itbt ATtletropolis.

The usual Easter dinner was given at the Mansionhouse on Monday. Among the company were, the Earl of Jermyn, Lord Nugent, Lord Montford, Lord Dudley Stuart, the Bishops of Norwich and Llandaff, the French and Turkish Ambassadors, the American Ambassador and Mrs. and the two Misses Everett, Baron Rolfe, the Vice-Chancellor, Captain Boldero, Mr. Young, (Lord of the Treasury,) Mr. J. G. S. Lefevre and Mr. J. Macgregor, (of the Board of Trade,) several Members from both sides of the House of Commons, the Aldermen and Sheriffs with their ladies, the Recorder, the Common Councilmen, and several City officers and other gentlemen.

Easter Monday was celebraud by the usual methods of the season in London. All available steamers were employed in carrying vast loads of people to Greenwich and its Fair ; 'whither they departed from ten of the most frequented quays : even the larger steamers were thus em- ployed. Up to seven o'clock in the evening, 30,000 persons landed from the Waterman steamers at the floating pier of Greeswich, and it is conjectured that double that number landed on the adjoining pier. The Thames Tunnel was crowded : from twelve o'clock on Sunday to the same hour on Monday, 28,642 persons passed through it, (making the gross number up to that time since the opening 320,000,) and on Monday many of the visiters took the road to Greenwich. With the exception of a few duckings, in the haste to enter the steam-boats, the day passed off without accident.

The higher kinds of amusement were not neglected. The number of visiters at the British Museum was 18,432: the number on Easter Monday last year was 14,320; and on last " boxing-day " and last Whit Monday, when there was not the counter-attraction of Greenwich Fair, 28,225 and 16,329 respectively. At the National Gallery there were 16,300 persons. And the paid exhibitions reaped a good harvest.

Among the peculiarities of this present Easter is the revival of Step- ney Fair, recorded by the Times- " This fair, which was revived on Monday, terminated for the Easter holy- days on Wednesday night, and certainly no fair was ever better conductecL The absence of all violence or acts of outrage on the part of the people formed a striking contrast with the disgraceful and tumultuous scenes which charac- terized this and other suburban fairs twenty and thirty years ago, and exhibita a marked improvement in the behaviour and habits of the poorer classes. On Tuesday, 50,000 persons visited the fair; and the amusements were kept up until twelve o'clock, while some of the public-houses were not cleared of the company in them till nearly four o'clock in the morning. On Wednesday there was not a single Police charge arising out of the fair brought before the Magistrate sitting at the Thames Police Court, which now occupies the centre of the field where the fair was formerly held. Some of the booths were splen- didly lighted with gas furnished by the Commercial Gas Company; who in- troduced some new and ingenious devices. Employment was given to more than 500 individuals ; among whom were 100 coal-whippers, who had no work on the river while the fair lasted ; and it has proved very beneficial to the shop- keepers, publicans, and inhabitants generally of the surrounding district. It is intended to hold another fair on a larger scale at Stepney on Whitsuntide, which will be a powerful rival to the one at Greenwich ; and we understand that neither the Commissioners of Police nor Magistrates are at all disposed to interfere with these harmless recreations of the people at the proper seasons. The excellent arrangements of the Police of the K division, their great for- bearance, and their disposition to afford every facility to the visiters, are de- serving of great praise, and reflect much credit on Mr. Young, the Superin- tendent, and Inspectors Watts and Rutt, who had the management. The showmen and the proprietors of booths had every reason to be pleased with their receipts."

The foundation-stone of a new library and dining-hall was laid in Lincoln's Inn on Thursday, by Vice-Chancellor Sir J. Knight Bruce, the Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer of the Inn, with suitable ceremo- nies. There were present, the Lord Chancellor, the Bishop of Dur- ham, the Vice-Chancellor of England, Vice-Chancellor Sir James Wigram, Archdeacon Lonsdale, Chief Justice Tindal and other Judges, and a host of benchers.

At a meeting of Middlesex Magistrates, on Thursday, a county-rate of three-farthings in the pound was declared.

The brig Barbados, which left London some time back, under the sanction of the "British American Association," for Prince Edward Island, has returned to London, having turned back on the voyage ; and some of the aggrieved emigrants, acting under the advice of Lieu- tenant Lean, the Government Emigration Agent, have brought the case before the Lord Mayor. They procured summonses against Mr. Henry Fretwell, the master, and Mr. Duncan Campbell, the owner of the brig and one of the Directors of the Association; who:appeared at the Man- sionhouse on Wednesday. Lieutenant Lean was present. Mr. Fret- well was first examined ; and he gave a very clear account of his share in the proceedings— He had been engaged at Gravesend to take command of the vessel to Prince Edward Island ; and he sailed from the Downs on the 1st November 1842, with 50 passengers, men, women, and children. When the vessel reached 42 West longitude, she encountered heavy winds and seas ; and was so dreadfully battered as to be obliged to put back to the nearest eligible port, which was Cork—a distance of about 1,300 miles. On the 22d of December she reached Cork, where she remained until the 9th of April, when she sailed for London; leaving behind her in Cork some of the emigrants, but bringing to London about thirty of them, who were at that moment lodging and boluding in her in the London Docks. They arrived on Sunday last. He had not received a farthing of money from any passenger, nor had he received a farthing of pay since he joined the vessel. Be had caused all the repairs to be done to her bit Cork. No reasonabl4 complaint could be made as to the provisions, which woo

abundant and unexceptionable. The repairs, however, went on very slowly, for the agents in Cork began to suspect that they could not easily procure re- muneration for their outlay. In the mean time, the British American Asso- ciation sent to him to state that the vessel must sail on the 20th March ; and he made every preparation in his power, when he received an intimation that she was not to proceed. He paid off the ship's company at Cork; and conse- quently had on board only the mate, the steward, the emigrants, and himself. Had they not met with such severe weather, they would certainly have made the passage. Mr. Soames, who had a mortgage on the vessel, was in posses- sion, and he had put a ship-keeper on board.

Mr. Campbell was next examined— He was sole owner of the Barbados, subject to the mortgage to Mr. Soames for 375/. [Sir John Pine afterwards said that the ship was now mortgaged to Messrs. Leslie and Smith.] The principal managers of the British American Association were Sir Richard Broun, Sir William Ogilvie, and Dr. Rolfe. The ship was chartered by him to those three commissioners to take out emigrants to Prince Edward Island ; all most respectable men, but not very rich, of course. They engaged him to provide the emigrants, at 8/. per man, and half price for children, with food and passage out. Be provided the ship by a contract with Messrs. Leslie and Smith, the extensive provision-merchants, with meat, bread, flour, &c. at 2/. 10s. per head. Every thing that was requi- site for the voyage was, according to the act of Parliament, most abundaney applied. The cargo, which was valuable, was bought upon credit; but now the Association is broken up altogether, and he had never received a farthing. Be had lost the ship and every thing else; and it was impossible for him to fulfil the original contract.

The Lord Mayor referred to a list of the Association, comprising the names of a Duke, fifteen Lords, and nearly forty Baronets. Mr. Campbell replied-

" The Association is completely broken up. There have been several execu- tions put into the house in Bridge Street ; and, owing to what passed at the Mansionbouse in October last, the Duke of Argyle, the President of the Society, has resigned. There are actions at this moment going on against the Duke of Argyle, the Marquis of Downshire, and Sir James Cockburn." The Lord Mayor—" This paper contains a list of first-rate names." Mr. Campbell—" Yes, but they are broken up altogether." The Lord Mayor—" The Association may be broken up, but these noblemen itud gentlemen are not broken up. Are all them shareholders ?" Mr. Camp- bell—" No, they are only the Vice-Presidents and Consulting Council." The Lord Mayor—"How much of the million capital has been paid up ? " Mr. Campbell—" None at all. (Laughter.) Nobody paid up at all."

Mr. George Henley and Mr. Taylor, two of the emigrants, stood for- ward, and said that their object in bringing the case before the Lord Mayor was to ascertain who was responsible to them. Mr. Henley stated that he was introduced by the British Association to Mr. Halden, whom they acknowledged as their agent ; and he engaged to pay thirty guineas for his passage, &c., by instalments, in the island. Mr. Taylor said that he had actually paid 50/. for the voyage, for himself and his family of eight children. He added-

" I am reduced to pauperism with my large family, and cannot afford to employ a lawyer. I have not only lost my passage-money, but I have been obliged to expend the money I had put together to apply to the purpose of labour, in the cultivation of the land I expected to have held." The Lord Mayor thought that the emigrants on board had a lien on the vessel ; but Sir John Pine was of a contrary opinion. M. Taylor understood that it was the intention of the mortgagee to sell the ship and cargo, and to turn the emigrants, who had not one farthing in their possession, completely adrift. Lieutenant Lean said, it was officially announced to him on Tuesday that the provisions would be stopped, and no doubt the emigrants would be obliged to leave the vessel. The Lord Mayor, turning to Mr. Campbell, again referred to the list of the Association— The Lord Mayor—" I shall persevere in this inquiry to render you as much service as I can. Pray, Mr. Campbell, how many shares did these noblemen and baronets take?"

Mr. Campbell—" None at all. (Laughter.) The Duke of Argyle and Sir James Cockburn were the only two oat of the whole list who signed their names for shares. They signed for shares to the amount of 500/. each.

The Lord Mayor—" And with this 1,000/. you start the Association?"

Mr. Campbell—" It was started long before I bad anything to do with it." Mr. Henley requested that the Lord Mayor would postpone the case for a few days, in order that the attendance-of the Secretary and Mr. Andrews might be procured, and also that Mr. Campbell might be called upon to produce his books, which might explain the case more fully. Mr. Campbell objected to produce his books, and said he would not allow any one to overhaul them.

The Lord Mayor—" 1 shall postpone the case, certainly ; and I hope that some satisfaction may be obtained. I am decidedly of opinion that you have a claim upon the ship, and that she is bound to leave you at the place of your original destination. 1 suppose you would still go to Prince Edward's Island, Mr. Taylor." Mr. Taylor—" I should not wish to go without coining to a more clear ubderstanding as to the power of the Association. I understand they have not an acre of land in Prince Edward's Island."

The Lord Mayor—" What ! no land there? Is that the case, Mr. Campbell ? " Mr. Campbell—" Not a single acre, my lord." (Great laughter.)

Eventually, the further investigation of the case was postponed for a few days. Dr. Rolph made his appearance on Thursday, and offered proof that he was not one of the three " Commissioners " who chartered the Barbados, but that Mr. Campbell was ; the Commissioners being Sir R. &min, Sir W. Ogilvie, and Mr. Campbell. Dr. Rolph had declared his unqualified reprobation of the arrangements respecting the Barbados, Which were made daring his absence from England.

Yesterday, Mr. Nettleship, of the firm of Palmer and Nettleship, of Trafalgar Square, solicitors to the Duke of Argyle and Sir James Cock- burn, waited upon the Lord Mayor, and handed to him a letter, in which the solicitors denied that their clients had taken any active part in the proceedings of the Association- " They, with several others, having a desire to promote the objects of emi- gration were induced to attend a meeting in the month of June last, but at

which the only resolution come to was that, as a preliminary and indispensable

step, a sum of 50,000/. should be insured as available for the purposes of emigre- bon; and when that was, done, that a further meeting should be held for the purpose of considering, with such a sum at command, the means by which the plan of emigration could best be carried out and it was at that meeting dis- tinctly understood, that in the mean time no engagements whatever should be entered into by the Association."

The Duke and Sir James left town, and heard nothing more of the Association till the exposure in October. Certain persons, however, connected with the Association, had circulated a false report of what

took place at the meeting in line, h the-Dukes muse attached ; "a. fraudulent abuse of his Grace's name." The Lord Mayor suggested that Mr. Nettleship should attend at the next examination into the affair ; and he expressed his intention of doing so.

A. J. Sintzennich, who is charged with attempting to shoot the Re- verend Mr. Haden, in St. Paul's Cathedral, on the 1st instant, was finally examined at the Mansionhonse yesterday, and committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court. Several dignitaries of the Cathe- dral were present, and Mr. Bodkin attended to conduct the prosecution on behalf of the Dean and Chapter.