Park, on the 12th, is said to have attracted no less than
sixteen thousand persons. The magnificent collection
of American plants was the principal feature of this
exhibition.

A deputation on the subject of Purifying the
Serpentine, consisting of several medical gentlemen, had
an interview with Lord Seymour on the 8th. After
having heard the statements made by the deputation,
Lord Seymour replied that the condition of the
Serpentine had not escaped his attention, and there could
be no doubt as to the necessity of there being a constant
stream passing through it. The only question in his
mind was, as to the best mode of obtaining the necessary
increased supply of water. He did not deny the necessity
which was said to exist for thoroughly emptying
the Serpentine of its mud, and also for rendering the
river more safe, but it would be impossible to do so
before the Great Exhibition of 1851 took place. He
promised, however, that no time should be lost in
affording the necessary increased supply of water.

A Penny Bank for Savings was opened at Cheshunt,
on Monday evening, the 10th. A considerable number
of depositors attended, and the promoters are sanguine
of success.

The New Church of St. Barnabas, in Pimlico, was
consecrated on the 11th, by the Bishop of London. The
ceremony attracted more than ordinary attention, from
the number of High Church Bishops, dignitaries, and
clergy, who mustered in full canonicals, as well as from
the number of aristocratic members of the High Church
party; including the Earl of Carlisle, Earl Nelson,
Lords Campden, Fielding, Castlereagh, John Manners,
Mr. J. B. Hope, M.P., and Mr. Branston, M.P. The
church, which from the style of architecture and the
nature of its decorations has much the appearance of a
Roman Catholic cathedral, is intended to be entirely
free, without pews or paid seats. There is a college
connected with the church, at which choristers and other
youths will be educated. A Sisterhood of Mercy is also
to be established, for parochial visiting.

The eighth anniversary festival of the Brompton
Hospital for Consumption was celebrated on the 12th,
at the Albion Tavern; Lord Feversham presiding. The
institution continues to increase in usefulness. The
report read by the Secretary mentions the number of
in-patients during the past year as 360; being 78 more
than in the previous years. Of this number 217 were
relieved and discharged more or less benefited, 62 died,
and there were 81 in the house when the report was
drawn up. Since the opening of the new building, in
1846, 1036 in-patients had been admitted; of whom 760
were relieved and discharged, and 195 died. The number
of out-patients treated during the past year has been
3176; being an increase of 371 over the number treated
in the previous year. The report points out that many
of these patients continue under treatment for months,
and that during the year the number of prescriptions to
out-patients alone has amounted to 26,956. The
subscription after dinner amounted to £1500.

A meeting of gentlemen connected with Wales was
held on the 15th, in the Welsh Charity School, Gray's
Inn Road, to promote Secular Instruction among the
Welsh by means of their native language. The
Earl of Powis presided, and the Dean of Bangor was
among the persons present. It appeared from statements
made at the meeting, that the population of Wales, by
the census of 1841, was 1,045,753; of whom it was
estimated that half a million either understand Welsh only
or employ that language in their ordinary intercourse.
Not only is public worship, in many parishes, conducted
in Welsh, but periodical publications printed in that
language have an aggregate circulation of 60,000 copies,
and are probably read by 200,000 persons. All the
speakers repudiated the notion that it was intended by
this movement to perpetuate the Welsh language, but
contended that the publication of books in that language
was at present the readiest, if not the only means of
diffusing information among the Welsh people.
Donations were made to the amount of £115.

The annual examination of the boys belonging to the
model school of the British and Foreign School Society
in the Borough Road, took place on the 19th. It was
presided over by Sir E. N. Buxton, and the proficiency
of the children gave great satisfaction to a large
assemblage. The object of the society is the scriptural
education of the children of the poor, without
distinction of sect or party; and this is accomplished by
promoting the establishment of schools in the destitute
districts of England and Wales. The model boys' school
numbers at present nearly 700 children in daily attendance,
and the girls' school 300; and since the establishment
of the institution 52,828 children have been
received and educated, and upwards of 3000 teachers
have been selected and trained. At present the schools
in connexion with the society in the immediate
neighbourhood of London are 203 in number, and they
contain 30,160 children.

The annual festival of the Royal Free Hospital,
Gray's Inn Road, took place at the London Tavern on
the 19th, the Hon. E. H. Stanley in the chair. The
number of sufferers relieved by this institution during
the last year, within and without the walls, was 28,190;
and the receipts, in that period, amounted to upwards
of £5500. In the course of the evening subscriptions
were announced to the amount of £1300.

The following notice has been issued by the General
Post-office:—

"General Post-office, June 1850.

"On and after the 23rd instant, there will be no
delivery of letters throughout the United Kingdom on
Sunday; nor will there be any collection of letters,
whether by messengers, letter-carriers, receivers, &c.,
on that day.

"A collection, however, by means of boxes, will still
be permitted on Sunday, as at present, at the receiving-
offices, whether in towns or in the country, and at the
chief offices in towns, &c.; it being clearly understood
that letters deposited in the receiving-boxes shall remain
unsorted and untouched until the Monday; and that
there shall be no attendance of postmasters or their
clerks at the window of the post-office on Sunday.

"The present practice of detaining letters addressed
to the Metropolis itself, when posted on Saturday, until
the despatch on Sunday, will not be disturbed with the
exception that the bags containing such letters must be
closed on Saturday night; and, as the mails will be
transmitted on Sunday in the usual manner, it will be
necessary that some person shall attend to despatch the
bags alluded to, as well as to receive or forward those
bags that have arrived from other offices.

"Postmasters taking upon themselves to deliver letters
to any parties whatsoever in contravention of these
orders, will be most severely punished."

On the 20th, a meeting was held in Peel's Coffee-house,
of the proprietors of a large number of the London
newspapers, to consider what measures ought to be adopted
by them in consequence of the recent vote of the House
of Commons, with reference to Sunday labour in the
Post-office, and the subsequent concurrence of the
Government in the principle of that resolution. Mr.
Ingram, proprietor of the "Illustrated London News,"
was in the chair. The meeting was attended by
representatives of all the weekly newspapers, whose interests
will be chiefly affected by the alterations consequent
upon the resolution of the House of Commons, and by
some of the proprietors of the daily and monthly
periodicals. A resolution was voted;—"That this meeting
conceives that by the conduct of the Ministry, in
stopping the use of the post to the weekly newspapers,
in an address voted by only ninety-three members of the
House of Commons, it has shrunk from its duty as a
government." And a committee was formed "to take
into consideration the general interests of the press, and
especially as to all efforts to interfere with its circulation
by Sunday bills or otherwise."

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Commission of
Sewers, on the  21st, Mr. Peto explained the condition
of the Metropolitan drainage question. The Commission
has definitely resolved to carry out the principle of
preventing the pollution of the Thames. The plans for
the district South of the Thames are finally settled. No
sewer at all will discharge itself into the Thames from
Nine Elms to Deptford. Westminster can be drained,
down to Percy Wharf, by natural falls. The plan for the
rest of the northern part of London is still under
consideration, and the same principle of non-pollution of