iftetropolio.

The inquiries of the Privy Council into the origin of the fire in the Houses of Parliament have been continued during the week ; and not-.

withstanding the positive assertion of Mr. Cooper, the stove-maker, that he heard news of the fire at the Bush Inn in Dudley, between three and four hours after it was discovered in London, it seems to be uni- versally believed, on the best grounds, that it was caused by overheating the flues communicating with the fire-place, where a large quantity of the old wooden Exchequer tallies were burnt. The evidence of Mr. Snell, an ironmonger of Tiverton, who had been, with a friend viewing the two houses between four and five in the afternoon, and was the last person in the House of Lords before the fire was discovered, seems to be conclusive on this point. Mr. Snell himself has guaranteed the cor- rectness of the subjoined account of his evidence before the Privy Council.

Ile stated, that on Thursday the 16th, he went to the House of Lords, in company with Mr. John Shuter ; and on entering the House of Lords, a little after four, immediately expressed to Mrs. Wright his surprise at the quantity of smoke, which Mrs. Wright accounted for by the workmen then being employed below. Mr. Snell and Mr. Shuter then walked up the body of the House ; pro- ceeded to the Robing-room, thence to the Conference-room (commonly called the Painted Chamber), and afterwards to the Ohl House of Lords; where they observed the difference in the atmosphere, Mr. Snell there complaining of cold. Illore than half an hour was occupied in these inspections. On returning to the House of Lords, Mr. Snell, after examining the Throne, Wcoloick, was desirous of viewing the tapestry ; which, partly owing to the growing ob- scurity, and from the smoke was scarcely visible. The most important part, however, of Mr. Snell's evidence was, that on proceeding to the lower part of the House, near the seat of the Usher of the Black Rod, the heat from the door was felt through his boots; which induced hitn to put his hand on the floor ; the beat from which was so great as to cause him to exclaim, "Bless me, what a strong beat is here ! I should think it would take fire." To which Mrs. Wright replied, " Oh ! no, it is a stone floor ;" and accounted for the heat by saying, "that they were then burning Exchequer tallies in their flues, and she did not know by what authority they used them."

In addition to the story told by Mr. Cooper of what he beard in Dudley, Thoinas Meechin, an iron-plate-worker, wrote to his brother

in London, that he arrived in Birmingham at one o'clock on the Fri-

day moraine, and heard the news of the fire of the preceding evening on the road, before he reached Birmingham. This man was examined before the Privy Council on Wednesday, and persisted in this statement ; but

it does not appear that much stress was laid on it. Greater pains were taken to verify or disprove Mr. Cooper's story. We mentioned last week that the guard of the Shrewsbury coach recognized Mr. Cooper as.one of the passengers from Dudley on the Friday, and that was all he bad to say on tbe subject. The Council then ordered inquiries to be

made at the Bush Inn, and other places in Dudley ; where it turned sDut that nobody except Mr. Cooper had heard a word about the fire till the Friday morning. Mr. Cooper, however, gave a very eircunistan.

Cal account of what pa,ssed in the room at the inn; and his recollec- ticin was eapecially clear as to one of the persoos in the same room

calling for a jack-boot and slippers, when he had only shoes on, and of course did not want the jack-boot. On Wednesday, Mr. Cooper was confronted with this gentleman—Mr. Riddle, a commercial traveller— before the Council; and was recognized by him, though Mr. Riddle had no remembrance whatever of,hearing of the fire' or the circumstance of the jack-boot and slippers. Lord Chancellor Brougham then pro- ceeded to croes-examine Mr. Cooper, as follows.

Lord liroughaut—" Mr. Unarm, do you recollect this gentleman?" (pointing to Mr. Biddle.) Mr. Cooper—" Yes, sty Lord, I do; I have a recollectiou of seeing him before."

Lord Brougham—" Have you any doubt but that this is one of the gentlemen with whom you spent the evening of the Thursday on which the fire occurred, at the Bush Inn, Dudley?"

Us. cooper.—" I have not the lees; doubt but that it was in that place and at that time I saw this gentleman." Lord Brougham—" Now, Mr. Cooper, perhaps you will be able to recollect what sort of a person it was who brought the news of the burning of the two Rouses?" Mr. Cooper—" I cannot exactly describe him." LordAlsoughains." Wa.s lots Idack man, or a Wale man 9" Mr. Cosper—" de not exactly understand yoke Lortlahip's question. He certainly alas not what is calks! black inns; tluit is, not a man of colour." Lord ltrougham--?4 No, no I f don't mean exactly whether he was a white man or a negro. I mean, was ha qf a dark complerien ; did he wear a block stock, or any thing dark, or particular about his dress, or was he of a Jai k or iight complexion ?" Mr. Cooper—" My Lord, I did not pay any particular attention to his person or appearance." Lord Brougham—" Then do you still persist in the accuracy of your former statement as to the time when you first beard of the fire?"

Mr. Cooper—" I do, my Lord ; and I am confident I cannot be mistaken."

Lord Melbourne (so the report says) on the same day on which this examination took place, submitted a letter to their Lordships, which had been sent by the Twopenny-post to Mr. Hall, Mr. Cooper's partner. The following is given as a copy of the letter.

"Mr. Ball—You would probably like to take a very active part in time dis- covery of the origin of the late fire which destroyed the Houses where the enemies of liberty used to meet far the support of oppression, the degredution of the poor, and to deprive them of every privilege that belongs to mankind ; but their career is short. Fires shall not cease there—suss'. wor, I ssv ! ! Great deeds are on the eve of taking place, which shall make them quake in their concealment. Not one of them shall dare to show his face.

"Take this hint, and remain strictly neutral till it is shown to you what psi are to do, or tremble for the consequences.

"From an innumerable force of the Friends of Liberty.

(Signed) "A TRUE RP:FORMER. "Dated Bead-quarters, Oct. 23, 1834."

This formidable epistle, evidently the composition of some would-be wag, is said to have made a great impression on their Lordships; who decided that further inquiry was indispensable, and agreed to meet again this day. Summonses were accordingly issued. The Times has the following caustic but scarcely uncalled-for re- marks on the mode of examination adopted by the direction of Lord Brougham into the truth of Mr. Cooper's " cock. and-bull story."

" Absurd as the story was on the face of it, the Council were bound to investigate it, but the method of proceeding seems to have been almost as strange as the tale itself. Instead of instantly instituting inquiries at the inn at Dudley, where Mr. Cooper heard the wonder of wonders, a chase after the guard of the Shrewsbury coach was suggested by a high authority as indispensably neces- sary, and some time was lost in hunting him out. The logic of this appears to be highly curious. Mr. Cooper said he heard certain reports at Dndley on the 16th. "To ascertain whether he did hear theme reports or not at an inn at Dudley on the 16th, let us find out whether he came up by the Shrewsbury coach the next day," says our England's Solomon. The second step of making the inquiries at Dudley seems to common minds rather more to the purpose, though the great inquisitor may have held with the saying that " the longest way about is the nearest way home." This train of examination would furnish apt matter for a parody of John Gilpin's ride, and when next a certain great man examines a guard, our prayer is, may we be there to hear. The third step has what the lawyers call a colourable ground ; king, in fact, an elaboiate examination as to the colour of Mr. Cooper's supposed- informant. WAS kis complexion black, brown, or yellow? Was his stock black, white, or gray? Was his coat claret or peach-blossom ? Mr. Cooper seetns to have been dumb- founded by this extraordinary inquiry ; and, indeed the learned examiner does not give us any insight into his particular chject, though no doubt he had in his mind some philosophical commotion between colour and conflagration— between " fiaine-coloured taffeta" and blazing buildings. We dare say that the " Confusion Society" will throw some light upon this subject in a new editiun, with additions, of the famous tract entitled Experiments and Obser rations on the Inflection, Reflection, and Colours of _Light."