684 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
{Srrt. 30, 
wrote a letter to the morning papers, asking whether the 
city authorities were aware that Gen. Nogueras was the 
perpetrator of thatcrime. To this Gen, Nogueras replied, 
that the imputation was false ; ‘it was another General,” 
he said, ‘‘ who ordered the trial and execution, and neither 
this letter a subterfuge, and explained that Gen. Nogueras 
did not actually shoot the unfortunate lady, but entreated 
Gen. Mina to doso; quoting Gen. Mina’s despatch, dated 
March 15, 1836, to prove the fact. On the 24th inst., 
Gen. Nogueras published his reply,” stating that ‘‘he 
had not the least interference in the affair;’’ and that, 
“satisfied with the repeated public demonstrations of 
the affection of his countrymen, and resting on the testi- 
mony of a pure conscience, he will not trouble the public of 
this country any more on a subject to which it can attach 
put little interest.”’ This has called forth a rejoinder from 
Lord Ranelagh, containing the following passages in im- 
mediate reference to the main facts :—‘ In answer to the 
first point, I offer the following extracts from Lord Cla- 
rendon’s despatch to Lord Palmerston, dated March 7th, 
1836, and not quoted by me before :—‘ I consider it my 
duty to inform your lordship of an occurrence that has 
lately taken place in Catalonia, and which, with reference 
to its atrocity and its consequence, has produced a con- 
siderable sensation at Madrid. A Carlist chief, called 
Cabrera, shot the alcaldes of two small villages in Lower 
Arragon. The mother of Cabrera, a poor old woman 
nearly 70 years of age, lived at Tortosa, and General 
Nogueras, who commanded the Queen’s troops in the 
neighbourhood, ordered the Governor of that place to 
have her seized and shot. ‘The Governor refused to com- 
mit this barbarous deed, upon which General Nogueras 
wrote to General Mina, the Captain-general of the pro- 
vince, for his sanction, which was unhesitatingly given, 
and the mother of Cabrera was executed for the crime of 
her son. Immediately upon these facts coming to my 
knowledge I waited upon M.; Mendizabal, with whom I 
found the Minister of War, and I told their Excellencies 
that I was come, in the performance of a painful duty, to 
announce to them what would be the feelings of his 
Majesty’s government, and the whole people of England, 
upon learning those unparalleled acts of barbarity. 
Mendizabal and Count Almodovar, with expressions of 
horror, admitted the facts, and seemed to be aware of the 
impression which they would produce in England. Thave 
several times since spoken to M. Mendizabal upon 
the matter, and his Excellency yesterday informed me 
that General Nogueras had been deprived of his com- 
mand in Arragon, and that a court of inquiry bad been 
ordered into all the circumstances of the case, with a view 
to ulterior measures.’ Lord Clarendon, in another despatch 
of April 234, says, in confirmation of his former state- 
ment, that ‘ General Nogueras had been deprived of his 
command, and ordered to repair to Valencia, where pro- 
ceedings were to be instituted against him.’ In addition 
to the above, there is Cabrera’s authority on record that | 
Nogueras is the murderer of his mother ; and when he 
signed a treaty for the exchange of prisoners, he exempted 
General Nogueras from any such benefit. One more 
unquestionable corroborative testimony :—The wife of 
Colonel Fentivero (a companion and brother officer of 
Nogueras) was shot, in retaliation for Cabrera’s mother. 
The Colonel presented a beautiful petition to the Queen, 
calling for the trial of Nogueras, and denouncing him as 
the murderer of his wife. This petition from Colonel 
Fentivero appeared in all the Madrid papers of the 24th 
and 25th March. Lord Palmerston, in his despatch to 
Lord Clarendon, of April 2, 1836, says :—‘ You will at 
the same time state to the Spanish Minister, that it is 
impossible to express in adequate language the disgust and 
indignation which this atrocious crime has produced in 
the minds of all persons in this country, or to describe the 
degree of injury which such abominations necessarily do 
to the cause of the Queen. You will earnestly entreat the 
Spanish Government to take the most effectual means to 
prevent the recurrence of such disgraceful acts, and to 
give the war in every province in which it may be un- 
fortunately carried on the character of a contest among 
the inhabitants of a civilised country.’ As to the little 
interest General Nogueras supposes that the English 
people take in such atrocious acts, it cannot be forgotten 
that General Moreno, the Carlist Commander-in-Chief, 
was ignominiously and properly driven from this country 
by the voice of public opinion, for his murder of an 
Englishman in Spain.’ 
Death of Sir Matthew Wood.—Alderman Sir M. Wood, 
Bart., one of the Members for the City of London, died 
at Gloucester on Monday last, after a long and severe 
illness, He was in his 76th year, having been born on 
the 2d June, 1768. The name of Alderman Wood will be 
long remembered in the annals of the City. For more 
than a quarter of a century he has been one of the most 
conspicuous members of the Corporation ; has filled all 
the highest offices connected with it, and has taken an 
active part in every political question which has agitated 
the public mind during his time. After filling several 
offices of lesser importance, he was chosen, at a compara- 
tively early age, Alderman for his ward, and having 
served in his“turn the office of Lord Mayor, he was elected 
a second time to fill that chair. As a politician it is 
almost unnecessary to say that Alderman Wood was a 
supporter of Whig principles, and was the Representa- 
tive of London inno less than nine successive Parliaments. 
He was the son of a tradesman in Devonshire, and com- 
menced life as a commercial trayeller. He afterwards 
settled in Falcon-square as a brewer’s druggist and hop 
merchant, andrealised a considerable fortune, independently 
of that derived under the celebrated will of Mr, Wood of 
Gloucester. His advocacy of the cause of Queen Caroline 
first brought him prominently before the public. Heis suc- 
ceeded in the baronetcy by bis eldest son, the Rev. Sir 
John Page Wood, Bart., rector of St. Michael’s, Cornhill, 
and vicar of Cressing, Essex. The death of Alderman 
to give such information as will lead to the discovery of 
the murderers of Mr. Westwood, which he is ready to do, 
on haying his sentence reversed or mitigated. He asserts 
that, during the time of his imprisonment in Newgate, 
Wood has created a vacancy in the rep of the 
Ward of Cripplegate in the Court of Aldermen, and of 
the City of London, in Parliament. With regard to the 
latter, active preparations are already in progress for a 
contest. A requisition has been got up to Mr. Thomas 
Baring, calling upon him to come forward as the Con- 
servative candidate, Mr. Wolverly Attwood having been 
obliged to decline on account of ill health. On the Liberal 
interest, Mr. Samuel Gurney, Mr. Patteson, and Lord 
Morpeth, have been mentioned; and it is believed that 
Mr. Patteson will comply with the invitation, The elec- 
tion will take place on the old registration, and may not 
occur for some time. Several gentlemen are talked of for 
the aldermanic gown of Cripplegate. Among these are 
Mr. John Dillon, of the firm of Morrison, Dillon, and 
Co. ; and Mr. Thomas Challis. 
Election of Lord Mayor.—Yesterday being Michael- 
mas day, a Common-hall was held at Guildhall, according 
to annual custom, for the purpose of electing a Lord 
Mayor for the year ensuing. After the usual forms had 
been gone through, the two senior Aldermen below the 
chair, Alderman Thomas Wood and Alderman Magnay, 
were put in nomination, together with the present 
Lord Mayor. The latter, however, declined sustain- 
ing the labour and expense of the office for another 
year, and Alderman T. Wood expressed his intention of 
retiring from the contest. A poll, however, had been 
demanded by his friends, and the sheriffs had no power to 
interrupt the voting. The polling was merely nominal 
although it must be continued for seven days, and Alder- 
man Magnay is virtually elected. 
The Sheriffs.—The new sheriffs, Alderman Musgrove 
and Mr. Moon, were sworn into office on Thursday, with 
the usual ceremonies. The Rev. Dr. Vivian, rector of 
St. Peter-le-Poor, Old Broad-street, has accepted the 
office of chaplain to Mr. Alderman Musgrove, and the 
Rev. Dr. Croly to Mr. Moon. 
East India Company—On Wednesday the quarterly 
general court of this corporation was held at the India 
House, pursuant to the charter, Mr. Cotton in the chair. 
The proceedings were mostly of a routine character. After 
the presentation of various papers laid before Parliament 
since the last Court, consisting of accounts relative to the 
revenues Of India, salaries, annuities, compensation to the 
colleges of Hayleybury and Addiscombe, the number of 
students, &c., various papers were submitted relating to 
the claim to compensation by Captain J. Patterson, and 
documents connected with appeals in India. Mr. Poynder 
then brought forward his motion, complaining of the 
annual payment of 60,000 rupees to the Temple of Jug- 
gernaut, the attendance of the police at the temple, and 
the compulsory steps adopted to obtain coolies to draw 
the car. The chairman suggested, that, as the directors 
had required specific explanations upon these points, the 
motion should be withdrawn for the present, to which 
Mr. Poynder assented, with the expression of a hope that 
the object he had in view would be accomplished in 
another way. Mr. Lewis then brought under the con- 
sideration of the Court a motion relating to appeals from 
India, the prosecution of which was made compulsory on 
the Company by orders in Council; but the motion was 
withdrawn, on the understanding that the Board of Con- 
trol had promised to give the subject its serious attention. 
Metropolitan Improvements.—The mews at the corner 
of James-street and Stafford row, nearly opposite the 
equerries’ entrance to Buckingham Palace, were pulled 
down last week by order of the Commissioners of Woods 
and Forests, in order to clear the site for the intended 
improvements in the vicinity of the Palace. The demo- 
lition of the White Horse public-house is deferred for the 
present, and the improvements to be immediately com- 
menced will-be limited to building a wall to James-street ; 
the wide space thus obtained will enable the Commis- 
sioners to remove the hackney coach stand several feet 
from the present locality.—Mr. Cubitt has’ completed a 
direct road from Belgrave-square, through Eaton, Chester, 
Eccleston, and St. George’s squares, to the river at the 
end of St. George’s-square. THe is about to erect a chain 
pier for the accommodation of the public.—In consequence 
of a material sinking of Westminster Bridge, it has been 
determined to remove a great portion of the wall and 
heavy balustrades, together with the covered stone recesses 
on each side, and to substitute a low wall, similar to that 
recently adopted at Blackfriars Bridge. ‘The road and 
footpath will also be reduced.—The New Lincoln’s Inn 
Hall has so rapidly advanced since the commencement of 
the year as to insure its being roofed by the early part of 
the ensuing spring. 
The Murder of Mr. Westwood.—It will be recollected 
that some years ago the shop of Mr. Westwood, a watch- 
maker, in Princes-street, was broken open and robbed of 
property to a large amount, and the proprietor murdered. 
The criminals have hitherto escaped detection, although a 
reward of 3002, was offered at the time for their appre- 
hension. At the last May session of the Central Criminal 
Court a person named Henry Stocker was convicted of 
stealing six Irish bank notes for 100/, each from the 
personof Mr.Jeffs,arailway contractor, in Dublin, andsen- 
tenced to be transported forseven years. He is now confined 
in the Model Prison, at Pentonville, where some doubts 
are entertained of his sanity. At the time of his convic- 
tion he declared his innocence, insisting that he was 
engaged in his business in London on the day of the 
robbery. A representation to this effect, supported by 
the certificates of several respectable persons, vouching 
for that fact, has been made to the Home Secretary, but 
hitherto without avail. Stocker now states that he is able 
p y to his trial, he was employed by a fellow- 
prisoner to write out his defence, and that in the course 
of his confidential intercourse with this man, disclosures 
were made to him which, if divulged and followed up, 
will enable the police to discover the murderers. This 
cir has been i d to the family of Mr. 
Westwood, who have placed the affair in the hands of the 
police, who have already set an active investigation on 
foot, so that the long-concealed culprits may now possibly 
be brought to justice. 
The Nelson Column.—It is said that the statue of Lord 
Nelson will be placed on its column on the 21st of next 
month, the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar, An 
entertainment in honour of the event will be given by 
public subscription to his surviving companions in arms, 
and Sir R. Stopford has sent a letter to the committee, 
stating, that the pensioners now in Greenwich Hospital 
who shared in the victories of Lord Nelson, and whose 
present state of health will allow of their attending, 
amount to 199, viz.:—in the battle of Trafalgar, 130; 
Copenhagen, 31; the Nile, 25; and St. Vincent, 13. 
Prince Albert has contributed 20/. to the fund now 
raising to defray the expenses of the entertainment. 
General Pension Sociely._On Monday the annual 
general meeting of this society, formed to grant monthly 
pensions of 31 shillings to decayed citizens, mechanics, 
and manufacturers, and of 22 shillings to their widows, 
was held, Mr. Haywood in the chair. The report stated 
that the society continued to receive distinguished 
patronage and support. Prince Albert had  con- 
descended to become its patron, and marked his ap- 
probation of its object by a donation of 50 guineas. 
Sixty persons, men and women, were recipients of its 
bounty, and another election for four men and two women 
as pensioners would shortly take place. The funded pro- 
perty, exclusive of 500/. in the life fund, was 4814/., the 
surplus fund 6002. The receipts for the year were 
17941. 12s. 6d., the expenditure, including 6287. 7s. dis- 
bursed in pensions, and the purchase of 500J. stock, left 
a balance of 3)6/. 14s. The report then stated that the 
Earl of Craven was the newly-elected president, and that 
in future decayed tradesmen and their widows would be 
eligible as pensioners. 
South Sea Company.—A general meeting of this com- 
pany was held last week at the South Sea House, for the 
purpose of considering an address to be presented to her 
Majesty, and for making an alteration in the by-laws, 
Mr. Franks, deputy-governor, took the chair, and pro- 
posed the adoption of an address to her Majesty, praying 
that her Majesty would be pleased to continue governor 
of the Company. After a long discussion on the question 
whether her Majesty, holding no stock, was qualified to 
aet as governor, the address was agreed to by a majority 
of 13 to 6. A resolution was then agreed to, altering the 
transfer days for public stock to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 
Thursdays, and Fridays; and for private stock to Mondays 
and Saturdays. 
The High Tides.—The equinoxial gales during the 
week have swelled the Thames to such an extent as to 
create serious alarm to persons whose premises lie along 
its banks. The tide of Monday rose to five feet above 
high-water mark; and the steamers had some difficulty 
in passing under the arches of the different bridges. The 
wharfs along Bankside were flooded to the depth of 18 
inches, and the yards and wharfs from Blackfriars to 
Westminster-bridge were likewise under water. The tide 
flowed over the river-wall of the Bishop’s-walk, and ren- 
dered the streets leading to Vauxhall-bridge impassable, 
the water forcing its way into the ground-floors. At 
Lambeth Palace the water also rushed into the cellars. 
The embankments from the Horseferry-road Pier to 
Chelsea, on the north side, and those from Vauxhall- 
bridge to Putney, were completely under water for nearly 
an hour, ‘The tide of Tuesday morning rose to a stil 
greater height, induced by a strong wind from the north- 
ward, The overflow was very great along the Kentish 
coast from Woolwich Marshes to Deptford and Rother- 
hithe, and from Blackwall to the Isle of Dogs, on the 
opposite side. Cellars, kitchens, and warehouses, were 
flooded; causing considerable destruction of property. 
The market-gardeners were severe sufferers, and a grea 
number of private gardens in low situations were inun- 
dated, and the soil washed away. ‘The Lewisham 
meadows were overflowed by the Ravensbourne, to the 
extent of many acres. The pleasure-ground in the rear 
of Dr. Smith’s house, in the Blackheath-road, was tw0 
feet under water ; and, on the tide receding, nearly 100 
fish, flounders, roach, dace, &c., were found on the lawn 
In the afternoon, at four o’clock, the river was several feet 
above high-water mark, and the banks were overflowed- 
To prevent an overflow of the ground surrounding the 
Millbank Penitentiary, three large breakwaters were 
moored in the river, and had the desired effect. This was 
not the-case nearer Westminster ; for, at the Horseferrys 
the river had overflown the embankment and covered the 
road. Along the Lambeth side the water flowed into the 
cellars of several houses, and did considerable damage 
The lower parts of Shadwell, Wapping, and Bankside 
were also inundated. On Wednesday, the tide rose much 
higher than on either of the previous days. Although 17 
many places precautionary steps had been taken, coD~ 
siderable destruction of property ensued. ll the ware- 
houses near Chelsea, Wandsworth, Battersea, Lambet iH 
and at Bankside, were completely inundated. The timber- 
yards near Southwark-bridge were entirely overflowed, aes 
the roadway was above a foot under water, rendering the, 
highway quite impassable for upwards of an hour. 
