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The "unhappy disputes " which have prevailed among the members of the Artillery Company of London since the reconstruction of the body by a Royal warrant taking. away the Company's power of electing its own officers, have given rise to rival inquiries prosecuted on the order of the Captain-General, Prince Albert, and the Court of Assistants; and to a correspondence. Prince Albert has conveyed a specific intimation, that if the differences are to be perpetuated he must "separate himself entirely from the Company, and leave the future settlement of the matter for the consideration of her Majesty's Government" The Court of Common Council was informed, on Thursday, that the Queen will receive the Protestant address of the Corporation on Tuesday next. Power was given to the Committee which drew up the address to make arrangements suitable to the important occasion ; and the authorized report of the civic proceedings says—" It is believed that the procession to Windsor 'Castle on Tuesday-will be most strongly indicative of the opinion of the citizens of London."

On the same day was affirmed the report of the Markets Committee, with the draught of a petition to Parliament for leave to bring in a bill for the improvement of Smithfield according to the plan some time since adopted. Mr. Norris warned-the Committee against insincere pretences of reform. " It is not enough that notices should be given and a bill lodged merely to put the Committee in a position to play a card if any one else begin the game—to enable the Committee to come forward for a bill if any other scheme should be introduced into Parliament."

The announced public meeting of lay members of the Church of Eng- land, to protest against the Roman "insult, was held in Freemason's Hall on Thursday, under the presidency of Lord Ashley ; whose Protest- ant eloquence was backed by energetic speeches from the Earl of Chi- chester, Lord Charles RnszP11, Sir Edward Parry, Mr. Childers, M.P., Mr. Plumptre, M.P., and some others. The notable features of the demonstration were an impatience at further consideration of the "out- side mischief," and an increased frequency of bitter allusions to the Trac- tarian treachery within the camp ; with intimations by the leading speak- ers, that a disruption of the Church from the State, or a theological secession, is imminent, unless some strenuous measures be taken to purge

the Church of its Romanist element. Lord Ashley denounced the false and heretical practice of auricular confession, as the sacerdotal forgery of a • sacrificial priesthood,; he strove to awaken his hearers to the " daily, hourly, imminent peril" of the Church ; and made a personal avowal that created a solemn excitement, succeeded by approving cheers-

" The laity love their Church, Bo-decently, its simplicity of truth, its gospel character; and they will maintain it in all its efficiency. But that Church must continue to be Scriptural. If it -change its character, and cease to be such, why then they will lie under the same duties and they will entertain the same feelings as their forefathers, when, disrovanclio ng everything but the confession of the truth and the honour of Almighty God, they broke at all hazards from the unscriptural and unholy Church of Rome. I speak here for myself—I doubt not I speak the sentiments of thousands in this realm— that if we be driven to this nercesity, (which God in mercy avert !) I had rather worship with Lydia on -the banks of the river, than with a hundred snrpliced priests in the temple of St. Bamabas." . P. F. O'Malley, r-Q.C., aoknowledged that if „the practical working Of the Church of England is not in accordance with its -spirit, however time-hallowed or personally sanctioned, he and they would find it their duty to withdraw their support-from it. Lord Charles Russell by inu- endo attacked the Bishop of Oxford; declaring that the foes in our own household have been encouraged by those who have blinked ,their duty : the laity must no longer he quiescent,.but musttell theirleaders, temporal and spiritual, that in the defence of Protestant institutions they will be backed up at all hazards against all corners. In winding up the proceed- ings, Lord Ashley declared that the spirit shown had lifted him out of despair. OR of late he had foreboded very grievonsthings of this kingdom and its happy constitution ; but he now began to take a different view— "Be true to your God," he exclaimed, and.lite will ever be true to you. 'Hold fast the form of sound words' ; stick closely to the sound and the true doctrine; and you will yet be reserved, in God's almighty providence, to perform a -noble, a religious, -a heart-stirring, and an evangelical part in the history of generations to come. This is a great work for you-individually i to do. It is a great work which .I trust you -will transmit to your children. I hope yon will labour day and night, and not let slumber.visit,your.eyelids till there has been completed that great consummation when 'the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters oover the channel of thesea: " Under the influence of such trumpet-tongued declamatiourthe meeting became "the most enthusiastic" that the reporter of the Times has yet seen upon this question.

A. conversational meeting of the "Colonists Society" •vras held -at the rooms of the Canterbury Association in Adelphi Terrace on Wednesday, to promote arrangements for the simultaneous departure of the next or main body of the Canterbury colonists. The -advantages of simultaneous departure are seen to be so great, that the Society had submitted a_proposal to the Canterbury Association, that the numerous body of colonists now making their preparations to leave this country should be despatched by ships starting in a fleet ; and, after consideringthe proposal, the Association has consented. Captain Simeon presided at the meeting on Wed- nesday, and gave explanations to the numerous assemblage, which included a considerable number of ladies. The Reverend Dr. Row- ley, who is 'going out to the colony as " bead of the Chapter, and second after- the Bishop," read the correspondence between the So- ciety and the Association on the subject of the coming departure; and also on a proposal to give the colonists some additional facilities indeal- ing with the grants of land which they buy in this country. The main body of the substantial -colonists will sail.he fast week imnext June, in.a fleet of ships ; hat at the same time there will be no intermission of the arrangements for pouring onta constant stream of labouring emigrants. Mr. Adderley and Lord Lyttelton addressed the meeting ; the former reading from letters that morning received from Mr. Godley, describing the good progress of his arrangements, and his own recovery of strong health ; and from Bishop Selwyn, stating that he is now preparing plans for the ecclesiastical government of New Zealand, which he .hopes will release him from his present position of an unoonstitutional Church despot. The gathering was of a pleasant and inspiriting character, and we suppose, from the heading of the reports of it, that the meetings:will he continued weekly.

About a hundred and fifty -gentlemen "frae the North" commemo- rated Saint Andrew's Day, on Saturday last, and-promoted the interests of a national charity—the Scottish Hospital—by a dinner at the London Tavern. Mr. Recorder Stuart Wortley presided ; and was supported by Mr. Chisholm Anatey, M.P., Colonel Anstruther' Colonel Brandling, Major Mouypermy, and some canny brethren 'who hold honourable civic offices. Mr. Davies, the Secretary of the Ameriean Legation, appeared as a guest, and contributed much to the ,apirit of the proceedings by a flight, somewhat studied but well sustained, of Transatlantic eloquence.

At a meeting of the supporters of the Hospital, which had been held in the morning, the financial state of the society had been 'described -en- couragingly. The year's receipts, 30747., had exceeded the expenses by some 2561., and a legacy bad swelled the balance at the bankers by ano- ther 100/.

At the Central Criminal Court,•on Saturday, Dyson, Mitchell, and Mahon, were tried for the burglary in Regent's..Perk. Dyson and Mitchell of course pleaded "Guilty "; as Dyson was the man whom Mr. Paul and his men pitchforked -and captured, and Iditchell was the man sorely wounded with shots, who long concealed himself, but when arrested confessed his guilt to. the Magistrate. Mahon .pleaded " Not guilty "; but his defence rested' solely on a voluntary declaration .made by Dyson at the beginning of the case, that "his fellow-prisoner Mahon was not with him on the night of the robbery after ten o'clock." The circumstantial proofs against Mahon were very strong ; and two of them were implications from his own words. He was arrested by Sergeant Barry en the 27th October : as Barry and Constable Jones were conducting him to the Police-station, Barry told Jones to go hack to the house where they had taken Mahon, and apprehend " Butcher Bill"; the prisoner immediately said, "There was no one with me, so help me God ! " Again, when the man Robinson since liberated, was arrested and taken to the station-house, Mahon said, "What do you bring that man here for ? he brows nothing about it." Locock the cab-driver who drove Mitchell to Waterloo Bridge, saw a man whom he identifies as ?dation,. come from Glen-. cester Gate just after the robbery, at an early hem- in the morning; and he was soon after followed by Mitchell. Locock askedMahon if he wanted a cab. Mahon said no, and showed Locock his right hand, bleed*, as he said, from the bite of a dog ; and he washed his hand at a pump close by. To another, person, however, Mahon. stated that the same wounds wers caused by .a fall ' on a glass. Mr. Joseph, the surgeon to the Police force, was certain that

both accounts of the wounds were false, and that the wounds were caused by gun-shots. The Jury without hesitation found Melton guilty. Mr. Parry sought a lenient sentence for Mitchell, as he had sufferednurch already from his wounds—wounds inflicted while he was calling for mercy: Dyson addressed the Court, promised reform if he were let off easilv-110 had seriously reflected while laid up with his wounds. Mr. Baron Martin re- iect both epplications, and. sentenced both the:convicts to transportation for

e. The Judge was interrupted at one part of his address by shrieks from women in the gallery.

AtMarlborough Street Police Office, on'Monday, Mr. Bingham announced his decision in the ease of St. Clair, the glazier charged with threatening Mr. Fox at the building in Hyde Park, and with sending a threatening letter to the-stone gentleman. A teohnical objection had been raised fbr the de- fendant: he had been given into custody for a threatening gesture and lan- guage ; but for the charge of sending a threatening letter he ouollt., to have been served with a summons. The Magistrate thought that the law was somewhat doubtful on the point, but he considered it would be 'best to.pro- eeed in the surest way : the alleged threatening gesture was a trivial matter compared with the other charge ; so he liberated the prisoner, against whom the prosecutor could apply for a summons. aVhen St. Clair had been dis- charged, a summons was-immediately taken out against him for sending a threatening letter.

At the Mansionhouse, on Monday, Mr. Thomas -Williams, the Regent Street tradesman who was charged with attempting to sell a large quantity- of silks which had been stolen from Messrs. Watts and Co., of Gutter Lane, was finally examined, and committed for trial ; but, with the consent of the prosecutors, he was liberated on bail, that he might assist in treeing the property : only one surety of 507., and his own meopizances for 1007., were required.

George Thicket, a fellow who has made himself notorious by hisliold rob- beries, by an escape from Marlborough Street Polio° Office, 'by desperate en- counters with the officers Of justice, and by an attempt to escape from New- gate, has finished with an actual escape, from the Model i'riscoa at Pentou- ville. Thicket is the man who nearly murdered a Policeman who stopped. him on London Bridge, going in a cart to practise his arts at the " Derby." He was tried for the attempt to murder, oonvicted, -and sentenced to fifteen years' transportation. While in Newgate, he prepared to make his escape, but his plan was discovered. At the Model Prison,lie hatlent through some the bars of his cell, but the officers detected him, and moans were taken: to be doubly sure of the persevering prison-breaker. All was in vain. Last Sunday evening, Racket went to the chapel with the other prisoners ; he had managed to conceal about him the sheets and rope of his bed, the spring of the cell-door fashioned into a " jemmy," and° metal weight. iAs soon as he entered his compartment in the chapel, he scorns to have forced up the floor- ing, gotten under the gallery, broken his way through a zinc-ventilator, and gamed a small closet A window afforded him the means, to get on Loa para- pet-wall ; he walked along this, and eventually got -on to the roof of the Governor's house, six feet, above the wall. Here be divested himself of his prison clothing except his trousers and blue shirt; left the garments, with the sheets and other articles, upon the house ; and, sliding down a gable- end wall, got clear of the gaol. A Government Inspector has made an in- vestigation of the circumstances of the escape ; and it is reported that he ab- solves the officers of the prison from any connivance at Racket's evasion. The impudence of the fellow equals his ability : on Monday night he sraitthis letter to the Governor of the Gaol- " Monday, 24 December-1850.--George 'Jacket presents his loompliments to the Governor of the Model Prison, Peutonville, said hogs to apprise him of hislutppy escape from the gaol. He was in excellent spirits, and could assure the Governor that, it would be useless for his men to pursue him: that be" was quite safe, and in a- few days intended to proceed to the Con-tinent to recruit his health."

Three convicts escaped from Woolwich on Tuesday morning. Between' six and seven o'clock in the morning, after breakfast, they nienaged to lower themselves from the Warrior convict-ship, traversed the mudalong the shore for some distance, and then seized a boat belonging to a waterman. -In this they crossed the river, landedon the North Woolwich marshes, and got clear off. They were all young men, and each had been sentenced to ten yearie transportation.

The Judges at the Central Criminal Court have ordered that- ten pounds be given to Policeman Godwin for his admirable -conduct in seizing and re- taining his hold of the burglar Rouse, who assailed him with a knife. Ur. Baron Alderson announced the reward in a very laudatory address.