The proprietor a of shares in the Thames Tunnel held

their annual meeting on Tuesdny. It was stated in the Director's report, that the sum expended was :163,000t, and that the undertaking would he com- pleted for less than 500,00a The progress during the year had been 245 feet, and the work was now within 60 feet of the wharf-wall at Wapping. In 1838, 24,000 persons visited the tunnel ; and last year 34,000 paid for admission.

The law clerks of the Metropolis have met and adopted a petition to Parliament for the release of Pearce, Mr. Howard's clerk, in custody for breach of privilege.

Sir Peter Laurie having a right to distribute part of Sir John Lang- ham's legacy to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London for the re- lief of distressed soldiers and seamen, has sent 4/. to Pearce, who was formerly a soldier.

There are 252 prisoners for trial at the present Sessions of the Cen- tral Criminal Court.

At the Mansionhouse, on Saturday, the Lord Mayor mentioned that he had received letters detailing an ingenious plan of swindling poor Scotehmen out of their money. The sa indlers inserted advertisements in the Scotch newspapers, stating " that a gentleman abroad had left 10,000/. to be lent to Scotch men and women resident in Scotland, in sums from 50/. to 200/., for three years, at four per cent., on their own personal security, application to be made (with reference to, or a certi- ficate from, a clergyman) to Mr. Alexander Frazer, 64, Goswell Street, London." The fund was called the " Douglas Benevolent Loan ;" and the plan was to induce :midis:ants to remit aos. for the stamp on a bond to be signed before delivery of; the money to be lent. Some of the ap- Itlicauts, however, direeted inquiries to be made by agents or friends in London, before the disbursement of the 30s.; and then it was discovered that the whole affair was a fraud.

Another scheme of the sante description has been tried, apparently without success, by a person calling himself the Reverend A. John- ston ; who pretended to have the distribution of a charitable fund of 60,000/., called the Protestant Bequest. Probably the swindlers were the same in both cases.

From time immemorial it has been the eustenn in most of the parishes and places in the Western portions of the comities of Middlesex and Sorry, for the inhabitants on ltrove 'ruts:lay in every year to devote the greater part of the day to the manly sport of foot-ball ; which has not been confined to the open spaces of :he respective towns and vil- lages, but the hall has been porsuel by hundreds through the most public thoroughfares, the shops ,t houses of whith were customarily

closed, and the windows with Ill!rill!; ti) Freyeat their being

broken. Tuesday la'., was as usual

pursued with greet spi :eel tiut, 1,y a \ in of persons in the town of Kingstou ; the Hs:hellos uf whi.hi sent a request to the Commissioners of Polass :hat they would u. ia;,.rf,:re. At Twicken- ham, the local Magistracy prevented its -..ahlea alms: in the town ; but it was most spiritedly marsh d on in a toe.i.1.,v,- 1,,:lon,:„Cutg to Mr. Cole, the brewer of that parish, under the slime:Mos:de:lee of a onto attuned Kirby, who has been " master of the sport,:" for the last fifty years. At Richmond, however, the or:lc:ice havina le en attended with acci- dents and much disturb:tees, the pl:to appeati.q during the day as one under a siege, a strong opi:.■..i•Um was this; yez:r ;,::)t up by the principal inhabitants, who detest:dos avsil the .! -• f ti t' ,:tension of the Police and the provisions uf the new Police Act for in; suppression. A memorial, signed by a large number I was accord- ingly forwarded to the Cotemissimiers of' Pollee ; who in consequence, on Monday last, caused a notice to be issmel, cautioning all persons from pursuing the sport. A large body of P■eiee were la attendance; and an attempt lutving been made to commenes :les game t, some of the mob were captitrel, and, 1,.ing bd.en before the h wet alm.:letrecy, were fined. Some dis'_urbane.: o,c-itre;!, and the Poliee wen' assaulted, but

not seriously.—.I ' • S.

The premises of Mr. and printer, Lovell's Court, Paternoster Row, :emit d•ss u on Monday night. The origin of the fire is not certshils .he se. The app,:arance of St. Paul's Cathedral, lighted up as it esoe iv the , vvas striking and magnificent.

The Commissiorers of e h.• s days past inves- tigatieg a st stem of ext ee said to amount to upwards of lase:tee, are en effected in

the folloe iug manner. t ho P. 1 :ed. in the dock warehot: •es 1,randics, el so. so ..y gooh ass ::41:1:2 mmiths been removing them under the iseee. .• of' reieaslis 1 at various ports

on the coast : but inshetd .•t' th•e: 'sd them without

paying ta.y duty. and tin s.; '2. been selling

them at a great ar fit. I )•. . the Com- missioners called :mon • of duties nod

the fines, when it e-es 1; se la • of straw. A

person in when: t i.' . . ' . . . h, who is said to

have afforded the es:. ...hi . • • at ors, `las absconded, as have also several of the mos.', ia traesaetiou.—Cor- respondent rfl ihe 1u60.