ht

The Worcestershire Society kept its anniversary on Saturday at the Albion in Aldensgate, Mr. J. C. Dent in the chair. The public interest in the prooeedings arises from the presence of Sir John Pakington and Lad Lyttelton who shone in the after dinner business of speech- making. Sir John replied for his department, the Navy. He had en- deavoured to restore and maintain the supremacy of England on the sea ; agreeing with Mr. Dent that we ought to be able to go in and thrash any number of our opponents whoever they might be. ("Hear !" and laughter.) No Lord of the Admiralty would be doing his duty who should for a moment tolerate the idea that any single Power or combi- nation of Powers would be able to dispute the supremacy of England on the sea. Sir John's convivial hearers cheered the old true blue senti- ment, and its enunciation naturally led him to the topic of war.

With regard to the present aspect of affairs, it might and probably would be very difficult, if the war which had unhappily broken out in Europe should be long :protracted, for England to preserve her neutrality. He could, however, assure them that the policy of her Majesty's present Go- vernment was really and truly neutrality. ("Hear !" and cheers.) Nor did he know of the slightest reason at the present moment why that neu- trality should not be preserved. (Cheers.) He was sure that it is the in- terest of England to remain at peace, and he most earnestly hoped that her Majesty's Government would be able so to conduct the business of the na- tion as to allow England to continue in that peaceful condition in which all true lovers of their country desired it to remain. They had nothing what- ever to do with the quarrels of the Continental Powers. It is a most un- happy quarrel, and has led to a state of circumstances which was already, most disastrous to contemplate. It is shocking to reflect upon the condi- tion of affairs in the North of Italy, where at that very moment hundreds of thousands of armed men are gathered together for the purpose of imbruing their hands in blood, for the destruction of human life, and spreading de- solation, wretchedness, and barrenness over some of the most fertile plains in the whole world. It would puzzle any man's brain at this moment to say why/ all this misery was occasioned. It is, however, the duty of her Majesty's Government to take every possible precaution which human wis- dom could devise in order to prevent England from becoming entangled in this most unhappy, and he would add, this most unnecessary war. (Cheers.)

Lord Lyttelton, Lord-Lieutenant, explained why he had not yet moved the county to raise volunteer corps. He is waiting to see what will be done in Parliament. Besides, he does not think the emergency sufficient—" there is no enemy in sight "—to evoke that response from the country which alone could raise a formidable corps. Lord Elmley threw doubts on the volunteer movement. He does not think the " Radicals " will knock under to discipline.

The Convocation of the Prelates and Clergy of the Province of Can- terbury met at St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday, where the religious ceremonies preceding the opening of that body were performed. After this the members of the Lower House withdrew into one of the chapels, and again elected Dr. Elliott, Dean of Bristol, as their prolocutor. The Convocation is adjourned until the 22d June.

The Cambridge Asylum at Kingston-on-Thames provides a comfort- able refuge for widows of private soldiers and non-commissioned officers. It has existed eight years. There are now fortrone widows within its walls. On Saturday, Lord Powis presided over the dinner in aid of the funds. Many officers were present, and 400/. was subscribed.

The annual meeting of the British and Foreign Anti-slavery Society was held on Saturday, Mr. Samuel Gurney lathe chair. Mr. Chamerovzow, in moving the report, explained that the Society is not opposed to all immigra- tion of labour into our tropical colonies, but it desires the labour should be free and voluntary, and therefore seeks to obstruct the coolie trade. Mr. Charles Buxton combated the extreme views of Mr. Chamerovzow. He showed that great good had been effected by immigration, and that there has been a great diminution in the mortality on the voyage. But he objected to throwing so large apart of the expense upon the community. The meeting, however, .agreed that labourers are not wanting in Ja- maica, and that the immigration system is bad.

The foundation stone of the Cancer Hospital was laid by Miss Burdett Coutts on Monday. The Bishop of London and the Reverend Mr. Owen took part in the proceedings. The characteristic of the ceremony was the presence of several representatives of diverse faiths.

A meeting was held in St. Martin's Hall on Monday, to promote the establishment of drinking fountains. Mr. Samuel Gurney presided ; and Lord Carlisle, Mr. Haabury, M.P., and Mr. Blaney, M.P., made speeches. It is calculated that the metropolis will require 400 public fountains, and that they will cost 20,000/., of which only 30001. have been collected in money or money's worth. No less than 20001. have been contributed by private individuals, in addition to seven fountains contributed by so many persons, amongst whom might be mentioned the names of Lord Carlisle and Lord John Russell. In one of the poorest parishes in London the working classes have subscribed 401.

The case of Mary Ann If 'Donnell is now finally disposed of. Mr. Roberts, failing to enter into the required recognizances, was taken into custody, on Friday night, and on Monday, Lord Campbell and his colleagues of the Queen's Bench., again prepared to devote their attention to Mary Ann 1111)onnell and her rival protectors. The diffioulties of the case had, how- ever, melted away since their former sitting. Mr. Roberts had yielded to the persuasive force of the law, and restored the child to her father. A cer- tain Mi. Bonner, was indeed, the immediate agent of restoration, but as the incarceration of Mr. Roberts, and the return of the child to her parents were coincident., it would seem probable that the one was instrumental in procuring the other. This case having thus decided itself there was no-

ing for the Court to do but to rule that, "on paying all the costs since the writ of habeas corpus the defendant might be discharged." This he accordingly did. Mr. justice Crompton reasonably remarked, that it must not be supposed, of course, that a person in contempt was to be excused up- on merely doing what he ought to have done before. This troublesome ease is now, therefore, fairly got rid of.

A quarrel about some houses at Norwood. decided before the Court of Exchequer on Saturday, involved the weighty question of the limits allowed to the imagination of an auctioneer in describing property. It was settled that calling houses "semi-detached" when only separated by "a deep recess" was fraudulent and invalidated the sale, although the usual clause was inserted "that the foregoing description shall be held to be, Sic.' Also, that it is fraudulent to say a house is substantially built when it is no trabstantially built ; a valuable decision.

The" Great Shrewsbury ease," as it is called, a suit to recover possession of the estates, has, with immense exertions and much creaking of ma- chinery, got itself into working order again, and is now occupying the daily attention of the Lord Chief Justice and his coadjutora of the Common Pleas, and absorbing the energies of countless lawyers. The Attorney-General on behalf of the plaintiff, the Earl of Shrewsbury, is showing cause why certain things should or should not take place in long speeches in which he dis- cusses the pedigree of people who lived three hundred years ago, and does other things very interesting to lawyers. Such a glorious opportunity for making speeches is not of course to be thrown away, and the arguments on one side and the other are of such a length, that although the case came on at the beginning of this week, there seems small chance of its going off be- fore the end of next.

The affairs of the Royal British Bank have been brought before the Bank- ruptcy Court again this week by the solicitor for the assignees. On Tues- day Mr. Linklater announced that the assignees found themselves in a position to pay up another shilling in the pound. Mr. Linklater took credit on behalf of his clients for the way in which they had exerted themselves since the bankruptcy. With the aid of a further sixpence which the as- signees confidently look for, sonic time in December they hope to raise the total dividend to the respectable sum of fifteen shillings. In applying to the court to appoint a day when the additional shilling may ho declared, Mr. Linklater took occasion to blame the conduct of certain of the ex-share- holders who have refused to come forward with their money. If it had not been for this, he said, the total dividend would have been 138. 6d.; and he would take that opportunity of announcing that the assignees intended to publish lists, from tame to time, of the shareholders legally liable to pay, who have not done so.

A quarrel between a merchant shipowner and a naval petty officer occupied Mr. Self on Wednesday. The law in virtue of which a seaman may leave a merchant ship at a moment's notice, in point of fact desert from her if he choses to enter the Navy, has given rise to many an assault besides this in question. Mr. F. Smith, of the firm:of Teighe and Smith, ship-owners, was charged with assaulting W. Cutler, quartermaster of the Crocodile. A seaman had " left " Mr. Smith's ship and entered on board the Crocodile. Cutler was sent by his captain to fetch the seaman's clothes and papers. Stating his errand to the merchant captain, he was " bundled " out of .the ship "neck and crop" by Mr. Smith, who happened to be on board at the time. The facts were not disputed, and the Magistrate inflicted the nomi- nal fine of 40s.

On Thursday, at Westminster, Mr. Simpson, the proprietor of Cremorne Gardens, prosecuted a Mr. G. A. Lake, described as a gentleman, for riot- ous conduct the night before in his grounds. Lake stood on the tables, made disorderly speeches, and then violently assaulted Mr. Simpson, who had him turned out. Mr. Paynter adjourned the case for a week, to give Mr. Lake an opportunity of voluntarily making Mr. Simpson amends for the damage he had done. The Magistrate was afraid that Cremome being a public place, Mr. Simpson could not exclude persons he knew to be dis- orderly, if they were walling to pay a shilling, but might summons them afterwards, when they would be indicted at the Quarter Sessions, and receive a "lesson they would not forget."

The betting at Bride Lane on the Derby Day is an acknowledged annual nuisance in the city. Mr. Westall, a Common Councilman, applied on Wednesday to Alderman Cubitt, at Guildhall, and represented to him with much indignation that the morals of the London youth are corrupted by the betting-books which are carried about in the said Bride Lane without any attempt at concealment. Alderman Cubitt entirely agreed with him, and decided to go at once to Bride Lane and ascertain for himself the extent of the evil, expressing his determination to consult with his brother magis- trates, and adopt some means of putting a stop to it.

The Coroner's Jury, who have been inquiring into the Richmond poison- ing case, have concluded their investigation by returning a verdict of" Wil- ful murder against Dr. Thomas Smethurst." No new facts have been brought out in the evidence, and the jury simply followed in the footsteps of the Richmond Magistrates, who anticipated the result of the inquest by convicting the prisoner the week before last.