(14r 3littropolis.
A very large deputation, ry headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the Duke of Marlborough, and Lord Shaftesbury, waited upon Lord Palmerston and Sir Charles Wood at Cambridge House on Saturday to express their views in relation to the use of the Bible in the Government Schools in India. They desire to have re- moved that prohibition which prevents the establishment of voluntary Bible classes in Indian schools.
"The deputation desire it to be distinctly understood that they do not urge upon her Majesty's Government the compulsory teaching of the Bible in any Government schools. They are aware that in very few schools suitable teachers can be found, and that the circumstances of some localities mar, in the judgment of some local authorities, render the immediate in- troduction even of voluntary Bible classes inexpedient. They plead only that the absolute and universal interdict of the Bible in school hours, even though questions may be asked by the pupils, should be removed, so that the local authorities, as in the case of the Governors of Madras and of the Punjaub, may be at liberty to introduce such voluntary Bible classes where they may judge that it can be done with propriety and safety."
They cite as authorities Sir John Lawrence, Sir Robert Montgomery, Colonel Edwardes, the sanction given in 1847 to a similar scheme by the council of Madras, including two Native gentlemen, a Hindoo and a Mahomedan, and the adoption of the plan by the Rajahs Travancore and Mysore.
Lord Palmerston and Sir Charles Wood said that the Government feel as anxious as the deputation that the natives of India should em- brace the Christian religion. They desire this on the ground that eevrecrryy additional convert to Christianity is an additional strength to the British Government of India. Notwithstanding the high authority of Sir John Lawrence, there are others of high authority who take a different view of the sublect • many, even zealous for the promotion of missions, think that a Bib e class in Government schools might create a prejudice against Christianity, and so impede instead of promoting its progress. It is a question which cannot be definitively settled without communication with the authorities in India as well as at home. Sir Charles Wood further stated that the interdict, so far as it is affected by his despatch of 1854, does not forbid the formation of a voluntary Bible class in any Government schools by the Government teachers, either before or after
the school hours, nor did it forbid the reading of the Bible itself in school hours as an historical book, without teaching the doctrines of the Chris- tian religion. Several members of the deputation said they were thankful to receive this interpretation of the rule of Government in respect of voluntary Bible classes. They hope that it concedes in part the principle for which the deputation contended.
The anniversary of the abolition of slavery in British colonies was celebrated by a dinner at the Music Hall, Store Street, on Monday. Lord Brougham presided, and in his speech fought his great battle over again, doing, in the course of his remarks, fulljustice to the United States. After remarking with regret that Spaiu had not followed our example, he said-
" I grieve to say that our brethren, our kinsfolk in America, furnish another exception to our example; but of that I would speak tenderly, from recollecting that America has acted admirably in many respects, and even abolished the slave-trade a year before we ourselves did it. Even in Georgia, which is as devoted to the ' institution us they are pleased to call it, as any of the Southern States, it was our fault, and not theirs, that they ever had slavery, for we pressed it upon them, and they refused it. They protested against it, but we defeated them ; and it is our fault that that 'institution' prevails in those States."
The rest of Lord Brougham's speech was devoted to a tribute to the memory of Wilberforce, Clarkson, Buxton, Macaulay, Stephen, and other leaders of the Anti-Slavery party, and to remarks showing how beneficial their work has been in our colonies.
In the Divorce Court, on Saturday, Mrs. Barbara Aubrey prayed for a judicial separation on the ground of the adultery of her husband, Colonel .11arcourt Wynne Aubrey. The marriage took place at Gretna Green as long ago as 1814, and there had been eighteen children, of whom eleven are still living. The cohabitation continued until about 1852, when Colonel Aubrey withdrew from his wife's society, and has since been living in adultery witha woman named Sparkes. ft was proved that Colonel Aubrey and Sparkes had lived together as man and wife at Chelsea, at Knights- bridge, in the Queen's Prison, and at Paris. An entry in the book kept by the blacksmith of Gretna Green was tendered to prove the marriage of the parties, but the Judge would not receive it as evidence. The marriage, however, was clearly proved by more orthodox documents, and the Court de- creed a judicial separation.
Fifty men connected with the Great Central Gas Works on Bow Common have demanded increased wages, and failing to obtain them have struck work. The manager of the works applied at the Thames Police Court, on Monday, for summonses against five of the men—" the company were de- termined to make an example of the ringleaders, as an example to others." After much discussion—as to whether labourers in gas works come within the meaning of the Act 4th George IV., cap. 34, which spoke only of " ser- vant in husbandry, artificer, calico-printer, handicraftsman, miner, collier,' keelman, pitman, glassman, potter, labourer, or other person," and which Act inflicts the penalty upon men absenting themselves without leave and without notice, before the period for which they were engaged expired, to hard labour for three months—the summonses were granted. The Magis- trate affirmed the case to be one " demanding a thorough investigation." On Thursday James Crowder, David Simmons, Michael Tobin, William Sparks, and John Ryan answered to their summonses. They pleaded not guilty to "unlawfully absenting themselves," &c. They had demanded an additional shilling a day, the company refused. They appear to have abided by the rules and regulations of the " Loyal Gas Stokers' Protection Society," and to have set at nought the rules of the company, which required- a man to give seven days' notice before leaving their employ. Both em- ployers and employed had, until this breach, been upon good terms. Within the meaning of the Act the men were not labourers ; and the magistrste hoped " they would not listen to evil advisers, and those who had not their interest at heart, but that they would endeavour to make peace with their late employers, and return to their work." Sentence, an abatement of one week's wages.
John West, a police constable 114 B, was indicted at the Middlesex Sessions on Monday for stealing a watch worth 2/. from John Green, while " he was sitting at his own door," in Horseshoe Alley, Smith's Rents, Westminster, " half dozing." Prosecutor and his wife followed him, charged him with the theft, received back the watch, but " desired another policeman to take the prisoner in custody." They were refused their re- quest—" because the accused was like himself a policeman." The Assistant Judge said, " such conduct was intolerable, and the inspector must report to the Commissioners that the case had been proved without contradiction by the prisoner." The prisoner had before been reprimanded for irregu- larities of discipline, he was now, for this offence, sentenced to twelve months' hard labour.
Alfred Cooper, many years rate collector of St. Giles, Camberwell, has been committed for trial on a charge of embezzling 1000!., collected from the parish ; and William Wellington Turner, rate and tax collector for the parish of Islington, has been committed for trial on three charges of the same nature, and remanded on a fourth. He is accused of collecting rates, appropriating them to his own use, and returning those who paid them as defaulters.
About a quarter past two on Monday afternoon, as the North Woolwich up-train was coming into the Fenchurch Street station, it was dashed into by an engine which had just backed a Tilbury train into the station for passengers. Engine and train were both knocked off the line. Eight or nine persons were frightfully injured, and many others were more or less contused.
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