Zbe iftetropolit. A Common Hall was - held on Saturday last, 11 Slichaelmal Day,

to elect a Mayor of London for the ensuing year. At noon, the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, with nearly-all the Aldermen who-have not yet served the office of Mayor, assembled at the Guildhall, and proceeded to hear Divine service in the church of St. Lawrence Jewry. Atone, the officials returned from church, and made proclamation for all sage Liverymen' to depart, on pain of imprisonment. As usual, the Recordet explai6d to the Livery the legal course of the election. I The legal qualifications required in a canitdate were, that he should be an Al- derman of the City, and that he should have served the office of Sheriff; and the course which the constitution of-the City of London prescribed was this, that the Livery should nominate to the Court of Aldermen two gentlemen duly qualified to hold the office, and tharthat Court should select one of the individuals so pre- sented to them to be LordWayor for the ensuing year. In ordinary course, the names of such Aldermen is were qualified by having served the office of Sheriff, but who had not yet fillechhe civics chair, would first be submitted to the Livery; but they were at liberty to taininate any Alderman who were thus qualified, with- out regard to,dbeir being presented or not in the first instance in the list which Would be read, or to their bring already served the office of Mayor. Mr. Richard Taylor oli ected to the Recorder's interpretation of the law, and was proceeding to urge reasons; tat the Common Sergeant checked him with the remark thltt the momently/sus not fitting: "the constitution of the City would not allowi the election to be before the Lord Mayor." 'On t the Lord Mayor retired; and the Common Sergeant read the list IF,11` S 111 men below the chair -who hadaerved as Sheriff or dm summed, and claimed on behalf of his fellow citizens the restoration of the right by charter to select one person to serve as Mayor; protesting against any limitation of their:choice to two persons out of whom the Aldermen. Ishould finally choose 'the Mayor. Mr. Taylor seems onlyttelsve contemplated an listorical lecture on this right; so he gave way Torthe nomination in the usual modern course, of two per- sema; ion the asuilerstandirigtin4 he at ouldeontinue his speech while the Aldermen were deliberating .on their elude* out -of the two nominations. The choice of the Livery was in accordance with the Recorder's law, and fell upon Alderman Farncomb and Alderman Musgrove, the two senior Aldermen who have served the office of Sheriff and not " passed the chair., While the Aldermen " deliberated " on these names, Mr. Taylor continued his speech. The right to choose their Mayor originated with the charter of John, or wa.s thereby particularly described and confirmed ; and that charter recognized their right to choose from among themselves whom they pleased to be Mayor, without reference to his being an Alderman. This was perfectly inconsistent with the Re. corder's doctrine, that their power was limited to the choice of two Aldermen, out of whom another body was to select one, excluding perhaps the very man who was really the choice of the constituency. He had studied the constitution of the City diligently, but could not find that their choice was to be limited to an Alder- man. He should be happy to tell them the whole history of the rise and.progress of this practice. (Cries of No, no r from. several gentlemen on the hustmge,fa. lowed by laughter and cheers.) . . . . The charter of John recognized the right to choose absolutely one man—whom they pleased ; and it so went on for two centuries, until at last the present absurd practice, which the Recorder had said was now the law of the City, crept in. There was a contention for about a century between those who called themselves the more opulent and select part of the citizens, who said they should have a right to elect the Mayor, and that the Commonalty should be shut out. At last there appeared an entry upon the records, in what wore called the Letter-books, 8th Henry IV. (1407,) which set forth the minutia of the present formalities. That entry was the one concerning the election of Richard Whyttyngten to be Lord Mayor. Mr. Taylor read the entry at length. It declared how "on Wednesday the feast of St. Edmund the Confessor, John Woodcock, Mayor, considering that on that day he and all the Aldermen, and very many of the richer and more substantial Commoners, ought to assemble at the Guildhall, as the man- ner is, to choose a new Mayor for the coming year," ordained that a mass of the Holy Spirit should be celebrated with solemn note in the chapel adjoining, "to the effect that the said Commonalty might by the grace of the Holy Ghost peacefully and benignly nominate to the said Mayor and Aldermen two substantial and she persons,' whence the Mayor and Aldermen, "favoured by the Saviour's clemency, might choose one for Mayor. The mass being celebrated, the said John Woodcock, Mayor, John Preston, Recorder, Nicholas Walton and Geoffry Brooks, Sheriffs, J Hadee, W. Staundon, Richard Whyttyngton, &c., Aldermen, and manygood Com- moners of the City then assisting, the same Mayor, Recorder, Sheriffs, Aldermen, and Commoners, entered the Guildhall; and the business of the meeting having been duly published, they left the Commonalty to nominate two such able and sub- stantial persons as aforesaid," "so that the said Commoners should notcare which" of the two should be chosen by the Mayor and Aldermen to be Mayor for next year. Which being done, the said Commoners "peacefully and benignly, without any clamour or dissension, by John Weston, Common Sergeant of the said City, decently named and presented the aforesaid Richard Whyttyngton, mercer, and Drew Bareutyn, goldsmith; and upon this the Mayor and Aldermen in the same chamber' with closed doors, and by the aid of the Holy Ghost, chose the aforesaid Richard Why ttyngton to be Mayor for the year next coming; and the said Mayor and Aldermen coming down from the aforesaid chamber into the hall, notified unto the same Commoners, by the Recorder, how, by Divine inspiration,' the lot fell upon the aforesaid Richard Whyttyntoe Thereupon, the Commonalty unanimously besought the Mayor and Aldermen, that they should ordain that in every future year a mass of the Holy. Spirit should be celebrated before the election; "which supplication being thought fair, wise, agreeable to reason, and very greatly to the glory and praise of God and the honour of the said City, was duly ordained." As the Livery of London (Mr. Taylor resumed) willingly saw the whole of their fellow citizens receive the Parliamentary franchise, they would hardly think that men who were good enough to choose Members of Parliament were not good enough to choose a Lord Mayor or Sheriff. He hoped he was not doing amiss in thus occupying the time while the Aldermen were delibe- rating. He did not know whether they pretended that they were waiting for Divine inspiration" and "the aid of the Holy Ghost "; but this he knew, that when that patriotic Alderman Harvey Christian Combo was elected by show of hands, for two or three years, the Aldermen (they were better men now) excluded a man that did not suit their politics; and that was done in the exercise of this pretended right. As an old citizen, returned by the largest Ward in the City, Mr. Taylor thought it his duty—he did not know how much longer he might be among his fellow citizens—to protest against the Recorder's doctrine, and to express a hope that the citizens of London would en- deavour to recover the right which had been so long withheld from them. In a few minutes after Mr. Taylor had finished, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen returned into the hall; and the Recorder announced to the Livery that the election had fallen upon Mr. Alderman Farncomb. Farncomb suitably acknowledged the distinction conferred on him. Thanks were voted to Sir James Duke, as Lord Mayor, for his impartial administration of justice, and for the munificent hospitalities which had distinguished his period of office. Sir James warmly expressed his obliga- tions to the citizens of London; and at the same time alluded to the pos- sible effect which his magisterial status might have had on his position as Parliamentary representative- " If, acting no selfish part, and having no private views or interests of rayon to promote, 1 yet cannot expect those who differ from me upon public priumPle5 to give me their support I do venture to hope, that when the time shall arrive at which I shall again present, myself as a candidate for the representation of this great city, having done all that I promised when I received your suffrages, I shall not have suffered in your estimation."

A meeting of the merchants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, was held at the Hall of Commerce on Wednesday, "to memorialize her Majesty's Government against the intended commencement of Sunday labour in the General Post-office." The Lord Mayor presided; Mr. Master man, M.P., Sir E. F. Buxton' M.P., Alderman Sidney, M.P., Mr. Rebuts, Mr. John Labouchere, the Reverend Dr. Croly, the Reverend Howard Hinton, Mr. D. W. Wire, and many other gentlemen, took part in the pro- ceedings. The meeting, though not crowded, probably through the bad state of the weather, was still sufficiently numerous to constitute an im- posing display of opposition to the contemplated arrangement. The Lord Mayor explained, that when he first heard of the intention to open the Post-office on Sunday, he wrote officially to Lord John Russell upon the subject. He believed that at that time Lord John was not in any way informed on the question; but he had since received from Lord Jan the following letter. "Woburn Abbey, Oct-

I.

" My Lord—In reply to your-tordshlo's letter of 'the 29th of September, respeeilog rumoured Intention to open the rest-office on Sundays, I can state that there's no such intention. The change actually proposed by the Pod-office authorities has been an- ascot In the newspapers; and your Lordship will be enabled by that announcement to judge of Its probable bearing and effect. " The Lord Mayor. I have the honour to be, &c. J. Rusaime."

Having long known Lord John Russell, he felt sure that his Lordship and Lady John were patterns of piety, and afforded an excellent example of the Chris- tian observance of the Sabbath: he was quite satisfied, therefore, that Lord John Russell would never lend himself to any measure by which it was attempted to desecrate that day. He had also gone officially to the Post-office, and seen Mr. Rowland Hill and the Secretary. Mr. Rowland Hill assured him, that all which was meant was to carry through London the letters which might arrive from a distance, in order that they might not be delayed in the Post-office for twenty- four hears; and he stated that the accomplishment of that object would only give employment to twenty-five additional men—(Marks of disapprobation)— while at the same time it would relieve in the country districts upwards of two thousand persons who were now employed. Mr. Hill assured him also, that these twenty-five additional hands would only be required until ten o'clock in the morn- ing and in the evening after five, and that the arrangement would not interfere with the performance of their religious duties. Now that was the explanation which he had received from the Post-office authorities. But though the notice was intended to have the appearance of affording relief to the country districts, there was lurking in his mind a suspicion, that if this measure were carried out it would lead to the entire opening of the London Post-office on Sunday. In this great commercial country, it was impossible that any towns could obtain the advantage of having their letters sent through the London Post- office without the commercial community bf London suffering some injury in con- sequence. The great commercial community of London would, in fact, be sub- jected to serious injustice if the intention of the authorities were persevered in. As this measure did not appear to have been called for by any representations, either in London or elsewhere—as there was no excuse for this attempt to get in what, be feared, would prove the wedge—and as he remembered that a similar measure was most successfully opposed about ten years ago, he did hope and trust, that the same spirit which had been successfully roused before would be brought to bear successfully now.

Mr. Masterman stated, that he also had communicated officially with the Post-office authorities on the subject. Lord Clanricarde had replied with the following note.

Portumna, Ireland, October 1, 1849. e Dear Sir—There Is not the slightest truth In any manner of our intention to esta- blish a delivery of letters on Sunday in London. The consequence of the measure lately adopted will, I trust, be to very much diminish Sunday labour in the post-offices throughout the United Kingdom, and likewise to put a stop to much letter-writing on Sturdily in private establishments.

"Sincerely yours, CLANIIICAMDIE."

He decidedly objected to the affording of any relief to the provincial offices by means which would throw more Sunday work on the office in London. 1f indeed, relief was the only object, be thought he could put the Government in possession of a mach easier plan of affording substantial relief—one by which it might be given without any moral impropriety, and without any great inconvenience to the rosin establishment in London: he would abolish the Sunday delivery of letters all over the kingdom. (Loud cheers.)

Mr. Labouchere read the following comparative statements of the Post- office duty as it is performed now, and as it would be performed under the new arrangement.

"MORNING DUTY.

"Nom—A portion of the bags containing mails from the outports, in number 30, come into the London Post-office on Sunday morning early. These are all opened at present, for the purpose of taking out the letters for Government offices; a practice Bret established in time of war, employing 26 persons of all grades, there being but five clerks amongst them. " By the proposed arrangement-650 bags will arrive early on the Sunday morning; 742 persons will, in their turns, have to attend on that day in order to open sort, and despatch the Country letters. Mr. Hill proposes for this addi- tional duty 25 men only; a force wholly insufficient even to perform the first de- tails of the duty.

"AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

" Now-12 bags arrive on Sundays at two p.m.; and the same operation of selecting official letters is performed as in the morning, by eight persons, of whom two are clerks.

"By the proposed arrangement—In addition to this duty on Sunday after- noon, an evening duty will be performed from five to eight p.m.; when the Coun- try letters which arrive in the afternoon sacks from all Ireland, all Scotland, and the principal towns in the North of England, will, in addition to those that re- main over from the morning, have to be stamped, sorted, and despatched in 650 bags to the various post-towns of the kingdom; involving the attendance in their turns for Sunday duties of the above-mentioned 742 persons." As a banker, and as one therefore of a class who have the very largest pecu- niary interest in the honesty of the Post-officials, Mr. Labouchere opposed the demoralizing Sabbath desecration of the proposed plan.

The Reverend Dr. Croly alluded to the cholera visitation, and asked, "Would it not be a most unwise and ungrateful return for recovered power, if, just when their minds were beginning to cease from trembliug, they should employ the renewed strength in the desecration of God's day?"

Mr. Howard Hinton, the eminent Dissenting preacher, answered for the whole class to which he belonged—that they would cordially support the object of the meeting. The other speakers maintained a similar tone, and the whole proceedings were characterized by much warmth of feeling. The following resolutions were passed unanimously— "That this meeting has observed with regret and alarm the proposed new re- gulation in the General Post-office, by which a large amount of Sunday labour will be required in that establishment; and it is unable to perceive any reason why any measure of relief offered to the Country offices should be attended with the commencement of so great an evil in London. 'That this meeting feels that any plan which brings the mails into London on Sunday morning, and requires the attendance of the clerks and letter-sorters to receive, sort, and transmit them, must ultimately lead to the delivery of letters on that day. in London also. "That the following memorial be presented to the Lords of the Treasury— flat your memorialists have heard with the deepest regret that It Is intended by the authorities of the General Post-office to commence the receipt of the mods from the country at large, and the transmission of those malls into the country, on Sundays 550n other days of the week. " That your memorialists feel convinced that such a measure will Inevitably lead to the Sunday delivery and transmission of letters In the Metropolis. " That your memorialists therefore appeal most earnestly to your Lordships to pre- vent the adoption of a measure so repugnant to the feelings of the community at large, and which has been desired by no class, while It has been deprecated by all.

" And your memorialists will ever pray, &c."

A meeting of sub-sorters and letter-carriers, on the subject of the Sunday Work occasioned by the lately-issued orders, was held last night, in Dr. Ben- aett's chapel, Falcon Square. The public were admitted, and Mr. D. W. Wire presided ; the Reverend Thomas Binney, the Reverend Howard Hin- ton, and Mr. S. M. Peto, M.P., took part in the proceedings. Mr. Wire stated that a step had been gained—the new order was compulsory in its, terms, but he now heard it was to be a " volmatary Serrice: all'order had come from the Post-office offering a bribe to those who choose to vo- lunteer for the Sunday duty, 6.s. for the morning and 4s. for the evening, or 108. a day for those who choose to give up their spiritual privileges. The meeting adopted a memorial to the Treasury, praying that the order might be rescinded.

At a Court of COLLIIII011 Council, on Wednesday, Mr. Deputy nicks pre- sented a petition from eight or nine hundred persons of the highest respec- tability, chiefly salesmen, graziers, butchers, and others attending Smith- field market, praying for an enlargement of the market-place, and repre- senting that market as essential to the interests of the public at large and as exercising a most beneficial influence on public health.

The time for sending in to the Metropolitan Commissioners plans for the drainage of London expired on Monday: upwards of a hundred plans have been forwarded. At eleven o'clock, the gentlemen composing the "Works Committee " met for the purpose of preparing the business for the consider- ation of the Court on a future day, by examining the condensed statements of the candidates, and arranging the plans. The simple outline of seventy- four of the plans occupies an octavo pamphlet of nearly two hundred pages.

At a special meeting of the Metropolitan Court of Sewers on Wednesday, the Secretary stated the number of plans for a Metropolitan drainage which have been sent in. Up to the 20th August, 62 plans had been ten- dered; with reference to 51 of which, concise statements had been sent in. Since that date, and up to the 1st October, 54 entirely new plans had been sent in, and also 32 additional or supplemental ones; making a total of 116, or, including the supplemental plans, 148.

The military authorities of the Tower of London have made arrange- ments by which a supply of pure spring water will be introduced into the Tower; the water lately used having been of " a most pernicious character." But as the new supply "cannot at present exceed 2,000 gallons a day, no- tice is given that it must be used only for drinking and cooking purposes, and on no account taken for washing, or otherwise wasted, lest the supply should be found wanting." The officers commanding will take measuree to pre- vent waste; but the Governor of the Tower desires that the garrison and inhabitants should at all times have free access to the water for the pur- pose of drinking, without any restraint or hinderance.

The foundation-stone of a new Roman Catholic chapel, in Fitzroy Place Kentish Town, was laid on Monday, by Prince John of Spain. The chapel is endowed by the Reverend Hardinge Ivers, a native of Kentish Town, who was preceptor to the Prince and his brothers, sons of Don Carlos. Mr. Ivers gave the land on which the building is raised, and will devise adjacent freehold property to sustain by its revenue a perpetual in- cumbency. The conditions of the trust are generously liberal- . . . . "the keeping up for ever in connexion with the church (which is to be dedicated to St. Alexis) a free school, for the education of the children of the in- dustrious classes of the locality, without any distinction of creed or sectarian tendency; and also upon the same principles a lyceum, for imparting first-rate education to youths of promising parts. All prizes are to he publicly contended for, and every means adopted to conduct the whole in the purest spirit of liberality and tolerance."

The Archdutchess Beatrice of Austria also officiated in the foundation ceremony, and a company of distinguished persons were present. The church, it is stated, will afford accommodation for one thousand worshipers, and will be 105 feet long and 55 feet wide. It will be built after the style of the Edwards, in rough ragstone. The plan adopted is cruciform, with a central tower and spire 200 feet in height. There will be four chapels or side-altars, besides the high altar. The architect is Mr. Wardell; the builder is Mr. T. Jackson, of Pimlico.

The fourth annual report of the Committee of the Free Baths and Washhouses in Glasehouse Yard appeals for aid to the public, with a powerful claim. During the year there have been 31,240 bathers, 32,492 washers of clothes, and 11,325 boners; the cost was 315G ; there is a debt of more than 2001., and unless aid be extended the establishment cannot be carried on. The force of the demand on the public charity consists in the fact that all the persons who use the baths and washhouses do so gratis: this is the only establishment in London possessing that feature.

At the Court of Bankruptcy, last week, the case of Edward Nairne, a stock- broker, was to have been investigated ; but the bankrupt had not surrendered. Mr. Llilleary stated to the Court, that this was a most wicked case. The debts and liabilities were about 35,000L; the assets comparatively insignificant. He believed that Nairne was then enjoying himself at Boulogne on his wife's fortune of 600f a year. Two or three of the cases of the creditors would show the bankrupt's pro- ceedings. A gentleman intrusted him with 4,5001. for the purchase of railway shares: the bankrupt appropriated the money to his own use, but wrote to his client that he had bought the shares. A clergyman sent him 1,800/. to be in- vested; Nairne pretended to buy stock, and actually sent money as dividends, but the capital he spent. He had defrauded a publican of 1,6001. which he pre- tended to have reposed in the public chest in the Royal Exchange. A tradesman uf Islington placed in his hands 2,500L, the hard-earned savings of years—all had gone. The whole assets amounted to 1,2001. only. The counsel commented on the atrocity of the case, the flight of the bankrupt, and his refusal to surrender; and he called upon the Judge to give the creditors every aid in bringing such an offender to justice. Mr. Plews, who appeared for the bankrupt, said, he believed Nairne would surrender. Mr. Commissioner Fonblanque said, it was the best course he could pursue. A proclamation of outlawry was then made against the bankrupt, and a day was fixed for the farther hearing of the case.

The two Riddells, who are charged with robbing their employers, Messrs. Potei- fex, were again examined at the Thames Police-office, on Tuesday,. Evidence was given that the prisoners had had thirty-six casks filled with sulphate of lime —a worthless compound, but represented that they contained tartaric acid. On taking stock, the clerk valued these barrels at 1,900L, and thus the defalcations were not apparent. The Magistrate did not think that this evidence went for much, as there was no proof that the tartaric acid had ever been on the premises. The counsel for the prosecution rejoined, that the prisoners had been abstracting two or three hundredweight of the acid yearly. That this part of the case might be made more clear, the accused were again remanded for a week. A skilfully-planned robbery of railway parcels was effected on Thursday last week. A number of parcels for lawyers, bankers, and others, arrived by the morning mail-train of the Great Western Railway; a mien and a boy were de- spatched with them in a cart for delivery. The porter is in the habit of tying them in bundles forming "the lawyers' bundle," "the bankers' bundle," and so on. On the Thursday morning, he left the boy with the cart in Featherstone Buildings while he delivered the lawyers' parcels. The man first went to Messrs. Gregory and Company's in Bedford Row; where he gave a parcel to the house- keeper, and, as had been his custom, left a bundle of parcels in her care yibile he ptoeeeded farther up Bedferd-Row witist-wespackets: -his excuse was the weight

of the bundle. The parcels thus left were nearly a score, bound together with a strap. Immediately after the porter had left the door, a man dressed like a pri- vileged ticket-porter of the railway, with " G. W. R." on his plush jacket, wentlo the housekeeper, produced a bundle of parcels like those in her charge; said his "mate " bad left the wrong bundle ; and exchanged them, hastening away with the original bundle. On the real porter's return he found that he had been robbed: the bundle left consisted of " dummy " parcels, stuffed with shavings and rags, but fastened by a strap, and closely resembling his own bundle. Under the strap was tucked a small white leather pocket-book, with " Great Western Railway, August 1849," prominently inscribed. The parcels stolen appear to have con- tained divers deeds and some stamped parchments not yet written upon: notice was given to the Stamp-office to prevent the thief from raising money on the latter as "spoiled stamps." It is surmised that the thief expected the bankers'

parcels were included in the bundle. On Friday, George Barton, a young fellow living at Somers Town, was arrested on suspicion; and the housekeeper identified him. None of the property was discovered.

A woman named Sinclair has been committed for trial by the Bow Street Magistrate, on a charge of conspiring with a man not in custody to defraud pawn- brokers : she attempted to pawn articles as gold which were only plated.

At Westminster Police-office, on Monday, Thomas WDonald, an Irish labourer and keeper of a low lodging-house at Chelsea, his wife Mary, and Mary Fox, women who hawk lace and locifers about the streets, were charged with stealing seventy sovereigns and two watches. The case was rather strange, and the evi- dence points to a still more serious charge than that of robbery. An elderly Irish gentlem in named M'Guire resided many years at Lyons, earning a good income as schoolmaster and teacher of languages. Having been accused of taking part in some of the recent disturbances in that city, he was arrested ; eventually he got his liberty, and made his way to England, but arrived in a penniless con- dition. Taking up his abode at Chelsea, he obtained a miserable livelihood by vending matches and other articles. But M`Guire had left some property at Lyons: be memorialized Lord Palmerston to apply for this; the Foreign Office did so effectually, and the Irishman's money and goods were sent to the French Embassy in this country. On the 24th of last month, M‘Guire received at the Embassy seventy sovereigns and two watches, but still leaving there some of his effects.

On the same evening, he appears to have been robbed of his cash and watches ; and as he disa.ppeared next day, it is to be feared that he was murdered. While

in distressed circumstances at Chelsea, M`Guire had become acquainted with the woman M'Donald, and, according to her account, she had assisted him. When he got his money, he treated the prisoners and other persons ; went to M`Donald's house; was seen in the street at night with that female clinging to him, then

complaining that he had been robbed; and next day he disappeared. On the morn- ing of the 25th, the woman M‘Donald left six sovereigns at a chandler's shop,

threw about thirty more on the counter, and still had some remaining in a purse. She told the shopkeeper that M'Guire had given her the money; but the prisoner desired her not to mention it. At the Police-station, no money was found on the prisoners; but eventually a girl who was in custody on another charge produced a purse containing thirty-four sovereigns, with which Mary lirDonald had intrusted her as a means of passing it to her husband. The prisoners protested their inno- cence; and the woman MDonald said M`Guire had given her fifty or sixty sovereigns as a recompense for keeping him for a long time. They were remanded for a week.

At Southwark Police-office, on Thursday, William Mew, a respectable-looking young man, who described himself as a commercial traveller, was charged with attempting to murder Helen Ealing, by administering poison to her. About three

weeks ago, the couple took lodgings in Bennett Street, Stamford Street, as man and wife; but the man was married to another woman. It appeared from the evi-

dence, that on Wednesday sennight, the woman cooked a dinner; afterwards she and Mew had some words; then Mew came down stairs told the landlady that his wife had left aid house; andethat he was going to seek her. Mew had locked his doors, and he did not return till Saturday morning: then he asked if his wifehad been home; and on receiving a reply in the negative, he left the place. His manner excited suspicion, and the landlady's daughter looked through the keyhole of his bedroom, and saw the woman lying on the bed. The door was forced open, and she was found slowly recovering from a state of lethargy, apparently produced by some powerful narcotic. It would seem that she had been lying on the bed in- sensible from Wednesday to Saturday. The surgeons found nothing to prove what drug had been administered. The woman told the landlady's daughter that Mew poured her out; a glass of beer on the Wednesday, and that on drinking it she was immediately overcome. Mew was subsequently traced and taken into custody; but as Ealing had not sufficiently recovered to appear at the Police- court, he was remanded till Tuesday next.

The examinations in the case of the Bermondsey murder were continued and completed yesterday in the Southwark Police Court- Manning "looked pale,

sickly, and anxious "; his wife "very mach the reverse." The depositions having been completed and read over, Manning replied to a question by the Magistrate— "I have nothing to say, Sir "- he spoke in a firm clear voice. Mrs. Manning said, in a low tone, with a markedforeign accent, "I leave all in the hands of my at- torney." They were formally committed to be tried for murder at the ensuing Old Bailey Sessions. Mr. Binns renewed his application for delivery of the pro- perty found on Mrs. Manning, especially the French Rentes and Manning's own gold watch; but Mr. Seeker refused to determine the doubtful ownership of any of the property. The prisoners were removed to the county gaol.

The Norwegian brig Thordemekiold having been ordered into dock for repairs, a number of men were busy, on Wednesday, moving her from the Thames, at Limehouse. A waterman and two Norwegian sailors were in a boat tinder the bows, preparing to tow the vessel ; at this moment, the pilot thought it necessary to drop the large anchor; he gave orders to the crew, who were not aware that the boat was under the bows, and the ponderous mass rapidly descended, striking the men in the boat, and plunging them into the water. They never rose, and it is supposed that they must have been rendered senseless by the stroke of the anchor.

An explosion of the sewer of Friar Street in the Borough happened on Saturday. The inhabitants having suffered greatly from the stench of the sewer, Mr. Grant, acting for the Commissioners of Sewers, induced Messrs. Anderson and Cattley, soap-boilers, to allow the insertion of a pipe from the sewer into their chimney- shaft, to draw off the foul air. In about half an hour an explosion took place; the cast-iron plates over the man-holes in the streets were torn up, and flames issued from the gully-holes. The explosion was at first ascribed to the plan of ventila- tion; and that was made the subject of attack by Mr. Leslie at the meeting of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, on Thursday; but the Reverend Mr.

Murray gave a corrected account. The connexion of the sewer and the shalt had

been completed, and the draught in action some time before the explosion occurred. The explosion was caused, in fact, by the taking of a lighted candle into the sewer 100 feet from the furnace; and was due to the admixture of the gases already existing in the sewer at a point before the gases had flowed on so far as the shaft. On the general scientific question, Mr. Murray quoted the express testimony of Dr. Faraday in favour of the very means employed. Dr. Faraday had expressed this opinion—" I have often thought that the many furnace and engine flues that rise up so abundantly in various parts of London might be made to compensate in part

for the nuisance which their smoke occasions, by being turned to account in 'rem, tilating the sewers and burning the putrid vapours generated in them." After mach vehement discussion, the Court passed a resolution approving of the plan adopted.