gbt Afitttropolis.

We have reason to believe that it is proposed by the Government to appoint a Commission, the services on which will be gratuitously ren- dered, for the purpose of considering, on comprehensive principles, the various plans which have been suggested for the improvement of the Metropolis. The Commission will not, of course, have authority to undertake plans of improvement, or to enter into engagements with re- spect to them : but they will be enabled to investigate the merits of the various proposals that have been under consideration ; to estimate the charge of effecting each improvement ; to compare that charge with the probable revenue to be derived from it ; and to &in- sider the bearing of each detached scheme, not only upon the immediate vicinity, but -upon the general convenience and health of the Metropolis, and the means of facilitating communication between the various parts of it. We understand that a letter has been addressed by Sir Robert Peel to each of the following noblemen and gentlemen, and that each has consented to be a member of the Commission of Me- tropolitan Improvement : The Lord Mayor, the Earl of Lincoln, Alex- ander Milne, Esq., Honourable Charles A. Gore, Lord Lyttelton, Lord Colborne, the Right Honourable J. C. Berries, ir Robert Inglis, Bart., M.P., Sir Charles Lemon, Bart., M.P., Sir Robert Smirke, Henry T. Hope, Esq., H. Gaily Knight, Esq., M.P., and Charles Barry, Esq.- Standard.

[The Commission was gaaetted last night, the names standing as above, except that the Earl of Burlington is substituted for Lord Lyt- tleton.]

On Wednesday, the festival of St. Andrew, the Association of the Scottish Hospital held its hundred-and-seventeenth anniversary, at the London Tavern. The Earl of Haddington presided, and the Honour- able William Fraser of Saltonn (Lord Saltoan's brother) was Vice- Chairman. It was announced that the Queen was an annual contri- butor of 100 guineas. The late events in India and China furnished the Chairman with matter for compliments to grace the toast of the "Army and Navy "; but the Minister's speech furnished nothing par- ticular on that head to give an insight into the Ministerial view of those events.

In the Theatre of the London Mechanics Institution, on Thursday, was held the " Metropolitan District (No. 1) Meeting"; the nature of which was explained by Mr. Henry Warburton, the Chairman. "In pursuance of the recommendation of the Central Metropolitan Anti- Corn-law League, London had been divided into several districts, for the purpose of promoting the success of the great cause in which he presumed all their hearts were engaged ; and this was the meeting of the first district of the local associations into which the Central League had recommended that London should be divided." The theatre con- tains seats for 1,100 persons, and it was so full that there lacked stand- ing-room. The Chairman was supported by Mr. Charles Villiers, Sir de Lacy Evans, Mr. J. L. Ricardo, Mr. William Ewart, Dr. Bowling, Colonel Thompson Dr. Black, Mr. Sidney Smith, and other well- known advocates of the cause. Of the speaking generally it may be said that it went over old ground with little novelty of illustration. The proceedings were twice interrupted by the moving of amendments; one to send a delegate to Mr. Joseph Stnrge's Complete Suffrage meeting at Birmingham on the 27th instant ; another proposing the Charter : but the Chairman refused to put either amendment, as being irrelevant to the objects of the meeting. In moving the first resolution, Mr. Villiers borrowed an illustration from the treaty with China. The question was, he said, whether the cZ periment of confining an increasing population to a diminishing supply of food ought to be carried on any longer-

" We see that the distresses of the people are allknowledged by the universal

joy expressed at the prospect of a market in China being opened to our manu- factures. People hope that it may bring timely relief to the unfortunate arthnos of this country ; and yet there is nothing in the custom of China that is one jot better for the English manufacturer than that of Europe, which we have repudiated, or of America, that we still refuse. The industrious classes of this country want to find.customers for the fruits of their labour; they bare no preference for China : and they complain of the legislative obstruction which is interposed with other countries—the madness of which would be seen at this moment if it was proposed to obstruct the trade with China and regu- late the imports from that country by some fanciful scale. It would not be popular now, surely ; and yet why should it not be done? I only know one reason why it should not, and that is that the landlords of this country do not grow tea. (Cheers and laughter.) I believe that if there was as much as a pot of tea grown here we should be treated with all the usual solicitude for native industry and against the danger of depending upon the Chinese fur tea. We laugh at this, and yet this is the policy that has been pursued with respect to the staff of life ever since the peace in Europe. It was then that, to indemnify ns for our vast expenditure, we might have hoped that we should have had the markets of Europe opened to us—that we should have got food in abundance, and found an ample vent for our manufactures."

Disclaiming any wish to turn out the present Ministry, Mr. Villiers urged the necessity of such meetings to convince the Legislature and keep Sir Robert Peel to his professions.

The resolution, which we subjoin, was seconded by Mr. Ricardo ; and the next was moved and seconded by Mr. Ewart and Sir de Lacy Evans : both being carried almost unanimously—

"That the state of trade and commerce, the rapid increase of pauperism and crime, the continued decrease in the public revenue, and the general discontent of the people, are circumstances which, while they demand an instant remedy, have their origin in the vicious policy which has restricted the field of national capital and industry, and which, while its advocates have recognized theore- tically the right of the community to buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest, has been practically continued in the new Tariff and Corn-law." "That as no reliance can be placed on the wisdom or patriotism of the Go- vernment or of the Legislature for relieving the country from its difficulties, the intelligence and moral feeling of the people must be appealed to as the means of inducing the powers of the state to deal equal justice to all ranks of her Majesty's subjects." A third resolution, moved by Colonel Thompson and seconded by Mr. James Wilson, recommended the institution of "a London League-fund subscription." It was carried unanimously. Thanks weer voted to the Chairman, and the meeting separated.

A numerous meeting of Marylebone electors was held on Wednes- day, at the Three Compasses Tavern in Marylebone Street, to form a central association for the district. Mr. Daniell explained the purpose of the meeting—

The exertions of the League had effected wonders. The Tories were coming over to the Free Trade side as fast as possible. Even Mr. Estcott, who during the last session of Parliament was the uncompromising opponent of any alteration in the Corn-laws, now came forward as the friend of Free Trade; and so effective was his speech in support of it, that he understood it was intended by the Anti-Corn-Law League to request that gentleman to give them the benefit of his talents in favour of their principles. (Cheers and laughter.) It was necessary, now the grand blow was to be struck at monopoly, that the borough of Marylebone should assume that prominent position it had always occupied when any great national object was to be achieved—namely, that of being found in the foremost ranks. It was proposed that each district of that great pariah, together with Paddington, should unite and send delegates to form a central body to act in concert with the Metropolitan Association, and to be called the Marylebone Central Anti-Corn-law Association. The resolutions proposed were all carried without dissent ; and twenty-four gentlemen were at once named for the districts of the Rectory, All Souls and Trinity, Christchurch, and Paddington, to act as a Central Committee.

A very numerous meeting of the Metropolitan Tailors Trade Pro- tection Society was held at the National Association Hall, Holborn, on Monday evening, Mr. Francis Parrott in the chair, to adopt mea- sures for securing to the masters and men a fair remuneration for their outlay and labour, and to protect both against "the existing state of unprincipled competition." The Chairman explained the object of the meeting, which was decidedly anti-political, and had solely in view the ameliorating the condition of the employed and the unemployed. The injustice which was inflicted upon the trade originated from the illegi- timate establishments, which, imposing upon the public the worst rub- bish, robbed the journeyman of his just remuneration. He knew an instance of a woman having been offered 4d. for making a waistcoat ; he knew another instance ef four men who, huddled together in a small room, made thirteen coats for I/. 13s. 6d. He read a code of laws for regulating the trade, and said that for the remuneration of labour the standard should be what was paid in respectable establish- ments, which was at the rate of 6d per hour, or 6s. for twelve hours' work. Several speakers moved resolutions in support of the views set forth by the Chairman, and decreeing the formation of a fund towards the advancement of the interests of all conected with the trade.

The alarming increase of pauperism in Marylebone induced the Di- rectors and Guardians of the Poor to appoint a Committee to investi- gate the causes ; and the Committee made their report on Saturday. It tends to show that there are special causes for the increase in the particular parish— "Your Committee, in prosecuting their inquiries on the above important subject, have obtained returns from the parishes of St. Pancras, St. George Hanover Square, St. James Westminster, St. Leonard Shoreditch, also from the Strand Union, the Holborn Union, and the Greenwich Union ; and by comparison they find, that, while pauperism has increased in St. Marylebone Within the last two years 20 per cent in the in-door and 106 per cent in the out-door poor, taking the average of the before-mentioned parishes and unions the increase has only been 10 per cent on the in-door and 244 per cent on the out-door poor. This clearly shows that no general cause has operated to pro- duce the amazing increase. • • • By an examination of the tables pre- pafed by the Secretary, it will be seen that pauperism has been dealt with in this parish in large masses, which is not the case in other districts. For ex- ample, the average number of out-door poor receiving relief during the month of November 1840 was 2,841 ; the average number receiving relief for the month of February 1841, 5,563; showing that in the short space of three months the out-poor increased 2,722; and that the average number receiving relief for the whale of the month of February 1841, as compared with November 1840, was nearly doubled.

" The Committee also direct attention to the increase of bread distributed to

the out-door poor. For the year ending October 1840,51,681 four-pound loaves, for the year ending October 1841,89,792 four-pound loaves; and in the year end- ing October 1842, 133,553 four-pound loaves; showing the enormous increase of 81,872 loaves distributed in 1842 over and above the 51,681 distributed in 1840. The amount of money and bread for the same period stands thus— For the year ending October 1840. E11,724

For toe year ending October 1841 14,230 For the year ending October 1842 17.878

.showing an increase of 6,654/. distributed in out-door relief in 1842, over and above the sum of 11,224L in 1840.

"The consequence of this increase in the expenditure on account of the in and out-door poor has been, that no less a sum than 17,797/. has been drawn from the Vestry in the space of three years over and above the estimates fur- nished, partly on which estimates the rates for the present year have been levied. • • "The Committee have also to bring under notice the great increase in the number of doctors' orders issued-

- In the year ending December 1840, the number was 6,462

Ditto 1841, ditto 8.728

Up to the date of this report the number exceeded 9,200, and in all probabi- lity to the end of the year will exceed 10,000; showing an increase of the number issued in 1842 over and above the number issued in 1840, of 3,638. This fact, taken in conjunction with the testimony of Mr. Messer, the Reliev- ing-Overseer, and all the Inspectors, that in the majority of cases the obtain- ing of a doctor's order is the stepping-stone to receiving other relief, and that such orders are given on application as a matter of course, must lead the Board to the conclusion, that it is indispensably requisite that a more efficient and salutary inspection of such cases ought to be established." The remedy suggested is, a more diligent inquiry into each particular case.

The Commissioners for General Purposes under the Income and Pro- perty-tax Act, who have sat in Basinghall Street since the 21st Octo- ber to hear appeals, closed the cases brought front the Eastern Wards of the City on Thursday. It is said, that "out of 1,600 appeals that have come before them, 800 have been dismissed as not coming within the strict meaning of the act, and the remainder have been greatly mi- tigated": but, from the context, it seems to be meant that the appeals were affirmed, and that the claim on each appellant was disallowed.

A good deal of consternation was created by the announcement early on Monday morning of the decamping of Mr. E. J. Jordan, one of the clerks of the London Joint-Stock Bank. The property he had in his posession was under 20,0001. in Bank of England notes of 1,0001., 500/, and 2001. each, which it appears he received in the cashing Of checks and bills in his collection on Saturday. Not returning to the bank at the usual time, inquiries were on the instant made, but nothing could be gleaned satisfactorily to account for Mr. Jordan's absence. These have been followed up with the greatest activity, but withotit success. Be has, however, written to a friend, in reply to an adver- tisement from that friend, expressing his penitence, and has returned 19,415/. of the notes which he embezzled. There remains a deficiency of 300/. unaccounted for.