668 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
[SEPT. 23, 
houses, where accoutrements are always ready for 10,000 
horses and their riders. In this department General 
Espartero and his officers seemed struck with the immense 
number of articles to be seen at one view, and their sur- 
prise was not lessened when Lord Bloomfield at the 
eastern wing, pointed out to them about 28,000 large 
guns, and upwards of 4,000,000 of balls and_ shells 
arranged on the grounds of the Arsenal. The whole 
party then proceeded to the marshes, where ricochet 
practice was carried on, under the command of Major 
Horsby, and the firing was the best exhibited for some 
time, almost every ball falling at the foot of the flagstaff, 
about 700 yards distant. Two rounds of 10 rockets each 
were then fired by the rocket troop, under the command 
of Major Strangways, and went off beautifully, some of 
them entering the target at 800 yards’ range. 1t was in- 
tended to continue this practice for some time, but the 
number of vessels entering the range causing considerable 
delay, it was discontinued ; and General Espartero, the 
Duchess, and the Donna Elidia returned to town. 
Tuesday they paid a visit to the public establishments in 
the City. At the Guildhall they were received by Sir Cc 
Marshall, Sir J. Pirie, &c., by whom they were conducted 
into the Aldermen’s room, the council chamber, the 
freedom-office, the library, reading-rooms, &c. Ae 
Court of Common Council were assembled at the time, 
and received their visitors with loud cheering. His 
Excellency and family next proceeded to the Mansion- 
house, to pay their respects to the Lord Mayor, by whom 
they were subsequently accompanied to the Bank. At 
this establishment they were met by the Governor and 
Directors, by whom they were shown the various offices 
and departments, with the machinery and apparatus em~ 
ployed in printing notes for circulation, They examined 
® 
_the room containing the bullion, the treasury department, 
and a new machine for weighing sovereigns. A highly 
respectable assemblage had collected inside the Bank, by 
whom they were enthusiastically cheered, the same demon- 
strations being manifested both on their approach to and 
exit from the Bank. They also went to the Mint, where 
they inspected the machinery. 
Court of Aldermen.—Alderman Magnay has declared 
his intention of becoming a candidate for the ensuing 
mayoralty, the resignation of Alderman Lainson having 
placed him in competition with Alderman T. Wood.— 
On Monday a Wardmote was held in Bread-street Ward, 
for the election of an Alderman, in the room of Mr. 
Lainson. The two candidates proposed were Mr. 
Benjamin Lawrence and Mr. Hughes Hughes (High 
Sheriff of Hants). The Lord Mayor declared, upon the 
show of hands, that Mr. Lawrence had the majority ; upon 
which the friends of Mr. Hughes demanded a poll. At 
the termination of the polling for the day, the numbers 
were—for Mr. Lawrence 57, for Mr. H. Hughes 57. At 
the close of the second day Mr. Lawrence had a majority 
of 10 votes. On Wednesday at the close of the poll the 
Lord Mayor declared the numbers to be, for Mr. B. 
Lawrence, 89; Mr. Hughes, 82—majority, 7. The Lord 
Mayor said he should haye declared Mr. Lawrence elected 
had not a scrutiny of the votes been demanded. His 
Lordship, having read the names of the scrutineers 
appointed by each party, appointed Monday, the 10th 
October, for the scrutiny. 
Court of Common Council.—On Tuesday a Court was 
held, at which Mr. Bunning was chosen Clerk of the 
Works, in the room of the late Mr. Montagu, by a ma- 
jority of 38 over Mr. Young, who had been several years 
principal clerk in Mr. Montagu’s office. The numbers 
were—for Mr. Bunning 106, for Mr. Young 68. 3 
City Revenues—An article on the corporation of 
London and municipal reform, which appeared in a recent 
Number of the Westminster Review, has been reprinted 
asa pamphlet, with a view to its extensive circulation, 
It contains a general view of the city revenue, corporate 
and parochial, from the summary of which we learn that 
the trust estates in the city bequeathed for public and 
charitable objects produce an annual sum of 364,0967, 
lls. 94d. But, notwithstanding these endowments, the 
local rates for the poor, the church, paving, lighting, 
watching, &c., form a heavier burden upon the inhabi- 
tants than exists in any other part of London, or in any 
corresponding district of the United Kingdom, amounting 
for the year 1841 to 272,788/. 4s. 5d., besides octroi 
duties and tolls, or taxes levied by the corporation on 
coals, provisions, &c. paid by the public at large to the 
amount of 202,549/. 12s. 7d. These sums are annually 
raised for municipal objects within an area embracing only 
a 15th section of the Metropolis. 
Bank of Fingland.—At the general half-yearly meeting 
of the proprietors of Bank Stock on Thursday, a dividend 
was declared of 3} per cent. for the half-year ending the 
10th October next, deducting 7d. in the pound for income- 
tax. In making this dividend of 35 per cent., minus the 
income-tax, the Directors took from the ‘* rest’”’ the sum 
of 7,167/. 17s. 11d., the state of the banking business, and 
the difficulty which all banking concerns experience in 
realising profits, having rendered this step necessary. The 
amount taken from the “rest” for the last dividend was 
5,864/. 0s. 3d. ; so that the tro sums together make about 
13,0007, taken in the twelve months. 
. Acceleration of the Indian Mails.—A numerous meet- 
ing of merchants and others interested in the speedy 
transmission of letters to and from India, China, Australia, 
Ceylon, &c., was held on Tuesday at the Hall of Com- 
merce, Mr, J. A. Smith in the chair. In stating the 
object of the meeting, the chairman explained that all that 
was expected was an expression in general terms in favour 
of improved commovication, without reference to any 
jompany whatever, 
the public desired, and to leave entirely to the Government 
the manner and the means to be adopted in carrying out 
their wishes. They were to the effect that the present 
arrangement was defective in two particulars, as the mails 
from Bombay seldom reached England in time for the 
merchants to answer their letters, and that a similar in- 
convenience attended the arrival of the outward mails at 
Calcutta ; that any plan that could be adopted to remove 
these defects, lerating the ication between 
the two countries, would be of the greatest national 
benefit ; that memorials on the subject should be 
addressed to the East India Company, and copies sent 
to Government ; and that to manage and watch over the 
matter a committee should be appointed. The resolutions 
were passed almost unanimously, and the committee was 
named, with the understanding that it should call a public 
meeting on the Ist of December. 
The Houses of Parliament.—In order to afford room 
for the employment of additional workmen, a portion of 
Palace-yard, extending from the entrance to Westmin- 
ster-hall to the Terrace, has been inclosed by a high 
paling of wood, within which sheds are erected for the 
purpose of enabling the stone-masons to proceed in 
chiselling the ornamental designs. The construction of 
the external walls has advanced so rapidly within the last 
month, that Mr. Barry conceives that the roof may be 
thrown over a great portion of the main structure before 
the winter. There are at present upwards of 300 masons 
engaged, including those employed in hewing the stones ; 
but as the latter operation is necessarily tedious, the con- 
tractors have determined to carry out Mr. Barry’s design, 
so far as they can, by putting on the additional hands 
which the increased space obtained by the inclosure of 
Palace-yard will permit to work with convenience, Con- 
siderable progress has been made in the preparation of 
the carpentry work for the interior, which will conse- 
quently have the advantage of being well-seasoned, and 
less subject to warp. 
The Prize Cartoons.—The eleven cartoons, which 
obtained the premiums d by the C ission of 
Fine Arts, have been placed in the Suffolk-street Gallery, 
for public inspection. The rest of the cartoons have 
been conveyed to the P; hni Belg quare, for 
exhibition. At the Suffolk-street Gallery artists are 
already employed in making reduced copies of the prize 
cartoons, for the purpose of engraving. 
Custom House Frauds.—A few weeks since a large 
been made ustoms, on the 
information of some of the parties engaged in the transac-- 
tion, which has terminated in Exchequer writs being 
issued against Fogg and 10 other persons. It appears 
that the revenue has been defrauded to a great extent by 
the smuggling of foreign tobacco, which was carried on 
upon the Thames in the presence of the numerous revenue 
officers constantly on duty. For some time previous to 
the seizure, two lightermen had been in the habit of going 
down to Gravesend for chalk, which they brought up in a 
large boat. Every trip they made to that place was to 
cover the contraband trade they were carrying on—that 
of bringing four or five tons of foreign manufactured 
tobacco from a sloop several miles below the Nore, and 
landing the tobacco at Limehouse or Ratcliff. The parties 
ultimately quarrelled, and information was given to the 
Custom House, which led to the discovery of the scheme. 
Fogg immediately put in bail for 1,100/., the amount of 
penalties sought to be recovered by the Crown, Six 
others have also put in bail, but two have not been able 
to obtain it, and are confined in Whitecross-street Prison, 
where they are likely to remain till next term, when the 
trial will take place in the Court of Exchequer. The sloop 
which brought over the tobacco from Flanders, and the 
barge, have been seized and condemned. The Board of 
Customs have rewarded the two lightermen with appoint- 
ments, although, on their own showing, they have been 
for some time engaged in extensive smuggling transac- 
tions. They have been receiving weekly salaries for some 
time past, and one of them boasts that he is to receive a 
permanent appointment as gauger. They were, itis said, 
generally employed as informers and witnesses in the pro- 
fi nn 
the Government measure for promoting education in the 
manufacturing districts, it congratulates the body on its 
withdrawal, but states that the Conference must not dis- 
guise or overlook the fact, that their recent proceedings in 
reference to public education have involved them in a most 
serious responsibility. “ The case,” they say, “ stands thus : 
A large number of the youth of our country are found 
to be greatly in need of education. It is proposed to 
give them a certain amount of education upon cer- 
tain terms; but we, in common with other bodies, 
object to the terms proposed, and are understood thus to 
prevent them from receiving the education offered. Un- 
less, therefore, the education offered was itself an evil as 
great or greater than absolute ignorance, or unless the 
terms proposed were such as to neutralise the benefit of 
education altogether, it is manifest that we must either 
exert ourselves to the utmost of our power for the instruc- 
tion of the people on a better system, or we must incur 
the guilt of depriving them of instruction altogether— 
neither giving it ourselves nor allowing it to be given by 
others. We do not suppose, indeed, that any private or 
denominational efforts can effect an amount of good equal 
to that which would result from a well-devised and equit- 
able measure of national education; but we are sure that 
patient zeal and self-denying liberality may find ample 
scope, and secure an ample reward, in almost any circuit 
in our ti The blisl and i 
of efficient day and infant schools in large towns, and the 
further improvement of our valuable Sunday-schools every- 
where, are objects which we once more earnestly com- 
mend to your kind and most careful attention.” In 
regard to the Church of England they state that they have 
been hitherto accustomed to regard her as one of the 
main bulwarks of the Protestant faith ; but her title to be 
so regarded has of late been shaken by the encouragement 
of Tractarian principles. ‘‘ We deeply condemn and 
deplore,” they add, ‘‘this alarming departure from the 
truth of ‘the Gospel in doctrine, and from its godly sim- 
plicity in divine worship and ecclesiastical observance. 
et we are aware that there is a numerous and powerfu 
body of holy and faithful men to be found in the ranks of 
the National Church; and we cherish the hope that they, 
and the authorities of that Church, may soon feel it to be 
a duty which they owe to Christ and to the souls of men, 
to stand forth, and, by a more vigorous, explicit, and 
united assertion of the doctrines of the Reformation, 
purify their branch of the Christian community from the 
evils which at present threaten its destruction.’’ 
Alihallows, Barking.—At a meeting of the vestry of 
this parish a few days since, a correspondence was read 
between the Vicar and the churchwardens, on the Curate’s 
departure from the usual mode of performing divine ser- 
vice, which had caused several of the parishioners to 
secede or absent themselves from the parish church. The 
Vicar had expressed regret that any alteration in the per- 
formance of divine worship had taken place, or that any- 
thing had occurred to disturb the harmony of his parish- 
joners. In consequence of this, the churchwardens re- 
ported that the former mode had been resumed, and those 
parishi 's who had d their attendance at the 
church had returned. 
The Spitalfields Weavers.—On Saturday a meeting of 
hand-loom weavers was held to receive the report of an 
interview which took place at the Board of Trade on the 
previous Thursday, between a deputation of the operative 
weavers and Mr. M‘Gregor, on which occasion a memo- 
rial, signed by 8949 persons was presented to the Lords of 
the Privy Council for Trade. ‘The deputation stated to 
Mr. M‘Gregor that the abodes of many of the weavers 
had been visited by them, and that they presented a scene 
of deplorable poverty. Several had no bed to lie upon, 
and had scarcely any clothing. This was the case 
in many instances where the loom was at work. The 
deputation then referred to the advantages derived by the 
Spitalfields Act, observing that since that act was repealed 
the effect had been injurious to the operatives and the 
tradesmen, as the average earnings of the former per 
week had been reduced from 12,0007. to 6000/ The 
deputation was informed that Government was aware of 
the operation of some of their allegations in reference to 
smuggling; that their case would be investigated by 
Government between that time and the meeting of Par- 
liament, and that whatever measure of relief the Govern- 
ment Jered advisable would be introduced by them 
ceedings against persons for employing 
the river. One of the principal purchasers of the con- 
traband tobacco was a tobacconist and cigar-dealer in the 
Whitechapel-road, against whom an Exchequer writ has 
been issued. The tobacco was generally conveyed to his 
house by a man dressed as a baker, in a bread-basket, 
carried over his shoulders, and, to carry on the deception, 
quartern loaves were placed over each bale of tobacco. 
Other dealers received it in like manner. 
Wesleyan Conference.—The daily papers state that 
the Wesleyan Methodists have been compelled to abandon 
their mission at Malta, and that others will be given up or 
reduced immediately. The permanent income of the 
society is said to have diminished to such an extent as to 
render this step necessary.—The annual address of the 
Conference was published last week, and contains ageneral 
notice of the public occurrences of the year which bear 
upon the religious interests of their body. After referring 
to the efforts made to bring about a substantial union 
between different religious bodies, it proceeds to lament 
the recent settlement of ‘“emissaries of the Pope’’ at 
Tahiti, ‘supported by the authority and force of a great 
European nation.” It alludes to the late secession in the 
church of Scotland, and expresses a strong adherence to 
the principle avowed by the seceders, in asserting the 
. Consistently with this view, the | right of every Christian church to exercise its ecclesiastical 
c y 
resolutions had been carefully prepared so as to show what | functions uncontrolled by the civil courts. Tn regard to 
early in the next session. 
Model Prison. —'The commissioners appointed by 
Government to superintend the management of the Pen- 
tonville Prison have just presented their report for the 
approval of the Secretary of State. The report, which is 
signed by Lord Wharncliffe, Duke of Richmond, Earls of 
Devon and Chichester, Lord J. Russell, the Speaker, Sir 
B. Brodie, Dr. Ferguson, Maj. Jebbs, Mr. Crawford, and 
Rev. W. Russell, states that it is intended to appropriate 
the prison to the reception of convicts between 18 and 89 
years of age, under sentence of transportation not exceed- 
ing 15 years, and that the convicts so selected shall underg? 
a term of probationary discipline for 18 months in thé 
prison, when they will be removed to Van Diemen '$ Lan 
under their original sentences. The Commissioners report 
that the prisoners evince a ready conformity with 
rules and regulations of the prison, and that they have mede 
considerable progress in the trades in which they are 
instructed, namely carpentry, joinery, shoemaking, Ga 
ing, rug-weaving, mat-making, and weaving. The Leg 
contains a letter from Sir J. Graham to the Commissionet™ 
wherein he says—‘* 1 propose that no prisoner shall be 
admitted into Pentonville without the knowledge that itis 
the portal to a penal colony, and that he must thencefor!! 
look forward to a life of labour in another hemisphere; ri 
Statistics of the Metropolitan Police.—By a return Jus" 
