'hr Yilttruputio. •

A crowded meeting of the inhabitants of the borough of Finsbury was held on Tuesday evening, in the Music Hall, Store Street, for the pur- pose of calling upon the Government to aid the Turks in compelling the Russian army to evacuate the Danubian Principalities. Mr. T. Dun- combe, Member for Finsbury, attended ; and was called to the chair. A letter was read from the Lord Mayor, stating that it is the duty and the interest of England to support Turkey to the utmost of her strength. Mr. Duncombe opened the proceedings with an animated but temperate and businesslike speech.

"Often (he said) as I have had the honour of meeting the electors of Finsbury, I must say that I cannot recall to my recollection any occasion which has been fraught with such grave consequences as the present. It is quite clear that if the requisition convening the meeting means anything, it means war ; and it is a matter of serious consideration to the people of this country, whether they should or should not express, in terms not to be mis- understood, how far they are prepared to sanction the Government of the day in proceeding to such an extremity. We know perfectly well that the Crown has the prerogative of declaring war and making peace ; but it is the prerogative of the people, if the Ministers of the Crown counsel the Sove- reign. to conclude a dishonourable peace, to call those Ministers to account for giving such advice. I confess I should have been glad to see at the present moment some preparations for the reassembling of Parliament, in order that the people of this country, through their representatives, might be able to ex- press their opinion as to the course which England ought to pursue on this occa- mon. That there has been a most unjustifiable aggression on the part of Russia no one can doubt. Every one is ready to admit that a great wrong has been done to Turkey, and that the occupation of the Danubian Principalities is an insult to Europe at large. That a difference of opinion exists as to the course which this country ought to pursue, is apparent to every one who reads the daily papers. You have doubtless read an account of the proceed- ings of what is called the Peace Conference, at Edinburgh. Those proceed- ings were most amicably and delicately conducted. But I may say, that, looking at the materials with which we have to deal—the Nicholases of the North—I don't think the argument of the Peace Conference likely to make much impression. Your negotiations with them will be useless, unless you mean gunpowder, and nothing but gunpowder. If that be not your mean- ing, they will not attend to you at all ; they will snap their fingers at you, and you might just as well whistle to the winds as talk about amicable ne- gotiations with persons who are determined to do wrong if they have the power, or if you give them the opportunity." If we are to have war, let us know what it is for, and what it coats; and if we make great sacrifices, we must not conclude a dishonourable peace. Mr. Duncombe attacked "secret diplomacy , the inconveniences of which were never more signally displayed than in this instance ; for while our Ministers published nothing, the Con- tinental rulers published their views from time to time.

The other speakers were Mr. Sheen, Dr. Epps, Mr. G. Money, and Mr. Julian Harney. Mr. David Urquhart, though not an inhabitant of Fins- bury, was permitted to speak ; and Mr. Bronterre O'Brien caused some commotion by insisting upon addressing the meeting, and telling his cla- morous supporters not to allow any one else to be heard if he were not. The resolutions agreed to called upon Government to assist the Turks against the Russians ; to guard against Russian encroachments with "in- cessant vigilance and active resistance " ; and they condemned secret diplomacy.

The junior Sheriff, Mr. Wallis, invited the Liverymen of London to meet him at the London Tavern, to decide upon the best means of assist- ing the Queen's Commissioners in their inquiry, and " perpetuating the constitutional right of local self-government." Accordingly, a goodly number met him on Tuesday ; when he explained, that he came forward alone, because his colleague had not consulted him on the course they should pursue, and because he did not think the citizens ought to suffer through the disagreement of their Sheriffs. He desired that the fullest information might be given to the Commissioners ; and he submitted two resolutions to the meeting, one pledging the meeting to afford the Com- missioners every possible assistance ; the other calling upon the Lord Mayor to summon a Common Hall to consider how the Commissioners might best be assisted. These resolutions were adopted almost unani- mously. The bent of the speeches was against the present state of the Corporation ; which Mr. Brooke declared to be corrupt, and Mr. Walter inefficient in every respect.

At a meeting of the City Commission of Sewers, Mr. Calvert, of the well-known brewing firm, attended on a summons to answer the com- plaint that the smoke nuisance of the brewery has not been abated. Mr. Calvert explained that the firm are willing to spend 10,0001. in abating the nuisance ; but that the necessary works would extend over two years. This explanation generally satisfied the Court.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers, on Thursday, Mr. Bazalgette, the engineer, presented two reports detailing plans of drainage on a grand scale ; and they were adopted by the Commissioners. Mr. Bazalgette proposes to make a great intercepting sewer-works on the North side of the Thames, from Kilburn to the river Lea, diverting "the whole sewage and flood-waters of fourteen square miles of the upper dis- tricts from the low districts and the river Thames," and doing away with Hackney Brook,—at a cost of 271,2901. He also proposes to construct two sewers on the South aide ; one at a high level, from Clapham Com- mon to Deptford ; the other at a low level, from the Falcon Brook, Bat- tersea, to Deptford,—at a cost of 637,0001. The plans have received the entire concurrence of Sir William Cubitt and Mr. Robert Stephenson. At a meeting of the Board of the London and North-western Railway, on Saturday, the Marquis of Chandos was formally elected a Director, and then appointed Chairman of the Company—the latter an unpaid office. The old Blackwell Railway station in. Fenchnrch Street has been greatly enlarged, to give accommodatiokier the present increased traffic and the new traffic which will soon commence. Before long, trains will start for Tillsony,: Southend, North WOobeiels, and the Eastern Counties main lines, 13, station to the present traiiis on the old Blackwell line and the North London Railway.

Mr. Peter Cunningham has smitten as imptietter to the Times respect- ing the fate of "dear old Temple Bar." In answer to the charge that "it is in the way," he says-

" But cannot Temble Bar be taken out of the way, without sending it to keep Gerard's Hall crypt company at the Crystal Palace at Sydenham Pull

down Child's banking-house—let go to the Devil, as' the Devil Ta- vern gave way to Child's (I have no account there)—put down the houses on the South side as far as Middle Temple gate—and then, when these are to the ground, cross over and pull down those abominations East and West of the bar, Shire Lane and Ship Yard. Make a wide carriage-way on each side of the bar (far wider than that round. St. Clement Danes) ; but let the old bar stand, telling its story of civilizationsas the last landmark of. the City— as the last place in Great Britain in which human heads were set. What a story might be told before it, and will be told, if we will only allow it to re- main !"

He denies that it is " ugly," the second allegation against the structure. " It is not the arch of Constantine, I confess ; but Wren did nothing bad —nothing that any City architect will improve." The third defect, that "it is not a piece of antiquity," he says, will cure itself "if you will only allow it to stand."

An interesting decision has been given in the Whitechapel County Court. A number of passengers who came from Australia in the James Alexander sued Ridley, the master, for 501., for breach of contract, in each case. It appeared that not only were there no " bread, butter, suet, raisins, pepper, and mustard,"—articles which had been promised in the dietary-table shown to the plaintiffs,—but the biscuit and flour were vile, and the ship was so badly stowed that the water on deck had to be started, and the passengers were reduced to great straits for the want of it. The people were crowded together. When even the ship put into Bahia, the master did not provide the requisite food ; and the vessel was afterwards beating about in the ocean with a flag of distress flying. The ship Wave succoured the James Alex- ander with some pig-meal, which the passengers had to use in place of flour. It was urged by a solicitor, that the owners were liable, not the master. The Judge decided that the master was liable ; and gave 101. damages in each case.

The Thames Police Magistrate has heard more evidence respecting the fatal struggle on board the Queen of the Teign. The new witnesses were Malaya, Lascars, and Hindoos ; and some of the evidence was very unsatis- factory. Mr. Yardley said, if be were sitting as a juryman, he should feel little difficulty in coming to a decision ; but as a magistrate he thought the case was one of so serious a character that he was bound to send it for further investigation before another tribunal. So he committed Mr. Stooks, the mas- ter, and Northcote and Goldworthy, seamen, for trial for manslaughter; but accepted bail.

On Wednesday, Abaft and Ali, the two Malays accused of assaulting the chief mate, with intent to murder, were fully committed for trial.

Elizabeth Swainson, a young woman of Bromley in Middlesex, has destroyed herself by swallowing prussic acid and oil of almonds : her mind seems to have been unhinged by a love disappointment. To Mr. Kaye, the chemist who sold her the poisons, she said she wanted the oil of almonds to flavour pastry, and the prussic acid to kill crickets. The Coroner severely repri- manded Mr. Kaye for his indiscretion in selling such deadly drugs to a single applicant without witnesses.

Pardington and Woods were finally committed on Wednesday, by the Clerkenwell Magistrate, for causing the collision at Hornsey.

Joseph Birch and Caroline Nash, people living near the Borough Road, have been committed on a Coroner's warrant for the manslaughter of an in- fant which had been sent to them to nurse : the Jury said the child had "died in consequence of assaults" committed by the couple.

Henry Bartley, a shabby-looking young man, has been remanded by the Lord Mayor on a charge of attempting to utter a forged check on the Royal British Bank. Bartley accosted a boy in the street, and offered him three- pence if he would get cash for a check. The boy tendered the check at the bank ; it was for 81. 4e., and was signed "John Dickinson" ; Messrs. John G. Dickinson and Co. have an account at the bank. The forgery was at once detected. When Bartley was arrested, he said a third person had hired him for sixpence to get the check cashed ; but a check-book of the Royal British Bank, and another of the Union Bank, were found in his possession.

James Scott has been committed by Alderman Muggeridge for stealing a bill of exchange which had been intrusted to him to get discounted. The notable point in the case was, that Scott first appeared at the Guildhall Police Office as prosecutor against Edward John Pickering for stealing ano- ther bill; Pickering was eventually liberated, and Scott took his place in the dock ; Pickering now appearing as a witness. As to the bills them- selves, it seems to have been the old story—a number of persons weretrying to fly "kites," the bills being merely pretences to raise money. A Mr. Butterfield alleged that Scott had done him out of a fifty-pound bill ; But- terfield received not a farthing, but eventually bad to pay 1801. for bill and law-coats. Technical difficulties prevented the Alderman from committing in this case.

A fifth case of uttering a forged bank-note has been made out against William Mason.

Gustavus Frederick Maynor, keeper of a hotel at Berlin, was brought before the Lord Mayor on Saturday, for stealing money to the amount of 2600/. Mr. Mullen. stated, that some members of the Prussian Embassy were staying at Maynor's hotel; one had a large stun of money with him, which he placed. in the landlord's custody ; Maynor could not resist the temptation, and he fled to England with the cash. In London he was ap- prehended, and gave up nearly the whole of the money. From the defective international arrangements, said Mr. Mullens, the prisoner's act could not be recognized as a crime in English law : he left him in the Lord Mayor's hands. The Lord Mayor was obliged to liberate him.

Another batch of gentlemen gamblers were brought before the Marl- borough Street Magistrate on Monday, with the usual result. The Police entered a gaming-house known as " Morris's," in St. James's Street ; but they were checked by a strong door. It was eventually opened ; but the officers could then discover no unlawful gaming implements. 4uoth the Magistrate, "Gentlemen, you are discharged."

Some thirty omnibus-proprietors have been summoned before the Lam- beth Magistrate, for not having lamps in their vehicles at night in accordance with the new law. They pleaded that they had found a difficulty in pro- viding a suitable lamp; an article was now being made at Birmingham, but the supply was not yet sufficient. Mr. Elliott thought the defendants had had plenty of time to get the lamps, and was about to inflict a fine in each case, when he was induced to grant the proprietors a week's grace.

A young woman has died in St. Bartholomew's Hospital after chloroform had been administered as a preparative to the performance of a painful operation. This was the first death from chloroform in the hospital: Mr. John Dudin's granary and warehouse, at Shad Thames, were ravaged by a fire on Thursday evening. The loss is estimated at some thousands of pounds.