Zbe Iftetropolis.

A Court of Aldermen was held on Tuesday for the despatch of business. A report was presented from a special Committee, on the proceedings at Christ's Hospital on St. Matthew's Day last, in which the President and Treasurer of the Hospital refused to recognize the claim of the Lord Mayor to be haad of the institution. It stated that the Committee had proceeded duly to consider the subject, and were attended by a deputation of the Royal Hospitals Committee of the Corporation ; and it appearing that the lists which were delivered to the Lord Mayor on St. Mathew's Day last were inaccurate in point of form, and not according to the ancient practice, they were of opinion that the said lists heuld be returned to the Presidents of the several Hospitals, and that they andel he requested to correct and amend the same in proper form : they recommended that the Court give directions soundingly; and that the 'Lard .hhispor be requested to hold a Gement Cuellar all the limpitals, anits Hospital, for the purpose of receiling and nfirming the corrected .lists of Governors. Sir Peter Lanai...suggested the propriety of holding seestaferance with the Governors. He was sure the misunderstanding could in explained away. Alderman Wood thought a conference between the Committee of the Corporation and parties who had deliberately slighted and insulted the head of the Corpo- ration, would be exceedingly humiliating to the Court of Aldermen. The only place in which the question could be settled was a court of law, and there was very little doubt as to the manner in which it would be settled before such a tribunal. Sir Peter Laurie thought that even a victory would be scarcely worth the 50,000/. which the law-proceedings would pro- bably cost. Alderman Lucas and Alderman Wilson applauded the report; which was agreed to ; and the thanks of the Court were unanimously voted to the Lord Mayor for the moderation and firmness with which his Lordship had acted at Christ's Hospital in asserting the rights of the Corporation. Alderman Sidney, with a long speech on the bad state of Giltspur Street Compter, moved that the present over-crowded state of that House of Correction, the want of classification and proper separation of the prisoners, be taken into consideration, with the view of applying an early remedy. Alderman Wilson expressed doubts as to whether Alderman Sidney was aware of ex- cellent improvements new in progress: but the motion was not opposed, and it passed accordingly.

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday, for the despatch of business ; and as the business transacted was important, the Court was much crowded.

A Committee who reported on Blackfriars Bridge Pier wend instructed to carry their plan for its construction into effect. The Committee esti- mated the annual expenses for the pier, with waiting-rooms, &c., at 1,0891.; which is to be met by a charge on steam-vessels of 641. for each call.

A Ward Committee was appointed to consider the best mode of expend- ing the 20,0001. a year granted by the Court for improvements.

The Lord Mayor drew attention to a petition from the directors of the Direct Manchester Railway Company, asking leave to purchase the site of Farringdon Market for a great central terminus. The petition stated that the Company was actually formed, the required amount of capital sub- scribed ; and that the proposed terminus at Farringdon Market would occasion no inconvenience to the City, but would be a great improvement, by lessening the dangerous and unsightly declivities of Holborn Hill and Skinner Street, and by altogether removing the present low neighbourhood of Field Lane. In the discussion which ensued, Mr. Dillon, who repre- sented the Company, gave some further explanation as to the nature of the plan— The general view was, that from Battle Bridge the line would take as nearly as possible the corner of the Fleet Prison' and come down Field Lane to Holborn Bridge; then the ground would be raised to a certain height, say twelve or four- teen feet; for it had been ascertained by actual survey on a former occasion, when it was proposed to gain a level between Skinner Street and Holborn Hill without a viaduct, that that height would give an easy and safe ascent to Holborn Bridge and Gray's Inn Road on the one side and Skinner Street on the other. By the plan _proposed., the railway, would run under the covered way that would be formed by thus raising the ground, into Farringdon Street and Farringdon Market • where the station would be. And if the Company. obtained the grant of the site: they would be most happy to contribute, both by their exertions and their funds, to the improvement of Skinner Street and Field Lane.

Mr. Lawrence, who moved that the petition be referred to the Improve- ment Committee, stated, that the Company proposed to spend half a million sterling in works and improvements of the neighbourhood. Mr. Godson, contending that the introduction of railway termini into the City would obstruct trade and injure the citizens, moved as an amendment that the petition do lie on the table. After a long and animated discussion, in which the balance of opinion was out of all proportion on the side of intro- ducing such works into the City, the amendment was put : only four hands were held up for it, and it was lost. The original motion was affirmed.

Mr. R. L. Jones brought forward a petition from the London and Bir- mingham Railway Company: it stated that the Company intended in the ensuing session of Parliament to apply for power to extend their line of railway from Camden Town to Farringdon Street, with a terminus and depot to be made on a part of the site of Fleet Prison and land adjoining; and that the Company are prepared to enter into immediate agreement for the purchase of the property from the Corporation: they prayed the sanc- tion of the Corporation to the project. In reply to a question from Mr. Godson, Mr. Creed, the Secretary to the Company, said that the railway would be carried under Skinner Street by means of a tunnel: it would not interfere with the streets, nor disturb the surface in any way. This peti- tion also was referred to the Improvement Committee; and the Court adjourned.

The wharfingers and others holding property on the banks of the Regent's Canal met on Wednesday, at the Angel Inn, Islington, and resolved to resist the conversion of the canal into a railway. Mr. Henry Grissell, of the firm of Grissell and Peto, said that he had expended more than 30,0001. on the verge of the canal, and that its conversion into a railway would complete his ruin. And Mr. Lake, solicitor to Mr. R. B. de Beauvoir, said that his client had laid out nearly 300,0001. in the construction of a basin; a property of which the value would be destroyed if the water were drawn off. The Magistrate at Wandsworth Police-office has granted a summons against the Directors of the Richmond Railway Company, for trespassing on a piece of land at Wandsworth, which they required for the formation of the line. The proprietor of the land, Mr. Atkins, wanted more money than the Company were willinE to give • but, without making any payment or deposit, a contractor took possession of the land, cut down sixteen willows, and dug a ditch. A great many fairs have been revived or established during the year in the suburbs of London, to the no small annoyance of many among the residents of the different localities; and complaints have been rife at police-offices. This week, a new fair has been held at Kilburn, with eating-and-drinking-boothei stalls, and exhibitions, the most prominent being Wombwal's Menagerie.

Ground has been purchased at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, as the site of a church for the Roman Catholic pensioners of Greenwich HospitaL At the Mansionhouse, on Saturday, Knute Boll and Peter Schmidt were charged with having in their possession forgeries of the bank-notes of Norway. Witnesses proved Mat the accused had a copperplate engraved to be used in forging Norway notes, brass stamps of letters cut, and paper made of a . peculiar

tint and with a particular water-mark letter. When the Forresters seized the men, Boll bad the copperplate in his possession, and in his pocket were found four pieces of paper imitations of portions of a Norwegian bank-note. Other piecesroaiser of a similar kind were found at the lodging of the prisoners. They

were ed.

At the same court, on Wednesday, John Jones was charged with attempting to ara.gle a number of foreign cameos, gold chains, &c. He was seized by a Cus- tomhense-officer as he was landing in a boat from a foreign steamer off the Cus- tomhouse, and articles were found concealed on his person the duty on which would amount to 2721. He was fined 68/. 3.s., and committed to prison in default of payment.

At Bow Street Police-office, on Monday, John Cronstock Clinton, a man with three aliases, was accused of forging a certificate of deposit for 23,000 Mexican dollars, with intent to defraud Little and Company, merchants at New York. The prisoner had been charged, at the same court, with forging the same instrument, exactly two years back, but discharged without going into the merits of the ease; it being then considered by Mr. Jardine before whom he was brought, that the depositions, which had been taken in America, were insufficient to warrant further proceedings, as they were not drawn up in compliance with the terms of the Act of Treaty for the apprehension of offenders. The money obtained by the alleged forgery was declared to have been paid to the prisoner in America on the 14th April 1841. Documents properly authenticated by American authorities were now produced, and the accused was committed.

Frederick Davison, a youth in his seventeenth year, was charged at the Worship Street Police-office, on Saturday, with falsely assuming the character of a Policeman. In the street at night, he accosted a female performer belonging to the Britannia Saloon ; telling her that a letter of a threatening nature against herself had reached the Police-station, and that he had consequently been sent by the Inspector to escort her home. For several nights he repeated this conduct, and was at length given into custody. He was fined 20s. for personating a constable: the fall penalty for the offence is 104 but the Magistrate mitigated it in considera- tion of the offender's youth.

Kellerby, the lad accused of writing anonymous threatening letters and sending poison to a number of persons in the parish of St. George's and elsewhere, was reexamined, at Southwark Police-office, on Monday. The servant of a Miss Ward stated, that various letters had been sent to her mistress; one had been placed in the witness's hands by a young man, who was not the prisoner. A woman in the service of Mr. Humble, of Balharn Hill, stated, that on the 28th July an anonymous letter was received addressed to Mrs. Humble, enclosing a quantity of poison. Mr. Humble was at Brighton at the time ; and the writer of the letter, who described himself as clerk to Mr. Humble at his establishment in town, said that he was directed to enclose the powder by his employer to Mrs. Humble and that she would find it was of a very salutary nature. The powder was oxalic acid, which it appears Kellerby's father uses in his trade. The Magis- trate having inquired if the prisoner had any access to St. George's Church, which some of the letters had threatened should be set on fire, it was proved that he sometimes assisted in ringing the bells, and he attended the service at the church. The lad was held to bail, that farther evidence might be obtained.

Lieutenant Kerwan, the officer who stabbed Quartermaster Tarleton at Houns- low Barracks, applied to the Magistrates sitting in Petty Sessions at Brentford, on Saturday, to be admitted to baiL Medical witnesses proved that Mr. Tarleton was out of danger from the wound which he had received: he might have a re- lapse, but then it would be the result of the necessary medical treatment. The Chairman said, that in consequence of this evidence, and considering that the attack had not been deliberate, the Bench would admit the prisoner to bail, himself in 5001., and two sureties in 250/. each. Two of Mr. Iserwan's brother officers became bail for him, and he was liberated. The declaration made on oath by Mr. Tarleton has at length been published, and it gives a connected account of the whole affair.

" On Sunday night, about ten o'clock, the officers were in the barracks, showing feats of strength amongst themselves ; and in consequence of Lieutenant Kerwan, in wrestling with Lieutenant Greville, of the Second Life Guards, getting thrown twice on the floor, Captain lane stopped the exercise of these officers ; when Lieutenant Kerwan said Captain lane had no right to interfere, as a superior officer was present. Captain Fane then left the room, and I lost sight of him. Presently afterwards, Lieutenant Kerwan also left the room ; and immediately afterwards, Major Parlby, of the Fourth Light Dragoons, (the superior officer alluded to,) called me out of the room, and stated that Lieutenant Kerwan intended to go into Captain Pane's room ; and the said Major Parlby satki to me then, • You are a stout fellow • prevent him (meaning the said Lieu- enant Kerwan) from going into his room.' *hen I went into the barrack-yard, I here saw the said Lieutenant Kenyan and others, and went up to him ; and, seeing him excited, I endeavoured to soothe him. He (the said Lieutenant Kerwan) replied, that he had been threatened with the guard-room, and to that Ile would go.' The said Lieutenant Kerwan then went up-stairs to his own room, and put on his cap. Then I said, • I will not allow you to go out '; and I shut the door, and placed my back against it. Two swords of the said Lieutenant Kerwan were hanging close to the door on pegs ; When the said Lieutenant Kerwan immediately took one sword, and said he would go out. I replied that I would not let him. I said this because he was in so excited a state. Lieutenant Kerwan then said, 'There is another sword, defend yourself.' At the moment he said this, I was .reaching forward, and towards the second sword, but never drew It from the scabbard. At this moment, Lieutenant Kenyan attempted to set past me at the door ; and there he made a thrust at me with the naked steel sword, which did not touch me, but passed under my left arm. I immediately afterwards felt the blow which occasioned the wound I have received. The wound was just below the navel, and was inflicted by the sword then in the hand of the said Lieutenant Kerwan when he struck me the second time. I said to him immediately, You have stabbed me': and I went to the light of the lire, and found blood on my shirt ; and I went down stairs and sent for the surgeon. * * * J have always been on the best friendly terms with Lieutenant Kerwan; and I feel sure that, excepting when he was in the excited state in which he then was, he would have been the last man to have injured me."

The annual loss of life by firework-making has begun. On Thursday night an explosion occurred at Jones's manufactory, better-known as Hengler's, in the Westminster Road. Wells the foreman, and some other people who were in the home, escaped, though with difficulty. Mrs. Hengler—a very old woman un- wieldy and helpless—was on the first floor, where the fire appears to have origi- nated: she could only put her head out of window and implore aid. A man at- tempted to rescue her by means of a ladder, but was driven away by the blazing of the fireworks in the lower part of the house; and the poor woman perished.

The audience at Drury Lane Theatre were greatly terrified on Tuesday night by an alarm of fire. The cheek-inspector had lighted a fire in his room, and by sonic means a stage-box had been set in flames by it; a good deal of smoke was Produced, and the people in the boxes made a headlong rush from the house: Several ladies were knocked down in the confusion, and one dislocated her ankle. The fire seems to have been easily extinguished; and order having been restored, the performances proceeded.