The Express. — London, England, 1847-01-30 00:00:00

After 'l'm words from the Marquis of CLLICHICAIMI and Lord CASPIICLL, the motion was withdrawn, and their lordships adjourned at half-past dz. HOUSE OF COMMONS—FRIDAY, JAN. 29. The SPEAK'S took the chair ahortly before four o'clock. PRIVATE RUSINEns, SECOND READlNOS.—lttrkenhead, WlCOMbire, NM Cheshire Junction Railway (deviation of main line, its.); Birkenhead, MI Menne Junction Antiwar, and Chester and Birkenhead Railways A malmmatlon : Blackburn, barwen, anti Bolton Railway Acts Amendment olive, liOne of hne fa the parishes of Rtackbul n amt Bolton in tie: Moor , ; Minot and Exeter Railway (Taunton and Ceetleeoree Brenehl ; Cheshire Stipendiary Chairman ; Direct Lot don and Portsmouth Railway; Dandalk and Ensist.illen Hail lay Art Amendment; Gbegow, Paial, , y, Kilmarnock, and Ave Railway ;4t i lasgow, kl,ltonfric sad z r st i v l t i Ca w, r y lisl ( ; . ltai . ra ; ), ( ll , nd eat G.irigo ‘ w i; Railway (branches to }tan the West LOndon, Ilammeramith, Great Wedern Railway (Berke aml Matte Amendment and branchin); Great We-tern 'tallowy )floolches tathon, Stainee, fec.), iisotrada and Bury St. Edmund's Railway (No. 11 ( Varsmuth Exteuelsm); LITEMI Valley Itailwav Extennon, Lowestot Railway and Hurling (Alteration at Reedhain) ; Mareteeter. Sheffield, and Limatachlre Railways 10ation at Sheffield and Branch to the Shefßeld Canal); North thaffordahire Railway (Alterations and Branches) ; North Star. fo.dahire Railway (Churriet %alley and Trent Valley Junction) ; South Eastern Radius . (Bid Kent and Dina Tunbridgel ; South Eastern Railway (Croydon and Br poky Branches); South Eastern Railway (Maidstone to Clue ~1 • South Eastern Railway (Strand to Maidstone; ; south Eastern Railway (North Kent and Brick 'sten,' Arms Junction) ; south Eastern Railway (North Kent Line); Wakefield New Gas, Bills. PUBLIC BUsINESA. By Mr. Mese; from the Islands of sellly, to tome of the ply:neat of legbEhoute dam by the State. —By 11r. Latiouorees, (non the North Ridng of the county of Tipperary, praying for impartial legialitim for Irelind, and the adoption of per. • inancist measures for theallenatien of distress, as calming at the lee. sent period in Ireland, in the emit of its reeurrenee.—By Mr. Polio O'Betes, a similar petition from MarvAnrough. sSSS)ND RE.IDINGS..--Chelara Pensioners, and Diatilliag foam Roger, Bill. THIRD READlNG. —Buckwheat, Ite., Importation Bill. RETURNS ORDERED. Teb,seco— On the motioned' Dr. Rowers° returns of the number of peunds weght of leaf tobacco, manufactured tobacco, cigars, and muff gild duty upon quarterly, in the years 1341, 1845, and 1810, and up to the sth day of January, 1617 ; alms, the From amount of duty renewed themon. distinguishing England, Scot land, and Ireland, and the remectim ports of importation therein, ea the total• of each qu irter and year. Of the several seisures wage, sada the pro...muttons for breach of the Low. relating to tobacco, the year ending the sth day of Jun.. 1547, distinguishing throe in Great Britain from Bassein Ireland, speed, tag the places, where and naraesof the pereoto protreuted, or front shwa the seizures were mode; the quantities and kinds of gooksetusl; whether tine or imprionment imposed ; whether fine paid, or pane suffer.l imprisonment; fur what time nnprisoued. Or the minds, r of permits convicted for • smuggling tobacco, spirits, tra, sick, mil for any other articles, and the total number convicted, in the year ending the sth day of Jan., 1847. Also, the number of persons who paid the penalties imposed ; the number of compromises made; the number of persons committed to prison; the number of ;tenons in prison for otfene s against the revenue law, on the sth day or January, 1617. Accounts of the queue rite of foreign man ufacturnt tob All) and snuff Imported into tb- United Kingdom in each of the three yews 1811, Ist% and 1848; stating the quantity exported from the bonded warehouses as merchandise to the linttsh colonies, and to what colonic.; elm the quantity exported as ship stores in each of these three year, Of the quantity of Itritash menufactored tobacco exported as merchandise under drawlnek to the Bonin colonic", in each of the these yen', 1814, 1815, and ISt 1 • and also, as account of the quantity exported as ship stores in enirt( these three years: Of the quantity of British at mufeetuted moff exported in each of the three years, 1814, 184.1, and 1846. Return of the several artrures made, and of the pnoeeuttons for breach of the lam, relating to tobacco, itiacen the .sth day of January, lull, and the sth day of January, 1117; distinguishing those in Great Britain from those in Ireland; specifying the places where and names of the persona prose cuted, or from whom themicurcs were mode; the quantities:lntl l Inds deco& wised; the precise nature of the canteen charged or fnr which the seizures were made ; the remake of the examinations of the good" by analyne or otheraise, where sewed for adulteration ; wise thee any and what Judicial proceedings were taken in each nor; the result of. uch prose dings, whether convicted or otherwise; amount of tine paid ..r Imprisonment offered; whether the goods seized were cooderrietyl or restored.—Granosers is the .(rely- IS. Bowels° also moved 6.r • return tithe number of boys who hare been received into the army as drummers from the meioses union noel:homes in the United Kingdom, year by year, from the year 1840, specify mg the unions reepectively, down to th e end of 1346. NOTICE OF MOTION, Poor Belief (Ireland) MIL—Mr. Waronosto on going into committee on the Poor Relief Bill, to move an Instruction to fix a certain amount in the pound, leviable upon the rates made by tie bonnie of guardians, which amount not to be ex ceeded, except by authority of parliament. PRIVATE BILLS—COMMITTEE OF SELECTION. On the motion of Mr. GREENE it was orderei, that it be an instruction to the committee of selection not to appoint the sitting of any committee on hills for town improvements, markets and fairs, harbours and docks, cemeteries, gas works, water works, or any bills for the amendment of acts for any of the above purposes, before the Ist day of March next. PUBLIC GENERAL ACTS. Mr. lIL'ME called the attention of the house to the report of the committee on private bills, and submitted the follow ing resolutions for the consideration and adoption of the house "That public general acts should be prepared for each of the several subjects of police and watching, of water-works and sewage, of peeing, of improyement of towns end regulation of building', etre( ts, and roads, tf markets and fairs, of cemeteries, of bridges and ferries, of harbours, docks, ports, piers, and quays, of canals, rivers, and naviga tion, as recommended in the report of the &elect committee on private bah=, embodying, u far as possible, the sugges tions thereof." 2. " That the recommendation in that re port, as to the taxation of eats, be also adopted, and that a proper taxing offizer should be appointed, and a scale of fees, ite., be published by the Speakcr." 3. "That the taxing officer shall present to the house at the commencement of each session, an account of the total amount of the expenses for promoting or opposing each bill, taxed and sanctioned by him during the preceding session, distinguishing the amount paid as fees on each bill to each of the houses of parliament, the amount for witnesses, and other expenses, and for pro fessional services." Sir G. GREY concurred in the general tenor of the re commendation of the committee, but before the house pledged itself to the resolutions proposed by the hon. member, he thought it desirable that it -hould be in possession of the Consolidation Clauses Bills which were in preparation, and which would be in his (Sir G. Grey's) hands in a few days. Bills of so extensive a character as those contemplated by the bon. member could hardly be brought into operation in the present session, and therefore no real delay would be incurred by the adoption of the course which he (Sir (3. Grey - ) sug gested. (Hear, hear.) On the subject of the taxation of costs, a separate hill ought to be prepared. After a few words from Sir W. CLAY, inaudible in the gaiie, Mr. r HUDSON complained that the costs of applications to parliament for private bills had been increased nearly six fold within the last few years. Mr. HUME, after the statement of the right bon. bare the Secretary for the Home Department, would be quite content to leave the matter in his hands, and would there fore withdraw his motion. Mr. GREENE said the fees payable to the house were comparatively small, the great expenses, he might say enormous exactions, being made out of doors by parties over whom the house had at present but little control. Lord 11. VANE was understood to complain of the enor mous charges exacted from the promoters of bills. Dr. BOWRING was glad Mr. Greene bad referred to the shameful exactions of the legal profes-ion ' and hoped some measure would be adopted to put an end to such a system. Motion withdrawn. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. In answer to a question from Mr. FIRELLND, as to the coarse of proceeding on Monday, Lord J. RUSSELL said it was impossible for him to know what course the debate might take, u he did not know whether hon. gentlemen might choose to consider the whole of the measures for Ireland of which he had given an outline ; but for himself, he might say that he meant first to move a bill to render valid certain proceedings which had taken place under Mr. Labouchere'a letter, the discussion of which might occupy the whole of the evening. As to two other measures, after the second reading of that bill he in tended to proceed with a bill for the relief of the temporary distress in Ireland; and next with a measure for the perma nent amendment of the poor law in Ireland. THE SPANISH MARRIAGES. In reply to a question from Mr. FINCH, Lord PALMERSTON said he should have no objection to produce certain papers forming port of a correspondence between the French and British governments en the subject of the Spanish marriages. MEXICAN LETTERS OF MARQUE. Mr. BARCLAY wished to draw the attention of the noble lord, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to an adver tisement in the Miura on the Sch of January, stating that the Mexican consul was ready to issue letters of marque against the United States, and offering to naturalize English men so as to enable them to avail themselves of such letters of marque. He wished to knew what steps the noble lord kad taken to prevent the revival of such an atrocious pro. ending ? The French government bad declared that any French subjects who made use of letters of marque issued by the Mexican government would forfeit their quality, and be treated as pirates. Lord PALMERSTON said the advertisement in question I was not issued by the Mexican consul, but by some expert gunmaker on Tower-hill, who stated that at his shop a copy of such letters of marque might be seen. He (Lord Palmerston) had ascertained from the Mexican minister that no one in this country was authorised to issue such letter of marque, and bad referred a communication on the subject from Gen. Mendoza, to the Queen's Advocate for Iris opia. He believed the British government had no power to declare that any British subjects abroad should be treated as pirates, unless they were found guilty of an act which, by the law of nations, would be piracy. DISTRESS IN SCOTLAND. Mr. F. DUNDAS wished to know whether the govern meat contemplated establishing any general system of relief in Scotland ? Sir G. GREY said the means which the government had availed themselves of in Scotland for mitigating the distress of the people had been by making advances under the drainage act of lest session, which had come most exten sively in aid. They had also placed two frigates os the coast as depots for the sale of food. Grants had also been made to meet local subscription.; and he hoped by the repetition of such means the severity of the calamity in Soot land might be mitigated, without the necessity of establish . ,• in Sd an r. w Dlttotor of the Tdurie and Condueor —M. SIALFF.. - -......-.... In addition to the above, several Operas, new to this country, will be pi odueed, and the r4ertoire will be selected from the chefs. d'oeuvre of Mocart. Cimarosa, Raeini, Donizetti, Mercadan'e, Bel lin', A.c. The strictest attention has been paid to all the details, ro that an ensemble may be presented pellet in all its parts. A nu merous orchestra, of the most distinguiahed talent and power, boa been selected from come of the be,t orchestra of Europe, combined with tamer meritorious artistes of the establishment The chorus ha been chosen with the ;neatest care from Italy, Germany, and England, and will comprise upward. of eighty per formers. ARRANGEMENTS FOR TILE BALLET. Mille. Carlotta Grist, Mdlle.l.ucille Grahn, and Millle. Cerito; in ad. (Minn to which an engagement has been made with Made. Caroline Rosati (of La Scala, at Milan, and other great theatres of Italy), who will make her first appearance on the 111-4 nigh. of the season in a W. ballet expr..ssir compliant and ananzed for her by M. Paul Taglioni. Mane. wauthfer, of 'La Soda ; Madame Petit Stephan, Millle.Elke Montfort, Mesillies Thy'arnot, Julien, L6111011M1.1, Emile, Fanny P,I.C.IIeN and Benin; and Mdile. Caroline Ilancourk Incon sequence of the enthusiastic manner In which this eminent artiste was received last mason, hopes are entertained that Mdllc. Taglioni may be induced to appear for a Ibuitol smoker of performance.. M. St. Lean, M. d'Or, 11. Ocaselin, M. Di Mattia, Sig. yen Sea, M. Goode, M. Paul Teglionf, and M. Perrot. Composer of the ballet mink, Signor Pugin; principal artist, Mr. Marshall. Maitre, de Ballet—M. Paul Taglloni, M. Quail (of La Seale), and M. Perm.; likap-maitre de Ballet, M. Gosselin It6gisseur de la Ducar, M. Petit. I An ORIGINAL GRAND WU-LET will be products], ler( ra proody for her Majestr's Theatre, by the celebrated pat henry l trine, en a subject selected from the old legend, of Germany. A novel and poetical Ballet for the subject of which the establishment is indebted to the kindness of a noble and listicapsidied porter., entitled EGERLI. The celebraini Pus de Quart and Pas des INlesses wall be revived, and an entirely new 'MYTH...vac:at, introducing an, tber Grand Pas by M. Perrot, skleh, uniting all the peculiar attractions of the Pas dr I Weser. and Made thane, will present a novel feature of ...raking originality, and vAll combine the talent of all, to by • 'nailed LA CONSTELLATION. The subscription will consist of the same num ber of nights as last season. THE ITIEATIM . . MB open in the middle of Vebrio;,;y7WhWrrMil he prodowd, for the And time at her 114awfr Theatre, flonintb's admired Orea of LA FAVORITA, in whiab Rig..Gardoni and S.g. Sapereht wit nwlie their Bret appearance in tide *Aviary ; and an mutely New Balkt by M. Paul Tawlimn, In wbkh Mak Conk= Roma will appear. Vie erarreoo. MAILS. The mails for New South Wales, Van Diemen', Land, and New Zealand will be made up on the evening of the Id February. The West India mails, Including thine for Mexico, Honduras, and the I larannah, will be made up on the morning of the 2nd February. The maibi for British North America, Bermuda, and the United States, will be made op on the erecting of the 3nl February. 7U^. overland mails for Gibmllar, Malts, Greece, the Tontan Islands, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, 110 tig-Koner, and China, via Southampton, will be made up on the morning of the 2rll of February. The mails for the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, Pernam buco, Bahia, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be dispatehed on the evening of the Ith February. The mails for Vigo, Oporto. Lisbon. afadeint, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, will be made op on the morning of the sth Februnt y. The overland closed maim, vin MarseWes, to the Mmlllerranean, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, Be., will be made. op on the evening of the Bt i February, MOI! WATEI!. AT LODON.BRIDOr. '2llx: I ,:"!deh,rek Tara DAY.—Joiornfog, 32 min. past 1; Afternoon, 51 DOOR put 1. ittlloanotr-31orning, 15 min. put 2; Afternoon, J 2 Enia, past 2. LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. SO. Tim pet tiger, which o irworthy contemporary, the Timm. contrived to catch in northern wilds, which it pokes up, and excites, and causes to roar from time to time, for the edification of the curious public, was shown on Thursday night for the first time this sea son. The public will be gratified to learn that the ferocity of its roar is undiminished ; the prodigious length and sharpness of its claws uncut; the uncouth energy of its gambols, and the elasticity of its aping, unmatched ; and, that altogether, a finer specimen of savage nature was never exhibited: on this side of the Atlantic. _ _ The moment that the word Poor-law is displayed to this animal, it is seized with the most ungovern able fury, so great indeed, that, even when left at liberty to fly at the obnoxious object, it is so pare lysed by the excess of its own rage, that it remains unable even to tear and to devour its chosen prey. It still, however, has abundant power and will to scratch and terrify by-standers, so that a visit to the menagerie of St. Stephen's is by no means a safe amusement. It is, nevertheless, astonishing what crowds such spectacles attract and interest, hew long and contentedly people will listen and gaze upon the mere display of animal propensities ; and that whilst the comedie d'intriyue of the Spanish marriages is unable to draw an audience, the theatre is crowded in order to mark the gambols of the King of the Felines. Of what possible interest is it to the empire to ascertain whether the Keighley Board of Guardians did or did not sanction a system of out-door relief — did or did not gratify the attorneys of that town in the profits of litigation? Were these facts proved, what is there so monstrous in the accusation to one proud of his enmity and opposition to the Poor law ? What is there so "crushing," or so nefarious in the charge, as should make a man transform him self into a tiger in order to repel it? Is such an object worthy the conspiring of Secretaries of State and Poor-law Commissioners ? Is it worth occupying the time of the house, when famine and national dis tress, and international quarrels, claim attention and discussion ? " It is a scandalous House of Commons quarrel," exclaims Mr. DISRAELI. How scandalous, then, for the House of Commons to take up the public time with it, and form itself into committees and debating clubs to discuss the particular merits of commissioner and sub-commissioner, as if the great parliament of the nation was nothing but an inqUest ailed to sit on the character of official underlings ! The House of Commons very wisely appointed a committee to inquire into the abuses of the Andover union. It sat for weeks, interrogated numbers, and has published a library comprised in two vo lumes. In these two volumes there are a few grains of information about the Andover poor, but volumes about the conduct of Mr. PARR En t the merits, the tempers, the literary or non-literary habits of Mr. LEWIS or Mr. CHADWICK. We thought the age of personal novel-writing was over, and we never dreamed that it should have been exploded by Mr. COLBURN, in order to be revived by the House of Commons. _ Take any administration in any country under the sun; take your Treasury, your Home-office, your Colonial-office, your any office, in which differences have arisen between chiefs and subordinates: let their quarrel be made public. Appoint a committee to sift the matter. Encourage the clerks to inform against their superiors, cross-question the superiors, so that they may implicate e►ch other, and make use of the unguarded expressions of one to tantalise and excite the other. Let their administration not be a compact one, confined in a great measure to a central spot; but let it be such a one as must employ confidential agents, entrusted with the fullest powers and the utmost latitude in remote districts, far from cognisance and control. Let these agents have to operate upon bodies independent of them, jealous of them. Let them have not merely to apply a fixed law, but to shape and fashion, straighten and bend this law. Let these agents not be tied to the task, but be chosen from any rank of life, and with any prospects in it. If, with such materials: and such duties, anomalies and confu sion, neglect and overstrictness be not produced in different places, and at different times, then man is not man. g Soy _ani: i nsore geneTaliryetentof relief. John Ralph Shaw lWordebareb ..... MVO .. ....... Mr. ACKINNON inquired if t he government would Willism ‘ .l_~._lo4 o ss,, object to make a grant of money to ootland, as they had rig.4. 7 T.'nCr '" L l"'"'''''" job. wood emmy ... . tbliddle Clardor Books moo of the Poor-law Commissioners that might not be Baltic trades h I done to Ireland, for the purchase of seed ?'Skittered Rumex le " proved to flow, almost necessarily, from the nature of the foreign skuj C5O Sir G. GREY said there hind, as yet, been no application Ad . gansabay •Lanaroost Cumberland 2OOO their duties and their power. That which weighs increased. 11 on the subject; but when there should be it would certainly M. Aneroid stzongeEt against them, perhaps, is their dismissal of of our old Ante be entertained. (Hear, hear.) and Map assistant commissioners. Yet what a task it must Independence, Mr. E. ELLICE would be glad to know if the right hon. Anne Corte .. ... tel t n - Salop baronet would object to lay on the table an account of all '' . " M r e .e! e r 12ele have been to choose from the ranks of life many our remaining monies paid to assist the Scotch? I 1 Dealt Maim, win men capable of performing such delicate functions. illustrates the Sir O. GREY believed there had only bean three in- ‘„__... „ Wanborough, When selected with ever so much care, how often laws upon e stances; but he was quite ready to produce such accounts. ''''''' k . ';',,—...—•, sake/crow must they have proved unfit—and unfit, not from any colonies on I Mr. BOUVERIE hoped that expectations as to a grant of no . D0 „.6„ -- Ta . 10 42 01 n,,....5 011 Beret' 74°2 defect, but from inaptness of character, for their part( - almost a dead • money for the purehase of seed would sot be raised, only to Rer.Altert Mangles et ' '''''''''''' be disappointed. (gear, hear,) Guildford ... Wetheral and cular functions ? over-amiability in one case , error strictly enfort In reply to another question, mini ma y ams tj ;i ss ue on ) e nn a m u nd Sir G. GREY laid that every precaution had been taken, I the-Forest - .... ' who are to be dismissed for such reasons, the true Mr, WSKISK ~.. -• • _ •••••..., :...... 4 THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY C,D, 1847. HER •MAJESTY'S THEATRE. The following outline of the arrangements of the Sewn ist is romeetfully submitted to the Nubility, Pat eons of the Opera, and to the Public. It is presented in the confident hope that theism rewind exertions made to secure, under circumstances of peculiar difficulty, •Cornpany still more worthy of the tint Theatre in Europe, and of its distinguished Patrons, will ensure the continuation of their supporL ENGAGEMENTS FOR THE. OPERA. Jenny Lind, Mdme. Del Carmen Montraro, Mink. San- Mdlle. Fainani, and Md.. Solari, the contrMto Millie. Vieth, cal Mdlle. Dario Nude and Mdme. Fraachinf, the grrot tenor of Italy, Ind the favourite tenor, Signor Garrionl ; Sig Superchi Sig. E. !AM..; Sig. Eirella ; Sig. ; the cele bridal basso Zantunte Herr Staudigl, and Sig. LaMothe. in addition to the Move, arrangements are pending with Sig. Coletti, of tlir Italian Operant Pads. That great comport the Chevalier Meyorbeer, has arranged to visit this country to bring out the "Camp de SRO. ;" the principal pints in the "Camp de Silesia" by Wile. Jenny Llnd and Sig. Froachini. The rekbrated Dr. Felix M. ndthisohn liartholdy will list ode visit England, and produce an opera capressiy computed for her Mojasty's Theatre; the libcgtto, impaled on "The Tempest" of Shstuipeare, written by M. Scribe. Mininda. Mdile. Jenny 1.1,4 ; Ferdinan Big. Gardcga ; Cllin,n, here Standigi ; end Pro Pero, Sig. liodincbe. 'lt la likewise amounted with great achfaction that Nig. Verdi, haviag recovered from his severe illness, has expressly oomposed for this theatre a new Opera, of which tho plot is founded on the " Robbers" of Schiller. Itorsies Opera of "Robert broth," lately produced at the Acarhimie Royale, has alto been secured. Mesdames thistellan, .1 Montenegro; Signori Gordon!, Superehi, and Fraschini will appear la fore limiter. Millie. Jenny Lind, whose nevi-mod commences to March, and extends until the end of the Season, will appear immediately after Eocter. . . cam, of their being replaced ° It is impotsible to be at once frank and courteous in such mattcrg. The Jesuit rule of implicit obedience could alone manau , ' such a hierarchy of administration, and that can only be enforced when the chiefs are permanent and supreme. It is no doubt revolting to the public when allowed to inspect their arcane, the very entrails of official life. When they see an offteer, like Mr. PARK EH —first endeavouring to stifle inquiry in the intere,ts of his office, and of the system by which he lived, and when they see the same Mr. PARKER, instead of being sup ported and abetted byltis superiors,sacrifieed by them to public indignation—all this is the dark and dis gusting side of administrative life. But was there ever an administration in which these things did not occur? Was there ever a public office that could bear the full light of the open day, and the microscopic scrutiny of the envious ? The commissioners certainly transgressed against the law which con titated them. They did not form a board. They di t not make the fit use of their able secretary, but treated him in a way which was as gall ing as unjust. The commission continued its labours in this maimed, illegal, and inefficient fashion. But how remedy it without breaking up the commission altogether ; exposing to a very hostile portion of the public the weaknesses, the divisions, the inefficiency of the great central board, which was the bugbear of so many ? To have done so, was to throw discredit on the new Poor Law altogether. The commis sioners shrunk naturally from doing, what the Andl ver bone-picking did for them. This Andover business has, indeed, led to very complete disclosures. And yet, has it revealed or es tablished anything more clear than the utter injus tice of the ideas fo: med of, and the obloquy cast upon, the commissioners ? Year after year, and week after week, the anti poor-law journals thundered against the triumvirate of Somerset-house, and especially against Mr. Lewis, as the incarnation of the rigid and charity-denying principle of the n?w poor law. Yet what is dis covered on the committee ? Why, that the troubles, and quarrels. and enmities excited within the walls of Somerset-house, against Mr. LEWIS, proceeded from a cause dira,tly the contrary of the enmities excited against hint without its walls. Within, he I was the ehampimi of lenience to the poor, shrunk from the total abro ,ation of the allowance system, and was considered to he betraying the new poor law by not enforcing it. 15 :dist thus stigmatised as the lenient friend of the poor in the office, Mr. LEWIS was stig matised as the utter foe of all lenience without. Now, in the controversy which took place within the walls of Somerset-house, we rather side with Mr. CHADWICK, and regret that the prin ciple of the new poor-law was not in its first years more fully and universally followed out. The remedy ordained by the legislature was the cauterisation of a dangerous sore, and the surgeon should not have shrunk from the task, however painful. This opinion does not comprise or decide that such rigour ought to be the permanent or future character of the poor-law. But we tf.. l4 eset that Mr. Cl/ADWICK had not, these years past, his full swing in carrying out his ideas, and thus funy performing the great experiment. But at the same time it is hard for Mr. LEWIS to be marked out for public obloquy by two sides and parties at once ; denounced as the hard-hearted op = hearted ft of the poor, and at the same time the so betrayer of the law. To be thus struck at by both the new poor-law champions and the ' new poor-law foes, and to be handed over by ruthless political economists to the as ruthless though blind vindictiveness of the Times and Mr. FERR IND, con stitutes a more flagrant case of injustice and ill treatment than ever the member for Knaresborough uselertook to roar about. Mr. RICARDO his deferred till the 9th of February his motion for a select committee on the navigation laws. It is to be hoped that nothing will occur to induce him to put it off again. In dealing with a temporary exigency—the present scarcity—ministers wisely d e _ terrnmed not to embarrass themselves with so com plicated a question of general policy as the naviga tion laws, and merely suspended, for a time, their operation in so far as they impede the importation of' food. This tacit admission, however, that an event which can recur at any time may render these laws an insupportable burden, would of itself have been enough to set a-foot the inquiry whether under ordinary circumstances any real coun tervailing advantage ja derived from them. It so happens, too, that at the very time when scarsity compels government to suspend the operation of these laws, our principal colonies are demanding their abrogation, or at all events their modification, as in equity an indispensable accompaniment to the abolition of the protective system. The Manchester Chamber of Commerce, too, which, since the triumph of the League, feels itself called upon to issue pro nanciamentos on every topic, has denounced them. The utility of the navigation laws has long been questioned by speculative economists, and might have been doubted by them much longer without its working any change on our national policy ; but as their ten dency is now impugned by "practical men," the sub ject will be thoroughly scrutinised. The operation of the navigation laws is one of those questions which can with advantage be sub mitted to the investigation of a committee of the legislature. The navigation laws are coeval with oar colonial empire; their influence is felt through all the ramifications of our commercial system. It is enough that public opinion would be dissatisfied were these relics of the " wisdom of our ancestors" to be got rid of in a summary way, or by a side-wind under false pretences. But, is addition to this, their abro gation may not impossibly requite to be accompanied by other measures to re-adjust the disturbance in the equipoise of our commercial system occasioned by their removal. Mr. RICARDO'S committee may collect in the course of the present session evidence to the effect of these laws upon national prosperity ; may allow both their supporters and adversaries among our ship owners, merchant., and politicians, to state their views respecting them; and may digest a report upon them for the future guidance of the legislature. A n y legislation on a subject yet so imperfectly studied, in the hurry of a session which has the difficult task of remedying the ills of Ireland imposed upon it, is to be deprecated ; but the postponement of legislative action upon the subject is not likely in the present temper of the public to be tolerated beyond another session. Mr. IticAuDo's committee has work enough before it : he must not again postpone its appoint,. meat. On the commercial bearing of the navigation laws the committee is not likely to elicit much difference of opinion or many new facts. The view taken of them by ADAM SMITH seems now to be pretty gem rally adopted : they are regarded as enacted with a view to provide for national defence at the cost of retarding the growth of national wealth. " The act et navigation," says the author of the Wealth of Notions, "is not favourable to foreign commerce, or to the growth of that opulence whieh can arise from it. The interest of a nation in its commercial relations to foreign nations is, like that of a merchant with regard to the different people with whom he deals, to buy as cheap and sell as dear as possible. But the act of navigation, by diminishing the number of sellers, must necessarily diminish that of buyers ; and we are thus likely not only to buy foreign goods dearer, but to sell our own cheaper, than if there was a more perfect freedom of trade. As defence, however, is of more importance than opulence, the act of navigation is, perhaps, the wisest of all the commercial regulations of England." SMITHS opinion of the detrimental influence ex ercised by our navigation laws upon trade is amply borne out by facts. In 1671, ROGER COKE stated that the Navigation Act, by lessening the resort of strangers to ourports, had a most injurious effect on our commerce ; and that we lost the greater part of the Baltic and Greenland trades within two years of the passing of the Act of 1650. Sir JOSIAH CHILD, in 1691, stated that since the passing of the Act of CHARLES IL, the English shipping employed in the Eastland and trades had decreased at least two thirds, while "%shipping in those trades had proportionally The rapid development of the resources American colonies previous to the War of Independence, contrasted with the slow progress of remaining colonies on that continent since, forcibly the baneful influence of the navigation commerce. In the original English the American continent, they were dead letter ; in the Canadas they have been enforced. The changes introduced in the ion laws by Mr. WALLACE ) in 1821, and 'SKISSOR, in 1825, were a virtual confession that the end ;r authors professed to have in view was an unattainio ' e chimn,ra. Even the value of these laws as &means of national defence is extremely problematical. The English seamen defeated the Amula long before their enact ment, and the English fleet was burned in the Mersey by the Dutch after it. As distinguished victories were won by BLAKE before the passing of the Commonwealth's Navigation A.,ct (the model of that enacted undo. CHARLES II.) as afterwards. The t decay of the Dutch maritime rm. r in comparison with the English, since the era in our navigation laws, has been traced with much pk usibility to en tirely different aid independent mums. The subject is obviously not one for dogmatising on. A committee of parliament to eonert and digest materials either for the vindication or fko improve ment of our navigation laws, or for ekes.. ng the expediency of' their entire abolition, is this moat likely instrument to establish just views Asps " 6 "i their operation. In the present unsettled got public opinion with regard to them, and aiNd 'T 9 extensive innovations recently made in our sthes e • system of commercial policy, these laws cannot re. main untouched. It is comparatively an easy Weft to resist innovation, but difficult to arrest its progres/ when begun. The measures introduced by IVALLsct; and HUSKISSON have rendered greater alterations inevitable. WantlacvoN Itivtxn, in his pleasant idle way, tells us that he was one of a party of Americans who, for a while secluded from the world of disputes and dollars in a stream-cooled region of tho Alleghanies in Western Pennsylvania, took to reading old his Wavrox instead of the newest prices current and the latest Liverpool circulars. So charmed were KNICK ERBOCKER and his friends with the pictures of gentle rapacity sketched by the venerable Englishman, that bamboo rods, silkworm gut, and kirby hooks, were forthwith ordered from Philadelphia, and the pleasant streams that splash down the shady wooded hills of that lovely region were assiduously flogged for a whole summer's day. In vain : the return was their own hooks : and not always those. Disappointed, wearied, resolved hence forward to taste only in WALTON'S pampa the plea sures he describes, the future minister ai s the court of her Most Catholic Majesty, and his party, were sitting by one of the streams they had tortured, when up rambled an urchin from a newly projected Eden just below, furnished with a sapling as a rod, with five yards of packthread as a line, and with a crooked pin as a hook. To complete the difference between this intolerable dissenter from the rules of regular sport and their orthodox selves, the young scamp had speedily pendant, their gills on a twig, more fish than the creels of his rivals would have held after a day's pursuit. What IRVING'S vagabond-ling was to the literary anglers, the 700 small, ricketty, dirty, home-made, foreign-worked, Yankee whalers are to Mr. Cii %ALES ENDERBY'S stately, goodly, orderly, British South sea shils. It can't be the superiority of their craft, for ours are better; nor of their equipment, for ours are more perfect; nor of their crews, for they are mostly foreign, being in great part British seamen ; nor that they are more cheaply worked, for stores and provisions are now as cheap here; nor that their porta of outfit are nearer the whaling ground than ours. How, then, in the name of NEPTUNE, is it that these irregularly constituted prowlers contrive to increase and multiply, so that a duty of from 50 to 100 per cent. on what they caught was not enough to keep the supply of this market in the hands of our own " merchant princes" of the southern seas? Is there any other trade in which (with equal chances for the whole world) the superior capital of this country does not command supremacy ? Must not the drawback be most powerful which, in this particular pursuit, neutralises the many advantages we have over the northern states of America? Does not the parallel we have drawn from WASHINGTON IRVING, with the smaller fishing of fresh water, hold good ? And can we assign to any other cause than the superior maritime skill of the Americans, our sub jugation in the employment which of all most severely and simply tests the comparative seamanship of the two nations? It is impossible but that this striking instance of the rising superiority of the sailors of the only nation whose position, ports, ex'ent, intelligence, and com mercial activity can make her our rival, should not excite alarm. It is our first duty to consider if, by any act of our own, we have contributed to her success. Omitting mention of the laws affecting shipping during the middle ages (avowedly intended as much to favour classes as to protect the navy of the country), the origin of the navigation laws is, as we all know, a statute of the commonwealth, prohibiting the import of the produce of Asia, Africa, and America, except in English shipping. This was an act of war, directed against the Dutch, who had as their national treasure, instead of broad and productive lands, sunny skies, a numerous people, or the mines of Mexico and Peru, what in their hands proved better than them all—what we have now—what is to civilised Europe, that which speech is to man—the conveyance of the products of the earth. The navigation act, depriving them of that large share of this precious privilege, which consisted in the transport to England of the productions of our own colonies, was as much an act of war, though unaccompanied by others, as the bombardment of a town or the blockade of a port, and it was accepted as such by the hutch; for active hostilities broke out shortly after its enact ment. The Dutch were in a great measure only carriers ; producing little, manufacturing little. We brought little from Holland, we took lit tle to it : they could not, therefore, retaliate by legislation upon our trade. But, even under these, the most favourable circumstances, we were net suffered to derive unmixed advantage from our measure. In very few years after the confirmation, under the restoration, of the naviga tion law, it was remarked that the Dutch were excluding us from some trades in bulky articles, whose chief value was the cost of conveyance ; as, for example, the Baltic trade ; and especially was it found that we could not compete with them in the fisheries. Our exclusion from these, by the operation of our own act of navigation in making our shipping unna turally dear, gave them over as a monopoly to the Dutch. ROGER COKE, to whom we have re ferred, notices the fact:—" In two years after the Navigation Act of the Ramp Parliament in 16,51," he remarks, "the building of ships in England became one-third dearer than before, and seamen's wages became so excessive dear, that we have wholly lost the Muscovy and Greenland trades, whereby we gave the Dutch and other nations the power of driving the trade of the world." Sir JOSIAII CHILD, an admirer of the navigation law, in the same year admitted that there were 22 large Dutch ships in the Russian trade to one English, and in the Greenland fishery 400 or 500 sail to one English ; in the Baltic trade generally we had but one-half of that we had had, and the Dutch had ten times as much. Two years after, heavy duties were imposed on both foreign and colo nial fish oils to support efforts made to revive the Green land trade, which yet miserably failed. In 1693 it was discovered that a company, and Out only, could regain the Greenland fishery, and it was incorporated with the advantage of importing,duty free, all that its ships might get. Capital 40,0001.; an excellent direction ; but, by some sad mishap, the company was dissolved in 1690, with aloes of 80,0001. These facts should have taught the legislature that what injures our neighbours does not al ways benefit ourselves, and that it was time to lay aside the navigation act, when heavy taxation, excessive exertion, and the advance of other nations, had rendered the Dutch, against whom it was directed, no longer formidable. Bat the country was entering on an age in which class in terests ruled ; in which, with the greatest attention to the supposed welfare of parts, the community was neglected. We now say, that what is everybody's business is nobody's business; and in those days what was everybody's interest was nobody's care. The shipowners found each dram of protection an agreeable stimulant ; and in the youth of the present generation the support required had brought the patient to the natural termination of his career, at which a gradual diminution of the dove became un avoidable. We can't say, with all our admira tion of Mr. HushissoN, that the reduction was well managed. For when we came to apply our navigation laws to the case of nations in situations utterly different from that of the Dutch, the new case forced upon us modi fications of our law ; but as the principles on which it was based had been totally lost sight of, our modification was the very worst that could be. Take the example of the United States of America, a rising nation of seamen and merchants, whose country pro griatidondir'Efliewteoh, duced more of bulky produce employing shipping than any other—an attribute it has retained and aug. mented—was our navigatioa law to benefit ourselves or to repress the extension of the navigation of others? The latter was its original, and could be its only possible aim, and had we kept that in view, we could not have made, or could not long have persisted in, any serious error. But, by the time we had to legislate for the case of the United States we had lost eight of this, its object. In seeking to benefit our own shipping, we could not absolutely exclude American ships from bringing American produce, for they would at once retaliate and close the contest. So we fell back upon what was a very old idea, though not contemplated as capable of such expansion as we now witness; and we determined to (beak the trade with them. All American produce should come in English or American ships. We confessed, by the very fact of the law excluding them from general commerce, that American ships were more cheaply sailed than our own; and yet to preserve to us some part of their trade, we excluded from competition with them the shipping of 1 other nations which might perhaps again beat them! ,ofo n tl : t:u f l b : yda : The commerce of the States with this colliery is by i , •ery much the most important of the world, the one i t , •m of a million and a half bales of cotton fur exceeds ' article from all the rest of the world- And it , for employment of shipping our importation of any oche. was . 'his trade in which, after confessing that they wert. o. ir superiors . in carrying, we agreed to preserve llad th ra competition with any other people ! ere been no previous navigation law, no them frt. ood precedent of our conduct in the con• could such on error have been t m es i t suzd i e th nn ti ! made, com dwe have been betrayed into it but by nal light of natural law from which a succession of blunder',. each canying us further from that °rip fear: we have named her. in commercial aci , -nee we must never depart. ns sail their ships yet more Now there is but one nation whose maritime greatness we neat. 1 The Hanseatic Tow ' and economical . navigators. cheaply, we believe, ' at least American ship owners have said so; the Danes, Swedes, \orn•e gians., Sardinianesre gooc. Which of these can be our rival ? But in our marl. time, as in other branches inai . ntrun our position have lost sight of the maxim, "divide and rule. 4 It is itioa depending on '~lablr. reflection, by protecting the weak, and power of the great, thin we can . at the head of the world-1 e our naval supremacy, and of the fe th i w ch ee we shall be satisfied by the unavo that a lost Trafalgar—a great bat c destroying an English fleet—would be a greater co. wohnon to the t A o worlds, would be productive of mon ' incalculably disastrous consequences, than would hi. 're been the fall of France before the sables of the .lloe loin on the plains of Chalons. THE Scotch distillers are busily engaged in "crew. ruing" Lord GEORGE BENTINCI: with reasons for con tinuing a differential duty, in favour of Scotch n.ialt whisky, on West Indian rum. Like all other pro tected interests when about to be subjected to fair competition, these gentlemen (who for time imme morial have had a monopoly of the supply of that por tion of the realm whose population consumes spirits most largely, and who for a long series of years were enabled by revenue advantages to undersell their Irish rivals in Ireland) are about to be "ruined." Here is their statement to Lord GEORGE "Leith Distillery, Leith, Jan. 2.5 My Lerd,—The ministerial measures with regard to " ruin" will most undoubtedly ruin the manufacture of malt whisky in this country. The malt distiller pays the tidlowing duties, namely: "Ault duty". on every Mali. of whisky XI Is. lkl. or ls. 41d. per gn. Off which he receives a drawbsck of Which make. the "malt duty" actaelly paid Ile pays • "spirit duty" of RM. - The total paid by him is therefore Ss. 41d. Now, by the proposed measures " rum" Aril be admitted for do. 2d., so that the Scotch malt ilistil:er pays 21d. more than ram is to pay. - . . • To encourage the manufacture of Scotch whisky and the growth of British barley, ram was until last ' year excluded from Scotland by a differential duty of nearly 10s. a gallon ; so that were this statement accurate, a retaliation of 2!(1. would not be a very heavy retribution. But the statement is, we are assured, quite inaccurate ; inasmuch as a quarter of good malt will yield nearer eighteen than sixteen gallons of whisky ; and if so, the Scotch malt dis tiller and the West Indian rum manufacturer will contribute equally to the revenue. They also state that the excise regulations (which, however, they admit to be quite indispensable to the collection of the revenue from them) involve a charge of 4d. per gallon on their commodity, which may be correct: but they overlook the protection which, even under equal duties, the coat of importing rum must give them, and on that charge they cannot, we sub mit, found any sufficient reason for so objectionable an impost as a differential duty on a British colonial production. WE believe government to be perfectly in earnest when they profess a desire to institute a comprehen sive reform in our prison discipline ; and we trust that Sir GEORGE GREY'S refusal to let in light upon the prison secrets at Woolwich, through the instru mentality of a parliamentary committee, proceeded from a determination to see into the matter, and remedy it himself. Sir GEORGE was not fortunate in his taunt at Mr. DUNOOMSE for not liking a commission. The report of the commission ap pointed to inquire into the management of Milbank Prison, amply justifies Mr. In:11- Com Be's dislike. Of the three commissioners one has refused to sign the report because he does not concur in its statements ; and its very langguu asggee betrays an anxiety to whitewash the officials. " Having thoroughly sifted," say the two lenient commissioners, " the complaints against the governor, and made some allowance for exaggeration on the part of witnesses, whose accusations were seldom warranted by the facts which they attempted to prove, we have no hesitation in pronouncing our opinion that he has endearoured to perform his duties with zeal and intelligence, and has done nothing to discredit the very hightestimonials which he possesses from the officers in the army under whom he for merly served." Notwithstanding the discredit here thrown upon evidence which has not been published, the commissioners do not venture to say that the governor has succeeded in his "endeavours," but call in the aid of his military services to enlist sympathy in his favour. They admit, too, that he is " justly chargeable with " some faults." These faults are:—" A too hasty method of dealing with his officers when reported to him by others, or de tected by himself in some neglect of duty ; not al ways g iving them a sufficient opportunity for explanation or defence." " The occasional use of improper or offensive expressions, of which we should exprem our condemnation more strongly, were it not that the instances adduced by all the witnesses amounted only to three." " An insufficient attention to the rules of the prison." In plain English, the go vernor is of such a hasty and violent temper, that he can net administerjustice with common impartiality, or even observe the dictates of decency in his language, and in addition to this, he systematically disregards the rules prescribed for his guidance; and vet the com missioners abeolve him from all blame. Investigation after this fashion is a mere farce : such a report fully entitles Mr. Deecomne to demand that the complaints made against the management in the hulks at Woolwich shall not be inquired into by a tribunal similarly constituted. The disposition to extenuate the offences of men in authority, evinced by the Millbank commission, naturally inspires a fear that a Woolwich commission would be equally lenient. And one admission that fell from Sir GEORGE GREY, indicates that such leniency may be necessary. " Mr. CAPPER was an officer of whom it was impossible to speak too high ly. Mr. CAPPER had held that situation, he believed, for about 50 or 60 years : he was of course less able now to discharge the duties which devolved upon him." On this account a commission may be requisite to shield Mr. Cement; but the public, precisely for the same reason, wish for a committee to expose the system. Our own enquiries lead us to believe that Mr. Dux. COMBE'S statements are substantially true. Two cases indicating gross mismanagement have already been published in the papers —one of an aged convict, compelled,on some suspicion of concealing a small piece of to ba cco, to strip himself naked in an open shed, on an inclement day, and remain exposed to the gue of the bystanders; the other, of a prisoner nearly poi soned by an over-dose of croton, administered by a fellow-convict, to whom the medical functions had been delegated. These facts prove negligent superin tendence and callatu4 vial-administration. We do in supplying food in Scotland, not to intcrfao with the usual retail trade. CHELSEA PENSIONS BILL. This bill was rend a second time. DISTILLING FROM SUGAR BILL. . . On the motion that this bill be read a sec mil time, Mr. F. MACKENZIE and Mr. GROGAN hoped it would not be pressed forward so hastily, as the subject had caused great excitement in Scotland and Ireland. Ths CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the bill merely carried out the resolution which had been unani mously natuietcsd in by the house when he made his state ment on the subject, and As he did not propo e.to commit the bill until that do' week, there would be ample time for its consideration. the bill was read a second time. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. The second reading of this hill was pat poned till Monday. CRACOW. Mr. lICME moved for a copy of the note or n-prewsnta tion made by the Russian Envoy Kruduor to the Vorort of Switzerland, respecting the federal compact at Vienna, in 1815, and copy of any answer thereto; also, copies of any ' notes or representations made by Baron Sturmnr to the Porte at Constantinople, respecting the annexation of the free republic of Cracow to Austria, and copies of any answers to the same. Lord PAO' EItSTON was understood to say that he should have no objection to lay the documents before the house. Mr. lIUME said that on that understanding he would withdraw his motion.—Withdrawn accordingly. The house adjourned at a quarter to six. CONVICTS (WOOLWICII). DIVOMON or Me. T. Dtscoaaa's Nhains —That ii,w!ect committee be appointed to in9itire into the trestment of convicts en board the bulks at Woolwich. Ayes, II ; N. o, 121. .%1' ES. Berkeley, H. F. Esoott, B. Lockhart, A. E. Spooner, R. Bourerie, E. P. Micall, B. M'Cirthy, A. minley, lin.W.O. Bowing, Dr. Evart, W. Milne', R. M. Strickl and, Sir 0. Brown, W. Fielden, J. ?Aunts, O. F. Thomely, T. Callaghan, D. Fernand, W. D. Newdepate, C. N.Viakley, T. Collett, J. Mall, Sir B. O'Brien, W. S. Wawn, J. T. Dashwood, O. 11.11arcourt, U. G. Palmer, 0. Wdliama , W. Dennistoun, J. Moue, J. Patti.,on, J. Yorke, LL. R. Duncan, 0. James, Sly W. C. I' chell, tlpt. Esighope, Sir J. Kelly, J. l'loniptre, J P. raLcras. Ellis, W. Lawless, Hon. C. Blowpipe, Capt.Thinconike. T. kn:wistle, W. Lindsay, B. 11. It Pink pill, W. aslionhc , Mr. NOES. . _ I . Anson, Hon. Col. Douglas, Sir C. -- Lincoln, F.arl of Rowel, J. BMW. Col. Mandl', Adm. Loeb, .1. Ruaseß, Lard J. Bauer, W. limed.% F. Lygoo, Ho. Gen. Rutherford, A. • Barely, D. audio, D. fiLisauLiy, T. B. Scropr, a P. Bartng,F. T. ' tbrington, rue. Muchinnon, W. Shell, R. L Barnard, E.G. Riononde, Sir T. 11Taggart, teirJ.Somerrille,litrW. Sendai:lV-ord°. Perpoon. Sir R. Mahon, Vire. stonsdeW, W. R. Be n rk , e2e4.CapL Fiberoy, Han. 11 . Maitland, T. Strain, RLIIn.R. Ili Tim. router, M. Manners, [ord.!. Suitor, IIn.H.W. Bodkin, W. IL Fox, C. K. Marjoribinks, le. Thesigar, Sir F. Bodkin, J. J. French, F. Mostermark J. Thompson, Ald. Bowles, Adm. Gasket!, J. M. Maule, lit. 110.1.Tewneler, J. Broadwood, IL Godson, It. Morris 0. Trewlany, J. io. Brothertnn, J. Goeilburn, 11. More, Gal. Trevor, !In.°. IL prunes, W. 11. Grehan, SirJ. Norrays, Lord Trotter, J. Buller, C. Greene, T. Northland, rise. Trowbridge, SlTE_ Bynx,Rt.lin.G.S.Grry, Sir G. O'Brien, A. S. Timm r, E. Cardwell, E. Ilamilton,U. A. O'Brien, C. Tyrol!, Sir J. T. Christie, W. D. Hamilton, W. J. O'Conar Don Vane, Lord 11. . Coktwooke, T. E. Instie, A. (*le, S. C. IL Terrier, Sir W. aortolly, Col. Hawes, B. Ord, Win. Walker. It. (oorteruiy, Lord Haothoote, W. Parker , J. Warburton, H. Cowper, W. F. Henry. Lai. A. Fatten. J. W. Ward, H. O. Craig, W. G. Howard, P. 11. Peel, Sir R. Wood, Hs, Sir C. Cripps, W. Hunan, U. Power, J. Wood, Cot. T. Dolmen)", Lord Hussey, T. Prim, Sir R. Wortley,llnJ.w. Dalrymple, Capt. HuU, W. Rawdori, CoL Wrightson, W.B. ammo, lion. T. Inglis, Sir R. H. Reid, OA. Wyss, T. Dickinson, KW Ramble, IL Itepton, G.W. J. =U SW. Merit, E. Laseelles, W. S. Itiehatals, R. Hill, Lard H. Douglas, Sir 11. Leroy, A. Row., 0. R. Toted, Mr. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Btu. for abolishing Poundage on Chelsea Pensioners.- Repesa so much of the set Id Geo. 11., e. 1, as is now in force, and so much of the act 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 29, as authorises the treasurer of Chelsea H osp it a l to snake any deductions from pensions granted by the commissioners of the hospital. "All out-pensions of Chelsea Hospital due from and after the lot day of April nest, shall be paid free from any deduction whatever on account of poundage, and all such out-pensions shall continue to be paid in advance, either quarterly, monthly, or weekly, as the Secretary-at- War fdr the time being shall consider most expedient for the interest of the said pensioners and the advantage of the public." The act not to have any retrospective effect. ACCOUNT of all Monies received and disbursed by the GOVERNORS OF QUEEN ANNE'S BOIINTT durinT the year ending 31st of December, 1845.-From this account it appears that the number of preferments charged in 1845 with tenths, was 4,946; the number ofthose preferments upon which the tenths had been paid on the 30th of November last was 4,915. The amount due on the 31 preferments in arrears was only 821. 2s. 24., and this sum was expected to be received shortly. There were only two rectories in arrears for lust fruits falling due in 184.1, on the 30th Nov., 1846 the amount due for them was 411. 2s. 9d., and expected to oe received shortly. The total rum received by the governor's of the bounty in 184.5 was 210,3854 13s. sd. ; the total dis bursements were 204,9121. The principal items of income were: first fruits and tenths, 13.758/. 13s. ; benefactions for augmentation of livings, 11,2201. 4s. 10d. ; benefaction for augmentations of living and to obtain patronage, 1,2001. ; dividend on government funds , 19,942 1. 4s. 3d, - ; dividends on bank annuities advanced on mortgage, 17,4751. ; interest on monies advanced on mortgage to build glebe houses, 24,2411. 16s. 5d.; the produce of stock sold for general purposes was 37,8871. 60. 10d. ; the cost of stock purchased for general purposes, 49,1321. Qs I Id.; the instal menta on monies advanced on mortgage to build, &c., glebe-houses, 24,2411. 16s. 51. ; the loans on mortgage to build, &c., glebe-houses, 58,9471. 10$. 2d. The expenses of management are extremely moderate, and highlycreditable to the governors and their law agent. They amount in all to 5,6161. 9s. 14., viz.. -salaries, 3,9941. 165.; superannuation annuity to aged clerk, 2001. ; annuities to late officers of first fruits and tenths for compensation, 4871. 6s. 4d. ; solicitor fur general bill, conveyancing, counsels' fees, and sundry disbursements, 6.1.51. Bs. sd. • solicitor for parliamentary business, 61/.lBs. 10d. ; 'house rent, &c., 1,238/. I9s. 10d. Rim:wt.-British Colonies (West Indies and Mauritius), Part. 11. Immigration of Labourers into the West Indian Colonies and Mauritius.-These papers have a historical value, as recording the progress of the immigration of free labourers of races qualified for out-door labour in tropical climrtes into our su ga r colonies. The latest date is a cir cular despatch from Earl Grey to the governors of the West Indian colonies of 29th August, 1846. It is since that time that the course of policy , likely to be pursued by the present governor of the colony has begun to develop itself: no traces of it are to be found in these papers. But we shall have oc casion to use their contents ere the session is over. REPORT of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the management of MILLI/SNK PRISON; and instructions and orders issued by the Secretary of State to the prison authorities in consequence thereof. The commission was appointed in consequence of petitions from Edward Baker, who had been a warden in Milbank prison, complaining of its general management. The commissioners were the Earl of Chichester, Lord Seymour, and Mr. Bingham Eicott. The report is signed by the two former ; Mr. Escott, who does not agree with them, prefers making a separate one. The report states, that there was only one charge that the petitioner could prove from his own knowledge, and that it having occurred subsequent to the tendering of his resig nation; could not have been the cause of that step. Of the governor it is ssid:-" Having thoroughly silted the com plaints against the governor, and made some allowance for exaggeration on the part of witnesses, whose accusationswere seldom warranted by the facts which they attempted to prove, we have no hesitation in pronouncing our opinion that he has endeavoured to perform hisduties with zeal and intel ligence, and has done nothing to discredit the very high tes timonials which he possesses from the officers in the army under whom he formerly served." The only faults with which he appears chargeable to the [two] commissioners are : Ist, A too hasty method of dealing with his officers. 2ndly, The occasional use of improper or offensive expressions. 3rdly, An insufficient attention to the rules of the prison. Of the last fault, however, the responsibility is said to attach rather to the inspectors than to the governor. It was their duty to have prepared a code of rules for the regulation of the prison, and this they have done in • very imper fect and unsatisfactory manner. It is asserted that a com bination against the governor existed among the subordinate officers, and three are specified as more culpable than the rest. " After a personal inspection of the different parts of the prison,we have the satisfaction to report that its gene ral condition is meet creditable." The exemption of the prison from the control of the Court of Quarter Sessions and the visiting justices, is adverted to as • defective element in its government. Appended to the report are rules relating to corporal _punishment for Millbank prison, approved by Sir George Grey on the 20th of November last. Corporal punishment may be inflicted on adult males (18 years and upwards) for mutiny or open incitement to mutiny ; destroy ing prison property wilfully ; and making a disturbance when under confinement, to interrupt order and disci pline. Corporal punishment may be inflicted on juvenile prisoners for any repeated offence against rules, or any offence greater than the governor is empowered adequately to punish. Corporal punishment can only be Inflicted after inquiry on oath, and full particulars of the inquiry must be entered on the minute hook. The order for punishment must be en tered in the inspector's order book, and the number of lashes stated. Not more than 36 lashes are to be inflicted on an adult, and not more than 20 on a juvenile prisoner. Adults are to be lashed with aat ; juvenile prisoner' with In birch rod. The governor and medical superintendent arc to attend all corporal punishmenta ; the governor is to enter all particulars in his journal ; the medical superintendent to ascertain that the prisoner is in • fit state of health to un dergo the punishment. The governor has power, after in fliction of two-thirds of the sentence, to remit any portion of the number of lashes awarded. DRAINAGE ACT. act, which appear in I -Applications for loans under this London Gazette of lest evening : La Pariah at County of o .*