Inetropotts.

At a Court of Aldermen, held on Tuesday for the despatch of general business, Mr. Alderman Finnis was introduced on his election for Tower Ward, and took the customary oath. The new Alderman very soon gave evidence of activity: he seconded Mr. Alderman Musgrove's motion that the subject of the City election franchise be referred to a committee, with instructions to consult the law-officers as to the extent to which the privi- leges might be increased. If the decision of that committee were un- favourable to the praticability of a change likely to satisfy the public, he should then without hesitation propose an immediate application to Parlia- ment. The motion was agreed to.

A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday, for the despatch of business. The Committees for the ensuing year were appointed. The day was occupied with a debate on a petition to Parliament, moved by Mr. Humphreys and seconded by Mr. Wire, for the abolition of Grand Juries. The motion was carried, after some opposition.

The City Commissioners of Sewers assembled at Guildhall on Tuesday, for the purpose of accelerating the progress of Sanatory measures in the City; Deputy Peacock in the chair. The contractor for scavenging one of the districts, who had been summoned by an Inspector of the Commis- sion for neglecting to remove a quantity of rubbish from a poor neighbour- hood, was fined 40s., and warned that a second offence would be visited with a Si. penalty. A letter was read from the City of London Gas Com- pany, one of the two companies that amply the City, announcing a reduc- tion in the price of gas to consumers by meter, after Lady-day next, from 7s. to 6s. per 1,000 cubit feet. After some conversation, the question of the price of gas and of its purity was referred to the Committee of General Purposes. Memorials were presented from certain districts by the Churchwardens of the parishes, complaining of the dirty state and defective drainage of some of the most crowded, populous, poor lanes and alleys. The Chair- man thanked the Churchwardens; assured them that immediate attention should be paid to their complaints; and expressed an anxious hope that similar activity and zeal in the cause of sanatory reform would be dis- played by the authorities in other parishes. The several Inspectors having received directions from the Board as to future operations with respect to drainage, the removal of mud, &c., the Committee adjourned.

A Sanatory Reform meeting was held on Wednesday evening at the Hanover Square Rooms; the special object being to prevent the advance and spread of cholera. Mr. Wakley presided. Resolutions were adopted, declaring the alarming evils that result from the absence of an effective Jaw for the protection of the public health; denouncing the practice of intramural interments; and pledging the meeting to support the Govern- ment in passing a just and comprehensive measure on the subject.

The Society for the Promotion of the Religions, Moral, and Intellectual Improvement of Men employed in Manufactories, had a meeting at the Freemason's Tavern on Monday evening; Dr. Edwin Lankester in the chair. It appeared from the first annual report, which was read by the secretary, Mr. Austin, that the donations and subscriptions during the year amounted to 2291. 5s. 2(1.• and that with that sum the committee had been enabled to effect much good. The Auxiliary Societies had increased from I to 7, the numbers from 27 to 237; the factories to which access had been gained, from 5 to 63; the libraries, from 1 to 10; and the average weekly issue of books to 968 volumes. The balance in hand was 101., and the outstanding liabilities amounted to 351.

A deputation from the Poor Man's Guardian Society has had an inter- view with the Lord Mayor, to obtain his cooperation in some plan for the relief of the multitudes of unclassed and casual poor in the Metropolis, who are now in a condition of extreme destitution. Mr. Charles Cochrane, the Chairman of the Society, explained at considerable length that the resources of his society were utterly inadequate to meet the evil. The Lord Mayor equally deplored the present state of things, but feared more harm than good would come of opening soup-kitchens; a measure which would attract still greater crowds from all parts of the country. He con- sidered that the amount of distress was beyond the power of corporations or parishes to meet; it was a case for legislative interference. It was ex- plained during the interview, that the Refuge for the Destitute had remained closed because there had been no snow or frost.

A number of the inhabitants of Southwark met on Tuesday, at the Bridge House Hotel, London Bridge, to oppose any addition to the existing Army and Navy, the enrolment of the Militia, or the enlargement of our fortifications. The local father of the movement being Mr. Apsley Pei- lett, that gentleman was called on to preside. Resolutions were passed, de-

ilb as being at variance with Christianity and the interests of well as destructive to morality; and denying that there is any apprehensions of war and invasion at present. A petition to bodying the sentiments conveyed in the resolutions, was 4gPolice-office, on Tuesday, Charles Wheeler, the clerk of the Bank, was charged with a third robbery of his employers. In Wisp..." . II other eases, he had appropriated to his own use money which .ireAtthands as cash-clerk. The evidence adduced was very strong; and id not attempt a defence, lie was committed for trial. At Marlborough Street Police-office, on Wednesday, Mr. Edward unn, a gen. tleman of Leamington, was charged with gross cruelty, to a horse. The prosecn. tion was instituted by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mr. NO' m had matte a Wager that be Would ride the lierte from Leamington to Lopes Hotel in Bond Street, in a serails] number of hours. About twelve o'clock on the night Of Sunday the 9th he aceemplished his feat; but it was with the aid of Et flesh eit each .Me, beating the pent ereatute with a stiok, while Mr. Nunn Deed whip and spur. The horse was in a pitiable state; it was carried rather than led to a stable, and there died. Theaccused offered no defence: he expressed his re- gret that he made the wager, though he had not expected that it would be attended with so sad a result. Mr. Hardwick, the Magistrate. indignantly lectured the de- fendant, and regretted that he could only fine him 40s. Mr. Nunn, however, as some proof of his contrition, laid down SO!.; the balance after the payment of fine and expenses to be given to the Society which had prosecuted him. [The act of a truly generous disposition.] When the innocence of the girl Turford, who was wrongly convicted of steal- ing a watch from Mrs. Ward, was discovered,_and young Ward was tried for the theft, it came out that Ward's uncle, Henry Wenman, had something to do with the matter: it was alleged that this man had merely sold the watch, handing the proceeds to his nephew; but Wenman acted throughout in a suspicious manner. At the very time that the girl was tried for the theft, he knew that she was in- nocent; but he made no effort to save her. Since young Ward's conviction the culprit has made admissions which have led to the arrest of Wenman on a charge of complicity in the robbery. He has been examined twice at the Lambeth Police-office.

The first accounts of the accident at Friniley, on the South-western Railway, were in several respects imperfect. It seems that the engine-driver, Markland, was in a perfectly helpless position when the luggage-train came up: he was underneath his own locomotive, repairing the damage: the noise made by the steam in blowing-off prevented him from hearing the approach of the train and

there was no time to warn him; he was crushed to death in an instant. 'frfhe

guard of the luggage-train suffered severely, as he was pitched from his carriage on to the road, falling on his head: his recovery was at first thought to be hope- less, and it was impossible to perform the amputation of one of his arms which had been fractured; but as he had rallied somewhat by Monday night, and the limb had begun to mortify, the operation was then performed. The gentleman whose leg was broken was Mr. Hutchins, of Jesus College, Cambridge. The driver and the

stoker of the luggage-train and the second guard of the other train, were taken into custody, brought to London, and produced before Mr. Elliott, the Lambeth

Magistrate. When he had heard the particulars, the Magistrate liberated the guard, but remanded the other two. These men had been examined previously by Mr. Stevie, the manager of the traffic department of the railway. The driver and stoker said they did not see a lamp which the guard declared that he ex- hibited; and when the lamps of the stationary train were seen the interval, from the existence of a curve at the spot, was very small; that too on a decline, with wet and slippery Mils. The train had past through a thick mist or fog just previously.

The inquest on Markland began on Monday, at Woking. Mr. Young, the as- sistant superintendent of the railway, deposed that Brownsmith, the second guard, had been Bent back along the line with a signal-lamp, twenty minutes before the

collision. When the witness saw the luggage train approaching, he and another ran towards it and shouted, but without effect; the train dashing by them at great

speed. Brownsmith should have had six detonating fog-signals in his possession to place on the rails; but he had none. As neither Jones the driver nor Fleming the stoker of the luggage-train were present to give evidence, the Coroner ad- journed the inquiry until Thursday, that he might endeavour to obtaintheir at- tendance.

Jones and Fleming were reexamined at the Lambeth Police-office on Wednes- day. Brownsmith, the second guard, described the mode in which he endeavoured

to carry out the orders he had received to go back with a red signal-lamp. He went back three-quarters of a mile, and waved the light as he advanced to indi- cate danger; but as the engine dashed past he could not see either Jones or Fleming at their posts. The two men were remanded for a fortnight.

Both at the inquest and before the Magistrate there was a good deal of con- flicting evidence as to the state of the atmosphere. On the one band, it was

stated that the night was clear and moonlight, and that it was possible to see the lights three miles off. Mr. Nicholson a passenger, Mr. Ward a clerk on the line, and to some extent Brownsmith, deposed to this effect. On the other hand, two witnesses said that it was not moonlight, and was rather foggy, especially where the line ran by watery spots.

Another of the sufferers by the recent accident at the Easton terminus has died in University College Hospital. A Coroner's Jury having met, it resolved that application should be made to Government for the appointment of a scientific gentleman who should endeavour to trace the cause of the accident; and the in- quiry was at once postponed.

The fashionable world has been startled by the violent death of a distinguished member—Sir Henry Mildmay. On Monday morning, Sir Henry was found lying in his bed with his head shattered by a pistol-shot, the pistol firmly clasped in both hands. An inquest was held on Wednesday; and evidence was given by Thomas Tremer, Sir Henry's valet, and Mr. Augustus Warren his solicitor, that his manners had lately become very peculiar: during. the last 'three or four days he had exhibited great lowness of spirits and indecision of purpose frequently giving confused orders. Mr. Warren bad last seen him on the Sunday evening: Sir Henry called to consult him on his affairs, which were in an exceedingly em- barrassed condition. He made use of the expression that "he could not face his difficulties." He feared an arrest on the Monday, and was hesitating about going abroad. He frequently put his hand to his head, as if suffering. The medical evidence went to show that a month ago the deceased had suffered from an attack of influenza and gout: he then complained of pain hi the head. The Jury re- turned a verdict that the deceased died by his own hand, being at the time of unsound mind. His age was sixty-two. Sir Henry Carew St. John Mildmay was the son of the late Sir Henry Paulet; who took the name of Mildmay on marrying the daughter of Mr. Carew Mildmay. The late Baronet married two sisters, daughters of the Honourable Bartholomew Bouverie. The first marriage took place in 1809; but the lady died in the fol- lowing year; and in 1815 the second marriage was contracted at Stutgard, by secial permission of the King of Wurtemburg ; the bride having been previously divorced from the Earl of Rosebery. There was issue by both marriages: Cap- tain Henry Bouverie Pautet succeeds to the Baronetcy, and that portion of the estates which remains in the family.