The Express. — London, England, 1853-04-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TursokY, APRIL 6. The Leap Cl 4 ANCILLOR took bit out at 5 o'clock. PETITIONS PRESENTED. _ _ _ RIGIATRATION OF A/141:RANCIS BILL.—By Lorl Bt. LEONARD'S, from a building society arid from solicitors st Birmingham, against the bill. Law or Siirrceitaur. liy Lord MALNESBURY, from Iluutlausptos, praying for an alteration is the law er setthment. _ _ _ AD511.11110,4 OF TIM Jaws TO PAILtAXENT.—By Lead BERNERS, from Yeovil, Pendanser, Otterhamoton. Bar wick, Spieler, Street, Beekbury, Awe, Naibiome, Burton, Taney, Stoke Lyng. Caversfleld, Southgate, Hardburn, St. Olive, Chilmark, Petenham , Won, LaversHeld, and other places; awl the Duke of ARGYLL, from a place in Scotland; against. • BAIL IN ERROR BILL. On the motion of Lord Caosrisr.s.t., this bill was read a third time and mead. LAND IMPROVEMENT (IRELAND) BILL. Viscount CANNING) moved the second reading of this bill, which, he slid, wa: a transcript, or nearly so. of the act passed in 1417 to encourage the improvement of land is Ireland, the only di ff erence in this bill, as compared with tke act referred to, being that it sought to extend the facility of borrowing from private as sell as public sources. The bill wa. to be carried out by nearly the same ma chinery as the measure of 11417; and daring the time that measure had been in operation 2,900,0001. had been ad vanced under its previsions. The act of ISO had given great satisfaction, not only to the goverment, but to those Individuals who had obtained loans. The Earl of WICKLOW arid it appeared to him that the bill was founded on just and proper principles to carry out the objects of the former bill. It was, in fact, the lame bill, the null exception being that landed proprietors li were allowed to spend their own money on their land, as well as to burrow it of the government. There was one provision which he disapproved of. No landed proprietor was allowed to draw a haver sum than 5,0001. The smallest landed proprieton who wished to improve their estate could draw to that extent, whilst large landed pro- prietora wire debarred from making impravements, be cause they c void not obtain a laraer grant. If the bill had contained provision to allow persons either to borrow on mortgage or under the provisions of the bill, it would have been Reich more beneficial ; but he was afraid, from the manner in which advances were to be made, great inconve nience would be felt. Lord tsl. LEONARD'S said, if the money was laid out on mortgagee, the powers of the ordinary itiortirsgee must be given also, and tho consequence would be that when the interest tell in arrear, the mortgage* would come into pa 'on, and the family would be turned one. Ile did not roe to oppose the bill, but to press on the government—and he was sure his noble friend at the head of Missies in Ireland, would attend to the suggestion—that a most dangerous power was intended to be given for the amelioration of prorerty in Ireland; and he could not but regret that just as we were emancipating Ireland from the curse of estates involved in debt, we were commencing a new system which would inevitably involve estates in debt from time to time. When they authorised money to be advanced for the improvement of settled estates, they bad the security of the public creditor, who would sea that the improvements were of a nature to justify the expenditure of the pu',lic money. But the mo inset they did what the bill proposed, namely, to enable owner* of settled estates to charge their expenditure on the estate itself, they took away all inducement to men who had settled estates to improve the property they were en joying. It was not likely he would let his money go out fur improvement without charging it on the estate, and the reversioner would come into possession with a charge upon it. It bad been said that it was a common equity in Ireland to improve a man out of his estate. Ile was a little alarmed at a clause in pace 3, which gave to the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland a power to appoint civil cegineees, clerks, and other persons as may be necessary to carry the act into execution ; and all the expenses were to be saddled on the settled estates in Ireland. Ile wished to impress on the government the importance of seeing that such powers were guarded as much as possible. Lord BEAUNIONT said the bill appeared to him to be like all other bills which had reference to Ireland—namely, a violation of the rights of property. It gave to persons who ha a limited interest in a property • right to harden thous entitled to the reversion ; and that was in itself an evil. Ile had another fault to find with the measure : it took away from landlords the responsibility of looking after their own estates and improving them. The bill conferred on the commissioners a great many duties which he thought would be better performed by those interested in the land itself. But if they were obliged to violate the first prin ciples of property in Ireland he did not see that the objec tion of the noble and learned lord amounted to anything, because it would be just the same if the money was bor rowed from private individuals as if it was obtained from the government. It was the same thing from whatever quarter the money came, provided it was employed on the land, if the result should bo a permanent increase of the value of the land. If he were convinced that this would be the cue he would not raise any objection to the bill, and the reversioner would not suffer by the bill, for although he would find himself subject to • rent charge imposed upon him against hie will, theless he would receive full compensation for the injuries which bud been thus done him for the benefit of the land. Viscount CANNINU rep!ied. He thought all the ob jections would be found to be groundlivs. The measure, which had bees in operation for six years, had given tho most unqualified satisfaction, and the present bill was of the $5030 chancier. Ibe bill was Ws read a second time. GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL. On the motion of the Dnke of ARGYLL this bill went through committee and was reported. DWELLINGS OF THE LABOURING CLASSES. On the motion of the Earl of Ju.t rrtanviT, the select committee on the expediency of providing dwellings for the labiuring classes was named. CRYSTAL PALACE. Lord REDESDAlEpresented two petitions fres plum in Gloucestershire (ow from the congregatiou amembling in St. Luke's church) against opening the Crystal Palace on Sundays. HULL ELECTION INQUIRY. Mr. Lutoecuana, on behalf of the Commons, demanded a conference with their lordships, to obtain their tonsur mei in an address to the Crown to lame a consusindam of inquiry into the existence of br,bery at the elastics be K ingston-upoo-Hull. as reported by the illeatiMl 1110•1061,1. Managers were immediately appointed, and the Goa ferenos took place ; and on the return of the narmorico, The Duke of ARGYLL moved that a manse bo seat to the Commons for the minutes of evidence takes bane the Kingston•aptm. Hull election committee.—Agreed to. Their lor dsh ip. then adjourned at six o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Tunms, APRIL 5. T 66 Brzeiza took the chair at 4 o'clock. _ NEW MEMBER. Mr FIRLDIN took the oaths and kis aeat for the borough of Blackburn. __________ PRIVATE BUSINESS. TIMID READlNGS.—Blackburn Railway; Brighton, Hove, and Preston Waterworks ; Cardiff Waterworks ; Great Yarmouth Wellington Pier; Norfolk Estuary; Preston Clu; Wakefield Soke Mills; Wolverhampton Markets and Fairs &c. • Bills. . . BICOND RZADlNOS.—Edinburgh Waterworks (No. 2) ; Leeds Ou (No. 2) ; Bills. PUBLIC BUSINESS. PETITIONS ATSMSION or Jaws TO PARLIAMENT—By Mr. ADDERLEY, from Ham, Staffordshire ; Mr. DEEDES, Agra East Church, is Kent ; Sir W. JOLLIFFE, from several parishes of Southampton; Mr. P. BENNET, from Houghton, in Sneak, and Gadding; Lord W. GRAHAM, from the Presbytery of Dumbarton ; Lord BURGHLEY, from Skillington, in Lincolnshire; Mr. EVELYN, from the clergy and deanery of North Earl Stoke, Surrey; Mr. C. TURNER, from inhabitants of Walston, county Lan cute/ ; Capt. SCOBELL, from Bath ; against. OPENING OF THE CRTSTAL PALACE ow SCNDAYS.— , By Mr. VANSITTART, from the working men of Maiden hood and Sunnirghill ; Mr. W'. HINDLEY, from Sid. month and Stockbridge; Sir J. Y. BULLER, from inha bitants and working men of Sheldon ; Mr. A. PELLATT, from 517 of the working classes of lionelydown, South wark, and from 2,183 of the working classes of Bermond sey ; Mr. WIORAM, from Theme, Harpurhey, in Lanca shire ; All Saint ' s, Paddington ; Ch ri st Church, Blackfrian; sad lotherhithe ; the latter signed by 689 working men ; Sir J. TROLLOPE, from Weeleyans of Spalding and Rol beach ; against. CLERGT RESERVES BILL.—By Mr. EVELYN, from the clergy of the deanery of North East Stoke, Surrey, against. SHERIFFS' Cocars.—By Mr. DUNLOP, from the Cham ber of Coalmen, of Greenock, for referring both Sheriff Court Bills to a select committee, and for abolition of the office of sheriff clerk principal; Mr. CRAUFURD, from the provost, magistrates, and town council of the Burgh of Ayr ; from the faculty of procurators practising before the 1 sheriff of Ayrshire or Ayr ; and from the magistrates and town council of the Burgh of Oban, for reform in the Sheriffs' Courts, and the abolition of the office of non resident sheriff in Scotland. Mr. LOCKHART, from rho county of Lancaster, against the continuance of the pre sent system of sheriffs' depute and sheriffs' substitute. PILOTAGE Dt iL.—By Mr. DUNLOP, from the Chamber of Commerce, Greenock, in favour of; Mr. C. TURNER, from the pilots of the pert of Inverness, against. COMBINATION or WORKMEN'S BILL.—SIF. W. WIZ, LIAIIS, from the Society of Boot and Shoemakers of Sduthwark and Lambeth; IHr. DUNCOMBE, from Shef field ; miners of ;Northumberland, and Durham ; boot makers of London ; carpenters of London; beamers of Manchester; silk smallware weavers, Manchester; glass bottle makers, Castleford ; united iron moulders; Birming ham iron wire drawers; united trades, London; Sheffield saw handlers; Birmingham tattlers; Sudbury shoemaker and tailors; London tailors; London type-founders ; Lon don Ladies' Boot and Shoeivaken' Society; in favour of. I NCOlle TAX.—By Sir J. Y. BULLER from the medi cal prenttiosers of 'lsignmouth and East Budleigh ; Capt. sconELL, from the medical professors of Bath; for an aNneqUen in the sailjuainaent of. 84010 N Usivaziart Tears.—By Mr. DUNLOP, from 'Vatted FriMbyreetan Congregat:on, George-square, It 1444. *NDERSON, from the ses s i on o f th e . 4 f 'reabythriam Congregation; Mr. &LOCKHART, slso inhabitants of 4 telk.rk ; for the abolition of. DIANaILr ox PIF I;PAT :SOL Paux ILiu,k7AT. , —By Sir JOHN TROLLOPE, from Inhabitants of Balton; Mr. BLACKETT, from members of the Coal Ezchange and others, against. INDIA.—By Mr. A. WISE, film Staff ,rd, signed by the mayor, magistrates, and inhabitants, praying the house to re-enact the act now existing fir another year, SO that the legislature may make such extended inquiries as will assist parliament to promote mote effectually the happiness, wel fare, and prosperity of the people of. PraLtc HocsEs (SCOTLAND) BILL.—By Sir J. AN. BERSON (4), from Cilasgow ; Mr. DI;SLOP, from dealers lin mineable liquors and other inhabitants of Greenock, against. THe Act or G GEORGE IV., e. 129.—8 y Mr. A. PEL LATI', from the working glawmaken of London; Mr. GLYN, from working men of Kendal, for an amendment of. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.—By Mr. LOVEDEN, from the Aberyatwith Mechanics' Institution, for a free distri bution; of. MATNOOTII.--Ey Mt. DUNLOP, from the Commis sioners of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland of Kilmalie, in the county of Argyll, and the Free Church congregation of Cockburnspath and Oldham Stocks, ih the county of Haddington, for repeal of. Soar DCTY.—By Mr . C. TURNER, from the Liverpool Health of Towns Association; and Mr.PUGH, for re_pel of. TAXES ON CARRIAGES.—By Sir J. THOLLOPE, from efteltrnakers in the county of Lincoln, for repeal of. Tlmesii DUTT.—By Sir W. CLAY, from shipowners of Hull, for repeal of. WINE Bur in.—By Mr. M. GIBSON, from inhabitants of Manchester, for a reduction of. CL/UNTT RATES AND EXPENDITURE BILL.—BT Sir J. TROLLOPE, from Spalding Board of Gaarduns, in favour of. ACT Mt THE ENDOIPMEN'T OF THE MILITIA.—By Mr. 0. RICAIt DO, from the mayor and inhabitants of the city of Worcester, for the repeal of. MERCHANT SHIPPING BILL.—By Mr. C. TURNER, from the trustees of the Liverpool Docks under the common seal, against. NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.—By Mr. DUN LOP, from the United Presbyterian congregation,Oreenock, for an improved system of. CONSOLIDATED ANNI:ITIES.—By Bir T. BURKE, from the grand jury of the county of Odway, and from the poor-law guardians of the Balliestoke, Mount Renew, Gal wa_y, (fort, and Oughtererd Unions, for a remission of. Coot' REMOVAL AND SETTLEMENT Laws.—By Mr. PACKE, from Biddlostone, Houghton-on-the-Hill, North Kdwortb, in the county of Leicester, for upon' of. ATII I:ON E ELECTION. The SPEAKER stated that he had to inform the house that he lrul received a letter from Mr. T. Baker, agent fur Messrs. Norton, the petitioners, complaining cf an undue return fur the borough of Athlone, that it was not their in tention to proceed with that petition. NOTICES OF DICTION. CHURCII RATES. Mr. R. PIIILLIMORE gave notice that on this day fortnight he should move for leave to bring in a bill to alter the present mode of levying church-rates. Sir W. CLAY gave aotsce that on this day fortnight he should bring torward the motion, of which he had already given notice, for the entire abolition of church rates. (Hear, hear.) DOCKYARD PROMOTIONS. AND THE LATE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY. Sir B. HALL gave notice that en this day fortnight he should call the attention of the house to the Parliamentary Papers, numbers 271 and 272, presented this session, re lating to dockyard promotions and appointments, and if necessary that he would found • motion upon them; the precise terms of which he would state on Thursday neat. Mr. STAFFORD would make an appeal to the noble lord the member fur the City of London and the house, and although he might be irregular in doing so, he would perhaps meet with the indulgence of the house when he requested the noble lord to give every , facility to the hon. baronet, the member for Nlarylehone, to enable him to bring forward the im portant motion of which he had given notice. He (Mr. Stafford) might be permitted to oLserve, that this was no common CM., as it affected not only the members of the Board of Admiralty under the late government who had re , tireu from Mike, but those who were members of the board under the present government. He hoped the honourable baronet would give his notice of motion on an early da_y, and when ho had given it that he would adhere to it. He trusted that he should not appeal in vain to the noble lord when he asked, that in consequence of the uncertainty which might otherwise attend the bringing forward of this im portant gastion, the noble lord would so far consider what was duo both to the late and the present Beard of Admi ralty as to give the hon. baronet every facility for bringing forward his motion. (Ilear, hear.) LAW OF E SETTLE MEET. Mr. A. WISE gave notice that on Monday, the 18th inst., he should set Lord J. Russell whether it is the inten tion of her Majesty's government to introduce, either in this or the next session of parliament, any measures to abolish or revise the laws relating to the settlement and re moval of the poor, or to alter the present mode of raising the rate., for the relief of the pour, by distributing the charge over a wider and less variable basis, or otherwise ; secondly, if her Majesty's government are not prepared to propose early legislation on these subjects, whether Lord J. Russell will assent to the appointment of a committee to in quire into the practical operation of the laws fur the relief of the poor in England and Wales, and to consider the policy and general effect of all the laws relating to settle ment, removal, and parochial assessment ELECTION AGENTS. Mr. MASSEY gave notice that he ..hould move for leave to bring in o bill to provide that when an election com mittee reportedthat an agentofcandidates at anelection bud been guilty of bribery, they should report to the house the name of every agent who had been so guilty of bribery. EPISCOPAL AND CAPITTILAN NEVENUES. The Marquis of BLANDFORD gave notice that on this da• fortnight he should move for leave to bring in a bill for the better regulation of episcopal and cogitator revenues. THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1853. OATHS ,IN UNIVERSITIES. Mr. BLACKETT give notice that on Thonday week he should move for leave to bring in a bill prohibiting the ad ministration of oaths in the university of Oxford. RETIREMENT OF THE CH4 _ MITTBES. OF COld- Mr. WILSON PATTEN begged the indulgence of the house while he mentioned a circumstance which concerned himself personally as well as the business of the house. At tho emateseseleat of the present session the house had aft NM tin Mom to sleet him chairman of committees sf moye awl Nene I but be was merry to say that his health 111111141111 d h Dante to the performance of the duties et the dim He dm& It more respectful to the house to man diet unenneemat ■oow, as he could do so without mules so muds lessavoisas• o If kh retlsetaenttook ghee at a later Fried ef the aesdeo He lied handed to Min setae ebeenaliess ea the ea** of the duties el the oils, bet it weal be obelus* isaiserr is bin te de se sew, sad be weal* oafs, hooch to ezpsemiag his Chseem Mae isoldsmes whisk** hew bed plata la e i sa be mad V: Oat, la oder to moat try hosamismao theft ohs, bewail lobeggy le Ansa lemeM whoa est the cohlemse shrMa tweak, The sigh be aggeiated to swim* hit. a1 1a P11 7. 111 1 1 1111321 was sure that the lease bed Wad sill * rer the oatmeal the hew goilissmau. (Head abserlag g .) et Dude, tie dar •J t thee the leo Fathoms led bid the *Mee be led slew. se mash judgment sad ll as to enable the Miami dthe hems to be sorted ea i r: very satishatery maser, and be was sure that the hem would feel the lan they bed matelasi, when they moor bored the sad jollier efthdefteas d duties, u larks* the hon. gestimoso (Lead sham) Mr. DlSAlMLl bta l: s hat as he led bad the how* propose the iso for the Woe lie West be per mitted to elm the theaks of bismeif sad et may member of the Lie seveurasat for the kid same h which he bad seweaded is setae forward whoa be we ow Bible that it might be attended with injury to his bola. He was ewe that the house would always allealable the able sad silkiest meaner in which the bon gestlemes bed discharged his duties, and that be weld nein es may occasion from the home that soadderadea whish high character entitled him. (Loud sheen.) DESERTIONS IN THE NAVY. Mr. WILLIAMS, pursuant to notice, begged to ask the Pint Lord of the Admiralty whether the statements which bad appeared in the papers were true that a large number ofseamen in her Majesty's service had deserted, owing to the disgust they felt at the flogging of a petty officer in one of her Majesty's steamers. fir J. GRAHAM, in answering the lusation of the hon. gentleman, felt bound to state, that sums January last • considerable number of desertions of seamen had taken place from her Majesty's ships in the squadron on the home station. It should, however, be remembered that so large • squadron had not been assembled on that station for a long time. He was not aware, until it was mentioned by the hon. member, that the cause of those desertions was imputed to have arisen from the fact of a particular punish ment. The result of inquiries which he (Sir J. Graham) had made was that they were to be ascribed to other causes. The unusually high rate of pay at present in the merchant service, and the most improper solicitations which had taken place in various quarters, and the endeavour to induce seamen in her Majesty's service to accept that higher pay, was the Cause to which alone be ascribed those desertions. With reference to the cases which had been stated by the hon. gentleman, he had the satisfaction of stating that in conse quence of arrangements which had been =ads for more fre quent payments of seamen on the home station and for granting a greater length of leave after those payments (and he was sure the hon. gentleman would hear it with astis faction)—after protracted leave old seamenland those who had served • long time and had had most experience of the discipline and treatment on board her Majesty's ships, had with hardly any exceptions returned to their duty with the most extraordinary fidelity. (Cheers.) He could sot sit down without referring to the ease of corporal punish ment which had been mentioned by the honourable gentle man. The cue had been fully considered by the board over which he presided. It was a case of gross .nsub ordination on the part of • petty officer, and language the most insulting was used on the quarter-deck to t h e li eu t enan t of the watch, which was followed by violence to this extent, that the sentry on duty on the quarter-deck was knocked down. (Hear, hear.) He need hardly point out to the house how :necessary was mainten ance of discipline is her Majesty's service —(hear)—and that such an offence required punishment. Inman, foreign mere ices serh conduct, which here is a capital crime, would have been followed by capital punishment The punishment was infticttd not by the officer in command, but by the sen tence of a court martial comrscd of officers of high charac. ter and srzat ea:eriesme, and the punishment awarded was disrating, the infliction of corporal punishment, not in itself emissive nor exceeding that which a single *Meer in command might have inflicted, together with imprisonment in Exeter Gaol, and dismissal with disgrace from her jesty's service. The disinter of the offender in other 'ships had been good, and the Admiralty considered that if ' the sentence was carried oat, dismissal from the service with disgrace, would have deprived him of a right to a pension, and prevent his entering the service again. A portion, therefore, of the sentence was cammuted—the term of imprisonment was reduced from nine months to three, and the dismissal from the ser vice was set aside, and the man could return to her Ma jesty's service without disgrace. He (Sir J. Graham) hoped that he would re-enter the service, and if ho did so, at the expiration of his service he would be entitled to the usual pension. (Cheers.) Mr. WILLIAMS asked whether subsequent to the flag ging in question numerous desertions hail not taken piece ? bir J. GRAHAM—There has been no perceptible increase whatever since. IDOLATRY IN CEYLON. Sir R. INOLIS moved an ;whims for copies of any des patch from the Right Hon. Sir J. Pakington to the Gover nor of Ceylon, dated in December, 1832, on the subject of the connexion of the government of that island with the idolatry of its native inhabitants; together with any reply thereto which laLs been or shall be receivod from the go- vernor. WINDSOR ELECTION. Mr. COBDEN moved that the minutes of evidence and proceedings taken before the committee on the Windsor election petition be printed. Agreed TUB DOCKYARD PROMOTIONS. Ms. DISRAELI thought that It would facilitate the dis cussion on the motion, of which notice bad been given by the hon. baronet the member for Marylebone, if the noble lord (J. Russell) would consent to fix it to come on on Mon day the first thing. Lied J. RUSSELL said it was certainly desirable that the motion should not be postponed for a long time. Still the government had only two days in next week, for which important business was fixed, and if they were given up the whole of the public business might be delayed. Perhaps the house would agree that ea Thursday se'nnight the motion should have precedence over other motions. Sir B. HALL said he should bo prepared on Thursday ss'nuight. Mr. TUFNELL referred to the recent orders respecting dockyard promotions issued by the present Board of Admi ralty, and asked whether tke public service would have any guarantee that these orders would be enforced beyond the existence of the present government ? Could a succeeding Board of Admiralty revoke those orders, and revert to the old system? (Hear, hear.) Sir J. GRAHAM thought it would be best, after the no. tics given by Sir B. Hall, to confine his answer to this ques tion strictly to the fact. It had been the endeavour of the present Board of Admiralty to obtain the best security, short of an act of parliament, which could be obtained for giving a permanent and lasting sanction to the new arrangements. An act of parliament would no doubt appear the best security for performance, but it was questionable whether any act could be so framed as to meet adequately an affair of detail of this description. The next security was an order in council ; and for the first time these regu lations affecting the dockyards had been imposed by an order in council passed by her Majesty ; and henceforth there could be no departure from the strict terms if those orders, except by an appeal to her Majesty in council. (Cheers.) ISLE OF MAN. On the motion of Sir J. WALMSLEY, returns wero ordered respecting the customs ue, income from crown lands, and the payments thereout (with the cost of collection), &c., of the Isle of Man. DECIMAL COINAGE. Mr. J. B. 3MITFi ufcel the Chancellor of the Ex. chequer whether it was the intaition of the government to carry out a system of decimal coinage, and, specially, whe. ther the intended new copper coinage would be iuucd on a decimal basis ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—There is no intention on the part of the government to make any change in the immediate arrangements that are to be adopted with respect to the supply of additional copper coinage for Ireland and the colonies which has been found so absolutely necessary. With respect to t►e general ques tion as to decimal coinage, I have to say that the govern ment feels that great attention is due to the arguments of those who have recommended such a chanqe ; but the go vernment is likewise of opinion that it is • matter of grant importance, of great delicacy, and that the alterinx the character of those particular coins which arc in point of fact the measure of value, and the basis of the whole idea of value, to the mass of the population, is a very serious change, and ought not to be undertaken in obedience to mere abstract considerations, without our hav ing well ascertained that the ground under our feet is secure. (Hear, hear.) The course which will be taken is this. An hon. member of this house has expressed his in tention to moire for a select committee to inquire into the whole subject; that motion will receive the support of the government ; and the report of that committee may lead to such an elucidation of the question as will enable us to come to a satisfactory conclusion. (Hear, hear.) THE BAR AND THE BRIBERY COMMISSIONS. Mr. PHINN asked whether the Bribery Commissioners who had bees or might speedily be appointed would pro ' teed at once to the places to which their powers applied ? He asked the question because members of the bar ac cepted these appointments rather as a matter of honour than of emolument; and it would be an obvious inconve nience for them to be called awaT at a period, viz., be tween this and August, when their professional business was moat urgent. (Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL—ReaIIy it appears to me, consider ing the rights of these boroughs are involved—(laughter)— that as soon u the House of Lords shall have considered the addresses to the crown, the crown would at once require the persons nominated to proceed to their duties. (Laughter.) -- THE MISCELLANEOUS ESTIMATES. Mr. W. WILLIAMS complained that th e estimates, which they would be called upon to consider on Friday neat, had not yet been distributed. Mr. J. WILSON—They will be distributed on Thursday. Mr. W. WILLIAMS—WeII, bat there will be no time to consider them. _Meat, hear.) BRIBERY AT HULL.—COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. Mr. LABOUCRERE moved, pursuant to notice, for an "address to her Majesty for a commission of inquiry into the borough of Hull." Of the three gentlemen he yid named for the ennashsion, Mr. Rowe would be unable in eatenpnace a pressure of professional laths: to acme the Wise; but that Mr. (we did not eat& tie nose) would save in his place. The wirer woo* Yr. W. Forsyth and Mr. B. Brett. Mr. di lad riot, with post satisfaction to all per del... of Oho osswissioosso Is the St.Alban's case. WALPOLS—Is woo Tory desirable that in these win 1M omodwice should not be appointed without full atria kiwi given of the names ; and as one M tho owassaood same had been withdrawn, end another sabolituistl e podwp the right hon. gentleman would post pone the mosiftwat to another day. Mr. LAMOOMIRI admitted the desirableness of giv be nodes of smog ; owl had given the notice, but as as seespected substitution led had to be made, he hoped a postponement would not be insisted on. To postpone the appointments would be to postpone the motion altogether; mad a delay would be very inconvenient. With regard to the preliminary obsavvetions of the right hon. gentleman, haloould not understand their purport, but he hoped le understood the right boa gentleman not to intend the so- iiiWit;:ii: Mr. BANILES cemesived that what his right hon. friend (Mr. Walpole) meant was, a protest against agree meat to this =twin babe drawn into a president in regard to all motions of the sum kind. (Hear, hear.) He also gait* agreed with hie right hon. friend in respect to the no cessity_of having fuU notice of the names of the commission er.. The home must consider that they were delegating enormous powers, and they should be well satisfied of the reliability of the gentlemen to whom they entrusted such functions. Lord J. RUSSELL hoped the right hon. gentleman would not persist : but if he did, his right hon. friend would no doubt give way. Mr. WALPOLE, under the circumstances, would not press his suggestion; but he reserved the right to make future objections. The motion was then agreed to. THE NORWICH PETITION. Mr. DUNCOMBE postponed for a week the notice to call the attention of the house to the report of the select committee in the ease of the withdrawal of the Norwich election petitions. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Mr. H. BROWN rose to move the resolution, of which he had given notice, with respect to the better regulation of railway travelling. lie anticipated various objections to his proposal ; but he could only see good consequences as likely to proceed from the adoption of it. lie was not at all interfering with the course of the government on the subject; he believed he would strengthen the hands of the government by giving them the encouragement of a vote of the house. The evidence taken before the committee could not be dis regarded. Mr. Seymour Clarke, a very high authority, in answer to question 627, which was whether the public interests did not require that there should be some superin tending authority to see that the public had good and suffi cient accommodation, said he thought the result of amalga mation would deprive the public of conveniences which they now had. Five of the principal witnesses already examined before the committee had given their evidence in the most masked manner, stating that the supervision of railways to be effective must bo under some central power. Now, he was the last person who would advocate unneceuary in terference with private enterprise, but he contended that until they made some better arrangements, until they appointed some authority to which the public could appeal, and until they had power to enforce such re gulations as might be deemed necessary for the public safety, the columns of newspapers would continuo to be filled with accounts of railway accidents, and that therefore interference was requisite for the public safety. The other objection, as he understood, would be, that the law already provided pains and penalties sufficient against railway directors to induce them for their own protection to do everything in their power to prevent accidents. Now on this subject he thought he could usefully call the attention of the house to a trial of some railway officials which had recently taken place in Scotland before Lord Justice Clerk, who in summing up said if the present state of things con tinued on the Jailwa7 it was plain they would have to place at the bar the directors and managers who male the regulations, add if air.ther such czuistrvphe occuirtil after theybodyeesiud this wanting, it would beat their peril. There was this difference in the Scotch law and the English, that in Seetland there was a public persecutor, who secured Jus tice to the peasant as well as to the peer. By Lord Camp bell's act, railway companies could be sued for damages to cue of accident, but the operation of that ad was to value the man who was useful at pence, and the man who was merely ornamental at thousands of pounds. The objection that they ought not to interfere with private enterprise was quite worn out. It was their duty to interfere where the public was concerned. They did it already with respect to steamboats, emigration ships, factories, and, indeed,with everything where the public safet/was concerned, except ing railways. Any one who ad read the reports of the inspectors and of the commissioners from time to time, would see that the great majority of the accidents were the result of disregard of smug,- ments or insufficiency of staff to carry them out. The Board of Trade had adopted an inspection of new lines of railway, and travelling was not permitted on them till the inspector had certified that they were safe; bet when • line was once opened, all the power the Board of Trade had at the present moment was, when an accident occurred, to send down an inspector to make a report on it. Some of these reports showed that travelling on the lines to which they referred was unsafe, either from the state of the lines themselves, or from want of proper regulations, or neglect in carrying out regulations. If the government refused to in terfere, he should feel himself bound, humble member of the house uhe was, to propose a measure that might tend to increase the public safety and confidence. (Hear, hear.) In the meantime he begged to move, " That it is the duty of a good government to propose to this house all such mea sures as may appear necessary for the public safety. That the great increase in the number of accidents which have of late occurred on railways demands the especial attention of this house, and that it is the duty of her Majesty's go vernment to propose more effectual measures than now exist for securing the safety of the public while travelling on railways." Mr. F. FRENCH seconded the motion,_ which he .theisght was a perfectly unexceptionable one. The evils of the present system arose entirely from the method which bad been pursued in reference to the granting of railway bills. No less a sum than eleven millions sterling had been expended in parliamentary expenses, a sum which would I have constructed 1,100 miles of railway. Was it at all re markable, then, that the companies should be unable to keep proper staffs of officers and servants upon their re spective lines ? (Hear, hear.) Nor was this all. When a company, after an immense expenditure, had procured its bill, parliament had granted the very next year a competing line, as for instance had been done in the case of the Cale donian Railway. Parliamentary committees were a most improper tribunal ; and whatever they might think of Sir Robert Peel's commercial policy, no one would deny that his abolition of the Railway Board, so ably presided over the Earl of Dalhousie, was a most unfortunate step. Never had there been a clearer case of parliamentary re sponsibility than with respect to railways; and if the house could make the public any compensation, that compensation they were fully entitled to receive at its hands. (Hear.) Mr. CARDWELL said that if he did not occupy the house at any great length, it would not be from a want of appreciation of its extreme importance. The late govern ment, with very good judgment, had determined that a most careful inquiry should be made into the whole ques tion of railways, and that inquiry was now in progress. By his office he waschairman of the committee, and he could assure tho house that it was taking the utmost pains to sift the question of railway management to the bottom. It had already examined many gentlemen of great eminence in the railway world, aad was proceeding to exa mine other witnesses, who could not bo suspected of partiality towards the railways. The evidence had been reported from time to time : and that part of it relating to accidents, which was very comprehensive, was in the printer's hands, and would be ready by Thu rs day next. He had sent over to France and Belgium for the purpose of ascertaining what wee the practice on the rail ways of thou countries. The result of those inquiries had boos twasidered by the committee, and would be laid be ano the base. • They had also taken a great deal of evi dence with respect to communications between guards and drivers, and that also would be re ported. With respect to the Scotch law they had procured the opinion of Lord Justice Clerk ; and the Lord Advocate, who had just returned from conduct ing successfully a prosecution against parties in Scotland who had been guilty of culpable negligence, had been asked, and had promised to attend before the committee. The superintendent of a Scotch railway had been convicted, and the directors had been told that if another such acci dent occurred again they would be prosecuted. The Scotch law might be right or it might be wrong, but it would surely be better to permit the committee to proceed with its inquiries, and to consider its reports, before they at tempted to come to any decision upon the question. During the last few days a document of great importance had been laid before them by the public press, namely, a report to the Congress of the United States with respect to government interference. In that report it WU said that it might be doubtful whether a more direct interference would not tend to increase the danger of the public instead of to diminish it ; because to affect the authority from which the regulations must emanate, would give rise to confusion and embarrassment, would engend er bad feeling and hoeti- lity between the companies aid the governniint, would take from the officers their responsibility, and might thus lead to results disastrous to the safety of the public. Surely that was a subject worth inquiring into. (near, hear.) He (Mr. Cardwell) had cer tainly no objection to the resolution; but it would be most inconvenient and unusual to place upon the books an abstract proposition which lcd to no result, and the hon. gentleman himself had said the time for practical legis lation had not yet arrived. He hoped, therefore, that the hon. gentleman would let the inquiries now proceeding bo fore the committee come to an end. If the hon. gentleman, however,rsisted in his motion, it would be his (Mr. Cardwell's) duty to move, as an amendment, that it be not pat. Mr. J. M'GREGOR defended the directors and officers of railways from the charges which had been brought against them by the hon. gentleman. Mr. HUME felt indebted to the hon. gentleman for bringing forward the subject. As the house had given maw powers to the proprietors of railroads, it was its duty *me that those powers were properly exercised. Still he see* not but regard the statement of the right hon. gen tleman as perfectly satisfactory, and he begged to recom mend the hon. mover to withdraw the resolution. Mr. D. WADDINGTON said the course pursued by the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Cardwell) was highly creditable to him. He was disposed to elucidate the matter, and would no doubt do all in his power to arrive at a just con elnaion as to the causes of accidents. He could not permit the observation to pass, that the directors of railways were d to provide, by every means in their power, for htmattasty, without giving it the most unqualified i si . l mmerieaths hon. gentleman (Mr. Brown) that glee be IS* e Wife railway management, some years ago, a very different state of things had arisen in referents, to railways. (Hear, hear.) It the event of • casualty es a railway, the directors were as full of anxiety as if it had occurred in their own families; and lithe hon. gentleman (Mr. Brown) could moist the com mittee with evidence to show that, by throwing responsi bility on the Board of Trade, the public safety would be inereesed, directors would cheerfully support the proposi tion, Mr. LAING thought the house ought to wait till the evidence of the committee was before it. He wished to correct an impression which might go abroad from the re marks of Mr. Brown—that there was any didadination en the part of railway directors to submit to any measure of government oontrol, however stringent, which could be clearly proved, to the satisfaction of practical men, to con duce to the public safety. --—-- - - - - Mr. H. BROWN was willing to place himself in the hands of the house, as to withdrawing his motion. His object was to show the necessity of something being dons, and, If it were not done, he should renew his motion. It was aid a marked change had taken place since he was con nected with railways. There certainly was a change ; for at the time referred to there were few or no accidents, now they were almost of daily occurrence. The motion was then withdrawn. CHRIST'S COLLEGE, BRECON. Mr. GOULBURN, in moving for leave to bring in a bill for the future regulation, management, and permanent en dowment, of the College of Christ in Brecon ' briefly stated the history of this ancient foundation, and added that, at the suggestion of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, a bill had been prepared to carry out the objects of the founda tion. This step had been taken to avoid a suit in Chancery, which would necessarily have been very expensive, from the number of parties to it. It was proposed that the rule., approved by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, should be made the basis of the college ; and ho believed that when the leases fell in, the property would be such as to render the institution worthy of the monarchs by whom it was founded, and a lasting benefit to that part of the country. Mr. HUME asked where information could be obtained ea to the provisions of the founder. Mention had been made of the parties interested ; he wished to know who they were; where they the public? He wu not for creating new ecclesiastical establishments at this day. (Hear, hear.) They ought to know how the college had been hitherto regulated, and what was to be the scheme for its future management ; whether its benefits would be open to the public. He would not object to the first read ing of the bill ; but hoped that all this information would be supplied before the neat stage of the bill. . _ Sir B. BALL said he understood the object of this bill was, not to establish any new foundation, but to endeavour to make that useful which was now useless to the commu nity, and out of finds which really belonged to the public, and ought to have been applied to the purposes of education before. As an inhabitant of the principality, he was ex tremely obliged to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for having turned their attention to that subject at last, and in troduced a bill of some sort or kind. What the bill might be, he could not divine from the right hon. gentleman's statement ; but he was quite sure that on a question of this kind, ample time would be allowed before the second read ing for the inhabitants of the principality to understand and consider its provisions. The property belonging to this establishment was of enormous extent—nearly 8,0001.104,r. It was enjoyed by somebody—not by the laity. (Hear, hear.) And yet, a short time ago, there was hardly a boy in the school ; and from 1939 down wards there hail not been a single pane of glass in the church, and everything was going to rack and ruin. Ile wished to ask if any communication had been made to the Bishop of St. David's as to giving up the rce perty he received from this collegiate church, which raised his income very for above what was assigned to his see, and for which he (lid nothing whatever. Ile was perfectly ig norant of the contents of the bill, but hoped that ample time would be allowed before the second reading. Nr. AOLIONDY urged the importance of having on theistic information on the subject before the house was called on to legislate. He presumed the Ecclesiastical Com missioners had all the papers necessary ; he hoped they would be laid before the house, accompanied by some re port of their own as to the provisions of the bill. Mr. GOULBURN said the best information would be given by the preamble to the bill: itself. It; had been I stated that the property was worth 7,5001. a year ; but this, like other eeclesiastital property, bad beea granted on leases for lives. and all that was received was the reserved rent ; some 3501. a year, of which the Ecclesiastical Com missioners had only yet received 1401. It would bee great mistake to suppose that they were receiving 7,5001. a year from the property ; but as the leases fell in, the proceeds would increase. It was said the bishops were receiving more than was stipulated for in the act of 1838; some might receive more ; others received less. la reference to the bishop of St. David's, his preferments in this collegiate church would ultimately fall into the hands of the Eccle siastical Commissioners. He could only express a hope that hen. members would read the bill earefulli. Leave was then given to briag 1 the bill. WINE DCTIES. Mr. OLIVEIRA, in moving that the house resolve itself ' into a committee to consider the import duties upon foreign end colonial wines, with a view to a reduction to Is. per imperial gallon, said—Sir, In rising to bring under the con sideration of the house the resolution of which I have given notice, I have to solicit that indulgence which I observe: s always granted to members who are placed in the position that I am—that of addressing the house for the first time. Sir, if that indulgence is necessary under ordinary circum stances, how much is the necessity enhanced when so hum ble a member of this house ventures to treat of a question of the magnitude and importance of that to which I refer. (Hear.) No considerations of a personal nature would have induced me to undertake this task, but when I am in formed by large and important commercial classes that the uncertainty which exists upon this subject is acting preju dicially on their interests, and that the revenue arising from this source is interfered with, I readily adopt the course of bringing it before the house, in order that it may be dealt with and a decision arrived at. (Blear.) Were it not for these considerations, I would far sooner have left the sub ject in the hands of the right hon. gentleman the Chan cellor of the Exchequer. I hope, however, that right bon. gentleman will acquit me of personal discourtesy, or any desire to anticipate bis views upon this question with reference to his general financial statement ; I have already bad come communi cations with the right hon. gentleman upon the matter, and I have explained to him the necessity I telt for bringing the subject forward thus early. Sir, this is no mere narrow question of whether wine shall be cheap or dear—whether wine is to be reserved as a luxury for the rich, or a neces sary and daily article of consumption for the million— whether a few opulent merchants shall exercise a mono poly upon this branch of commerce, or whether their in terests are to be invaded. This question, as I apprehend, stands on far higher grounds, and its merits must be dis cussed in connexion with far nobler objects. This is a question involving considerations of a financial and com mercial character of the greatest moment. It is a ques tion affecting the moral and sanitary interests of the bulk of the people of this great country ; it is a question relating to the international and treaty engagements with other countries; and, lastly, it has important bearings upon that greatest of human blessings, the preservation of peace between the countries of the world. I am aware that I shall be told there are many other subjects which have stronger claims for a reduction of duty than wines—for instance, hops, soap, tea, paper—the tales upon knowledge popula rly called—malt, and a variety of other taxes. I perfectly agree that at first sight this would appear so, and upon a recent occasion I showed ray concurrence in this view by voting for the abolition of the duty on hops ; but in that case, as in all the others referred to, these is this distinction, that they are total repeals of existing revenues without any substitution, whereu, there is an almost moral certainty that by di minishing the duty upon wine to a low standard consump tion will increase to such an enormous extent as to produce a much larger amount of revenue than that uow received. (Hear, hear.) This I think is a fair deduction, judging from experience in tea, coffee, and sugar—all of which have under a low duty increased in a most surprising degree ; whereas the duty upon foreign wines, notwithstanding the great increase in the population and distribution of wealth, has remained sta tionary, or nearly so, as shown by the following table ; The wine duty in 1833 produced 1,633,8301. i in 1831, 1,705,6391. • in 1835, 1,691,522/.; in 1836, L/93,963/. ; in 1837, 1,687,0971. ; in 1838, 1,816,0571. ; in 1839, 1.849,693/ ; in 1810, 1,791,6361.; in 1841, plus 5 per cent. additional from • 15th May, 1,720,4791. ; in 1812 (stagnation about treaty), 1,331,4691. ; in 1643, 1,703,3441. ; in 1844 (when Treasury minute issued, settling the question about the drawback), 1,922,5451. ; in ISIS, 1,891,2321. ; in 1816, 1,892,2061.; in 1817, 1,778,6451.; in 1818, 1,799,1261.; in 1819, 1,767,5161.; in 1850, 1,821,1231.; in 1851, 1,856,3311. ; and in 1852, 1,872,9431. Tea produced in 1841-2 was 3,973,688/. ' • 1851 . 2, 5,985,4821. The consumption of coffee in 1841.2 was 28,370,8.57 lbs. ; 1851-2, 35,044,376 lbs. It will be in the recollection of the hone/ that early last year a select committee of this house, was appointed to consider and inquire into the cause of the decline in the revenue derived from the import duties on wines. That committee was moved for by a learned friend of mine, no longer, I regret to say, a member of this house, or this subject would have been dealt with by him instead of falling into the hands of the humble individual who hu now the honour to address the house. That committee sat for a period of seven weeks—via., from the 22nd April till the Bth June, during which time a mass of most valuable information was collected upon this subject. I was a con stant attendant at that committee, and 1 was invited to give evidence before the committee with reference to the wines of the south of Portugal, Madeira, and those produced in and about Xeres (sherry). In my humble judgment the evidence in question goes clearly to prove that a very large reduction in the duty would be desirable, I held in my hand the evidence of that committee. I re gret to say no report was made to this house, though a draft report was drawn up by a member of the committee, a few passages from which I will (with the permission of the house) refer to. The following is one of these pas sage. : "The consumption of wine has not kept pace with the increase of population. For many years past it bas been nearly stationary. Of late it has shown& strong tendency to retrograde." " In the decennial period of 1785-95, the era of Mr. Pitt's liberal commercial policy, with an average po pulation of 13 millions, and an income of less than 15 mil lions, the average annual consumption was 7 million gal lons." During the decennial period 1775-85, immediately preceding, with an average population of 12 millions, the average annual consumption bad not exceeded 3 million gallons." " In the decennial period 1831-41 the population averaged 25,500,000, but the annual consumption of wine averaged considerably lets than 7 millions of gallons. Darin/ 1841-51 the average consumption has been less than 6 million gallons, although the population has in crease to an average of 26 millions and a half, paying for 1851 upon nearly 60 millions to the Income Tax. At the same time the avenge revenue front wine remains nearly stationary at 1,700,001." I will now refer to some points which bear upon the commercial and finan cial interests involved. I am of the same opinion with most of the witnesses that nothing short of a very large reduction will stimulate consumption so as to increase revenue. There can be no doubt that British shipping would be largely benefitted by it. I will read a passage from a work recently published by a great authority upon this subject, Mr. Cyrus Bedding. He says in his introdue. tory remarks to his compressed edition of the evidence taken before the wine oemnsittee " The present duties on wine are not to be judged solely by their extravagant amount, they leek up and keep idle a large amount of capital and labour which would benefit the public and the revenue too if they were in full activity. If the consumption of wines were increased to 30 milhons of gallons, as there is every reason to believe it would be, there would be required no lea than 600 vessels of 250 tons each to bring the wine home instead of 120; theme vessels must take out freights, so that the advantage to the shipping interest would be very considerable.' In connexion with this part of the inquiry I em happy to see that a company has recently been formed by some of the leading wine hears who have trading transactions with Spain and Portugal to establish screw steamers ' and they represent— " That the importation of wine to London alone amounts to about 20,000 butts of sherry and about 16,000 pipes of port annually, and by quicker communication great advan tage will accrue to the importers thereof, who may then calculate on arrivals with &greater degree of certainty, and thus be enabled to reduce the large stocks in bond now held by them at a heavy expense." I am strongly of opinion that a condition of a large reduction in our duty upon wine should be a simultaneous large reduction in the duties charged upon British goods in France, Spain, and Portu gal. If I am rightly informed, negotiations for this object have been going on with France for some time. I feel satis fied that in Portugal the same object might be obtained, if negotiations were opened on the subject, and no doubt ere long Spain would follow the example. Now, one objection raised by the opponents of this measure is, that a sufficient quantity of wine calculated for this largely increased con sumption could not be produced. I conceive this to be a complete fallacy. In the kingdom of Portugal alone there are produced annually 900,000 pipes of wino. I beg to read to the house a letter I received a few days ago from one of the greatest commercial houses in Lisbon (Mr. Walsh), in which is the following passage :—" I think, and have always thought, that this country has plenty of re sources which only require development to make it pros perous. Its produce of wine amounts to upwards of 900,000 pipes." The Portuguese minister at this court (Count Lay radio) fully corroborated this statement to me, and assured me that wines of the best quality,grewn upon his own estate, were sold at 41. to 51. per pipe, and wines from my own knowledge which would be much esteemed here if imported at a low duty. (Hear, hear.) The same distinguished in dividual informed me that the province with which he is connected (Estramadura) could export annually 200,000 pipes of sound wholesome wines, besides providing for its home consumption ; and these I conceive to be exactly the kind of wines suited to the taste of our middling and hum bler classes—possessing body, flavour, and warmth, with out alcohol. But at the present duties these fine wines are prohibited, the duty being practically from 700 to 800 per cent. upon their value. (Hear, hear.) The produce of France is estimated at 90,000,000 gallons. I give this from the letter of a gentleman of the highest authority in the trade (M. Gassiot). Of Spain I have no data; but I hold in my hand a letter from a correspondent in the Island of Teseriffe, forwarded to me through the kindness of her Mejesty's consul of that island. It is to the following effect ; "I find that the total produce of this island was long calcu lated to average 2.5,000 pipes, but of late years, from the decline in price and unproductiveness of wines, the pro prietors in many parts had converted their vineyards into potato and corn fields, and in others they have rooted up a `great many of their bet plant:46ons ; stud for the last live years the average has not exceeded ten or twelve thousand pipes a year. The exports have declined in a much greater degree, and 1,500 to 2,000 pipes a year may be taken as a just estimate, of which about three-fourths may have gone to Great Britain. The quality of the wine, when properly taken care of, is good. Vidonia is the principal sort pro duced; but there are Malmsey and Tent wines of superior quality. Present shipping prices are —cargo, 101. to let per pipe ; 2nd quality, 141. to 161. ; ditto, 201., of 100 Mi. penal gallons." The wimes of Teneriffe would be much es teemed, in my opinion, if the duty were lower. lam well acquainted with them, having passed a considerable time in theis to l ' aa r d that M w a i d n e e were irawaraelsdtos u pp lyo al large n e a e ga o daubs would be sld if r ou the taste be the case if the duty were reduced. The produce of that island, from all the beat sources of information, ave rages 30,000 pipes per year, of various qualities; but. in consequence of the very small demand fur th ese w i nes, coffee, sugar, and grain have been planted over a large por tion of the island. If, however, a demand would spring up, no doubt the inhabitants of that beautiful spot would soon consult their own interests by supplying it. With re ference to the capability of the soil of Portugal, as well as other wine countries, to produce large quantities of wines it is only necessary to see what has been the eller t i n f ame; times, when port wine was the favourite in this country. Mr. Belbi, in his " Statistique de Portugal," giving an account of the establishment of the Alto Douro Company, says, " The district where the famous wines of the Alto Douro are made, since 1756 under the control of that com pany, is comprised between the Maris and the Tin, in the provinces of Tras-os-?dontes and Beira, along the banks of the Douro, being about one league in width, and eight in length. This little !mace, which before the formation of the company was desert and uncultivated, bas become one of the most populous spots is Portugal. The wines of the first quality are generally sold to foreigners, especially to the English, the second clue are consumed in the country, or exported to Brasil." Now, it is just these second quality wines which am very cheap, that would, with • low duty, be consumed largely in this coun try, and might be produced to an unlimited extent. It is said that the labouring classes in England would not acquire a taste for these new beverages. would upon this subject simply refer to the evidence given in the Blue Book by Mr. Short, Mr. Pool, and Mr. Barker, briefly as follows:—" Mr. Barker, a licensed victualler, in Holborn, sells retail over the counter, in glasses, a pipe and a half of Port in a week ; some drink at the counter, others take it home in small bottles ; the principal coasts users arc small tradesmen, bankers' clerks, and persons of that class, a very large proportion of the sick poor, and el. rks and men of an income of 1501. or 2001. a year—what you would call 'skilled labourers.' " Amongst these respectable arti sans and middle classes he finds that there is a decidedly growing taste for wines, and saye, "no question but his consumption would be surprisingly increased with the re duction of duty." Mr. I'ool, also a licensed victualler, of London-bridge, draws from the butt Port and Sherry and Bucellas, in quartern glasses : in this way he sills a pipe in three weeks. If the duty were reduced to 1.. ,he w ou ld do twice as much trade as he does now as regeres wines. Hie customers are of the artisan close, many of them ; there are thousands of people who come to his place who would drink wine instead of spirits. (Hear, hear.) He con siders that the increased consumption would displace spirits certainly but not beer. Mr. Short, of the Strand, is able to buy more largely and therefore more cheaply, then any other licensed victualler in London ; and, as he makes a proportionate reduction in price to his customers, who are of exactly the same class as with Mr. Pool, he has a larger custom. He draws about lee pipes a year—more than three pipes a week sometimes; and of this, perheps two pipes and a half he sells in draught. Ile draws principally port, sherry, and Bucellas from the butt ; champagne, hermitage, and claret, from the bottle ; all these he draws in glasses. The people come to the bar and drink it, and walk away. "He charges 41 per quartern glass of port, 7d. per quartern glass of champagne, and 6.1. per cell class of claret. The duty is so much on the French wines, he cannot bring it in. If no could get the duty d awn on French wines, the people would drink them in preference to port. If we could sell claret at id. or 3d. a glass, we should have them in all day; they take a glass of wine however. Bricklayers' labourers, cealhenvers, journeymen carpenters, and men of all grades coma in and take their glue of wine. You never see anybody drunk in my house ; we have a 1,000 people a day, and not a drunken man amongst them. Irish labourers frequently carry home a bottle of port to their families. I have seen them come miles to get a bottle of draught wine." And this brings me to consider the effect that the use of wine would have upon the moral and social, as well as the sanitary, condition of the people ; and I am very strongly of opinion that drunkenness would be dimi nished, and many crimes which result from that odious vice would become of rare occurrence. There can he no doubt, I think, that its a sanitary point of view the use of wine would be advantageous. (Hear, hear.) Now the most serious practical question remains to be dealt with—namely, the immediate falling off in the revenue before the increased consumption at the low duty should right itself, and the drawback to be paid for stock in hand. Upon the first question, I can only ask the right hon. gentleman the Chan cellor of the Exchequer to commence my system while he has a surplus revenue, whilst he has the power to keep exchequer bills at ld. per diem, and whilst consuls are at par ; and little difficulty will be felt as to the second point. I am informed by merchants who have examined the ques tion carefully, that the estimate for drawback would be from 500,0001. to 600,0001.; which might be provided for in de bentures to be received in payment of future duties. I will not detain the house by going into the question of adulteration, the great evils arising from the doctoring of wines by retail dealers, by admixture of noxious ingre dients ; nor into that wide field the manufacture of British wines, amounting to about 600,000 gallons a year, a large portion of which are sold as foreign wines, by which the revenue suffers. (Hear, hear.) I have already occupied so much of the valuable time el the house, that I must ex press my regret that my zeal in this question should have induced me to trespass at such length. Permit me, in con clusion, to thank the house for the kind and patient hear ing it has given me whilst I have so imperfectly endea voured to lay this subject before it ; and I beg her Ma jesty's government to carry out in this respect that system of unrestricted competition and prudent extension of the principles of free trade to which they are so solemnly pledged. (Cheers.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that both the character of the hon. gentleman and the manner in which he introduced this important subject to the house ought to make him anxious to avoid the appearance of any discourtesy towards him. He said this because the reserve with which he must uececsarily speak might lead to the in ference that he was so treated, if he did not make this apology. He should have desired, if it bad been consistent with his duty, to enter at the present time on a full ex position of the views of the government on this subject. He fully agreed with the hon. gentleman, that there were the strongest reasons why government and parliament should, at the earliest possible opportunity,make known their views with respect to the question, for it unfortunately hap pened, that the wine trade in particular was suffering a degree of annoyance, and even torture, from suspense and delay, in consequence of the high duty which wine paid in proportion to its value, and from the fact, that it acquired greater value the longer it was kept in store. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman had shewn so much candour, that he should like at once to enter upon the discussion of this question ; but having already fixed a day for declaring the intentions of the government with regard to the finances of the country generally, it would be a positive breach of duty were he to state now what he would then have to state with respect to the wine duties. The delay between the present time and the 16th of the month could not add materially to the inconvenience which resulted from delay, and when that day arrived he promised the hon. gentleman that he would then either announce a change in the wine duties, or show why the government felt themselves to be precluded from recommending any such change. But he could even now state that very little had fallen from the hon. gentleman in which he did not thoroughly concur. (Cheers.) Ile was not of the same opinion with those who thought that it was visionary to hope for a greatly increased consumption of wiae in this country—the taste of the people not lying in that direction. (Hear, hear.) But he thought that the taste of the people of this country with respect to wine was altogether the result of the Geed system that had prevailed for so long a period. (Hear.) Considering wine as one of the greatest gifts of Providence to man—considering the place it occupied as a means of subsistence and as a restorative of health—considering its superiority in that respect over alcoholic spirits—he must confess that it would be most desirable, if possible, to make a most important change in the wine duties. (Hear, bear.) The extension of trade with other nations of Europe, the breaking down of the virtual monopoly created by the pre sent system, the getting rid of the spurious articles which were brought into demand by the present high rate of duty —all these and many more advantages undoubtedly recom mended the proposition of the hon. gentleman to favour— not, perhaps, the very alteration which be recommended, but such an alteration as would bring about in time a change in the wine duties. (Hear, hear.) For himself he would say that, in his opinion, there was no article in the whole tariff with regard to which the rea sons for an alteration of the duty were stronger, than in the case of wines. (Hear.) Bat then it happened most unfortunately, that strong as were the reasons for an alter ation, the difficulties in the way of change were equally pre-eminent. (Hear.) It would be absurd to make a trifling alteration in the case of wine. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman proposed to reduce the duty from sm. 9d., to a uniform rate of Is pos .; and he said, in • short time, the revenue would be no loser. The words " short time " were very indefinite. Mr. OLIVEIRA—In two years. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUET'e had the greatest respect for the word and for the opinion of the hon. gentleman ; but with regard to a matter of revenue, in which 1,750,0001. was involved, he should like to have some better security as to the means of replacing that amount of revenue. On that vital point he frankly con feued, he did not think the statement of the hon. gentleman was quite satisfactory. If the hon. gentleman could assure him that with the reduced dty the same amount of reve nue would be received, the matter would be very much simplified. lle should like to have the bond of these gen tlemen who thought that the same amount of revenue would be made up at once or in two years, for replacing the deficiency if it should occur. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) But, as a matter of reasoning, he would stue the grounds on which he refused to accept the confident opinion of the hon. gentleman on this point. It was because the people must first acquire a taste fur wines; and he did net think that with regard to wince or any other article the taste of a whole people could be revolutionised in a single day. (Hear, hear.) As he had already said, he considered the present taste of the public in respect to wine was owing to their long prevaleut fiscal system ; but still they could not alter that natioull taste i se. pt in the course of years. If tb..t were so, the ?centric wealil not ,