Ebt Iftetropolis.

The Goldsmith's Company gave a grand banquet to the Ministers on Wednesday. Mr. Prime Warden Buttemer presided, assisted by Mr. Warden Hayne, Mr. Warden Halifax, and Mr. Warden Ashlin. Sir Robert Peel and several of the Ministers were present, and some Peers, Members, and gentlemen of their political party, the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Bank, the Chairman of the East India Com- pany, and the Governor of the Russia Company. Sir Robert Peel arrived late ; and in apologizing for his want of punctuality, he pleaded the performance of a public duty, which disinclined him to much speak- ing: his speech accordingly consisted of a few brief compliments to the importance and liberality of the Company his hosts. The other speeches were of a similar character.

The annual distribution of prizes at King's College took place on Thursday. The Archbishop of Canterbury presided, and distributed the prizes. The Bishop of London, the Bishop of Salisbury, and the Bishop of Llandaff were present ; Lord Radstock, Lord Bexley, and Lord Montagu, Sir Robert Inglis ; the Reverend Mr. Lonsdale, Principal, and the various Professors of the College.

The new Normal School of the British and Foreign School Society, in the Borough Road, was opened on Wednesday. Lord John Russell presided, instead of the Duke of Sussex, who was prevented from at- tending by indisposition. Among the company present were the Mar- quis of Lansdowne, Lord Howick, Lord Monteagle, Lord Robert Gros- venor, Lord Ebrington, Lord Kinnaird, Sir Thomas Troubridge, Sir Culling Eardley Smith, Mr. Vernon Smith, M.P., Mr. Cowper, M.P., Mr. Charles Hindley. M.P., Mr. E. Pendarves, M.P., Mr. J. Parker, M.P., Mr. Thomas Tancred, M.P., Mr. Joseph Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Henry Waymouth, Mr. Alers Hankey, Dr. Reid, the Reverend Whit- worth Russell, the Reverend Mr. O'Neil, and several clergymen from Prussia who are now visiting this country. Lady John Russell, the Lady Mayoress, and several other ladies, were also present. Drawings and other works by the pupils under the Society were displayed, and elicited much approbation. Various donations were announced: among others, from Mr. G. W. Alexander, a second donation of 1051.; Mr. Charles Hindley, 2001.; Mr. John Alleard, 201.; Marquis of Lansdowne, 1001.; Lord John Russell, 1001.; Mr. Edward Thomas, 50/.

A body of M. Mainzer's pupils, to the number of 400, hired a steamer and went down to Gravesend on Monday, for the purpose of a day's amusement and a day's practice in his system of musical instruction. M. Mainzer, M. Guynemer, and other professors were present ; as well as the band of Scots Fusileer Guards.

A very crowded meeting of the Metropolitan Anti-Corn-law Associa- tion and of Deputies from its sixty-four branches was held at their hall on Monday. A Deputation from the provinces was also present. The object of the meeting was to take measures that the Association should be represented at the Convention of Deputies on the state of the nation, to be held in London on Tuesday next. Mr. Francis Place was called to the chair. He declared that the Corn-law question had become a regular contest, not of the manufacturers, but of the people at large, against the aristocracy. Colonel Thompson moved a resolution, that

the meeting was reluctant to address a House of Commons which had so recently exhibited a total disregard of the feelings and interests of

the people ; but the altered circumstances of the country called on the Association once more to urge on the Legislature measures to avert im- pending calamity. The Colonel remarked— •

A motion bad been made in the House of Commons to give away a million in charity. What would that do ? One-half would go to pay the bread-tax, and fall into the landlord's pocket. If a party put to sea and fell short of food, while the captain, officers, and crew utterly refused to sail for land, what good would it do to the passengers to give them money ?

Other resolutions asserted the necessity of immediate legislative re- lief ; authorized the appointment of Deputies to attend at the Conven- tion; recommended that the Local Associations should compile reports of information on the state of trade, as it had been resolved to canvass every Member of Parliament and to call on Parliament not to separate until it should have adopted measures for removing the causes of the existing distress. Mr. Cobden was among the speakers ; and he dis- played the benefits to be expected from the repeal of the Corn-laws-

He hoped no one would commit the mistake of supposing that distress could visit Manchester without being felt in London. Let them take any article in which London dealt—books, even silver plate, gold watches, or any thing else— was it not certain that the manufacturing-towns furnished far their largest customers ? We in the North must earn before you can spend. To let Lan- cashire go down, is like stopping your own supplies. It had been said that total repeal of the Corn-laws would not produce instant relief: he was con- vinced that it would. They would not, indeed, immediately import grain' or deal at a jump with the foreigners against whom they now shut the door ; but they would instantly produce that feeling of confidence in the ultimate return of prosperity which would make commercial men manufacture and speculate and take the labouring people at once into employment. He recommended a little intimidation— Above all things, he would say, don't let the Deputies go away too soon. If they remained, they would soon rally the whole country round them. Peel was getting alarmed : his nervous system was only adapted for orderly prim conduct; it could not stand the prospect of turbulence. He would yield to a little persuasive force, especially when applied to make him take the road he wanted to go at any rate. Peel he considered a truly better and heartier Free- trader than Lord John Russell. He expected that when the danger came to a head, there would be a coalition of the moderate Tories and the Whigs: but that could only be on the principle of granting further concessions to Free Trade

Principles; and that was the very time when the people, by a little energy, would secure moat to themselves.

Mr. Ashdowne, who moved the last resolution' for a memorial to the Queen on the urgent state of the country, stated that the Odd Fellows, 300,000 in number, have found their resources for the relief of their unemployed members totally exhausted. The resolutions all passed, as of course.

The parish of St. John's Hampstead, in a Vestry meeting on Thurs- day, rejected a plan for enlarging the church, as too expensive, unne- cessary, and undesirable.

The West Hackney Vestry refused a church-rate on Wednesday, by 78 to 10; at the same time declaring that a voluntary subscription should be entered into. Several opponents of the rate then tendered subscriptions, in many cases to more than double the amount to which they would have been assessed had the rate been carried.

At the adjourned meeting in the India House, on Monday, the debate was resumed on Mr. Salomons's resolution, declaring that the expenses of the Afghan war ought to be borne by the British exchequer. Mr. Lewis asked, what part the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors had taken in respect of the war, and whether they had signed any docu- ments consenting to it? The Chairman said, he was surprised that Mr. Lewis should have asked such a question : the Secret Com- mittee had not signed any despatches authorizing the war. Mr. Lewis observed, that the war, then, was illegal under the statute- law, which declared that it was not competent for the Governor-Gene- ral, without the consent of the Court of Directors, to declare war or commence hostilities, &c. The provision of the 33d Geo. III. in this respect was not repealed by the last charter ; and by that statute the Governor-General was prevented from entering into any war without the express consent of the Court of Directors or the Secret Committee. If, therefore, the Secret Committee had nothing to do with the Afghan war, it had been carried on in violation of the law. The fact was a strong confirmation of the opinion that the British Government ought to bear the expenses. Mr. George Thompson denied that there was any proof of broken faith on the part of Russia or Persia to justify the war : if treaties had been broken, it had been by the Government of India, who had broken the treaty with Persia. The Chairman ex- pressed satisfaction that the question had been brought before the Court of Proprietors, as it would aid the Directors in procuring the fulfilment of the just claims dim to India from the British Parliament. However, he asked Mr. Salomans to alter his resolution, so as to make it declare that a portion of the expenses ought to be borne by the British Govern- ment. In that shape the resolution was carried, by 23 to 20.

A meeting was held at Freemason's Tavern on Thursday, of book- sellers, authors, and others interested in the hook-trade, " for the pur- pose of taking into consideration the enormous and increasing evil of the foreign piracy of British literary works, and for adopting such mea- sures as may seem expedient for putting a stop to the same." Mr. Longman took the chair. Mr. G. P. R. James made a statement of the losses to which authors are liable by the piracy of their works abroad : he said that the chief booksellers of France and Germany are anxious to see an international copyright established; and a bill for the pur- pose is before the American Congress. Mr. Horace Smith seconded the resolution moved by Mr. James. " That a right of property in lite- rary productions ought to be recognized by all civilized nations." Lord William Lennox moved, and Sir Charles Morgan seconded the next re- solution, declaring that the disregard to that right had tended greatly to discourage and depress the book-trade of Great Britain. Other re- solutions were moved and seconded, by Mr. Dickenson, Mr. Colburn, Mr. T. Longman, Mr. Blackwood, Dr. Thompson, Mr. J. Simpson, Mr. Spottiswoode, Mr. Britain, Mr. Buckingham, Mr. Poole, and Mr. Hood. A memorial to the Board of Trade was adopted ; and thanks having been voted to the chairman, the meeting separated.

Francis and Cooper remain under sentence of execution on Monday next. Ineffectual attempts have been made by the father of Francis and Cooper's mother to obtain commutation of their sentence : the Se- cretary of State has replied to Mrs. Cooper, that there is no sufficient reason to comply with the prayer of the memorial which she addressed to the Queen ; but with respect to Francis nothing certain is known.

The crowded neighbourhood at the east end of Bermondsey Wall was visited by a destructive fire, at three o'clock on Thursday morning; the northern side of the street being formed chiefly of granaries and other warehouses, the southern of shops. It broke out in the house of a painter and glazier, which, with the workshops, was soon in flames ; the other houses caught fire; and, in spite of the exertions of Mr. Braidwood and the Fire Brigade, the cooperage warehouse of Messrs. Cotton and Owst, and twenty-four other houses, were burned down, besides many small buildings. The fire raged till one o'clock in the day. The loss is not estimated at more than 12,0001. or 15,0001.