Inetropolis.
Prince Albert visited the Bridewell Hospital in Bridge Street, Blackfriars, on Monday; when he received the charge and wand of office as a Governor of Beth- lehem and Bridewell Hospitals for the care of lunatics and the bringing-up of poet children. The Lord Mayor and several Aldermen were in attendance, and the ceremony was conducted by Sir Peter Laurie, President of the Hospitals.
A. Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday. A report was presented from the Pence Committee, on the protection of premises left unguarded by night. The Committee recommended the appointment of additional constables, not exceeding fifty in number, to be specially employed in watching particular spots, on applt- cataon- for such purpose being made. The report was agreed to.
A public meeting of " United Protestants " was held at Exeter Hall on Wed- nesday, to make a last stand against the Maynooth College Bill. The Earl of Winchilsea presided; Lord Kenyon, Lord Cavan, Mr. Plumptre, M.P., the Reve- rend J. M`Gbee, and other stanch opponents of the measure, were present; but the attendance was not very numerous. Some strongly-worded resolutions passed; one being for a memorial urging the Queen to withhold her assent from the bill.
A meeting of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire was held at Willis's Booms on Tuesday,—Mr. Henry Pownall in the chair,—to consider the hest mode of carrying out on a more extended scale the plan upon which the Society was founded, namely, the organizing an efficient fire-brigade under the management of the Society, with the aid of the best fire-escapes, ladders, and poles, at present known for the preservation of human life. Several speakers addressed the meeting, expounding widely-different views and projects; but the Chairman advised that the details of the several plans should be sent to the Secretary of the Society. The general feeling seemed to be, that the Government should take the whole matter into their own hands, and legislate for it, as in the case of police protection to property, or else by enactment compel every parish to support, by legal assessment, an efficient fire-brigade, with all the necessary appa ratus for escape. These views were embodied in a series of resolutions, Including one which directed a memorial to be sent to the Secretary of State: they were all coaled.
In the Sheriff's Court, on Thursday, the Duke of Brunswick obtained a verdict against the Lancaster Guardian, for a libel in which it was stated that the Duke had been arrested at Preston- Guild as one of the " swell mob." The Dake pleaded his own cause in person; and wandered to many things besides the matter in hand—his wrongs as a deposed sovereign, ill-treatment at the hands of his tingle the r)uke of Cambridge and other relations, with a variety of complaints , that he could notgo to the theatre witho at being insulted, and the like. He
was frequently interrupted by Mr. Under-Sheriff Bullock. The Jury gave 200Z. damages.
Joseph Connor, the young man convicted of the murder of Mary Brothers, in. St. Giles's, was hanged in front of Newgate, on Monday morning. Being a Roman. Catholic, he was attended by a priest of that church. He conducted himself during fris last moments with propriety and self-possession though in a state of great physical weakness. He made an ample confession of 'his guilt on the morn- mg after his conviction; and stated, that had the Sheriffs not been so good as to employ counsel for his defence, he should have pleaded guilty. He left another confession in the hands of the priest who attended him. In a letter to an he ascribes the commission of the crime for which he died to a disordered imagination; had he been in his senses, he says, he should never have taken away a fellow-creature's life. An application was made to Sir James Graham for a commutation of the sentence, on the plea of the prisoner's insanity; but it failed.
Another fire attended with loss of life occurred very early on Sunday mornings It broke out soon after midnight, at a house in Fenchurch Street, occupied by Messrs. Satchell and Robinson, wholesale hatters. Mr. Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. Satchell, their daughter, four years old, an infant son, and a female servant, were sleeping in the house. Mr. Robinson was awakened by the rattles of the Police; and finding his bedroom gradually filling with smoke, he instantly hastened out. of bed and aroused the other inmates. Although but a few minutes elapsed, the fire, which originated in the lower part of the house, ascended the staircase with such rapidity that the only means left to save their lives was by making their way on to the roof, and thence to the adjoining houses. Mr. Robinson, Mr.. Satchell, with his daughter in his arms, and the servant, escaped by that way into the next horse; but in the confusion and terror of the moment Mrs. Satchell and her baby were left behind in their bedroom on the third floor, while the firemen and the crowd thought all the inmates had been rescued. The fire burnt fiercely; despite the exertions of the firemen thepremises were entirely destroyed, and the surrounding buildings were with difficulty saved. When the flames had been got under, search was made for the bodies of Mrs. Satchell and her infant; which were found close under the window, frightfully mutilated. Mr. Satchell states, that he was awakened by his wife's shaking him violently by the shoulder, when he heard the breaking of glass and the springing of the Policeman's rattle. On lifting up his head, he found the place filled with smoke, and the heat in the space of a second or so was quite overpowering. At that mo- ment his wife appeared more collected than himself, and urged him to snake for the top of the house, he taking the eldest child, and she the infant. Having, left the room together, he thought she would have followed him; but on reaching the landing he suddenly missed her; and on looking up the ladder he saw a woman at the top, who he imagined was his wife; and he rushed up to overtake her; when he saw her drop on the leads insensible. Having aroused her, they escaped through the adjoining house, and thence to a house across the street. The woman thus saved proved to be, not Mrs. Satchell, but the servant. Mr. Satchell's opinion is, that on finding that the smoke was so dense, his wife re- turned to one of the rooms in the hope of avoiding it; and that she afterwards rushed into the room where the body was found, expecting to get out of the window; but being overcome by the heat she fell backwards, and perished with the child in her arms. Mr. Robinson had great difficulty in escaping, the smoke nearly overcoming him. He also imagined the servant was Mrs. Satchel Neither of the partners can account for the origin of the fire. inquest nquest was held on Tuesday. The main facts elicited were the same as those stated above. Hats were manufactured on the premises, and a stove was used for that purpose on the basement. Several workmen declared that they saw the fire put out and all apparently safe on Saturday night. Mr. Braidwood thought some timber near the etove had ignited. Mr. Satchel' described his owe. escape. When he had carried the woman he found on the roof into the adjoining house, he discovered it was not his wife, he then returned to the roof of his own house, and, as well as he was able, called out to his wife, but received no reply; and was at last driven by the flames to make his retreat. Neither ladders nor fire-escapes were brought to the spot, or even sought; and it does not appear that the Police were distinctly told that people were still in the house till!, it was too late to make any effort at a rescue. One officer, however, admitted that he heard Mr. Satchell exclaim, " For God's sake, save the woman I " yet no ladders were sought, though there were several in the neighbourhood. There was much dis- cussion among the Jury as to whether there bad been neglect in not obtaining fire-ladders; but it was not proved that the Police were blameable, the impression for some time having been that all the inmates had escaped from the burgling, house. Eventually, a verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned; the Jury appending a note, calling upon the Police Committee to increase the number of = fire-ladders, and to place'them under the superintendence of the Police.
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