman who had just sat down to show that the time
was not yet come for that measure.
After a few words of explanation from Mr. LABOU-
CHERE, who concurred in the eulogium on Mr. Laing.
Mr. RICARDO replied, and the second reading of
the Bill was negatived without a division.
BENEFICES IN PLURALITY BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill.

Mr. fIUME thought the time was come for putting
an end to pluralities altogether. He intended to take
the sense ot the House, and for this purpose had framed
an amendment which he thought would have that
effect. He thougt,t that this system of pluralities was
disgraceful to the Church.
Mr. LAW said that, as her Majesty's Ministers
would probably like to hear what was said on this great
subject, and there was not one of them present, he should
move that the Chairman do report progress, and ask for
is ave to sit again.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. AGLIONBY thought that such a course would
be scarcely fair usage to the Hon. Gentleman who
had charge of the Bill. He did not see that it was ne-
cessary for her Majesty's Ministers to be present at the
discussion.
Mr. FREWEN was indisposed to agree to the pro-
position of the Hon. and Learned Recorder. lie had
already postponed the Bill for a month at the request of
the Government.
Colonel SIBTHORP thought it would be as well to
inquire where the Ministers were. There was a full House
of Members, who were not paid, and yet the Ministers,
who were paid one and all, had all trooped over no one
knew where.
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY explained
that the Secretary ot State had left word with him to
dispatch a messenger for him when the debate came on
on this Bill, and he had already done so.
Mr. HUME thought it was an imputation on the
House to say that they could not get on without the Mi-
nisters. It was treating them like babies.
Mr. H. DRUMMOND thought that if the House was
not competent to decide on the matter without the Mi-
nisters, neither could it on any other, and the House
ought to adjourn.
Mr. MANGLES rose amid loud cries of " Divide,"
when Sir G. Grey entered, and was greeted with mine
gled cheers and laughter.
Mr. LAW said he was sensible of the importance of
the Right Lion. Baronet's presence, and he should with-
draw his motion.
Mr. HUME explained to the Right Hon. Baronet the
nature of the amendment which he had proposed.
Sir G. GREY, after having had some difficulty in
finding the clauses in the Bill, during which Mr. Hume
stood on his legs throwing an appealing glance to the
House, begged to dissent from the Honourable Gentle-
man's amendment, because he thought that there were
many livings of such small value that no man could hole
them singly. The Honourable Member's object could
not be affected until some consolidation Act had been
passed.

Mr. HUME said that that was exactly his object.
Mr. AGLIONBY supported the amendment because
he thought it was high time that something was done
towards the consolidation of small, and the partition of
large livings.

Mr. GLADSTONE saw but one objection to this
amendment, but that objection was conclusive against
it. He very much feared that if this amendment were
carried many parishes with small revenues would go
without incumbents, for in England there was no provi•
sion made as in Scotland for increasing the income of
the incumbents of poor livings. Therefore, until some
plan of consolidation had been adopted, it was highly
inexpedient to adopt an amendment of this sort.
Besides, the amendment of the Right Hon. Gentleman
the Member for Wiltshire would virtually get rid of
pluralities altogether, unless the yearly value of the con-
tiguous benefice was under 1001. a year. Reserving
that case of exception, he was prepared to abolish plura-
lities altogether.—(Hear hear.)
Atter a few words from Mr. JOHN EVANS,

Mr. HUME reminded the Committee that, if they
pa-sed this amendment, the poor livings would be assisted
by the same bounty that sent a bishop to Hong-Kong,
where there were scarcely twenty parishioners to attend
to. Let those who objected to his amendment, on
grounds stated by the Eight Hon. Gentleman the Mem.
ber for the University, insert a clause in the Bill, placing
these poor livings at his disposal—(A laugh)—and he
woulu undertake not only to find incumbents, but in-
comes for them.—( laugh.)
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT urged the Committee to
reject the amendment in favour of his own, which would
accomplish the end the Hon. Member for Montrose had
in view.

Sir G. GREY thought it nothing but right that poor
contiguous livings with small populations should be,
united, and if he was not mistaken that course bad al-
ready been recommended by the Ecclesiastical Commis.
sioners.

Lord J. MANNERS objected to the Church funds
being placed at the disposal of the Hon. Member fi r
Montrose.

Mr. HUME—I did not ask you to do it.
Lord J. MANNERS had so understood the Hon.
Member; but he was glad that he was mistaken. Much
of the poverty of the small livings, to which reference
had been so often made, was attributable to the misap-
plication of the parish funds. He announced his intea-
"

tiou to oppose the amendment, though he approved of
the spirit in which it had been brought forward.
Mr. HUME all he wanted the Committee to do
was to affirm the principle that pluralities were wrong.
Mr. HOR3MAN observed that the Bill as it stood
legalised pluralities and justified the system of non-resi-
dence. Now he was altogether opposed to that, and as
the amendment was likely to lead to the adoption of the
principle of consolidation, he should give it his cordial
support.

Mr. E. DENISON said there were some parishes
which had no churches, and the only way in which the
population could be served was to unite them with other
parishes; therefore, if the amendment of the Hon. Mem-
ber passed, the object of the Bill would be defeated.
Mr. PETO said there were as many as thirty-five
parishes in Norwich, the place which he represented,
some ( f which were not worth more than 301 or 501. per
annum, and if in some instances a plurality of livings
Was not allowed, the parishioners would be unprovided
with church accommodation.

The House tht n divided, when there appeared—
For the original motion ... ... 166
For the ameLdment 53
Alejority

... -113

Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT moved in clause 1, page 2,
line 1, after the words "each other and," to omit all the
words to the end of the clause, and to substitute these
words, " unless the yearly value of one of such con-
tiguous benefices shall be less than one hundred pounds.'•
Mr. CHRISTOPHER said he would have a resident
clergyman in every parish, but he did not think that the
Bill as it at present st.tod would accomplish that object.
There wt re many small parishes in the county which to
represented possessing not more than 50 or 60 inbab -
tants, and ;f they were not consolidated with larger bent-
fices the effect would be that the parishioners would be
without clerical supervision.
Mr. 1 lIIME deeply deplored the vote which tl e
House had just given, and was surp'ised that, 166 Mem-
bt•rs should have affirmed the principle of having not.-
resident clerg) men.
Sir G. GREY observed that the object of the Bill was
to prevent two or more benefices being held together
except under circumstances where they might be practi-
cally considered as forming one benefice, and he should
gise the amendment of the Right Hon. Gentleman his
support, because he thought it was calculated to carry
out that principle.
Colonel TUOMPSON said he should vote for the
, amendment'i because he thought it preferable to the one
;:inotilltroshead been proposed by the Hon. Member for
After a few words from Mr. FREWEN
lititisr.thCieutnAsteeplsvaSeTus s
ONE said there was an evil in plura-
, so, he would support themselves, and he would not adm;t the principle
of them
the amendment.
The Committaae
For the amendment;
an absolute necessity. That being
divided, when there appeared—
AgMaianjos triitty for theelta-me .::.
dtomaenstam..e..
... 162
:nded-1.6.
The clluse was then agreed
The remaining clauses were agreed to, with the tx-
then 146
ception of clause 6, which
omitted, and the House
resumed.
disposed of,
The other orders of the day were -
and the House adjourned at Six o'clock.

GREENOCIi..—DARING AND SUCCESSPUL
l aTiE
W PIDITY.—e have to record an accident of a most alarming
character, but from which happily no serious consequence
resulted. On the morning of Friday se'nnight, which, it
will be recollected, was stormy, a small boat, taking men off
to her Majesty's steamer Greenock, at present lying at the
Tail of the Bank, was suddenly caught in a squall when
alongside the ship, and upset, precipitating sixteen men into.
the river, and placing them in the most imminent peril.
Captain ames Brown, the officer in command of the ship,
having heard a violent screaming from his berth, leaped un-
dreased through a port in his cabin into a boat the sailirs
were in the act of lowering, and by his energy, we are happy
to say, all hands were rescued from a watery grave, he him-
self having with his own hands pulled five wen into the
boat.—Edinburgh Courant.

CANALS.
.1 Dividend
Names of a ,Dividend Names of a
~.. . per
Companies. A per I Price. Companies. A I Ann . Prise,
1 c Annum. in
- ....... -. - -
---- x ,
X
4.lhtn& Oldh 97 71. 113 MaCclesftell . 100 21. 108. 50
3arnsley -• • 160 121. 180 Neatk -•• • • 100 161. 340
Sirknk&Abrg 1501 51. 85 Oxford.. •• •• 106 , 201. 185
iirmingham 40 41. 87 Peak Forest. 78 I 31. 18s. 70
.loventry...• 100, 261. 210 Regent's •• .. 331 11. Os. 1854
lerby .•• • • 100, 61. 63 Rochdale.... 88 I 41. 14i34
•Ellsrnre&Chs I 133 56.. 41 Somrse Noel 150 71.105. 130
irandJunctn 100' 51. 85% Do.LkFdSt 12 61. p. c. -
,Irand Surrey 100 21. Os. 30 Stffrd &Wore 140 281. 410
;rand Union 100 11. 10s. 24 Shrewsbury.. 125 MI. -
Irantham .. - - - Stoarbridge- 145 201. 800
tennt & Aril 39 Ts. 6d. 53( Severn and 21. Os. -
Lancaster . ,
,100 21. 32% Wye Rail. j .. ••,• .
.eeds& Livrp , 100, 241. 320 Warwick& 1
`Aicester .... 100, 81. 66 litirming. j 100 41. 63
.ieicstr &Nth 83 41. 4834 Warwick&
f•oughboregh 142 701. 510 Napton.. 100 31. 42
1
,fonmouthsh: 100 81. - Worcstr 802 78 31. 42
4ntgornrysk , 100 - - Birming.
MeltnMwbry, 100 - - Wilts & Brks -, 14s. 8
LIST or SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRzcza
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. pilot,
Annum. Share.
---. .1.10.M.M. ~.••••
X s. d. X s. d
9 silk of Scotland
iritlsh Linen Company 81. per cent. 100 0 0 100 • 0 185
'aledonian Bank
lity of Glasgow Bank . 61. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 12
lydesdale Bank •• ••
:ommercial Bank
:astern Bank.. •••• •• 61. per cent. 25 0 0 10 0 0 9%
idinb.St Glasgow Bank 61. per cent. 5 0 0 5 • 0 5/. 7,
'Exehs.ngeßnk of Scot.. 41. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 9
sle of Man. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 0 7 0 0 _
iational Bank 634 per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 15
vorth of Scotland Bank 41. percent. 20 0 0 60 0 334
North British Bank • • - - - _
,royal Bank of Scotland 51. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 132
union Bank of Scotland 81. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 90
Western Bank •••• • • • • 71. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 73%
Alliance Firs and Life 8341. pr cent. 10 0 0 10 • 0 2034
I.Accord. Life and Fire - 20 0 0 010 0 -
,3ritish Guarantee Ins. 41. per tent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 15, Id
;'itledonlan Fire Incur. 101. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 23
lolonlal Life ... - 50 0 0 1 0 0 1/. Is.
;Itv of Glasgow Life 6l. per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 21. 9r
idinburgh Life Insur 6l. percent. 100 0 0 12 10 0 20%
East of Scotland Life - 10 0 0 015 0 -
Eng. & Scot, Law Life 51. per cent. 50 0 0 217 6 -
,lerculeslnsurance Cs. 71. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 -
Tnsur. Co. of Scetlnd 5l. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 -
Life Assoc. of Scotland 6/. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 11. 10s
Mercantile Life
National Fire and Life 31. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 22s 6d
North British Incur 536 pr cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 24N
North & West ef Scot 6l. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 -3cottish Life and Guar 20 0 0 011 0 -
-
4cot. Mae. and Gen. Life - 0 0 015 0 -
Scottish Union Inarnce. 6%1. pr cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 ,231.0 d
itandard !Me .....• • 31. per cent. 50 0 0 4 5 0 i 9%
United Dep. Assurance 51. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 !1611 6d
MISCELLANEOUS.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of raid. Price.
Annum. Share.
------. -- ----
X. s. d. A. I. d.
Anetion Mart.. -••- 2/. 55. 50 0 0 - 25
Australian Agrieulturl 11. 100 0 0 30 0 0 16
Anglo-Mexican Mint.. 11, 105. 10 0 0 10 5 0 21
Ditto, Half Shares.. - - 210 0 -
•EL per cent. 100 0 0 32 10 0 30
Uppr Canada Bonds 51. per cent. - - 89
otty Navigation .... - - - 91
Gen. Revers. & Invest. sp. edit bs, 2/ 100 0 0 100 0 0 94
Equitable Reverstenry sr.
Gen .Steam Navigation 11. 3s. 15 0 0 14 0 I 27
pr cent. 100 9 0 'lOO 0 0 -
London Institution ... - f 7815 II -
Russell Institution.... - - ,26 5 0 -
Penlnsir&Orlent.Stm. 81. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 80
Reversionary Int. Soc. 4141. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 91
Royal Mail Steam •• •• 61 18.4. p. c 100 0 0: 60 0 0 543
South Australian ... • • 11. per share. 25 0 0: 25 0 0 19
Van Dieman's M. - 100 0 0, 29 0 0 -

HEALTH of LONDON during the WEEK.
(From the Return of the Registrar-General.)
The return of the week ending last Saturday an-
nounces a continued decrease in the mortality of Lon-
don. Since the third week of March, when it rose,
the weekly mortality has constantly fallen, as is shown
by the following numbers:—the deaths were 1,167,
1,124, 893, 866, and in last week only 803. This
last number is less than in any corresponding week
during the ten years 1840-9, except that of 1842; and
the average of the ten weeks being 909, or corrected
for increase of population, 992, there now appears a
decrease on, it, amounting to 189. All the important
classes of disease exhibit now a decrease on the
average in the deaths assigned to them. From
small pox there were 7 deaths, or about half
the average ; from .measles 17. from scarlatina 21,
from hooping-oough 35, and from typhus 25, which
diseases are all less fatal than usual; croup was fatal
to 5 persons, irfitienza to 4, purpura to 2, diarrhoea to
11, and erysipelas to 9. all mar the ordinary
amount. On the 19th cf April, at 11, Wycombe-
place, lient.road, a carman, aged 40 years, died
of disease of the kidneys ; English cholera ; the
latter complaint of nine hours' duration." Again,
tent
amongst diseases which affect the respiratory organs,
bronchitis carried off 46 persons, rather more than
the average Of ten corresponding weeks, but less
h
the
alast a
tthree o (in
the
g theyears
luns about
, 1(81u4t7;94;
pliuinohnajeta rtis of
oor
ne
died
sdate number, considerably less than the average.
Onlya 6 v
of asthma, and 110 of ciineum; -
lion, the corrected
average being 158. A child died
of laryngtsmus stridulus, two ebildren arid a meta
of laryogita. The deaths of 20 persons, cf whom 18
were women, were the result if cancer, and all occurred