' ht le ttr ufu li o.

At a Court of Common Council, on Thursday, Mr. Layard was presented with the freedom of the City of London ; an honour con- ferred on him for his labours in the East. Sir John Key, the City Chamberlain, performed the part of spokesman. Mr. Layard was received with " vehement applause " ; and in returning thanks he praised the City for extending the hand of encouragement to men distinguished alike in peace and war.

" With regard to myself, it is highly probable that I shall never again see those spots which are naturally so dear to me, as being connected with the labours which have earned for me the distinction which I have received from you. I may even be compelled to abandon those studies and researches which have been so kindly alluded to by your Chamberlain. I have embarked in public life ; and only one endeavour and one hope must remain to me—that as a publics man I may be of some use to my country."

A Committee appointed by the Marylebone Vestry, on the subject of a Sewers Commission, recommends that the City of London and the Metro- politan Boroughs should each elect three Commissioners, and that these should appoint four paid Commissioners—a barrister for chairman, a civ engineer, a physician, and a surgeon. This board, they think, would be able to meet all possible questions on sewers, sewage, and drainage. One-third of the twenty-four representatives should go out annually, but be eligible for reelection.

A deputation, representing a Committee of Merchants anxious to pro- mote the exploration of Australia, and including among others, Mr. Mof- fatt M.P., Mr. Gregson M.P., Mr. John Gladstone M.P., Mr. Lindsay, and Sir James Duke, waited on the Duke of Newcastle on Saturday, to tender their advice and cooperation. - Mr. Lindsay was the spokesman. He said the merchants of London thought the object of the expedition so important, that they had agreed to raise 15001. in aid of the 35001. offered by the Government. They were influenced in a great measure to sup- port the proposed expedition from the high opinion they had formed of M. Haug. They ventured to suggest also that a survey of the coast should be included in the objects of the expedition.

The Duke of Newcastle said, he was sorry that, owing to an accident, he had not seen Captain Stokes, the officer fixed on as fittest to command the expedition. With reference to the expense, he thought the sum first named would not be sufficient to carry on the expedition in a manner worthy of a great national undertaking. No doubt, the Treasury would have advanced the sum specified, 35004, and M. Haug would have been placed in command ; but it occurred to the Duke of Newcastle that it would be more satisfactory if the Government took the responsibility on itself. The Geographical Society readily entered into his views. He had seen M. Haug, and had no wish to deprive him of his fair share in the undertaking. He had told M. Hatig why he should not be able to place the matter entirely under his direction.

"I did not rest that so much on the fact of his being a foreigner, but on the feeling which would naturally exist in the public mind that there are many eminent men who have already distinguished themselves by explora- tions in Australia, and who are practically well acquainted with the con- ducting of undertakings of this nature; and I said it would be desirable that one of them should be placed at the head of such an expedition, and not a gentleman who, however eminent his talents and unwearying his energies, had never been in the country, and would on that account have himself much to learn. He quite entered into that view : and I told him I should certainly feel it due to him, when I placed the matter in the hands of an- other gentleman—alluding to Captain Stokes—to say that I wished him to form part of the expedition, and to be placed in such a position upon it as would fairly meet his expectations, and as his merits might entitle him to occupy. I should hope there would be no personal feeling of jealousy in the matter, because you will see that it would be destructive of an undertaking of this kind. I have, however, nothing to lead me to suppose that there would be any such feeling." The Colonial Minister declined the pecuniary assistance tendered, but said he should be obliged to the deputation for their aid and advice. In reply to further questions, he said he thought a coast survey would hamper the expedition into the interior. But before anything be done, it would be necessary to have a matured plan. He believed the Australian Colonies would support an expedition of the kind in a prompt and liberal spirit.

A deputation from the Executor and Trustee Company, headed by its Vice-President, Mr. Headlam, waited on the Lord Chancellor on Mon- day, to answer some objections made by the deputation from the Incor- porated Law Society. Mr. Clark, one of the deputation, explained, that the company proposed to perform a labour which private men sometimes could not and sometimes would not perform ; and it would require for this labour, and the discharge of delicate and difficult duties, a remunera- tion by a small percentage. At the same time, it offered a security for the honest and trustworthy performance of this labour in the shape of a guarantee fund of a very considerable amount. The Lord Chancellor ad- mitted that the subject was of great importance, and said that it should receive careful consideration.

At a meeting of the Society for the Amendment of the Law, on Mon- day, the question of transferring the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts to the Court of Chancery or the Courts of Common Law was warmly debated. There was a difference of opinion between the Chan- cery and the Common Law practitioners ; Mr. Stewart representing the former, and Mr. Power the latter. Finally, however, a common agree- ment was effected, and the following resolution was carried-

" That the jurisdiction of all testamentary matters should be transferred from the Ecclesiastical Courts to the Superior Courts at Westminster • and that for this purpose the Courts of Chancery and Common Law should be re- spectively clothed with all the powers, as well of law as of equity, and the County Courts be made ancillary to the said Superior Courts."

The Association for promoting the repeal of the Taxes on Knowledge held a soirée on Wednesday, at the Whittington Club ; the audience taking tea and cake, and the orators making speeches on appropriate " sentiments." Sir John Shelley presided. Among the " sentiments" were—" The right of free speech, a primary right, and a means of obtain- ing all others "—spoken to by Mr. Samuel Lucas ; " the memory of Francis Place, Henry Hetherington, and the agitators of 1836 "—Mr. Milner Gibson's text ; "the abolition of the newspaper-stamp, and of the remaining restrictions on the press, an indispensable necessity to popular

progress in intelligence, morality, and the acquisition of political power" —the theme of Mr. Cobden.

Coals have been much reduced in price in consequence of the arrival of tugs supplies. Bread, too, has become cheaper—second quality as low as ninepence the quartern.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Thursday, Major Beresford and ten other persons were formally indicted for conspiring to corrupt and bribe the electors of the borough of Derby at the election in July 1853. Our readers will easily call to mind the points of this well-known case. Morgan, a person sent by William Frail of Shrewsbury, was arrested in a room in the County Tavern in Derby; and on him was found a large sum of money, and a letter signed " W. V.," that is, " William Beresford." Mr. Edwin James stated the facts on behalf of the prosecution. The present indictment _had been rendered necessary to meet the accusation that these proceedings originated in a conspiracy got up by the Liberal party. But now, inasmuch as it was believed that the exposure which had already taken place would prevent the recurrence of such proceedings at Derby, and those who had made the charge that the Liberal party had entered into the conspiracy alleged had withdrawn the charge, Mr. James did not intend, on behalf of the prosecution, to offer any evidence in support of the indictment, Accordingly, the Jury under the direction of Lord Chief Justice Campbell, returned a verdict of " Not guilty."

Sir Frederick Thesiger then made a statement, in justice to Mr. Beres- ford and himself, to the effect that Mr. Beresford had not compromised the matternothing on earth would have moved him to eotepromise it; and that he had come there, from a bed of sickness, claiming inquiry and ready to meet the charge. Mr. James said, that no compromise, direct or indirect, had been entered into. Lord Campbell said, that but for these assurances there might have been a suspicion in the public mind that some corrupt compromise had been made ; but that suspicion had now been repelled. He was also bound to say that Mr. Beresford had repelled the charge made against him, and had brought the case on for trial; and now it must be con- sidered that there was no evidence to support the charge.

At the Middlesex Sessions, John Horton, a lad of fifteen, has been con- victed of stealing a watch from Mr. Jones. Horton was connected with a gang of young fellows who adopt a novel system of robbery in London. One of the gang exhibits a guinea pig, a starling, and a squirrel, tied by the leg, upon the pavement. A wondering crowd collects, and then the other thieves begin their work. The convict was sentenced to four years' penal servitude.

Mr. 'William Henry Newman, a young barrister, has been fined la., at the

Middlesex Sessions, and ordered ' d to find sureties keep the peace, for as- saulting Captain Garth. Captain Garth was standing at the window of the Conservative Club; Mr. Newman was passing in front of the club; he thought the Captain made an insulting motion with his hand ; whereupon he rushed into the club-house and smelted Captain Garth. The gentlemen were strangers to each other. Mr. Newman afterwards acknowledged that must ust have mistaken the action of Captain Garth, and he fully apologized ; the Captain then kindly refrained from pressing for punishment for the un- provoked attack.

A thief has escaped scot-free owing to the objection of the person robbed to take an oath. George Brooks purloined a book belonging to Mr. Truelove, a bookseller in the Strand. At Bow Street Police Office, Mr. Truelove offered to make an "affirmation," but declined to be sworn. He thought he was entitled to make an affirmation by some recent law. He objected to an oath, not on some particular religious ground, but from a non-religious feel- ing—he professed no religion. Mr. Jardine told him he could only give evi- dence on oath. Mr. Truelove pointed out that an abandoned prostitute had just.taken an oath and obtained redress by it ; yet he was refused justice be- cause he conscientiously objected to swear. Mr. Jardine remarked, that the woman, though a prostitute, might have some religious belief. The upshot was that Brooks was liberated; but he voluntarily gave up the book to Mr. Truelove.

Mr. Taylor, a middle-aged man, was brought before Mr. Yardley, the Thames Police Magistrate, on Tuesday, that an order might be obtained to confine him as a lunatic. The proceedings had been directed by Lord Pal- merston. Taylor believes he has claims upon the East and West India Dock Company ; he memorializes Prince Albert to interfere in his behalf, and he has been several times to Buckingham Palace. Mr. Yardley, judging from his own conversation with the man, did not consider him a lunatic, though two doctors declared he was. Mr. Yardley thinks it no light matter to lock sman up for alleged madness, and he steadfastly refused to do so in this

case ; but he took a great mass of documents penned by Taylor which he undertook to examine to see if they threw any light on the writer's state of mind ; who in the meanwhile seems to be in the charge of the officers of the Stepney Union.

Charles A. Noedl, an Hungarian, living at No. 10 Upper St. Martin's Lane,

was accused of forging indorsements on two bills for 101. each, which were cashed by Messrs. Glyn and Co. The indorsements purported to be written by Count Louis Reiman de Sarrazar; that gentleman, who lives at No. 15 Upper St. Martin's Lane, deposed that the signatures were not his. These bills were sent to him from a relative at Turin ; but they never came into his hands. Noedl told Mr. Mullens, the solicitor, that a gentleman asked him to take in any letter addressed to the Count ; he received one; the gen- tleman opened it, and got Noedl to take it to the bankers. The Lord Mayor remanded the prisoner.

On Wednesday, evidence was heard favourable to the prisoner's character ; and the Lord Mayor seemed to incline to believe the explanation he had given ; but he thought he was bound to bring forward the person who per- sonated the Count.—Remanded for a week, but admitted to bail.

Jean Marie Courtoil, a foreigner has been committed by the Marlborough

Street Magistrate for a singular robbery. At midnight he entered Mr. Tyr- ell's cigar-shop in the Haymarket ; and, as he pretended to the woman in charge that he was a surgeon, he was allowed to pass on to a parlour. Mrs. Tyrell happened to have fallen asleep in her chair in the parlour ; she was aroused by a tickling sensation about her ears ; when she awoke the prisoner was standing over her, and he dropped the earrings which he had just dis- engaged. He attempted to escape ; pushed Mrs. Tyrell down in the shop, and ran into the street ; but a Policeman seized him.

Mr. Goalen, chief of the audit department of the London and North-West-

ern Railway, has been arrested on a charge of defrauding the Company of upwards of 50001., by making false entries of monies received from Liver- pool. Mr. Caitchen, cashier at the Liverpool station, has also been taken into custody on suspicion of collusion regarding a sum of 500/. ; but he de- clares that he paid the money as directed by Mr. Goalen, and was uncon- scious that any fraud was intended.

From proceedings before the Worship Street Magistrate, it appears that the Commissioners of Police have issued a book of fares, legally binding on cabmen, which is incorrect. The cab-owners allege that it is wrong in va- rious instances ; but they proved one special case very clearly. The book states that the distance from Cremorne Gardens to the Eastern Counties Rail-

way is under four miles, and the fare 28. ; in fact, the distance is over kit miles, and the fare 3s. 6d. The Magistrate decided that the cabman wagers. titled to 3s. 6d. Mr. D'Eyncourt stated on Monday that he had communi. cated with the Commissioners of Police, and the error in the book was to be corrected.

The Post-office authorities have awarded 31. to Kingston, the mart who took to the Post-office a letter containing an order for 201. which had been found in a dust-yard. Kingston had misrepresented the behaviour of the Post-office people in the matter ; for 'which he has begged pardon.

A very fatal fire occurred in Prince's Street, Soho, at the back of St. Ann's Church, early on Tuesday morning. It broke out in the first floor of an old house tenanted by many families. The shop was occupied by a bookseller ; in the first floor lived Anther, a painter ; the second floor was rented by Puzzi, an interpreter ; the attics were held one _by an old woman and the other by a tailor named Adams and his wife. When the Police raj'■;,,- alarm, the retreat of the people above the first floor was cut off escape came to the rescue. Puzzi was seen at a wind.ow he threw himself out, fell on the pavement, and wee badly, hurt Hii.„fte and children disappeared from the window., When the engines arriVea, the

fire was soon got under the • gr'.7.Ma floor was nnteached by the ileitis, and. a large part or the n',".1;e"r staircases was standing. When the firemen entered the place they made shocking discoveries. In the second floor, near the window ' were the bodies of Mrs. Puzzi and her four children ; and in the back attic, lying in a heap, those of the old woman and Adams and his wife. '