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The Guildhall was filled on Wednesday, by the electors and others, who were there to return Lord John Russell to Parliament. The appear- ance of Mr. Urquhart on the platform led to the belief that he also would be nominated ; but he could get no proposer, and the proceedings were of the usual routine character. Mr. H. J. Prescott proposed and Mr. Dillon seconded Lord John Russell; and no other candidate having been pro- posed, Mr. Sheriff Wire declared Lord John Russell to be duly elected.

Before he could address the electors on the great subjects of the day, Mr. Potter put a question to Lord John; who stated in reply, that he had not had anything to do with the passing of the act regulating the burials- in the Metropolis, as it was passed by Lord Derby's Government.

Coming to the more important business of the election, Lord John said he stood there for the sixth time as one of their representatives—the third time within two years ; so that annual Parliaments would have given him fewer elections! He would not detain them with any reference to do- mestic measures ; but proceed to the absorbing question of the day—so absorbing, that measures for promoting the civil and religious rights of large portions of our countrymen have been " rather neglected than con- sidered—have been withdrawn in deference to public opinion, rather than opposed by Parliamentary resistance."

The great question is the war. As long as they could, the Ministers sought a pacific arrangement, for the blessings of forty years of peace were not to be lightly thrown away ; and it was not until the Emperor of Russia, unsatisfied with any moderate concessions, was determined to keep the terri- tory of his neighbour, that Ministers advised the Queen to declare she would take up arms in defence of their ally the Sultan. In that declaration we had the cooperation of the Emperor of the Freuch,—a cooperation which he trusted would lead to a permanent alliance with that great people. "But,' continued Lord John, "there were others who were as much interested as England and France in preserving the independence of Europe against an ambitious power—I mean the great States of Germany. I believe that while the success of Russia—that while her conquest of Turkey and her occupation of Constantinople—would have been dangerous to England and to France, it would have been absolute oppression to the people of Oermany ; and accordingly the people of Germany have felt that this is a question which would not be indifferent to them. The principal Sovereigns of Europe, the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia, have sympathized with their people ; and I trust that the war that we are about to carry on will be a war not of two powers but of five powers of Europe against the Emperor of Russia. I know there were those who said, Do not give assistance to the Turks.' They said so on various reasons and various pretences. Some said the Turks were a people so barbarous and their Government so bad that we ought not to aid them. Gentlemen, I have heard such an argument used in former times; and I believe that the intention of that argument was, not to blame the Turks, not to amend their government, but to abet the designs of the Emperor of Russia. It is easy to say, and it is not for me to deny, the faults—nay, the maladministration, and in many instances the cruelties, which exist under the Turkish rule. But this was not a time to discuss any improve- ment in those matters. The question was, to resist the aggression of Russia ; and, I have no doubt, if that aggression is successfully resisted, that the im- provement of Turkish institutions and the happiness of the Christian people living under the Sultan of Turkey will follow from that resistance and that success. On the other hand, if the Emperor of Russia were to succeed in his- attack, we must recollect that it would be the success of a Government which endeavours to suppress all freedom of thought, to which neither poli- tical, nor religious, nor any kind of liberty can look for encouragement, and that there would be a deadly power hanging over Europe, and at length at- tacking even our own institutions as incompatible with the existence of the monstrous tyranny which at present prevails in that country. It has been said, that if the Turks had been left alone it would have been better for them. That is the very argument used by the Emperor of Russia : he has constantly said, This is no business of yours ; do not you interfere ; only let the Sultan settle his own affairs with me; let us have a friendly ccnfer- ence together, and we shall no doubt come to a very amicable determination.' But, gentlemen, we thought—the Emperor of Russia being much the stronger of the two—that that amicable determination could not but be injurious to the Turks ; and we now find that the Turkish Government has most wil- lingly accepted our aid, and that, in instances which I could quote, that aid has been most efficient for that purpose. "Gentlemen, I now proceed then to the mode in which this war is to be carried on. And let me remark, in the first place, that it was observed by a Member of the House of Commons, and most truly, when we were embark- ing on this war, that it was not a war from which we could expect the e ad- vantages which had attended other wars ; and that the conquests of islands, such, for instance, as Jamaica and Trinidad, could not be achieved from a power like Russia. Indeed, there are none of the possessions of Russia, which, if they were offered to us, we should accept, and there are none which I am disposed to covet. But there is more than this. We have all venerated the glories of Nelson at St. Vincent and of Duncan at Camper- down ; but the victories by which they achieved their fame were vic- tories achieved against enemies who came out into the open sea—who met them in a fair fight, and who in that fair fight were encountered by the valour and the prowess of our admirals and our sailors. We have now to deal with an enemy who encloses his navy within walls of granite, who places his ships behind stone walls and batteries brist- ling with guns, and who never ventures to meet Dundee or Napier in the open sea; and if they did, no doubt these gallant admirals would be able, in nautical phrase, 'to give a good account' of those Russian fleets. What they may be able to accomplish, as matters stand, it is not for me, nor for any of us, to decide. All we know is, that we have given those commands to gallant and skilful admirals; that all that gallantry and skill can do they will accomplish; that they will prove themselves to be worthy sons of England, and that we ought to rest satisfied that that which can be accomplished they will accomplish, and that that which they will leave undone could not be done by human courage or by human skill. But, gentlemen, we have done that which has not been usual in former wars. We have at the very com- mencement of the war sent a land army to the defence of our allies. We know that our military means are far inferior to those of the great Conti- nental monarchies ; we know that we do not call out our eighty thousand or our hundred thousand men by the conscription to swell the ranks of our at-

mies; that our armies are slowly raised, raised from volunteers, raised by voluntary enrolment: and therefore we never do send armies, and I do not know that the lovers of the constitution would wish that we should Rend ar- mies of a hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand men into the field. But even the army we have sent has already been the means of furnishing troops to defend a Turkish fortress which was surrendered in the last war to the armies of Russia—I mean the fortress of Varna—and has thus enabled the brave and able commander of the Turkish army, Omar Pasha, to add a considerable reinforcement to his army, which I trust will enable him to cope with the Russians in the enterprise they are about to undertake. "Well. I have said to you that I think it should be our endeavour to obtain 'a durable a solid, and an honourable peace.' Now I should be guilty of the greatest presumption—I should be guilty of a breach of the most solemn duty—if I were to say what are the terms which in the opinion of her Ma- jesty's Government would make that peace honourable, solid, and durable.

That is a question not merely for her Majesty's Government. It is to be

decided along with the ally of her Majesty, the Emperor of France; it is to be considered in conjunction with other powers if other powers should, as

I hope, stand by our aide in this conflict for the independence of Europe. But more than this, the exact terms of that peace must depend upon the fortunes of war—must depend upon the success with which we encounter the

embattled legions of Russia. My hope is that that war will meet with success which, from its object and its motive, it deserves- but this I will say, that no insufficient peace ought to be made : that we ought not to lay down

our arms until we have obtained security for the future ; tint, having made the great exertions that we have done, that having our eyes open to the designs of Russia, that other nations of Europe having their eyes open likewise, we should be the most silly of mortals if we were to sign an insecure peace, which would leave it to our present enemy to bide his time, until by the dissensions of other powers, until by the weak- ness of some of those powers, he should find a better opportunity of ac- mornplishing his design. Let us consider for a moment what that design is. I give it from no unfair interpretation of that which has been said by the Emperor of Russia himself. It is that the Principalities he occupies and Bulgaria, should be held under his protection ; it is that Constantinople itself should not be occupied, either by the present government or by any flee government, which should harbour those who might be considered his -enemies. It is, therefore, that Constantinople should be, like Cracow or Warsaw, subject to Russian protection and Russian influences. I say that such a consummation would be fatal to the liberty of Europe. I ask you to . oppose such a consummation. I believe that British hearts, British courage, Britieh skill, and British power are equal to achieve for us, in conjunction with our allies, and in conjunction with the sympathies of Europe, and not of Europe only but of the whole world, that success ; and I earnestly pray that God may give the victory to her Majesty's arms for that purpose." (Great cheering.)

The usual vote of thanks to the Sheriffs, and three cheers for the newly- elected Member, and for Sir Charles Napier, having been accorded, the meeting ended.

Mr. Urquhart had an advertisement in the morning papers of Monday, offering his services ; and had essayed to address two meetings, one in the Guildhall yard, on Monday, and one in the London Tavern, on Tuesday; but he made no impression. His assertions, that we have not declared war against and are not at war with Russia, his describing the war as a sham and a collusion, and his talk of the necessity of impeaching Minis- ters, were received with all the varied modes by which public meetings are wont to manifest their contempt and displeasure. When the Sheriffs had left the hall on Wednesday, Mr. Urquhart tried to speak ; but hooting and laughter drowned his voice. He did, however, manage to say that they had carried their election, and made another tool for the Emperor Nicholas, but had lost the chance of saving their country.

The opening of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, by the Queen, on Saturday last, was accomplished with that success which usually attends the presence of the Sovereign. The day was brilliantly fine ; long before the arrival of her Majesty, the roads leading to Penge Hill were lined with spectators and crowded with carriages. At the West front of the Palace there was a great gathering ; and as the Turkish Ambassador, the French Commissioners, and other popular persons came up in succession, cheers broke from the holiday throng. On the East side the scene was scarcely less animated as the long trains from London Bridge arrived and departed by the new Crystal Palace line. By one o'clock the majority of the visitors had assembled. Around the dais in the centre transept was gathered a fine representation of the higher grades of British society. The Ministers of State and the Primate were on the left of the throne; on the right sat the Diplomatic Body; in front were the directors and others in court dresses, the Lord Mayor of London, with his brothers of Dublin and York, on either hand, provincial magnates, privileged journalists, &c. On the West, the great curve of the orchestra reared itself, filled with singers and instrumental performers ; Clara Novelle Lablache, and Costa, conspicuous in the throng. The lower galleries of the great transept held the Members of Parliament and their families. On the whole, it is estimated that 40,000 people were present within the building. The Queen and Prince Albert arrived at three o'clock, and entered the Palace, preceded by Sir Joseph Paxton and Mr. Laing. With her Majesty were the King of Portugal and his brother the Duke of Oporto, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess and Princess Mary of Cam- bridge. The Queen, the ladies who attended her, and the children, were in common walking dress. A chair of state had been placed for her Ma- jesty on the dais ; but she remained unseated. The National Anthem was performed with very grand effect ; Madame Novelle, standing alone in front of the vast orchestra, taking the solo parts, with a distinctness of elocution and penetrating power of the purest tone that reached to every part of the Palace. The next portion of the ceremony was the reading of a long address to the Queen by Mr. Laing, recounting the benefits derived from the Exhibition of 1851, and telling the history and objects of the present structure. To this her Majesty replied in these words- " I receive with much pleasure the loyal and dutiful address which you have presented to me upon the present occasion. It is a source of the highest gratification to myself and to the Prince my Consort, to find that the Great Exhibition of 1851, which was so happily inaugurated under our auspices, suggested the idea of this magnificent undertaking, which has produced so noble a monument of the genius, science, and enterprise of my subjects. It is my earnest wish and hope that the bright anticipations which have been formed as to its future destiny may, under the blessing of Divine Providence, be completely realized ; and that this wonderful structure, and the treasures of art and knowledge which it contains, may long continue to elevate and instruct, as well as to delight and amuse, the minds of all classes of my people."

Mr. Laing then introduced separately the writers of the handbooks, de- scriptive of the contents of the Palace and gardens ; who, headed by Sir Joseph Paxton, ascended the steps of the dais, presented their handbooks, and descended backwards. In this difficult operation one or more stum- bled, and one turned his back and fled—the first to the evident amuse- ment, the second evidently not to the entire satisfaction of the Queen. The gentlemen thus formally introduced were Sir Joseph Paxton, Mr. Owen Jones, Mr. Digby Wyatt, Mr. Samuel Phillips, Mr. Ferguson, Pro- fessor Owen, Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins Dr. Latham, Professor Forbes, Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. Gould, and Mr. Thompson. This ceremony gone through, a procession was formed to perambulate the Palace. At its head marched Mr. Belshavr, followed by the superintendents of works, the:con- tractors, the architects of the industrial courts, the principal officers and heads of departments, and the directors. Sir Joseph Paxton and Mr. Laing immediately preceded the Queen, Prince Albert, the King of Portugal, the Royal Family, the Duke of Oporto, the Archbishop of Can- terbury, the Cabinet Ministers, and the Foreign Ministers. Turning to the right, the procession moved slowly along the South nave, West side and East,—the spectators cheering as the Queen passed them,—came back to the central transept on the East side, passed out upon the balcony over- looking the park, traversed the North nave in the same manner as the South, and once more returned to the centre ; the Queen and her imme- diate circle to the elevated platform, the Ministers of State and other public functionaries surrounding the dais as before. Then the Hun- dredth Psalm, in all its simple grandeur of harmony, was pealed by the thousand voices and accompanying instruments of the choir. This led by a natural transition to the Archbishop of Canterbury's dedicatory prayer. The prayer was followed by the Hallelujah Chorus—a triumph of music ; and the Queen, through the Lord Chamberlain, pronounced the Crystal Palace open. Once more the National Anthem rose and swelled under the lofty vaults ; and then the Queen departed as she came. So the ceremony ended. The barriers were removed, and the de- lighted spectators rambled at pleasure in the courts and galleries, the ter- races and the park. The history of the Crystal Palace, how it arose, and at what cost it has been erected, need not be reiterated here; but some details of the size and structure of the building may be gleaned with advantage from the masses of print that the event of the opening has put in circulation. "The Crystal Palace stands nearly North and South, on the summit of the Penge Bill; its length being 1608 feet, its greatest breadth at the cen- tral transept 384, and at the smaller transepts 336 feet. The general width of the body of the building between the transepts, including the glazed and open corridors, is 312 feet. In the old building the greatest width was 456 feet, and at the transept it was 408 feet. The ground upon which the build- ing stands, slopes very much towards the park, and rows of brick piers are run up to support the front rows of columns. The nave consists of a grand avenue, nearly double the width of the nave of St. Paul's Cathedral, and more than three times its length ; it is 72 feet wide, and 1608 feet long, and crosses the transepts at right angles. At the height of 68 feet from the floor there springs a semi-cylindrical vault 72 feet in diame- ter, which stretches away from one end of the nave to the other. The central transept has a vaulted roof of 120 feet span, extending for a

length of 384 feet. The span of this noble arch is about twenty feet larger than that of St. Peter's at Rome, and nearly forty feet greater than that of St. Paul's, in London. The space covered by this colossal vault is con- siderably larger than the whole Minster at York. The walls of St. Paul's Cathedral are fourteen feet thick—those of the Crystal Palace eight inches; St. Paul's was thirty-five years in building—the People's Palace has been constructed in little more than twice as many weeks. At a

distance of 528 feet on each side of the central transept, the nave is intersected by the two smaller transepts, each of which is, however, of the same dimensions as that which formed the great feature of the late Exhibition building. They are 72 feet in diameter, and spring from the same height as the vaulted roof of the nave—that is, 68 feet. It the point of intersection of the nave with the end transepts, the roof is flat, and forms a parallelogram of 72 feet square. On each side of the nave is an aisle of 24 feet in width, formed by the columns which support a portion of the build- ing. Beyond these first aisles, and parallel with them at a distance of 48 feet, are second aisles, 43 feet in height ; and, again beyond these, and at the same distance, are third aisles, of the same width and height. At alter- nate distances of 72 feet and 24 feet, columns project 8 feet into the nave, which, continued up nearly to the roof, support an upper gallery, which runs completely round the building, and sustain also the arched girders which carry the semicircular roof of the nave. A gallery, 24 feet in width, runs entirely round the building on the sides nearest the exterior, and round the four courts, 48 by 120 feet, which abut on the central transept. This lower gallery is reached by eight double staircases, four being placed

at each portion of the building, divided by the central transept. -From

the first, or lower gallery, access is obtained to the upper 8-feet gallery, by eight spiral staircases, one being placed at each end of the three transepts, and one at each end of the building. The second tier of columns supports in the transepts only a platform, or landing-place, 24 feet in width, and 72 feet in length, with the exception of the larger one in the centre, the length of which is 120 feet, and from these platforms, at an elevation of 42 feet from the ground, a continuation of the spiral staircase leads to the second or upper gallery, at a height of 62 feet. The passage along this gallery is through a series of ring or 'bull's-eye' girders, seven feet in diameter, rest- ing upon the columns, which project into the nave, at alternate distances of 24 and 72 feet. The views from this gallery, whether of the busy scene far down below into the nave of the building, or through the glazed windows over the surrounding country, or of the gradual diminution of the size of the hoops of the girders as they fade away in the long perspective of the gallery, will amply repay the visitor for the trouble of ascending. A colonnade 720 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 18 feet high, constructed of 60 tons of iron, and 30,000 superficial feet of glass, leads from the South wing of the Palace to the railway station. Nor are all the wonders above ground. There is the "Paxton tunnel," extending from end to end of the buddmg, containing the entire heating apparatus—a collection of not less than 50 miles of iron pipes. A tram-road traverses the whole length of the tunnel, upon which the fuel for the smoke-consuming furnace is conveyed. The roof of the basement floor is formed of brick arches, resting on the flanges of cast-iron girders, supported at one end by a row of monotonous- oo - ing iron columns, and upon the other by a brick retaining wall. There also, looking on to the terrace, the machinery in motion is exhibited. Up to Thursday, the daily number of visitors to the Crystal Palace had not been great ; but then it is remarked that the weather has not been favourable. There were 2096 five-shilling visitors on Monday, 1847 on Tuesday, 2641 on Wednesday, 1413 on Thursday. The largest attend- ance, including season-ticket-holders, was 5561, on Wednesday. The number of season tickets sold before the opening was 20,157. At a meeting of the Corporation of Trinity House on Monday, Prince Albert was reelected Master, and Captain John Shepherd, Deputy-Master, for the ensuing year.

A deputation, including in its members Vice-Admiral Sir William Dillon, Mr. Joseph Hume, and Sir Edward Lytton, waited upon Mr. Gladstone on Friday last week, for the purpose of inducing him to grant a pension to Nelson's daughter. They laid before hira the well-known facts of the case, and supplied him with a copy of the codicil of Nelson's will, written on the morning of the battle of Trafalgar, leaving his daughter to "the beneficence of his country." It is also recorded that after receiv- ing his death-wound he said—" Remember I leave my daughter Horatia as a legacy to my country; never forget Horatia." Mr. Gladstone said he would consult the other members of the Cabinet before coming to any decision ; but intimated that he thought the difficulties in the way of carrying out the wishes of the deputation were of a very slight character.

At a meeting of the fellows of Sion College,—the Reverend William Goode in the chair,—it was moved by Dr. Croly and seconded by Dr. Vivian, that a petition should be presented to the House of Commons in opposition to Lord Harrowby's bill for the removal of the City churches. Upon this Dr. M'Caul moved and the Reverend Mr. Short seconded an amendment, that the meeting approved of the principle of the bill; but, after much discussion, this was negatived by 17 to 14. Dr. Russell then moved the previous question; this obstruction was disposed of by 18 to 15, and the original resolution was carried.

The new election for a Churchwarden of St. Paul's Knightsbridge took place on Wednesday and Thursday. On the former day a large number of conspicuous persons—including Lord John Russell, Earl Fitz william, Earl Dude, Lord Enfield, Lord Bernard, Lord Combermere, Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. H. Herbert, Mr. G. Berkeley, Colonel Knox, and other Mem- bers of Parliament—were present at the nomination. The candidates were Mr. Westerton and Mr. Davidson, and the struggle excited unu- sual interest. From the outset, however, there was no doubt who would head the poll—Mr. Westerton leading and keeping the lead by large ma- jorities. At the close, the numbers were—Westerton 651, Davidson 328; a majority of nearly two to one.

A body of the Metropolitan Police are now doing duty in Woolwich Dockyard and Arsenal, hitherto performed by the Marines, now on fo- reign service. The force consists of sixty constables, armed with cutlass and revolvers, eight sergeants, and two inspectors.

The hearing of counsel for and against a new trial in the disputed case of the late Duchess of Manchester's will, has occupied the Court of Vice-Chan- cellor Page Wood three days this week, and two counsel have yet to be heard. The demand for a new trial is based on the allegation that Baron Parke misdirected the Jury, and produced an impression on their minds, by his mode of summing up, that led them to give a verdict against the weight of the evidence.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Wednesday, Mr. Parry obtained a post- ponement of the trial of Mary Anne Alice Seago, charged with the murder of her stepson, as she had not had time to furnish the materials for any de- fence; Mr. Parry having only been at that moment retained to defend her by the humanity of the Sheriffs.

Michael Pellett, wine-merchant, was acquitted, on Thursday, of the charge of defrauding Messrs. Hart of a pipe of wine ; the prosecutor could not say whether the handwriting of the letter which induced him to Rend a letter of indemnity by which Pellett got possession of the wine was Pellett's or his daughter's.

Joseph Saunders, otherwise Vidler, a ticket-of-leave man, pleaded guilty to the charge of having forged the name of Lieutenant-Colonel Jebb, Di- rector of Convict Prisons, to a check on Coutts and Company. He had copied the signature from his ticket-of-leave. Sentence, ten years' penal servitude.

Luke Clarke, an Irish labourer, has been held to bail for threatening to shoot Sir George Grey and Mr. Roebuck. Clarke seems to have lived at Sheffield; he considered himself on one occasion aggrieved by the conduct of the Bradford Police, and he got Mr. Roebuck to state his case to Sir George Grey, then Home Secretary ; but he did not get the redress he thought he deserved. The other day, he went to Mr. Lucas, the Member for Meath, and unfolded his wrongs : Mr. Lucas advised him to give up his profitless pursuit: whereupon Clarke threatened to buy a pistol and shoot Sir George Grey and Mr. Roebuck. Mr. Lucas rebuked him; but Clarke only repeated his threats. Mr. Lucas in consequence had him taken into custody, Before the Westminster Magistrate the prisoner said he had no intention to harm any one, though he had been badly treated. Mr. Roebuck stated that he apprehended personal violence from the accused ; and Clarke was sent to prison in default of bail.

Mr. Johnson, the chemist of Newington Causeway, has written a letter to the Southwark Magistrate to exonerate himself from the alleged negligence and inhumanity of not hastening to assist Mrs. Murray, who was murdered last week. Mr. Johnson is not a " surgeon" ; he is not legally qualified, and would have been liable to a fine had he acted in the case ; and he might have rendered himself liable to a criminal charge had the woman died under his hands. On a subsequent day, a number of surgeons attended before the Magistrate to declare that they were ever ready to attend to any calls upon their services; and they said that Mr. Johnson had a plate on his door in- scribed "surgeon," though he is not really qualified to act as one.

Yr. Percy, property-master and modeller at the Surrey Theatre, has com- mitted suicide by hanging, in the property-room. Evidence was adduced before the Coroner's Jury to show that he believed himself ill-used, and had been dismissed. Verdict—" Temporary insanity."

Mr. William Radford, engineer of the Regent's Canal Company, died re- cently, at the early age of thirty-seven, from the effects of poison. While riding in a Hansom's cab, drawn by a glaudered horse, a drop of the poison was thrown into his eye ; and he died after great suffering.