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First in importance among London events this week, has been the suc- cessful attempt to induce Ministers to relax the statute which compels the Bank of England to regulate its issues of paper-money in strict propor- tion to its command of gold. The steps by which the relaxation was brought about, and promulgated, were briefly these. A deputation of bankers, headed by Mr. Masterman, M.P., waited upon Lord John Russell on Saturday; and it is understood that they asked for it relaxation of the Bank Charter Act. Baron de Rothschild had an interview with the Premier subsequently, on the same day. It is also noticed, that, on his way to Windsor Sir Robert Peel was in communication, on Saturday, with Sir Charles Wood; and that Sir Charles immediately afterwards had an interview with Lord John Russell. The request made by the deputation was reserved for consideration. A Cabinet Council was held at Lord John Russell's official residence in Downing Street at three o'clock on Sunday, and it sat till past five o'clock. On Monday again, the deputation of bankers, headed by Baron de Rothschild and Mr. Mastmuutn, had another interview with the Premier and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A cor- respondence took place between the Treasury and the Bank of England; and in the afternoon the following documents were published.

PROPOSAL FROM GOVERNMENT TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

"Downing Street, Oct. 25, 1847.

"Gentlemen—Her Majesty's Government have seen with the deepest regret the pressure which has existed for some weeks upon the commercial interests of the country, and that this pressure has been aggravated by a want of that confidence which is necessary for carrying on the ordinary dealings of trade.

"They have been in hopes that the check given to transactions of a speculative character, the transfer of capital from other countries, the influx of bullion, and the feeling which a knowledge of these circumstances might have been expected to produce, would have removed the prevailing distrust. "They They were encouraged in this expectation by the speedy cessation of a similar state of feeling in the month of April last.

"These hopes have' however, been disappointed; and her Majesty's Govern- ment have come to the conclusion that the time has arrived when they ought to attempt by some extraordinary and temporary measure to restore confidence to the mercantile and manufacturing community.

"For this purpose, they recommend to the Directors of the Bank of England, in the present emergency, to enlarge the amount of their discounts and advances upon approved security ; but that, in order to retain this operation within reason- able limits, a high rate of interest shoed be charged. In present circumstances they would suggest that the rats of interest should not be less than 8 per cent. "If this course should lead to any infringement of the existing law, her Majesty's Government will be prepared to propose to Parliament, on its meeting, a bill of indemnity. "They will rely upon the discretion of the Directors to reduce as soon as pos- sible the amount of their notes, if any extraordinary issues should take place, within the limits prescribed by law. "Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that any extra profit derived from this measure should be carried to the account of the public; but the precise mode of doing so must be left to future arrangement. " Her Majesty's Government are not insensible to the evil of any departure from the law which has placed the currency of this country upon a sound basis; but they feel confident that, in the present circumstances, the measure which they have proposed may be safely adopted; and that, at the same time, the main provisions of that law and the vital principle of preserving the convertibility of the bank-note may be firmly maintained.

"We have the honour to be, gentlemen, your obedient humble servants, "JOHN RUSAFIJ "CHAS. WOOD.

"The Governor and Deputy-Governor of the

Bank of England.'

REPLY FROM THE BANK.

" Bank of England, October 25, NO,

"Gentlemen—We have the honour to acknowledge your letter of this day's date, which we have submitted to the Court of Directors, and we enclose a copy of the resolutions thereon; and "We have the honour to be, Sirs, your most obedient servants, "James alcuutis, Governor. "IL J. Par-scow, Deputy-Governor. "To the First Lord of the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer."

"Resolved, That this Court do accede to the recommendation contained in the letter from the First Lord of the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer dated this day, and addressed to the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank of England, which has just been read.

"That the minimum rate of discounron bills not having more than 95 days to run be 8 per cent.

"That advances be made on bills of exchange, on Stock, Exchequer Bills, and other approved securities' in sums of not less than 2,0001. and for periods to be fixed by the Governors, at the rate of 8 per cent per annum."

We subjoin, from the commentaries of the Metropolitan daily news- papers, specimens of the manner in which this announcement was received. It will be observed that the writers of all parties, however differing in their views otherwise, concur in regarding the Bank Charter Act of 1844 as abandoned.

Times—" The Ministerial measure is a remedy for a temporary panic, not for a real, a permanent, and an increasing pressure. If this be little more than a panic —if confidence is all that is wanted—if hoarding is to be discouraged, employment set free, and enterprise invited—if also these objects were not attainable in any other way, then, undoubtedly, Government has done the right thing. This sup- position has, however, but slender foundation. It rests only on a hopeful and too confiding temperament. There is a panic, it is true, and just now a very wild and ridiculous panic, driving men to foolish and cowardly proceedings. But there is also an actual pressure—a pressure which has been gradually increasing for more than a twelvemonth, which, under existing circumstances, is likely to increase, and which may very possibly soon be aggravated to any conceivable degree by events quite within the scope of possibility, not to say more. The fact of the pressure thus far is a matter ef history, and cannot be denied. T.he

question is—Will it last? and how long? We answer—Yes; because the causes are still in operation. It is almost forbidden to speak of railways, potatoes, and cottoa, to ears polite. We mention them not for the sake of the past, but just to remind people of two important facts,—first, that through the vast increase of our imports and diminution of our exports, we are at this moment rather deep in the books of the foreigner; secondly, that imports are likely to continue very great, and exports are certain to remain very low. This condition of affairs can only lead to one possible result,—the same as that which would infallibly happen to the journeyman who should go on importing into his tenement meat, drink, and clothing, to the value of thirty shillings a week, all the time only exporting work to no greater amount than twenty-five shillings. His capital, if he had any, would suffer a continual drain. Such is the drain before us.

"A reference to the past—the merest glance of retrospection—is sufficient to show that Government has not hitherto sufficiently realized the grave and grow- ing character of this pressure. They refer to last April. The panic of last April subsided; but the pressure did not That Ministers fully thought their difficul- ties over, may be presumed from the circumstance that before the end of that month they brought forward again the proposition of lending 620,0001. to certain Irish railways. The subsequent six months have not justified the wisdom of that security. It is due to ourselves to observe, that when the First Lord of the Trea- sury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer think fit to say in their note to the authorities of the Bank that they were encouraged to expect the prevailing dis- trust would subside, by the speedy cessation of a similar state ot feeling in the month of April last,' we have not the honour to be included in that statement. If they will do us the favour to read some remarks that appeared in this place on the 28th of April, they will find our distrust had in no wise abated; but that, on the contrary, we felt kw confidence than ever in consequence of the Irish railway loan; and were emboldened to predict circumstantially, and to the very letter, the present most melancholy condition of affairs. "The measure destined, we cannot but fear, to give to October 25, 1847, rather a disastrous prominence in the chronicles of trade, will allay the panic and in- crease the pressure. It will give a new start to all the causes which have lately so much augmented expenditure, but checked and hampered reproduction. We do not, therefore, anticipated any immediate ill effects. It is for the future that we fear. The Bank Charter Act is virtually surrendered. The purposes of that act may, perhaps, be supplied by other arrangements. But a new principle is introduced. Government now conies forward as a great money-lender. It pro- poses to bolster up the credit of the country by increasing the circulation. That is an impossible attempt. Whenever the new principle shall come into actual operation, it will be found that Government can lend its gold, but cannot at its will force an additional quantity of paper into use. A few days may pass, a few weeks, or even a few months may elapse, before the new principle is put to the proof. When it is, it will be seen whether we can diminish the gold in the Bank without inducing a panic, a run for gold, and other disasters far more serious than those which it was the object of the measure to obviate?'

Horning Chronicle—" We feel that we may safely congratulate both the Ministry and the country on the events of yesterday. An act of prompt and vi- gorous statesmanship has rescued the one from the fate which inevitably over- takes the feeble, the misguided, and the ptioillanimono; and the abrogation of a dangerous and irritating law has conferred upon the other a welcome and neces- sary interval of rest, after a period of excitement and collision which will for ever render the closing months of the present year a melancholy page in the history of our country and our commerce. At present we chiefly see and feel the imme- diate blessings of the relief in its reviving influence over a prostrate credit and a stagnant industry. We behold the return of a tinge of cheerfulness over a land- scape from which we have seen with so much solicitude the departure, day by day, of first one ray of sunshine and then another, until the advent of an utter darkness appeared to be close at hand. Our marts and our exchanges are again instinct with a hopeful activity; and, under the impulseof a pardonable alacrity, we are in haste to conclude that a measure, of which the beneficence is so soon and so plainly apparent, may well content itself with the testimonials which the happy transitions of the present moment so profusely furnish of its wisdom and its efficacy. We suspect that, to the students of a future and less deeply interested generation, the instant and salutary relief, great though it be, will become by far ths most second- ary consi leratiou. They will not fail to perceive, that the timely intervention of the Royal prerogative at a critical juncture was the means of averting a severe trial and a great scandal from the institutions of the country; that a people smart- ing under an accumulation of evils, which by the most persevering and patient argument they had traced with the clearness of demonstration to an artificial and legislative origin, were not suffered by the negligence of the authority in whose hands the law had placed a paramount discretion, to urge their petitions and their remonstrances in vain until supplication passed into discontent, and discon- tent deepened into a sedition, which set at nought the law it could neither amend nor obey. They will do more than this; they will see that the chosen leader of a great party, who had been placed by the almost unanimous consent of his countrymen at the head of a popular Government, did not, by a fatal and dero- gatory negligence of the facts of a severe crisis, bring confusion and disruption Into the ranks of his supporters, and again reduce the name of a Whig Govern- ment into the category of things which men regard with aversion and distrust."

Globe—" The Bank Charter is thrown overboard. Truly we care not what whale swallows it. If it was not thrown overboard even before it was taken aboard, (to indulge an Iricism) it was not for want of broad hints, and sinister auguries, fi.= all the old hands.'

• Stuns eat dementia, cum tot unique Vannes °course, 'writers parcere chutes.'

It WAS impossible, however, more genteelly to beg any convict's pardon on turning him off, or to assure him more considerately that his suspension would be a mere temporary matter. It may be long enough, nevertheless, to do his business. Civility, however, costs nothing. The official civilities to the Bank Charter Act, on this occasion, remind us rather of those to Master Barnardine at an analogous crisis; and the rumoured Ministerial confidences with the late Prime Minister resem- ble those with Jack, in the Tale of a Tab, to get his consent to the tying himself up. The job being done, we are not disposed to quarrel with the preliminaries; and, assuming the accuracy of those reported, we cannot but admit that the dramatic unity of Sir Robert Peel's career has been preserved by thus making him, as it were, an accessary (though not this time a principal)—bringing him in, as it were, at the death—of another integrant of his own policy—to follow Catholic restrictions, and Corn-laws, to the tomb of the Captilets. This one, in- deed, is only consigned there, like Juliet, with views of resurrection; but we have faith in the ordinary rules of the monetary drama for the catastrophe."

Daily News—" Ministers certainly deserve credit for having broken the charm of 1844. It is pity, however, that they should have gone to consult the old necromancer himself, who laid on the charm, as to the mode in which this should be done. The position as well as the character of Sir Robert Peel warranted, that his advice, whatever it might be, would not be such as to enhance the honour of has rivals and consulters. It could easily be foreseen that his counsel to them Would be a half measure, or a bit of a measure. Any large stride in the modifi- cation of his own past views, or in the propitiation of public opinion, Sir Robert is the most likely man in the world to keep fur himself. He, no doubt, dislikes that any one should have the honour of abroga the law of 1844, save himself.

He has therefore enjoined upon Sir Charles W the smallest possible departure from it; and even that is done, in the letter to the Bank, as if it were a heresy— heresy against Peel—for which the Minister evidently prays that he may be par-

daned- * • With this crisis the prestige that so long accompanied the

influence of the Bank is dispelled. Hitherto that body was proud of having beek the means of keeping down the rate of discount. It is now forced to come for- ward and fix a minimum of discount higher than our money-market has known for a very long period; and that it is higher than under the circumstances, the current rate in the !market ought to be, is confessed in the novel stipulation for a division of the expected profits with the Crown."

Morning Post—" At last her Majesty's Ministers have given way to the dictates of plain common sense, pressed upon them by the fearful necessity of the crisis. It is evident that even at this last hour they have done so with reluctance. The votaries of the Peel monetary policy have died hard. But the system is now dead. Let us see who will dare to revive it. The bankers of London, who re- monstrated against the restrictive law of 1844, were not listened to. The present Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his place in Parliament, actually sneered at their anticipations of possible pressure. The bankers of London were right. The l'eel contriver of monetary restriction, and his adviser, Jones Loyd, were wrong. Lord John Russell and Sir Charles Wood, and the rest who confided in the self-regulating powers of the bill of 1844, were wrong. Let Ministers fence as they may with the circumstances, and die upon the question with the largest circumlocution, still the end is that they avow their error, and give way. We are no longer to be tied down to the tyrannical *awry and nonsense of the bill of 1844. We owe to that measure the dreadful monetary crisis; which we think will, in a great degree, pass away, now that reason- ableness sod common sense have been admitted to the councils of the Govern- ment. We owe also to that measure that even now money is to cost 8 per cent per annum. Surely the time will come when the people of England will 'visit for these things,' and openly avow their contempt for the preteuding politicians who have done such enormous mischief, and have so late come to the rescue. The two curses which the last Peel Government inflicted upon this country were restriction of the monetary means of the country, and unrestricted competition of foreign industry with home industry, under the name of free trade. To one of these branches of impolicy the first great blow has now been given; but we have but half gained what is due to the British people, until the quackery of free trade is also abandoned as an impracticable folly?'

Standard—" There is a benefit afforded by the work of yesterday far beyond the present relief, direct or indirect: the bill of 1844 is effectually repealed by it at once and for ever. The blow to the bill of 1844, and to all the measures of tha author of that bill having reference to the same subject, is fatal. This one monument of the Peel policy is shattered to fragments; and this let it be re- membered, is nearly the only monument of his statesmanship which he had not previously shivered with his own hands. It is something thus to have a trouble- some and importunate obstacle removed from the road to recovery; for after yesterday's work, it is impossible that Sir Robert Peel can ever again be accepted by any one as qualified to assist in the councils of the nation. With respect to the future, let us declare our hope that the breathing-time afforded by the ar- rangement made yesterday will be employed in devising a better system of cur- rency than that which has proved so unfortunate in 1820, 1822, 1826, 1831, and in the present year. We do not affect to believe that any system of currency can go far to restore the wealth and commerce of the country sacrificed by free trade '; but a better system than the system of Sir Robert Peel will palliate much actual distress, and, by proving the incompatibility of any efficient cur- rency with free trade, wilt lead to the restoration of Protection as the one com- plete means of cure. It is something meanwhile that the idol of the economists has been broken—that flagon has fallen—that his head and hands have been cut off, and that only the stump of flagon is left to him.'" At a Court of Common Council held yesterday, the freedom of the City was presented to "his Excellency James Brooke, Rajah of Sa ilmak." The Aldermen attended in their scarlet robes, and the Common Councilmen in their mazarine gowns; and the Court was graced by the presence of a great number of ladies. Mr. Brooke having been sworn in as a Citizen of London, the Chamberlain made the usual complimentary address, in which he referred to the present event as the renewal of a union that formerly existed between the family from which Mr. Brooke is descended and the City: an ancestor of Mr. Brooke's filled the office of Lord Mayor in the reign of King Charles the Second. Mr. Brooke made an unpretending and modest reply. For himself he had little to say: he was conscious of good motives; he could not sing his own praises: but for the future he trusted that piracy in the Archipelago would be so crushed, that a small boat will be able to proceed in safety from one end to the other of the different islands.

Among the general business afterwards transacted by the Court, the SUM of 2001. was voted in aid of the Margate Infirmary; and a bill was brought up and read a first time for raising 500,0001. towards the contemplated improvements in the City.

A general meeting of the Poor-law Union Surgeons was held on Wed- nesday, at the Hanover Square Rooms, to consider the necessity of a re- form in the present system of medical relief. The chair was taken by Dr.

Burton, of Walsall. The speakers were very numerous: they dwelt chiefly on the inadequacy of the remuneration. Medical men are planed in the unfair position of being called upon for great sacrifices in the per- formance of their duties. There is hardly any case in which the ream; iteration does more than cover the bare cost of drugs and horse-hire: is,

fact, the relief of the sick poor is a positive tax upon the medical pro- fession. There were several striking illustrations of the lowness of re, munemtion-

Mr. Pearson of Prescott, said that in his union, with a population of 14,700,, the medical officer received 801.; for St. Helen's, population 2,5,000, 501.; for

Rainforth, 2,000, 101.•' for Rainford, 4,000, 201.; and for Much Wootton, Little Wootton, Hale Wood, Hale, and Speake, with a population of 7,000, he received 101. Last spring he took the fever, and was obliged to engage an assistant at 501., himself receiving 101., and not then being allowed to throw up his office. Mr. Ebsworth observed, that in his union veterinary surgeons were paid a much higher rate of remuneration thanthe medical officers of the union. In the Alk4:41

to which he belonged the officers had to keep each a horse for the purpose of at- tending the poor. Now, allowing 251. per annum for a horse, and the usual saw for drugs for every 100 persons, it would be found that one medical man in the union, who had 416 cases last year, was paid but 301. per annum, while his ex- penses were 451. the year.

The meeting adopted several resolutions describing the position of the profession; providing for communications with the Secretary of State and the Poor-law Commissioners; and seeking the cooperation of the Col- leges of Physicans and Surgeons, as well as of the Apothecary's Company, in procuring an alteration of the system. I public meeting was held at the London Tavern, on Wednesday, to found an asylum in which idiots might be kept and educated. The Lord Mayor presided: among the speakers were the Reverend Mr. Charupneys, Mr. George Thompson, M.P., Mr. David Wire, Mr. John Wilkes, Chairman of the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, and several medical gentlemen. Sir Charles Forbes began the subscription by sending a donation of a hundrhd' guineas, and other gentlemen sent promises of support. The meeting passed resolutions declaring that an asylum should be founded, and appointing officers, &c.

' a The Radical triumphs at the recent general election" were celebrated on Monday by a dinner at the Crown and Anchor Tavern. Covers were laid for 250 persons; but only about 100 actually participated in the feast. The chair was taken by Mr. W. Dixon of Manchester; whose only Paella- stlentary support was Mr. Feargus O'Connor. Invitations had been sent to the various "Radical" Members; all of whom, including the sixteen Members returned to support the People's Charter, sent letters of excuse. This wholesale shirking of the first popular demonstration caused very great dissatisfaction, and formed the staple of the speeches throughout the evening. At the removal of the cloth the public were admitted, on payment of threepence each, and the hall was quickly filled by a rush of working men.

The oratory was of the ordinary Chartist stamp. Dr. Epps, however, roused the indignation of a large portion of the audience by hinting, that if they obtained the six points of the Charter, it signified little under what name they went. This sentiment was hooted and hissed, amid cries of "Name and all!" There was a display of still greater dissatisfaction when Dr. Epps deprecated abuse of the middle classes, and observed that it was through the middle classes only the working men could get their rights. The hooting, groaning, and confusion which followed this announcement, rendered it impossible for the speaker to proceed for a considerable time, and it was with considerable difficulty he again obtained a hearing. Mr. Feargus O'Connor commented upon the behaviour of "our absent friends," and denounced the conduct of the press. He enlarged upon the advan- tages of his land scheme; which he lauded as the most beneficial plan ever promulgated in this country for promoting the happiness and comfort of the people-- Last Thursday he had purchased 611 acres of land, making in all 2,000 acres now possessed by the Association; two school-houses bad been built, and another was in course of erection. He had recently bought for the land scheme a large mansion which he intended to have put up to auction; when he would buy it

himself, leave it in the hands of trustees, to be given to the man who after him should become the representative of the working classes in Parliament. The noisy proceedings terminated about eleven o'clock.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Wednesday, John Ovenstone, up- holsterer, was tried for shooting Mr. George Crawley. The circumstances of this case were detailed before; and the evidence for the prosecution was conclusive. The accused, who had of late years suffered many pecuniary losses, bad been assignee to a bankrupt, and had thus become liable for wines supplied by Mr. Crawley; Ovenstone not having discharged the claim, Mr. Crawley proceeded against him put an execution into his house, and sold his goods. While agitated by this distressing state of things, Ovenstone went to the wine-merchant's office in Mark Lane, obtained an interview, and fired a pistol at him, the bullet lodging in Mr. Crawley's head. The prisoner also fired

a pistol at his own head, wounding himself. Mr. i Crawley's wound was for some time considered to be dangerous. The defence consisted n an attempt to prove that the man was insane when he committed the assault. Many witnesses spoke to his kind and humane character generally, and to the depression of mind which had resulted from his misfortunes; he bad acted on several occasions as if de- ranged; and his sister had thought of placing him under restraint. Dr. Conolly, Dr. Winslow, and Mr. Streeter, a surgeon, who had heard the evidence and had examined the prisoner in Newg;te, gave it as their opinion that he was not in a sane state of mind when he assailed Mr. Crawley. After deliberating for half an hour, the Jury returned a verdict of acquittal, on the ground of insanity.

At Worship Street Police-office, on Tuesday, William Ashcroft, of Albert Square, Commercial Road, described as "a respectably-dressed middle-aged man," was charged with placing a number of stones on the rails of the Eastern Coun- ties line, whereby the lives of nearly two hundred persons had been endangered. On being brought up, the accused said he admitted his guilt; but the Magistrate declared that he must hear evidence on so serious a matter. Mr. Johnson, a gen- tleman of Layton, stated that be saw the prisoner commit the act: be climbed over a gate, took a number of granite paying-stones from a heap, and arranged them on the rails. Presently, a down-train from London approached, containing pearly two hundred passengers; but the obstruction having been seen' the speed of the train was slackened, and though some of the stones were ground to powder . the train was not thrown off the rails, the iron guard in front of the engine having, vspparently, forced most of the pieces of granite off the iron. It was ascertained that no fewer than twenty-two stones, some of fifty pounds weight, had been placed on both lines of rail. Mr. Johnson having pointed out the prisoner, who was running away over the Marshes, the guards captured him. When called upon for his defence, the prisoner said that he was sauntering along in the neigh- bourhood of the line, when he observed one or two stones lying upon the rails, and that having thoughtlessly picked up some others from an adjoining heap, from which the first had been taken, he flung them there also without reflecting for a moment upon the consequences likely to result from such a dangerous act. He was now, however, perfectly sensible of its impropriety, and also of the painful position in which he had foolishly placed himself; and, regretting his conduct ex- ceedingly, he hoped the Magistrate would take a lenient view of it, and decide upon a summary adjudication. Much to Mr. Ashcroft's dismay, the Magistrate com- mitted him for trial at the Sessions.

Two men—Barr and Ralph—are in custody, and have been remanded from Bow Street Police-office, on a charge of cheating at cards. Only the informa- tions were read to the Magistrate, to warrant the detention of the accused; as the Police were in search of another man. It seems that Mr. J. Julius Kerie, of St. Christopher's, met Barr at Cremorne Gardens, and was induced to go to a oigar-shop in little Russell Street; there Ralph joined them, with William Lewis and one Brewer, all,. apparently, strangers to each other. A card-party was +formed, and Mr. Kenos lost ; on subsequent occasions he still lost, until he had been plundered to the extent of 1,4501. Lewis having been duped of his share by xlils associates, informed against them: on the day Mr. Kerie went to Cremorne Gardens, the four men went out 'fishing for fiats," and they caught the West Indian; whom they cheated of his money by packing the cards altering them, changing hands, and other frauds. The Police have since captured Brewer.

The charnel-house of Enon Chapel, Clement's Lane, a den that has had an in- famous celebrity for years, has been brought into renewed public notice this week. On Monday, Mr. Walker and other members of the Metropolitan Society for the

bolition of Burials in Towns, incited by complaints against the burial-place,

WS the chap& The trustees admitted the bad state of the vault, said they Itus to remove the contents, but averred that they could not bear the —They readily permitted the deputation to view the place. The vault or

cellar is feet by 59, and less than five feet high; in it there were a large num- /thr of c containing decayed bodies, quantities of broken coffins and empty all sides human remains were scattered about. The shallow earth is th bodies. A consultation was held with the trustees; and all par- t the contents of the vault ought to be removed to some cemetery churchyard, and that the parish authorities and the public be ap- or funds. Itsaeatimatedthatnofewerthan400bodieswouldhaveto be removed. Around this pest-house fever and general disease are very prevalent; and so it has been for years.; The chapel is now used as a Temperance hall, and meetings for mere amusement take place in it: next Monday there is to be "a grand plain and fancy dress-ball," and people will be adrmttecl to dance over the dead at sixpence each!

An extraordinary suicide has been committed in St. Paul's Cathedral. At noon on Thursday, a gentleman, apparently between fifty and sixty, paid for admission to the Whispering Gallery; and he was observed to walk round it for a full hour. About one o'clock, when only two ladies were in the gallery besides himself, he went to the North-east side, opposite the entrance-door; two masons at work be.. neath saw him climb over the rail, and in a moment drop from it: he turned over once in his descent, and fell just within some iron railings. Of coarse he was killed on the spot: his head was much shattered. It was afterwards ascertained that the deceased was Mr. William Davison, a solicitor of Bloomsbury Square: his mind had been affected for some time past.

John Ward, a youth of nineteen, has killed himself for love. A young woman to whom he was deeply attached died; Ward was much affected; a few days since he was missed from his employment; and was found at his home, near Gravel Lane, Southwark, suffering the greatest agony from arsenic which he had swallowed. In his pocket a paper was discovered, containing these words—. I cannot live in this world any longer without my dear Elizabeth; so place me in the same grave with her. John Ward."

Very early on Thursday morning, a fire broke out at a stationer's in Drummond Street, Easton Square: the Police aroused the inmates, who all escaped, with one exception—Mrs. 'Mackie, who slept in a back attic, perished in the flames, which speedily enveloped the whole premises.

Before the firemen had left Drummond Street, a great light in the South told of another conflagration; to which they hastened. The premises of Messrs. Pin. chin and Co., tanners, in the Grange Road, Bermondsey, were in flames; and the fire was not put out till the place was ruined.