4t afttruf alio.

The prorogation of Parliament—nominally till the 3d of January next —was performed on Tuesday. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Newcastle, and Lord Campbell.

The Convocation of the Prelates and Clergy of the Province of Canter- bury was further prorogued on Wednesday, by Commission, until the 4th January, Evidence continues to be taken before the City Commission of Inquiry. The Commission sit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Captain Williams, Government Prison Inspector for the Home district, gave an account of the City Prisons,—Newgate, the new City Prison at Holloway, the City Bridewell, the Whitecross Street Prison, and the Borough Compter. He said, "My belief is that there are no prisons in existence where the visitations are so well kept up as in those of the City. The general management of the prisons reflects very great credit on them, and has done so especially of late years, since I have been connected with the district. The new prison at Holloway is managed in such a way as

-will make it always the pattern prison of the country." The visitations

are made by the Aldermen, who are the Justices on the rota. Captain Williams is of opinion that nothing satisfactory can be done with New- gate, because it lacks all arrangement, and is but a "mass of quarried stone." It should be abandoned, and the prisoners transferred to Hol- loway. The Thidewell is most inconvenient, ill-arranged, and useless:

the prisoners, thirty in number, cost 601. a head ; and Captain Williams recommends that the boys should be sent to the House of Occupation,

"a most excellent institution attached to Bethlem Hospital." Of the Debtors Prison in Whitecross Street he says, "There is scarcely a prison in England which is in so bad a state with regard to its construction and internal arrangements" ; but it is "well managed, and the discipline is excellent." As to the Magisterial services of the City, he said-

" I am quite satisfied that one Stipendiary Magistrate would be capable of transacting the whole of the duties at present connected with both of the

City Police Courts ; and the appointment of a Stipendiary Magistrate for the City would, in my opinion, be one of the greatest boons that could pos- sibly be conferred on the inhabitants." Mr. Martin Pratt, secretary of the General Steam Navigation Company, complained of the bad state of the river ; and recommended that the con- servancy of the Thames should be placed under the control of the Go- vernment.

Mr. Matthews, a solicitor, on behalf of interested clients, also com- plained of the imperfect conservancy of the Thames.

Mr, Philetus Richardson stated, that a newspaper called the Citiren was established in 1848 or the beginning of 1849, and that he was professionally employed to purchase the copyright on behalf of Mr. Benjamin Scott and Mr. Toulmin Smith. "A portion of the funds necessary for carrying it on was supplied by officers of the Corporation ;

but whether they recovered their outlay, wholly or in part, be could not say." The paper was very shortlived. Its object was to furnish re- ports of proceedings.

Mr. Frederick Whistler, wine-merchant, came before the Commission as a " volunteer " and "an old citizen," because he wished some justice might be done to the City. He thought many reforms were wantsd. such as street improvements and a new bridge. He did not think Stipendiary Magistrate was needed. He had no complaints of the eon, servancy of the Thames. Be thought that Aldermen ought not to be elected for life; and that the municipal voters should be the same as the Parliamentary voters. Mr. William Edmund Mason, formerly proprietor and editor of the Westminster Review, gave evidence to show that the "cost of management, arising out of conflicting jurisdictions and divided authorities," is the gist of the complaint to be made against the City. The official accounts do not enable any one to get a comprehensive view of the finances. The City makes a distinction between its "corporate estate," which it sets down at about 150,0001., and the funds which it administers under acts of Parlia, ment. Large items, at least 50,0001. for salaries and fees, are omitted. The salaries, fees, and emoluments of the officers of the Corporation, amount at least to 120,000L per annum. Mr. Hickson went elaborately into the accounts of the Corporation and put in an estimate of its re- venues; venu ; which, including tithes, local rates, and trust-estates, he set down at 1,107,1544. That includes all the local expenses of a public nature within the precincts of the City. The coal-duties, Mr. Hickson thinks, should be administered by a Metropolitan Municipality.

Mr. William Willinm% Member for Lambeth, was examined on the accounts of the City. In 1830 he was elected one of the City Auditors, and held that post for four years. Conjointly with his colleague he made a report, which was "a document of such a character as had not been presented in the City of London for fifty years." Subsequently to that proceeding, the Corporation ordered the Chamberlain not to supply the Auditors with vouchers and bills of particulars ; the Common Hall re- sented this ; but the Corporation persisted, and the Auditors thereupon resigned. Anxious to obtain a knowledge of the financial position of the Corporation:Mr. Williams became a Common Councilman in 1834; and he obtained a Ward Committee to look into the accounts. They found the total income of the City to be 321,4611.; a great portion of which (74,4401. for fees) did not appear in the amounts. The expenses of the Mayoralty in 1833 were 25,034/. The amount for fees was obtained from the 485 officers who received them. Twelve of the City officers re- ceived in 1833 more than was paid to the twelve Cabinet Ministers. Mr. Williams made out that only 20,000/. of the coal-tax goes to Metropolitan improvements.

A deputation from St. Pancras appeared to complain of the oppressive operation of the coal-tax. They also expressed a wish for sufficient powers for managing their own affairs—in fact, municipal institutions.

The ceremony of consecrating the new Bishops—Dr. Colenso, Bishop of Natal, and Dr. Armstrong, Bishop of Graham's Town—was performed on Wednesday, in the Church of St. Mary, Lambeth, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop of Lincoln. There was a great company of distinguished persons present at the ceremony. The Bishops came in due procession from Lambeth Palace. The reading of the service was followed by an eloquent sermon, preached by the Bishop of Oxford, on the 2d and 3d verses of the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles : "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them' ; and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." The new Bishops, having changed their dress, were, by the Bishops of Oxford and Cape Town, presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who sat within the chancel Standing without the rails, the Queen's mandate appointing them was read, and the usual oaths were administered ; then retiring to put on their robes of office, the act of consecration was completed by the laying on of hands. The Bishop of Guiana read the offertory sentences while a collection was made, which amounted to upwards of 13001. The Arch- bishop offered up the prayer for the church militant The communion was then administered, the Bishop of London reading the exhortation and the confession, while the rest of the service was read by the Archbishop. The Bishop of London followed by the Bishop of Adelaide, and the Bishop of Oxford followed by the Bishop of Cape Town, administered the sacra- ment within the altar-rails ; the Bishop of Lincoln followed by the Bish- op of Graham's Town standing on the North aide, and the Bishop of Guiana followed by the Bishop of Natal on the South side, administered it outside on benches arranged from East to West. This portion of the service being concluded, the ceremonial terminated.

The members and friends of the Protestant Alliance gathered together on Tuesday, in the hall of the Freemasons' Tavern, to memorialize the Government "on the aspect of Popery abroad." Lord Shaftesbury oc- cupied the chair ; and near him were Sir Culling Eardley, the Honour- able Arthur Kinnaird, Captain T. Maude, Admiral Harcourt, the Rever- end Canon Miller, Captain Trotter, Sce. Lord Shaftesbury dilated on the recent aggressions of Popery in Holland; the new penal code of Por- tugal, prohibiting, under penalties, attempts by word or deed to injure the Roman Catholic religion, or publicly to celebrate any other ; the new code of Malta, under which any contempt towards the doctrines, rites, or ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion, is punished with imprison- ment for terms ranging from three to twelve months ; and the new code of Tuscany, which inflicted ten, nay twenty years' imprison- ment with hard labour, and death in some cases, should any one "even in secret" express religious sentiments which might be construed into an offence against the Roman Catholic faith, especially including British sub- jects. Lord Shaftesbury stigmatized the hundreds of British residents in Florence, who notwithstanding this code, astened with disgusting rivalry to kiss the hand which had just signed that edict of voracious persecution. In conclusion he said- " It is our duty and it ought to be our glory to be able to support the cause of Protestantism all over the world: and my firm belief is, that if we proceed in that spirit, we shall not be wanting of great, noble, and vigor- ous allies on the other side of the water. I believe our Transatlantic brethren will not be behind us in the assertion of these great truths; and if we be united with them in this great work, 1 snap my fingers at all the powers of Europe. Why should we be less bold than Queen Elizabeth ? Have we less danger, less necessity, less means, or less hopes ? Why behind Cromwell; or why inferior to the statesmen of 1704, who demanded and obtained free- dom of conscience, religious liberty, and freedom of worship for the faithful in the Valliea ? Or why should we be less energetic than Lord Aberdeen, who, writing to Lord Stratford on the subject of the Christian subjects of the Porte said, 'To maintain our fellow-religionists ia a paramount duty, from which I will never recede.' Our rights are equal, our necessities are the and our means far greater than all those who ever went before us. The responsibility, therefore, is equally serious and inevitable; and, under the blessing of God, we will not be wanting to such ample means and to so gligiOUS a consummation." Sir Culling Eardley told how, a short time since, Count Mamiani, ferraerly the Minister of the Pope, had said to him that the system of the papacy was so utterly rotten, and so detested by the people, that unless some change took place he was sure its doom was *sealed. Sir Coiling thought that the Government ought to withdraw the representative of the Queen from any country in which liberty of worship is not granted to British subjects. The Reverend Canon Miller said, they could not call on the Foreign Minister to send a frigate after every Englishman or woman who chose to circulate the Bible in Tuscany ; and he !saw no way of propagating the gospel in such a country except by watering the soil with the blood of martyrs.

The memorial adopted formally recited the facts which formed the staple of Lord Shaftesbury's speech ; and stated at the close what the Alliance requires of the Government.

"They conceive that no political complication or difficulty could result from its being made distinctly known that Great Britain will not maintain diplomatic relations with any state which shall persist in denying to British subjecta within its territory the free exercise of their religion with liberty to possess places of worship for their own use, as well as place wis of interment, and to have the rites of baptism, marriage, and burial performed among themselves without hinderance or compulsory secrecy. To demand less than this measure of liberty and justice as the condition of continued diplomatic relations, would not seem consistent with the high position and moral claims of England. In the case of any alleged offence on the part of British sub- jects against the church established in those countries, by the peaceable avowal of their own religious convictions, the penalties affixed by the codes above-mentioned, are, it is conceived, wholly unjustifiable, and inconsistent with the admitted principles of international law. The Committee conceive that, if the refusal of any power to comply with these righteous demands should lead to the cessation of such diplomatic intercourse, no danger would necessarily result to the trade and commerce of this country; as no ground for war would arise out of it, and as the Government of the United States finds it quite practicable to protect the American trade with Europe by means of consuls where they have no resident minister. The Committee submit, however, to your Lordship, that whatever hazards or inconveniences might attend so decided a course of action, Great Britain, raised by Divine Provi- dence to the highest eminence among the nations, lies under the strongest and most sacred obligations to assert and uphold the rights of conscience, and to employ her utmost influence with the Governments of other countries to obtain the recognition of religious freedom."

The memorial is addressed by the Committee of the Protestant Alliance to the Earl of Clarendon.

At a special meeting of the London Missionary Society, on Thursday, it was resolved to send out more missionaries to China ; the Society reck- oning that the revolution offers great facilities for the propagation of the gospel. A large sum was subscribed to carry out the project, including one subscription of 2001. and several of 1001.

Several foreign gentlemen with some Englishmen met in the Hanover Square Rooms on Tuesday, under the presidencc of Mr. Worcell, a Pole, to commemorate the abortive Polish revolution of 1830. They were called together by the Polish Democratic Committee. Although the greater portion of the audience was foreign, there were many English- men and some ladies present. Among the speakers were the secretary, Mr. Linton, M. Alexander Herren, a Russian, M. Darasz a Pole Dr.

' Arnold Huge, a German, Dr. Roney, a Hungarian and M. Ledru

the speaking was in French, English, German, Polish, and Latin. A letter was read from M. Mazzini, stating that he was "hoarse, neuralgic, coughing," and therefore unable to attend, but his heart and soul were with them; and that as they had all striven together, so he was sure they would one day conquer together. All the speakers looked upon a general war as imminent ; and argued that war was the duty of Eng- land—but a war of England—not of Lord Aberdeen and Lord Clarendon. War, said Mr. Linton, means war against Austria and Prussia too, insur- rection in Poland, Italy, and Hungary, convulsion in Europe, shattering the Czar and the Pope, and the imperial tyrants of every name—the enfranchisement of all peoples. M. Lcdru Rollin looked upon war as imminent, because Nicholas would be compelled to regain his prestige, and because Louis Napoleon, in great straits for money, desired a pre- text to tax the richer classes.

The anniversary of the Scottish Hospital was celebrated on Wednes- day, St. Andrew's Day, by a dinner at the London Tavern. Among the company were Lord Mayor Sidney, Sir Roderick Murchison, Sir John Forbes, Mr. Seckles Secretary of the American Legation, Major Dalzell, and Mr. Patrick Robertson M.P. The subscriptions of the evening amounted to 3001.

At a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, on Monday, a paper by Lieutenant-General Jochmus, entitled "a Journey into the Balkan or Mount Htemus," was read by Dr. Shaw the Secretary. Among other things, the writer stated that he had discovered no fewer than thirteen passes in the range of the Balkans, some six thousand feet deep. The Turkish geographer Hammer only sets down five, and an Austrian paper mentions only five as practicable for carts.

The Botanical Society of London held its anniversary meeting on Tuesday; Mr. j. Reynolds in the chair. From the report we learn that the Society consists of 312 members ; that some thousands of British and foreign specimens have been distributed to the members during the past year; and that additional measures have been taken to make this deparh- meat more efficient.

Mr. G. Smith, one of the homeward passengers from Australia by the Mel- bourne steamer, has brought an action against the Australian Royal Mail Company, for damages !sustained in his passage home, and for non-fulfilment Of the contract. The trial began on Wednesday, in the Court of Common Pleas ; and Mr. Smith himself was examined. He stated, that in March last he applied at Melbourne for a third-class passage home by the Mel- bourne steamer, and was told that there were no third-class but only second- class passages. He saw the Company's bills, and a plan of the ship, and he paid 424 10s. for a second-class passage. When he got on board, he was shown to a berth on the larboard side of the steerage, where there were from fifty-five to sixty passengers. "There were two skylights to the room. They had no wmdaails The stokers and sailors slept directly over them. The pigsties were close to the forecastle and one of the skylights, and the soil was continually tumbling down into the room and on to the table ; and one of the pigs fell down on the table. Thera were two water- closets, which, from neglect or misconstruction, overflowed the deck, and he had to tread in it to get to his cabin. He complained of it many times. He was obliged to go to the water-closets in the second-class once, as it was blowing hard and he could not go where the sailors did, at the heads, with- out danger of being washed overboard ; when a midshipman came, threw up the venetian blind, and put a bull's-eye in his face, saying, 'Come out of that; you know you have no business there ; I will report you to the cap- tain.' He insisted on being taken to the captain, and complained of the condition of the water-closets—that he could not go to them ; and the cap- tain said, Do you expect me to clean them up?' The pigsties and scul- lery stank abominably. He could not sleep in his 'bunk' in the forecastle —a place for him like a coffin—because there were millions and millions of bugs in it. He slept under a form several nights, till he was so cramped he could not bear it any longer. The floor was covered with passengers, and he had to step over them, all mixed together. He could not sleep there, and slept several nights in the boat on deck. He complained about it so often he was at last considered a troublesome fellow." As to provisions, Mr. Smith gave a shocking account. The beef was bad salt junk, and half-cooked ; the pork was green ; the preserved meats stank abominably, but the tripe WU worse ; the peas were black, and stuck together like currants; the tea was good, but the coffee was given to them green ; the oatmeal was alive ; after about a month there was no sugar. He smoked and spat; they all smoked and spat; they had no spittoons; there were ladies there. The ship brought home third-class passengers. Under cross-examination, Mr. Smith did not vary his statement. "He had tried to sleep in the steerage-cabin, but could not for the bugs. He hung up his oppossum rug over 'aim, as they tumbled from all parts upon his face. He had taken his knife clean and drawn it through a crevice of wood, and the blade had come out as black as his hat with the blood of bugs." "The biscuits were maggoty and full of weavels." Mr. Deighton, another passenger, corroborated these statements. Ste- phen Morgan and his wife, Mr. James Wheatley and his wife, also added corroborative testimony.

At this stage the proceedings were adjourned until yesterday.

Mr. James Catt, hop-factor, brought an action against Mr. Alderman Humphery, to recover 3201., the value of 44 pockets of hops destroyed in the fire that burnt down the warehouse of Mr. flumphery in 1847. It was tried in the Court of Queen's Bench on Thursday. Mr. Cott declared that when the hops were warehoused he made an agreement with Mr. Humphery's managing clerk, that the charge—one penny per pocket per week—should cover the insurance ; and he further alleged that, independently of the con- tract, such was the custom of the trade. On the other hand, while it was re- presented, that as regarded hop-factors it is the custom to insure, as regarded wharfingers it is not ; and Hare, the managing clerk, swore that no contract was made with Catt when the hops were housed. Verdict for the defendant.

The fifteen Judges, sitting in the Exchequer Chamber, have reversed the conviction of Gabriel Sans Garrett, which found him guilty of attempting to "obtain" money from the Union Bank on false pretences. Garrett altered the figure of a letter of credit, issued by Duncan and Co. of New York ; he went to St. Petersburg, and procured money on the letter there, giving a cheque upon the Union Bank for 12001. to a Mr. Wilson. The Union Bank had been instructed by Duncan and Co. to pay only 210/. to Garrett, and they refused to cash the cheque. The Court held that a fraud had been committed, but "no 'obtaining' of money under false pretences within the meaning of the act of Parliament" ; because it was not the interest of Gar- rett to have the cheque presented, but manifestly to his interest that it should have been burnt or sunk to the bottom of the sea.

In the Central Criminal Court, on Tuesday, Edward Beaumont was found guilty of embezzlement; but judgment was deferred, as a nice legal point was reserved for the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeal. Beaumont was employed to deliver coals that come to London by the Great Northern Railway ; he was in the service of Mr. Wiggins, who contracts with the Company to find waggons, horses, and carmen ; Beaumont delivered some coals received 51. 10s., and applied it to his own use. There were two counts- in the indictment, one alleging that the money belonged to the Great North- ern Railway, the other that it was the property of Mr. Wiggins. Mr. Parry contended that the prisoner had not embezzled the money of the Railway Company—he was not their servant ; neither had he robbed Mr. Wiggins, for though in his service, Beaumont had taken the money of the railway, not his master's. The Recorder was inclined to think the indictment for em- bezzlement could not be sustained; but he would let the case proceed, re- serving the point. Mr. Parry had no defence to offer as to the facts.

The calendar for the present session contains the names of no fewer than thirty-three persons charged with uttering base coin.

On Wednesday, eight copperplate printers were tried for a misdemeanour, in conspiring together to expel Frederick Spence from his employment. Spence had worked for Messrs. Tanis, who have had a dispute with the Printer's Society ; and when their hands struck Spence and others remained. He afterwards got work at Mr. Jackson's : when he had been there a week, the foreman told him he could not be employed any longer ; and referred him for the reason to some of the prisoners. They said they objected to work with him because he had been at Tallis's. The case broke down when Mr. Jones, the foreman, was examined. He dismissed Spence because he know he had a job elsewhere, and because the other men did not "like to work with him "—they would "send him to Coventry," and he would be uncom- fortable. Baron Alderson said, the charge of conspiracy had altogether failed ; but he warned the accused not to commit such an offence as was alleged against them. A verdict of "Not guilty" was then taken.

Philip Grinney was convicted of wounding his wife with intent to murder her. He cut her throat with a knife ; and afterwards alleged that he had cause to be jealous of her. The wife denied this imputation. Witnesses were present who could have given evidence on the point : the counsel for the defence did not call them. Sentence of death was recorded, but a pun- ishment short of death will be inflicted.

On Thursday, Patrick and Johanna Connor were convicted of the "man- slaughter" of their little child Ellen. The couple are drunkards ; they could earn a good deal of money when they chose ; they neglected their children ; Ellen, two years old, was left without food, crawled out of a room, and fell down the stairs: she died from mesenteric disease, caused by want of proper nourishment and attention, which the parents bad neglected to provide : this was the manslaughter. The wretches were sentenced to imprisonment for nine months. Charles Vos was convicted of the burglary at the Lombard Street Post- office. Sentence, twelve months' imprisonment.

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Monday, William Jones was brought up for judgment. He was lately convicted of theft: but he pleaded, that at three places where he had 'died to work for an honest living, he had been expelled as soon as he had been denounced as a gaol-bird. The inquiries of the Po- lice in great part substantiated this story. He received a lenient sentence— six months' imprisonment.

Ralph, the seaman who committed such a desperate assault on Bolus the waterman, pitching him into deep water and attempting to hit him a mur- derous blow on the head, was convicted of a common assault. The Assistant- Judge said, if Ralph had not been drunk at the time, he should have had a very severe sentence : the sentence inflicted was four months' imprisonment.

George Amherst is in custody for complicity in a clever robbery. He ap- plied at Mr. Draper's, in Charles Street, Grosvenor Square, and pretended he wanted apartments for a gentleman from the country. Subsequently he went with another man to the house to look at the rooms ; while they de- tained the servant up-stairs, another associate rifled a gentleman's apartments of property worth 300/.

Mrs. Frances Farquarson, widow of a gentleman who once possessed large estates in the West Indies, has been found dead in a new road at Brixton, from cold and exposure. The unfortunate lady was an inmate of Lambeth Workhouse ; she was seventy-two years of age. She went out one day for her monthly " holyday," wandered about, and at night must have fallen down in the unfrequented road where her body was found early in the morn- ing. No money or food is given to Lambeth paupers when they go out for their holyday ; and if they return to the house for their dinner they are not allowed to go out again. This seems to have deterred poor Mrs. Farquarson from going in at dinner-time, for another pauper had brought her back to the house at mid-day ; and she appears to have had no friends to go to. Jurors censured the rule by which a pauper loses part of a holyday if he returns for food, while he is sent out penniless. The verdict was—" Died from cold and exposure."