23 SEPTEMBER 1854, Page 2

3lit1ropolio.

Happily, the cholera, which showed symptoms of departure last week, has this week confirmed the anticipations of experienced skill, and greatly decreased in virulence. The number of its victims also, for the week ending Saturday last, shows a great decrease; as will be seen from the following report of the Registrar-General.

"In the seven days extending from the 3d to the 9th September, the deaths of 3413 persons were recorded, and 2050 of the number were caused by cholera ; which had, in partial eruptions all over London, destroyed in nine weeks, 5, 26, 133, 399, 644, 729, 847, 1287, 2050, or in the aggregate, 6120 lives.

"The outbreak began later than the corresponding outbreak of 1849; which by the same date had in sixteen weeks been fatal to 10,143 persons.

"Will the epidemic pursue its ravages ? will it observe its own times, dis- regard the seasons, and exact its full tale of victims ? Such were the ques- tions that were asked with no little anxiety by those who watched over the public health during the last week ; and the answer, notwithstanding the losses that are recorded, is on the whole satisfactory.

"The deaths from all causes have fallen from 3413 to 2836 in the week. The deaths from cholera, instead of 2050, are 1549, or 501 less than the deaths from the same cause in the preceding week. The total deaths in the present eruption have been 7669; in the eruption of 1849, the deaths by cholera up to the same date within one day were 11,825. In both of the eruptions the mortality was highest on nearly the same day of September ; its decline commenced in the corresponding week, and we may now san- guinely hope that it will descend as rapidly as it did in the autumn of 1849. 'But no exertion should be spared to save the thousands whose lives are still threatened ; and the dread lesson, before regarded so little, should never be forgotten—that men can no longer drink polluted water, breathe impure air, and neglect sanitary measures year after year, with impunity.

"At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean reading of the barome- ter in the week was 29.857 inches. The mean temperature of the week was 601'; which is 3-8' above the average of the same week in thirty-eight years. The highest temperature of the week occurred on Tuesday, and was 80.5'; the lowest on Tuesday, (same day,) and was 404'; showing a range of 40' temperature in twenty-four hours. The mean dew-point temperature was 538'• and the difference between this and the temperature of the air was 6.9'. The temperature of the water of the Thames was above 60' every day in the week. The wind, which had been almost stagnant in the previous week, blew briskly from the South-west, averaging 108 miles a clay. Nearly half an inch of rain fell during the week ; of which the greater part fell on Thursday. The electric state of the atmosphere was positive, with a moderate tension during five days of the week."

Mr. Shadwell, the Revising Barrister of Middlesex, decided on Tues- day in favour of ninety-one claims for registration made by Mr. Foster on behalf of members of the Conservative Freehold Land Society. There was some opposition, but it was shown that the plots of land were worth 41. per annum uncovered ; and on that ground the claims were allowed. Among the claimants, were Lord Maidstone, Sir C. W. Cod- rington M.P., the Honourable H. C. Lowther M.P., Colonel Abdy, Mr. R. Holt M.P., Honourable R. T. Rowley, Sir S. Bignold, Mayor of Norwich, Colonel North M.P., Mr. E. H. Vansittart M.P. Rever- end D. Cooper, Mr. Benedict the musician, and Captain Meyrick.

The sessions of the Central Criminal Court commenced on Monday. In charging the Grand Jury, the Recorder took a rather favourable view of the case of Simpson the engine-driver ; referring to the contradictory signals exhibited at Croydon.

Germain Marmaysee, who has figured as defendant in some disgusting civil actions, failed to surrender to take his trial for keeping an improper house in Newman Street. The Recorder ordered his ree,ognizances to be estreated.

John Ainslie Penson, a very young man, pleaded guilty to stealing 6001. in bank-notes, the property of his employers, Messrs. Gabriel and Co. tim- ber-merchants, in Lambeth. He had been directed to place the 6001 in a letter, take it to the post-office, and register it; instead of which, he ab- stracted the notes, substituted some blotting-paper, registered the letter, and brought back the receipt : next day he absconded, intending to flee toAus- tralia. Sentence, one year's imprisonment.

The proceedings of the court were interrupted by a startling incident. An elderly person, of most respectable appearance, who had been sitting on the seat under the Judges' bench, deliberately got up and walked to the coun- sels' table, and placing himself close to Mr. Giffard, who was the first gen- tleman on the seat, he said, in an earnest and solemn tone, "Do you re- member Cardiff?" and at the same instant placed the muzzle of a pistol close to his cheek, and pulled the trigger. The pistol exploded with a slight report; and from what was afterwards observed, it appeared that the bullet which it had contained had dropped from the barrel. The powder being thus scattered, the fatal intention was frustrated, and the effect of the dis- charge was merely to occasion a slight injury to the cheek of Mr. Giffard. The assailant was immediately seized, and when about to be searched pro- duced a second pistol, loaded with ball. Mr. Giffard pronounced the assassin to be an utter stranger to him. The prisoner was conveyed into the Sheriffs' parlour, and examined before two Aldermen. He said his name is Hugh Pollard Willoughby ; that he is a clergyman, residing at Oxford, and brother to Sir Henry P. Willoughby. He desired to have the assistance of Mr. Clarkson ; and that barrister was fetched. Only sufficient evidence was taken to warrant the remand of the prisoner till Saturday. He behaved with great composure; but it is said that his appearance denoted insanity. Be is Rector of Burthorpe in Gloucestershire, and Marsh Belden, near Oxford.

William Mead, "farmer," a shabby-looking old man, who defrauded many persons of money or goods by ingeniously-contrived tales of large ex- pectations from the East India Company, was convicted of fraud, and sent to prison for two years.

On Thursday, Mr. Sloman, carpenter of Drury Lane Theatre, was tried for "wilful and corrupt perjury," committed by swearing an affidavit that he had been told by Madame Caradori she intended to leave England, whereby he got an order for her arrest. The particulars of the case, exhibiting great harshness towards the lady, have been already stated. It appeared, however, very probable that Stemma believed Madame Caradori really intended to leave England, as he had been so informed by Mr. Lewis, a solicitor; it is not clear that he knew the precise terms of the affidavit ; money was owing to him, and there was no one to whom he could look for it but to the prin. cipal singers who were carrying on the theatre. Mr. Justice Erie pointed out these things to the Jury; and they immediately returned a verdict of " Not guilty."

Jane Colbert, -who killed her husband by throwing a knife at him when he struck her, was convicted of manslaughter, but recommended to mercy. Sentence, a week's imprisonment only.

Thomas Sheehan, the old man who nearly killed Policeman Corry by stabbing him with a knife, was convicted of "cutting with intent to do grievous bodily harm," and sentenced to six years' penal servitude.

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Tuesday, John Macdonald, a lad of nine- teen, was convicted of stealing two shillings from a woman in the street. He had not long been liberated from prison on a ticket-of-leave. The As- sistant-Judge sentenced him to fourteen years' trtinsportation.

James Brebner, who has variously described himself as a solicitor of Aber- dews and of Inverness, has been remanded by Sir Robert Carden on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. He told n Mrs. M`Lellan and her son, whom he met at Edinburgh, that they were entitled to large pro- perty in Jamaica ; and on pretence of proving their claim he obtained many advances of money.

Last week, we mentioned that a drunken wife had set fire to her hus- band's house to spite him : this week a husband is in custody for setting fire to his house, while intoxicated, to show his brutal and bitter feeling to- wards his industrious and struggling wife. The wretch's name is Cooper; he is a bricklayer at Homerton. He was seen to set fire to clothes, and he resisted the entrance of a Policeman to extinguish the flames. The Worship Street Magistrate, who seemed to doubt Cooper's sanity, remanded him.

Who can be surprised that poor people shirk the expense of removing nuisances and constructing works, when the rich Society of Lincoln's Inn has to be ordered by the Bow Street Magistrate to abolish a row of cesspools and construct water-closets ? This order was given on Tuesday, at the in- stance of the Inspector of Nuisances of St. Clement Danes.

The Reverend E. P. Henslow, Vicar of Longwith in Somersetshire, has written to the Lord Mayor to warn him that diseased meat of the vilest quality has been sent from his parish to the London market.

By means of public liberality and the assistance of the Emigration Com- missioners, 148 of the 198 poor emigrants whose case has been so warmly taken up by Sir Robert Carden have started for Australia : more money is yet required to assist the remaining fifty.

Charitable persons should be on their guard against imposters who ask re- lief on account of the leas of relatives by the cholera : already some of these gentry have been brought before the Magistrates.

Extensive premises in Old Street Road, occupied by Mr. Hooker, printing- machine maker, and Mr. Compaigne, pianoforte manufacturer, were com- pletely destroyed by fire on Saturday night. A large number of workpeople have been thrown idle by the calamity.