Itte Ettrovolio.
Another movement to save the Crystal Palace has been set on foot. On Tuesday there was a public meeting in the "Exhibitors' Room" of the building; at which Sir Joseph Paxton presided; Sir George Sarto- rius, Sir Henry Webb, Mr. Benjamin Oliveira, Dr. Hoyle, and others, made speeches; and resolutions were passed to promote the presenting of petitions to Parliament for the preservation of the building.
The Commissioners appointed by the Lords of the Treasury to con- sider and report upon the best and most convenient site for a new bridge at Westminster have reported the following resolutions-
" 1. That the present bridge should be used as a temporary bridge until a new bridge shall have been constructed. 2. That a new bridge should be constructed adjoining, or as near as possible to the present bridge on the North side, that is, lower down the river. 3. That the new bridge should not be less than 60 feet in width, including the footways. 4. That it be constructed of iron, with stone piers. 5. That it consist of no more than five arches. 6. That the height of headway of the centre arch above Tri- nity datum be not less than twenty-five feet six inches. 7. That it is de- sirable that no time should be lost in making preparation for the commence- ment of the work."
The Lord Chancellor and the Lords Justices, in full court of Chancery Ap- peal, have granted the petition of Mrs. Cumming to traverse the inquisition on which after sixteen days of proceedings she was recently found a lunatic. There was a great argument for two days on the legal right of a lunatic to traverse such a !jading; but at last the point was settled definitively, that a lunatic has such a right as a matter of course, and that the only point on which the Coutt will exerchie judgment is the question whether the lunatic really desires or not to traverse the finding. This point the Lord Chancellor Bettied for himself after a long personal interview with Mrs. Cumming, on saturday last. In his judgment on that day, he said— "After reasoning with her, and representing to her the great expense that would be incurred by a further inquiry, he must say that upon that point she was as ra- tional and sane as any person he had ever conversed with. Without, therefore, ex- pressing any opinion as to whether she laboured under any particular delusions, he must say that she appeared to him perfectly* competent to judge whether she really vished the traverse should be allowed or not. When before him, she expreared herself mildly, without any passion whatever, that she was desirous the traverse should iS61.1e. although informed of the probable extent to which her property would thereby be imperilled. She declared she was content to make any sacrifice, and to submit to any terms, by which she might obtain liberty of action. She satisfied his mind that the present application was made of her own free will, and expressed a hope that he would grant it, if he thought proper to do so. Under those circum- stances, the Court was bound to say that the traverse must go; although it was with the greatest pain, as, unless extreme care and caution were used, the remnant of her property would be swallowed up. Let all parties well consider the mode of carrying on the inquiry; for the alleged lunatic was seventy-six. years of age, and it would be a reproach to both sides if any further expenses were incurred than were absolutely necessary, and she should be left for the short remainder of her life without the means of sustenance. lie found that no fewer than eight counsel had been am. ployed in the case—five on the one aide and three on the part of Mrs. Cumming but he would provide, by an order, that only two on each side should be allowed in the costs against the estate; and he would also take care that the future coats were cut down to the lowest point."
Lord Justice Knight Bruce and Lord Justice Cranworth concurred. The traverse will therefore be tried, by a second inquiry into Mrs. Cumming's state of mind.
An atrocious double crime has been perpetrated at Bromley in Middlesex. 'The body of Sarah Ann Smith, a decent well-behaved girl of fourteen, was found in the river Lea. She had left a relative's at Mile-end, to return to her mother's house at Bow, on Friday evening ; the next tidinp of her was the discovery of her corpse. There were marks of brutal violence on her per- son; and three of her ribs had been broken before she was drowned. A Coro- ner's Jury has returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown."
Mr. John Giles Pitcher, brother to Mr. Filcher the late Sheriff of Lon- don, has met with his death in the streets. In crossing the roadway near London Bridge, in front of a railway omnibus, on Monday last, he fell, and was run over : the wheel passed over his back, and before the horses could be made still, the wheel returned over him again. He was removed in the carriage of Alderman Humphery, to his own residence at Stockwell, and died an Wednesday. Mr. Filcher was old, infirm, and deaf; and no blame is imputed to the. omnibus-driver.
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