'Ube flilttropolis.

The City Commissioners of Sewers held a Court on Tuesday; the Lord Mayor in the chair.

A medical officer of one of the City unions waited on one of the Commis- sioners, and stated, with relation to the sanatory returns required by Mr. Simon, the City medical officer, that it would be impossible to make the returns without throwing on the medical officers of the unions such addi- tional trouble and expense as were incompatible with the performance of their present duties. That officer at present makes certain returns gra- tuitously. Moreover, there was no occasion for the required returns. Mr. Simon gave explanations to the Court, which are said to have been "a full and satisfactory answer to the opposition raised." The daily pa- pers report that the subject is to come before another Court. "Mr. Harrison, one of the members of the Court, received a letter while in his seat, repre- senting the difficulties which would attend the formation of such lists as those required by Mr. Simon; and it appears that a sort of agitation is likely to be got up on the subject."

The Committee of General Purposes reported on the supply of gas to the inhabitants of the City; a subject specially referred to them. Evidence of practical persons was taken on the gas question, and that of the City Solicitor on the history of the two City Gas Companies' Acts of Parlia- ment; and the Court resolved to recommend, as the only means of re- ducing the price of gas from 6s. to 4.e. per 1,000 cubic feet, that notices be given instanter of an application for Parliamentary powers authorizing the erection of City gas-works, or the purchase of the works of the two City Companies. The report was unanimously agreed to, and a resolution was carried to give the necessary Parliamentary notices.

The Bishop of London has issued an eloquent and practical circular let- ter to the clergy of the Metropolitan diocese, carrying out the Archbishop of Canterbury's exhortation on sanatory subjects. He quotes the opinions of the Board of Health as to the noncontagiousness of cholera; recapitu- lates the maxims of health given by them; and "urges on" his clergy "the duty of an active personal cooperation with the authorities of your respect- ive parishes or districts, in carrying out every practical measure of sana- tory precaution and improvement, and of calling their attention to the sub- ject, and inviting them to form local committees for that purpose where you perceive a want of knowledge or activity."

The Polish ball took place at Guildhall on Thursday, with an average degree of success—" it went off quite as well as many of its predecessors, and better than many." Some twelve or fourteen hundred persons were present,—Lord and Lady Dudley Stuart of course, the Lord and Lady Mayoress, several "Honourable" ladies, the French and Sardinian Am- bassadors, and a sprinkling of M. P a.

A meeting of the Governesses Benevolent Institution was held on Thurs- day, at the Hanover Square Rooms; the Duke of Cambridge presiding. The Chairman announced that the Queen had granted the Institution a charter enabling it to hold freehold lands. The business of electing some annuitants and an inmate of the Asylum was entered on. The successful candidates were Miss Hollinugor, a German lady, to be inmate of the Asy- lum; Miss Harriet Forster, Miss Frances Allen, Miss Elizabeth Bell, and Miss D. P. Campbell, to be pensioners. It is stated that the candidates were ninety-five in number; and that the sixteenth on the list was Mrs. Mary Corder, whose description was thus registered- " A governess in early life; and then opened a school to support her mother, dependent on her for twenty years. Beguiled into a marriage with a nelson of apparent respectability, whose life became forfeited to the law, her whole savings were spent in his defence, whilst his property was withheld by his surviving re- latives. Her son, born in the time of her trouble, is of weak intellect—a burden instead of a support; whilst her own mind suffered so severely that she can scarcely attend to her own maintenance; afflicted also with deafness. Reference, Mrs. Admiral Butterfield, 2, Alfred Street, River Terrace, Islington."

At a meeting of the Law Amendment Society, held on Monday at their rooms in Regent Street, Mr. James Stewart brought up and read the re- port of the Committee on the state of the law relating to the persons and property of alleged lunatics.

The report classified lunatics under the three heads of pauper lunatics, persons found by a commission of the Court of Chancery to be lunatics, and persons found only by medical certificate to be lunatics. In 1843 the total number of lunatics in England and Wales bad been computed at 20,000, and in 1847 at 23,000. The number at present is estimated at 30,000. Of these, about 5,000 belong to the higher and middle classes, and 18,000 are paupers. With regard to the per- sonal liberty of the class confined on medical certificate only, it is to be remarked that all the persons engaged in their capture and confinement are directly inte- rested in the continuance of that confinement. The physicians are not particular individuals selected on account of their standing or responsible position, but may be corrupt persons selected by the relatives of the person to be arrested. The machinery of interference in the hands of the Commissioners is so slow to act, that a case has occurred in which a person was detained ten months after the first complaint of his improper confinement. The report suggested that some person having a judicial character should have jurisdiction given him in every case; the present certificate system still remaining. The Masters in Lunacy or the County Court Judges would appear the fittest persons to receive this jurisdiction; and upon them the responsibility of confinement should be thrown in every case. Upon them, too, might be thrown the office of administering the property of the person confined. The property of persons of this class amounts in the aggregate to many millions; and it is ascertained that a charge of one per cent would pay all the expenses of administration.

The report considered briefly the subject of the management of licensed lunatic asylums. It suggested that a regular visitation of such places by the clergy should be required; that all persons employed by asylum keepers in making captures should be registered; and that a Coroner's inquest should be held in every case of a death in an asylum. It was ordered that the report should be printed; and the Society ad- journed till the 11th December.

We witnessed on Monday the launch of the Taman, a new iron steamer, built for the Russian Government, by Meseta. Robinson and Russell, of the Iffillwall iron-works, Poplar. The day was a pleasant one, and the launch was accom- plished with brilliant success, in the presence of a select party of visiters, including the Russian Consul and several members of the French Embassy. The Taman is the last of a series of three vessels which have been built on the Thames banks from the designs of Mr. Ditchburn for the service of the Russian Government, in protection of the commerce of the Black Sea. It is 175 long and 26 feet broad; the registered burden is 575 tons; the engines will he of 180 horse power. The proportions, and the seat of the vessel on the water, were greatly admired. Messrs. Robinson and Russell are constructing a steam-yacht for the Nawaub of Moorehedabad, to be used in sporting-excursions on the Ganges.

At Holborn Sessions. on Tuesday, the Chairman said that it was the desire.of the Bench that every Publican in the district should be informed that the Magis- trates were determined to refuse any licence to a house at which in future" mon- ster sweeps" or "Derby sweeps " should be allowed.

The Baroness St. Mart, who is charged with stealing two diamond rine the property of Sir John Hare, was reexamined at Marylebone Police-office on Tues- day. Mr. Ballantine appeared for her and cross-examined the witnesses; but he did not shake their testimony in any material degree. The prosecutor steadibr denied the Baroness'e allegation that he proposed to marry her. There was some discrepancy about the pawning of the rings; for it now appeared that they had been pledged twice, and on the first occasion for a few hours only. Mr. Clarkson having asked for a remand, as he intended to produce an important witness if time were allowed, the Baroness was again held to bail for a week. The case ex- cited much interest, and the court was crowded; many of the audience being of high station.

At the Mansionhouse on Monday, a charge of forgery against Mr. Angus Mac- kenzie was investigated. Mr. Edmund Phillips, of London Street, provision- merchant, went to America in October 1846; he had been connected with Mr.

Mackenzie; before he went to America, he left four blank acceptances with Mr. Mackenzie, to be used in his absence if necessary. Mr. Phillips returned in De- cember. Three of the stamps had been used, presented for payment, and duly honoured; the fourth acceptance was understood to have been destroyed. But in October this year it came to light, in the shape of a bill for 3,0004 drawn by Du- rant and Mackenzie, and dated a year before. The bill was presented through a bank; payment was refused; an action was commenced against ?dr. Phillips by the bank, and then that gentleman applied for a warrant against Mr. Mackenzie. On Mon- day this explanation was given—Mr. Mackenzie had used the acceptance on the ground that Mr. Phillips was indebted to him, and he thought that it was a good way of arriving at a settlement; he did not understand that the power of ac- ceptance ceased on Mr. Phillips's return from America; he had no intention of committing a fraud. It was admitted, however, that he had acted very errone- ously, and it was proposed to abandon the claim on Mr. Phillips by giving up the bill. Mr. Clarkson, for the prosecutor, said this explanation had changed the complexion of the affair; and he would leave the matter entirely in the Magis- trate's hands. Alderman Hooper thought that the accused might have acted on an erroneous impression, not with a fraudulent intent ; and as there was no impu- tation on his character, he dismissed the case. The bill was surrendered to Mr. Phillips; the counter-claims of Mr. Phillips and Mr. Mackenzie still remaining intact.

At Southwark Police-office, last week, Alfred Moor and five other men, charged with defrauding tradesmen by a skilful system of deceit, were reexamined. Among the prisoners was Henry Hodgson, otherwise "Captain Hodgson," who appears to have been engaged also in other villany. He had represented himself to be in the East India Company's service, and a man of property; in that cha- racter he had become acquainted with two widows, had pretended to pay his ad- dresses to them, engaged to marry them and by his magnificent promises of what he would settle on them and their children, obtained possession of what property they had, and then deserted them. This fellow was very useful to the gang. Goods were ordered, and a reference was given to "Captain Hodgson"; when the property was obtained, it was quickly sold; and the tradesmen never re- ceived a farthing. Mr. Moon, a watchmaker of Holborn, stated that Moor had got two valuable watches from him, by giving a reference to a "Mr. James Bar- clay," at Kennington: Barclay gave a capital character of Moor, and the watches were obtained: purchaser and referee then absconded. The Magistrate, Mr. Cot- tingham, said that two of the charges against Moor assumed a felonious charac- ter; while the other men had conspired to defraud.

This week the parties were again brought up; and several new cases were gone into. Mr. Woodhouse, an ivory and tortoise-shell manufacturer of Birmingham, had been swindled of goods to the value of 401. by Hodgson; who represented himself as the owner of several ships, and gave a bill for the amount. This pri- soner cheated many tradesmen at Birmingham; and Mr. Woodhouse stated that he finished his career there by running away with a woman,whom when he had

got all her property from her, he abandoned. Mr. Cotting , the Magistrate, said he had received letters from various parts of the country charging Hodgson with fraud, and with cheating women of their property. One of the gang, Moor, ordered stone to the extent of 701. from Messrs. Luard and Co., referring to Hodgson: the latter said Moor was his nephew, a young beginner, and advised that he should not be trusted more than 501. The swindlers got possession of some of the stone. Mr. Newman, a money-lender, was induced to discount a bill for one Hawes, on Hodgson's security: both parties absconded. Miller, a boot- maker, was victimized of divers quantities of boots and shoes by persons whose

respectability was guaranteed by Hodgson. A publican was swindled of 201. by this accomplished knave. An outfitter was tricked7 by others of the gang, of clothes worth 201. The landlords of the houses occupied by the accused never got any rent, being duped into letting their premises by fictitious references.—Again remanded for a week.

At Clerkenwell Police-office, on Thursday, John Barrymore was charged with the robbery of Mr. Elliott, a gentlemiuf employed at the Excise-office. The fel- low watched him proceed to business; then hastened to Mr. Elliott's house at Islington, horrified his wife and daughter by stating that the gentleman had been ran over by an omnibus and nearly killed, and desired Mrs. Elliott to come to him. Presently, Barrymore returned, and told Miss Elliott that he had been

sent for a bundle of clothes. They were given to him; but as he was carrying them away, Mr. and Mrs. Elliott met him, and he was captured. An officer stated that other robberies of the kind had been committed at Islington. Barrymore WAS remanded.

At the Mansionhouse, on Wednesday, a ruffianly fellow met his deserts. George Whittaker had insulted a young woman on London Bridge, at night; and when

She resented it, struck her in the face. Durmain, a labourer, collared the coward; who in the struggle knocked the labourer's hat into the river; but he was se- cured by the police. The Lord Mayor fined him forty shillings, and in default of payment sent him to prison for a month. Sir James Duke then presented litirmain with a new hat to replace the one he had lost in so good a cause.

Marks's auction-room in Oxford Street, with its valuable contents, was utterly destroyed by fire on Saturday morning.