The Wesleyan ministers of' London have resolved to celebrate the
printing of Coverdale's Bible, to-morrow, by offering public thanks to God for the Protestant Reformation. A circular on the subject has been issued by the Reverend Richard Reece, President of the Con- ference, to the superintendent preachers in their respective circuits.
A meeting of the rate-payers of St. George's, Southwark, was held on Tuesday, in the church, when Mr. Griffiths, the Rector's warden, proposed a threepenny rate for the stipend of the Rector, the Church Annuitants, fke. Mr. Grafton opposed the rate ; and after some re- marks upon the hardship of drawing such an amount as was demanded (784/.) from the pockets of the rate-payers for the maintenance of a Church from which the greater portion of them dissented, said he would rather have his goods seized than contribute towards it. This declaration was received with cheers. It was then proposed that the rate should be three halfpence instead of threepence, and this amend- ment was carried by a large majority. A poll was demanded, but the result was the same.
The Directors of the London and Blackwell Railway are prose- cuting that undertaking with great spirit, and there is no doubt their efforts will be crowned with success, and the inhabitants of the East end of the town will have a quick and immediate communication with the Metropolis. It is not generally known that the Commercial Road is held by a monopoly, to which every tenement on the road pays an annual tax : it was not until 1828, when Mr. Browne applied for a railway to Blackwell, that the proprietors of the Commercial Road made the present improvements ; but the enormous toll on the road and tax on the inhabitants, instead of benefiting the East end of the town and Poplar, operates as a detriment to the improvement of that neighbourhood. By the London and Blackwell Railway the inhabi- tants will be materially benefited in consequence of the great influx of trade and company,—the steamers taking in their cargoes and pas- sengers at Blackwell ; and, from the cheapness of the dock dues and the facility given of depositing the goods in London, there is no doubt the East and West India Docks will command a great por- tion of the shipping, and resume their pristine vigour. Morning Chronicle. tThis railway will also be a great convenience to the per- sons who in the course of the summer are constantly passing from the Metropolis to Herne Bay, Margate, Ramsgate, Dover, and other places both on the Essex and Kent coast. It is well known that the passage through the pool is long and tedious—taking up at least an hour, while the ride on the railway will require only ten minutes, and will only cost sixpence. Moreover, there will be an end to the accidents caused by the passage of the larger steam-boats through the pool. It is useless to pro- hibit vessels from going beyond a certain speed, as the most contradictory evidence will he offered as to the rate at which any vessel is propelled. Besides, every one who has passed up and down the River must have seen the obstinacy with which boatmen, especially those employed in unlading colliers, will push themselves purposely under the prows of steam-boats which are going only three miles an hour, in the hope of being swamped, and recovering damages from steam-boat companies. Almost all this difficulty will be saved by the projected Blackwell Railway. It will prevent accidents to vessels and loss of life, besides a great waste of time and patience. Of course the profit or loss of the undertaking will mainly depend upon the prudence and skill bestowed in the construction of the railway. The carriage of goods and of pas- sengers on it must be so enormous that it surely ought to succeed.) A half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of the East India Docks was held on Wednesday, for the purpose of declaring a dividend. The Chairman reported to the meeting the satisfactory state of the esta- blishment generally, arising from the considerable accession of business which bad taken place during the last six months. It appeared that there existed a balance of twenty-six thousand pounds in favour of the Company ; outof which the Chairman recommended that a dividend of 2 per cent. should be paid to the proprietors on the capital invested for the half-year then expired. He urged the meeting not to press for a larger dividend, although the balance in band would show an excess on the amount proposed to be so applied ; observing, that be was the more inclined to recommend its being limited to 2 per cent. from the circum- stance of that having been the customary amount ; besides which he thought it would be decidedly preferable to leave to the Court of Directors the option of recommending a dividend of 3 per cent. for the ensuing six months, if the income received during that period should warrant the completion of 5 per cent. on the year. This recommenda- tion was adopted by the proprietors.
Yesterday week, Mr. William Deville, son of Mr. Deville, lamp. manufacturer, of the Strand, hired a boat for the purpose of going to Hammersmith. He left that place, on his return, about four o'clock. He was seen to step into the boat, but within a few minutes after his departure the boat was noticed by a boy floating down the stream, without any one in it. An alarm was instantly given, and drags being used, the body was found in the mud and sedge, into which there is no doubt he had accidentally fallen. Ile was thirty. four years of age, had been married only about fifteen months to his second wife, whom he has left with four children. But a few years since Mr. Devine mourned the loss of a fine youth of nineteen, who was drowned while bathing in France.
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