Summary Of News For October.

Friday evening , a well-dressed man , who represented himself as having just arrived by railway , hired the first floor , and on the Sunday , assisted by two men whom he brought home with him , he effected the robbery , by cutting a hole through the flooring of his own apartments and ceiling of the shop , through which a man could easily descend , and pack up the contents of the shop at leisure . The loss is estimated at £ 500 . On the 25 tha large fire occurred at Manchesterby which various warehouses were

, , destroyed , the estimated loss amounting to between £ 18 , 000 and £ 20 , 000 . On the 26 th , the premises of Messrs . Babington and Co ., wadding manufacturers , Spital-street , Spitalfields , were entirely destroyed by fire , caused , it is believed , by tho friction of some of thc machinery driven by steam power .

COURTS MARTIAL . On the 10 th , a Court Martial was held on board the Victory , flag ship , at Portsmouth , to try Lieut . Knight , on charges arising out of his having permitted two improper women to accompany him on hoard the Dauntless , and supplying them with immoderate quantities of wine and spirits ; one of the said women having subsequently died from injuries , supposed to have been received by her whilst in a state of intoxication . The Lieutenant was sentenced to be placed at the bottom of the list of first Lieutenants of Royal Marines , whereby he will lose the benefit of It years ' service .

On tlie 11 th , Courts Martial were also held upon Lieut . Elphinstone and Lieut . Jervis , arising out of the same transaction , when the former officer was admonished for having allowed the women to remain on board , and the latter was acquitted . •On the 17 th , Courts Martial were held on Capt . McClure , Capt . Kellitt , Commander Richards , Sir Edward Belcher , and other officers of H . M . Ships , Investigator , Resolute , and Assistance , for the abandonment of their vessels , in the Artie Seas . The whole of the officers wore acquitted , it being clearly shown that Sir Ed . Belcher

had full power entrusted to him ; and , that he had acted , as he thought , most desirable , for the safety of the officers and men engaged in the expedition . Their swords were consequently returned to them .

PROVIDENT . Three eminent actuaries , Messrs . Peter Hardy , Jenkins Jones , and Geo . Farrance , having made an inquiry into the affairs of the Professional Life Assurance Office , have reported , that it has a surplus of £ 23 , 000 applicable to a division between the assured and the proprietors , in accordance with the plan of the Institution . Upon tlie recommendation of the actuarieshoweverit has been determinednot to make

, , , any divison until the next quinqcnnial period of estimating the profits . On the 11 th , Sir John Key , Bart ., Chamberlain of the City of London , was elected a Director of the Mutual Life Assurance Society , by a majority of 183 over his opponent , Mr . Battcock .

On the 12 th , at a meeting of the Metropolitan Life Assurance Society , it . was resolved to grant to Mr . Heathfield , late superintendent of the Institution , a retiring pension of £ 600 per annum . On the 19 th , the Second Annual Meeting of the Lancashire Assurance Company , was held at Manchester . The report stated , that the Directors had written oft' the sum of £ 1 , 006 4 s . 4 d . from the preliminary expenses accounts . The total life income had been £ 9969 13 s . 9 d . of which the new premiums for the past year

, , . wore £ 4 , 280 16 s . 6 d ., the total policies being G 26 , of which 285 , assuring £ 155 , 524 , formed the new business of last year . In the lire department the increase of premiums was nearly 40 per cent ., and they now amounted to £ 29 , 407 14 s . 7 d ., whilst the increase in duty amounted to £ 15 , 809 10 s . 6 d .

BENEVOLENT . A Royal Commission has been appointed to raise a Patriotic Fund by voluntary subscription , for the relief of the families of those who may be killed or wounded in