The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-23 00:00:00

THE TAXATION.
In talking of the taxation of Great Britain,
landlords always insist that the _land bears peculiar
burdens, equal to, in their way, if not greater, than
those with which the remaining kinds of property are
loaded throughout the kingdom. This assertion is
made every day, and with reference to the present
time. Look at the facts of the case. During the
reign of King IY iiliam 111., according to the state-
ment of Sir John Sinclair, in his work on the Revenue,
the annual average of the land-tax was 34 per
cent., that is, more than a third of the whole revenue
of the kingdom. As Mr. Macintyre states the same
fact, his deductions being taken seemingly from one
individual year, more " than a fourth of the public
revenue was derived (in the reign of William of
Orange) from the land- tax. At that time the whole
of the revenue was about 4,600,0001., of which the
tax on land was about 1,300,0001." Now, no man can
deny that the species of property which has increased
most enormously in the ratio of productiveness, since
the close of the seventeenth century, is land. The
rants of the landlords have been doubled, trebled, and
quadrupled—much more, indeed, in many cases—
within the last few score years. The land-tax should
then have been greatly increased in common fairness,
with the increasing revenue which has been exacted
from the country. Has such been the case ?
"In the year 1842," we find " the total amount
of revenue is .52,000,000/., of which the taxes
on land amount to less than 1,200,0001." The land-
taxes redeemed since 1798 ought to be added to this,
since the annual payment was sold for a value equal
to it, and the land-tax ought to be stated at about
2,000,0001. But taking this latter sum as the correct
one, what an enormity of increase on the burdens of
the other classes, while the land stands comparatively
at little more than the same rate as in William the
Third's time ! A third at the utmost has been added
to the land-tax, while the common taxes have been
raised to nearly twelve times their amount in the
same period, notwithstanding that the vast increase
in the productiveness of land would have justified so
fully a proportionate augmentation of the burdens
thereon !

HER MAJ.
- FIELDSAYE.

WHITC CONDUIT HOUSE.
THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
(From the Sunday Times.)
We have little record of the pastimes, of our fore-
fathers ; Stiutt has, it is true, described the games in
which they " delote " to unbend themselves, but he has
presented us no picture of the reople. Sam. Foote's
" Tea Parties" are but a name, it was only through a
verbal description by old Byrn, the veteran ballet-mas-
ter, that we could at all imagine the effect of that enter-
tainment, and Byrn, who died at the age of ninety, was
but twelve years old when he witnessed Fcote's per-
formance ! The publications of that day entered into
no detail ; what everybody went to see, the editors
deemed it unnecessary to describe, as if all records of
events were not meant for posterity. Thus it is with
the old household words that spoke of the enjoyments of
our predecessors. We read of Ranelagh, and ask where
and what it was ?—of the Ridotto at Marylebone-gar-
dens—of the Apollo Saloon in St. Georges'. fields—of
the famed Dog and Duck in the same vicinity—of Bag-
nigge and of Tunbridge Wells (London)—scarcely a
vestige remains to depict the site of one or either of them.
Ere steam had gained an empire upon land and water,
visitors to Brighthelmstone were few indeed. Margate
had its hoy boat, the miseries of which Charles Dibdin
has perpetuated in a song ; the voyage frequently lasted
three or four days—it is now accomplished in five or six
hours. In those " good old days that our grandmothers
tell of " Islington, Highgate, Hampstead, Hornsey, and
Finchley were the Brighton, the Ramsgate, and the '
Broadstairs of the middle classes. It was with a view
to put upon record some picture of the past that we some
time since gave a sketch of Bagnigge and Sadler's Wells
in the olden time, and in the same spirit we speak of
White Conduit House, as it was when our progenitors
called a visit to it a "country jaunt." A magnificent
tavern—where the O'Connells, the Broughams, and the
Duncombes have assembled thousands—now stands upon
the spot formerly dedicated to the revels and innocent
diversions of the citizens of the last century.
The amusements of former days might literally be
described as " life in the fieb's." ilornsey-wood House,
the Wells, Copenhagen House, the Spa, and White
Conduit were all situated in the midst of meadows.
While the citizen enjoyed his ale or cyder, and smoked
his pipe, his dame drank her tea and demolished the
Conduit cakes, and the children plucked buttercups and
gambolled at their pleasure. The bowling-grown had
its attractions for lusty youth, and the coffee-room
formed a snug retreat for afflicted age. All this would
be deemed coarse and vulgar now, for the new school.
teaches every man to assume a station above his own.
Appearance has taken the place of reality, and with far
more show, we fear there is much less happiness. After
this explanatory sermon, let us to the history of the
house which gives a name to this article.
The " Conduit" from which the house took its title
was in an adjoining field. A spring there was, in the
14th century, resorted to by the Carthusian Friars. In
1538 this convent was surrendered to Henry VIII. In
1611 Thomas Sutton founded the Charter House on part
of the site of the old monastery. " This charitable foun-
dation for pensioners and scholars, is (was) supplied
from the Old Conduit, in the field to the west of the vil-
lage of Eyseldon" (Islington). A few years afterwards
the New River Company became incorporated, but it was
many, many years ere water from this source was car-
ried to the neighbourhood of West Smithfield. -
Conduits were things of great importance with our
forefathers. About 1236 a great want of water prevail-
ing in London. occasioned by the encroachment of build-
ings on the fresh water canals about the City, a scheme
was set on foOt for bringing water from six fountains
"in the towne of Tyburne." In 1285 the first conduit
was built at the west end of Cheapside, near the centre
of the space between the corner of St. Paul's-churchyard
and St. Martin's-le-Grand.
In 1438 Sir W. Eastfield, Lord Mayor, at his own ex-
pense brought water from Tyburn, Highbury Barn, and
from the Islington fields. He erected conduits in Fleet-
street, Aldermanbury, and Cripplegate.
In 1443 the Common Council granted 1,000 marks to-
wards erecting a " new conduit, near St. Paul's-gate, at
the upper end of Cheapside" (no doubt the side pre-
viously alluded to). Spring water at this time was evi-
dently a scarce commodity. The price of the best ale
was then three-halfpence a gallon.
In 1541 orders were issued for repairing the conduits
of London, and for bringing water from Hampstead,
Marylebone, Hackney, Islington, Muswell Hill, &c.,
indemnifying owners of land from damage by such water-
courses. A new conduit was erected at Walbrook corner
(the water being drawn from the Thames). A writer,
in 1750, says, at the west end of the Poultry, where
Bucklersbury meets Cheapside, stood the great conduit.
The south end of George-street, Hanover-square, ter-
minates in Conduit-street, built upon the site of Con-
duit Mead. This conduit supplied the then west-end of
the metropolis.
In 1577 Wm. Lamb, citizen and cloth-worker, drew
several springs of water into one head at the upper end
of Red Lion-street. It was denominated Lamb's Con-
duit. From it he supplied (through leaden pipes*)
Snow-hill, and where an old conduit (repaired by him)
received the water. This conduit was taken down in
1706. The Foundling Hospital now stands on its site.
The chapel in the court at the north-west corner of
Monkwell-street, was originally erected by the same
Wm. Lamb.
Notwithstanding the progress made by the New River
Company, conduits were continually erected, and the old
ones kept in repair. It is within the recollection of many
now living that the river burst its channel (a thing pre-
dicted a century before). This accident gave a handle to
the numerous family of grumblers to mourn over the de-
cay of conduits.
"To the north of White Conduit House are," says
Lambert in his survey, "the remains of an ancient forti-
fication in a place known by the name of The Reed Moat,
or Six Acre Field. This place is supposed to have been
the spot where Paulinus, the Roman General, ILA with
his men, when the Britons, under Queen Boadicea, mur-
dered the inhabitants of London, and set fire to the city.
Whether this supposition be correct or not, it is certain
that a Roman camp was situated on this spot, from the
remains of the General's prmtorium in the south-west
angle of the field."
" REPORT MADE UPON A VIEW OF THE DALSTON AND
ISAINGToN WATERS."—DEC. 13, 1692.
After a long exordium and description of other places,
the report proceeds thus :—" And we have also, in fur-
ther pursuance of the said order, viewed the springs and
water belonging to the citty neare Islington, and find the
same in two heads, one covered over with stone in a
field neare Jack Straw's Castle, which is fed by sundry
springs in an adjacent field, and is usually called The
White Conduit." This document, which is very curious,
and explains the routes taken from the different con-
duits, will be found at length in " Nelson's Islington,"
quarto, 1811, p. 154 (curious).
The Wheel Pond, by White Conduit House, was a
famous place for duck hunting. Sir William Davenant
describes a City wife going to the fields to " sop her cake
in milke," on which her husband exclaims—
" Ho, ho I—to IwarroToN—enough.
Fetch Job, my son, and our dog fluffs;
For there, in pond, through mire and muck,
We'll cry--hay duck I—there Ruffe!—hay duck."
Goldsmith speaks of the feast of hot rolls and butter and
the tea-drinking parties at White Conduit House.
Dr. Hunter tells a pleasant story of a lady, an invalid,
whom he recommended to live at Islington ; she agreed
for some lodgings, but discovering the bannisters to be
out of repair said, " These must be mended before I
come." " That, Madam, would be of no use," replied
the landlady, " the undertakers' men, in bringing down
the coffins, are continually breaking the bannisters ; if I
did mend them they'd be just the same again in a month
or so." The lady did not take the lodgings.
In a collection of the writings of Mr. Edward Ward
(1717), in a poem entitled " A Walk to Islington," we
find a description of New Tunbridge Wells (gardens,
now built over ; the site is between Garnault-place and
Sadler's Wells); he also describes the latter place, then
called Sadler's Music House. The poem commences
thus :

STRATH-

STRATIIFIELDSAYE, WEDNESDAY EVENINGI.—LittIe
or nothing has occurred to vary the even tenor in
which matters here are proceeding.
The frost has gone off, and to-day has been mild
and pleasant, with a little rain in the forencon, not
sufficient, however, to prevent the Prince from enjoy-
ing field sports.
The dinner party last night, in addition to the
former guests, embraced three officers of the Ha•.np-
shire Yeomanry.
In the evening were also present Sir H. and Lady
Russell, Captain and Mrs. Brown, and Miss Walms-
ley, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Beauchamp, and Mr., Mrs.,
and Miss Anderton.
The band of the Foot Guards performed as before.
After dinner the gentlemen of the party amused
themselves is the billiard-room.
Her Majesty retired about eleven o'clock, con-
ducted to her apartments by her noble host.
To-day she rose at her usual early hour, break-
fasted in private with the Prince, but did not take her
accust:Tned morning walk.
Just opposite one of the fronts of Strathfieldsaye
House, and forming a part of the range of building
principally appropriated to the stables, is a spacious
tennis court, roofed over. Here her Majesty and the
Prince proceeded after breakfast, the Prince amusing
himself by trying the sport peculiar to the place.
After this interlude, the Prince sallied forth to
shoot. Thorpe's Copse, chosen for the scene of the
day's recreation, is a cover about two miles from
Strathfieidsaye. The beaters mustered in great force,
and the shooting party consisted of Prince Albert, the
Duke of Bedford, Col. Bouverie, and Capt. Brown, a
gentleman residing in the neighbourhood. Lord
Charles Wellesley and Mr. Anson were present, but
did not join in the sport.
The party rode to the ground, the Prince and Lord
Charles Wellesley heading the group of horsemen.
After a short stay at Thorpe's Copse, the party
abandoned it for the pheasantry close to the Noble
Duke's park, behind the rectory of Strathfieldsaye.
The following is the amount of execution done on
the furred and feathered denizens of Thorpe's Copse
and the pheasantry :—The grand total of game killed
numbered 71 ; of these 39 were pheasants, 25 hares,
and 7 rabbits. The Prince dispatched 23 pheasants,
12 hares, and 6 rabbits.
The whole time occupied in shooting to-day did
not exceed an hour and a half,
.the party returning at
one o'clock to luncheon.
The keepers and beaters praise the Prince's quick-
ness and steadiness in taking aim. The number of
head shot to-day was not so great as that dispatched
yesterday; and both days' returns fall very short of
the battle slaughtering at Stowe; but his Grace of
Wellington is by no means so keen a sportsman, or
so strict a preserver of game, as the Duke of Buck-
ingham.
After luncheon there was a grand match at tennis.
The whole party, or nearly so, adjourning to the
court. The game was played by Lord Charles
Wellesly and Mr. Phillips, the tennis-master, against
two professional players from Hampton.
Her Majesty expressed herself much gratified with
the sport, which was conducted with great spirit and
vigour.
The dinner party to-day will include, in addition
to the former circle, Lord and Lady Carnarvon, Sir
John Cope, and the Speaker of the House of Com
mons.

Look, again, at the different proportions in which
land pays to the public revenue in other leading Eu-
ropean countries :—ln France, the land and pro-
perty-tax brings 23,200,000/., while other taxes fetch
17,500,000/.; in Austria the former rates at 8,795,000/.,
and the latter at 7,700,0001. ; and in Prussia the
land brings to the revenue 3,990,0001., while the re-
maining taxes stand at 3,667,0001. And yet our
British landholders have the impudence to talk of
their bearing " peculiar burdens"—paying, as they do,
but about two millions of the fifty composing the pub-
lic revenue !

Nor is this all. We have yet to reckon what the
landholder gains by the laws on food which he has
established, and place them against the taxes which
he bears. He may be easily shown to be in the posi-
tion of a gainer by the corn-laws to an extent far ex-
ceeding what he contributed as a tax-paver. Such
is the sort of contribution which the British land-
holder makes to the revenue of the empire. There
will come a time when men will wonder at these
things as monstrosities unparalleled in the history of
nations. Nay, the time is fast coming. The League
are not working in vain.—Scotsman.

Her Majesty is expected to leave Strathfleldsaye
for Windsor to-morrow, at eleven o'clock.
The mansion of Bramshill, the seat of Sir John
Cope, which the Queen yesterday visited, is a very
curious and interesting old English manor-house,
built in the Elizabethan age, and racy of the time.
Modern Elizabethan mansions are common enough,
but it is a rare as well as a beautiful sight, the
veritable old residence of an ancient English
family, grey and weather stained, with its trim ter-
races and carved balconies, and elaborately sculptured
balustrades—its heavy-arched doorways, its long
echoing passages, and tapestried halls and galleries—
all cold, and stately, and rigid as centuries ago, when
hawking parties rode, with ringing horns and jang-
ling bells, forth from its massive portals, or when
rude masques and quaint gambols charmed away
long winter nights, within its torch and faggot-
lighted halls.
You pass from gallery to gallery, and chamber to
chamber, all still furnished and decorated as when
the gay courtiers of the time of Elizabeth and the
first Charles paced them. There are the old oaken
floors and carvings upon the walls, the quaint chisel-
ings of grotesque forms and grinning faces, which
stare at you from dim corners; there are the pointed
and groined projections from the roof, the glorious
old fire-places, big enough to roast oxen ; their de-
corations piled up in storied hatchments to
the ceiling, and putting modern mantel-pieces
to the blush ; there are the old wavy tapes-
tries, gorgeous with groups from the classic stories
of Greece and Rome; there are the vast erect old
chairs, with backs like steeples, the massive
tables, the quaint escutcheons, and devices in needle-
work—the unending employment of some fair damsel
when foul weather forced her to hold the embroidery
needle in her fingers, rather than the hawk upon her
wrist. All these signs and tokens of the stately past
—its lofty dignity, its quaint pageantry, and still its
lack of the modern refinements of comfort, have all
an abiding place and a home in the mansion of Brams-
hill. Nor is this all. The beauties of Charles the
Second's Court look down upon you from the walls--
their eyes still lustrous, and their cheeks still breath-
ing the peachy ripeness of the pencil of Sir Peter
Lely. The more staid portraits of Kneller are also
there; and mingling with the long array of family
likenesses we have a number of curious quaint speci-
mens of the early Flemish school portraits—of dismal
scowling monks, and landscapes with figures of boors,
and huntsmen, and revellers—all hard, and stiff, and
angular, but still wrought cut by those who laid the
foundations of the nature-copying school of Terriers
and Ostade. Here are, besides, a vast number of
quaint old articles of furniture—cabinets, and escru-
toires, and desks—inlaid with gaudy shells,. wrought
into odd kaleidescope-lime forms and devices, and
altogether the "plenishing" of the old house—its pic-
tures and its ornaments, its deep arched windows, its
tapestried walls, its long echoing galleries, and sombre
chambers, are admirably adapted to lead the imagi-
nation back to the olden time, the image of which it
so vividly brings before the mind.
Her Majesty expressed herself highly delighted
with the antique beauties of Bramshill. Mrs. Cra-
shay, the doorkeeper, acted as cicerone. Sir John
Cope was absent during her Majesty's visit—not
having had timely information of the royal intention.
Sir John is a really "fine old English gentleman ;"
who, although in his 77th year, still rides up to the
hounds as vigorously as he might have done half a
century ago.

'4 In holiday time, when the ladies of London
Walk out with their spouses, or think themselves unclose,
* * * * *
Then I, like my neighbours, to sweeten my life,
Took a walk in the fields (i. e. Ming!*—
* * *

We saunter'd about near the New River Head,
Where we prattled and talked, but what 'twas we said
If you'd have me direover, indeed I must fail you," &c.
It appears the price of admission to the New Tunbridge
Wells was 3d. Of the amusements, he says :
" We walk'd by an outhouse we found had been made
For raffling and lote ries, and such sort of trade.
To gaze at the lott'ry I stood by a while,
in verse :
See the gamesters all frown, and the lott'ry man smile,
Till, tir'd with standing, we rambled from'hence,
And left the poor fools to be gull'd of their pence."
In a paper entitled " The Dancing School," the writer
describes an Easter Monday
re jsaauynst
"All t o
e s o ua
rn
cod
part of London was
evidentlyEilichieY thveiauinsilvinergsta°lnr.tesor(tTohfitsradesmen, their wives,
idnatuogthhteerfis,ei'dpsr.e”ntiHcees,p&rocc.)eeds,
" In little time to Islington we came,
For cakes and ale, a town of ancient fame,
Which to this day 's frequented for the same."
His discription of Highgate and of the crowds going
to Finchley, where " the murderer was hung in chains,"
where the gentry met,
High Tavern,
cho be
is lei foeu-ll
di k
note. Atget
t hae
muttonilig
Pt though he offered a
crown for it. The masses had literally devoured all
before them.
At what time the first tavern bearing the title of
White Conduit House was built does not clearly appear;
but in the Gentleman's Magazine (1760) we find the
following .--

street
" WHITE CONDUIT HOUSE.
"And to White Conduit
"."—seevery face,
Grub-street Register.
whousemaid's
I ie cheek,a
rtivl.rgtooh.
brightens u
" isle
hyd Sunday-ill go, will g
toeoinoe_,
come—mirth
i House
paints the rose upon the
ampleHofar,prireetntoircell,lroelsl,idmeonrteirnudd-
* Now t
Or alley kennel wash'd ; Cheapside,, Cornhill,
Or Cranbourne—thee for calcuments renown'd,
'With joy distends ; his meal meridian o'er,
With switch in hand, he to WRITE CONDUIT HOUSE
Hies merry hearted."
This burlesque heroic concludes thus
" While tea and cream and butter'd rolls can please,
While rival beaux and jealous belles exist,
So long White Conduit House shall be thy fame."
The signature to this grandiloquent affair is W. W.
Topham, the strong man, exhibited in the fields. He
had thrice the strength of what is commonly termed a
powerful man. He was accustomed to resist the
draught of two horses, and do a variety of other feats,
too well authenticated to be deemed exaggerations. The
fields around the Conduit were places of his frequent re-
sort. A large pewter plate that he doubled up by his
fingers is still preserved in the British Museum.
The Daily Public Advertiser of August 11, 1749, has
this record :—" Yesterday, August 10, died Thomas
Topham (known by the name of The Strong Man, mas-
ter of a public-house in Hog-lane (Shoreditch), occa-
sioned by several wounds to gave himself on Wuesday

THE SUN, LONDON, TUTTRS-DAY EVENING, JANUARY 23 1345.
STY AT ,

last, after having stabbed his wife in the breast, who is
likely to recover." Jealousy was the cause of this rash
act. The wire subsequently recovered.
Abraham Newland, who died at Ilighbury in 1807, in
his 78th year, was a frequenter of the White Conduit
and the Barn House. He was noted as a " disputatious
(i. e. argumentative) person, yet generally reLpected by
all visitors."
A writer in 1774 gives this description of the place:—
"The garden is formed into walks, prettily disposed.
At the end of the principal one is a painting, which
seems to render it (the walk) longer in appearance than
it really is. In the centre of the garden is a fish-pond.
There are boxes for company, curiously cut into hedges,
adorned with Flemish and other paintings. There are
two handsome tea-rooms, one over the other, and several
inferior ones in the house." The fish-pond was soon
after filled up, and its site planted, the paintings removed,
and a new dancing and tea saloon, called the Apollo
room, built.
Christopher Bartholomew laid out the gardens and
walks, and realised a great deal of money in this house;
he was also proprietor of the old Angel Inn at Islington.
Excessive speculations ruined him. Whilst in abject
poverty, he dreamt of a number in the lottery, prevailed
on a friend to go halves with him in a sixteenth, and,
wonderful to relate, it came up a 20,0001. prize. He
died in 1809, at the age of sixty-eight. Bartholomew
was the uncle of Frederick Hartland, the well-known
Pantaloon.
The small stone house that, until 1832, stood above
the well, or conduit, was built in the year 1641. In
Bowles' " Manly Recreations " are some capital prints of
the bowling-green attached to the old house.
In the early part of the present century, Mrs. Sharpe
and a Mr. Warren had the house, to which a small ale
and table beer brewery was attached.
In 1826 a variety of theatrical experiments were made
in the gardens. Mr. Lunt (celebrated as the first
coffee-shopkeeper) opened them as a " Minor Vauxhall."
Under his management Mrs. Bland made her last public.
appearance.
The house and grounds are now in the possession of
Mr. R Rouse. The Licensed Victuallers hold their
summer meeting here, the dinner being served beneath a
canvass canopy that may be called a " monster tent."
The large saloon in the house is continually engaged
for dinners and public meetings, and from the size of the
rooms and the extent of the gardens, White Conduit
House offers facilities beyond those of any other esta-
blishment in or near the metropolis.

* Leaden pipes (without solder) for conveying water,
were invented by Robert Brocke, chaplain to Henry VIII.
Robert Cowper, a goldsmith, first put the invention in
practice.

Of so much importance were these conduits, that when
Otho Nicholson, M.A. Christ Church, erected Carfax Con-
duit, in Oxford 0610), the scientific men of the metropolis
crowded thither to inspect it.
It appears Ward and his mistress rode. One line gives
us a graphic idea of that lazy convenience, a coach. He
says—" We

"Somctimes drew up our sashes, made of tin,
To hide from vulgar eyes love's toys within"

CUSTOM DUTIES ACT.
Amongst the 349 articles in the Custom Duties Act,
producing less than 1001. each of revenue, " alkali"
stands at the head, the duty received on which, in 1839,
was Bs. Ashes, not otherwise enumerated, 11. 4s. 7d. ;
copper ore, the produce of, and imported from any Bri-
tish possession within the limits of the East India Com-
pany's charter, gave 4s. 7d. ; camels' wool or hair, Is. ;
dog skins in the hair, not tanned, Is. 7d.; fish's skins,
undressed, ls. ; slates, not otherwise enumerated, the
large sum of Bd.; walnut oil, 35.; tanned goat skins, 6d.;
steel unwrought, prepared in and brought from any Bri-
tish possession in Asia, Africa, or America, 6d. These
are taken at random from the table in the appendix to
the report of the Select Committee on import duties,
which contains numerous others of similar insignificance,
ranging from shillings to pounds, and vice versa.
The list of 147 articles on which no duty was received
contains alkali again at the head, not being barilla ; the
duty being lls. 4d. per cwt., and running up to 11. 10s.,
according to the per centage of soda contained. Basket
rods, Is. per bundle ; cinders, 21. per ton ; and this list
ends with thrown silk, on which a duty was paid of
38,452 L, and a drawback allowed of 43,8501.
By the new tariff, this duty on alkali, not being barilla,
is reduced to Is. 6d. per cwt. ; ashes, nut enumerated, to
5 per cent. ; and the duties on copper ores were, as is
well known, materially altered, and for the better ; but
the tariff was left with the whole army of unproductive
duties still standing in the schedule to the Custom Duties
Act ; and, therefore, it may be safely inferred that any
document correctly prepared, to show the operation of
the new tariff; will contain numerous sums of sixpences
and shillings, denoting the amount of revenue received.
As many as 1,150 articles, or nearly so, may be said to
remain liable to Custom-house duties ; and yet, out of a
revenue of 22,000,000/, about 17 articles produce as
much as 94i per cent., or 21,700,6301.
This state of things show that the Custom Duties Ac
requires a complete and searching reform, and it is ma•
nifest that a very large saving in the expense of collec.
Lion would thus be effected, exclusive of important ad.
vantages and facilities to trade.--Chronicle.

CrARDENRIte BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. -About
ninety of the friends and supporters of this useful In-
stitution assembled together last evening, at the London
Coffee-house, Ludgate-bill, to celebrate the sixth anni-
versary of the Society. Mr. Alderman and Sheriff
Sidney presided, and amongst the company we observed
H. Pownall,l Esq., the Middlesex magistrate ; A. L.
Gower, Esq. ; Captain Lamont, R.N.; the Messrs.
Noble, Mr. Groom, and most of the leading gardeners
and horticulturists of London and its vicinity. The
dinner was served in Mr. Lovegrove's best style. The
usual loyal toasts were given and responded to, after
which the secretary announced that the subscriptions of
the evening amounted to 1701., the Hon. Chairman and
the Lord Mayor being in the list of subscribers for five
guineas each. The secretary also stated that that morn-
ing no less than thirty new annual subscribers of one
guinea each had enrolled their names in the subscription
list. Several appropriate toasts were given and res •
ponded to, and the amusements of the evening were
varied by several glees and songs, given with much
effect by Messrs. Bradbury, Lloyd, and Showbridge.
Miss Steele, a lady with a charming voice and consider-
able taste, whom we do not remember to have met
before, sang Benedict's beautiful song, " By the sad sea
wave," in a style which reminded
,us forcibly of
Alfred AIM
Shaw.
A " RECKLESS" COUPLE.—On Wednesday week a
marriage was about to be celebrated at Boston, between
a Mr. John Reckless, well known as a waiter, and Miss
Eliza Procter, daughter of Captain Procter, of Boston,
but who had been brought up by her aunt, an old lady
named Lilly, of Leverton. The license was bought--a
good dinner provided—friends and relations met—and
every arrangement was made to do honour to the
joyous occasion. The bride and bridegroom were present,
and received the congratulations of, the assembled guests,
and the aunt of the bride, in the joy of her heart, gave
a cheque for 1001., as her marriage portion. On the time
arriving to proceed to church, the company were much
alarmed by the sudden disappearance of the young
couple, and, although the strictest inquiries were made,
not the slightest intelligence of them could be obtained.
Much anxiety soon prevailed, and joy was turned into
mourning. An application at the bank upon which the
cheque was drawn, however, set all their fears at rest.
It was there ascertained that the youthful pair had
called at the bank and received cash for the cheque, and
had then decamped without having the marriage cere-
mony performed, leaving their friends and relations to
enjoy the marriage feast by themselves. It is supposed
that this " reckless" pair have fled to London.—Boston
Herald.
PROGRESS OW 'THE PRINTING PRESS.—We have
lying before us a little vocabulary of fourteen pages,
beimg the first attempt at printing on the island of Fer-
nando, and the work of the Rev. Mr. Merrick, Baptist
missionary there, who, having procured some English
type, has printed this vocabulary for the use of the
natives in learning English. It is printed only on one
side of the paper, and, on the whole, is a very creditable
first attempt. It seems that, in the native language, or
dialect, the long and short sounds of the vowels are the
same as on the continent of Europe. Gis always hard ;
a single II is never sounded, but 1111 marks the aspirate;
and KW is sounded as QU in equal. Obassi signifies
God ; bubi, sin ; molima, mind, soul, or spirit ; linggam,
to love. With this book we received another, "The
Adeeyah Vocabulary, for the Use of Schools in v'estern
Africa," by John Clarke, and printed at Falmouth,
Jamaica, last year, for the use of the Baptist mission.
Father, in this dialect, is Boy-em, or In-ta ; mother,
Emmi, or 0-mi; the great spirit, AI-e-hun-du; the good
spirit, Dupe; bad spirit, Mo-o ; man, Bu-bi ; woman,
Wa-di.—Manchester Guardian.

ORANGES AND LEMONS.--The Lords of the Trea-
sury have issued an order to the effect, that chests or
boxes of oranges and lemons, measuring 36 inches in
length, 20 inches in width, and 7 inches in depth, and
having cones of 9 inches and under 12 inches in height,
are to be admitted to entry at the duty of 3s. 9d. each,
as not exceeding 7,300 cubic inches, and as this result
is to be arrived at by rejecting any fractional parts of an
inch which may appear to remain after the deduction of
the two-third parts of the cone has been made, in con-
formity with the order of the Commissioners of Customs,
dated 19th May, 1830, the board have issued directions
authorising the officers of the revenue to apply the prin-
ciple to boxes not exceeding 5,000 cubic inches, so far
as regards the rejection of the fractional parts of the
cone. These orders have been communicated to the
several departments in London, and at all the out-ports
of the kingdom, for the information and government of
the officers and the trade.
DUTY or A POLICEMAN.—At an inquest held on
Monday night, before Mr. William Payne, the City
coroner, on the body of a young man who died suddenly
in a cab, it transpired, in the course of the evidence, that
the policeman who came up, instead of at once taking
the deceased to the nearest surgeon's, ordered the cab-
man to drive to the station-house in Black Horse-court,
Fleet-street. The coroner said the present was the
second case which had come under his notice recently,
where a person taken ill in the street had been taken to
the station; house, instead of to the nearest surgeon's.
In so doing much time, which was of the most vital im-
portance, was lost. It was his opinion that the first
thing a policeman should do, on coming to a fresh beat,
was to ascertain the residence of all the medical men
near it, so that in all cases of sudden illness or accidents
in the street, he might know where to obtain medical
aid, without first going to the station-house for orders.
He trusted the inspector would take notice of what khe
said, so that in all future cases of persons being ta
ill in the streets prompt medical assistance might be ob-
tained en

The venerable Earl of Carlisle, who has been again
much indisposed, was, in answer to inquiries yesterday
at Carlisle House, Grosvenor-place, somewhat better.
Viscount Morpeth is expected in
_town flat month from
Castle llvword,

IRELAND.
THE CHIEF SECRETARYHIP.
DUBLIN, JAN. 21.-:--Intelligence of the death of the
venerable Earl of St. Germans reached Lord Eliot this
day, at Dublin Castle. As his Lordship goes to the
House of Lords as Earl of St. Germans, it is very pro-
bable that _he will "not continue in the office of Chief
Secretary of Ireland. There are already rumours as to
his successor, and amongst those spoken of are Lord
Dalhousie, Vice-President of the Board of Trade, and
Mr. Sydney Herbert; Secretary to the Admiralty; but,
of course, everything on this point at present must be the
merest spectilation.
Lord Eliot had arranged to receive a deputation from
the Corporation at the Castle to-day ; but, in conse-
quence of the event above referred to, the interview did
not take place.
Lord Eliot is to sail for Port Eliot, Cornwall, this
evening, to attend the funeral of his father.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY.
The following is the petition for the repeal of the
penaLclauses affecting the regular clergy in the Emanci-
pation Act and the Charitable Bequests' Act. It is now
in course of signature, with the earnest sanction of Arch-
Dublin
bishop Murray, amongst the Roman Catholic clergy of
Murray,
" THE PETITION OP THE UNDERSIGNED ARCHBISHOP .*ND
SECULAR CLERGY OF THE BOMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
IN DUBLIN.
" Most humbly showeth—That petitioners presume to
approach your Honourable House, soliciting your gra-
cious consideration in favour of the regulars or clergy
bound by monastic vows in this city and country.
" That petitioners have had long and constant oppor-
tunities of closely observing and intimately knowing the
clergymen aforesaid.
" That this close observation and intimate knowledge
have rendered it evident to petitioners that the said re-
gulars have always constituted, and still constitute, a
class not only of peaceable and loyal subjects, but a class
entitled to great merit and great gratitude for their un-
ceasing, extensive, and successful labours in the advance-
ment of morality, education, and soci..l order.
" That in the year 1829, when, inn spirit of liberal and
wise legislation, sour Honourable House, by the Act of 10
Geo. IV., chap. 7, commonly called The Catholic Relief
Bill,' admitted to a very hill participation in civil rights
the Roman Catholics of the realm, tow hom, on account of
mere abstract religious opinions, these rights had low,
been denied, the regulars were, petitioners humbly sub-
mit,' unmeritedly excluded from a participation in the be-
nefits which that measure of justice and of wisdom con-
ferred on their Catholic fellow- subjects.
"That your petitioners, actuated by their intimate
knowledge of the deserts of said regulars, appeared at
that time before your Honourable House, by petition,
stating that the institutions composed of said regulars
were suited to the wants of Ireland, promoted exten-
sively the public good, without being, in any manner, at
all known to petitioners dangerous to the Government
or prejudicial to the State, and that the suppression of
them would, in the opinion of petitioners, tend much to
retard the progress of education, and the moral improve-
ment of the people,' and praying that a measure of relief
and conciliation should not be rendered the means of vi-
siting with penalties and deprivation of character whole
classes of meritorious individuals.
" That, notwithstanding, petitioners saw with sorrow
your Hon. House pass clauses 27 to 39 inclusively of
said Catholic Relief Bill, which clauses enact most dis-
tressing disabilities against said regulars.
" That nearly sixteen years of additional experience
have confirmed petitioners in the opinion then formed of
the merits of said regulars, and of their value to the
morals, the education, and the good order of the people.
" That petitioners have now further to regret, that in
the last session of Parliament your HOB. House thought
proper to enact section 15 of 7 and 8 Victoria, chap. 97,
commonly called, The Charitable Donations and Be-
quests Act,' which section, while it provides for the pro-
tection and conveyance of ecclesiastical property held by
the parochial clergy, extends to said regulars no partici-
pation in said beneficial provision, and thereby virtually
declares said regulars still unworthy of the rights and
privileges of British subjects.
"Petitioners, humbly conceiving that these exclusions
and disabilities affecting said regulars are unmerited pe-
nalties upon a peaceful, loyal, and most useful body,
whose conduct individually and collectively petitioners
most respectfully submit deserves from a just and
paternal Government protection and not proscription,
humbly solicit your Honourable House to restore said
regulars to the rights and privileges of the other subjects
of the realm, or grant such relief in the premises as
your Honourable House in its wisdom shall graciously
think proper. And petitioners will ever pray."
&ex AND INDIGENT BOOK-KEEPERS' SOCIETY.—The
annual meeting of this excellent society was held to-day,
at the Commercial-buildings. The Lord Mayor pre-
sided. Mr. O'Connell and several of the leading citi-
zens attended.

~„_______.
NEW MERCHANT SEAMEN'S ACT
Since the Act to amend and consolidate the laws
relating to merchant seamen, and for keeping a re-
gister of seamen, has come into operation, a great
number of foreigners have applied to the registrar of
the port of Landon for register tickets, which have
been in every case refused, the new law only autho-
rising the registrar to register seamen being subjects
of her Majesty. It is pe:haps,not generally known
that foreign seamen comprise about one-fifteenth of
our mercantile marine, and the new law has placed
them in a very awkward position. They cannot
obtain register tickets from the office, and masters of
ships mustnot take them to seawithout one, believing,
if they do, that theyare liable to heavy penalties. This
belief is founded in error. The 2d section of the 7th
and Bth Victoria, cap. 112, enacts that no master
shall carry to sea any seaman being a subject of her
Majesty until he shall have first obtained his register
ticket, which he is authorised to retain until the ter-
mination of the voyage. The 4th section imposes a
penalty of 101. on any master of a ship carrying out
to sea any seaman being a subject of Ler Majesty,
without first obtaining his register ticket. The
20th section enacts that any person being a sub-
ject of her Majesty, intending to serve on
board any ship, shall provide himself with a re-
gister ticket ; and for that purpose to apply per-
sonally at the General Register and Record-office of
Seamen in London, or the custom-houses of the
several outposts of the United Kingdom. It will be
seen, therefore, that the new Merchant Seamen's Act
only applies to subjects of her Majesty, and that there
is nothing to prevent the hiring of foreigners as here-
tofore. Yesterday two foreigners applied to Mr.
Broderip, at the Thames Police-court, for a summons
against the registrar of British seamen for refusing to
register them. One of the applicants stated that he
was a seaman, that he was born at Ilamburgh, and
had been for twenty-nine years sailing in English
ships. A great part of that time had been spent in
the service of the East India Company • he had mar-
ried an English wife, by whom he had five children,
and when he was ashore he lived with her in London.
The last British ship he sailed in was the barque
Newton, Captain Dixon, and that gentleman had
furnished him with a flattering testimonial of good
conduct, sobriety, and steadiness. He had applied to
the registrar to send him a ticket, which he refused to
do, because he was not a British subject, but he con-
sidered himself a British seaman to all intents and
purposes, and had adopted England as his country. He
had obtained a ship which was about to sail from
London to Sydney, but the master would not take him
unless he was registered and would produce his ticket.
A Swedish seamen next applied to the magistrate, and
his case was a stronger one than the last. He had
been away from his native country for forty-six years,
and had served in the Royal Navy of Great Britain for
thirty years, and in English merchant-ships for sixteen
more, and considered he was entitled to a register
ticket. Without one he could not obtain another
berth, and as to returning to the land of his birth,
where he knew no one, it was quite out of the ques-
tion. Mr. Broderip did not think he had any power
to interfere. The only question was, whether the
applicants were British subjects or denizens. Mr.
Symons, the chief clerk, and author of the work,
" The Law relating to Merchant Seamen," said the
Magistrate could not interfere with the registrar of
British seamen, who was an officer under the control
of the Lords of the Admiralty, and that he had no
power to issue tickets to those who were not subjects
of her Majesty. The applicants seemed very much
troubled at the answer to their applications, and said
they must starve, if no ship-masters would engage
them. The desire of foreign seamen to register under
the new law is very great—the pay in the British
service is greater, and the supply of provisions more
ample, than can be obtained in any foreign vessels. It
is a well-known fact that many foreigners, who have
been acting as seamen in British ships for many years,
have registered themselves as subjects of her Majesty,
and obtained their tickets.

MASONIC BALL.
Last night a grand masonic ball, in aid of the funds of
the Asylum for worthy aged and decayed Freemasons,
took place in Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen-street.
This fraternity has long since passed the rubicon of pub-
lic opinion ; to be a free and accepted Mason is to possess
a welcome passport in every quarter of the civilised
world. It is, therefore, peculiarly gratifying to find that
the asylum und from year to year continues to accumu-
late and prosper. Through many " lets and hindrances "
Dr. Crucefix, the founder, has had the satisfaction of
seeing the good work proceed to completion. The
offspring of our poorer brethren alone shall not be cared
for ; the aged and indigent members al;o demand oar
sympathy. These feelings prompted the founder of the
asylum fund ; last night he and the other promoters of
it had a gratifying triumph in the number and brilliancy
of the company attending the ball. Among those pre-
sent were the Spanish Minister, Dr. Lane (President),
Brothers Shaw, Hodgkinson, Field, Aspull, Bacon,
Barnes, Comins, Crucefix, &c. Dancing, under
the able superintendence of Brothers Carlin
Marriott, who acted as masters of the
cere-
monws, commenced about Lnine o'clock, with the
pretty quadrille from Don Pasquale; then followed
Quadrille, Il Giuramento—Lancers, Prince of Wales—
Quadrille, L'Espagnole—Caledonians —La Polka and
waltz—Quadrille, Cracovienne—Quadrille, Les Gondo-
liers—Spanish dance, Double Pousette—Quadriile, Royal
Irish—Quadrille, Jullien's English—Caledonians, New
music—Quadrille, Le Postillon—Le Polka and Galope,
Cerito and Strauss—Quadrille, Bohemian Girl—Lancers,
Adams—Quadrille, l4te de Bronze—Quadrille, New
Scotch —Spanish Dance, Light of other Days—Quadrille,
Antiques, Vocal Finale—Country dance, Sir Roger do
Coverly. The celebrated band of Mr. Adams performed
during the evening with its accustomed ability. About
midnight there could not have been fewer than 350 ladies
and gentlemen present; the former brilliant in the ex-
treme, and there being a very numerous attendance of
officers most of whom wore their jewels and badges, the
ensemble at the above-mentioned time was really magni-
ficent. Refreshments of the best order were liberally
supplied by Mr. Bacon, the courteous proprietor of the
tavern; indeed, everything was so well conducted, that
entire satisfaction appeared to pervade the assembly, the
elegant hilarity of which was sustained till an early hour
this morning.

FEVER IN ENNISTDION WORKHOUSE.—We have been
informed that fever to an alarming extent has broken
out in the Ennistimon Workhouse. The master, porter,
and fifty of the paupers, young and old, are in hospital.
Several of the male and female children, and adults, are
also infected with the complaint called " tetters." The
workhouses throughout Ireland are too large, and con-
sequently exceedingly cold, particularly on the ground
floors, composed as they are of flags or earth.—Clare
Journal.

RECRUITING IN IRELAND.—The most vigorous efforts
are being made throughout the various recruiting dis-
tricts to raise recruits; and commanding officers of some
corps have received a most formidable circular, in J. E.
Napier's energetic style, to use every exertion to com-
plete the deficiency in their respective corps.— Cork
Examiner.

FALLING OP THREE NEW HOUSES IN LIVERPOOL•
—On Thursday night last, about ten o'clock, three new
and unfinished 13uses, in Upper Canning-street, fell with
a tremendous crash, the walls carrying nearly the whole
of the joists, floors, &c., into the cellar, and smashing the
timber into comparatively small pieces. The buildings
were of four stories in height, of brick, and formed the
eastern end of a new row of houses on the south side of
the street. Luckily no one was by at the late hour
stated. We find that the lower, or cellar portion of the
walls, up the datum level, was roughly built of broken
pieces of soft freestone, called " nobling," and so imper-
fectly put together as to be inadequate to support the
superincumbent weight, rising to an elevation of forty-six
feet. The walls were but nine inches (or only brick
length) in thickness, which is sadly short for buildings of
that size. The buildings are upon what was formerly
Mosslake-field, in which the unbroken ground is yet a
black moss to the depth of two or three feet. The foun-
dations, however, were sunk below this, to apparently a
stratum of soft sandstone, and the probability is that the
houses gave way from the cause assigned.—Liverpool
Courrier.
ADMIRAL DUPETIT THOTJARS.—There is a pom-
pous account in the French Radical newspapers of a
subscription to purchase " a sword of honour for
Admiral Deputit Thouars, who had the command of the
French expedition to Otaheite. We are told that sub-
scriptions have been received in all the principal towns
of France," and that "it is calculated that no less than
175,000 persons had joined in this expression of feel-
ing." From this it is argued how strong must be the
national feeling of France in favour of the Admiral, and
of all he had done against the actual or supposed inte-
rests of Great Britain in the Pacific. But what do our
readers suppose may be the total amount of the sub-
scription of these 175,000 French patriots ? The sum is
19,685 francs, with the addition (in order to be exact) of
five centimes, or one halfpenny I As 19 then is to 175,
so is the subscription of each patriot to the munificent
sum of ninepence halfpenny I The fast is, that 175,000
patriots have combined among them to put together
374,000 halfpence. Each patriot has, on an average,
contributed a fraction beyond one penny sterling, in
order to accumulate honour upon the Admiral of the
Pacific, and to impress England with a due sense of
French determination to uphold her officers, however
marked their hostility to British interests may be. We
are of opinion, however, that this penny subscription is,
on the whole, a very ludicrous affair.—host.
THE BITER BIT.—A gang of horse jockeys made
their appearance before the magistrates on Saturday
last, charged with an attempt to swindle a farmer in a
most audacious manner. The farmer, it appears, had
brought a nag for sale to the fair, &c., and on thd pre-
vious evening fell into the company of several dealers,
one of whom proposed to change horses with him, and
give him 30s. to boot." The farmer closed in with this
offer, knowing that his horse was considerably inferior
to the one he was to receive from the dealer. On the
Saturday morning the exchange of the horses took
place, and the farmer mounted his new steed for a jour-
ney home. On arriving opposite the House of Correc-
tion, however, he was stopped by a jockey, who de-
manded in the most peremptory terms whither the farmer
was taking the horse, which he said belonged to himself.
The rustic at once explained the process by which he
became possessed of the animal ; but was instantly met
with the reply that the person who had sold him the
horse had no right whatever to dispose of it ; and was,
moreover, ordered to dismount, and to return to the
stable for his original steed. The farmer at once per-
ceived the " dodge" and knowing full well that if he re-
turned to the stable on foot he would lose both horses,
held firmly to that which he had, and referred his new
acqua ntance to a policeman for satisfaction. The con-
sequence was, that the entire company had to make their
appearance at the Town. hall the same forenoon, when it
was clearly proved that the trick had been concerted
among them. The magistrates ratified the bargain
which had been made ; and the designing swindlers, in
order to escape further exposure, added another sove-
reign to the exchange money, thus increasing the far-
mer's gain to fifty shillings, and leaving hinapin posses-
sion of an animal much superior to his own.—Preston
Guardian.

PREACHERS IN LENT IN THE
Friday, Mr.
KinneestPdielinnyt:
CITY AND SUBURBS.
The following is a list of the preachers appointed by
the Lord Bishop of London to preach in the city and
suburbs of London in Lent, 1845, on Wednesdays and
Fridays, in the following churches :-
ST. SEPULCHRE'S.-Feb. 5, Ash Wednesday, Mr.
Hale, Archdeacon of London ; Feb. 7, Friday, Mr.
Letts ; Feb. 12, Wednesday, Dr. Bird ; Feb. 14, Friday,
Dr. Shepherd; Feb. 19, Wednesday, Mr. Lee ; Feb. 21,
Friday, Mr. Robinson; Feb. 26, Wednesday, Mr. Short;
Feb. 28, Friday, Mr. Abbiss; March 5, Wednesday, Mr.
Harding; March 7, Friday, Mr. Gibbs; March 12, Wed-
nesday, Mr. Crosthwait ; March 14, Friday, Mr. Bean • March 19, Wednesday, Mr. Crouch ; March 21, Good
Friday, Mr. Wood.
Sr. MAGNUS THE MARTYR, LONDON-BRIDGE.--Feb.
5, Ash Wednesday, Mr. Jones, Archdeacon of Essex ;
Feb. 7, Friday, Mr. Sharpe ; Fb. 12, Wednesday, Mr.
Stone; Feb. 14, Friday, Mr. Lacy; Feb. 19, Wednesday,
Mr. Gelling ; Feb. 21, Friday, Dr. Burnet ; Feb. 26,
Wednesday, Mr. Goode ; Feb. 28, Friday, Mr. Roberts;
March 5, Wednesday, Mr.'
Blunt; March 7, Friday, Mr.
Durham; March 12, Wednesday, Mr. Hutchins; March
14, Friday, Mr. Lupton ; March 19, Wednesday, Mr.
Johnson; March 21, Good Friday, Mr. Leigh.
Sr. ANN'S, SOMO-SQUARE.-Feb. 5, Ash Wednesday,
Dr. Burney, Archdeacon of St. Alban's; Feb. 7, Friday,
Mr. T. H. Horne ; Feb. 12, Wednesday, Mr. Newbery ;
Feb. 14, Friday, Dr. Vivian ; Feb. 19, Wednesday, Mr.
; Feb. 21, Friday, Mr. 'A. Hollingworth ; Feb. 26,
Wednesday, Dr. Croly ; Feb. 28, Friday, Mr. Denham;
March 5, Wednesday, Mr. Rodwell ; March 7, Friday,
Mr. Hall ; March 12, Wednesday, Mr. Gibson ; March
14, Friday, Mr. Foy-eh - March 19, Wednesday, Mr.
Amiot ; March 21, Good 'Friday, Dr. Macleod.
Sr. PETER'S, Pramico.-Feb. 5, Ash Wednesday, Mr.
Sinclair, Archdeacon of Middlesex; Feb. 7, Friday, Mr.
Ward ; Feb. 12, Wednesday, Mr. A. Cooper ; Feb. 14,
Friday, Mr. Bowers ; Feb. 19, Wednesday, Mr. Dale ;
Feb.'2l, Friday, Sir IL K. Dukenfield ; Feb. 26, Wed-
nesday, Hon. Mr. Villiers; Feb. 28,
March 5, Wednesday, Dr. M'Caul ; March 7, Friday,
Mr. Tyler ; March 11, Wednesday, Dr. Russell; Mardi
14, Friday, Mr. W. W. Ellis ;
Mr. Jennings ; March 21, Good Friday, Mr. Fuller.
C. J. LONDON.
N.8.-Prayers will begin at eleven ho'cloF9erkidW;:a.nd there
will be a sermon every Wednesday and
at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

—lt
perhaps, be re.
TIIE RULING PASSION.
fortnightbeenor three
committedw e weeks
membered, that we stated,
ago, that a man named
money,
Ardsley, nearrkcans
to York, for t
Wakefield, a t t heiat ions sfieaszsecsao,
against
asf
joidnres.rrtaohlibilbmei robbing personmaasoaf na an at
to
and that t
whom he hheaNrcinoncfiipdaeldwhiis secret whilst under remand in
the House of Correction. This witness, whose name is
John Denison, was tried at Leeds Borough Sessions and
acquitted. He was
assi bound to give evidence against
Birkenshaw at the zes. During the recent West
Biding Sessions, at Wakefield, he could not resist the
temptation of availing himself of the opportunity offered
by a crowded court to abstract a handkerchief from the
pocket of a person named George Haigh, of East Moor,
for which he was brought up before the magistrates at
the Court-house, Wakefield, on Monday last, and com-
mitted for trial at the sessions.—Doncaster Gazette.
The sum of one thousand three hundred pounds
has been subscribed for the relief of the widows and
children of the men who were killed by the explosion of
the boiler of the Gipsy Queen, at Blackwall, in November
last. The relatives of the sufferers have received weekly
allowances since the accident, and some of them have
been supplied with mangles 45 4 means of obtaining. a

ST. CLEMENT'S SAVINGS' BANS.--.The following
is a statement of the audited account of the money tran-
sactions of this bank for the last year :—The amount re-
ceived of depositors during the year was 46,0091. ls. Bd.
The amount paid to depositors, including interest, was
41,181/. IBs. 4d., whilst the cost of management &c.,
amounted to 6041. Is. 7d. 'Ter© was during the,
ear
2,536 depositors, whose balances did n year
not exceed 20/. ;
1,190 depositors above 201. and not exceedingSOZ ; 536
above 501. and not exceeding 1001. ; 167 above 1004 and
not exceeding 150/. ; 67 above 1504 and not exceeding
2001. Sixteen charitable societies and 30 friendly so-
cieties were also depositors, showing the total number of
open accounts to be 4,542.
EXTENSIVE FIRE IN TIUNGERFORD-MARYET..--..
This morring, between three and four o'clock, an alarm-
ing fire was discovered among the loads of hay and
straw in liungerford-market, near the company's office.
Information was forwarded to the Chandos-street fire
station by the watchman on duty, and speedy assistance
was procured therefrom, as well as from other stations,
but from the progress the fire had made previous to its
discovery the firemen were not able to subdue it till a
considerable portion of hay and straw had been con-
sumed. A great mystery attends the cause of the fire,
but sufficient time could not be attained to aseertain its
origin.
ROYAL GENERAL PENSION SOCIETY.--Last evening
the usual general meeting of this excellent institution
took place at the board-room, in Chapel-street, Caven-
dish-square. From the report of the secretary, -*I--
John Morris, it appears that there are at present nearlyi
one hundred recipients of the charity upon the
some of whom are upwards of "three scorelp_
Indeed, one old lady is stated to be upwardsof
six years,
similar ages and many of the male recipients ninety-
six reach ti