

APR- 27 '3 



flJTJ^UJTanO its Ftrinttg. 



rf p ar «amen'-0 n Saturday afternoon, after 



/ftW ? J of the Fine Arts Commission, of which his 



** ",m2nf.i !• chairman, Prince Albert proceeded to 



K^' 1 Hou'es of Parliament, accompamed by V.scount 



*' ■".« Lord Colbome, Mr. Gaily Knigh , Mr. Hal- 

 Wn) frston, Lo beri of ^ Commlsslon U 



UB, „ i Hiehness'* arrival, he was received by Mr 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



[1814. 



Btr / y :tnod to be a formal one, suggested for the purpose 

 *f ' .rtainit the progress made in the erection of the 

 ° f hS of Legislature ; and, by inspection of the te- 

 DeW .Zpartmentstoform an opinion as to which of 



1HZ «re best suited for displaying the frescos, statues, 



^rSTworks of art. His Royal Highness and the 



^•commissioner, minutely examined the different por- 



nf the building;, and subsequently visited the model- 



tl0 °V\Lr inspecting models of the interior of the 

 STwof'Lords, they proceeded to Mr. Barry's offices 



ire the details were laid before the Prince, who expressed 

 Jj, rfisfoction with the progress of the works 



Exhibition of Decorative Works.— An exhibition of the 

 , tiTC wor ks for the new Houses of Parliament, sent 

 pursuant to the notices issued by the Commissioners on 

 the Fine Arts, was opened for public inspection on 

 Monday, in King-street, St. James's. The numbers in 

 the catalogue extend only to 170, but there are m many 

 cases several specimens by the same artist included m the 

 tame number. The objects exhibited are for the most 

 part carvings in wood, designs, and specimens for painted 

 windows, and different kinds of pavement, principally 

 Mosaic.' The designs and specimens for the principal 

 door of the House of Lords are one-third the whole 

 number. Of these several are favourable specimens of the 

 lUte which the revived art of carving in wood has already 

 iltained in this country. Many of the designs for the 

 great door include figures of saints and kings ; but the 

 mo«t appropriate for such a purpose are those composed 

 of Gothic tracery alone. The designs for stained glass 

 windows are all subject to the condition imposed by the 

 Commissioners, that they should be in general accordance 

 with the style of architecture and decoration adopted in 

 the new Palace ; and some of the artists appear to have 

 felt themselves bound so implicitly to adhere to the an- 

 cient style as to copy even faded colours. The favourite 

 subjects are the designs of armorial bearings, and the por- 

 trait* of the Kings and Queens of England with their arms 

 and supporters. The designs for ornamental paving form 

 the roost numerous objects in the exhibition. The general 

 character of the articles is Mosaic work, and some of the 

 artists have thought it good taste to imitate the burnt and 

 faded pavement dug out of Herculaneum and Pompeii. 

 There are several articles admitted into the room which 

 iare not been inserted in the catalogue, because they have 

 not strict reference to the conditions of the notices by the 

 Commissioners, among which are some handsome and 

 massive wreaths of flowers carved in wood, most elabo- 

 rately executed, that appear to be in imitation of the 

 ornamental devices round ancient fire-places. There are 

 s.so some specimens of iron casting, but they are scarcely 

 *orth notice ; all attempts at ornamental work in metal 

 being far distanced by some electrotyped groups of natural 

 vegetation. 



The Welch Bishoprics. — On Monday a special general 

 meeting of the members of the Society of Ancient Britons 

 ^as held, to adopt measures for preventing the amalga- 

 mation of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor, as contem- 

 plated by a recent Act of Parliament. Earl Powis was 

 called to the chair, and was supported by Lord Kenyon, 

 Lord Clive, Colonel Powell, M.P., Townsend Mainwar- 

 »&> Esq., M.P., R. Richards, Esq., M.P., Archdeacon 

 ->ewcombe, the Hon. Rice Trevor. M.P., Serj. Atcherley, 

 oa about eighteen or twenty noblemen and gentlemen. 



and I? ee r **? * M addressed D 7 Lord Kenyon and others, 

 „-« Uef ^ Iow »ng resolution was unanimouslv adopted :— 



the ? { raee . tin S' feeling the obligation they owe to 



behalff °u * >< l wis for nis aD * e and zealous exertions on 

 nece ? y*e ^ elch bishoprics, and being convinced of the 



t ne cond ^ continuan ce of those exertions, and that 



fided to Tl °^ ^ e P et ^ ons ana * prayers cannot be con- 

 will pro ;f r . han ds, beg respectfully to request that he 



^'shon« . ln8Ucn manner, in connexion with our Welch 



effect th T ■ eDds ' as he shall think best calculated to 



SocUtf m * and most interestin ff object." 

 diy j3** the Emancipation of Industry.— On Tues- 



was C held l "f 8 meetin & of the supporters of this institution 

 sdontincr c ;° r the P ur ?ose of giving publicity to, and 

 Amonirt! t0 further the objects of the society, 



the Hoik * g - en ^ lemen present were several Members of 

 c tair »nS Comm ons. Mr. Spottiswoode was in the 



country he ^ l ned the nature of the meetin &- The 

 professed t 8 ? was detached into various classes, who each 



professed r° a & remed y f° r the existing evils, but whose 

 the Princinl 7 W * S fallacious and fanciful. It was in 

 °c found n !? ° f that societ y alone that a remedy was to 

 10 «plain th pam P hlets and tracts had been published 

 ex Phuuin? th™" '* ^ ia( ^' nowev er, been ascertained that 

 fcBchJ. m . verbally was much more effective, and 



h r Promuw" i 1VG t0 the interes t of the society than 

 * as < t bereforp ng i * • tnrou S h the medium of tracts. It 

 Lond on unHUk' eir lntenti on to hold weekly meetings in 

 ll »eir oh; " l t ° e . P ublic w ere fully made acquainted with 



°bjects. 



T , . — j -cq- ~~ 



ftCw ; on then C P nnci P les they advocated were not 

 Plat <>. and LTk trary ' the * were as old as Aristotle and 

 J heir day down J. entertaine d by all learned men from 

 • led togethert the P re8ent time. They merely assem- 

 ^•ofAriitoH Xpam that the Principles held in the 

 to *** year Kin*" 8 wortl, y of attention now. Previous 



13 a J twenty millions were paid annually 



| towards reducing the national debt, but since then not a 

 J single farthing had been paid. It was clear, then, the 

 present monetary system of the country and standard 

 value of gold was wrong, and they were determined to 

 agitate until they obtained some reform, or were con- 

 vinced their views were erroneous. Mr. Attwood, of 

 Birmingham, then addressed the meeting, advocating at 

 some length the revival of the Bank Restriction. He 

 never heard of any objection being raised to it when in 

 existence ; certainly it never was petitioned against by the 

 people, while, to his certain knowledge, 360 petitions were, 

 in 1819, presented to the House of Commons against the 

 then proposed change. It was the means of carrying the 

 country through a long and tedious war, and he had no 

 hesitation in expressing his firm conviction that, unless 

 the Bank Restriction were again revived, a revolution 

 would ultimately be the fate of this country. Mr. Muntz, 

 M.P., and several other gentlemen also addressed the 

 meeting at some length, advocating a free trade in gold, 

 and an entire change in the monetary system. 



Governesses' Benevolent Institution. — The first anni- 

 versary dinner of this charity, which has been established 

 for the threefold object of affording assistance to go- 

 vernesses in temporary distress, of raising an accumulating 

 fund to grant annuities to governesses in their old age, 

 and a provident fund to aid governesses in securing an- 

 nuities for themselves on Government security, was held 

 on Saturday, at the London Tavern. H.R.H. the Duke 

 of Cambridge presided, and was supported by the Earl of 

 Dartmouth, Earl Jermyn, M.P., Viscount Sandon, M.P., 

 Lord H. Cholmondeley, Lord Calthorpe, Lord Teign- 

 mouth, Sir W. Jolliffe, Bart., B. B. Cabbell, Esq., C. 

 Dickens, Esq., &c. After the usual toasts, the Secretary, 

 the Rev. Mr. Laing, read the report, which afforded evi- 

 dence of the progress making by the society, and the 

 utility of its exertions. Between 60 and 70 governesses 

 had already joined the institution, and upwards of 2000/. 

 had been subscribed towards its support, 500/. of which 

 was funded, in order that an annuity of the value of 15/. 

 may be granted next month. In regard to the third ob- 

 ject of the society, the relief of governesses in temporary 

 distress, the report stated that from the 14th June, 1843, 

 to the 25th March, 1844, the ladies' committee have re- 

 ceived and examined into 102 applications, and had as- 

 sisted 5G of that number: some of the others were de- 

 sirous of loans, a means of help which it was considered 

 did not yet form one of the objects of the society — some 

 few did not produce satisfactory references, and many 

 more were reluctantly declined for want of sufficient 

 funds. The cause of the charity was advocated by the 

 Chairman, by Lord Sandon, Mr. Cabbell, and Mr. Dick- 

 ens, and subscriptions exceeding 1000/. were announced. 



The Wellington Statue.— At the last meeting of the 

 Royal Exchange Committee on the subject of placing the 

 statue of the Duke of Wellington, the trustees, Mr. 

 Masterman and Sir P. Laurie, and the executors, Mr. 

 Turner, R.A., and Mr. Jones, discussed at considerable 

 length the question as to the most eligible position of the 

 statue in front of the Exchange. Sir P. Laurie stated that 

 Sir F. Chantrey always expressed a wish that the statue 

 should face the south, in order that it might have the advan- 

 tage of the sun, for which purpose he suggested the removal 

 of the ugly upper story of the Mansion-house, which was 

 accordingly taken down to the manifest improvement of 

 that edifice. Mr. Jones confirmed the statement as to the 

 opinion and wish of Sir F. Chantrey. The committee, 

 however, came to the resolution that as the front of the 

 Exchange faced the west, it would be preposterous to 

 turn the face of the statue away from that direction, and 

 they accordingly agreed unanimously that the Duke should 

 front Cheapside. Mr. Turner the other executor, informed 

 the committee that the statue and pedestal had long been 

 completed, and he trusted that by the 18th of June, the 

 anniversary of Waterloo, the public would have a com- 

 plete opportunity of judging of the performance. 



The Public Streets. — A deputation from the committee 

 for promoting the greatest attainable cleanliness in the 

 public thoroughfares, courts, and alleys of the Metropolis, 

 waited upon the Lord Mayor last week upon the subject 

 of calling a meeting in furtherance of the purposes for 

 which the noblemen and gentlemen of whom the com- 

 mittee is formed have frequently assembled at the West- 

 end. Among the members of the deputation were Vis- 

 count Ranelagh, Sir J. Hamilton, Bart., Dr. Holt Yates, 

 Mr. C. Cochrane, &c. The latter gentleman stated that 

 the object of the deputation in waiting upon his lordship 

 was, to read to him the substance of resolutions passed at 

 a meeting at the Hanover-square Rooms, relative to the 

 immediate employment of the able-bodied poor, in the 

 hope that he would assist in accomplishing an object cal- 

 culated to do important service to the physical and moral 

 condition of the public. Mr. Cochrane then referred to 

 the leading facts connected with keeping the streets free 

 from mud and dust, according to an experiment which had 

 been successfully tried in Regent-street and Oxford-street, 

 and expressed the persuasion of the committee that, as 

 his lordship's efforts had already improved the streets of 

 London as to cleanliness, he would readily aid in a great 

 plan for more completely carrying out the intentions he 

 had expressed at the commencement of his mayoralty. 

 The committee would willingly pay the expenses of the 

 experiment, if it should not meet with the approbation of 

 those who were best qualified to judge. The cleansing of 

 the streets of the city cost, according to the clerk to the 

 commissioners of sewers, about 4000/. a year. The plan 

 the committee recommended would, with all its advan- 

 tages, cost no more than from 2000/. to 4000/. more than 

 that sum. The Lord Mayor, after some observations 

 from other gentlemen of th« deputation, said that, in his 

 opinion, the most advisable course would be, that he 



should communicate with the chairman of the commis- 

 iioners on the subject of making an experiment on the 

 plan adopted in Regent-street and Oxford-street, and if 

 the experiment should be made, and found successful, that 

 he should call a public meeting, with the view of carrying 

 it into effect all over the city. 



Trafalgar-square The whole of the terrace-walks- 



within the area of this promenade were finally completed 

 yesterday, and the square will be opened to the public on 

 Monday next. The paving laid down in the quadrangle 

 has been the work of the Bastenne Bitumen Company. 



Schools for AIL— The first stone of a new building in,' 

 Chequer-alley, St. Luke's, founded by Mr. Greig, of the 

 Society of Friends, for children and adults of all denomi- 

 nations, and called " Schools for AH," was laid on Wed- 

 nesday by Lord John Russell, in the presence of a large 

 assemblage. The proceedings commenced with prayer ;. 

 but the building was crowded to such an extent, and tke? 

 confusion was so great, that despite the efforts the police 

 made to preserve order, the interruptions were frequent 

 and occasionally difficult to overcome. In addition to- 

 Lord J. Russell there were present Mr. Hastie, M.P., Mr. 

 Sheriff Moon, Mr. Samuel Gurney, &c. Lord John 

 Russell, Dr. Morrison, and other gentlemen addressed the 

 meeting in support of such establishments as the present. 



Anti-Corv-Jaw League.— The weekly meeting of the 

 League was held on W ednesdav in Covent Garden theatre, 

 the Hon. C. P. Villiers in the chair. The chairman 

 opened the proceedings with a long speech on the pros- 

 pects of free trade, after which the meeting was addressed 

 by Mr. Ewart, Dr. Elphinstone, and Mr. Moore. 



The New Bridge.— The plans of a new suspension- 

 bridge between Lambeth church and the Horseferry-road, 

 have been submitted to the churchwardens and other offi- 

 cers of Lambeth, wiih a view to obtaining their signatures 

 to the petition for the bill now before Parliament. It is-, 

 to be an iron suspension-bridge of three arches, with very 

 little rise on either side, and to be built under the direc- 

 tion of Sir S. Brown, the inventor of the Brighton-pier. 

 At the interview Sir S. Brown had with the parochial 

 officers they at present declined signing the petition in 

 their official character, whatever their private opinions 

 might be. It was arranged that the parishioners should 

 be consulted on the matter in the first instance, but a feel- 

 ing was expressed that a suspension-bridge would not 

 answer for the heavy traffic which would no doubt pass 

 over it. Is is also said that, however beneficial it may be 

 to Lambeth and St. John's, Westminster, it is likely to 

 injure Vauxhall, and Lambeth Marsh and the vicinity. 



Mortality of the M» tropolis.— -The following is the 

 number of Deaths registered in the week ending April 

 13th— West Districts, 128 ; Northern, 164 ; Central, 165 v 

 Eastern, 182; Southern, 231; Total, 870. Weekly 

 average for the last five years, 946. 



3Probtncial Xctos. 



Factory Meetings.— -The following meetings in favour 

 of the ten hours clause in the Factories Bill have taken 

 place since our last report :— At Blackburn, on Saturday ; 

 at Stockport and at Oldham, on Thursday ; at Ashton, on 

 Saturday, and at Bury on Tuesday last. At all these 

 places resolutions in favour of the clause were unanimousry 

 passed, and petitions founded upon them were adopted for 



presentation to Parliament. 



Chatham.— The Mutine and Espiegle, 12-gun brigs, 

 which are to form an experimental squadron with the 

 Daring, Osprey, KinKfisher, and Flying Fish, ships of the 

 same class, in the month of June next, for the purpose of 

 testing their relative capabilities at sea, were launched on 

 Saturday at this dock-yard, in the presence of a con- 

 siderable number of the resident gentry and inhabitant*.. 

 The Mutine was laid down on the 30th October, 1843, 

 and the Espiegle on the 7th February, and consequently 

 has been built in the short space of ten weeks and two 

 days. Each vessel is to have a complement of 130 men, 

 including officers and marines, with the following arma- 

 ment :— Ten 32-pounders, six feet, 25 cwt., and two Im- 

 pounders, six feet, 20 cwt. Both vessels have elliptic 

 sterns, and are alike, excepting that the Mutine has four 

 ports, and the Espiegle only two, which will give greater 

 facility to the working of the guns. 



Chester.— Four Chartists, named William Moorhouse, 

 John Fairhurst, Robert Wild, and James Wild, were 

 liberated from Knutsford House of Correction last week, 

 about four months before the expiration of the term of 

 their imprisonment. They were tried before Lord Abinger, 

 at the Chester Assizes, 1842, on charges of sedition, &e. r 

 arising out of the part they took at various meetings near 

 Hvde, during the great turn-out of factory operatives. 



'Durham. — The Cathedral of Durham has been thrown 

 open to the public, without any payment being required 

 from its numerous visitors, for seven hours a day during 

 the summer months, and four during the winter, since July 

 1841 ; and not one case of mischief, or other misconduct 

 connected with that indulgence, has come during the 

 whole time to the knowledge of the Dean and Chapter. 



Gloucester. — The annual meeting of the Hereford, 

 Worcester, and Gloucester choirs, which should have been 

 held this season at Gloucester, will not take place, owing 

 to the impossibility of finding a sufficient number of gen- 

 tlemen willing to make good all deficiencies by becoming 

 stewards. This unfortunate position of matters is undis- 

 guisedly attributed to the effect of the hostile preaching 

 of the Rev. Mr. Close, of Cheltenham, who bas denounced 

 the scripturalness of such pieces of music as are a ™£ 

 performed at music meetings being performed in P * 

 of worship ; and, as the success of previous « eetl "? s w * 3 

 in a great degree owing to the support of the town « 

 1 Cheltenham, and as the effect of Mr. Close's opinions was 



