(Ct .31ittropalio.

The nomination for Southwark took place on Monday at the Horse Repository, Elephant and Castle, before a choice assembly of "roughs" and "long shore men." Mr. Scovel, Mr. Layard, and their respective proposers and seconders, delivered speeches of a pantomimic character, for not one ward could be heard. The show of hands was in favour of Mr. Layard. Mr. Scovel demanded a poll, which took place on Tues- clay—For Layard, 4572; Scovel, 3377; majority for Layard, 1195. Tnimediately after the close of the poll, M. Layard addressed a crowd of his friends in a congratulatory strain. His proposer, Mr. Newman, stated that it was in contemplation to pay Mr. Layard's expenses, and a shilling subscription is already commenced among the working men with that object.

The Royal Geographical Society had a crowded meeting on Monday. Two papers were read ; one by Captain Sprye and Mr. T. H. Sprye, "On Communication with the South-west Provinces of China from Rangoon in British Pegu "—

" Having adverted to prevailing errors and misrepresentations respecting this subject, and dividing China Proper into equal parts by the 111th degree , of East longitude, a detailed account was given from the best authors of the two Western provinces nearest to Eastern Pegu—viz., Yunan and Se-, churn. A more succinct account followed on the same points of the other four Western provinces, and of the four cultivated central provinces, a por- tion of which lies West of the assumed longitudinal dividing line. The re- sult of this review of the Western half of China Proper, with which Eng- land has no commerce, showed that it comprised an area of 600 square The High Bailiff declared officially the state of the poll on Wednesday. Layard, 4572; Scovell, 3377; he, therefore, declared Mr. Layard elected by a majority of 1195. Mr. Layer(' spoke at great length in returning thanks, reviewing the history of the election from the first ; he had fought the battle as became an English gen- tleman before a great constituency. He does not undervalue vestries nor local interests ; he has a great regard for the Lord Mayor's show, and eats turtle at the Lord Mayor's feasts with a feeling of awe. These things (sic) remind us of this great fact, that the municipalities of Eng- land were the preservers of English freedom, and that we owe our liber- ties to our local institutions and local self-government. [When some future Layard exhumes the antiquities of London he will, doubtless, astonish the world by declaring the Lord Mayor's ;how and dinners to have been the preservers of freedom.] Mr. Layard said no man can come to a constituency like Southwark "and hand sovereigns over the emmter, or, as a friend of mine said the other day, send a Si. note by mistake in a letter." But it can be done by hiring public-houses by hundreds and men by thousands, by messengers and clerks, and all the paraphernalia of elections. Mr. Layard has had no lawyers, and has not paid a shilling for advertisements. Mr. Scovell did not appear, but he writes to the Times on Thursday—

"However unwilling to take any further notice of these matters, I feel obliged to give the most emphatic denial to the insinuation indulged in to- day by Mr. Layard, that 'Five-pound notes were handed in — envelopes to electors' by anyone in my interest, and I feel for Southwark when I find its new Member already resorting to charges which are an indefensible libel upon 3377 independent men who have honoured me with their unpaid sup- port." miles, of which at least 25,000,000 acres were cultivated ; 100,000,000 people, exclusive of the independent hill tribes; 70 cities of the first, and 400 of the second and third orders, with numerous forts and garrisons ; and that, enjoying the advantage of every variety of climate, this Western half of the empire yielded in abundance gold, silver, copper, iron, coal, millet, rice, wheat, together with a variety of valuable vegetable and tropical pro- ducts, including grass cloth and other textile fibres."

Dr. 111Cosh also read a paper "On the various Lines of Overland Communication between India and China "— " Of the five different routes, he gives the preference to the one by Munni- piir. There is a good steam communication from Calcutta, by Dacca and Sythet, to Banskundu, on the Barack ; thence a good road to Munnimir, an inferior one to Mong-fong, on the great Ning-tse ; and a road might asily be constructed to Bamo, on the Irrawadi, where the great line of communi- cation between China begins, and leads up the valley of the Pinlang into Yunan. In this province, the main channels of the great rivers of Mar- taban, of Cambodia, and of Nankin, are in close proximity. Thus, _if an ex- pedition leaving Calcutta on the 1st of November could be at Mumaipir on the let of December. on the Ning-tae on the 15th, at Bamo on the let of January, across the Chinese frontier, on the 1st of February, and safe in summer quarters in the mountain of Northern China and Thibet before the hot season, early in October, it might cross over into Amin by the line of the Dihong, after having settled the still doubtful course of the Taan-poo, and be again in Calcutta on the 1st of January. At Bamo, an annual trade, estimated thirty years ago at 700,000/., is carried on between Bur- nish and China, which, if thrown open to England, might be more than doubled."

An interesting discussion followed, in which Mr. John Crawfurd dis- avowed the work published in his name some years ago ; it was written by a clerk of his, a Mr. Gordon.

The Smithfield Club Cattle and Implement Show commenced on Mon- day, at Baker Street Bazaar. The Queen and Princess Alice accompanied the Prince Consort to the private view on Monday ; on Saturday, the Empress of the French graced the exhibition with her presence. The Prince Consort exhibited a steer, but was fairly beaten, the Devon cattle being very superior. The appetite of London consumes every year 270,000 oxen, 30,000 calves, 1,600,000 sheep, and 30,000 swine, The annual production of the British Agricultural Implement Trade is computed at 2,000,0007. sterling per annum, and 4,000,0001. of guano, bones, and portable manures, and probably four times that value of farm- yard manure, is expended on the lands of the British Isles.

The inundations which have taken place in several parts of the country raise the question of drainage and outfall. A meeting took place at the Hanover Square Rooms, on Wednesday, to consider the mat- ter. The Earl of Romney presided, and contributed his experience of the Romney marshes-

" In 1852, a bill was presented to Parliament on the subject, but it did not pass, and since then the evil it was designed to remedy had gone on steadily increasing, owing to the improvements in drainage. Parliament and the Government had greatly assisted in bringing about that state of things, for while doing an undoubted good they had overlooked the consequences to which it would lead. Under Acts of Parliament the public money was lent to landowners to enable them to drain their lands and bills had been passed empowering companies to afford facilities to them for a similar purpose. Exactly the same thing, in fact, had been done with regard to land which was done respecting the sewage of London. Every facility was given for conveying sewage to the river, but what Would become of it when it got there was never thought of. There was great efforts to deliver lands from

water,provision but no prov whatever had been made to get rid of that water i

after t had accumulated, although that was a matter of the utmost impor- tance."

Sir Henry Vavasour stated he had asked an old man if he ever recol- lected so wet a season as this ? The reply was, "Yes, seventy-fire years ago ,u_

" The ordinary amount of rain at Chiswick in the twelve months is 24 inches, the quantity fallen this year up to this day, omitting decimals, ie 29; but, after all, it is not so much the excess of rain that is so injurious to farm produce as the length of time the water remains in the soil. The earliest statute bearing upon our subject is the 6th of Henry VI. (a. D. 1427), authorizing the Chancellor of England to grant a commission for ten years. A number of statutes of the same kind were passed from time to time in succeeding reigns. The preamble to the 23:1 of Henry VIII., cap. 5, after the first few words, has this sentence—' Nothing earthly so highly weighing as the advancing of the common profit, wealth, and commodity of his realm,' in which patriotic sentiment the subjects of her present Majesty doubtless will concur. The most recent of these Acts is, I believe, the 3d and 4th of William IV., cap. 22. A commission has lately been applied for under these Acts, to take effect in a district with which I am acquainted, and considerable benefit might arise did not one or two districts under the jurisdiction of local Acts intervene between a portion of the level and the natural outfall, a great tidal river." Sir Henry does not believe in the utility of local Acts ; there must be an Imperial Act. Sir John Shelley and Sir John Tyrell also support the demand for an Act of Parliament to pro- vide an uniform principle of drainage and outfall.

The Lord Mayor has received a number of letters, asking him to re- commend the closing of places of business on Monday, the 24th, so that the Christmas holidays may consist of three days without interruption ; the Lord Mayor views the suggestion with favour.

Another Working Man's Club and Reading Room is founded. Miss Adeline Cooper, to whom Westminster owes its Ragged School, is the originator. Tea and coffee are to be provided ; lectures are arranged for; and the only prohibition is that smoking is not allowed during their delivery. The subscription is only a halfpenny per week. The Club is in Duel( Lane, Westminster.

Mr. G. T. Train, the projector of street tramways, has obtained the sane- tion of the parish authonties to lay down a line from Ball's Pond to the South end of the City Road. He applied on Tuesday to the City Com- missioners of Sewers for leave to continue the line along Moorgate Street, and his application is referred to the Improvement Committee.

At a very late hour on Saturday night, a respite from the Home Office was received at Newgate for Anne Padfield, the announcement of which she received with great calmness. The Duke of Wellington appeared before the Lord Chancellor and Lords Justices as an appellant against the Board of Ordnance on Saturday. A mill stream on the Strathsfieldsaye estate had been diverted by the con- struction of the camp at Aldershott, and the Duke was, in consequence, awarded 922/. towards the cost of a steam-engine, erected at the mai, which will cost 1300L, and the Duke sought to have the 922/. applied towards the expense but a technical difficulty under the "Defence Act" created a doubt which caused the Master of the Rolls to hesitate about making an order. But the Court of Appeal granted it.

The Lords Justices of Appeal reversed an order made by Mr. Registrar Waterfield at Birmingham. Mr. Commissioner Sanders had pronounced a proposal under the arrangement clauses a reasonable one ; at the second sit i - ting, the Registrar, acting for the Commissioner, found t was not reason- able ; hence an appeal.

The Lords Justices on Saturday dismissed an appeal by Mr. Strousberg from the order of Mr. Commissioner Holroyd, made for the preparation of the accounts of the Mitre Insurance Company.

The Court of Common Pleas had its Nisi Prins sittings brought to a stand last week for want of jurors. Only eleven could be found to serve in a cause; a whole row of jurors were sitting before the Judge, but did not mover. This practice is now common ; and it is not to be wondered at, for the cause lists in London are most improperly increased by suits from all parts of the country.

Mr. Clarke, a surgeon, at Staines, was sued on Saturday by his late cook, Mary Penny, for false imprisonment and an imputation of lunacy. The cook and her mistress did not get on well together, and the mental excite- ment which the servant displayed induced her master to believe her insane. She was conveyed to the workhouse, because she refused to disclose her parents' residence. The Jury found for the cook with 10/. damages, adding their opinion that Mr. Clarke acted bond tide under the impression that his servant was really deranged.

Mr. Marsh, the auctioneer, was sued on Wednesday by a Mr. Bolton, to recover damages for the noncompletion of the purchase of a house at New Cross. Messrs. Loveland and Tweed, solicitors, had instructed Mr. Marsh to sell, without disclosing the name of their client the vendor ; and the point is reserved for the Court of Queen's Bench to settle, whether an auctioneer is personally liable if he acts for an undisclosed principal.

Mr. Williams, of Liverpool, was one of the persons injured in the accident at King's Cross on the 20th of May last, when a Great Northern train ran into the New Road. Mr. Williams sustained a contusion over the temple bone, and one on the right shoulder, accompanied by loss of power in the arm, besides other injuries, which had produced an affection in the optic nerve rendering all objects yellow in colour. Mr. Quain and Dr. Rees thought the injuries were likely to be permanent, whilst Mr. Coulson and other eminent surgeons think Mr. Williams's ultimate recovery more than probable. The Jury assessed the damages at the trial on Tuesday at 1200/.

Mr. Loadman, a surgeon, attended Kr. Neville, a gentleman of indepen- dent fortune, sent in his bill, but was not paid during five years. He heard it announced that Mr. Neville was going to reside in Normanby for two years, and in order to get the money, issued a capes. Mr. Neville paid the amount to the Sheriff and got the capias set aside. On Wednesday, he brought an action against Mr. Load/min for the arrest, and the Jury found a verdict for the surgeon, on the ground that, having been informed by tradesmen that Mr. Neville was going away, he had caused him to be arrested without any malice, and simply to get his money.

On the 25th October 1959, Sir George Hodgkinson, Sheriff of London in 1961, was knocked down by a cab, No. 1211, in the Edgware Road, driven by a man named Moss, since dead, and belonging to a Mr. 'Wilkes. Sir George received a severe blow on the head, which caused a concussion of the brain. The defence was that the cab driven by Moss was not No. 1211, but 293: but the Jury found a verdict with 25/. damages, adding that the action should have been brought earlier.

Captain Bosanquet sued the Reverend Mr. Heath for an assault, and the case was heard in the Queen's Bench on Wednesday. Mr. Heath is the proprietor of freehold land at Enfield, upon which a chapel was built by subscription. Captain Bosanquet was one of the subscribers and also chapel- warden. Objecting to the mode in which the services were conducted, the Captain removed the "super altar," and Mr. Heath ejected him from the place. The object of the action was not to obtain compensation for assault as to compel a decent observance of the worship of the Church of England, free from Romish practices. Eventually, the action was referred to Mr. Macaulay, Q.C. who has powers to order Mr. Heath to return the subs:zip- tions of the diaatisfied.

The South-Eastern Railway Company, in 1858, sent out aotices that they would issue season-tickets at very reduced rates to builders, members of building societies, and others who built or occupied houses at various points on their line. Mr. Wells, a builder, purchased land for 6000/., built houses, and claimed his season-ticket for himself and tenants. He did not get his ticket, but had a pass given him, which he used for two months, till the sur- veyor made a report. Afterwards, he was sued by the company for 8l. Is., the fare upon the pass. The company got a verdict in consequence of a bad tender made by Mr. Wells, and also because he had travelled upon the line after the pass expired. But Mr. Justice Crompton, with many severe re- marks upon this "trumpery miserable ease," refused to certify for costs on Thursday.

The Reverend John Poole, of 10, South Crescent, Bedford Square, heard through a clerical agent of a living for sale in Devonshire, and was referred to Major Chapman, of 6, Victoria Square, Pimlico, who refused to disclose the locality of the living unless he received 300!. in part payment of the pur- chase. Mr. Poole gave MajorChapman his cheque, and was referred to the Re- verend W. Blake Doveton, of Spreyton, Devon. Mr. Doveton denied that he in- structed Major Chapman to sell the living. Mr. Poole travelled back to town to secure his 300/., but found that his cheque had been cashed. Major Chap- man was brought up at Westminster Police-court, on Tuesday, upon the charge of receiving 300l. on false pretences. He is remanded upon sureties for a week, in order to give time for the examination of Mr. Doveton.

Chapman, an innkeeper of Northampton, one of the parties already com- mitted for trial on charges of conspiracy and felony which have attracted so much attention in the leather trade, was again committed on Thurs- day on a separate charge of perjury. Sir Robert Carden overruled a re- quest, on the part of the defendant, to be Bent to Northampton for trial; the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court is sufficiently extensive to include the case.

Another case of skittle sharping was heard at Southwark Police Court on Wednesday. On this occasion the victim was 'Mr. Wm. George King, of 52, Murray Street, Heaton, a city clerk "partially dressed in the Volunteer uniform,' who met a portly man of respectable appearance, speaking a broad Lancashire dialect, in the Ancient Sculpture department of the British Museum. From thence there was the usual adjournment to a public house, a junction with a consumptive-looking man, and the skittles, at which the partially-dressed Volunteerlost 61. 3s. The "portly, respect- eble-looking man" is remanded for a week.

Four privates of the Coldstream Guards are committed for trial for riot at Knightsbridge, William Thompson, a private in the Scots Fusilier Guards, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor on Tuesday week. He had served during the mutiny in India, in the Bengal Army, and on his return home joined the Scots Fusilier Guards. On the 1st instant, he was taken to the hospital, suffering from a wound he had inflicted with a razor in the abdo- men. On Tuesday he was about to be discharged. At the inquest, the Jury gave for verdict, "he deceased committed suicide whilst in a state of tem- porary insanity."

The "revival" services at Exeter Hall were not continued last Sunday, in that building, but were transferred to the more appropriate stage of the Surrey Theatre. There, however, the services were conducted with de- corum and devout feeling, such as should have been exhibited at Exeter Hall.

Another complaint against the authorities of Shoreditoh Workhouse was made to Mr. Leigh, at Worship Street, on Friday week. A poor man, nearly bent double with rheumatic gout, had been refused admission, but had been told to go and work in the stone-yard. Mr. Leigh sent an °Meer with him to "the house."

Mr. Grove, the secretary, contradicts a report that a fraud has been com- mitted in the store department of the Crystal Palace. One of the officials has been dismissed, but his defalcations do not amount to more than 61., which will be made good.