a*pr. 2»fJ 



THE NEWSPAPER, 



[1844. 



Day this year fading on the Sunday. Speculation is still parishes of St. Bride's, Fleet-street, St. Anne's, and St. j 



rery *ratt as ti the person who will be selected to fill 

 the chiir. The friends of Alderman T. Wood and Gibbs 

 hare been exerting themselves for the purpose of return- 

 ing them at the Common Hall, and the friends of Alder- 

 man Wood are determined, in case of the rejection of 

 that gentleman, to go to the poll. By some it is expected 

 that both Alderman Wood and Gibbs will be passed over, 

 and that the present Lord-Mayor and Alderman John- 

 son will be put in nomination. Several meetings of the 

 friends of Alderman Wood have been held, at which 

 resolutions have been adopted to the effect that the 

 charges brought against him with respect to the Talacre 

 Company are groundless, and that he is in every way 

 worthy to fill the office of chief magistrate. 



Election of Aldermen.— Mr. Sheriff Sidney was 

 elected on Thursday Alderman of Billingsgate ward, 

 without opposition. The nomination of an Alderman 

 for Portsoken ward took place on Wednesday, when 

 Mr. Sheriff Moon and Mr. David Salomons, the ex- 

 sheriff, were put in nomination. Mr. Moon stated that 

 he had offered to retire if -Mr. Salomons would promise 

 to make the necessary declaration if elected ; but Mr. 

 Salomons declared that he would continue to adhere to 

 the Jewish faith. About nine years ago Mr. Salomons 

 was returned to the Court of Aldermen, but rejected by 

 them because he would not make the usual religious de- 

 claration. The Lord Mayor took a show of hands, when 

 a considerable majority were held up for, Mr. Salomons. 

 His lordship declared the election, on a show of hands, 

 to be in favour of that gentleman ; upon which a noil 

 was then demanded by Mr. Moon, nnd granted. The 

 result of the first day's poll gave Mr. Salomons a ma- 

 jority of 38. The second day, which closed the poll, gave 

 Salomons, 168 ; Moon, 136. Majority for Salomons, 32. 

 Court of Aldermen. — It is currently reported in the 

 city that Alderman Sir John Pirie has received an inti- 

 mation that he will be appointed a Commissioner of 

 Excise. Of course an immediate resignation of his gown 

 will be the consequence ; and another vacancy in the 

 aldermanic body will take place. 



Custom House.— It is understood that the Custom- 

 house authorities have it in contemplation to place officers 

 on board the steamers from the Continent, as soon as the 

 vessels arrive off Gravesend, so that the inspection of 

 luggage, &c, may be completed during the passage up 

 the river. The object of this experiment is to prevent 

 the detention of passengers after their arrival, and if 

 found to give protection to the revenue, it doubtless 

 will be continued, and be a most important improvement. 

 New Royal Exchange The progress of this struc- 

 ture is so far advanced that the committee of Lloyd's 

 have announced to the subscribers that the sub- 

 cription-room will be prepared for the transaction 

 of business in a short time. The centre area of the 

 Exchange i3 nearly all laid down with the tessel- 

 lated pavement. The building is entirely cleaned exter- 

 nally, and workmen are employed in placing the flag- 

 stones, many of which are from eight to ten feet square. 

 Iron gas pillars are erected at short distances from each 

 other, on every side of the edifice, and the gas pipes are 

 almost all fixed. The mechanism of the clock is now 

 being put up, under the superintendence of Mr. Dent, of 

 the Strand, and is expected to be completed in the course 

 of the next week. The bells, 15 in number, have been 

 in the tower some days. 



Royal Mint. — An immense number of a new coinage 

 of half-farthings, which for the last ten days have been 

 selling in the different thoroughfares of the metropolis 

 at four and six a penny by the itinerant street venders, 

 have been struck at the Mint for the last month, and 

 will be issued as legal tenders of our copper circulation, 

 on Tuesday next, the 1st October, according to the 

 Royal proclamation announcing their issue a year and a 

 half ago, but which had been delayed in the United 

 Kingdom, although in the colonies they have been for 

 some time current. The various shopkeepers, grocers, 

 and tea-dealers, in the Borough and different parts of 

 the metropolis, have large bowls in their windows full of 

 this new coinage, which will be useful to the workin 

 classes, as « half farthings saved are pennies gained." 



Bank of England.— -The Proprietors of the Bank of 

 England held their half-yearly meeting last week, and 

 the usual dividend of 3£ per cent, (deducting income- 

 tax) was declared for the half-year. The meeting 

 occupied less than a quarter of an hour, and was, there- 

 fore, the shortest that has been known for many years. 

 An alteration in the mode of making up the accounts was 

 communicated by the Governor, and was acted upon for 

 the first time on this occasion. Hitherto the accounts 



ftl « ^ Up t0 the 10th 0ctober > ™d the portion 

 ot the * rest" that was to accumulate between the day 



!Ln I me< ; tlllg in !?P tem ber and that day was only 

 given by estimate. Now the account* are made up to 

 tne ,51st August, and, consequently, the "rest" is 

 stated according to actual results. A corresponding 

 alteration is to be made in the beginning of the year, 

 and the last day of February, instead of the 5th of 

 April, will be the day on which the accounts for the 

 current half-year will be made up. The Governor, Mr 

 Cotton, stated that the Bank will sustain no loss by the 

 late forgeries of Barber and Fletcher, the Commissioners 

 tor the National Debt having to sustain it. 



St. Paul's.— In consequence of the cleansing and re- 

 pairs which have been going on in this cathedral for 

 some time, divine service has been entirely suspended 

 and great complaints have been made against the Dean 

 and Chapter on the subject. It is now announced that 

 the service will recommence to-morrow the 29th inst. 



Proposed New Hospital at Black friars. —On Mon- 

 day morning a numerous meeting of the inhabitants of the 



Andrew's, Blackfriars, and Bridewell precincts, was held 

 for the purpose of taking measures to prevent the con- 

 templated establishment of an infirmary for the cure of 

 cutaneous diseases, at the house, 25, Bridge-street, Black- 

 friars, formerly occupied by Barber, the solicitor con- 

 cerned in the Wills Forgeries. The requisition convening 

 the meeting was signed by upwards of seventy inhabitant 

 householders. Mr. Delane took the chair, and stated 

 that in the house at which it was intended to have the 

 infirmary the means of accommodation were extremely 

 small. The house was confined, abutting on three 

 streets, and having at the back only two or three yards 

 of open space. It had been calculated by the projectors 

 of the institution that they would have 500 patients a 

 week, all of whom would have to be in attendance nearly 

 every morning. As it was impossible that all could be 

 accommodated at once, a large majority of them would 

 have to wander about the adjacent streets, or to take 

 refuge under the porticos of the neighbouring houses. 

 Resolutions affirmatory of the danger to the interests and 

 health of the parishioners to be apprehended from the 

 infirmary were proposed and carried, and a committee 

 appointed to carry out the object of the meeting. 



Christ's Hospital. — Saturday being St. Mathew's-da)', 

 the annual orations were delivered by the senior scholars, 

 according to a custom which has prevailed for many 

 years in connection with this ancient institution. Pre- 

 vious to the delivery of the orations divine service was 

 performed in the church adjoining the Hospital, in the 

 presence of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen Musgrove, and 

 Sheriffs. At the conclusion of the service, the Lord 

 Mayor and gentlemen by whom he was accompanied, in 

 their official robes, entered the hall of the Hospital, 

 where the whole of the scholars and an exceedingly 

 large and respectable company had already assembled. 

 The Lord Mayor having taken his seat at the top of the 

 hall, the Grecians proceeded to deliver their addresses in 

 the following order : — A Latin oration by Langham 

 Dale, 2d Grecian ; an English one by M. A. Leicester, 

 1st Grecian ; a Greek oration by E. T. Hudson, 3d 

 Grecian and classical medalist ; and a French one by 

 E. A. Newton, 11th Grecian ; all upon the same subject, 

 and one full of interest to every person present — " the 

 benefits of the Royal Hospitals." The three first named 

 of these gentlemen are proceeding to College — the first 

 to Queen's, Oxford, the second to St. John's, and the 

 third to Trinity, Cambridge. Several other orations 

 were then delivered, and at the close of the proceedings 

 a collection was made for the purpose of defraying the 

 expenses of the Grecians at College. 



East India Company. — At the Quarterly Court of 

 Proprietors on Wednesday, the resolution adopted at the 

 last Court, granting an annuity of 1000/. a year to Major- 

 Gen. Sir Wm. Nott, was confirmed by acclamation. The 

 other business transacted was of a routine character, the 

 motions respecting the payment to the Temple of Jug- 

 gernaut, the King of Delhi, &c, having been withdrawn. 

 Improvements in the Tower. — After considerable 

 delay preparations have commenced this week for the 

 extensive improvements about to be made in the Tower, 

 agreeably to plans approved of by the Government. 

 Barracks are to be built on the site of the small armouries 

 which were destroyed by fire in 1841, but as their width 

 will be greater than the late buildings, the frontage of 

 the new barracks will encroach several feet upon the 

 consecrated ground extending eastward from the royal 

 chapel of St. Peter, in which are deposited the mortal 

 remains of many distinguished personages. Their re- 

 mains are, however, to be carefully raised and placed in 

 a vault at the rear of the chapel. 



Vauxhall Gardens. — The " royal property" has been 

 restored to its pristine brilliancy this week for the pur- 

 pose of bidding a final farewell to the public before the 

 hand of the builder destroys its trees and all the appli- 

 ances for public entertainment, and occupies the ground 

 with rows of houses. Six gala nights have been an- 

 nounced, and on Monday the first of the series was 

 given. The illuminated arcades, the orchestra, and the 

 saloon, were just the same as in days gone by ; nor 

 were there any indications of approaching ruin. The 

 entertainments consisted of a concert, ballet, pantomime, 

 and display of fireworks, which fully maintained the 

 reputation of Vauxhall in its best days. 



Battersea New Park.— The Commissioners of Woods 

 and Forests have determined, it is said, upon purchasing 

 Battersea- marsh and fields, a tract of land upwards of 

 200 acres in extent, and making a public park, to be 

 adorned with lakes, serpentine walks, shrubberies, &c. 

 In addition to this, it is said that there will be a carriage 

 drive along the margin of the Thames from Vauxhall to 

 Battersea-bridge. An eminent builder has been directed 

 to furnish the plans, and as soon as these are completed 



an application will be made to Parliament >• — 



iu,to Sir *i*ticTf coojo^jv^Astatue has just been 



Or 



placed in St. Paul's Cathedral to the memory of Sir Astley 

 Cooper, the eminent surgeon. It was raised by subscrip- 

 tion, confined to the profession. The greater portion of 

 the donors were his former pupils, headed by Mr. Calla- 

 way and Mr. Travers. The statue, exclusive of the 

 pedestal, is 8 feet high, and the likeness is considered 

 good. It is by Mr. Baily, R.A. 



London Missionary Society. — On Wednesday the 

 Jubilee meeting of the friends of this Society was held at 

 Exeter Hall, to celebrate the 50th year of the Society's 

 existence. The platform was filled with Dissenting 

 Ministers from all parts of the country, and some clergy- 

 men. In the body of the hall there were upwards of 

 4000 persons. Sir Culling Smith, Bart., took the chair, 

 supported by Mr. Pritchard, late Consul at Tahiti ; the 

 Rev. E. Bickersteth, Rector of Walton, Herts ; Dr. 



Vaughan, Principal of the Lancashire IndependenT7£i 

 lege ; Dr. Jenkyn, Principal of Coward Collet n " 

 Collison, Dr. Lichfield Messrs. Sherman, # ' £.' & 

 chairman in opening the business remarked that the So! 

 ciety had succeeded to a great extent in breaking do X 

 the bonds of caste in India, and in carrying on thl evan- 

 gelisation of savage tribes in Africa. Their Weslevau 

 brethren had broken the chains of slaverv in the West 

 The American missionaries had carried the Gospel into 

 the midst of the fallen Eastern Churches, while the 

 Churches of Scotland had exerted themselves in planting 

 the principles of the education of their native country 

 amongst the benighted people of Hindostan. But the 

 subject which more especially pressed itself upon the 

 attention of the Missionary Society was the state of 

 Popery, which he had no hesitation in saying was now on 

 the verge of destruction. Still that system was as false 

 superstitious, and tyrannical as it was when England 

 broke the chains, or thought she did, in the fifteenth 

 century. The chairman concluded by narrating several 

 anecdotes in support of his statements. A resolution ex- 

 pressive of gratitude to Providence for the favour bestowed 

 on the Society during the last 50 years, was moved by the 

 Rev. E. Bickersteth, seconded by Dr. Bunting, President 

 of the Wesleyan Conference, and carried unanimously. 

 Dr. Liefchild moved the second resolution, deploring the 

 persecutions of the Christians at Madagascar and Tahiti, 

 expressing towards them cordial sympathy and prayerful 

 solicitude, and condemning the perfidy and cruelty of 

 France towards the unprotected Queen of Tahiti. Fifty 

 years ago this Society had only three mis. ionaries, now it 

 had 700 ; then there was one station, now there were85 r 

 with various preaching places around them. Since its 

 formation, a million and a half sterling had been ex- 

 pended, chiefly the contributions of British Christians. 

 The resolution having been seconded by Mr. Hamilton, 

 Minister of the Scotch church, was unanimously passed. 

 A subscription was entered into on behalf of the Society's 

 general objects, and the large sum of 500/. was announced. 

 Other resolutions were proposed, several addresses were 

 delivered, and the meeting dispersed after singing the 

 Doxology and paying the usual courtesy to the chairman. 

 Singular Voyage on the River. — A novel feat was 

 successfully performed on Monday on the river, between 

 Vauxhall and Westminster bridges. Mr. Barry, one of 

 the clowns of Astley 's Theatre, had announced his inten- 

 tion of sailing from Vauxhall to Westminster in a wash- 

 ing-tub drawn by two geese. A large crowd assembled 

 on both sides of the river to witness the undertaking. At 

 about half-past 3 Mr. Barry, with several of his friends, 

 and attired in his clown's dress, arrived at Vauxhall- 

 bridge, and, all things having been prepared, he at once 

 stepped into his tub and started upon his voyage. The 

 tide being in his favour, he went along safely enough, 

 and had little difiiculty in making the geese keep a proper 

 course. An immense number of boats accompanied this 

 strange water party, so that he was in no danger of 

 drowning. Mr. Barry disembarked from his vessel at 

 Westminster-bridge, and proceeded amidst loud cheers 

 to the theatre. The same feat was performed some years 

 back by Mr. Usher, the well-known clown. 



Mortality of the Metropolis.- -The following is the 

 number of deaths registered in the week ending S*-pt. f l . 

 West Districts, 128; Northern, 164 ; Central, lo2 , 

 Eastern, 183; Southern, 230 ; Total, fcw. Weekly 

 average for the last five years, 9 46. 



TW— The recent attempts to fix 

 beacon on the Goodwin Sands are said 

 but the experiments of Mr. Bush, the 



the Committee of Lloyd s •-"»""? f th | caisson 

 several months in erecting on rte sU :Ot ^^ 

 sank on the Goodwin Sand . b, me our „ rf 



of 1842, an .ron c° ™ Vr the guidance of mariners, 

 fixing thereon a red light, for the : gui a ^ 



and for boring the quicksand to ascertain ^ P , 

 the ultimate view of erecting a mow P™ e a t I have 

 house, I have the honour o ^ f °™4 h . wa ter-tnark, 

 already fixed the column 9 feet abov e "■« (weather 



and .hall, in the course of tho, nor forty ^ ^ 

 permitting), carry it up to ^ »e J«ghto f ^ 



that, on or before toWjrf *° « re(I light . The 

 .hoar at the top .of he co lnnan ^ not been asC er- 



Si^^ftAl'b. furnished to you in the 



^* ffig^ inquest was held ^ »£ 

 ford on Wednesday, on the body of John ^ Shaw 

 thigh was severely fractured by a fall of earth on 

 August last, at Slough, and was conveyed to t . Et 

 union workhouse, where he died on the Uto in 

 the previous proceedings the friends of d «*«. ^ 

 certain allegations against the officers 01 tne d 



to the effect that »«^,^ b "\£„ T c«rf in the 

 that they were not permitted I to ee him,, «o P ; 

 presence of the matron or porter ; that on n ^ 



worse, and their going to Slough a m.dn.gh t, 7 

 refused to see him ; tint the '°° d J.^Xj they not 

 were not allowed to give him -and tha^ befin 



fetched the body to Brentford, tt^wO* ^ sU 



Mr. Steward's 

 to have failed ; 

 civil engineer, 



thout any 



buried by the union authorities , w, a- ^^ 

 After a long inquiry before Mr. ^ ak ot ^ ^ that 

 the jury returned the [following venhct ■ e q{ the 



deceased died from the mortal effects 01 In ^ 



left thigh bone, produced bjr jccideot. c a ^.^ 

 turning a verdict of accidental death, tne j 



