be Ittetropolis.
A strange ceremony was performed at Christ's Hospital on Wednesday. In order to ° assert the right of the Chief City Magistrate to be the head of the City Hospitals, the Lord Mayor arrived in state, with several of the Aldermen and Common Councilmen, and the City Officers, rang the bell at the grand entrance, and demanded admission. Mr. Trollope, the Clerk of the Hospital, appeared, and read a .paper, which stated that the Lord Mayor would be allowed free access at all times to the Hospital, but that his Lordship must not be present at any meeting of Go- vernors not summoned by the President. Mr. Firth,the Deputy Town- Clerk, then read a formal demand of admission; which not having been obeyed, the Lord Mayor retired with his retinue.
A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday for the despatch of business. Alderman Wilson brought up the report of a Committee on the Giltspur Street Compter. It stated that the Governors of Christ's Hospital had abandoned their idea of purchasing the site of the prison; and that as the number of prisoners for debt had greatly decreased under the altered law, the prison was too large for its present purposes: the Committee therefore recommended the purchase of some adjoining property, in order to extend and convert part of the Compter into a house of correction. The report was affirmed; and a special Committee was appointed to consult the Se- cretary of State on the subject.
A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday. The Lord Mayor stated, that in pursuance of the report which had been made to the Cor- poration on the subject of the imperfect and irregular lists of Governors, he had sent to each of the Royal Hospitals notice for the attendance of the Governors on Wednesday the 22d instant, in order that the respective lists might be received and confirmed. A correspondence had taken place, in which Mr. Trollope, Clerk of Christ's Hospital, and the authorities of St. Bartholomew's, denied his right to call such a Court ; while Alderman Sir John Pine, President of St. Thomas's Hospital, asked time to consider his answer to the summons. The Lord Mayor also reported his unsuccessful attempt to enter Christ's Hospital on Wednesday. He announced that be was determined to call a Court of the Governors of all the Hospitals, on 'Wednesday next, in the Guildhall, in order to receive and confirm the amended lists of the Governors; and it was his intention to hold a Court of Common Council on the Thursday following, for the purpose of reporting the result of the meeting of the Governors. A petition, signed by 600 or 700 of the most eminent bankers, merchants, and traders of London, retail as well as wholesale, was presented in favour of the proposed railway ter- mini and improvements in Farringdon Street; but the discussion on that project was again postponed.
A statue of Sir Thomas Gresham, by Behnes, has been placed in a niche on the East front of the Royal Exchange, under the cupola.
The new steam-boat pier at Blackfriars Bridge was opened to the public on Tuesday. There was no ceremony; but the Lord Mayor and Bridge Estate Committee inspected the pier before it was thrown open. It is a commodious and substantial structure, 140 feet in length, with a dumb lighter placed at a right angle to the river of 130 feet. Both have been so constructed as not in the slightest degree to interfere with the navigation or current of the river. Two very commodious waiting-rooms have also been built; which, with the pier itself, will be brilliantly lighted with gas. Six persons have been appointed to attend the pier as constables acting under the City authorities. The Society for establishing Baths and Wash-houses for the Poor in St. Pancras parish have begun the erection of their buildings, on a site given by the New River Company, at the base of .the reservoir in the Hampstead
Read. The space of ground contains 10,000 feet. The River Company intend to furnish an ample supply of fresh spring-water, raised from a depth of 200 feet; they will furnish the water for the first six months gratis, and afterwards at a low cost.
"The establishment," says the Times," consists of a range of buildings ave- raging about twelve feet in width and eight hundred in extent. It forms nearly three sides of a square, the entrance (by George Street) being in the centre. To the left of the receiving-room, which is placed in a direct line from the entrance, at the end of a passage containing vapour-baths, are twenty-two small compart- ments for men's baths, (cold, warm, or shower, at the option of the bather); six of which will be at a cost of Id., six at 2d., and ten (superiorly fitted up for a higher class of persons, and reached by a separate door) at 6d.; double those urices being charged when hot water is made use of. At the end of these will be two larse plunge or swimming-baths, sixty feet by twenty-one, at 2d. and 6d., wiih separate approaches. Ibis completes the left wing of the premises. To the right o the receiving-room, and arranged on the same plan, will be sixteen baths for women; eight of them being fitted up in a superior style. Beyond these, and to which there is a distinct entrance without passing through the bath-room, is the washing-department; which will contain sixty-four double tubs, the larger pardon for washing in, the smaller to be made to answer the purpose of a copper Ly a jet of steam which will keep the water in a boiling state. Each woman will be separated from her neighbour by a wooden partition, and need not even turn round until her work is completed, as there is a ledge in front of the tub expressly for placing the things on according as she washes them. That being done, she may put them into a patent drying-machine, (a model of which may be seen at the Polytechnic,) and with much less injury to them effect what is now done by the process called 'wringing,' a process which the flimsy habiliments of the poor will not bear very often. In the next room there is another machine, by means of which hot air is blown into a tube running underneath a range of closets with a valve for each, that may be closed or opened at pleasure; and, by hanging the clothes in one of these closets, and opening a valve, they in a very short time will be fit for the iron or the mangle, both of which will be provided in addi- tional rooms, already built for the purpose. For all this accommodation each person is only to be be charged ld. if she does not stay more than two hours at the tubs, and one hour more in the drying and ironing-rooms."
At the Surrey Sessions, on Monday, the "Reverend" James West was indicted for stealing a blanket, two sheets, and a counterpane, from a lodging which he occupied at Peckham. Mrs. Croker, a widow, proved that the prisoner and his wife had lodged with her for about a fortnights she suspected that they were robbing her; and on entering their rooms to resolve her doubts, both West and his wife ran out of the house. The prisoner was afterwards given into custody. He had taken the rooms in the name of Fletcher, and was to have paid 7s. a week for them; but all that Mrs. Croker had received was 25. 6d., paid by sixpence at a time, West declaring that he was disappointed in a remittance. Duplicates of the property stolen were found on the prisoner's person. He was found guilty. Horsford, an officer of the Mendicity Society, then declared that West had been apprehended in 1837, for writing begging-letters - in 1844 he was again in cus- tody, for attempting to commit a fraud on Mr. liashleigh, the Member for Corn- wall; to whom he wrote under the signature of the Reverend Fletcher West, stating that he was on a bed of sickness and that his family were in the most dreadful state of distress. He had since been in prison for illegally pawning. The Chairman sentenced the prisoner to six months' imprisonment in Guildford House of Correction.
At the Wandsworth Police-office, on Tuesday, Mr. Clive the Magistrate gave his decision on the charge of trespass which had been brought against the Rich- mond Railway Company by Mr. Beckett, of whose land they had taken possession. The solicitor of the Company declared that Mr. Beckett wanted an exorbitant price for his land-2051.; they had, however, paid that amount into the Bank of England, and given a bond under the Company's seal to Mr. Beckett. The Ma- gistrate decided, that as the Company had not give the complainant a formal notice three days before entering on his land, they had trespassed; therefore he adjudged them to pay as damages 3s. each for twenty-four trees which had been cut down, and a fine of i.e. and costs for the trespass; the smallness of the award being in consideration of their having deposited the 2051. in the Bank. An appeal from this decision was announced.
At the Marylebone Police-office, on Thursday, Glazier, a porter at the Bath station of the Great Western Railway, was charged with stealing a dressing-case from the Paddington terminus, in 1843. It is supposed, that the prisoner is one of the gang of railway-robbers recently discovered. Some evidence implicating him was given, and he was then remanded for a week.
A ease which was investigated at Worship Street Police-office, last week, affords an additional proof of the necessity of appropriating special compartments of car- riages to the use of ladies travelling alone on railways. Mr. Gurney, a wine- merchant, of Mount Street, Walworth, was charged with assaulting Mrs. Anne Kimble, a married lady residing at Cambridge. Mrs. Kimble left that town in a second-class carriage, being alone in the compartment that she occupied; at Bishop's Stortford, the defendant and two other men got into the compartment; Gurney laid his head on her shoulder, pretending to be asleep; she removed to the other end of the seat, but he followed her, called her "my dear," and put his arm round her neck; Mrs. Kimble screamed, but no attention was paid by the guard; and it was not till the train arrived at the next station that she could escape from her persecutor. The defendant pleaded that he had been drinking; expressed his regret for having misconducted himself, and tendered an ample apology. In consequence of this contrition, the Magistrate fined Mr. Gurney only 10s.
At the Mansionhonse, on Friday and Saturday, Mary Cattell, an old woman attired like a Quakeress, and having a 20/. note and other monies in herpossession, was charged, at the instance of the Mendicity Society., with obtaining money under false pretences, by means of begging-letters. The circumstances of the case and its termination were somewhat remarkable. The woman was accused of wearing a Quaker dress though not a member of the Society of Friends, in order to perpetrate frauds. Mr. Sturgeon, a clerk of the Mendicity Society, declared that the Society had had information that a woman of this description, accom- Panied by another woman, had been in the habit of going about four or five years ago on the begging system: from all the circumstances they believed this woman to be one of the persons whom they had been in quest of; she had been begging for a society of some kind. A publican recognized her as a person who had called at a place where he was apprenticed, a few years ago, to solicit charity for a society. In answer to these accusations, the woman said that though she wore a Quaker dress she had never pretended to belong to the Society of k riends. Her brother was a prisoner in the Queen's Bench for a contempt of the Court of Chancery; he had suffered injustice, and she was attempting to obtain A subsctip- tion that he might get his rights. She had never begged for a society: "I affirm, she said, "that 1 never solicited charity for a society. I never collected alms for a society. I should affirm that solemnly if I were about to leave the world this indent. It was to assist my brother and myself I begged. It was for the redemption of houses and lands to which we are, by all that is just and honest, entitled, I solicited." In answer to the Lord Mayor, she said the property was aituated at Northallerten. "We want to prove a fraud, and the proof ot that will i'ehease my brother from his imprisonment. The deed bears date 1817" A good oessarcf the woman's story had been confirmed by the witnesses against her: Mr. Sturgeon considered the brother to be mad, as he could have obtained his liberty by merely making some submissions to the Court of Chancery; but this he passionately refused to do. airs. Stapleton, a Quaker lady with whom the accused had lodged, said she appeared to be a steady and honourable woman, but a Mile deranged. She had disturbed Quaker nwetings, by rising to speak there. The Lord Mayor thus delivered judgment—" The case is sufficiently proved to satisfy me; and I decide upon committing you, as a disorderly person, for one month to Bridewell; and any expenses which may be incurred on your account must he stopped out of the money found upon your person." [It has been remarked that this extraordinary conviction was founded on no proof that the woman had committed any offence whatever.] At Bow Street Police-office, on Saturday, Charles Pearce, a boy of thirteen, was charged with having obtained 1/. 3s. irons the proprietors of the Morning Chronicle under false pretences, It was mentioned last week, that all the morning newspapers had been tricked into inserting a fictitious narrative of the death of a Colonel Metcalfe at ELstree: the signature attached to the manu- script was "Stephen Leigh Hunt," the signature used by a well-known reporter; and on the faith of that the papers inserted it. The falsehood of the account was soon discovered ; and whim the boy Pearce applied for payment on account of the report, the money was handed to him and he was then given into custody. The prisoner declared that a "tall gentleman" had accosted him in Chancery Lane and desired him to get the money for him. He stated, however, that he used formerly to take reports to the newspapers for his father, Villiers Pearce; but they were always "true ones," his father being a reporter of many years' standing. He said he had not taken any copy to the papers for his father for two or three years. The boy was remanded.
On Thursday, the prisoner was discharged; the prosecutors considering that he bad been the dupe of some designing person not yet in custody.
The reexamination of Lieutenant Kerwan for stabbing Quartermaster Tarleton took place on Saturday, at New Brentford, before the Magistrates sitting in Putty- Sessions. Mr. Tarleton, who has perfectly recovered from his wound, deposed to the circumstances under which Mr. Kerwan iujured him : the account was pre- cisely similar to his former statement. On being cross-examined he made this declaration—" From the exceeding kindness I have on all occasions experienced from Lieutenant Kerwan since my promotion, I am perfectly confident that, had it not been for the excited state in which Lieutenant Kerwan was at the moment, arising from the blows lie had received in the fulls while wrestling, and the effects of the wine he had drunk, he would not have done me an injury; and, on my oath„ I am also convinced that at the moment Lieutenant Kerwan did so he entertained no malice or ill-will against me. I sent a message to that effect to Lieutenant Kerwan within half an hour after the occurrence took place. I have attended here today. because I considered it my duty to do so; but I shall not, of Inv own accord, take any measures with a view of prosecuting Lieutenant Kerwan, should the Magistrates not require me to do so.” Lieutenant Warde, who was the first to enter Mr. Kerwan's room after he had wounded Mr. Tarleton, stated, that on Tarleton's calling out that he was wounded, the Prisoner exclaimed, "Good God! I had no intention of doing so." Mr. Clarkson addressed the Bench at great length on behalf of the accused, and the Magistrates then retired to consider thew decision. On their return, after an hour's absence, the Chairman announced, that although they did not consider it necessary to send Lieutenant Kenyan to trial, or to bind over Quartermaster Tarleton to prosecute, they felt it to be their duty to hold Lieutenant Kenyan in recognizances to appear at the next or any other session of the Central Criminal Court, to answer any indictment that might be preferred against him. The bail that would be required would be the same as on the last occasion—namely, Lieutenant Kerwan in 5001. and two sureties in 2501. each. The necessary bail was immediately tendered, and Mr. Kerwan was dis charged out of custody.
The total number of deaths registered in the Metropolitan districts during the week ending Saturday, October the 18th, was 771; an amount considerably below that exhibited in the autumnal and annual averages, in which the numbers stand respectively 1,020 and 963. Under the head of zymotic (endemic, epidemic, and contagious) diseases, the return shows an increase on both averages, the numbers for the particular week being 223, (71 of which were from measles,) for the autumnal weekly average 201, and for the annual 184: dropsy, cancer, &c., 65; autumnal average 109, annual 106. The diseases of the brain and spinal marrow also present a marked decrease-113 ; autumnal average, 155; annual, 159. Diseases of the lungs and respiratory organs, 193; autumnal average, 323; an- nual, 292. Under the other heads of disease the return presents no remark: able features. The number of births registered during the same period was 1,310; being an excess of 539 over the mortality. The temperature of the week ranged from 73.2° (the highest in the sun) to 39.0° (the lowest in the shade); the mean direction of the wind was South-west.
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