The Express. — London, England, 1853-05-20 00:00:00

1 hews ILe dilference be ea-t and west, re north and § sth. sena ) There ought to be an examination of • n.• !h es well as the cabs. Ile hoped the hoe. geutle ycs su ited persertru with his bill, there was no necessity tu , s t e c.v es feud it to a committee up stairs. (hear.) Xi% Lilldll f sai•l as t' ere was al much willingness on t h e part of the promoter of the Li:l to receive suggkstions f o , u ,pru§cruent, a committee of the house might answer m il a. a cow miller up stairs. But they should beware d a tiusitig their feelintrs to lead them away in legislating es *Lis subject; la perhaps se class of the public used ohs mire than the naeuib••rs of parliament. Ile thought t h.j e ii t r. 'acre ofurn and p. rhapa they were •pt to lle intoned many of the e .mplaints made against t h o u to the want of • proper municipal government is 'hy which the accessary rimulatioc§ might have b.s' nnide. Ile did nut antic ` . pate touch good from the bd., bat Inhering the lion. geutlemsu was nut obstinate in im t. s trung the hill as it stood, he would vote for the house ij lat..e . mmitt re. ItTEI: referred to the privations to which Oar cahrut n were subject, and the temptations to shish tiny IS, re eapowd. They admitted that Wally itII- Djullalatata e.ipahle of being effecled by legislstion who had gad calls would readily 'Omit to the .u. Ile was to favour of the hail being referred to a eel. c: e. Mr. LOCKS said the cals-oween ought not to be pre lid Crum before a Select Committee. ILO such soon, Len propustil with reference to any larger intt rest it would at once have beta acceded to as a matter of justice. It'sile math imprus,mt lit was required iu the cabs, and a hill hr that purp,c might be neee•sary, they ought not at t h e ~m' time to twist on a reduction of the farts, which w,a:l he an iuterfer ace with the rights of property and commit:4d eaterprise. 'I he house then divided: for going into committee Ao.smat The house th n went jute committee, and immediately afterwards resumed CONVICTED r4IftpnyS . ..._RESIOVAL AND CON- FINEMENT BILL. The bin was read a eteond time. CLITHEROE. Oa the motion of Sir O. GOODMAX, a new writ was or &reelThho lor use sojourned shor ihr e!ection of win tly otter I. ember for Clitheroir. e PARLIAMENTARY DIT7SION. HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST NIGHT. fL`IIIY7.-11A—VNOOT11.11R.N SPOONER'S ARILNDNENT. Ay Ls 71. oes H. ATEi. - And,r , c l s , r J. Gwyn. Iftwrei Montgomery, Sir 0. Arbail , ~ t ,llon.Ges. 11..01,1.1, George Takhsgton, air J. Papa., W. Hamilton. Lord C. Perim, Aos:ey EALte, 11. J. Mane, Alt:. Phials, Thomas Barrow, W. U. lia•tle, Archibald Itobertson, P. F. Sc.!, J. liiglia, Sir B. U. &obeli. Captain r gv, W. Jones, Capt. Scott, Hon. Francis 5t1..11. L W. Joan, David Seymour. W. D. But rr, C. S. lenting, N.B. Shelley, Wr J. V. Bat. U. Al. licnotill, Madan South, W. M. Cart, U. M. Kershaw, JAWS S.:.oiilEt, Alexander Chon'i./1, M. Kinnmrd, lion. A. r. Stu ,rt, lord D. Ch.;', S. Lee, ism. Taylor, Colonel C10g..., Lied C. P. Lockhart, Wm. Tollernache, John Cob t, J. 31. Ling. Walter Turner, Charles Rim, at Ilon. II L. Lmther, Hon Col. Vance, J Auk CtAU:g.i.r.i. L. U. J. Maarcipw, Ju. Vamittart. O. H. Vales D. A. 8. ht•Creg. r, John - Verner, Mr W. leuusnraal, B. IV fAiegat, dir John Waloott, Mmtral MM.% U. MAIL ~ itt.:hard WU una Willi-all Pergus*n, Jr Martin, John Wordd, pall T. Ir.oer J. Massey, W. N. Wince, W. W. Z. FM w. J. Maittflll in, John Paso" Coked Miall. E.da .rd 'RUIZ& G......0aa, Su 0. Milligan, oiacrt Spooner, Mr. o..ire, W. 0. Melia. William bream; Mr. -----• - - - 1 NOES. Atiand, Sir T. D. Graham, sir J. Ricardo, 0. iliCoart, C. H. W. G l V"e• J. Rowell, Lord.. Atherton, W. Ilsomsr. Sir J. nee, W. Eases. it Weli.T. II aid, J. I. Strait, Mt. lion. E. berlieley,C. L. O. Ikasey. D. OConnor swift. K. Ilene I, IL llerbert, S. 'nutted, FL W. &or, er, 0. Ihrrey, Lard A. 'Maltese', R. A. 31-417, J. Hutt, W. Thornily, T. Br. therm.. J. illhlllll. R. Towneley, C. Ordwell, kt.flow. E. liooticg. R. Walmsley, Slr J. Cluirurris, Iles. F. Lucas, V. Wilkinson, W. A. Coy, sir W. Noheworth, Sir W. Wuloos, B. N. l&les.ra, Sir A.J.E. Non.ell. W. Wilson, J. tr.,wder, B. B. Narrough, J. I'. Winologton, Sir T. Z. An„J. D. Oitioirms, S. wina, K. taro, w. reel. F. Young, lit. Roo. Sirl. Ifanir, Doe. H. l'hillipps, J. Ili. TILLIAIL fon. L. ii. Power, N. Ilayter, W. 0. WailstoacJlLlluir.W. Prise, Sir IL Maim.% Earl of FAIRS ON THE GRAY? TO MAYNOOTE.—Iir. F. Scully for, with Mr. Sanders against; Mr. F. Known fog, with Mr. Palmer against; Sir John Ramadon 10r, with Mr. P. Bennet against. trDe Court. It is understood that the christening of the Infant Prince will tale place on Tuesday, the 28th of June, in stead of Monday, the 27th. Also that the second state ball will take place on Friday, the let of July, and the last Con test on Wednesday, the 6th of July—the Ball and Con cert having been postponed respectively from the 29th of June and the 4th of July. OSBORNE, THURSDAY. The Ouches' of Kent sad the Princess Adelaide of Ho henlohe, attended by Lady Anna Marta Dawson and Lieut.- Colonel F. Seymour, arrived at Osoorne yesterday after- DOJO on a visit to her Majesty. Her Royal Highness crossed over from fismithanapton in the royal yacht Fairy, and landed at the Trinity Wharf, East Cowes, at half-past two o'clock. Senor Istnriz, this Spanish Minister, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. A .depatation from the Southampton Dock Company, cotsistieg of Coboel Barlow (chairman), Mr. Davison (deputy chairman), Mr. Willcox, M.P. (director), and Mr. Henley Smith, solicitor to the Company, had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell, yesterday, at the Board Of Trade. The Ci .oecllor of the Exchequer arrived in town Tester hr, from a visit to the Hon. Mrs. Talbot, at Edinbrid4e. A deoutatiem from the City Terminus Railway Company bad an in'rerview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell, yester day, at no. Board of Trade. The deputation oonsisted of Mr. Arytou (chairman)s Messrs. Armstrong, Burchell, L•lesi, Hight., and White (directors), Mr. Harebell (solicitor), end Mr. Stevens (architect). Delp itches were received at the Colonialoalee, 'teeter day, from the Governors of West Australia, Hong !Tong, Cryllin, the Mauritius, and Malta. Dee patches were also received from the Governors of the West ladle Tetanal. DEPUTATION TO LORD L RUSSELL ON THE JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL. Yesterday afternoon a deputation of the electors of the City of London, cacsisting of Mr. J. Dillon, Mr A. Mr. IL W. Crawford, Mr. W. J. Hall, Mr. Oilpin, Ms. W. Hack, Mr. Greven, Mr. Bennoch, and Mr. S. Usith, had an interview with Lord J. Russell, at the Paysaaater•Genaral's dace, Whitehall, on the subject of the recent rejection of the Jewish Disabilities Bill in the House of Lords. Mr. Dit.t.ote said that the last wee the seventh time as appeal had been made to the House of Lords to admit the duly elected representative of the citizens of London to the legislature. The late &ciao's of the upper house had otos- Wowed mach regret amosiget the electors, sad ae they were lesions to avoid any socivemest is the matter until they learned whether the government intended to take any other proceedings, the present interview had been solicited is order that they might know what steps to pursue in respect to the subject. Lord .1. Atteasta. Mooned that the recent decision of the upper hoses had much disappointed him. They did sot anticipate that the bill would have bees thrown out by the majority it had. He feared that there was little hope of any other hill which they might bring in pealing this session. It was ultimately announced that the deputation should have another interview with his lordship to-morrow (Saturday). NT OF THE DOCKYARD VOTERS. PORTSMOUTH, May 19. A meeting of the council of the borough of Ports mouth was held this afternoon, convened in purssanee of a requisition to the Mayor, signed by 17 members of the council, " for the of taking into consideration the desirability of parliament, in opposition to a bill about to be brought lain the House of Commons by Lord John Russell, fur illekereekeiste the electors employed in the government eseshliehowats, and to take such steps thereon em the council tag dens expedient " The Mayor, GROZGH CORNILICS BTIOAIT, EM., occu pied the chair, and the attendance of aldermen end coon talon was very numerous. Mr. Gauktiis SIIxrPAaD proposed the adoption of a peti• Lion against the bill of Lord ohn Russell, and character ised that =Pamir, as unjust and hank. The notion was carried MSS con., and a petition was drawn up in accordance with the views of the cottage, and adopted. THE BOILER EXPLOSION AT DUDLEY. A coroner's inquest bee beam bald em the Wise of the man killed by this sod the Moving verdict has been found : "That Ike &laths of Mfilward, Stokes, and Steal• don had been awed by the bursting of the large boiler of the eteari.enghse in Messrs. Davis' factory, from the in ternal pressure of steam seising from a scarcity of water. Such scarcity, in our opinion, was occuioned by the incom petency of the engineer whose life has been the a erifice of his inexperience. At the same time we consider the boiler, from the fact of its being mash oxydiaed, and thereby re dueed from its original thickness, to have been quite unfit to sustain the pressure the* working. Still, from the evil. donee adduced, no party apprised Messrs. Davis that the boiler was is a dangerous condition. The jury, therefore, exonerate the proprietors from blame ; bet in all future eases they recommend that no engineer be employed with out testimonials as to his experience in the particular clue of boilers by which an engine may be driven ; and we farther recommend that on the re•ereetion of the works, the boilers be mounted in a superior , having ems *pan and ow shut supply valve, both of large dimeweieas, the shut valve to be entirely out of the engineer's control ; alto at least two water indieaton, ea that one shall Indicate truly, independent of the feed valve." Vie ey:pre;44o. TO Conk EgPON DENTS. ..coud T.• Rine .f FR; al^ tritatx.nt ease ewolt ire "Casette," t. ipitttt*hett every TLeedey an 4 !reef eight, is time tor pmt. hoettlweeetteintet.dod WT The Exprow,"Loo•leso Evengete paper. w Le at the t.:At, Coloorirotiret, Sy Two o'ttlools co Lite lay of yoblauttoo. MGR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T.is 04T—Marnlog.116 4%, ..-.....Afternoos. Ob. Oa. T.3aosacw—Matlialt. 041 . 131 ... --- 4 fterlo°N " 33a. LONDON, FRIDAY MAY 20. Now or never is the time for the friends of India! Reform to be up and doing, fur last night Lord Joint I ItussELL told the House of Commons that on Fri- I day, the 3rd of June, the President of the Board of Control, Sir CIiAttLES Wuou, would state the views of the Cabinet with regard to the future government of India. Now or never, we repeat, is the time for bringing public opinion to bear upon the question at issue, and to put the chief facts of the case before England and the Parliament, that the present oppor tunity may not be lost for doing the greatest good possible, under the circumstances, for the 100 millions of our fellow-subjects in Ilindostan. The one great evil of all to be upset is the sys tem of double Government—and the one great series of facts to be urged in support of such change is the proved impoverishment of the natives of India—and the neglect of our national duties—under the opera tion of our existing system. If it be said that the natives could not use their natural wealth without our instruction, it is neces sary only to point to the products of their industry before we went among them. It is necessary to go back into history to estimate these; for the arts and manufactures of India have been decaying ever since we landed there. The best ships of a former age were t.o be seen there; and the beet carving in wood and ivory; the best shawls and carpets; the best fabrics in silk and cotton ; the choicest filagree work, and embossing in metals, and inlaying in wood. The carved stonework of their temples and hewn caverns are the most astonishing specimens of skill and industry yet extant, whatever we may think of their purpose and their taste. Damascus was rivalled by India in steel weapors ; and its guns of all orders are amazing to Europeans even now. Its cities contained each a nation ; and the temples, palaces, and tanks, were for the accom modation of nations and their rulers. Whole provinces which ure now dry and desolate were once fertile as a garden; and where the tiger and the wolf now make their lair, there were marble palaces, such as Europe saw only in fairy tales. We were proud of a country which had once known splendour like this, and where many of the ancient arts were still alive and productive. We professed to intend to arrest their further decay, and to renovate the condition of the inhabitants by our protection, which should give them peace and the benefits of European civilisation. We proposed to give them material prosperity, edu cation, law and justice, and a better security for tranquillity and content than they had ever known. It is necessary now for us to ascertain how far we have failed in our promises, and why. The first in the list of blessings that they were to derive from us was peace. It was with this intention that Lord IVEL LESLEY'S subsidiary system was established. He found the tribes and nations perpetually fighting about successions and other local feuds, and united only by their hatred of us as foreign intruders, and his policy was to aid in the settlement of such quarrels, and to use each occasion for making entai -1 diary to us each state with which he interfered. The • grandeondition of this system was, that each state should preserve its native rulers, religion, and cus toms; and his full expectation was that peace would thus be secured, and that the condition of the iiiha bitants would rise under such a reign of tranquillity. To judge of the event (without going into a history of the causes of such a result), we need look back too further than the period of the existing charter. Of that vast area of territory, ten times as large as France, little more than one-third now belongs to our subsidiaries or allies; and we have possessed ourselves of the rest : and, out of the nineteen years of the present charter, fifteen have been passed in war. Moreover, by these wars we have brought into our empire new and war like races to disturb whatever tranquillity had before been obtained, and to defer indefinitely the chance of peaceable consolidation. So much for our pro mise of peace. We promised plenty. To secure this, a solvent and prosperous condition of government is indispen sable; but there bas been a deficit in the Indian treasury every year but one since 1838. The im provement and happiness of the people have not been promoted by government loans and debts to the amount of fifteen millions and a half. Lord Area- LAND proposed great things in the way of such public works as should encourage the industry and revive the welfare of the people; but, instead of construct ing the promised roads, bridges, harbours, tanks, and systems of irrigation, he went to war—into a war which Englishmen can scarcely endure to think of. To this hour, the outlay on public works has been only a forty-second part of the Government expendi ture ; and of this, almost the whole has been given to the north-western provinces. The Court of Ditto tors inform us that "there has been a diminution in the total receipts from land in the old provinces of Bengal since 1843.44;" and certainly no one can be surprised to hear it. In the Madras Presidency the people are wretchedly poor, the land of little value, and cultivation kept up only by forced methods, the inhabitants being unwilling to cultivate it on any terms. In Bombay, "the receipts have fallen off, and the country generally," we are told, "is not pruperous." From a member in the Council of that Presidency we learn that India "is verging to the lowest ebb of pauperism ;" and that the payments to Government are made by the inhabitants pawning or selling their personal ornaments, and even their cattle, furniture, and tools—that is, the capital of the coun try is encroached upon to pay the taxes. It was he same officer who told a Parliamentary Committee, five years since, that the condition of the cultivators in India was "greatly depressed, and he feared, de clining." The aristocracy among the natives are sinking out of sight; the race of native gentry has almost everywhere disappeared, and the peasantry are becoming reckless through ruin. Every few years a famine occurs; and Government spends, in hopeless efforts to keep the people alive, the money which would have made roads to the granaries, to the ports, and to the surplus of happier provinces. Where food should have been passing, in exchange for other com modities, the way was strewn with the gaunt corpses of half millions of people starved to death. We promised these people good laws, and a sound administration of justice, and the Act of 1833 was supposed to provide fur the redemption of our pledge. A costly provision was made for the purpose, and we sent over Mr. MACAULAY to make a code. The charter is expiring, and India has obtained no thing of the sort. Mr. MACAULAY'S code would not bear examination. There is no occasion to dwell on its unmanageable defects. It was bandied about among the authorities till 1848, and it is law shelved, having operated only to impose a heavy tax on the resources of India. The administration of lite law is worse than the state of the law itself. The topic is a large one. It in enough to refer to the character of Indian Judges u to capacity and know ledge, and to the notorious facts of the heavy ex penises and uncertain issue of all appeals to the law by natives. And then ensues the question, how society is to improve is civilisation and morals when any social injuries are considered more endurable than the penalties of seeking redress? We proposed to give India a police. British offi cials themselves tell us that our police in India are no protection, but a mere vice and oppression. The criminals are found to be the lesser evil of the two. When we think of the gang robberies of Bombay, of Thuggee, of the infanticide, and of the wholesale ship-burning of recent years, we want no other evi dence that India is as yet without police protection. We promised education. When we first set foot in India, and for long afterwards, every Hindoo village had its school. We broko up the local associations which were so remarkable a feature of native life, and the schools with them; and we have given no thing in their stead, except in certain favoured spots. There is not a Government school in all the 140,000 square miles which constitute the Madras territory; and out of a population of 22,000,000, Government THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING. MAY 20, 1853. educates, in a languishing manner, 160 }early. Perhaps it is even worse than this, iat, if rtch nu- I tires send their sons to England for education, they l arc discountenanced by Government on their return. However high their merits and attainments, they ate put mile, and elm refused the most modest offices, to make way for less quali fied candidates of the conquering race. The employment of natives has been perpetually decreas ing since the influx of English candidates began. In 1833 this was admitted, and attempted to be reme died, but, as usual, the provision did rot work ; and its practical consequence has been to open to English candidates the offices originally proposed for natives. This is enough; though the exposure is only just begun by a statement like this. What will happen ? If we go on thus afflicting, impoverishing, alienating, nod exasperating the natives of India, it is certain that we are fast travelling towards some tremendous issue. If we use the present occasion for altering our course, the question is only whether or not a total reorganisation of our Indian rule is necessary. Our opinion is, that it is absolutely indispensable, and should be insisted on as such with the whole energy of the national opinion and will. At this period of the session—when the Committee of Inquiry has only half fulfilled its labours, and, when Parliament has no satisletory evidence on which to base anything like permanent legislation, — the only fair thing that can be done is to pass a Continuance Bill, by which the power of the existing authorities may be held fur one, or at most two, years longer, during which time we may obtain materials for such a settlement of the Government of India as will be alike honourable to Great Britain, and beneficial to her greatest colonial dependence. FRANCE. PARIS, THURSDAY EVENING. It is asserted here that an electric despatch had been received from Vienna, announcing that the Porte had accepted the Russian ultimatum. The widow of Marshal Ney has signed the follow ing letter addressed to the Emperor : Sire,—When I had the honour of appealing to your Majesty to claim from your justice an alleviation of my posi tion, you conceived the generous idea of proposing a bill, having for its object to restore to me the arrears of a pension which I ought to have received from 1816 to 1830, as widow of a Marshal of France, if Marshal Ney had nut perished the victim of an odious reaction. Brofoundly touched by the bewvolent initiative of your Majesty, I wu led to hope that it would be unanimouly accepted by the political bodies which co-operate iu the action of your government; but such has not beet. the case. That which I should have accepted with gratitude, es a feeble, but just reparation of the material wrongs done to me and to my children ; that which I might have claimed, as a matter of equity, it was thought lit to propose with the solemn forms of a national recom pense, and it is not for me to complain of such an honour. But now that in the Leeislative Body it is in contemplation respecting the application of a poor woman, to open up painful discussions concerning my husband's memory, I cannot permit, that for a question of money, the name of the illustrious victim shall again serve as an aliment to the discussions of parties; and, in consequence, I have to sup plicate your Majesty to withdraw the bill which concerns me. 1 have the honour to be, with the most lively grati tude, your Majesty's very humble and very respectful servant, Markin's Nay, Princess DE LA Moneowo. Faris, May 16, 1853. The Moniteur, in which the above letter first sees the light, does not say that the Emperor has, in com pliance with the illustrious lady's request, withdrawn the bill, and people are at a loss to know whether the publication of the letter is intended to cover a retreat, or to stimulate the reluctant deputies to vote the 300,000 fr. demanded. In any point of view, it is hard that the Corps Legislatif should be held up to the public as standing in the way of the just claims of a "pour woman . It should be recollected that owing to the magnanimity of Louis Phillippe's government, Madame Ney has received her pension as a marshal's widow since 1830, and it is melan choly to see her represented at this time of day as an ill-used creditor of the state. The Corps Legislatif knows that the government is perseveringly seeking occasion to burden the treasury with a countless host of claimants of 1815, and that to accomplish that ob ject it is desirous to accumulate as many isolated precedents as possible. It does right, therefore, to resist demands, however plausible in any particular instance, which have their foundation in the absurd principle that the legislation of the last forty years can be treated u null and void. It is too late to ar ras the question of the justice or legality of Marshal Ney's attainder except in a volume of history, or a debating society. It is curious to observe in this lady's letter (which, being with such questionable judrnent made a state document, is fairly open to criticism) a reproach to the Corps Legislatif wholly inconsistent with all that is daily dinned into the ears of the public by the govern ment journalists. Only yesterday the Pays spoke quite exultingly about the triage minority against the government on the Civil Pensions Bill, and drew a triumphant distinction between the hostile votes formerly given under " parliamentary government," and the conscientious difference of opinion mani fested by an independent but devoted Cham •er under the beneficent reign of Napoleon 111. Now that it is thought necessary to contrast the parsimony of the guardians of the public purse with the Emperor's liberality, and to. throw upon the Chamber the odium of rejecting the just claims of the Winner's and the widow, Madame Ney is made to say that they are actuated by the spirit of "party." M. Emile de Girardin, with admirable apropos, op serves, in reference to an expression in Madame Ney's letter : It appears then that "odious reactions" may make use of the penalty of death against illustrious victims. What a supreme condemnation of the penalty of death for political offences! We read in the Morteteur: The Egyptian government lately made certain modifica tions in the tariff for the tunic of panengers and merchan dise by the Isthmus of Son, which, by favouring the Pe ninsular and Oriental Company, mused a prejudice to the j apgan a other companies, obliged to y coasiderably more. On the other hand, the esaveyosese She Nile between Alexandria and Sues had bee. vs Oa the pressing representa tions of the agent erneabgenend of Franca at Alexan dria, the advantages soseraed to the Peninsular and Oriental Company, so far as relates to the transit of passen gers and goods, have been extended to the other companies, and the commence by the Nile has been re established between Alezaadria and Cairo. The service is, however, reduced, on account of the want of water, to three voyages per month, in place of Ave, until the period at which the inundation consumer. Yesterday M. Dronyn de Lhuys, Minister of Fo reign Affairs, exchanged with the Marquis de Villa marina, Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the King of Sardinia at Paris, the ratifications of the sanatory convention concluded on Feb. 3, 18.52, between France and Sardinia. There was again a panic at the Bourse to-day. The Three per Cents., which opened at 81.60, fell i per cent., and closed within a few centimes of the lowest price of the day. All other securities were proportionably depressed. The only reason for the flenerally assigned was a vague uneasiness regarding the affairs of Turkey and the ultimatum to which Prince Menachikoff was to have received an answer on the 10th. Since the close of the Bourse I have heard it asserted that the English Sect boa left Malta for the Archipelago, and that this news occa sioned the heavy sales which produced the fall. The Pattie contains the following semi-official contradictions of two current reports: The Antericanjournals farm that a division of French easels of war was on its way to the Sandwich Islands, to act against that country. This news is false. The last despatches from Honolulu, on the contrary, state that the French coeval had arrived in that town, and that he was in the best relations with the government. ' The Tames, in its number of the kith, announces that the commander of the frigate Jeanne drAre, who is visiting the Red Sea in company' with the seam-corvette the Caiman, purchased a train of land oa the moot of Africa, to the south of Masseurs, for the psepaee of /sanding an establishment but that not having fird the sile wearable , he attempted to seise a small island situated user !Weida, belonging to Turkey. This statement is devoid of foundation. The frigate Jeanne d'Are and the steam-corvette the Cabman, in visiting the Red Sea, had no other object than to protect, as all our vassals of war do, di. interests of our commerce, and to guarantee the safety of our diplomatic agents. GERMANY. The reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg opened the session of the Chambers of Coburg and Goths on the 12th inst. SHOCKING DEATH OF AN OLD WOMAN AT LEEDS. —An aged widow, named Maria Omen, in a state of in toxication, oa Tuesday afternoon, went into a privy, in Barker'sabuildings, Somerset-street, Leeds, and falling over • raised bar was buried in the soil and suffrcated. When found, half an hour afterwards, the body was entirely co vexed, except the feet. TURKEY. The following telegraphic despatch appears in the Iniepraulaiice Belye: .----. n TRIESTE, MA• 17. " The steamer has just entered our port with news from Constantinople of the 9th (one day later than by the Chaptol). Prince Menchikoff had named a space of eight dip; to the Porte for deliberation re specting his ultimatum. The Divan had demanded the advice of the English and French ministers, each of whom had sent off a courier to his govern ment. " Smyrna was tranquil on the I Ith inst., but san guinary conflicts had broken out in Chalcedonia and Iconia. "On the 13th the French fleet was ma nceurring in the Gulf of Athens. Voyagers by this picket uffirm that the English fleet had left Malta." It will be remembered that the false news of mae• secret at Bronson and Constantinople were telegraphed from Trieste, and our latest correspondence cautions us that the false report of disturbances indicative of discontent among the population, form part of the Russian apparatus for realising its designs on Turkey. The Presse says All our correspondents are unanimous in bearing witness to the incessant in trigues of Russia, which does not scruple to employ , all kinds of manoeuvres to excite the hostility of the people against the government. At Satinios, the Russian consul addressed a circular to his colleagues, informing them that he had a communication to' make to them. The other consuls met at his house, when the Russian functionary declared that he had just received positive information from the interior of Roumelia, and even from the province of Salonica itself, to the effect that a conspiracy was planned by the Mussulmsns to massacre the whole of the Christians. The Austrian consul sup ported his colleague, and the consuls were about to address a note to the Pasha ; but tho English consul refused to join in the repre sentation, and the scheme failed. It now appears that instructions were given to send despatches by the telegraph throughout Europe to announce that the massacre had taken place. Russian agents tra versed ltoumelia, and announced to the Greeks that, during the Easter fetes, the whole of the Christians would be massacred by t he Turks. By means of that scheme they hoped that a conflict would take place. They were disappointed. All passed off well ; and the Easter festival was celebrated at Constantinople in tranquillity, so much so, in fact, that the police did not even make its appearance." The Dads gives the following in its summary of its correspondence, by the Scamandre, which, however, left Constantinople two days earlier than the Chaptal : By the Seamandre packet we have received accounts from 1 1 Constantineple to the sth. Prince Menschikoff was about *Please, but it was not known whether it was owing to Is cessation of diplomatic relations with the Porte, or wise. thee the mission of the prince had been fulfilled. The airman relative to the Holy Places had been discussed sad signed by the Sultan, and a copy of it was to have beets communicated to Prince Menschikoff on the sth. It would be accompanied by a simple note, which would neither have the form nor the value of a diplomatic° document, as the Hessian ambassador desired. The prince had remained WI his apartments for several days until the arrival of a steamer Iran Odessa, on board of which was an extraordinary eon. rim The prince then caused it to be announced that he had just received despatches from St. Petersburg, apple"- beg of his conduct, and requesting him to persevere. At the same time he complained to the Porte that the demands made by Russia, which only wanted what wu just mad legal, had been much exaggerated. The prince added, that the cabinet of Vienna would have great pleasure in seeing satisfaction given to the Emperor Nicholas. All these stratagems had produced no effect. The Divan refused to yield to the exigencies of the autocrat, and appeared to rely sot only on the sympathies of France and England, but also ea the resistance which the G,eek Synod had shown against the pretensions of Russia on the question of the Petri &rebate. The Narval, French steamer, was every day ea peeled at Constantinople. She would bring back some members of the Ottoman embassy from Paris, and 2,000 villas for the Ottoman troops, similar to those carried by the Obweesn de Vincennes. The German Journal of Frankfort contains a letter from Constantinople of the 3rd, which says: It is known that the government discovered a fortnight leek a conspiracy amongst the Turks, which bad for object Is massacre the Greeks sad Franks; the conspirators were for the most part Mollahs. A great number had come up from the provinces for the purpose. The centre of the con 'apiracy was in the theologian schools connected with the mosque of Sultan Mahomet. The schools in consequence have been closed, and the pupils sent home to their families. Several Mollahs have been arrested sad sent back to the provinces. The last accounts from Broussa in Turkey, state that there is now every prospect that the silk crop will be larger than was at first believed, but that there will be a considerable deficit. Locusts had appeared in the different parts of the province, but the Governor-General Hahl-Pacha, had taken mea sures to prevent their doing any great injury to the crops. EGYPT. By a letter from Cairo we learn that Abbas Pacha left that city on the 26th tilt , to make an excursion in Lower Egypt, and to attend the fair of Tantah, which is always of great importance, and which in April generally attracts about 150,000 persona. Tan tah is noted for containing the beautiful mosque and the tomb of Said le Bedouin, a famous Idussulman saint. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE HUMBOLDT. A telegraphic summary of the following appeared in the Expreu of yesterday : The United States Mail Steam-ship Humboldt, Lines, from New York, May 7th, arrived off Cowes on Wednesday, on her way to Havre. The Hum boldt left her dock at New York at noon, but was detained two hours in the bay, there not being depth of water sufficient to enable her to cross the bar. She stopped off Cowes May 18th, making her passage in 11 days. The Humboldt brings 180 passengers, the usual mails, 500,000 dollars in specie, of which 18,000 dollars is for the Union Bank of London, and an assorted cargo. She has also on board a 10-horse power caloric engine, belonging to Capt. Ericsson, to be put in operat►on in France to secure the patent for the caloric principle. ?RIGHTFUL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.-FIFTY PEOPLE DROWNED. The principal news brought by this arrival con sists in the most fearful railway accident on record— viz., the precipitation of a train filled with passengers into a river, in consequence of which 60 lives have been lost. The New York Herald, of May 7, thus describes this most extraordinary and . dreadful occurrence: About 12 o'clock yesterday we received a telegraphic despatch trees Norwalk, containing the announcement, and some of the particulars of a terrible railroad disaster which happened at that place about 10 o'cl , ck in the morning. The intelligence created a profound sensation throughout the city when it was known that about fifty persona had lost their lives. The Maw Haven train, consisting of four passengers and two baggage cars, left this city for Baton at eight o'clock yesterday morning, but on reaching the drawbridge at Norwalk the loco motive, tender, one baggage and ems parsing'r ear and a half ran off into the river, which at this point is over 8 feet deep. Same idea may be formed of the momentum from the fact that the locomotive cleared a distance of about 60 feet, nearly reaching the opposite abutment in its descent to the water. There is no doubt whatever that the aoci dent—if accident it can be called—was caused by the care lessness of the engineer. It appears that the drawbridge was raised to admit the passage of the steamboat Pacific, the usual signal was displayed by the person in charge, and all the other necessary precautions were taken to warn the esgineer of his danger. Instead, however, of checking the speed of the train, which should be reduced teat least eight miles an hour when approaching the bridge, he kept it at a rate of twenty miles, so that when he became aware of the presence of danger he found it impossible to prevent the train from falling into the river. The seine which fol lowed was terrible in the extreme. The engine, the ten der, and two can were eugulphed in the water, and the passengers either crushed to death or drowned. There were one or two cans of escape which were almost miraculous; but among the numerous accidents that have occurred recently we do not recollect any that was attended with more disastrous results. One of the cars, while sus pended over the side of the bridge was broken in the mid dle—one half falling into the liver, with a portion of its oc cupants, and the other half remaining on the road. The height of the bridge from the surface of the water is atleast twenty feet, so that all the can which fell in were literally broken in pieces. The engineer and the other officers need themselves by jumping off when they discovered their their proximity to the bridge. The baggage min ter, Mr. Faller, was in one of the ears which fell into the water, but escaped through the side, which was broken in by the terrible force with which it had bean precipitated into the water. lie was slightly injured in the face. The conductor, Mr. Comstock, was in the second ear, but 'peeped with several severe, though not striae., injurier. Among the pasvengi rs were several pityaietena wno had attended the late convention of th dice' Asso ciation, held in this city, end who were on their wty home. Of these, about six are reported as killed, and many injured. The number of dud bodies sectivertd, according to the latest accounts, is forty.five, of which several are so boy ' mile mangled and disfigured as to render recognition im possible. The ezpress agent was pitting on a trunk in the baggage ear, and escaped oy forcing his way through the roof, but is badly wound, d. A news-boy in the broken car escaped unhurt. An infant, in the care of an aunt, and on its way to its parents in Springfield, was saved, but the aunt was killed. The town of Norwalk, immediately after the accident, presented a scene of indescribable confusion and excite ment. Horror was depicted on every face, and the greatest indignation prevailed towards those whose negl - genes was the cause of the accident. The wounded have had ample medical attendance, and all possible assistance has been rendered by the ladies of Norwalk and the citizens generally. We may state here that the mails and most of the baggage are saved, but in a damaged con ditition. - ..... When the news of the ae:ident was received at the hotels in this city the friends and relatives of those who had left In the fatal train were in a state of the most intense anxiety, waiting the particulars of the disaster. S I proceeded to the railroad depot to ascertain their fate—many to learn of their sudden and violent death. (For Commentsl Intents/ease, eee pap 4.) ELECTION EXPOSURES. CANTERBURY BRIBERY COMMISSION. CANTERBURY, THCIIUMAY ArrEßNoort. resumed their inquiry to-day Tho Commissi at the usual hour. The first witness was George Davey, who stated that he paid three voters of the name of White tit each for their votes, and to prevent their going over to the reds. James Godwin stated that since he was last examined he had ascertained the names of 11 other voters to whom he gave money in 1847, when he was acting for Mr. Smythe. Witness was exchequered to the sum of Lam. in that year, and the government called on hint to pay 1001. Lord Albert Conyngham agreed to use his influence with the Excise for witness, if witness would use hie power for his lordship at the election, and they befit pzrtonned their promise. Mr. Kelson, surveyor and builder, examined—la 1547 ho received money from Bennett to buy votes, and he gave Page, of the Windsor Castle, 101., as Page told him the other side had offered 101. Witness paid sonic a/. away in this manner by order of Bennett, who said the case was getting desperate. In 185'2 Pont gave him 1601., with which he bribed 40 voters with sums of 01. and 71. There was a body of electors in Canterbury called the Butter market troop, of which Mr. Matthews, a magistrate, was leader. Witness went to tho Me of Man when the com mittee of the House of Commons set on the Canterbury election petition. Pont gave hint 101. to go away, and sent him another 101. after. F. Cobb examined—Rutter gave him 35/., nod witness gave Beale 61. fur a pair of " shaps." (Laughter.) This was a blind for Beale's vote. Southey was recalled, and denied baring received any money, but said be paid 501. out of his own pocket in 1841 for treating. He was always foolish and lavish in the ex penditure of his own mmey at election% but never received any recompense. J. Vincent, of the Builders' Arms, said that Pont at the last election gave him 60/., which he applied in the purchase of votes, keeping 151. for himself. G. F. Smith, general mannier of the colour-ticket de partment, stated that in 1841 between 1,200/. and 1,6001. was spent in colour tickets, and 3651. in 1832. The practice of issuing colour tickets prev.iiled at the county elections, and at Sir Brooke Brydgcs' last election, and witness super intended their issue at it. There were GOO colour tickets issued at the county election. The last election for Canter bury was the poorest ho had known. Less bribery was practised, and he had spent thousands before where he then only spent hundreds. Samuel Blinks examined—Holland employed him to ascertain the price of voters, and gave him a list of these likely to be bought. The sums required ranged from 51 to 101. each. . _ _ After some further similar evidence, the proceedings were adjourned to this day. CORK. In the course of the proceedings yesterday, before the committee, Mr. Serjeant Murphy was examined by Mr. James— Ile said he first represented Cork in 1811, resigned in 1846, and was elected again in 1819. At the last election in 1652 he had so little idea of not being returned that he did not commence his canvass till four days before the receipt of the writ ; thinks the whole time spent in the canvass was about eight or ten days. He received assurances from many of the conservative party, that if he cJuld abstain from any com bination with the liberal party, they (the conservatives) would support him. The effect of the Stockport riots, and the proclamation against Roman catholic processions in Cork, was this—that many of the Roman catholic' of the higher classes, who were in the habit of mixing with their protest cant fellow-citizens, usually abtained from voting at all; but, on this occasion, they voluntarily came forward and tendered him their support. In all has speeches he did his very best to promote conciliation among catholic and pro testant', and drew a marked contrast between the go- vernment of Lord Derby and the protestant people of Ireland, whose humane conduct, during the famine, he paised highly. The Rev Mr. Falvey, Roman catholic priest, who addressed the people on the nomination day, spoke in the most respectful terms of Col. Chatterton personally, and warned the people of the sin they would commit if the were to take a bribe and then take the bribery oath. With regard to the chapels being used u places for addressing the people on political matters, in the country parts the people live so far apart and scattered it would be Impassible to can vass them or bring them together at any other place ; and this is always done after Divine service, is concluded, and when the sacred elements are removed from the chapel. Mostly those meetings are held in the Chapel-yard, if the weather is at ail favourable. It is a gross falsehood, as sworn by the witness Tuomy, that witness was at Edmund Burke's house on the polling-day (where treatieg was alleged to have taken place); so far front there being any disturbance of a serious nature during the polling-day, the crowds of women were shouting, joking, and laughing ; they complimented him on his good looks, and several of them kissed him. He saw no personal outrage whatever. It was about half-past one o'clock on the polling day when he came into Cork from his country seat. The cross-examination of Serjeant Murphy had proceeded some time, and was chiefly relative to certain electioneering meetings he had attended, and the speeches ho had made at them, when it was announced that tho Speaker was at pros en; and The committee adjourned to this morniog. ASSAULT BY A SENTRY. PORTSMOUTH, MAT 19. The magistrates of this borough have been occu pied to-day in investigating the circumstances of an assault of a serious character committed by a sentry belonging to the 88th Regiment, quartered in this garrison. The defendant, Thomas Ryan, was, on Thursday last, doing duty as sentry at the end of one of the government roads called the Milldam, and the complainant, named C , a carter in the employ of Messrs. Carters, large brewers in this place, was driving his cart along that road on the above day when, having arrived at defendant's post, the latter stopped him and told him he most ge back, as the esters were that no cart or other heavy vehicle was to be allowed to use that road. Complainant pointed to another similar east that was passing along the road without opposi tion from defendant; but this cart, it appeared, belonging to the contractor for the repair of ordnance works, had a pass to use the goyemment roads. Defendant persisted in refus ing to allow complainant to proceed, and ordered him to turn back, and as he did so he struck his horse, on which com plainant told him if he did so again he (complainant) would strike him. Other angry words passed on both sides, and the altercation became so warm that defendant ultimately struck complainant a violent blow with his musket on the side of the head, producing a frightful Rash, and felling him to the ground. An important artery being opened by the blow, blood flowed most profusely, complainant becoming in consequence quite insensib,e. He was conveyed to a surgeon and was confined to his bed since, unable to attend before to-day to prosecute defendant. ' A witness produced for the defines declared that, prior to defendant striking complainant with his musket, the latter struck defendant over the legs with his whip. For the complainant the opposite was deposed to. The magistrates present were the mayor, G. C. Stigant, Esq., Major Travers, G. Gillman, J. F. Pratt, and J. B. Sayers, Esqrs. The bench, having been some time in con sultation, decided that the assault had been proved, and fined defendant 40s. with 13e. ed. costs, or one month's im prisonment. The money was paid. The bench, however, said the sentry, up to the actual committing of the assault, bad confined himself within his duty. LECTURE ON LADIES' POCKETS.—At the Liver pool borough sessions, opened lest Monday, the Recorder said there was a species of offnce that seemed fast coming into vogue in that town, and all in consequence of women wearing pockets in their dreues. Ile found that in the year 1850, 163 children were brought before the magistrates for picking pockets. In the present calendar, out of the 100 cases, there were eleven arising out of picking women's dress pockets. There was a time when it was a very rare thing for women or children to be pickpockets at all, but now we had an abundance of them, both women, and boys and girls. Now it was all very well for a lady who sat in her drawing room, or who rode in her carriage, to have a dress pocket as they were now worn, but when shopkeepers wives and small tradesmen's wives went about the streets and to the markets with these pockets in their dresses, these children knew it, and they lifted no the dress, and robbed them with the greatest ease. lie had done all he could to discourage the practice by disallowing the costs in all cases where ladies hid come before him to proseupte, under the impression that it might have a tendency to cheek or prevent this particular species of crime. TIIE NEW CUSTOMS DUTIES ON SPlRlTS.—Yester day, the bill to impose new Customs' duties on spirits was printed. From the 2lst of April last, the duty on spirits, the produce of British possessions, if imported into Scot land, is 61. the gallon ; and if imported into Ireland, 3s. FM. Similar duties are to be levied on rum and rum ;shrub. YORKSHIRE UNION OF MECHANICS' INSTITUTIONS: The annual conference; and meetings of this int portent union was held on Welnestlay, at 1 hi. sk, the soiree in the evening being presided over by the !tight lion Lord Walsinghans, of Thetford Perk, Norwich. Sir Williem Oallwey, Bart., M.P. for Thirsk, was al.n precenr, and nearly sixty delegates from different parts of Yorkshire. The in. etings were held in the Public Rooms, the morn ing sitting being devoted to • conference sad matters of formal busine.s, Edward BilitlCß, Esq., the president of the union, occupying the chair. At this meeting the report of the committee was read, from which we take the fel.uwi•g particulars: " At the last annual meeting the Union comprised 123 institute., and this year it consists of 128, notwithstanding that eight institutes have ceased their connesien. Of the eight institutes that have withdrawn, fire have done so only because they ceased to exist. Moat of theta your eommitte• regret to say, are in places wirers • population exists more than ample for the support of a proaperous institute, and even where a large amount of books and other property for the purpose still remain, and, for the want of sufficient energy have been suffered tt expire, as if, indeed, the pre sence or the absence of an institute was smatter 01 indif- ference, and incapable of exereiving any influence on the welfare and prosperity of the place. In these days of mental activity and progress, a village of seta mode rate population, witbout its institute or mental im provrtnent society, stamps itself u in the rear of ctviliwion : Total number of institutes in the Uuton, 123. Total number of members reported in $i in stitutes—males, 1i U 62; females, 1,•520; total number of members estimated in 25 ingitutea, 2,0;35 ; total in 111 in -... stituttp, 18,537. 23 institutes neither repo'rt nor estimate. Total income reported of 81 institutes, 9,1071. 42 institutes neither reported nor estimated. Number of volumes re ported in the libraries of 86 institutes, 90,109 ; number of volumes estimate d in the libraries of 21 inetitutc, 10,108; . . total in 107 institutes. 100,277. 1G institutes neithe'r reports nor estimares.—Circulation of books reported for 81 insti tutes 300,5.53. 42 institutes neither reported nor estimated. Numher of books added during the past year to the libraries of 77 of the institutes, 6,o2s.—Periodicals reported in 77 institutes: weekly 3.51, monthly 507, quarterly 57-915. — Total number of lectures delivered in 77 institutes, eitisi Classification of 478 lectures in 67 institutes : scientific 128, literary 325, music 25. " During the put year, your age nt and lecturer, Mr. Thomas John Pearsall, has delivered 45 lectures, attehoed 14 soirees and other meetings, and visited 41 illbLit.tteA, fur the purpose of conferring with the committees. 12 insti tutes declined receiving a visit, 17 made no reply ; aid, besides these, there were 15 institutes, either temporarily suspended, discontinued, or withdrawn from the union. Owing to an accidental fall the agent was prevented from being so active during three or four weeks in the early part of the present year, or the number of lectures would, doubt less, have been much largir. In the experiment of ;he union agency it was to be expected that many dithcufties would present themselves, and experience has shown these to be neither few nor small. Your committee, however, trust that with the continued support of the subscribers to the agency fund, they will yet be able to render the agency still more efficient and valuable. " The agent has reported to your committee on the con dition and ttrospects of the various institutes, and the gene ral state of tbem appears to be very satisfactory and improv ing. That such is the case will be borne out by the fol lowing statement of the present condition of those institutes which, having furnished returns both Leit year and this, enable a comparison of their progress to he instituted : 1852. 1853. Males in 75 institutes Females in 57 „ 1,347 1,32 G !acorn, of . 71 „ „ Books in 73 ~ Issues in 73 „ Lectures in G 8 „ 520 .. 488 ” Your agent's report states: " ' In several places new buildings, or at least means of larger accommodation, are in contemplation. Bradford, business like, has increased its accommodation at an ex pense of 8001., and paid it off. Leeds has cleared off its mortgage debt. At Lockwood, near Huddersfield, it is likely that some steps will be taken for a building to pro vide for that place and the neighbouring villages. Chur well and Bramley contemplate some movement in this direction. At Batley, the foundation stone is laid for a new building for the institute, and for town purposes, 750 shares being subscribed out of 1,000 before commencing. At Settle, I understand, a new and suitable building is under consideration. At Dewsbury, the plans aro prepared fur public ro me, and to accommodate the in stitute, at an expenses of between 4,0001. and 3.0001, about 2,0007. being already subscribed in sums of 2007. each ; and other institutes•are so far well situated, that the raising of a building has been considered quite probable. Morley, Ripley, and Shipley are of this class. Brighouse has a small but well-situated building, new this Pear; and, as 1 understand, built by the institute. At Kirkby Malceard the building is well advanced. At Rotherham the new building is nearly ready. At Skipten the land for a new building is secured, together with several handsome sub scriptions. At Halifax, again, the land has just been se lected, on which it is intended to erect a buitding to eost 6,0001. ; and to-morrow the first stone of the Darlington Institute will be laid, at which we trust many of the friends of education hers to-day will be present.' " The advantage of the exertions to raise superior build ings for the purpose of the Mechanics' Institute is nut re stricted to the locality, hut public spirit is awakened in other towns, which elo not like to be behind their neigh bours, and thus the general standard of intellectual activity is raised. "One of the duties imposed upon us at the last annual meeting was the obtainiog of legal security for the property of institutions, in accordance with the carefully considered recommendations which our predecessors had obtained from competent legal authorities. The subject has not hero over looked ; and the committee's conviction of the ifill:7 ' of such legal protection remains undiminished. That .. practical steps have been taken by us has arisen from the fact that the Union of Institutes in coanezion with the Society of Arts has devoted considerable attention .... the same subject, and has intimated an intentioa of introdut.ing a bill for the purpose into the legislature. " In the last report the committee states that Mr. Traice had undertaken to revise the priced catal , gue of books suit able for the libraries of mechanics' ins itusis, now out of print. The great additions recently made to this class of books, both in regard to their contents and rest, rendered a careful review of the works published within the last few years absolutely necessary. This has been carefully done, and the committee are happy to state el.t the catalogue is nearly ready to be placed in the printer's hands, and it will be issued as soon as practicable. " Another subject to which attention was directed at 'the last annual meeting was the distrikution of selections from the parliamentary papers amen the institutes. Since then • committee of the House of Commons has been consider ing the subject, and there is little doubt that the wishes ex in the resolution on this subject, passed at the last t r ilii:meeting, will be realised. "One subject which has engaged a portion of your com mittee's attention during the past year has been the forma tion of village libraries. In many villages it was thought that though there might be neither a building suitable for a Mechanics' Institute, nor a committee able and willing to conduct its various departne nts, it might still be possible to indroduce one of its most valuable features—viz., a li brary. We felt it to be, if not one of the objects of the Union, strictly in accordance therewith; and for these reasons, and others which will be found in a letter from your secretary, appended to this report, we resolved on making an experiment to establish libraries in the villages adjacent to Leeds. A committee was formed to collect dc. nations for this purpose, consisting of the Rev. W. F. Hook, D.D., J. H. Shaw, Esq., mayor of Leeds; the Rev. Wm. Sinclair, sad Edward Baines and Thomas Wilma, Esqrs. The result of the committee's applications was the sum of 1341., which it will be desirable to raise to 1601. Two difficulties, however, have pre sented themselves to the immediate realisation of the plan. The first is, that several villages have been found to possess good libraries, where lour com mittees had supposed none to exist. The plan was meant only to supply books to places without them, not to super sede the existing libraries, which, it is to be regretted, are very much neglected by those for whose benefit they have been established. The other difficulty is, that even in vil lages, where no library at all exists, it is impossible to esta blish one until a person is found in each place who will take charge of the books. This difficulty may probably be ob viated by your agent, Mr. retrain,. visiting such places during the summer months, when he is not so actively em ployed by his institutional visits , and making arrangement s with suitable persons in each locality. At Rothwell, two gentlemen have expressed their rmdiaem to act as local librarians ; and your committee propose, as soon as libra rians are found in eight more villages, to commence active operations. Mr. WM. Campbell has kindly volunteered to take the general management of the libraries, under the superintendence of the central committee. In anticipation of the additional labour which the management of the library will entail, and also with a Mew to the general in terests of the union, your committee have appointed Mr. Washington Teasdale se co-honorary secretary with Mr. James Hole, subject to your approval. Mr. Teesdale has long been connected with mechanics' institutes, and we do not doubt but that in his appointment and that of bir.eamp bell, the efficiency of the union will be increased. There is one gratifying circumstance in connexion with the ' library which it would be inexcusable to omit. Owing to ' the proposal of your committee to establish the village li braver, your old and constant friend, Lord Carlisle, fide , rested himself in the subject, and through his sanction, ' and the active exertions of Mr. Ishmael Fish, no Rea than ' nine libraries are now in active operation in the villages / contiguous to his lordship's estate of Castle Howard. l " Your committee would offer • few remarks upon the miserably small propertion of the working classes who par t ticipate in the advantages which these institutes ought to I confer. Is it that the working classes are not in a state to L avail themselves of such advantages—or is it that the insti -1 totes are not adapted to those for whom they_ are meant ? Probably both these causes may operate. Want of early I Instruction, and consequent dislike to all but sensual and • debasing pursuits, may in many instances be the l cause. In others, late hours of employment may exercise a mischievous influence. In some cases again, even poverty • may be an obstacle . All those causes have been , ' and still • are, operative ; but all are, happily, in the way of rapid re -1 moved. It behoves us, then, to see whether there are is ,t defects in the institutions themselves which prevent them attracting within their walls those whom it is pre-emimutly • desirable to reach. 1 "In the first place, then, we believe that the institutions • are not sufficiently educative—they do not a ff ord the class , of advantages, alike the most useful sod the most highly i prised by those who need their aid. We look for the remedy in a great increase of the class instruction. mortance That no