311rtropolig.

At a Court of Common Council, on Thursday, the following letter was read from Messrs. Wigan and Co., the hop-factors who have suffered the loss of so many thousand pounds by the destruction of Alderman Huut- phery's warehouses near London Bridge. "My dear Lord Mayor—A calamitous fire has destroyed our warehouses, and we cannot account for its origin. We have applied to the Coroner to hold an inquest to ascertain the cause of the fire, but he has declined doing so, although we have offered to defray the costs. There being a Common Council this day, we take the liberty of addressing your Lordship to use your great influence with the Court, to direct the Coroner to hold the inquest, the amount of property destroyed being so great, and the cause of the fire involved in so much mystery.

" With great respect, we are your Lordship's faithful servants, EDWARD Wines and Co."

A doubt was expressed as to the power of the Council to "direct" the Coroner to hold an inquest. The Recorder was questioned, and he felt "unable to give a hasty opinion on a peculiar point of law." On his suggestion, the Court did not interfere, but ordered that the letter "do lie on the table."

The Court resolved, with only five dissentients—Mr. Norris, and others—to petition the House of Lords against the bill for abolishing Smithfield Market.

The Exhibition was visited last Saturday by 12,732 persons, and the receipts at the five-shilling fee were 1674/. 10s. On the shilling days of this week the stream has again mounted to the full height. The num- bers on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, were 67,555, 68,394, 58,454, and 57,781; and the receipts in single shillings were 3016/. ha., 3186/. 12s., 2695/. 18a, and 2722/. 10s. Yesterday the num- bers were 29,033, and the receipts in half-crowns 2969/. 6s.

On Tuesday the shilling visitors had the gratification of a formal re- cognition by the Queen. Her Majesty staid in the building till about eleven.

"Thousands of shilling visitors had entered during the first hour, when, without a note of preparation, by the good management of about a dozen Po- licemen, an avenue was formed down the nave, and the Queen enabled to pass adong between living walls of her people, as quietly as if she was in her own drawing-room. Leaving the North half of the Indian department, and preceded only by Mr. Mayne and Mr. Belshaw, she proceeded, leaning on the King of the Belgians' arm, to Osier's fountain, which for a short time -arrested her-attention. The effect at this point produced by the thousands of excited spectators was exceedingly fine, and all kept their places with an admirable and praiseworthy sense of Propriety. Here and there cheers were raised when- the loyalty displayed rose to its highest paint, but the specta- tors generally appeared to suppress their feelings-as if they doubted the good taste of expressing them en such an occasion."

On Wednesday, there were seen the eight hundred boys of Christ's Hospital School ; the boys of the Jews Orphan Asylum ; and the children of Miss Burdett Coutts's school, accompanied by their benevolent patroness. On Tuesday, five hundred labourers, from the Berkshire estates of Mr. Philip Pusey, came up at Mr. Pueey's expense.

Among the new contributions, is a gigantic black diamond, belonging to Mr. Joseph Mayer of Liverpool ; it is larger than the Koh-i-noor, and is said to be "so hard that it has hitherto defied the lapidaries to polish it." The Queen has also sent a magnificent dressing-case from Bucking- ham Palace.

The heat of the building has been oppressive. Yesterday the thermo- meter stood at 86' in a shady part of the building : nevertheless, the Fri- day's number was more than maintained. It is purposed to remove the inside glazing of the Eastern and Western ends, and so insure a thorough passage of air.

The exertions in Parliament of the Duke of Richmond on behalf of the undecorated military and naval officers who shared in the achieve- ments " that led to the capture of Paris, Madrid, and Washington, and finally to an honourable peace," have been acknowledged by the gift of a piece of silver plate, worth 1500 guineas. The presentation took place at Willis's Rooms on Saturday evening ; when " two hundred of the old Egyptians, Peninsulars, and sea-lions of Nelson and Collingwood," met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant-General Lord Saltoun, and, after an exhilarating banquet, witnessed the presentation of their gift, and heard the Duke's soldierly acknowledgments. The Duchess was present in the gallery, enjoying the scene and receiving the sympathy of a com- pany of lady visitors who accompanied her. Besides the speeches of the chairman and the guest of the evening, there were speeches by Sir Hugh Halkett, of the Hanoverian service, Mr. Guthrie, the eminent army- surgeon, and half a score of others; and the veteran convives, most of them silver-haired men, many of them wanting limbs, and all of them carrying glistening honours on their breasts besides the last one which the gift to the Duke acknowledged, lingered till a late hour, re- newing ancient friendships and recalling old recollections of common peril.

The opening of St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, was celebrated by a public dinner at the London Tavern on Saturday, at which the Earl of Carlisle presided ; and Earl Manners, Viscount Chewton, and Baron Parke were present. The event is one of considerable interest. Hitherto there has been no institution of the kind to serve the wants of the popu- lation spread over the wide Metropolitan district Westward of the St. George's and the Middlesex Hospitals. The building stands on the left of the approach to the station of the Great Western Railway through Freed Street from the Edgeware.Road. Prince Albert laid the foundation-stone six years ago, and about one-half of the land appropriated has been co- vered with the portion of the building now completed; which will ac- commodate about 170 of the 400 patients whom it is proposed that the perfect building shall admit. The present expenditure has left a deficiency of 4000/. Lord Carlisle pleaded the strong case of the institution with his usual unction.

"I believe I am correct in stating, that the ground is unoccupied by any ger.eral hospital between St. George's and Middlesex Hospitals; and that this district comprises a population of at least 200,000, of whom I have been informed 4000 die annually in indigence and destitution, without the means of commanding medical attendance, if they should require it. Now, we all know—we who are acquainted with the circumstances of this district—that it contains the spacious squares, the stately terraces, and the beautiful pa- laces I was almost about to call them, of what is usually called Tyburma ; in fact, a new town, far surpassing in extent and population many of the historical capitals of Europe. Of course, I do not refer to the inhabitants of those splendid houses as the proper persons for reception in this hospital ; but I do refer to them as proper contributors to the relief of the poorer popu- lation, which in almost every district of our great city will be found to en- close and elbow the more easy and affluent classes. In the next place, gen- tlemen, and in immediate contiguity with your hospital, you have the great station or terminus of the Great Western Railway. Now, with all the respect and all the admiration which I unfeignedly feel for the rail- way system, it must be acknowledged that., now and then, accidents will happen on railways and in the great works connected with them. • * * • The opening of a general Metropolitan hospital is not an event of every day or of every year. Such events are scattered at rare intervals, and only in the course of centuries ; they make an epoch in themselves. Why, gentlemen, when we refer to any of the old venerable hospitals of this Metropolis—St. Thomas's, Guy's, Bartholomew's—we know these are institutions which are not to be found in every street, but are incorporated, as it were, with the his- tory of London and the pro„aress of medical science. If we could fancy for a moment their venerable walls had the gift of speech, to what thrilling and elevating tales might they not give utterance ! Through many generations,* they might say, we have opened our doors to the wants of mankind in its most afflicted and torturing hours ; we have restored activity to the fractured limb, we have brought back the bloom to the wan cheek, we have recalled sweet slumber to the pain-racked couch ; we have replaced millions in the discharge of their daily duties and the enjoyment of that rich life which their Creator had given to them.' I would ask you, first, can the palaces of kings, can the galleries of art, can even the walls of our Legislature—and far be it from me to disparage their utility, and the advantage we derive from them— can any of them show so enkindling, so ennobling a record? Add antiquity itself is thought by many, through all its surviving monuments and buried treasures, not to exhibit any similar title-deeds to the gratitude of our race. I look upon it as certain, that the year 18.51 will always be referred teas the year of the Crystal Palace. But then, although that memorable structure raises. its sparkling dome,—although it encircles treasures which are the admiration of this country and the world,—be it your care and be it your boast, to maintain not for one year only, but for revolving years, in an adequate manner and upon a worthy scale, a building which shall not be open for one occasion, or at any recurring, or limited, or decennial, or other period, but which from this day henceforth and for ever shall supply a recognized want in thisgmat community. A building which shall throw open its portals wide to the cry of human suffering, front whatever quarter it may come, and which amidst the ravages of disease and the groans of poor mortality shall look like an angel A light, or rather treading in the footsteps of Him before whom the angels veil their faces, but who Himself sounded the depths of human suffer- ing, shall accomplish through all time its pure gospel mission of healing and of life."

The aulraripli-,:ls an this occasion amounted to m-ore than 30001. The City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, a sister insti- tution for the East orLondon to that possessed by the West of London in the Consumption Hospital at Brompton, had its foundation laid on Wed- nesday, by Prince Albert, before a company including the Bishops of London St. Asaph, and Oxford, the Marquis of Westminster, the Earls of Carlisle, Morton, and Hardwieke, and the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs. The new institution will be a building with a front 214 feet long and 50 feet high, very much resembling the front of Chelsea Hospital : the per- fect plan will accommodate 200 patients, and that portion of the building --the-front—for the commencement of which the funds already suffice, will give room to 80 patients. The cost will be 10,400/., and 6000/. has been collected. The site of the building is the spot where stood the house of Bishop Bonner, close to the edge of the Victoria Park. Before the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone was commenced, Mr. Paxton submitted to Prince Albert a design for a sanatorium of icon and glass in which the patients may enjoy exercise in a climate artificially prepared for their snore delicate lungs by the aid of warming, ventilating, and other arrangements, embracing the aid of large numbers of those particular plants which botanists know to give out larger volumes of the vital respi- ratory gas oxygen than any others. The additional cost of this design would be 4000/. Prince Albert is said to have been very much in favour of the design ; and it will be referred to a medical committee of the Hos- pital managers, fur their report on its merits. An address was delivered by the Earl of Carlisle, and the masonic ceremony was then performed by Prince Albert. A dejefmer followed.

The centenary festival of St. Luke's Hospital for Lunatics was cele- brated on Wednesday, by a dinner of the managers and friends of the in- stitution, at the London Tavern. The Speaker of the House of Commons presided; and Lord Overstone, Lord Erskine, and several Members of the House of Commons, were present. In the course of the speeches, allu- sions were made to proposals for a removal of the Hospital from its site to a more healthful situation outside London : the proposal was favourably referred to, but want of funds (some 40,000/. would be required to effect the removal) was declared to be an insuperable objection. Since the opening of the Hospital in 1751, about 18,000 patients have been admitted, and of those 8000 have been discharged cured. Subscriptions amounting to 25001. were announced.

-- At a meeting of the Metropolitan Church Reform Association on Wed- nesday, it was moved that there be adopted for circulation throughout the country a draft of a declaration for signature, "that a temperate re- form is requisite in the constitution, discipline, formularies, and also in the patronage and the appropriation of the property, of the National Church "; and suggesting that a Royal Commission, to be selected by the Premier and the Primate should consider a revision of the Prayer- hook, with a reform of public worship, and the restoration of the laity to their proper weight and influence in church-government.

The parish-church of St. Dunstan, Stepney, was the scene of very unbe- coming proceedings on Sunday afternoon. The parishioners bad elected the Reverend Samuel Gower Poole to be afternoon lecturer; the Bishop of London, after some objection, liceused him to the office ; but the Rector, the Reverend Richard Lee, avowed his intention of refusing the use of the pul- pit to Mr. Poole, to whom he had a personal objection. Last Sunday, Mr. P'oole was to enter on his office. The church was crowded. Mr. Poole read prayers, and retired to the vestry to put on his gown. Mr. Lee immediately entered the pulpit, and after a hymn had been sung, he began the usual prayer. The convagatuns immediately rose, some one exclaimed, "Out, out!" and a large portion of the congregation left the church. When the Rector attempted to speak, he was met with hisses, groans, and exclamations ; and the persons remaining in the church collected in groups to discuss the matter. Mr. Lee, unable to obtain a hearing, left the pulpit, and seated himself on the stairs ; a number of gentlemen remonstrated with him, and he seems to have defended himself on the ground that Mr. Poole's behaviour had been personally offensive; he had not been so courteous as to ask per- mission to use the pulpit. Quiet was restored while the burial service and the baptismal service were read by the Reverend Harry Martin ; and then Mr. Lee left the stairs for the vestry, several persons hissing him. Mr. Poole, as soon as he found that Mr. Lee had occupied the pulpit, retired to the vestry, and remained there. A body of Police was assembled outside the church.

There was also a scene in St. John's Church, Upper Charlotte Street, Fitzroy Square, on Sunday evening. A series of sermons had recently been delivered there on "The Message of the Church" ; on Sunday, the special topic was "The Message to the Poor" ; and the Reverend C. Kingsley, the avowed author of Alton Locke, was the preacher. "He dwelt most emphatically upon the wrongs and miseries of the poorer classes, attributing their vices to their poverty and ignorance, and those again to the injustice they suffered at the hands of the rich ; while to the latter he assigned, by direct implication, the responsibility of all the social evil that prevails to so lamentable an extent. The discourse was listened to with extreme sur- prise by a very crowded congregation ; who, nevertheless, little expected the unprecedented event that occurred at the close of the service. After the preacher had concluded, the Reverend Mr. Drew, the Rector of the parish, who had occupied a pew beneath the pulpit, rose in his seat and addressed the audience just as they were about to disperse. A most painful duty, he said, had devolved upon- him, in having to condemn the discourse just de- livered, and which he had never anticipated hearing from a pulpit. Mr. Drew then, with some emotion, proceeded to administer a brief but stern re- buke on Mr. Kingsley ; whose sermon, he declared, contained matter that was questionable in doctrine, pernicious in tendency, and untrue in fact. He regretted that exhortations of so dangerous a character should have been offered to the members of a Christian church. This interposition caused much: excitement 'among the congregation."

The case of Florence versus Lawson, tried by Lord Campbell at West- minster on Saturday, was an action of libel against the Times newspaper, for an unfair report-of legal proceedings at Judges' Chambers in last Decem- ber; and it had the unusual issue of a complete retractation by the pro- prietors of the journal. Mr. Florence and Mr. Davis, partners in a distilling business, had gone to law, and Mr. Davis had b come bankrupt ; in the course of the legal proceedings, the assignees of M I avis went before Mr. Baron Platt at chambers, to get an order as to the ill-position of a sum held for one or other of the parties, by Mr. Lahee the auctioneer ; affidavits were filed ; and it seems that other affidavits had been prepared by the assignees of Mr. Davis which were not filed or used before Baron Platt. A report of the pro- oeedings appeared in the Times next day, which contained the statements, that before the judge the attorney of the assignees had casually stated Mr. Flo- rence to have•defrauded Mr. Davis of about 70001. ; but that the attorney of Mr. Florence had denied the truth of this, and explained that there were matters of-amount in dispute between the late partners. A few days afterwards, the Times contained a second amount of the same proceed- ings before the judge, which, in order to make readers "masters of the extraordinary circumstances of this case," gave long extracts from "the affidavit made by the bankrupt Davis" against his late partner Mr. Flo- rence. These extracts alleged a nefarious case against Mr. Florence. But it seems that no such thing as this affidavit was ever made before the judge, or filed. Mr. Florence's solicitor wrote to the Times explaining this, and the Times did not insert his letter; • a second letter only produced the inser- tion of the first letter, and was not itself inserted, though fairness would seem to have required both insertions ; and when further letters were written demanding the name of the reporter, no notice was taken. When the action was brought, the defendant journal pleaded a justification of the affidavit, that it was all true. At the trial, all these facts were proved ; and Mr. Humphrey, the counsel for the Times, cent:hied himself to asking a few questions of the witnesses, which drew out, inter alia, that affidavits had been filed in former suits in Chancery, of whose statements the affidavit in question is the echo. When the case had gone thus far, the counsel for the parties had a brief communing, and the upshot was a full retractation. Mr. Humphrey., the leading counsel for the Times, said to the Jury- " I am happy tomform you that you will be relieved from any further consideration of this ease. The Times bas no desire but to stand well with you and the plaintiff; and I now state that we have been inadvertently led into the puolication of this libel. ou the plaintiff, fur such undoubtedly it is. You well know that the proprietors of the Times are very anxious, in all mercantile cases which are tainted with fraud, to obtain accurate information; and on the occasion in question, having received inform- ation that such was the ease, a reporter attended. In order to prevent trouble, it is usual for the parties to give documents to the reporters ; and that was done on the occasion in question, when the affidavit now complained of was so handed over. It was supposed to have been used, when in point of fact it bad not been. It was a mistake; and for that mistake I agree the plaintiff is entitled to be compensated. So far as damages were concerned, I was willing coda almost anything which icy learned friend might require; furl thought that nothing ought to stand in the way of justice being done. With that liberality which I think is very honourable to the Attorney- General and the plaintiff, lie has agreed, on being indemnified against the costs, tote satisfied with my withdrawing every imputation on the plaintiff, and leaving the mat- ter to be disputed between the plaintiff and the assignees of his partner. Davis. I therefore fully withdraw all imputation upon him, and deeply regret that the Maas should have been the means of promulgating a matter so injurious to the plaintiff. I am sorry also (though that is a matter for which people out of doors —the pleaders— are rather responsible)—I am sorry that we were ever unwise enough to put a plea of justification on the record. We are willing also that the plaintiff shall be put to no expense; that all the costs shall be paid, and that too in no illiberal spirit. The plaintiff, much to his honour, says that he is satisfied with that ar- rangement, and that he does not believe that the Tibia had any unfair motive, such as lending themselves to the malice of a third party. I trust that the events of this day will leave no unfavourable impression of either party."

The Attorney-General, as leading counsel for Mr. Florence the plaintiff, acknowledged the liberality of the offer, and accepted it frankly. Lord Campbell said, he thought the defendant had acted with great pro- priety; but he should not himself discharge his own public duty if he did not auiniadvelt upon those facts of the ease which are undisputed. • He con- sidered that the tint report had savoured of partiality ; and that the second report of the same proceeding "was not a fair report,' and "could not have been from a good motive" : that report was an abuse of the liberty of the press.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Saturday, James Hurley and George Catton were convicted of robbing, a blind man, Mr. Collins, coal-merchant, of a watch, in the street. Mr. Collins recognized the men by the voice, and by the manner in which Hurley coughed. A woman with whom Hurley had' been intimate gave strong evidenoe against the men. Hurley was sentenced to be transported for ten years, and (atton to be imprisoned for nine months.

Hannah Dorley, an "unfortunate girl," was convicted of petty larceny. In her defence, she made this statement respecting Policemen Bradshaw. Seven years ago she had been convicted, but she had been reformed in a benevolent institution, and had got into a respectable situation, when Brad- shaw told her master that he had a convicted thief in his service, upon which she was discharged; and since then she had been compelled to resort to the streets. She owed her present situation to the conduct of the officer, who had prevented her from getting her living honestly and retrieving her character. A gentleman in court said he had known two other instances where Policemen had been guilty of the same conduct. The prisoner was sentenced to six months' hard labour.

John Shaw, a young man who professes to be a working carver, but who is declared by the Police to be a burglar, though he has managed to keep out of their hands until now, has at length been captured while meditating a burglary. Two Detectives found him lurking about Washington Street, a quiet street at Bow Common Lane; one of them felt his cout-pocket—there seemed to be skeleton-keys and a small crowbar in it. But Shaw ran off, and got half a mile from the place before he was taken, and by that time he had managed to throw away his suspicious implements ; next morning they were found near the spot where lie was seized. Sergeant Smith *tided to the Thames Police Magistrate, that many robberies had been committed near Shaw's lodgings : a particular house in Washington Street" was to have been entered" on the night when Shaw was taken. Sentence, three months' im- prisonment.

The proprietors of omnibuses running to Croydon, Norwood, Merton, and Wandsworth, have been summoned before Alderman Wilson, for having the illegal cross-seat in their vehicles. Some said they had now removed the seat; others, that they had ordered ouly ten passengers to be admitted. The Alderman thought the latter scheme merely tempted conductors to cheat their masters by admitting eleven passengers. He inflicted a tine of 101. in each case ; but mitigated it to 40s. on a promise of immediate removal of the seat.

Another destructive fire has visited the property of Alderman Humphery. In Montague Close, Southwark, close to London Bridge and St. Saviour's Church, a range of four immense warehouses was erected by the Alderman a few years ago. They were called A, B, C, and D, and each had six floors. A number of persons—hop-factors, paper-makers, provision-merchants-- occupied the premises, in which was stored property of great value. About half-past three on Monday afternoon, fire was discovered in the third story of warehouse A, and immediately after flames burst from the windows of that and another floor. When the engines arrived there was a great lack of water, and an hour passed before there was a good supply. The fire spread rapidly, burned through the roof, and descended through a trap-door to the top floor of warehouse B. Great quantities of water were poured from the land and floating engines, and eventually the firemen got the mastery : nearly the whole of warehouses A and B had been gutted. The transept of St. Saviour's Church had been in great peril. It was now thought that the worst was over; but about eight o'clock another fire burst forth. While on the roof of warehouse C, Fireman Birch observed smoke issuing from the roof of warehouse 1). Under the impression that a spark had fallen upon the roof, he proceeded to the spot, with his branch in his hand, in order to extinguish it, followed by two of his mates. Ile got down the loop- hole and directed water on the burning part, which he found to be same yards inwards: being _nearly overcome by the heat and wan he returned to the trap to escape ; but the flames formed an eddy; of fire round the hole and completely enveloped him. He was in the act of dropping, when his comrades seized him and dragged him out of the hole: he was forthwith conveyed to Guy's Hospital in a dangerous state. This new fire was a mystery: iron doors communicated between B and C, and these had become red hot; but Mr. Humpliery had immediately got them bricked in by a number of bricklayers who were at work on an adjacent wharf; and to this moment the warehouse C has altogether escaped injury. Suspicion arose that the fires were wilful. For four hours the warehouse D continued to blaze, and then nothing remained but tottering walls. St Saviour's had again been endangered ; some of the parish documents were removed for safety, and preparation was made to remove all if necessary. So large was the stock of hops consumed—many thousands of pockets and bags—that the market will be affected by the deficiency. The damage to surrounding buildings does not seem to have been very great. The church was damaged by water, and the roof slightly broken. The insurances on the three buildings destroyed was 20,0001., and on the goods at least 69,000/.; which will give some idea of the actual destruction of property, as the sal- vage was small, and insurances seldom cover the whole loss. The official report says—" Cause supposed to be spontaneous combustion in a warehouse, '—that is' in the rag-warehouse of Mr. Hollingsworth, of Turkey Mill, Maidstone ; but it is remarked that the bulk of the rags were clean white linen, not likely to ignite spontaneously. With respect to the second fire in warehouse D, subsequent inquiries are said to have increased the suspicion that it was wilful. he fire never penetrated the building C; and only half an hour before the flames were seen in D, a number of gen- tlemen went over the whole building, and found it safe ; indeed, Mr. Wigan, one of the firm who rented it as hop-factors, was so convinced of its safety that he left town for Brighton.

Mr. Edward Burley Clayton, a gentleman of fortune, has died in St. George's Hospital from an accident in Park Lane. Ile was riding on Sa- turday afternoon, and at the corner of Dean Street met a cab which came sharply round the corner—not at a rapid pace, but too quickly, it is stated, for safety round such an angle and the shaft struck him in the groin, hurling him from the saddle. The intestines were ruptured from concussion, and death ensued on Monday morning. It was stated at the inquest, that the cabman could not pull up quickly enough to prevent the collision. Verdict, "Accidental death.'' On Monday afternoon, part of a scaffolding under one of the arches of Blackfriars Bridge suddenly gave way : three men were upon it ; two clung to timbers till rescued, but the third fell upon an abutment, and was killed.