gttropplio.

At a Court of Common Council, on Thursday, the Recorder announced the receipt of a letter from Sir George Grey, communicating the news of the Queen's accouchement. The Council immediately voted by acclaim the presentation of a loyal and affectionate address to her Majesty.

Mr. Bennoch submitted a motion some time on the books—" That the Court do petition both Houses of Parliament in favour of the establish- ment of a system of National Secular Education." Sir Peter Laurie mo- ved the previous question. After a few speakers had spoken, a member "took notice that there was no Court."—Adjourned.

The London University conferred its degrees by public ceremonial, for the first time, on Wednesday last; borrowing the Hall of King's College for the purpose of doing the matter with befitting state and consideration. Many visiters were present. Lord Burlington, the Chancellor, replied to an address presented by a committee of Graduates, with a brief speech, pointedly recalling to mind that this University had been "established to recognize the principle of rendering academical distinctions accessible to persons of every class and every religious denomination."

The religious, charitable and scientific meetings which characterize the month of May, commencerhast week, and are now in full progress; but hitherto they have not furnished interesting or instructive matter.

The Wesleyan Missionary Society, the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety, and the Church Missionary Society, have held their meetings at Exeter Hall or Hanover Square, under noble chairmanship, and with the encouragement of ambassadorial speech. The activity of each increases; the funds, however, seem to flag somewhat. The non-religious celebrations include meetings or festivals by the Royal Infirmary for Children, the Hospital for Diseases of the Elkin, the General Domestic Servants Benevolent Institution, and the Philan- thropic Society. The prosperity of the Servants Institution seems proportionate to its youthful vigour ; the year's receipts so exceeded the expenses that about 1,500/. was added to the permanent fund.

The Philanthropic Society's gathering was to commemorate the opening a year ago of its Farm School near Reigate. Sir John Pakington, M.P., presided; Mr. Ifonckton Milnes, M.P., and M. Ducpetiaux, In- spector of Prisons for the Belgian Government, were among the guests. Mr. Sydney Turner, the resident Chaplain, read the following statements from the report— Since April 1849, sixty-five boys had been admitted and forty-six placed out: eight had emigrated, and seven had absconded. Thirty-six boys emi- grated to Algoa Bay in February 1849; favourable accounts have been re- ceived of about two-thirds of them, though the excitement in the Cape colony on the convict question had acted unfavourably on the boys. Of the nineteen lads that were sent to Swan River in August 1848, seventeen still remained in the colony, thirteen of them maintained a Food character,. and only three had relapsed into criminal courses. The society had assented to

the admission of some of the older and more deserving lads from the Ragged Schools, on payment-of the cost of their maintenance. There is room in the wheel for twenty-five more boys; but the expenses of the Farm School being eousiderable, the Committee Will for the present require some payment in aid of the support of all fresh admissions. Before the party broke up, about 700/. was subscribed.

Among the meetings of scientific bodies, were those of the Royal In- stitution, and the Horticultural Society ; whose financial position seems to be enviably high.

A numerous deputation, representing sanatory, philosophical, and archi- tectural associations in London, had an interview with Sir Charles Wood on Saturday on the subject of the Window-duties,—introduced by Lord Robert Grosvenor, Sir Ralph Howard, as chairman of an association for improving the dwellings of the poor, stated that the efforts of his society were grievously impeded by the Window-tax.

Their buildings were superior chiefly in the adequate supply of light, air, and water ; but upon their buildings in St. Pancras Road they pay no leas than 1621. 168. window-duty; and of this amount 351. is charged on will- lexica and water-closets!

Mr. Hickson made a statement— Of the 3;000,000 houses exempt from the duty, at least one-third -are so exempt from being inadequately lighted and ventilated in order `to escape the charge. But the great majority of the working classes do not live in farm-houses end cottages, which are exempt, but crowded into the eats of third-rate and fearth-rate houses in towns, which ought to have twelve or fifteen windows, but are built with the minimum chewable number of seven. The Chancellor gives a premium of 2/. 48. 9d. a year to a man Who will encourage disease by reducing his windows from twelve to seven, and esseof 4/. 48. to him who will do with twenty instead of thirty: thus he acts less the part of a Minister of Finsuree than a Minister of Pestilence. When the 4th and 5th William IV a 54 was passed, lord Althorp's words were, that it was meant "to prevent-any increase of revenue in the case of 'houses already existing" : yet the duty has been increased from 1,177,656/. to 1,813,629/. A quibble was made-on the act, and a most extraordinary breach of faith perpetrated. A fearful epidemic raged last autumn ; it may break ‘cait again after the summer of the present year ; and, although it May be said that there would be cholera if there were no window-duties, the -purifi- +Dation of the air by all possible methods is really the only known preven- tive. One broad fact is this—the basement stories of -several hundred thou- sand houses in Great Britain, being now inadequately lighted and ventilated, 'become reservoirs of mephitic vapours. These mephitic vapours, when rare- fled the summer heat, ascend to the upper floors, and subject the inmates to fevers of a more or less typhoidal form. The Chancellor of the Estelle- ,quer, therefore, so long as he maintains a system Which operates-era direct Tremium for the encouragement of dirt, darkness, and defective ventilation, Is incurring a heavy responsibility. He is, in fact, making himself the ac- Jut-notable agent, in the case of somethousands of the population, for health and sickness, life and death.

Lord Robert Grosvenor enforced MT. llickson's statements with a stowed appeal to the Ministerial conscience— Public opinion is turning against Ministers, and the repeal of the Window- duties may-be forced upon them by a hostile vote of the blouse of Commons. Be should take a part m such a vote with thegreatest pain ; and he implored the Chancellor of the Exchequer to put himself right with his friends and "right with the country, in gracefully and generously conceding the measure of relief now solicited.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that the deputation would liet-of course expect -him to reply specffically to the different points on which he had been addressed. It had been his duty to listen to their representations, and it would also be his duty to receive several other de- putations that had written to request an interview upon the same subject. The question of the Window-duties would receive the fullest consideration of her Majesty's Government.

A deputation, consisting of the 'Duke of Riehmond as President of 'the National Association' Trotectioniatj Mr. 'George Frederick Young as Vice-President of thatirody, the Earls Of Eglinton and Mthmesbury, 93ankea, Mr. Henley, and severed -other loading Protectionist Mem- bers of Parliament, waited on Sir -George Grey on Thursday, to present -addresses praying for a disselution of Parliament. Addresses were pre- 'vented-from plaoes the bare enumeration of which fills a full reporting column of the morning papers.

In the Court of Arches, Monday had heen _fixed for -hearing any objection -against the issue of a monition to the Biahop of Exeter to send in the letter of institution tothe 'vicarage ofBrampford Speke ; but no step wasthen taken. 'Mr. Bow-tiler gave -notice verbally, that he should take the necessary steps 'to enforce the monition ; and Dr. Adamsreplied,that-thereis " not the slightest intention-on-the part of the Bishop to remstin thiematter, but there are very urgent rename 'why he does not comply at present."

An application was made by Sir Fitzroy Kelly to the Court of Common Pleas, on Thursday, to grant a rule sucha-s the Court of Queen's Bench lately 'refused, to pnihibrt -the Court of Arches from proceeding in the Gorham case according to the decision of the Committee of Privy Council. -Sir Fitz- roy complained thatthe judgment overruled intlyree linesthe best-and greet- writers, and begged the whole question, by mourning thatthe 19th chapter of the 25th of Henry VIII. repeals the 12th chapter of the Mth of Henry VIII. Be remseked on the Lord Chief Jun:ice's participation 'in a judgment in a case which he -had previously adjudged in the Privy Council,—a course entirely against usage and precedent; anderiticized errors made by the learned biographer of the Chancellors in his allusions to the pliant Lord Andley and Sy Thomas More : for instance, it was a mistake to say that the first of the two, statutes was passed under Sir Thomas More, and the other under 'Lord Audley ; -they were both passed under Chancellor Audley. Sir Fitzroy quoted a great body of text-writers on his side, and conjured the Court to great the ride and give the matter their most serious consideration, asmei- ther property, liberty, nor life, -would be safe if that which had been law for three centuries could be overruled without discussion. Chief Justice Wilde intimated, that the Court must in justice read and consider the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench, before they decide that the question requires further consideration.

In the Insolvency. Court, on Saturday, Mr. Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, the actor, was examined on his application for a certificate. He -was opposed by the Messrs. Nathan, the theatrical dressers, and some other creditors. Mr. Brooke had an engagement with Mr. Walter Watts at the Olympic Theatre, to act from the 4th of February to the end of June, for 5001.; but on Mr. Wafts's recent arrest ma charge of embezzlement, he was left without engagement or means, and was forced to enter the Insolvent Court. Mellow offered his creditors to pay them one-eighth of his gross yearly receipts, or one-fourth of his net receipts. Mr. Commissioner Phillips said that he found no extravagant debts in Mr. Brooke's schedule, and had no doubt his debts

would be paid if he had his health. The creditors accepted the proposal to take one-eighth of the gross yearly receipts.

At the Thames Police Office, on Monday, the case of Bowes, the Black steward of the bark Mary Ann, again wane before the Magistrate, as there were some minor details respecting the wages due, advances made to the man, and so on, to be settled. Mr. Waddington, the master, was in a very ill humour, and grumbled about the effects his exposé of American slavery would bring on himself. If he went back to the United States, he should get into serious trouble about it. Mr. Yardley—" Oh, no, you won't ; you have got immortalized by coming here and stating what you did." Mr. Wadding- ton—" They will cut the masts out of ray ship whenever I reach Charleston or any ether port of a slevestolcling State in America."

The lord Mayor and Sir Peter Laurie, by statements at the Mansionhouse, have warned the public here and our brethren over the Atlantic, against frauds attempted on them. Some people in -the Albany Road, Camberwell, and others at Plymouth, have advertised in American papers a kind of "Derby sweep," or lottery to be decided by the drawing of portraits of horses' the object being to o remittances from unwary people. The Albany Road gang are also obtaining goods and bills from persons in this country, resident in the provinces, by offering to advance money. There seems reason to fear that in several eases the rogues have been successful.

A mysterious affair occurred at Clapham on Sunday morning. Mr. Jcihn Meddle, an independent gentlemen, occupies a house in Claremont .Plaee; Sarah Snelling, an elderly woman, was Ine housekeeper. On Sunday- morn- ing, Mr. Meddle went to church; desiring the woman, as eanel, to look the doers and gates. On his return, he couldnot obtain admittance by ringing at the front entrance; but he found the hack garden-gate unfastened. On entering the house, he discovered Sarah Suelling dead, on her back, on the door of the front kitchen. The house had been ransacked of all pcatable valuables ; Tari0.3.1$ drawers, horse, and ores an iron chest, having been forced 'open: A small box in which the housekeeper kept her -money had been emptied.. The position of the corpse was remarkable : the head rested all -LUX or seven folds of carpeting; the right leg was partly drawn up, and there was no shoe on the foot ; aockti of rope lay by the feet; near the head was a small -basin eontaining about a pint at clear water' the features were not contorted, and there was no sign .of -violence on the body.. The woman must have died soon after Mr.ldaddle left-the house ; the fire In the kitchen was out, and no -preparation had been made to cook the dinner.

The inquest was begun on Monday. Mr..5cilin Charles Parrott, a surgeon, -described the appearances presented by the 'body. 'There was no stain of hlood on the clothes, but the upper parts appeared to he wet from water. The hody was warm,:exeept the neck, which was Amt. The WM= bad been deed shout two hours. There was nothing-on any-exterior parted' the body to show the.cause-of -death. Even the :examination of the internal -organs did not exhibit it. There was no smelled' pekoe, and all the -.organs were healthy, With theexception of the idonmele where there were marks of recent and adtaye infianurnition. There was a .slight effusion on the brain. The woman might have died from natural causes. She must have been placed the position in -which the-was-found. The witneas.could not speak positively as to what appearances chloroform's-mild produceinthe -body. Mr. Idaddk detailed the nrounistanees mentioned above. His housekeeper had served him ten or twelve years. A neighbour had not-heard any merman theihni-

• day morning. About three ;months lance., thieves attempted to enter his _house, but he frightened them away-- with a blunderbuss. The .wituessavas proceeding to state particularise:if tharoldsery, when the Police .desired that he ahead not, as it -aught thwart their efforts to discover the perpetrators. Thaimpriry was adjourned for a :week; Mr. Parrott is to analyze the con- tents Of the stomacth.

It is saidthat suspicion thaseffillen -upon-few men, Whom the Police

en- deavoured totrace. -Chloroform suggested as the means of death. Very recently, sixteen gallonseof this drug were -stolesrfrome distillery, andthe _Policabelieveitto have theen-extenaively distributed -among the en nri alebesi to aid their attacks on the public.

Mary Ann Hartley, the young woman charged with attempting to poison her father by achninistethieg to.hini, has been committed for trial by the Southwark Magistrate.

Catherinallorria, the-yenng.daue;hter of farmer at C111}plapi, threw her- self into one Of the banns niTinfalgar Square, cuiTuesdey night : a passer- by saw-the .act, and =negate getther out when life was almost-gone. The 'young -woman was found to be religiously insane: sane : ahe said the had been taptazing lerself inlhe 'pool.