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In continuing his evidence before the City Commission, last week, Mr. Pulling said that upon the whole, so far as he had observed their pro- ceedings, he thought the Courts of Aldermen and Common Council have acted very honestly, and that his objections to them attached rather to the constitution than the individuals. He gave some curious evidence re- specting the peculiar jurisdiction and privileges yet existing in the City. It is a question whether citizens of London are not exempt from the jurisdiction of the Queen's Courts. If a person who was a freeman of London committed a felony in York, it might be a question whether he could not claim the right to be tried within the walls of London. No such attempt has been made in modern times. By charter, they are 'exempted from serving on juries out of the City ; and, under similar authority, criminals may claim " the right of purgation " by fire and water or wager of battle. There are twenty-six Courts-Leet, the " business of which appears to be discharged by persons going about in fur at Christ- mas and collecting money." There are a host of Courts in the City. In continuing his evidence before the City Commission, last week, Mr. Pulling said that upon the whole, so far as he had observed their pro- ceedings, he thought the Courts of Aldermen and Common Council have acted very honestly, and that his objections to them attached rather to the constitution than the individuals. He gave some curious evidence re- specting the peculiar jurisdiction and privileges yet existing in the City. It is a question whether citizens of London are not exempt from the jurisdiction of the Queen's Courts. If a person who was a freeman of London committed a felony in York, it might be a question whether he could not claim the right to be tried within the walls of London. No such attempt has been made in modern times. By charter, they are 'exempted from serving on juries out of the City ; and, under similar authority, criminals may claim " the right of purgation " by fire and water or wager of battle. There are twenty-six Courts-Leet, the " business of which appears to be discharged by persons going about in fur at Christ- mas and collecting money." There are a host of Courts in the City. " The Lord's Mayor's Court has very extensive jurisdiction. Among other peculiarities, a femme couverte may sue and be sued as a femme sole. There is also a peculiarity with respect to the distribution of property under an in- testacy, applicable to all freemen, honorary as well as others, which was taken advantage of not very long since. Mr. Sergeant Onslow married the widow of Sir Francis Drake, who was made an honorary freeman upon the occasion of Lord Rodney's victory. When Sir Francis was upon his death- bed, in 1789, he made his settlements, probably forgetting that he was a free- man of London. The widow married the Sergeant ; who looked into the law, and in 1826 he raised the question. It was brought before the Master of the Rolls; and the result was, that the Sergeant, who represented his late -wife, became entitled to a larger share in consequence of his being a freeman of London. This case is reported in the 1st Symons." As great inconvenience arises from the conflicting jurisdictions of these Courts, Mr. Pulling would abolish them all, and make one good court for trial by jury. "I have spoken of the inconvenience which arises from conflicting jurisdic- tions; and I must also observe upon the practical mischief and inconvenience of the conflict of local Boards. When we consider that there are seven hundred acts of Parliament in force within the Metropolis for the regulation of local affairs, it seems absolutely necessary for the proper government of the Metropolis that the provisions of those acts should be consolidated." Of these, one half relate to the City. There are probably two hundred charters, fifty in print, and twenty more in force. With respect to these charters, Mr. Pulling made a very remarkable statement.

Mr. Lewis asked, "Can you obtain a correct knowledge of the rights and privileges of the City from the published charters ?"-" Certainly not. I am of opinion that when the City makes claims founded upon ancient charters they should afford every information with respect to the charter upon which they claim ; but I may say from my own experience, that their policy is to conceal their charters, and that their instructions to their officers are to deny the public access to them, although I contend that they ought to be accessi- ble to every citizen of London."

"Can you conceive any reason that the Corporation have for concealing their charters ? "-" I can conceive a reason, and a very strong one. I have reason to believe that the charters of London would show that the City has committed forfeiture of many of its rights. The City, for example, claims o hold lands in mortmain. They derived that right from Edward the Fourth ; and I see that they have a large revenue from rents and quit-rents. The greater number of those rents and quit-rents are derived from property which I conceive they had clearly for the purpose of a trust, of which trust they have committed a breach. For instance, being the conservators of the Thames, they have been in the habit of granting leave to encroach upon the bank of the Thames, and to do that very thing which the office of conser- vators directed them to prevent others from doing. An act in the time of Charles the Second directed that the river Thames should be embanked from London Bridge to Temple Bar, and that no houses should be built there. Hundreds of houses, however, have been built, as we all know, along Thames Street ; and I believe, although I am not in their secrets, that a very consider- able portion of the property of the Corporation is derived from the rents of that very property which has been obtained by encroachment upon the bed of the Thames, contrary to their trust. The same thing has occurred hi other cases."

Mr. Bennoch has also completed his evidence. He said he has examined the financial affairs of the Corporation, and he does not believe the mem- bers are chargeable with malversation or peculation. The gross income he puts down at 355,2571., as far as he can gather ; but he has no means of getting at some accounts, and he guesses that the total might be about 400,0001. The cost of administering this income is no less than 107,0001. per annum ; a sum exceeding the whole civil expenditure of the Federal Government of the United States of America. The salaries are excessive ; and by a comparison with other towns, Mr. Bennoch arrives at these results.

" The population resident in the City of London, according to the last census, was 127,000 persons ; thatof Liverpool, 367,665; that of Manchester, 316,213 ; that of Edinburgh, 160,302 ; that of Glasgow, 329,097. The num- ber of inhabited houses (which show the area covered in each city) was- in the City of London, 14,580; in Liverpool, 54,310; in Manchester, 53,204; in Edinburgh, 7786 ; in Glasgow, 11,965. The smallness of the number of houses in Edinburgh and Glasgow arises from the fact that they are built

very high and very large, and it is the practice for families to live flats.' I have obtained also an account of the receipts and expenditure of the Cor- porations of each of these cities, which affords the means of comparing the cost of analogous important municipal offices. For instance, I find that the salary of the Architect and Surveyor to the City of London is 25001. ; sold in addition to that there is a Surveyor of Sewers who receives 12001. Now, the Surveyor of Liverpool receives 10001. ;the-Surveyor of Manchester, 7001. ;

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the Surveyor of Edinburgh, 3001. There is no corresponding item of this kind in the Glasgow 'accounts, but I believe /the Corporation there has what is called a River trust, the account of which I have been unable to ob- tain. The City of London has a Bridge-house Comptroller, with a salary of 10131. ; these four other cities have no officer of the sort. The City of Lon- don has a Chamberlain, with a salary of 25001. ; the salary of the same officer in Liverpool is 7001., in Manchester 5001., in Edinburgh 470/., and in Glas- gow 4001. In each of these places the officer is called a Treasurer. Next, the City of London has a Clerk of the Chamber ; but the other cities have none. The City of London has a Clerk of the Peace, who receives 349/. ; there is no such officer in Liverpool; in Manchester he receives 4501. ; ' in Edinburgh, 1501. ; and in Glasgow there is no such officer. The Lord Mayor of London receives 80001. a year ; the Mayor of Liverpool receives 20001., the Mayor of Manchester receives nothing, and the Lord Provost of Edin- burgh receives 5141. Neither of these other cities has a Remembrancer or a Secondary. The aggregate result of the comparison of the cost of analogous offices in each of these cities stood thus-In the City of London, the cost was 31,7871. ; in Liverpool it was 98651. ; in Manchester, 57741. ; in Edie. burgh, 1789/. ; in Glasgow, 10751. The total expenditure of the Chamber- lain's Office in the City of London in 1852 was 48721. 108. ; in Liverpool the corresponding expenditure was only 11131. 17s. 4d. ; in kanehester it was 670/. 14s. 8d. ; in Edinburgh, 665/. ; and in Glasgow, 5831. The expense of analogous offices in the City of London, as I have said, was 31,7871.; whereas, in proportion to its population, as compared with Liverpool, it ought only to have amounted to 33541., or a little more than one-tenth of its actual present amount. Again, as compared with Manchester, the same expenditure m proportion to population ought to have been on1/23351. for the City of London ; as compared with Glasgow and its population, it ought not to have exceeded 1429/. ; and as compared with Glasgow, it should only have been 4181.

Mr. Bennoch read and handed in a scheme for extending the Municipal system to the whole Metropolis. He would divide the Metropolis into nine Municipalities,-" the City Proper, the Tower Hamlets, Finsbury, Marylebone, Westminster, Kensington, Lambeth, Southwark, Greenwich and Deptford." He would divide each lkunicipality into 12 Wards, return- ing 12 Aldermen and 72 Councillors ; these to elect a Mayor at a salary of 5001. a year. The constituency -would consist of the registered ratepayer's. Each Municipality would appoint four Aldermen and twelve Councillors, to form a Central Council; which would thus consist of 144 members- 36 Aldermen and 108 Councillors. In rotation eaoh Municipality would have the right of nominating a Lord Mayor, to preside over the Central Council, and reside at the Mansionhouse, with a salary of 50001. per annum. In a similar way, the Sheriff of London would be elected by vote; and the Sheriff of Middlesex by the Crown. He made some further propositions.

" That the Central Council have the general management of all lighting and police, water and sewers, river and bridges, improvements-and streets, finance, rates, and rents, general purposes, education and charities, under the immediate superintendence of Committees, which might bear names ana- logous to the duties to be performed.

"That each Muncipality carry out the various works to be executed within its own limits which may have received the sanction of the Central Council.

" That for the more perfect sanitary condition of the Metropolis, the whole district of London, within a radius of ten miles from St. Paul's, be surveyed, and no streets be laid out or houses built unless approved of by the Central Council, and certified by the Surveyor as capable of being thoroughly drained.

" That the construction of all bridges or steam ferries across the Thames be under the control of the River and Bridge Committee of the Central Council, and paid for by a general rate ; all bridges to be free, but on all ferries a toll to be charged, just sufficient to defray expenses and insure their proper maintenance." The local expenses to be met by a local rate, and the central expenses by a central rate. He would retain the Central Criminal Court under the management of the Aldermen, who should be Magistrates ; and he would provide for the purchase of the Mansionhouse. When the act of incorporation should be obtained, all commissioners of works to be there- by abolished. The charities and trust funds to be held sacred ; the Bridge estates to be applied to the maintaining old and building new bridges, and administered by a Committee.

"Officers of new Municipalities need only be-Town-Clerk (a solicitor), 1000/. • Treasurer, 5001. ; Mayor, 5001. ; Committee Clerks, &c., 5001.; total, 25001." Mr. Bennoch says he has contemplated the political consequences likely to ensue from the adoption of his plan, and that he entertains no fear whatever on the subject.

A deputation from the oyster trade volunteered a -statement of the grievances they sustain from the 'City metage, porterage, and dues. It is estimated that the total metage levied on the oyster trade amounts to 3000/. annually, the porterage to 60001. annually. What members of the trade complain of is, that while these large sums are paid on the sea- borne oysters, the rail-borne oysters are charged nothing whatever. A deputation from Marylebone complained of the operation of the coal-tax, estimated at 20,0001. per annum, on that parish. With regard to the question of corporate institutions, there was no difference of opinion as to the expediency of municipal institutions for Marylebone, but a difference as to whether they should be instituted for the borough or only for the parish of Marylebone.

Mr. H. Bateman, timber-merchant, who said he had taken a great in- terest in the elections for Common Councilmen, but who denied with great vehemence that he was a Common Councilman himself, described the Corporation as "a tiresome, worn-out, troublesome thing." He would not, however, abolish municipal institutions, only "our" Cor- poration, " the " Corporation. Mr. Bateman is in favour of a plan of Federal Municipalities, somewhat on the plan of Mr. Bennoch ; a scheme of which he handed in.

The first Court of Common Council of the present Mayoralty was held on Thursday. Mr. Elliott and Mr. Bennoch, 'the two Common Council- men who have given adverse evidence before the Royal Commission, were received with laughter on rising to speak on business before the Court. On the motion of Alderman Copeland, returns were ordered showing the number of sittings of the Common Council and the Commit- tees, with.the names of those who attended, during the year ending 8th November 1853.

Mr. Apsley Pellatt, one-of the Members for Southwark, met his consti- tuents on Tuesday, and gave an account of his conduct in Parliament lest session. His speech was purely retrospective. He advocated the esta- blishment of a separate Municipal Corporation for the Borough.

A deputation appointed by the London Tavern meeting of the 19th October, to present a memorial to the Queen on the Eastern question, waited upon Lord Palmerston on Saturday last. The members of the deputation were Mr. Francis W. Newman, Lord Dudley Stuart, Mr. preet, Mr. Nicholay, M. Hickson, and Mr. John Wilson. They handed in a memorial lamenting that much valuable time has been wasted in vain efforts to negotiate with an unscrupulous and violent power ; and Asserting that it is the duty of England to render prompt, decisive, and effective aid to Turkey. It also declared that Austria should not be re- garded as an ally, but as an enemy ; and that the memorialists could "come to no more lenient conclusion than that the servants who have advised her Majesty are not equal to the emergency." It does not appear that Lord Palmerston addressed the deputation.

A deputation of gentlemen interested in railway communication be- tween Melbourne and Sydney, headed by Mr. John Macgregor M.P., waited upon the Duke of Newcastle on Thursday, to submit for the con- sideration of her Majesty's Government a project for the construction of a trunk railway from Sydney to Melbourne. The line would pass through the great gold-fields of the Southern district, and touch at all the princi- pal towns. It might be considered the London and Liverpool of Austra- lia. The probable cost would be 30001. a mile. The Duke of Newcastle admitted the importance of the subject ; but said that the initiative must be taken in the Colonies interested. At the request of Mr. Macgregor, however, the Duke undertook to forward the plans of the line to the Colonial authorities of Melbourne and Sydney.

A contest of unusual interest is going on among the shareholders of the South-Western Railway. There is a large portion of the country between Dorchester and Exeter on the one hand, and the Bristol and Exeter line on the other, without railway accommodation. The companies struggling for this district are the Great Western and the South-Western. Last year, the former projected a line called the Dorset and Devon ; and as it seemed likely to meet with Parliamentary support, the Directors of the South-Western called their shareholders together in May last, pre- sented plans, and obtained, by the large majority of 20,646 votes to 3441, their assent to the construction of a line. The Parliamentary Committee seem to have regarded this as a pledge from the South-Western, and the rival scheme was thrown out. But since May this majority has entirely changed its views, and the shareholders now appear to be opposed to all extension. A special meeting was held on Tuesday week, at Ilawkstone Hall, Waterloo Road, and adjourned till Saturday, to consider the pro- ject ; and at the latter meeting, the votes, as announced by Mr. Scott the chairman, were found to be-13,914, representing stock to the amount of 2,050,5691. against the extension, and 13,911, representing 2,673,3291. for the extension. Mr. Scott therefore declared that the Directors were pre- cluded from carrying out the proposed extension ; a declaration followed by uproarious cheering. He then dissolved the meeting ; several share- holders exclaiming against that act, as they had resolutions to propose. Mr. Sergeant Gaselee, one of the Directors, said the Chairman had no power to dissolve the meeting. Then, Mr. Scott and his friends having left the room, Sergeant Gaselee was voted into the chair ; and Mr. Hen- derson proposed the following resolution-

" That this Company, having, on the last and on the present occasion, de- cided against the policy of making extension-lines, and distrusting the pre- sent weak and divided board of management, deems it expedient to recon- struct the direction in the manner beat calculated to give effect to such policy, and to prevent any future attempts on the part of the Directors to revive schemes that have proved so very prejudicial to the interests of the proprietors." Mr. Sergeant Gaselee said there might be a doubt as to the legality of the resolution, but it would be better to pass it; and it was passed. After a great deal of uproar, the shareholders adjourned to the 7th December.

The new terminus in Fenchurch Street was opened for public traffic on Monday. • At the Middlesex Sessions, on Monday, Henry Ham was convicted of rob- bing his master, Mr. Shepherd, a baker of Kensington. It came out in Mr. Shepherd's cross-examination, that he had sent the prisoner to pay money for him at betting-offices ; and it seems probable that the young man was led into trouble by speculating at the same dens on his own account. He received a lenient sentence—three months' imprisonment, dating from the time he had been in gaol.

Nathaniel Mobbs was hanged at Newgate on Monday morning. In a me- morial drawn up for the criminal, he asserted that his wife had behaved very badly,—going with other men, pawning his goods, and exasperating him be- yond endurance ; that she was the first to threaten him with a knife, but he got possession of it, and in his rage killed her, then tried to kill himself. Lord Palmerston did not see sufficient cause to interfere with the course of the law. It is said that Mobbs's assertion as to his wife's bad conduct has been confirmed by other testimony : shortly before he suffered death, he repeated that he had told all the truth; he hoped God would forgive him the crime he had committed. He ascended the scaffold with a firm step. The crowd was not very great, and it behaved decently : a party of well-dressed men and women at a window, which they had engaged to enjoy "the sight," were not so decorous.

Charles Clark is in custody for steeling a watch from a an in front of Newgate at the moment that Mobbs appeared upon the scaffold.

Two of the "swell mob " have been produced before the Lambeth Magis- trate charged with complicity in the burglary at Peckham ; but an alibi was satisfactorily made out, and they were liberated. The notable point in the proceedings was the evidence respecting Mary Anne Stroud, the servant ; who described how the robbery was effected, how she was overpowered, and how she was left a prisoner in the house. It seems that she had formed an acquaintance with a swell mobman, who had frequently visited her master's house; she pretends that she believed him to be a "gentleman," who came to "keep her company." Her evidence was anything but reliable. A sur- geon found no marks of violence on her throat the day after the alleged as- sault upon her, when, as she says, the robber who knocked at the door seized her by the throat so rudely that he nearly choked her. Superintendent Lund considers that she was the cause, though perhaps not dishonestly so, of the robbery, from admitting the visits of a thief to her master's house.

Brutality of husbands to wives does not seem to be checked by the recent imprisonment of many offenders : on Monday, the Lord Mayor sent two ruf- fians to gaol for six months, for beating their wives and threatening to mur-

der them ; and the Thames Police Magistrate imposed the same penalty on a third culprit.

Philip Grinney, a coach-wheel-wright, has been committed by the Lam- beth Magistrate, on a reexamination after remand, for attempting to murder his wife by cutting her throat. He alleges that he had reason to be jealous, and that his wife first attacked him with a knife.

Two men, Sullivan and Breslam, have been stabbed at Deptford by four Spaniards, who were maltreating a woman. Breslum is supposed to be mor- tally wounded. The foreigners escaped.

John Ralph, a seaman, has been committed by the Thames Police Magis- trate, for assaulting Bolas, a waterman, and attempting to drown him.

Two women attempted to-pass a bad shilling at a public-house in Shoe Lane ; the landlord detected it, and sent for a policeman. One of the women had a dog with her ; she appeared to place something. in its mouth, and it sca'mpered away-it is supposed that she thus disposed of more base coin.

The regular November fog has paid us a visit this week. It was of con- siderable density on Tuesday, but not sufficiently dense to put a stop to the traffic of the streets and the river. On Wednesday, however, beginning early in the morning, it gradually thickened during the day, and from five o'clock until nearly eight in the evening the town was completely enveloped in a thick cloud. The omnibuses, for some time, were preceded by links ; but finding constant dead-locks inevitable, they gave it up, and the streets were nearly deserted. All the time shouts of warning were heard around, and dirty boys ran about yelling, " Buy a link !" One of the casualties of the Tuesday evening occurred in Carey Street : n woman in crossing was knocked down by a railway van, and the wheels passed over her head. She was taken to Kin's College Hospital, but died on the steps. Several accidents also happened on Wednesday ; but as the horses were walking slowly, persons who came into collision with them es- caped with bruises only.

The fog seemed denser on the river than in the streets, from the absence of lights; and on Wednesday evening all traffic was early brought to a dole.