et, Prittropolis.

The chairmen of the district committees who conducted Baron Roth_ /child's election assembled on Tuesday at Guildhall, to meet the central committee and consult on the fit steps to be taken next. Mr. John Abel Smith, M.P., presided.

Mr. Smith stated, that three courses were deemed to be open. First, when the bill lately introduced in the House of Lords by the Earl of Wicklow should arrive at the Commons, a clause might be inserted enabling the Jews to take their seats: but it is not probable that the bill will arrive at the House of Com- mons this year. Second, for Baron Rothschild to go to the table of the Horne of Commons and claim his seat: on his doing so, he would be rejected, or ad- mitted, as Mr. Pease was in 1833, under resolutions: but his rejection on the ground of his refusal to take the oaths, would disqualify him from standing again; and if he was actin.; tted under resolutions, there are still penalties of 5001. for every vote he might give, which there are persons ill-natured enough to en- force. Third, he can wait till next session, and have another bill introduced to Parliament. This course is the one the central committee advises. The matter must remain in suspense, however, till fourteen days after the return, in order to see the issue of the threats now held out of a petition against the return. Mr. Smith had proclaimed before the election, that it is a struggle between the con- stituency of London and the House of Commons on the one side, and the House of Lords on the other. The Lords are startled to find that this is the truth; and there is much talk of infringing their rights, and attacking, overawing, and overriding that House: but, with the greatest respect for the privileges of the Lords, the electors are merely claiming equal respect for their own constitutional privilege to return their own representatives. Mr. Smith thought it inexpedient that only a little clique of Baron Rothschild's personal friends should have the direction and management of the movement that was now to be taken; the question is too large to be so confined. Therefore, the chief if not the only object of calling this meeting was to appoint an active, efficient, prac- tical, and working committee, to consult with the general committee as to what ought to be done; to consult with Lord John Russell, as the head of the Govern- ment, as to the steps that he would take; and to•consult with the other largo constituencies of the empire, in order to bring their views and wishes to bear upon the question—that they might have the opinions of others out of the city of Lon- don, and thus give the question that force with which no question fails, and with- out which no question can succeed—the force of the general public opinion.

Mr. Deputy Stevens said, that at the first election it seemed to him too many of the friends of Baron Rothschild were apt to forget the principle of religions liberty, and looked too much to the man. But on the last occasion that feeling was altered, and every one seemed to contend for the principle of religious liberty.

Mr. Sirr thought that all they had to do now, was to appeal to Lord John Rua. sell instantly to bring in a bill, and not to keep it for weeks and months in the House. Why not read it three times in the same night? (Laughter and applause.) It would then go to the Lords; and if they threw it out, the etcetera would bring in Baron Rothschild again, and yet again: as often as the Lords threw him out they would bring him in. (Laughter, and a cry of " An election every week! ") He did not think it would be necessary to have them so often all that. Let there be two more elections, and the Baron would take his seat.

Mr. Smith said, he thought the Baron would be let in without so many as two elections. He would not conceal from the electors his wish that the next bill might be first introduced into the House of Lords.

Baron Rothschild thanked the electors for their votes, and expressed his grief that he could not go round to them and thank them personally; but his health was so bad that he had been ordered into the country. [He appeared, says the reports, to be labouring under very severe illness.]

Mr. Smith jocularly told Mr. Rothschild that they didn't want him any longer; all he had to do was to go into the country and get well. It was resolved to select from the different wards in the city, an infin- ential general committee to cooperate with the central election committee in consulting with the Premier and appealing to the country.

At a Court of Aldermen, held on Tuesday, a letter was read by the Town-Clerk from Mr. Pete, expressing his intention not to serve the office of Sheriff, to which he was elected conjointly with Mr. Nicoll. A new election was ordered, and Mr. Peto's letter was referred to the Committee of Privileges.

The Lord Mayor gave one of his grand banquets at the Mansionhouse on Saturday, to nearly two hundred of the leading scientific and literary men of the day. The party included the Earl of Rosse, the Marquis of Westminster, Earl de Grey, the Bishops of London, Llandaff, and Nor- wich, the Dean of Westminster, Sir Henry de la Beche, and other gentle- men connected with scientific departments of Government, the Council of the Royal Society, a majority of the Royal Academicians, several Members of Parliament, most of the professors of the London Colleges and Hospi- tals, and many gentlemen connected with the press and with general lite- rature. Lord John Russell, Lord Brougham, and a few others, were men- tioned as "unavoidably absent." In proposing the toast of the Royal Society, the Lord Mayor recalled the fact that this distinguished body held its early meetings not far from the hall in which the company were assembled— Now that members had obtained more splendid accommodation, he was glad to afford them the opportunity of renewing their acquaintance with the City. It was one of his highest honours, that on a recent occasion he had been invited to their board and had his health drunk as Chief Magistrate—the only individual unconnected with the Royal Society upon whom such a distinction had been be- stowed.

The Earl of Rosse, in acknowledging the compliment, descanted in an appropriate manner on the importance and value of science, even taking the lowest ground of the mere utilitarian—

If it were not in bad taste, it would be needless for him, in the presence of such a company, to recommend science for its own sake: but they might perhaps forget that scientific speculations, however abstruse, had usually in the end a practical bearing; leading step by step to practical results, teaching us to change the shape and adapt the products of nature for the use of man. Surrounded on every side by the comforts and luxuries of civilized life, we should remember, that for all these we are mainly indebted to the labours of ingenious philosophers, who, toiling for the pure love of science, often unheeded, perhaps unknown, bad brought to light principles, at the time perhaps apparently barren and unproduc- tive but destined to produce the most wonderful fruits. When a principle was discovered, and almost immediately afterwards applied, the world saw at once the connexion between theory and practice. Professor Oersted made the discovery that a magnetic needle, through the agency of a voltaic current, became invested with artificial polarity; and, as one of the results, we obtained the electric telegraph. When we use that astonishing machine, and convey intelligence by it. with the rapid- ity of thought, we are apt to forget the debt of gratitude we owe to the distin- guished philosopher who farnished us, as it were, with anew sense—anew faculty. But the principle discovered might not for a long time bo applied to practice. We are conveyed from town to town with the vetocIty of the wind, trusting im- plicitly to engineering eeienee; or carried from port to port over the trackless ocean by means of nautical science: but for whatever there is of certainty in engineering or nautical science, we are indebted to those geometers who have worked and brought out a variety of deductions apparently the moat inap- plicable to practice—speculations about lines, and circles, and curves, and angles, made two thousand years ago. So close is the connexion between science when theoretic and everything the world calls practical, useful, and valuable, that, taking the whole range of our manufactures, not an art we possess but is trace-

able to the discovery of some principle. In science manufactures had their origin. Manufactures are but science applied to practice. Being, then, preeminent in manufactures, is it not fit we should be preeminent in science also? Is it not possible' if we fall behind the world in science, we may fall behind in manufac- tures too?

Every gentleman present was fully alive to the importance of science with re- ference to its action on the mind of man, bringing out the wonderful faculties of his nature, trainisg, elevating, and ennobling it, to comprehend the works of creation; teaching it that everywhere in the works of the Creator, whether most rninhte or gigantic, perfection reigned—design and contrivance at once perfect and everlasting. The Bishop of London ascribed the toast of his health to the office he held in the Royal Academy as its Chaplain. He considered it no slight privilege to have been connected with that distin- guished body for now twenty-two years. There is a natural if not a necessary connexion between religion, art, and science. He need hardly remind them that ancient art attained its greatest splendour when employed in illustrating the my- thology of the Greeks and Romans. The masterpieces of Christian art are still to be found over Catholic altars; and, although the severer genius of our own Re- formed Church disowns the assistance of painting as an adjunct to those means by which devotion is excited, yet she does not disdain, but on the contrary most cor- dially and respectfully invites, the assistance of the sister arts of sculpture and architecture. With the finest specimens of these the city of London abounds. With respect to science, there is not merely a natural but a necessary connexion between it and religion. What is science but the knowledge of truth ? Science cannot but illustrate the glories of Christianity. The Holy Scriptures are but truth—truth unmixed with error; and he could not but remark that some of the most conclusive, convincing evidences of the existence, benevolence, and wisdom of the Deity, have been furnished by distinguished professors of science. He would not enumerate examples; but the dying testimony of Laplace was—" Whatever you do, never part with religion; never consent to the overthrow of your religion. When you overthrow that, you overthrow all good government, all civil rights, all social happiness."

At the annual meeting of the Society for the Improvement of the Con- dition of the Labouring Classes, held on Thursday at Willis's Rooms, Lord Ashley stated that arrangements have been made for the erection of two new model lodging-houses,—one to hold fifty or sixty unmarried women in Hatton Garden; and the other, elsewhere, to be capable of accommodating fifty entire families, with a distinct dwelling for each family. Similar in- stitutions were springing up in Paris, Berlin, and other cities on the Conti- nent. To one in Paris the President of the Republic subscribed 2,0001. (francs?) Dr. Southwood Smith stated, that among the 800 people under the care of the Metropolitan Building Association, the mortality was one half below the average mortality of London; aud among the 500 chil- dren mostly under the age of five—the most susceptible period of life—the mortality has been eight times less than the average. No case of typhus fever or cholera had occurred.

At a meeting held on Thursday in the Board Room of King's College Hospital, it was stated that the annual average of patients is nearly 20,000. It was announced that the Reverend Robert Bickersteth will preach on be- half of the Hospital tomorrow, at St. Clement's Dane Church.

The Royal Thames Regatta tot.k place on Tuesday and Wednesday' and attracted a vast concourse of spectators: the pleasure-grounds on the banks near Putney and Hammersmith were crowded with carriages of the wealthy, and the populace of London streamed out to the sight in thou- sands. The grand Champion four-oared match for 1001., open to all the world, was contested in three heats. In the first heat, a crew combining the noted Robert Coombs and his brother Thomas, Thames watermen, and the equally noted Henry Clasper and his brother Robert, Newcastle water- men, were brought together, and beat without difficulty a good crew of Oxford watermen and one of Chelsea watermen. In the second heat, Pocock, Newell, Doubledee, and Mainney, beat easily a Wandsworth crew, a Durham crew, and an Eton crew. The grand beat was the finest contest ever seen on the London water: the boats continued nearly abreast from Putney to the Committee's barge; Coombs and his partners then crept in advance, and, despite the pluck and bottom of Doubledee's crew, they won, at Chiswick eyot, by rather less than a length. The Landsman's fifty- guinea race, with 151. for expenses, was won by a city of Oxford crew, in three heats, against five crews from Newcastle, Wandsworth, Chelsea [two boats] and Durham. The Amateur challenge-cup for fours was won by the Thames Club; the Amateur silver skulls, by Mr. Edward Marsham; the Waterman's coat and badge, by J. A. Messenger.

A new mode of cheap and healthful enjoyment has been opened to the artisan classes of London. Pleasure trips on the Paddington Canal, in barges conveniently and ornamentally fitted up, have become frequent this summer. One or two experiments were made last summer, and they proved at once so pleasant to the seekers of amusement and advantageous to the seekers of profit, that the wharves near the Great Western Railway station are now crowded with arrivals and departures for the greater part of the day.

The Central Criminal Court was occupied during Thursday, Friday, and Sa- turday last week, in trying a misdemeanour under the Foreign Enlistment Act. Franco Maccagnone Granatelli, known as Prince Granatelli, Louis Scaglia, and John Moody, were indicted for unlawfully fitting out, in August last, the Bombay and Vectis steamers as ships of war, for the purpose of making war against the King of the Two Sicilies, the lawful sovereign of a friendly state. The indictment was preferred at the instance of Prince Castelcicala, Minister in this country of the King of the Two Sicilies: Sir Frederick Thesiger was chief counsel for the Crown, Sir Fitzroy Kelly for the defendants. The general nature of the criminal charge is known to our readers through the notes of it which appeared some weeks since in the police intelligence; the points of interest that came oat last week were more of a political kind. Colonel Aubrey was a leading witness: be was originally a Lieutenant in her Majesty's Thirty-first Foot ; was then in the Royal Horse Guards (Blue), and served under the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsula ; afterwards he entered the Spanish service, and obtained a Colonelcy. In September 1848, when at Pisa, he had e. communication from the Revolutionary Government at Palermo, which led to his frequent presence at their councils of war. He received instructions to come to England, to enlist a body of men, and to fit out war-steamers, and officer them with English commiu,dere. He received some money, and relied on a loan of 700,0001. from the French Government. lb purehased the Bombay and Vectis of the Oriental Company, enlisted a body of men, and contracted for the fitting-up of the steamers, and the dress and accoutrements of 1,200 men. Lieutenant Waghorn was introduced to Prince Granatelli, and to M. Scaglia, as a dashing fellow who would go in and take twelve ships out of the eighteen of the Neapolitan fleet—though the other six could not be certainly answered for. "The Prince replied, ' Dela sera bon pour nous,' and rubbed his hands and appeared very delighted. The interview terminated by M. Scaglia saying that they would write to the Government at Palermo and recommend LieutenantirFhorn ; and they took down the address of that gentleman in order that they might communicate with him." In the end, Colonel Aubrey found that money was not forthcoming; and, suepecting that he was going to be left in the lurch—" played rascally with "—he went over to the other party, " informed' about the expedition, and was instrumental in getting the ships seized by the British Government under the Foreign Enlistment Act. After some fencing with counsel, he admitted that he was to receive 3001. for these services.

Lord Palmerston testified, that no leave or licence bad been granted by her Majesty, either by order in Council, sign-manual, or proclamation, to any persons to fit out vessels of war for the purpose of acting hostilely against the King of the Two Sicilies. This country was at peace with that country all last year, and still continues so. He knew Prince Granatelli and M. Scaglia; and had inter- views with them at the Foreign Office and at his own house, in the character of organs of communication not officially received by her Majesty's Government from the then existing de facto Government of Sicily. Sir F. Thesiger—" By that expression. I take your Lordship to mean the representa- tives of persons exercising the powers of government at Palermo P"

Lord Palmerston —" Yes."

In answer to Sir F. Kelly—" The defendants brought a letter to me from the Government they represented." . . . " The defendants represented themselves as the agents of an independent existing Government at Palermo. The British Government had not acknowledged that Government as having an European existence ; and there- fore they were not received In that capacity, but merely as the organs of communica- tion with a Government which was acknowledged as existing, but not as a recognised European power. That Government was hostile to the King of Sicily." Sir F. Kelly—" WAS not the exact position of the defendants described in a despatch from the Government of Palermo?"

Lord Palmerston—" It was."

Slr F. Kelly—. Is not this (holding up a paper) the original document they brought to your Lordship ?"

Lord Palmerston—. I believe that to be the original letter."

Sir F. Thesigcr—. Where does it come from ?" Sir F. Kelly—"From the Foreign Office. Do you wish to have it read ? " (A laugh.) Sir F. Thesiger—. Certainly not." (Renewed laughter.)

Lord Palmerston then stated, that he believed the Government at Palermo declared Itself Independent early M 1848 ; that shortly afterwards nearly the whole of the king- dom was In the possession of the insurgents, and the King was declared to be de- throned ; but no hostile proceedings actually took place between the insurgents and the kingdom of Naples until September.

Sir F. Thesiger—" I did not hear from the defendants that the members of the Pro- visional Government at Palermo had been taken away to Marseilles in the Yectis. The President was Ruggiero Settimo. I do not recollect the name of Lafarina being men- cloned; but they told me that the Marquis Torrcarsa was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. During the whole of this period, the Prince Castelcicala was the accredited Minister from Sicily to this country."

Prince Castelcicala, the Neapolitan Ambassador in London, gave some formal evidence as to his own Government and the insurrection; and stated that he had for some time had his eye on the movement of the promoters of the expedition. He wrote to Lord Palmerston about it; "but could not induce him or the Govern- ment to order the seizure of the vessel." He therefore put the matterin the hands of his solicitors; and they took their own course, under proper advice. The pri- soners were in no way connected with his Government. He bad met them in Lord Palmerston's official residence. "Upon one occasion when I had an appoint- ment with his Lordship, they were waiting in the ante-room. I have also seen them among the company at Lady Palmerston's soirees." A number of witnesses deposed that the steamers were "fitted up" in every way as war-steamers. Sir Fitzroy Kelly rested his defence much on a verbal criticism—the distinction between "fitting up" and "fitting out." A lady was "fitted up" by having her ears bored, not "fitted out" till the earrings were actually in their ornamental situation: so here the vessel was "fitted up" perhaps, but no guns or other munitions were aboard; so she was not "fitted out," in the words of the forbidding law.

In summing up, Mr. Justice Coltman-said, there was no doubt that the Nea- politan Government had as much right as any other person under her Majesty's protection to adopt such proceedings as these. The Government of this country might, if it had been so inclined, have put an end to the proceeding by entering a nolle-prosequi through its law-officers; but it had not done so ; and it seemed. tohave been perfectly neutral, except, for some reason which did not appear, hav- ing ordered the discharge of the vessel after she had been seized by the Custom- house-officers. The indictment divided itself into three separate charges,—firstr the enlisting of sailors; second, the enlisting of soldiers; and the third, which was the most material matter, was that of fitting out a ship or vessel with intent to employ it for warlike purposes against the King of Naples. A good deal had been said as to the intention of the act of Parliament; but if the Jury were sa- tisfied that the vessel was fitted out for the purpose of committing hostilities against the Neapolitans, and that the object was so far carried out as that by- putting the armament on board she would have been ready to go into action, this would be quite sufficient. The offence certainly was no further immoral and improper than as being a violation of an act of Parliament. A great deal of the case for the prosecution consisted of alleged conversations; which was a descrip- tion of evidence that was always looked upon with a good deal of caution, because it was obviously a most easy matter entirely to alter the effect of a conversation by a slight misrepresentation of what actually occurred.

The Jury intimated their opinion that the perusal of the ship's articles entered into at Liverpool would assist them in their deliberations. These were not, how- ever, given to them. Retiring for half an hour, they gave a verdict of "Not guilty" as regarded all the defendants. In the Insolvent Debtors Court, on Thursday, the Honourable Adolphus Charles Frederick Molyneux Capel appeared upon application for his final order. His income was about 1,0001., wholly received from the bounty of relations. He had lived at the rate of 4,0001.; his debts are 24,000E; and he now offers 2001. a year to his creditors out of the income of 6001. which his father-in-law will con- tinue to allow him; the rest of his income being withdrawn. The granting of the final order was opposed by counsel for many of the creditors. The Chief Com- missioner felt the painful position of the insolvent. Certainly he had answered all questions in the most straightforward and decorous manner; and if the judge was not mistaken, there was a subduedness of manner indicating a deep feeling for the position to which his improvidence bad brought him. But if he granted the final order in this case, he should be ashamed to deal with a poor man's case tomorrow—some struggling tradesman, perhaps, involved in difficulties—and say to him, "Go back, I can give you no help!" for he would be told, "Why, yes- terday you allowed the son of a Peer to walk through this court."—Final order refused.

Mr. George Bevington, a stock-broker, has appeared twice before the Lord Mayor on charges of defrauding people of money which had been intrusted to him to purchase stock. A Mr. Robinson made the first charge' that Bevington had received a sum of money to invest, and bad not done so, but had sent a forged re- ceipt for stock, purporting to be signed by a Bank official; but when the accused was brought up a second time, on Wednesday, Mr. Robinson did not appear; so his charge fell to the ground. Three other persons—one a poor widow—accused Mr. lievington of appropriating their money to his own use. But there was a fatal bar to proceeding in each case: the act of Parliament expressly requires that a purchaser of stock should give written instructions to the broker; the com- phunants bad not done this, and so there could be no criminal charge fixed upon the accused. He was liberated. It was intimated-that his friends are endeavour- ing to raise funds to repay the parties who have suffered. A daring outrage was committed in the Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, about twelve o'clock on Saturday night. As Mr. George Hennesy, a master tailor of Lambeth, was passing near the Abbey, three men suddenly set upon him, and left him insensible in the road, having first picked his pockets. When conveyed to the Westminster Hospital, it was found that the sufferer bad sustained a frac- ture of the lower jaw; and it was not till Wednesday that he could give a cohe- rent account of the attack. Three men were then arrested by the police, and Mr. Ilennesy has identified two of them.