Wbe afIttropolts.

The Free-trade Bazaar was opened at the shilling rate of admission on Tuesday, when 8,500 or 9,000 were ascertained to have passed throw h. The exhibition of wares is continually varied, fresh things, all free gifts to the League, arriving every day in such numbers as to occasion anxiety how to exhibit them. Among the contributions was a letter from Mr. William Brown, of Liverpool, enclosing 1001. towards the League fund, stating that Mrs. Brown had contributed 251. to the bazaar, and announcing that the writer sent a sample of fifteen hogsheads of New Orleans slave-grown sugar. " What an absurdity," exclaims Mr. Brown, " our admitting it for home consumption from the United States, and refusing it from Brazill 'WO expect any thing but hostile retaliation from the latter? Slavery I deplore as much as any man; but it is not by trying to coerce other nations that we are to get rid of it."

The numbers increased so on Wednesday that the managers were obliged to resort to some measure for mitigating the pressure of the crowd; and with that view they raised the price of admission to half-a-crown—

" Whatever," says the Morning Chronicle, " may be the disappointment of those who have expected to be admitted for one shilling during the remainder of the time of exhibition, and who will find, for this week at least, that they must pay half-a-crown or be excluded, the disappointment to everybody during the hot two days has been far greater; insomuch that they had to struggle in the crowds outside to get within the doors, and that when within the doors they were exposed to inconvenience, and were in many cases unable toget such a view of the goods offered for sale as would inform them whether they should buy or not. This led to inconvenience to the lady-attendants on the stalls, and at the same time disap-

ted them in effecting the sales which they are all so naturally eager to make. This last was the chief ground upon which the decision was come to in favour of the half-crown admission. Sales were at many stalls rendered impossible at some periods of the day; moreover, those who were most likely to be liberal purchasers were the persons least disposed to struggle in the crowd at the doors."

The Irish Society, established at the beginning of the present year, held their first general dinner in Willis's great room, (Almack's,) on Tuesday; when a hun- dred and fifty gentlemen sat down to dinner. The Chairman was the Marquis of Clanricarde; the Vice-Chairmen were Lord Trimlestone and Viscount Castle- reagh. The company included men of all parties and professions: here are a few of the names—the Marquis of Ormonde, Mr. Wyse, M.P., Professor Kane, Com- missioner Mayne, Mr. Emerson Tennent, M.P., Lord Albert Conyngham, Mr. Quintin Dick, M.P., Sir T. Lenard, Mr. R. Archbold, M.P., Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, M.P., Mr. M. H. Tulle, M.P., Major-General Caulfield, Sergeant Murphy, Dr. Croly, Dr. Sheridan, the Reverend F. 51shony, Mr. F. Denby the painter, Mr. John Doyle the well-known " 11B," Mr. Croft= Croker, Mr. Balfe the composer, Mr. Boleyne Reeves the harpist, Mr. Wallace the pianist, and a host of other eminent individuals " Old Ireland" was drunk with vociferous applause. Mr. Emerson Tennent gave " Prosperity to Ireland," coupled with the name of Mr. Morgan John O'Connell; who, responding to the toast, expressed his happiness at the proof presented there that night, that Irishmen could sink all differences of a political or sectarian nature, and meet upon the common ground of good fellow- ship and harmony. The meeting broke up late. [The millennium is coming! Seriously, these meetings in good fellowship of different parties and different " ranks " cannot but have a wholesome effect, social and political. Would they were more common!]

The May meetings at Exeter Hall continue to crowd that edifice.

The Newfoundland Schools Society reported their proceedings, at the twenty- second annual meeting, on Tuesday. There are 120 schools in Newfoundland. The receipts, which have fallen away for some time, were last year 4,1451.; the expenditure was 4,5481.; and the Society are in debt to their banker for 4001. The Reverend Charles George Smith was appointed clerical secretary in the room of the Reverend J. Haslegreave, resigned. The report, which suggested a more extended application of the Society's utility to the Colonies generally, was adopted.

The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge have also met. A most ex- tensive distribution of Bibles, Prayer-books and tracts, was reported; the tracts alone amounting to 3,438,817 in number. 'The sum of 3001. was placed at the disposal of the Bishop of Fredericton for diocesan objects; and the Committee gave notice of a motion to grant 5001. towards the building of St. John's College in New Zealand. The accounts showed a balance in the Society's favour of 3,4291.; the Queen having sent a donation of 100 guineas.

The annual meeting of the Protestant Association took place at Exeter Hall on Wednesday; and the attendance was very numerous; the Earl of Winchllsea pre- aiding. Maynooth formed the chief subject of discussion; and the principal speaker on that point was the Reverend J. 11. ITGhee, who denounced the doc- trmes taught at the College: but the eloquence was more vehement than striking or novel.

The fifty-sixth anniversary of the Literary Fund was celebrated by a dinner at Freemason's Tavern, on Wednesday. The Earl of Ellenborough presided; and several eminent patrons and cultivators of literature were present, a hundred in number. The peculiarity of the evening was a strong infusion of politics, apro- to Lord Ellenborough's Indian adminis. tration and the attacks made upon the Earl and Lord Brougham reciprocating compliments with amazing en- thusiasm of eulogy.

The Society of the Friends of Foreigners in Distress, to the number of two hundred, dined at the London Tavern on Thursday. The Duke of Cambridge presided; the Prussian, Hanoverian, and Belgian Ministers were present. The Queen sent 100 guineas; the subscriptions of the evening amounted to 2,5001.

The Middlesex Hospital having attained its hundredth year, extending its bene- ficent influence as it waxed in age, a festival to celebrate the occasion was held on Thursday. A sermon was preached in the morning, before the Vice-Presidents and Governors, at All Souls Church, Marylebone, by the Bishop of London; and a collection was made. in the evening, there was a dinner at Willis's ROOMS, St. James's; where upwards of three hundred gentlemen assembled. Lord Prudhoe presided, in the absence of his brother the Duke of Northumberland, who was in- disposed; and among the company present were Lord Dartmouth, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Lord Aylmer, Lord Hervey, Lord Teignmonth, Sir Thomas Herbert, the Bishop of Llandaff, the Dean of Chichester, Mr. W. Astell, M.P., Mr. Bond Cabbell, Captain Fremantle, Dr. Penfold, Mr. Henry Hallam, and Sir J. Caldwell. In proposing the health of the Queen, the Patron of the institution, the Chairman announced that her Majesty had sent 100 guineas. The health of the President of

the Hospital, whose grandfather, Hugh of Northumberland, laid the first stone of the present building ninety years ago, was drank with great applause. The Chairman in proposing " Success to the Hospital" enlarged on the benefits which it conferred: these are not confined merely to the relief of sickness or wounds, for there is a Convalescent Fund which affords assistance to discharged patients if unable to work. Mr. Cabbell, in calling for increased contributions to the Hospital, said, that in Paris there are double the numberof hoepital-beds that there are in London; showing what room there is here to enlarge the accommodation for the afflicted poor. The Treasurer read a report of subscriptions received—the Queen, 1051.; the Queen Dowager, 101.; the Duke of Northumberland, President, 3001.; Lord Prudhoe, Vice-President and Chairman 2001.; Mr. B. B. Cabbell, Vice- President, 1001.; Sir William Weller Pepys, Vice-President, 1001.; the Earl of Egmont, 501.; Mr. H. Meyrick Hoare, 521. 10s.; Mr. Charles Pieschell, 100/. for ever; Lord Denman, 501.; and a long list of other donations, amounting in the whole to 8,4001. From printed papers which were laid on the table it appears, that the Hospital was founded on a small scale in 1745; since that time additions to its buildings and funds have been continually made; during the century the beds have increased from 18 to 250; and the yearly number of patients from 500 to 12,000. The ordinary income for 1844 was 6,3691.; the extra income, consist- ing of donations, legacies, and collections at sermons, 4,9891.; the ordinary ex- diture for the year was 7,6861. The receipts of the Samaritan Fund, for re

patients when discharged, were 1551. The in-patients for the year were '2,322, the out-patients 9,140; making a total of 11,462. In 1843, the total was 'only 8,994. Dr. Hawkins declared that the Convalescent Fund was an important branch of the institution; for pure country air is required by patients at certain -periods, and this fund enables them to obtain it.

The Whitsuntide holydays began with doubtful weather on Sunday; and the practical business of holyday-making, the excursions out of town, on Monday, was threatened with disastrous clouds. However, towards noon the day cleared Somewhat; and although the ardour of many must have been rather damped, the statistics of suburban travelling are as copious as ever. The Greenwich railroad carried down 32,000 persons on Sunday, and the same number on Mon day; of about thirty-six steam-boats plying to that town, some of them carried ' 500 each; and Greenwich was thronged by its " countless thousands." With Greenwich its newer rival, Stepney, vied. To the West, the large pleasure-vans might be seen as usual. And London streets have swarmed with workpeople at leisure, family parties, young couples, country cousins, all intent on sight-seeing. In short, it has been just like any other Whitsuntide, except that the variable weather has imparted to this mid-May much the character of April.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, en Thursday, judgment was given in the case of Howard versus Gossett. The plaintiff, Howard, an attorney, was seized by the defendant., Sr William Gossett, Sergeant-at-Arms, under the Speaker's warrant, in February 1840, for contempt of the House of Commons. The declaration alleged that the plaintiff was forcibly taken along certain passagoa, into certain rooms, and detained. The defendant pleaded, in various forms, the ancient usage and privilege of Parliament, and the Speaker's warrant; to which pleas the plain- tiff demurred, and the Court now pronounced judgment on the demurrer. As the Judges differed in opinion, they declared their judgment seriatim. Mr. Justice Wightman was of opinion that the plea was bad, because the warrant was not sufficient to justify all that was done: in its terms it solely directed the defendant to take the plaintiff into custody—not to detain him, to take him before the bar of the House, or to do any specific thing. Mr. Justice Coleridge concurred; dis- cussing atgreat length the general subject of warrants, and the inability of the House of Commons to claim exemption from the universal rule that a warrant must be precise in its terms. Mr. Justice Williams was of opinion that the warrant of the Speaker must be judged upon principles different from those regu- lating the warrants issuing from law courts—that is, more liberally; and that it must be understood to justify all done according to its obvious Intendment; so that in this case the warrant must be sustained. Lord Chief Justice Denman

with the two former Judges; remarking, that it was consolatory to reflect agreed the present case the privileges of the Commons did not come in question; for the House could not, of course, claim the privilege of issuing a bad warrant. Judgment, therefore, was given for the plaintiffi,

In the same Court, on Tuesday, a little girl named Day recovered damages against a Mr. Edwards, for injury caused by neglect of the defendant or his servants; the action being in fact brought by the father of the nominal plain- tiff. Mr. Day is a publican, and Mr. Edwards a pawnbroker. A person who owed Mr. Day money, gave him the duplicate of a table-cruet which had been left at the defendant's shop; and Mr. Day redeemed it. When it was brought to his house, it contained a liquid, of which the little girl, who is only four years old, drank: she was taken ill, and recovered with difficulty ; the liquid proving to be sulphuric acid. Evidence was adduced that the acid was not plaoed in the cruet at Mr. Edwards's house; and two of his men deposed that there was no liquid in the cruet when it was carried away. The Jury seem to have disbelieved that

evidence; for they gave 1001. damages. '

An action arising out of the notorious Running Rein case was decided in the Court of Exchequer, on Tuesday. A "Derby sweep" was established at the Masons Arms public-house, near Piccadilly; the drawer of the first horse to have 501., of the second 101., with some small percentage deducted. RunninLRein came in first, but was afterwards pronounced to be disqualified; and a Mr. Torre, who had drawn the name of Orlando, the second horse, claimed the first prize. He was met by the objection, that Running Rein was actually the first horse in the race; and in the state of doubt, the landlord, Mr. West, detained the whole of the money; on which Mr. Torre brought the action. The Jury gave the verdict for the plaintiff, awarding the prize to him.

By a decision of the Admiralty Coart, on Tuesday, the owners of the Parana, a brig, recovered the amount of damage occasioned by a collision on the 10th September last; in which the Iron Duke, a vessel belonging to the Dublin Steam- packet Company, was run down and destroyed.

At the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday, Basil Cochrane Willis and Lioael Goldsmid were tried for conspiring together to obtain by false pretences two bills of exchange of the value of 1,100/. from Edmund Lyons Herne. As the case was fully stated when it was investigated at Marlborough Street Police-office, we need merely mention the chief points. The bills, with another for 6001., were obtained, without consideration, by a pretended firm of " Smith and Co.," from a young gentleman named Mytton. Mr. Mytton, learning that Herne held two of the bills, authorized the defendants to retrieve them if possible. They pretended that they would get them discounted for Herne; and by that trick they obtained possession of the documents. The prosecutor averred that he had himself, for other parties, advanced 8001. on the notes; but the defendants declared that he was a confede- rate of " Smith and Co." His cross-examination was not favourable to him. The Recorder expressed his opinion, that the legal offence had been made out by the evidence: whatever might be the circumstances under which a party might ob- lain possession of a bill of exchange or valuable security, no person was justified in getting it from him by false pretences of this description. The Jury, there- fore, returned a verdict of " Guilty." In answer to the Recorder, they said they were of opinion that no money had been advanced upon the bills. The defendants were ordered to appear at the next sessions to receive judgment. On Wednesday, George Lowe, the foreman in Messrs. Samuda's manufactory at Blackwell, was tried for the manslaughter of the persons who were recently killed there by the explosion of a boiler. He was charged with having neglected to re- gulate the power of the steam in a boiler which was under his care; whereby it burst and destroyed the men. The account of the disaster was similar to that given at the inquest Messrs. Braithwaite and Bell, civil engineers, said the ex plosion must have been caused by excessive pressure on the boiler-100 pounds to the square inch; and their opinion was, that the safety-valve was not acting freely at the time. There was only one safety-valve, and that not of good con- struction. A number of workmen gave contradictory evidence as to Lowe's having tampered with the safety-valve he certainly affixed a piece of wood to it; but some said that made it work better; others that it had no effect; only one, John Burnand, declared that it rendered the valve perfectly useless; and this man, who had had a dispute with theprisoner, geve his evidence in a way that called forth a caution from Mr. Baron Alderson. It would appear from the evidence In general, that the boiler was of defective construction; and that the pipes which conveyed the steam to the cylinder were probably choked with ice at the time of the accident, in a great measure preventing the passage of the steam from the boiler. Mr. Clarkson, for the prisoner, submitted that there was no evidence tending to fix upce the accused the offence of having feloniously killed the parties who unfortunately lost their lives on this occasion. Mr. Baron Alderson said that the testimony was very slight but he left it to the Jury; who speedily returned a verdict of "Not Guilty. The Judge perfectly concurred in this decision : be thought the occurrence was entirely an accident, and that there was no blame to be attributed to Mr. Lowe.

On Thursday, Joseph Connor was tried for the murder of Mary Brothers, in St. Giles's, in March last. The evidence was generally of the same nature as that ad- duced before the Police Magistrate at Bow Street and before the Coroner at the inquest, and not at all less loathsome. The trial turned upon the question of identity, the defence resting upon some weakness in the evidence ore that point. Connor seems to have prepared for that kind of defence from the first. rue of the witnesses deposed, that after the murder had been committed he met Connor, who said he had given the woman "something"; on which the witness said, "I suppose you have not killed her"; and Connor replied, that he did not know, but he should go home and change his things, so that they miykt not know him. Another witness, the Policeman against whom be ran, would not swear to his identity, though he strongly believed it. Three witnesses examined for the pri- soner gave him a good character for humanity and kindness of disposition. In

elucidation of his motives, it appears that he was about to be married to a cousin, lilt be delayed his marriage under the supposition that his health had been in-

The Jury deliberated for three hours and a half, and then returned a ver- dict of "Guilty. Sentence of death was passed on the prisoner; who was quite overcome by the verdict.

Yesterday, Martha Brixey was tried for the murder of Mr. Winch's infant son, and acquitted, on the score of insanity.

A Mr. White has been brought before the Bow Street Magistrate in consequence of a very awkward mistake at the League Bazaar. Mr. White bought an article there, and tendered, instead of a sovereign, a gold-coloured medal He was given into custody. At the Police-office he explained that be had tendered the medal in error; having had ten such medals in one end of his purse for years, being in a dark part of the theatre he applied to the wrong end. Mr. White was well toipplied with true coin; and luckily, he was recognized by Mr. Twyford, the Magistrate, as an old acquaintance: Mr. Twyford had met him at dinner, and should probably dine in his company that very day. Mr. White was discharged, the medals being retained. [Mr. Twyford has laid himself open to some sar- castic remarks on this case, of a very easy kind to make; and they have not been spared.] Mr. John Qnincey Harris was charged at Bow Street, on Saturday, with assaulting the servants of Mr. Roberts, his brother-in-law. Mr. Harris was once Member for Newcastle-under-Lyne; and he carried on a great hat-manufactory in Southwark, but lately he became a bankrupt. Mr. Roberts had been repeatedly threatened by Mr. Harris, and on Saturday that gentleman attempted to force himself into his brother-in-law's house. From the statements made to the Magis- trate, and from Mr. Harris's conduct in court, it would appear that his intellects are unsettled. A medical examination was talked of, for the purpose of putting him in some place of safety ; but eventually, he was held to bail, and as sureties were not forthcoming he was removed to prison. On Monday,. two persons attended at Bow Street to offer bail; but on learning that Mr. Harris had been very violent in prison, one of them declined to be his surety. Mr. Roberts said, `that medical gentlemen would be sent to examine the state of his brother-in-law's mind.

Kitchen, a boy only nine years old, has been committed for trial, from Queen Square Police-office on a charge of breaking open a box for donations in the Epis- eoPal Chapel, Halkin Street West, and steahnr money from-it. He was one of the Sunday scholars at the chapel: last Sunday afternoon he secreted himself in the building; on being, left alone he broke open the box with a poker and a knife, and then escaped, it is supposed, by a window.