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Defective bridge accommodation formed the topic of debate in the Court of Common Council held on Thursday. It was moved that "the report recommending the rebuilding of Blackfriars Bridge be adopted." This was met by Mr. Bennoch, who in a long speech, going very completely into details, developed a plan for a new bridge on a new site. He de- scribed the crowded state of the streets consequent on the increase of trade and population ; and showed that it was due in no small degree to the lack of bridges. Mr. Bennoch proposed a remedy. " The new bridge he had the privilege to propose would form a link con- necting lines of traffic running nearly direct North and South ; and when the approaches were completed, they would have a continuous street from the Angel at Islington to the Elephant and Castle, or, indeed, all the way to Clapham." "His improvement began at the end of the new Cannon Street. To widen Old 'Change, and open a proper approach to the bridge, the West side of Old 'Change must be taken down. From Fish Street to Thames Street, the East side of Lambeth Hill must come down • and from Thames Street to the river, the Eastern side of Trig Lane must betaken down. They would obaerve that all the way only one side of a street had to be taken down, and only half compensation could be claimed ; while Doctors' Com- mons would remain undisturbed. The street projected from Cannon Street to Earl Street, Blackfriars, did not equal in simplicity and beauty the route chosen." "The streets in the neighbourhood seem to have been arranged as if some such improvement had been contemplated. After crossing the river on a dead level from Fish Street by a very gentle descent of 2 feet 6 inches in 100, one comes to the level at Union Street, crossing only two streets of any importance—Thames Street in the City, and Great Guildford Street in the Borough: continuing Southward, it joins the new Southwark Bridge Road beyond the Queen's Bench, and, gives off in a direct line from the heart of 3addlesex to the heart of Surrey. One objection may be urged, which has generally great weight ; but in this instance opposition would be fruitless, as he believed the building of a church, where church accommodation was needed, would overcome the scruples of the Bishop of London; and permis- sion to pull down St. Mary's, Fish Street, would easily be obiained." The projected bridge, which he would name "St. Paul's," would be sixty feet in width, with a headway of 27 feet 6 inches ; and would cost 144,0001. Mr. Bennoch moved as an amendment—

"That no further proceedings shall be taken in the proposed rebuilding of the bridge at Blackfriars, especially a temporary bridge, until the Bridge- house Committee have examined and reported on thepropriety of build- ing a new bridge across the Thames between Blackfriars and Southwark Badge, and the probable oust of the same and the approaches thereto ; and that the report be referred back to the Bridge-house Committee aocordingly." The amendment was unanimously adopted.

The recruiting for the Militia proceeds very slowly in the City of London.

Workmen have been engaged in laying down a new line of pipes, con- taining electric wires, along the Strand to connect the General Poet-office with the Admiralty, Houses of Parliament, and the telegraph station at °haring Cross.

Nuisances are attracting a good deal of deserved attention : witness the following statement regarding the Ranelagh sewer, signed by thirty- eight medical practitioners, and forwarded to the Committee of St. Paul and St. Barnabas Dispensary.

" Gentlemen—We, the undersigned medical practitioners resident in Pim- lico and Chelsea, having reason to believe that cholera will shortly make its appearance in our large towns, deem it our duty to recommend such means as experience has shown to be most succesafulin preventing its ravages. In the Report of the General Board of Health, July 1849, it is stated, page 79, that ' the attacks of cholera are uniformly found to be most frequent and virulent in low-lying districts, on the banks of rivers, in the neighbourhood of sewer- mouths, &e.; and we are of opinion that open sewers are very prejudicial to health, as well as dangerous in consequence of the accidents which occur from drowning. Permit us, therefore, respectfully to call your attention to the open condition of the Ranelagh sewer, which bounds on one side the district of the St. Paul and St. Barnabas Dispensary, and to hope that you will employ your utmost endeavour to remove the nuisance."

Drainage in Holloway is peculiarly defective. The subject was dis- cussed at a meeting of persona interested in sanitary measures, among -whom were the governors and subscribers of the Holloway and North Is- lington Dispensary, held on Monday evening. In the report of the com- mittee which had been appointed, it was stated that they had waited on the Commissioners of Sewers, painted out the state of the district, and proposed a remedy. Their plan was, to construct a sewer extending from the Lower Road, Islington, to the Seven Sisters Road, and to cover in Hackney Brook. The Commissioners replied, that want of funds alone had prevented them from completing the drainage of Holloway. A re- solution was passed by the meeting in favour of presenting a memorial to Government praying for an advance of money to the Commissioners, in order that the drainage works might be executed.

The National Gallery and the Vernon Gallery closed on Tuesday, until the 25th October.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Monday and Tuesday, Cornelius Julius Tripe, aged twenty, and Henry Graham Montague, fifty-one, were tried for conspiring to defraud certain persons. This was the case of the " Australian Gold and General Mining Company," an account of which was given when the accused appeared at the Mansionhouse. On Monday, a number of witnesses for the prosecution were examined. Mr. Jones, a farmer, paid Ill, to the prisoners as part passage-money in the Camilla ; Mr. James Barker paid 22/. on account of two berths in the same vessel; Mr. James Gowland paid 9/. half-passage-money in the Medicis. Ship-brokers, agents, and clerks, proved that the accused did not charter either ship, though a pretended negotiation took place ; and they were therefore not en- titled to receive money for passages. When the fraud was discovered, Mon- tague was in Whitecross Street Prison for debt. He declared that Tripe had got the money; while Tripe averred that Montague had "bolted with the swag." The evidence of the would-be emigrants, narrating the course of their connexion with the prisoners, and what was placarded, said, and done, reads like an extract from one of Dickens's novels. Tripe handed to Mr. John Jones "a dietary-table, and I saw that every passenger was to be al- lowed a pint of porter a day, and a bottle of wine per week : I was rather attracted by the porter and the wine." "I asked him if it was a good firm, or a good company ; and Tripe said they were very respectable, and that a ' lord' belonged to the company." On a subsequent day Mr. Jones went to pay the money. "After I had paid my money, I looked at a dietary-scale that was upon the table, and observed that the wine and the porter had been struck out : I noticed this to the defendant Tripe, and I said it would not do, they were going to keep the wine and porter from us ' • Montague said, the alteration would not apply to us, as we were intermediate paesengers ; I told him that it did apply to us also ; and he said that whatever was men- tioned in the dietary originally we should have." The witnesses all looked upon the accused as servants of the "company " ; but, though certain sha- dowy "directors" were occasionally seen at the "office," no one could be. fixed upon as an actual, responsible director—Tripe and Montague were the company. The United General Gas Company, theproprietors of the cham- bers occupied by the sham company, knew not how Montague got possession. Mr. Ogg, the secretary of the gas company, said—" The offices occupied by the defendants, and where they carried on the business of this Gold and Emi- gration Company, had formerly been let to a mining company ; and in April it appeared that this company had departed, and I found the defendant Mon- tague in possession of the premises. I did not know when he got possession, and all I knew was that I found him there." Mr. Ogg never got any rent; and one fine morning the place was closed. Mr. Collier, a printer, proved that he was employed by Tripe to print the prospectuses and placards of the sup- posed "company." When he inquired of the defendant who was to pay him his bill, he replied, " Why, the company, to be sure ; and a very good company it is." He had never received a single farthing. On Tuesday, Mr. Finch deposed that he paid W. for passage-money to Tripe ; Mr. Wenger also paid 111.; both passages were to have been in the Camilla. One of the witnesses, in cross-examination, said that he was at the office of the company at the time Tripe made an observation about there being a board-meeting : when one of the gentlemen came out of the board-room, somebody asked him if he knew who it was ; and on his re- plying that he did not, Tripe said, " Why, that is old Lutwich, the leather- seller ; he could buy up half the Bank of England if he liked." Mr. W. G. Dawson, a solicitor, whose name had been printed in a prospectus as the so- licitor of the company, stated that he had had negotiations with Montague and others about forming a company; but they came to nothing, and no au- thority was given to put his name in the prospectus. Major Hawkes first introduced him to Montague. He also saw Captain Smith, Mr. Lutwich, and another gentleman, in the "board-room." It was proved that the com- pany was not registered, though stated to be so in the prospectus : but Mon- tague registered the "Australian Gold Diggings Company" in January last. Besides Mr. Lutwich, Major Hawkes, and Captain Smith, a Mr. Greenwood and Lord rilworth were mentioned in the course of the trial as having been connected with the company, or advertised as directors. The prisoners' counsel complained that these persons had not been called as witnesses, and some slur seemed to be cast upon Sir Robert Carden, who had conducted the inquiry at the Mansionhouse. In consequence, the prosecuting counsel sent for the Alderman, and examined him with respect to the proceedings. Ho said he had summoned the reputed directors that be might ascertain if any suspicion attached to them. If such had been the case he would have com- mitted them with the prisoners ; but the evidence did not warrant such a proceeding ; no charge was made against them. In the defence, Mr. Ballantine spoke for Tripe. He would venture to ex- press his opinion that Sir Robert Carden had made a mistake in this case, and had committed these two wretched people for trial, while persons in a much higher position, and who, as he should contend, were in- finitely more guilty than they were, were allowed to escape. He com- mented severely on the conduct of Lord Kilworth, Major Hawkes, and the other gentlemen who were called directors; as they had shrunk from coming forward as witnesses, the Jury should not convict the prisoners, who were to be made scapegoats. The Recorder checked Mr. Ballantine for his reiterated attacks on Lord Kilworth ; as that nobleman had done all that could be expected from any one placed under similar circumstances, by denying all knowledge of the company, and declar- ing that his name had been placed upon the prospectus without his know- ledge or consent. Mr. Sleigh defended Montague by urging that he had merely acted under Tripe, who received nearly all the money. In his summing-up, the Recorder made some remarks on the necessity for emigrants to be cautious in their dealings for passages. "Some strong ob- servations had been made by the defendants' counsel upon the absence of some of the gentlemen whose names had appeared as directors of this com- pany; and he Must say that with regard to two of them, Major Hawkes and Captain Smith, who appeared to have taken an active part in the proceed- ings, and the former of whom appeared to have been the first to direct the attention of Mr. Dawson to the subject of the company, that it would have been satisfactory if they had been called as witnesses on the present occasion. There was no evidence whatever to show whether the company was originally projected by these gentlemen, or whether, in point of fact, the defendants had origincilly suggested its formation, and endeavoured to induce them to join them in carrying it out ; and if either Major Hawkes or Captain Smith had been examined, that point would, at all events, have been cleared up." But the prosecution were not bound to call them. The Recorder concluded by commending the course pursued by Sir Robert Carden. The Jury delibe- rated for nearly an hour, and then found both prisoners guilty.

The prisoners were sentenced on Friday, to seven years' transportation be- yond the seas.

On Wednesday, Richard Cross pleaded guilty to not hawing surrendered as a bankrupt and /lying fraudulently obtained goods within three months of his bankruptcy. The prisoner was a watchmaker at Southampton ; he got a quantity of seals and watches on credit, and then set off for Australia. An officer who followed in a steamer arrested him at the Cape of Good Hope, and recovered the plunder. The sentence was eighteen months' im- prisonment.

Theodore Philip Butler, formerly a clerk in the General Post-office, pleaded guilty to stealing a letter containing money. His counsel stated that he had formerly been an officer in the Army, but a serious loss had re- duced him to fill a subordinate situation in the Post-office : probably former habits of luxury and indulgence had misled him in the present case. Sen- tence, transportation for ten years.

On Thursday, Richard Sill, the attorney, was brought up for judgment. He has been endeavouring since his conviction to prove by affidavits that he is innocent ; but has not yet succeeded. He made a long speech on Thurs- day, asserting that when a motion should be made to strike him off the rolls, he should have an opportunity of proving that he had been convicted wrongly. The Recorder said he fully concurred in the verdict of the Jury; and sentenced Sill to be imprisoned for two years, with hard labour.

John Smith, a respectable-looking man, pleaded guilty to a charge of set- ting fire to a hay-rick. He seems to have committed the act in the hope of traneportation, with a prospective eye to the gold-fields. Baron Martin dis- appointed him, by sending him to prison for two years.

The "Brighton card-cheating case" has become a standing dish in the daily papets, assuming divers forms. On Tuesday it came before the Middle- sex Grand Jury ; who ignored a bill against lamp, Watkins, and Proberts, for misdemeanour : the gist of the charge seems to have been that Mr. Hemp received a bill of exohange for 400/. from John Broome's wife, to leave the country, in order that he might not have to continue the prosecution against Broome.

At the Mansionhouse, on Saturday, Mr. Thompson, a shipping-agent of Riches Court, appeared in answer to a summons taken out by Mr. Parker, a master mariner, for breach of contract. Mr. Parker paid Mr. Thompson for his passage in the ship South Sea to Australia ; when he went to Liverpool to embark, he found the vessel in the graving-dock ; no other ship was pro- vided for him within forty-eight hours ; so he claimed the return of the pas- sage-money, with 71. 108. compensation for expenses, loss of time, and so on. After carefully investigating the case, the Lord Mayor ordered the return of the money, with 71. 108. as compensation : the highest sum Mr. Parker could have claimed would have been 101.

Mr. Hugh Cavendish Coleman, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, has been remand- ed by the Lord Mayor on a charge of having "unlawfully, falsely, wilfully, and solemnly declared in writing, before William W. Fenn, a notary public, that he had never sold, mortgaged, or otherwise encumbered a certain pro- perty referred to in the said declaration, or his separate interest therein, the same being a material particular in the said declaration." The property in question was an income arising from houses and other sources, valued at 460/. yearly, to which Mr. Coleman will be entitled at his mother's death. It is alleged that he had encumbered the property before he made the de- claration ; on which false declaration he has raised 4001. and 3001. respec- tively. The case has not been fully gone into yet; but sufficient was stated to prevent the Lord Mayor's admitting the accused to bail. Edward and George Tomlinson have been committed by the Marlborough Street Magistrate for a daring street-robbery. As Mr. New was walking along Great Titchfield Street at one o'clock in the morning, the prisoners came up and walked by his side ; and presently one seized him round the waist, while the other clutched his gold watch and guard, and both ran off. Mr. New pursued, and oame up with Edward, who struck him ; but Mr. New managed to detain him till a Policeman arrived. A handkerchief he had stolen from Mr. New was found upon him. George was subsequently arrested. The watch was not recovered.

George Freeman or "Long Bill," an associate of thieves, has been con- victed of robbing churches. Freeman was associated in the crimes with Webb, who confessed them, and stated that Freeman was an accomplice in their perpetration. The Police watched for the second robber, and he was taken in the Southwark Mint. His own behaviour, and his vengeful threats against Webb, strongly corroborated the truth of Webb's evidence.

A man who bears a strong resemblance in person to the ex-Premier has been victimizing some rather soft West-end tradesmen. In the assumed character of "Lord John Russell," he first hired a tilbury, and then drove to various shops, where he got loans of money or goods. He left the driver of the tilbury in the lurch at Hounslow ; got a post-chaise there ; went to Windsor, extracted 31. 14s. from the driver of this vehicle, and then disap- peared.

Three tons of snuff have been seized by a Customhouse-officer on board the Baron Osy, a steamer from Antwerp, on her arrival at Nicholson's Wharf. The snuff was concealed in tins purporting to contain rape-oil ; but there was merely a tube full of oil connected with the mouth of each vessel.

- Either betting-offices are nowadays made scapegoats by the thievishly dis- posed, or they really cause an infinite deal of dishonesty. Any one brought before a Magistrate for robbing his master immediately avers that betting at these offices had led him to the crime. Within a week, two solicitor's clerks have offered this lame excuse for their wrongdoing. The butler of Mr. Forster M.P. has also been convicted, at the Old Bailey, of stealing his master's plate ; and in his case there was no doubt he had extensive trans- actions at betting-offices.

An inquest is proceeding on the body of the Honourable Charles Robert Weld Forester, brother of Lord Forester, and late Assistant Military Secre- tary to the Commander-in-chief in Dublin ; who died very suddenly last week, in Cavendish Square. He had suffered for several weeks from pains in the loins and stomach, and he took medicines containing opium. He died some hours after taking medicine which he had procured from a chemist's on a prescription. It would seem that death was caused by a narcotic poison— an over-dose ; but the inquiry is as yet incomplete.

An inquest has been held at Chalk Farm Tavern on an infant who had been "killed with kindness" : he was put to sleep on a down pillow, his head became buried in the soft mass, and the nurse found him suffocated.

A fatal fire occurred in Rotherhithe Street on Sunday morning, on the premises of Mr. Hogg, an optician, ironmonger, and ship-chandler. It was discovered by a Policeman about one o'clock : he heard screams as if from the shop, which induced him to break in the door ; the admission of the air immediately increased the fire, while no person answered to his calls. Susan Hogg, niece to Mr. Hogg, jumped from the first-floor window. Mr. Hogg appeared at the second-floor window ; a counterpane was procured, and held extended for him to leap into; he alighted upon it, but his weight split it, and he came upon the stones with great force, breaking his back and legs : he was immediately conveyed to the hospital. No other persons were seen in the house, and it was believed that all the inmates had escaped. The fire burnt fiercely, and the extensive premises were consumed, while adjacent houses were damaged. When daylight came and the ruins had been cooled, search was made for persons now known to be missing. Amid the smoking wreck, the firemen beheld the shocking spectacle of two human beings burnt almost to a Cinder. They proved to be Rosina Riches, a young lady related to Mr. Hogg, and Jane Brown, a servant.

The inquest was opened on Tuesday. But little evidence was given beyond that necessary for the identification of the bodies, A fireman who found them stated that the corpse of Miss Riches was lying under that of the servant : he believed the lady was an invalid. Mr. Hogg and his niece- not being in a fit state to be questioned, the inquest was adjourned for a fortnight.

A " monster " excursion-party, which ascended with M. Poitevin in his balloon on Monday evening from Cremorne Gardens, had anything but a pleasant time of it. One of the voyagers narrates his experience to the Times. There were twenty-one men and one lady in the car. Soon after the balloon left terra firma, it was found that the escape-valve had become fast by the constant rain. M. Poitevin pulled away till he was black in the face, and still the machine ascended. The united efforts of three or four men at length opened the valve. An attempt was made to descend at Plais- tow in Essex ; the balloon came down rapidly, all the ballast being gone, and was dragged along near the ground by a strong wind : when the voyager was congratulating himself on a speedy escape from the car, the balloon bounded up again. The valve had again become fast, and M. Poitevin had lost all control. For a long distance the machine was whirled along near the surface, repeatedly bumping against it, bruising and alarming the pas- sengers. M. Poitevin entreated every one to remain in the car, even though some might have opportunities of leaping out. One man disobeyed, and then two others : thus lightened, the balloon was more unmanageable than ever, and more serious collisions occurred. At one descent a gentleman was pitched across the car and put out his knee-cap. "I remember but little more. All my energies were devoted to avoiding the force of the collisions, and to prevent my being thrown out of the car. We were dragged on in this way, some say two miles, but I should think one-and-a-half. We passed over water, we knocked down palings, we caught on an iron gate or rail ; in short, we had some seven or eight more descents, and I saw no end to this unpleasant proceeding. The wind appeared to me to increase, for the shocks were certainly greater each time we touched the ground or struck against a tree or bank. My strength was nearly exhausted, and there were I believe none who did not feel that our position was one of imminent peril. The rate at which we now tore along was so great, from the increased force of the wind, that to have left the car at all would have been dif- ficult, more especially as we never now remained stationary for an instant. This scene, so likely to have had a trasic termination, was brought to an end by two large bayncks, against which we were dashed, and which were too substantial for even our huge balloon to break through. We now all sprang out; and at the same moment-the silk rent from top to bottom, and allowed the whole of that huge volume of gas to escape." In addition to their bruises, the passengers were soaked with the rain.

On the same night, a balloon which was to have ascended from North Woolwich Gardens became unmanageable, rose without the car, gained a great height, and then burst.

In obedience to the wish of the minister of St. Paul's Bermondsey, the Reverend Mr. Armstrong, Friday last was observed by the parishioners as a day of fasting, prayer, and, humiliation, to implore the Almighty to stay the scourge of cholera from visiting this country. The shops were very generally closed, and the church services well attended.—Standard.