probationary
discipline for eighteen months in the prison, when they will be removed
to Van Diemen's land under their original sentences.

RETURNS OF THE ROYAL MINT.--The Master of the Mint has issued his annual
return of the work done in the refinery of the Mint, and of the assays
made during the past year on other accounts than those of Government,
and of public and private bodies, in conformity with an order of the
house on a motion made by Mr Hume. The return estimates the amount of
bullion refined in the year 1842, under this head, at 940 lbs 0 oz. 19
dwts. of gold, and 24,376 lbs. 11 oz. of silver, the amount received by
the refiner being about 600_l._ The number of assays made in the same
period is put down at 2,158, at a rate of charge of 2s. for each assay.

POST-OFFICE LAW.--It may be interesting at this season, when so many
persons who are out of town have their letters forwarded to them in the
country, to see the answer to an inquiry whether a letter forwarded
after delivery at one address to another in the country is liable to
second postage:--"General Post office, Sept. 7, 1843.--Sir,--I am
commanded by the Postmaster-General to inform you, in reply to your
communication of the 29th ultimo, that a letter re-directed from one
place to another is legally liable to additional postage for the further
service. I am, Sir, &c. &c."

SINGULAR EMPLOYMENT OF THE POLICE.--Under an order recently issued by
the commissioners of the metropolitan police, a number of the officers
of each division have been actively engaged in collecting information
and making out a return of all new houses completed since the year 1830,
in which year the police force was established; all new houses commenced
but not finished; all new churches, new chapels, new schools, and other
public buildings; all new streets and squares formed since that period,
with their names and the name of the neighbourhood.

THE PROVINCES.

SANITARY STATE OF LIVERPOOL.--A Mr Henry Laxton has published a very
thin pamphlet, in the shape of a letter to Dr Lyon Playfair, who has
been appointed, under the commission of inquiry, to examine and report
upon the unhealthy state of Liverpool. But though Mr Laxton's pamphlet
is very small, it exposes evils too complicated and large to be remedied
without vigorous, continuous, steadily-applied exertion. Groups of
houses packed together, with scarcely room for the inhabitants to stir;
open cesspools continually