7 DECEMBER 1861, Page 5

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DEATH OF SIR PETER LAURIE.—Yesterday intelligence was received by the Lord Mayor, at the Mansion-house, of the death, on the previous evening, of Sir Peter Laurie, the oldest member of the Court of Aldermen of the City of London. The deceased gentleman served the office of Sheriff so far back as 1823, thirty- eight years ago. He was elected an alderman for the ward of Aldersgate on the 6th of July, 1826, and was chosen Lord Mayor in 1832, having in the pre.. vious year stood a contest for the mayoralty with Alderman Sir John Key, who was then elected chief magistrate for the second time, after a memorable struggle, in which an unusual amount of political and partisan feeling was enlisted. --By the rule of rotation Sir Peter was entitled to serve the office of Lord Mayor in 1831, and on the observance of that he insisted, but the agitation for Parliamen- tary Reform was then at its height, and Sir John Key being regarded as the warmer advocate of the measure of the two, the popular feeling prevailed in his favour. To Londoners in general, and for full three generations, Sir Peter was well known for his homely, brusque manners and his inflexible honesty of purpose; and the way in which his characteristic qualities displayed themselves on the bench often amused the town. For the last ten years he has played a compara- tively small part in public or civic affiiirs. Of late ho attended the meetings of the Court of Aldermen occasionally, and was present at one recently ; but his advanced age—upwards of eighty—and increasing infirmitiesprevented his dis- charging the duties of a magistrate. The last public act of his life was the spirited protest which he addressed to his brother liverymen of London from olkestone, where he was stying in ill-health, against what he thought the un- warrantable use which was being made of his name in the late contest for the mayoralty. The death of Sir Peter renders vacant the office of alderman for the ward of Aldersgate' and by an Act of the Court of Common Council the Lord Mayor is required within fourteen days from the death to convene a warilmote for the election of a successor.

THE WHITWORTH Gum —On Tuesday last Lord Palmerston proceeded to Shoeburyness for the purpose of judging for himself as to the merits of the Whit- worth gun, and made arrangements with the Secretary of State fur War to start at an early hour from the Eastern Counties Station in Fenchurch-street for the experimental ground in Essex. Sir George reached the terminus just in time to catch the train. Owing to the obstruction of the City traffic, the Premier reached the station two minutes behind his time. He was not to be disconcerted, and quietly ordered a special train? This was provided with all due despatch, intelligence ntelligence was flashed along the line that a "special" was on the rails. At a particular station the ordinary train was shunted so as to enable the special to pass, and on his arrival at Southend Sir George Lewis was astounded to find his noble colleague waiting for him on the platform ready to take coach to proceed on their journev. The six miles between Southend and Shoeburyness were soon rattled over, and shortly after the arrival of the distinguished party on the ground the practice commenced. The object a as to ascertain if the Whitworth gun could be manipulated with that ease which, supposing any other objections against it were removed, might render it not only a serviceable battery but field- gun, and for this purpose several rounds were fired from the 70-pounder, from the two 12-pounders, and from the brass-rifled gun. The result was a perfect ad- mission on the part of those present that the trials had been thoroughly satis- factory. Mr. Whitworth was present, and received the congratulations which the occasion merited.

THE LONDON GENERAL OMNIBUS AND THE RAILWAY COMPANIES.-011 Saturday, in the Lord Mayor's Court, before the Recorder, was tried an action brought by the London General Omnibus Company against Train's Tramway Company, to recover damages for injury alleged to be done to one of their omnibuses by the carelessness and negligence of defendants' servants. On the 24th of June a collision took place in the Bayswater-road, on the tramway, between the omnibus and one of Mr. Train's cars, by which the former sustained damage to the extent of 91., and by which the coachman and some of the passen- gers were injured. It was declared that the bus got on the tramway near the Swan public-house, in order to avoid a cab-stand on the near side, and a corn van between that and the tram, and that in consequence of the wheels skidding along the line it could not get off, and it was alleged that the driver of the car, who was coming towards them at a rapid rate, never put on his break, bet purposely ran into the omnibus. The defendant called witnesses some of whom were in the car, and who positively swore that the driver did put on the break, but that the omnibus ran into the car ; and they also declared that they saw no van, and that the omnibus was wilfully driven upon the tram. Verdict for the defendants.

REFRESHMENTS AT THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.—At a meeting of the Commissioners of the International Exhibition, held on Thursday, the various tenders sent in for the supply of refreshments were considered and decided upon. The successful competitors are—Mr. F. E Morrish, of Liverpool, and Mr. W. Sanders, late of the Great Western Hotel, for the western division; and M. Veillard, of 59, Mark-lane, and M. Martin, of Paris, for the eastern block. Mr. Morrish, although not unknown in London, has made Liverpool the scene of his principal achievements, and at the present moment he has four large res- taurants in fall operation in that town, where his admirable management gene- rally secures for him the supply of refreshments at all the balls and great assem- blies in St. George's Hall. Mr. Sanders, who is associated with Mr. Morris'', has had great experience as a caterer at some of the principal clubs in London—last at the Senior United Service, in Pall Mall. M. Veillard has been largely concerned for some years in the importation of French provisions into this country ; and his partner, M. Martin, has a reputation founded upon his successful management for some years of the Cafd de Paris, on the Boulevard dee Italiens. These gentlemen have made arrangements with the eminent house of Valentin, of Paris, for the exclusive supply of French and German wines in their division of the Exhibition. Without presuming to state the precise sum tendered by the two successful competitors, we can very confidently name it as exceeding 30,0001.

CHESS.—On Saturday last Herr Paulsen, the distinguished chess-player, finished at Manchester the task of playing at one time ten games of chess with players of local reputation. Herr Paulsen did his work solely from memory, and without looking at the boards, and what seems to make the task more onerous is that the games bad been adjourned from the previous day, and the twenty-second

move in each instance was given by Herr Paulsen solely from recollection. One game was drawn previous to the Saturday's play, one was won, and one player was unable to attend, so that seven games were to be played out. Of the ten only one was lost by Herr Paulsen, one was not played out, three were drawn, and five won.

SMITHFIELD CLUB CaTrix Smow.—Three o'clock Thursday afternoon being, .under the regulations of the Smithfield Club, the last hour at which agricultural Implements could be received, the vicinity of the Baker-street Bazaar, at which the show is about to be held, presented a scene of great bustle and animation, several of the locomotive working-machines which arrived, propelled by their own steam, having attracted a vast concourse of spectators. This year no less than 967 stands have been provided for the exhibitors, being 100 more than last year, or on any previous occasion. The reception of the cattle and other stock commenced yesterday morning, and no specimen could, by the rules of the club, be admitted to the show-yard after ten o'clock yesterday evening. The Prince Consort and the Prince of Wales are both expected to visit the show this year. It is stated that some huge specimens of cattle from the Florentine Exhibition will be admitted, although not as competitors for prizes. The judges will ex- amine the stock and make their awards on Monday, on the evening of which day the private view will take place. The show will open to the public on Tuesday morning, the 10th instant, and continue open during that and the three following days. THE THANES EMBAN'EMENTS.—The extent of land thus rescued from a con- dition which made cultivation impossible, and which mast have impregnated the atmosphere with an amount of humidity bearing a strong resemblance to the overhanging mists of the lacustrine era of which geologists tell us, is not easily calculated. In such levels a trifling elevation makes an immense difference, but it may suffice for present purposes to calculate it at somewhere about 6700 acres. Of this, nearly all the above-bridge portion and all below bridge as far as Deptford and Greenwich, consists of market garden ground, let at wonder- ful rents, cultivated with a care and economy almost astounding, and contributing a very large proportion of the treasures of Covent Garden and the Borough markets. From Greenwich to the sea the thousands of head of cattle which dot the " mashes" (as they are called in the neighbourhood), to say nothing of the constantly recurring rubbing-post, the discovery of whose utility occasioned Sidney Smith so much diversion, unmistakeably denote grazing lands, and it is hence that the metropolitan meat markets derive a very large pro- portion of their supply.—Once a Week. Tom SAYERS AND THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY AlITHORITIE& -- The pro- prietor of the Champion Circus, Tom Sayers, having announced his perform- ance in Oxford without the leave of the proper authorities, has brought down the wrath of the University authorities, who, yesterday afternoon, widely dis- tributed the following handbill: " A person named Sayers having announced his intention of opening a circus in Oxford, and not having obtained permission from the Vice-Chancellor and the Mayor to do so, members of the University in state& pupillari are warned not to attend the aforesaid exhibition.—F. JEUNE, Vice-Chancellor; W. B. JONES, Senior Proctor; G. RIDDING, Junior Proctor."