The Express. — London, England, 1849-02-14 00:00:00

,4 of the welt regard to public reads and highwan. y oni m a wed relative to highways imposed th e H a mmy %Mg yea the perink. During the last tolOwje r of the premedeentury, • mamba of , inn whkh die main roads of the win Mem the pt ei* end placed under the e eL lialu rtre of Maw, who were melded to levy tolls fee the repair of the yogi and the porment of the prized* end interests' the dahl ineurred.Tbe Wiwi* made of the eta=ass seined samedng le the state of the traffic. hai, however, talus plse in the train, and a great wenn* Mi n bean Moses& by the laglitr . of railways. In emegense dOM patrol lei asimatian el railways nog of tlis mein disks of em bed ha null kepeeteasat tiny bad benne ; and lank lbws met Wend is the eirni Se pined* linnet emensiallem bi nt emelessew was, Mt the isminallea if rawer !hi eso Misty eslowerted needy existing ryas el nekkinks the roads; mid sour k bear lememles4 am the hawse to duel' is mess passilsal manna with the asilast. Owed' am wegneme ef this flange was, that mew Inieseakell It s inalvant, that they were male Is naive the 4 hod esstracted, OM,* some lateness, the mertmeei bondholders new selselui !be Wile on *dr own ..lif e net 'Pigsties bri ben pisisnd, sad that the assaily Lad arisen of own, ea Ile - pule fir a rate in aid Inerier be 'maintain the made. • tenspenry net was passed k the yearyyeear lB4l, intrasesd W the ante baronet the aeolose far Sums, which bed bass eentinned by aniviall aillisliss Mace. With Tepid to the turnpike gets themashea, •is newel of them was hand inconvenient, but New it was neoeseey to renew all the turnpike seta for Ragland and Beotland by a silt', act of the gems. Rent, this making it emissary for the govern asst se me. press an opinion upon the subject; and, therefore, the whole system of turnpike acts was at present in a very un satisfaetery state. Under these circumstance" it had been thoiwbt advisable to attempt to deal with the entire Nubian dreads, not confiaiog the measure to highways, as was dote by the measure of last y. as. but including both turnpike roads and highways, properly so called. A measure had been introduced by the gwernment Nat vision, by which it was proposed t 3 deal with highways, excluding turnpike roads. It was referred to a committee, but it wee ass proceeded with, and one objection to it was, that it created an expensive 'machinery for the maintenance of highways, and that it took no noticed IBM part of the quemitka which was of the greatest diflinellp— namely, the turnpike roods. It was therefore MA'AM MINI to introduce a measure that would include bothiegkengsmai turnpike roads. (Hear.) The numbet of pin' their own highways was at present 18,000. The =orl miles was 100 000. The annual expense of lif~i, no chain •i turnpike reeds, was 1,400,000 i. The Wmelher it Minipills trusts was I,IM. The annual expense of Imewilme is England and Wales In 1846 was 1,378,0001. Timmelese, taking both together, the highways end sarspOss roads, the expense annually was 2,778,0001. but, unfortunately, the financial part of the question was not e nailed to this, for a my lugs debt was created under the turnpike acts. The bond debt woo 6,826,000!., and the interest wen 1,441,0001 , so that Mel debt of the turnpike trusts in all was about 8,287,0001. This was the state of things with which the house had now to deal ; and these acquainted with the two classes of roads must admit that there wag nothing less matiefesteey or credit able to parliament then leaving the sublime any longer in. attended to. (Hear.) It called he • temedy ; aid the way gegen= was, whether the ammo he proposed was the one to meat the dam*. At present there were two " mite " of tandem-4a Ow het pima, the parish, midis the next, the turnpike km* Isiah mintained its turnpike nods by means of tau. Ze i zreaul by the to present meow* abolish both them 0 ef enation, ' to abolish all parochial liability fir the swieleimee it nods, to abolish those very arbitrary mime As tinmilis Waste, and le take, as the area et Mena aid mengennt, the county. (Hier, bier.) Them were Femme why Me county should be takes inassad d the Hs to place the local genteel et the lendo • eouttnittai li rtes touter seniors, Mbe elseled b a the stemma, and te be called "the masts seed ." This body maid have • general eostraeml the power of electing a IllinejOr. to be paid out d i e aminty rate. With regard es the local management, he prepaid that the districts should be the poor-law union. sad that the county board should have the power of dividing all the roads fn the county into two else's—one, the mid* roads ; and the other, the branch roads. On the main road, they would he empowered, subject to the ii , neral regulations of the bill, to collect tolls; and the other clam of roads would be maintained in the manner he would afterwards state. He pre. posed that on the 26th of March, 18.50, all turnpike and highway jurisdiction shou'd cease, and a new machinery be put in force from that day. But there was another point. The debt owing by the turnpike trusts amounted to a sum exceeding 8,000,00 W. The main diMeety mitred in that deb!, and in order to defray it it was intended to take means to establish a county roads' fund, to be created first by a tell upon the first class of roads, and in the next plue lay • county rate. It was propos.d to abolish In hiehway rate and substitute a county raw, the incidents of the two being nearly ideaticiaL The only charge would to from • road homed way rate to a road board county rate. all county trusts it was proposed that the county should take measures to ascertain the nature of existing NM rules, and then the only question that would occur WOW be as to the inequality that might arise on account of the non upon the entire county instead of several parishes. He was aware that valid objections could in stated against this pro. panel, but still he was satisfied that mime such general TlM sue was necessary, and he therefore asked leave to int/odes; • bill me the subject. He should have stated that it me posed that the debt should be paid off within a period of set km than seven and not exceeding twenty-one years; mil that mein. were to be taken to give good security to the bondholders. Mr. HENLEY objected most decidedly to giving the management of some hundred thousand miles of highway, and 1,900 trusts to 700 pour-law unions, unless indeed, it could at least be shown that the pour-law guardians had so little to do in the management of the poor as to justify such a step if otherwise advisable. He also objected to throwing so heavy • tax upon the county rate of England, particularly at the present newel when they were just beginning to taste the pleasures of having Wheat at Ct. a bushel. (Hear, and a laugh.) Moreover, the condition of the turnpike. roads was improving, while, during the last few years there had ben a progressive decrease in their aggre gate debt. The new traffic, which caused the for mer expense and never paid its expenses, was taken off and the expellee of repairing the roads was considerably diminished. He thought these objections should be well weighed before they consented to the passing of the measure, so ably introdueed - by the hon. gentleman. Sir J. ?ARINGTON also made a few remarks upon what he called the main diffic;ilties of the measure—the con nolidatiem of truts, and the payment of the debt by a sink ing fund. F..: :email not oppose the bill, but should like to see those features carefully examined. Mr. BROTHERTON gave a general support to the measure, as one of great benefit to the country. Mr. SLANEY was as anxious as the hon. member for Oxfordshire, to prevent additional burdens being east upon the county rate; but it should be recollected that the adop tion of the proposal now made would lessen considerably the application to that house for private bills, and confer the great advantage upon the landed interest of having the roads muds upon • good principle and by skilful men, instead of at the caprice of the surveyors of the different townships, who were ignorant of the manner in which roads ought to be made. He was decidedly of opinion that some such Inca ante was wanting, and would upon the whole be the most economical. Mr. SCHOLRF MILD supported the view of the hon. member far Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley). Copt. PEUHELL objected to it, as establishing a central sanctity, and bringing into that authority the poor law guardiana. Sir G. SI'RICILLAND doubted the justice of taking the debt from the nuts, and impaling it upon the county rate; beams same eseny boards were extremely lavish, while ahem wen wily loomenkal and cautious. He knew some WOW whin had diminished in consequence of the railways ; Ist severthelem, by good management, they in a few years geld eft the greaten pert of their debt. 'Was it, then, to be mmilmeteed that the debts of trusts badly managed were to be Owns arca ermasties in which they were managed well ? Be amid like le hear the measure more fully ex *Med to Owa=t. They had managed highways for NEM OM by , and in many places it worked ex leseaN r y well. delvi he believed the country roads werenow fa} kr batter state than they ever were before. He had the =g distrust in leaving the management of highways to et gmedisin. Knowing them as he did, be should Intik the name can Pally when they went tato com mittee. Learn was then given to bring in the bill. WOODS AND FORESTS. Mr. TRELAWNY moved an instruction to the committee on Woods and Forests, to extend their inquiry to the duchies of Cornwall and L teenier. It might be said this was pri 7 Tate property ; but if so, why was an annual account laid before the house of the i ncome and expenditure ? He lbws& that in 1846 the gross income of the duchy of COMMA wen 60,3961.; the expenditure for salaries and alloweness was 5,1851. ; whilst there was only leg, as pepsins to the trustees and treasurers of his royal WOLIN a beds tom 12,0001., to obtain which sum 118,0001. bad beam impended. He might be told that the management was reamily wink improved; hut that slid not argue that still greater 'improve ments might not be effect. I. Mr. M. GIBBON seconded the motion. Lead J. RUSSELL said the hoe. member bad send lib motion on the ground that the revenues of the dhasidee el I Cornwall and Lancaster might be applied to the esigentes of the pubic service : and or that grou nd he issid oppose the motion. (Hear, hear.) the dell list was settled, the house had the whole question before them; it was in their power, had they thought fit, to have made the settlement on the crown contingent on the surrender of those revenues; though he did sot merit would have been Feet or expedient to use that gem& But, baying provided by met of parliament that the mown should hasp Mese revenues, It would be peellsellat intuit, front melees M MN seamy, to resume the whole et those revenue, (Hen= Ivory one knew that them IMO mums of revenue by former sovereips Midis, herr base= 411 4 19.14 , including the revenues of the kingdom oaf /Pe conaldi red that there had bees aismanagenen in the revenues of the deaths of Cornwall sad Laves.. bar; aael with the view of patting sane cheek en that missmagnasst it had been eroded that 1 the accounts of the general mats, a og e: p e. 1 dimes of these two duchies sho u ld b e to parliament. The hos. gentleman hat quoted one of those returns, as showing a great proportion of expenditure ; he had also said, very Maly, that there had been • great im provement in the management of them revenues. The present Mateo( things was that persona had been appointed who, he believed were competent to the task, in both the ... ! ~, THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY .atlibrair linetifdentarektion &airs lie luxi ll clay, emisisting of ISt, *Waif ( with a whitlow and Asia' to the bighist officials named, and. the dam composed of the 360 officials at the end of the The leiter lejgbi their Gamer with ft Wary of 281., and may nee to a saiary of 1301., per annum ; beyoad that they are Incapable of pro motion. The letter start in their career with a salary of 11104 and may ries, in time, to Ussery highest aims 41-the depsetmeat, with a salary of 1,2001. or up. For arresting the career of the subordinate class no practically useful reason can be &segued. The land ing waiters, and the lockers and weighers are taken from the same ranks of society. We have known in stances in which the elder brother has received an ap pointment .a locker or weigher, and the younger brother as landing-waiter ; or when the son of a partner in a mercantile establishment has obtained the former and the son of a clerk in the house has received the latter appointment. It in all chance. The whole of these appointments are in the gift of the treasury ; they are disposed of without any particular inquiry into the position or capacity of the parties who are to receive them ; the Treasury looks only to the power of the parties recommending the candidates to be friend or injure it. Beyond the walls of the Custom- House or Treasury, scarcely any person is aware of the barrier in the way of the promotion of thole who outer the subordinate class of the service. The pa ken receives and his nominee aceepts of the appoint ment offered, unaware of the distinction made be tween the two classes. And the consequence is, that of two equals, the one may unwittingly enter a career in which the moat faithful, able, and assiduous discharge et his duties can never raise him above an income of 1301. per . annum, while the other, if he only avoids getting into scrapes, must, if he survive, rise to the receipt of 4001., and if he conducts himself well, to the receipt of 1,2001. per annum. What makes this causeless distinction more galling sad irrational is that the lockers and weighers, and the her of them who are promoted to be superintendents of their alas% do in reality perform the same duties as the laading-waiters. The weigher is theoretically employed to weigh goods larded; the locker to take charge of bonded stores; but both may be daily employed to discharge the duties of landing-waiters sometimes with an officer of that chug lounging about and sup posed to be overlooking them, sometimes without even that seeming superintendence. When a young man receives an appointment as landing-waiter he is put for two or three months in the charge of an ex perienced locker or superintendent of lockers, to learn his business, and having obtained such a superficial knowledge of it as is possible in so short a time, he starts on his career with a higher salary than his instructor can ever hope three to. Bach an arrangement is most prejudicial to the service. It substitutes officers who have to learn their business for officers who are thoroughly masters of it. It produces in the high-salaried class of officers the mischievous impression that they are above the me chanical drudgery to which the others must submit. It has a nectesary tendency to destroy hope, and that cheerful continuous exertion which emanates from it, in those who are forbid to look for promotion, how ever much they may deserve it. The arrangement is cruelly unjust to the subordinate class of officers, and injurious to the efficiency of the service. This fact has been recognised by the Board of Cagoule, who have recommended to the Treasury that one appoint- 1 sent as landing-waiter in five should be conferred upon deserving subordinate officers ; but this recom.l meadation, as tending to diminish the amount of Tissmary patronage, has been rejected. Oa present purpose, however, is to examine the Mningement in its economical bearing. The 150 landing-waiters in the London custom house are divided into six classes, whose eateries raw from 1601. to 4001. a year. Their aggregate salad s§snot= to 39,3001. per annum. The abor tions 'Boers are distributed into three classes of wsliglsas, three of lockers, and three of superintend ents, with salaries ranging from 23/. to 1301. per annum; their aggregate s al aries amount to 29,973/. The duties supposed to be discharged by lending miters alone are in reality discharged to such an extent by the subordinate officers, that there is not by any means full employment for the 150 officers of the upper class. In addition to this consideration, it may be remarked, that, with a prospect of being able to rise to the higher appointments, salaries ranging from 1501. to 3001. would secure perfectly efficient officers in this claw. The superintendents of lockers do, in point of fact, habitually discharge all the duties of landing-waiters ; this class might be augmented in number, and made a transition stage in the promotion from the subordinate to the high-paid offices. It is a well-known fact that even under the existing arrange ments men in business prefer to hare their goods searched, or landed, by an officer of this class. The reason is, that they find them more assiduous and ae tive—in plain language, less apt to give themselves airs. We have seen a distribution of the classes of land ing-waiters and subordinate officers, which has been proposed as a substitute for the existing one, and which has met with approbation in o ffi cial qu arters, and among parties engaged in trade. It pro poses to throw the career of advancement open from weigher to landing-waiter, and to distribute the officers of these grades into flue classes : viz. 80 landing-waiters, with salaries ranging from 1541. to 2001.; 120 superintendents of lockers (to be , called "auxiliary landing-waiters"), with salaries ranging from 1201. to 1401. ; 110 lockers, with salaries from 90/. to 1101.; and 170 weigher., with salaries of 701. and 801. The staff of landing-waiters and subor dinate officer., as at present organised, costa annu ally 69,2751.; reorganised upon the model here indi cated it would cost 54,6501. The yearly saving thus effected in the London Custom-house alone would amount to 14,6251.; and the reduction of expenditure would be attended by increased efficiency. Officers thoroughly conversant with their duties would be substituted for men in many instances impe rfectly acquainted with them ; officers not above their busi ness would be substituted for a class who in too many instances think themselves superior to its routine drudgery. In justice to a neglected and meritorious class of public servants, let us add that not one of the subordinate officers was implicated in the exten sive and systematic frauds detected in the London Custom-house some years ago. Reduction of expenditure in the London Custom house need not be confined to the classes of officials to whom we have been directing attention. A board of eight commissioners—chosen with a view not to offi cial aptitude, but parliamentary influence — is mon noue. The fact is, as BENTIIAM said long ago, that " beards are of no use but to make screens of." It my not be possible to persuade public men of the bath of this doctrine, and induce them to substitute aye reepotuable head of this department for 'a board ; Ist seemly time eseimisieeus are enough; and by thus redesdag their =saber, a saving of 3,6001. per annum might r mile. A reduction in the salaries of the surveyor...neural and landing surveyors might be made te tie amount of at least 2,1001. per annum, and the odes of superintendent of se,arcners dimmed with altogether, which would save 6004 a year. On the whole, the annual cost of the water side department of the London Custom-house might be diminished by 20,0001. a year, and increased compactness and efficiency imparted to its organisation by the new arrangement. What is here I said of the London Custom-house is equally true of the custom-houses at the principal outports. For example : in the Liverpool Custom-house the absurd line of demarcation drawn between the subordinate officers and the class beginning with and rising from landing-waiters, has afforded a pretext for saddling the establishment with some San of "'militia", kndintr- waiters," who are only I seminally employed, but amply paid for their see' Anse when they are. This review shows pretty clearly what ministers at ess. or Upon mean when they talk of the imams of national wealth and population rendering mere costly civil establishments necessary. They have not increased the efficiency of these establishments, but they have made their increase in point of MlA bees • pretext for increasing government pa trolley and national expenditure. Were all the departments of civil government subjected to the same scrutiny u we have here subjected the cue?, toms to, the result would be the same. We have se lected that department to illustrate our point on account of its importance. The avowed of collecting the customs in 1847 was 1,047,17274 and under the head of 334,4611. of" other payments," will be found some additional items of expense of col lection. We have shown how, in one department alone, the expense of the establishment may be dimi nished, and its efficiency increased by the sam e pro- duchies, who had made seek impreggeseele as a greet proi Lister weal age la the manermatax=stat• ; was even ii=ll:SislialinlinTititto ;it* iniriPPNlesaditio " if elate. the ease eves seppeans there a regekremayest with the :wows, II mei fle MOOS ibr billothig ma Wily thst Viso hod ISIII abuses usily lune s ere, vrith/ft WM 18_1 .i t mid. M ib=le v areir sons. ll4 * =theit=alite Ewa d .ith.beimaimiai t rmS MOW Wm aewleseeemegfeametheeolea se it_esild emelt el MOM emy_em e — irklkiiiii -01-101— ir le Mate use bee my pled Meta manse feet the Mime of a essoilltao. Oe lbw threffieleadA oweblesin OM die god Maid pollmosat won* be esspirasked by the sp. *stool of a somalltst e , h _ thei ao benefit wean Mow llos he hibmele, fte elbmild IMMO the mslisa. Mr. M. GIBSON mid be thi not uttiWalead the Ma. mew le OM those bide should be mid mad is eid See yabili berthas ; but nweely to state s = pose emillhatimel suffewthy lhei advesseet an inquiry into these gememes whiek mosoweeil se Mena case of Wow asysemaL WNW goiny bete the peemiary gustiest, he Wild down SW awe was seaselift like public incoa- Vartheel is lathe them lielepeademt jurisdictions and prin.- elpalities mMia ile eiseW, whisk greeted litigation and vessels= preesethlys of weioa Made. He doubted whether they wage of aligneinge to the crown, or any person employed Bader *sr tie gay dms of her Majesty's subjects. If m eth. odd bedew to obviate this it would be a peat pub * Berke had obeerved : " Every one of them bas the apparatus of a kingdom for the seer a few private Mato and the formality and charge of the eatheleer of Oreat Britala for collecting the rests of a earthy }sire." (Hear hoar.) It was certain that awry meek We menus wor ld accrue to the crown if this system of meausemeat was altered. Mr. TRELAWNY said. in the present state of the hems, he awl& net press his motion to a division. Kelso whew son PAZIJAKINTAILY FRANCHISE IN IRELAND. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said it would be in the rezones tics of the home, that last replan he had obtained permit sits to twee the table of the home a bill for amending the laws VMS regulated the qualification and registration of parlimegatary voters in Ireland. He had then stated the oleot of that bat ; and ea the one he now proposed to intro- Mee WM a similar measure, any lengthened statement would be unossessary. The principle of the meager* was simply es la away with all qualiflestions requiring occupation, sad to sobstibsts a simple rating qualification ; and he proposed to plus the ammo of sate, as is the bill of last you, at 81. That woad be espied with a outdid= of barley paid the peer wigs Me wMith ,batmon of the time of voting, as la der Mum MI ef the time of registration. He elm premed to Introduce another new qualification, Co. of 51. of peril, la he or entail; that would not be a very maximums frasehiss la the oreatey—he believed very small. In the leigsayk framehise be prepesed to do away with the payment 0 all Mos th e ths poor rate, which, as in the ease of the e m l . noshlss, was to be paid by the occupier preview to Both with regard to the county awl los proposed to do away with every ether of tpielillealess meseit the Si rating. The re tie he proposi Meaner by means of an annual red den, by Whick Mt would be eminallated to the English aye. i t si hat *I MUM SWIM shop would be required. The =sweaunt of goalillostisa would not give an undue te the number Muggers, as compared with these in this teentry. H. would sow atm for leave to bring in "a bill to amend the lam width regulate the qualification and registration of parlismestery voters in Ireland." The motion being eassailied, Mr. STAFFORD would net oppose the introduction of the bill, bet wished set le pledgehimselL to all its details. But to Mead the lonise tnemalms while the yostwal liberty of the setwon Moiled ens somewhat bil It was sewadoshb rhothe woman& vbish il eii s i= posed a lower sissies lbosi for Ireland than prevailed la this sonoley. Is had set bees seated whether the expense of the ragisimethe waste met me the poor rate. It was a pia ciple utterly gallossera la Ragland that a man should be registered whether le wished it or not. The time wee ap parently wry ingre=llll for introducing each a measure ; and again he mast pretest against being pledged to any of the details of the sesame. Mr. I. B. ROCHE did set think the objection well founded that this assemore was inopportune bemuse the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended. He did not consider the meanie sufficiently extensive • instead of limiting the franchise to an 81. rating, it ough t to have ioloded nay rattlers.. The franchise would very little extended by the proposed alteration ; in some eases not at all ; for sobs to the minibus who had left the country the electoral balks in many plea* would be reduced. There was me god point In the measure . it would do away with the wen= now exhibited in the registration courts of " i=l l In the 'minty which he represented, containing at the lest meets 800,000 inhabitants, the cons ituency had bees is. dosed at the last election to about 3,000. Vissonnt BERNARD objected most strongly to the ems* taken by gwrernment. Considering the destitution while had prevailed in Ireland in the last four _years, and the extraordinary relief which had been affuded, mi. sisters might have found a measure which would have had less of a party character. Could they have secured greater employment to the people, or improved the sanitary madition of the towns, or extended railways in Ireland, they would have done much better then by proposing a measure which might increase their supporters at tho hustings. No plausible ground had been shown for extendingth• franchise. It was said pt none took false oaths at elections, the franchise Wry 101. ; but how would it remedy the ev,l to reduce It to 81 ? Did not the right hon. baronet know that intimidation and Waseca of all kinds were wed in Ireland to procure votes? Of late, priests had led voters to the hustings, and headed elation mob. What was wanted was, that the oleo- Voce in Ireland should be fair, and that these influences should be put an end to, on one side and the other. He could not but strongly condemn this measure, sod the whole policy of the government. Mr. OROGAN was of opinion that some more necessary measure for Ireland might have been introdueed. The new franchise was to he based on the poor law rating, which did not proceed on the same principle in any two of the 138 unions in Ireland. Before such a franchise was created they ought to have secured a uniform system of valuation through *actin' country. Assuming that valuation to have been comet in thefts* instance, the last fear years of famine bad seriously depredated the value of property in many places. If the government were anxious to introduce some popular measure, it was absolutely essential that they should find re gulate the valuation. Mr. J. O'CONNELL did not think that hon. gentlemen opposite need fear any large addition to the constituencies from this mew ure. In the counties they would be much de creased, and he believed the bill would have the same effect in the boroughs, owing to the anxiety which prevailed to avoid being rated. At the game time, he was not disposed to undervalue the measure ; it was one step, however mil, on the part of the government, towards redeeming their pledge of introdu cing remedial measures. One excellent effect would be to re move the prevailing disposition to perjury which existed under the present system. Had they not seen the landlords watching and martin: out the trembling voter for destruc tion when he recorded hie vote for his country ? (Hear. hear.) He would make this bargain with the noble lord he would give up whatever advantage was derived from the influence of the priests, if the benefit of the :idiot was ex tended to the poor voter. (Hear, hear.) The motion was then agreed to. Sir W. SOMERVILLE a , so obtained leave to bring in a bill for establishing aduhional polling places in Ireland. The house then adjourned at 9 o'clock. ghe erpttlOS. me wed Lek 11.114 swede. Bermes, Name, Nannsa. Now Odom. arl Nee" wed sue ledlag those for p I=At nee m Joimde.us du x 111erreges. awe es.* Mili, as Pero. will be ask oks. In. mil TIT /void., Tikes. lkoleira. Cads. and Gibraltar be will mak win eterviseof the 17th Feb. The mkt kr 011neller, lialls. the looks Weak. Advs. Oarke. Twin. Norroars& red vie tketharartcy kr g be made e. 11l ihe nekleo el the Nth Peb. The Imes kr BMA Pere sad the Vatted &atm. will be wok we co the wake ci A Z I M Feb. The Ve lkindllta. to the Ileetterrasein, Rork Ades, plow. l Oe isiollewg, be., wl/1 le mile ap ea the wales al the $Ol The ode kr New S Wake. TO Dims% Lad, sad New Teskell will le wok op ea the woks ol the Mt Feb. The swim kr the Wee (bent of Alden rod Nair& will be mad* Bp co Ow of the lett Feb. The sae kr the Dreaes. toe Deena Ay[., ill be 1 Illaill fp es lb, Male dr 4th Much. WOK WAWA AT LONDON BILIDON. Too Ihe „T WA -81 pia I , MOM 0011, 4$Nl. pot IL To4Aesanr, —7Awskig, 8 M. pet 7 ; Aborms,ll ra pria 7; LONDON, WEDNESDA Y,FE8.14 Tan parties who contend that it is impossible to contract the annual public expenditure within the limits of what wu found suilimeot in 1835, justify their opposition to the proposal, by the usertion that withlhe inaesse of national means and population since that period the legitimate expenses of govern ment have necessarily inaseasd. This is one of those vague general usertions so often hazarded by official men,in the hops that the obscurity which broods over andel management may render detection of its false hood impossible. Its fallacy can only be exposed by a scrutiny of the details of official expenditure. We to put it to this test, and with that view begin gee Custom-house—a t in which an ism& establishment is sai to have been lately I I &lab. famed open government by the importunit7 of ma- TY complaints on the part of merchants, of sates delays,which are thus made to palliate an in crease of expense in the collection of customs, related of mares principally to the landing and shipping, er the water-side department. Let nal examine priaeiples upon which that branch of the 'orrice is organised. Its duties in the London custom-house are di.. charged by a staff of-8 commissioners; 6 s ; 2 inspectoes-general; 1 inspector of sea en; 15 on ; 160 laisdhog-waiters; and! 380 lockers mid rs, and saperintendents of lockers and weighers. The malarial of this staff amount annually to 84,7261. ING, FEililljitßY 14.'1849. axle; and we Area that, whin the deli& bf the yee. expsiditure come to Allikumed in the noun of Commons, this hot will be reelderof auilabie by some independentrefornern, TEmax can be no doubt that the cue of the hop planters of Seat and Sumo Is at this moment One of real distress. The Kentish hop-growers have bad a preliminary meeting at Maidstone, to inithste a move meat the the repeal of the excise duties on Wipe, at which both the county members-albeit, of diverse colours in politics-attended and assisted. Thist looks well. It is encouraging to the farmers, now about ha take their own part m public affairs, and to ask for themselves relief from the real burdens by which they are oppressed, to find the whig and tory members for West Kent sinking their party differences, and agree ing" touaite in any legitimate course for obtaining for their constituents relief from this oppressive tax.' This should provetoour rural capitalists that the traders and manufacturers have no monopoly of power to help themselves when wronged by fiscal legi sla tion. What the commercial classes have done, and are doing for their own relief, the agriculturists may do if they please. They may meet and act, and if they are in earnest, they will soon find county members lees stiff necked than formerly. Now, the hop duty is one about which there can be no mistake. It is uncertain, capricious, and oppressive. The crop is always a precarious one, and varies in produce, year by year, in a greater degree than any other object of cul ture in England. It is one of the last articles a wise financier would attempt to tax, for the risks attending its cultivation arc alone sufficient to make hop-growing a hazardous business. Under any circumstances the hop-growers might fairly de mand that the 440,4031. raised by means of the excise duty on hops should be obtained by same tax not thus onerous in its incidence on a particular branch of in dustry ; but it is now plain that this tax can easily be repealed without providing any substitute, by merely reducing our military expenditure. The peculiarity of hop-culture is its great expense. The annual produce, both in bine and hops, is very great, and requires at least an annual dressing of manure and sometimes two of each dressings in the year. The hop being a perennial plant, which continues on the same ground year after year, many hop-plantations are more than 100 years old, and on most dry and well drained soils the hop-grounds continue in plant from 12 to 20 years, and often as long as 40 years ; conse quently the land, receiving none of the advantages derived from a rotation of crops, requires a large supply of rich and expensive manure, to be kept up to the necessary standard of fertility. Some idea may be formed of the great outlay made in hop-grow img, from the following statements, taken from a prize essay on the " Management of Hope," in the last umber of the Royal Agricultural Society's .journal. The first cat of planting an acre of hops on old pasture lead-the usual method-amounts to 101. 2e. 61. For this there is, of course, no return until the second year ; and the additional expenses of the second year before any crop is gathered swell that sum to 261. 6s. 7d. Up to this time no manure is commonly need, the old turf being supposed to furnish sufficient food for the growth of the hop plant. If manure be used with the first crop it will cost 61. per we more. The crap of this year may, perhaps, me duce a net profit, after the cost of picking, dry ing, duty, .rye., of 101. per acre, to set against the above first cost of 261. 61. 7d. per acre. The balance of outlay with which the hop grower starteon his third year will thus be, 131. 124. 7d. ; and this is slur al lowing 14s. as the produce of the small poles used for the young plants the first year and then erld off. The third year full sised poles are required, the expense of which will be 361. per acre for the poles and 51. Bs. for carriage. We have thus an expenditure of 661. Os. 7d per acre before the planter obtains a second crop. From this time forward the annual expense of cultivating each acre of hop ground will 'in 281. Is. 6d., and that is exclusive of the cost of picking, drying, and packing the produce, which is deducted from the grass amount of the sale price. The expenses of gathering and preparing for sale a tin of hops-half a ton being the average produce of an acre-inclusive of the duty of 171. 12e. 9i4. per ton, will amount to 381. 18e. Std. In bad years, when the hops are blighted, the price paid far picking being greater and the quantity of produce leis, the cot is more, so that the ave rage cost of picking and subsequent expenses ono year with another is generally estimated at 401. a ton, or 40s. per cwt. The yearly average cost, therefore, of an acre of hops will be 20/. added to 281. le. 64.=481. le. 6d. At the price of 41. or 41. 41. per cwt. it is clear the grower must be a loser. In the present year the crop has been nearly a failure and consequently something well nigh ap proaching ruin stares a large proportion of the hop growers in the face it they cannot obtain relief from the hop duty. At best hop-growing partakes of the character of a lottery. From the expensive cultiva tion and the precariousness of the crop the culture is very speculative. Great profits are sometimes realised, but in years of abundance the price is so low u scarcely to defray the expense of picking and drying, and the duty; and the hop-planter s cbiet hope of profit is said to be that his own district may escape a failure which shall afflict other hop districts. It is by no means uncommon in Kent to see such ex clusive attention paid to the hops-the whole manure of the farm perhaps bestowed upon them-that the rest of the farm is in a state of comparative neglect and ex haustion. Many reflecting i sgricaltuEsts have thought that the soone hop-culture ultus allowed to occupy only a subordinate place in the husbandry of Kent, the better it will be for the advancement of its agriculture and general prosperity. Be this, however, as it may, it is clear that a more injudicious and oppres sive tax than the hop duty cannot be imagined. The heavy expense of culture, the precariousness of the crop, the wide variations of price in different years, from the abundance or deficiency of the crop, and the generally speculative nature of the business of hop-growing-all indicate that hops cannot fairly be made the subject of taxation. The movement of the hop-growers for the removal of the duty is, therefore, a just one. But they must not trust alone to the justice of their canoe. They may be thankful to Mr. HODOES for his earnest pleadings on their behalf with the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, and need not lack gratitude to Sir EDMUND FILMED for his warm approval of his colleague's exertions • yet they must de mand something more If they expect to get the relief they require. They must call upon their representatives to do that which alone will enable the government to remit the hop duty, namely, to vote for a large reduction of expenditure • to assist alinisters in resisting the bullying or blandi shments of clothing colonels and supernumerary admirals. About this there is no mistake ; it is by reduction of expenditure alone that the means can be provided for repealing the hop duty. Thus the measure of the earnestness with which the hop-growers desire such relief will be the assistance they give to the now great and growing demand for the reduction of oar warlike ex- penditiie. Vbe Court. PRIVY COUNCIL. The Queen held a Privy Courted at one o'clock yes terday afternoon at Buckingham Palace. It was attended by his Royal Highness Prince Albert ; the Marquis of Lens downs, Lord President ; the Earl of Idiot°, Lord Privy Seal; Lord John Ruesell, First Lord of the Treasury; Sir George Grey, Secretary of State for the Rome Department; Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of State for Foreign failings Karl Grey, Secretary of State for the Colonies ; the Earl o f Carlisle, Chief Commissioner of the Wools end Forests; the Earl Forteecue, Lord Steward ; the Marquis of Breadalbane, Lord Chamberlain ; and the Duke of Norfolk, Master of the Hone. Thorns. Wyse, Esq. was by command of the Queen sworn of her Majesty's Honourable Privy Council, and took his place at the board. Her Majesty pricked the list of sheriffs for the present year. The on. William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council in waiting. The Queen gave audiences to the Marquis of Lansdowne and Lord John Rue sell. The Court was attended by the Marquis of London derry, Gold Stick in waiting ; the Earl of Listowel, Lord in waiting ; the Treasurer of the Household, the Vice-Cham berlain, and the Comptroller of the Household. Prince Albert, attended by Colonel Seymour, visited the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday at Gloucester House. The Marquis of Breadalbane and Lord George Len nox had the honour of dining with Her Majesty yeeterday evening at Buckingham Palace. A deputation consisting of the Right Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson, M.P., George William Alexander, Eel (Lombard-street), Edward Davy, Esq. (Crediton, Devon , William Henry Ashuret, Esq. (Old Jewry), R. G. Welfo , Esq. (csantery-lane), Robert R. R. More, Esq. (Temple), and Thomas Meander, Esq. (Gray . ..inn), had an interview yesterday with the Right Rep. the President of the Board of Trade. Ilespatebm for the governor of the Cape of Good Hope were met elf oa Monday evening from the Colonial aloe. The School of Design had a meeting yesterday, at the Aloe of the Board of Trade. _ _ _ _ _ — llieriiucTsioZiitiiitiiiiTOf the Privy Council sat yesterday, sad heard petitions In oases from Madras, Ben gal, mid DnaMies, and also one from the Court of Arches, Craig r. Parnell." The lords present were the Master of the BA* Lord Brougham, the Bishop of Laidon, the Chanoellor of the duchy of Cantwell, and the Jadp of the Admiralty Court. An appeal from Bengal was of rwarda opened by Mr. Turner, Queen's Cannel, fluradhun o. Mockuejia." The Bishop of Undo" left after the disposal of the pedtion from the Arches Court, and the Right Hon. Sir Edward Ryan sat with the members of the judicial . . nabs digh4r the bowleg of the appeal from Bohai (From lut night's Gazette.) FORZION-OFFICB t FEB. 9.—The Queen has been pleased to approve of M. Vinoent Benedetti, u Consul, at Melte, for the French Republic. DUCKY OP LANCASTER, FEB. 10.—The Queen has been this day pleased to appoint John Smith Entwine, of Foxholes, Esq., to be sheriff of the county palatine of Lan outer for the year ensuing. CROWN-OPPICE, FEE. 12.—MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESINT REHLTLIIENT PM THE 8011011011 OP Botroa.--Bir J. Waleasley, of Weetbourne.terrses, Mid dleisx, sat., in the room of J. Bowring, Beg., who has ac cepted. the office of her Majesty's einsal-general at Canton. THE NEW SHERIFFS. A supplement to Friday's Gazette states that at the Court at Buckingham-palace, the 13th day of February, 1849, present the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Coun cil, tha following Sheriffs were appointed by her Majesty in Council for the year 1849 : Banroanettinn.—H. Brandreth, of Houghton Regis, Esq. Biennium—lL Gibson, of Sandhurst-lodge, Esq. Bvimixoneationna.—J. Kaye, of Fulen.r, Esq. CANBIUOOININIAI AND HUNTINCIDONBRIAN.—E. Foster, of Tnunpington, 00103111 LAND.—A. F. Huclleston, of Hutton-John, Esq. CHUNIAN.—T. W. Tatton, of Withenskaw, Esq. Dzinvantan.—J. Btrntt, of Belper, Esq. DEVONSNIAR.-111. E. N. Parker, of Whiteway, Esq. DORDWISMIRI.—W. P. Okeden, of Turnworth, Esq. Dunstan -4. Eden, of Beamish-park, Esq. Essex.--O. S. Orley, of Stilted-hall, Esq. Gtoocnrrnasnme.—W. P.Prios, of Tibberton-court, E! q. HERENORDINIBI.—W. Barneby, of Clater, Hiarronosaina.—A. Smith, of Watten Wood-ball, Esq. Kater. - -W. M. Smith, of Comer, Meopham, Esq. LECISPITEHANIFAN.—J. Goodacre, of Lutterworth, E?ci. LuscoLwinutz.—J. W. Yorke, of Walmsgate, E,q. MONYOUTHSHIRI.—J. A. Herbert, of Llanartlicourt, Esq. NOSIPOLIC.—W. Mason, of Norton, Ell_ NOILTIIAMPTONSHIBE.—H. Mort W is, of eloot, Esq. NORSIIUMBERLAND.-4. H. Hinds, of Stellinghalt, Esq. Norrusonsmantan.—G. H. Vernon, of Grove, Exq,_ 01PORDSHIN.11.--8. W. Gardiner, of Coombe-lodge, Whit chßllTLurch, AN Esq. DSIIIHN.—J. T. Sprehorps, of Manton, Esq. SHROPBIIIIIII.—P. Corbett, of Longnor, Esq. Sounzawrinnue.—G. W. Blathwayt. of Porinek, Esq. STAPPOW.DSNINB.—C. Arkwri g ht, of Dunstan, E.q. COUNTY or SOUTRAXPTON.—W. Garnier, of Itookesbury Wickham, Esq. Strrrota.—The Right Hon. J. Lord Henniker, of Thorn- EIDIIRET.W. F. 0. Farmer, of Nonsuch-park, Esq. Susatx.—R. S. Streatfeild, of the Rooks, Uckfield, Esq. WAAWICKIIIIIHN.—Sir T. Biddulph, of Birdinbury, Bart. WILTSHID.E.—R. P. Nisbett, of Southbroome•house, Esq. WORCEITERANIRE.—J. Dent, of Walcot, Yostleatan.-0. V. Harcourt, of Swinton•park, Esq. WALES. ANGLESEY.-8. R'lOllC. of Tan y lin, Esq. Bancossants.—W. Pearce, of Ffrwdgrech, Esq. CARNARVONSHIM—S. 0. Priestley, of Trefan, Esq. CARNARTHENSIIIRIS.—W. E. H. Powell, of Maes mune, Bei. CARDICIANSZIRI;II. Hoghton, of Hafod, Est. Dennionsame.—T. Griffith, of Trevallen Hal', Esq. FLIXIIINIAL—P. L. Godsal, of Iscoyd Park, Esq. OLANOILOANSLURIE—It. Bowler, of Llandough Castle and Maestnawr, Seq. MONTOOKIRTSHIIII.—R. Gardner, of Plea y Court, Eaq. Idesuonwrninnan.—R. D. Jones, of Aberliatenny, Esq. PIUMBDILENHIRI.-8. P. Allen, of Cresseliy, Esq. ILADNORBIUDE.-11. M. Evans, of Llwynbaried, E.q. INCLOSURE COMRISSION.—ME. W. Runelay, bar rister, has been appointal an tuaistaat-commissioner under the 'Wows Act. REPEAL OF THE WINDOW-TAX. Yesterday a meeting of delegates from the various metropolitan parishes was held at the Court-house, Meryl*. bone, for the purpose of deciding on what course it wu ne cessary to adept with reference to continuing the agitation for a repeal of the window-tax. Mr. A. MICHIE, of Marylebene, who was in the chair, observed that the gentlemen present were aware that for several years past, the parishes of the metropolis had used their exertions to get rid of that most abominable of all taxes, the window-tax. Every administration had admitted the injustice of the tax, and could only justify its continu ance on the ground that they could not spare the money. A B said of Health had now been established, but a B-art of Health unaccompanied by the repeat of a tax which was more prejudicial to health that any tax in existence, was a mere pretence. It was a farce to talk about improving sewers and drains, whilst the peep's who lived in towns were deprived of ventilation by an infamous tax on light and air. They were all aware of the great plan of financial reform which had been proposed by Mr. Cobden, and with regard to which the whole country was now being agitated. Now as the repeal of the window tax formed one of the items in Mr. Cobtlen's plan of reduction of taxation, be thought It would be advisable to give up the repeal of the window tax as a single measure, and let all their energies be merged in the great movement for the general financial re form scheme. . . _ _ Mr. EWEN said he had had an interview with Lord Duncan on Friday last, and although his lordship was unable to be present that evening, he was as energetic end enthusi astic as ever with regiud to the repeal of the window tax, and stated his intention of putting a motion for its repeal on the books of the House of Commons. With regard to the financial reform movement, he did not think it politic that they should interfere with it, mere especially as each agitation assisted the main movement. Mr. HODGES said that although poor people were much affected by the window tax, it mainly affected the middling classes, and it only amounted to 1,600,11001., whereas Mr. Cobden had clearly shown that no less a eum than 10 mil lions a year might be saved without injury to anyone. There forelhe would move— That as it appears that the repeal of the window tax is Included in the more general movement for the abolition of the malt tax, hop duty, taxes on map awl paper—taxes equally as obnoxious and d mental to the health and comfort of the people, this meeting is of opinion that it would be advisable to merge their effort/ to obtain the repel of those taxes set forth in the letter of Mr. Cobden to the Liverpool Financial Reform Association. There being no seconder to this resolution, it fell to the ground. A DELEOLTE from the par sh of St. Martin's in the Fields said there were many reasons in his opinion why govern ment could not fail to listen to an appeal to abolish the window tax. In the first place, it was now the oldest prayer for relief on record. Again, it was imposed as a war tax, and when they were at peace how could it be justified ? Another point was, that any government which dared to retain the window tax would he giving a Hat negative to all measures of sanitary improvement, which they profess to be so anxious to carry out. He moved a resolution to the effect: That Mr. Cobden having included the window tax among the list of taxes he seeks to abolish. Lord Duncan and all the metropo- litan members et parliament be requested to attend a future meeting to consider in what way it will be advisable for the repeal of the win dow tax delegates to act under the present circumstance.. The resolution was carried, and a vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman, the meeting separated. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION. Yesterday evening an aggegate meeting of minis ters and Sunday-school teachers, in connexion with the four Louden auxiliaries, was held in Exeter Hall. W. F. Lloyd, Esq., in the ehair. The CHAIRMAN congratulated the meeting on the fact that several district meetings had been held lately in different parte of the metropolis, for the purpose of estending the advantages of Sunday schools, to Iccalities where they have been hitherto unknown. Ho had been upwards of 40 years connected with these schools, Ind he could look back to the period at the commencement of the present century, when the children in these schools did not much exceed two hundred thousand, and it was therefore gratifying to be able to inform the meeting they could now reckon two million of children and a quarter of a million of teachers is attendance on Sunday schools. This increase had taken place since the introduction of gratuitous teaching, and be trusted that the present movement would have the effect of largely increasing the numbers of those who took an interest in this important institution. Forty years ago not one sixth of the children in attendance on Sunday schools could read the scriptures; but he was happy to tell them that fully five-sixths were now competent to enjoy that gratification. Mr. WATSON read the report, in which is was stated that a number of meetings had been held in various localities of the metropolis, for the purpose of devising means by which the operations of the Sunday School Union, could be extended and increased. It had hoe* secortained that in London not more than one-sixteenth the population attended these scholia, while in rural districts a not uncommon proportioa was one sixth. In the district " - the " comprehended bY Eastern Atuiliary Branch, the popu lation between the ages of five and 16 amounted to about 108,000, bat the attendance at public schools of the nature of Sunday schools did not amount to more than 63,900, frem which fact it might be fairly deduced that in that district there were 40,000 children unprovided with the blessing of scriptural education, and who, by a little exertion, might be brought within the influence of the operations of these schools. In the West London Union the numbers of the population between the ages of 5 and 15 were 100,645. The children in Sunday schools, including 25,000 belonging to classes not likely to frequent Sunday schools, numbered no more than 62,901. There was no report forwarded to the committee from the other unions, but they express an opinion that the state of facts throughout the metropolis was uniform, and point at tention to the general result derivable from these statistic', namely, that there were in the metropolis at least one hun dred thousand young persona who ought to be in attend ance on these schools but who utterly neelect• d them. Ties report next adve rted to the indifference exhibited by some pastors respecting these schools, and appealed to those Ministers who had been neglectful hitherto, to exert their energies In behalf of them for the future. The schools at pre seat resembled a body in a state of disease, but retaining drength of constitution sufficient to warrant the expectation st a restoration of health, with the assistance of the physi elan tho physician in the present instance being the starch. Rev. J. BRANCH moved the first resolution, which was *the effect that the number of children in attendance on Senday schools within five miles of the metropolis was not at all commensurate with the necesaties of the pop o u ti ,.. and that in order to remedy the . evil, it was desf ri bi;i: visitati secure the co-operation of the societi es i .ra gag d oweil . ons, for the purpose of nststnun a en i mitd 7 A canvass in the neighbourhood of eac h sc h ool, and i titheenion to the physical, m )ra l, an d religisurewett scholars. Mr. ad C o UTHBERTSON having seco n d e d the resdatios it was pted. Rev. S. MARTIN proposed the second resolution, sei k hk oonsisted of an appeal to ministers to come forwar d se present juncture with etc!. rrmpathy, aaiduios msd Anent)* in behalf of those schools, that ti.ereby *ft might be bnuglst to consider them as au important po d its agency in any Mg out the evangelisation of the Irma This resolution was seconded by the Rev. S. J. DAT% and unanimously adopted. The meeting having been addressed by 6. i te ,„ Rerun, and a collection made in aid of Ott funds of the schools, the proceedings terminated. CUSTOM HOUSE AGENTS.—TIte following take wee issued yesterday by the Commissioners of the Custom' —" Cues having recently occurred wh.re sev era l had neglected to comply with tile , Na je o sg ol pi the law, by not endorsing en their licenses the ma ma e l , individuals acting u their clerks, and also by wnini atiors have the game duly registered, and also by retaking Oa liNnses the names of persons who have left their empla a . meat, this is to give notice, that shojd ih,tanet Iteria after come to the knowledge of the oQoami l ki. m ,„ , whntim such neglect has occurred, the board will Lke immedi a t e measures to have such license revoked " CITY COMMISSIONERS OP BEWElts.—Yeterday. at the meeting of the Commissioner ot Seven, assemble& at Guildhall, Mr. Deputy Peacock in tilts dart db. Elliott moved "that it be referred to the Baird Health (a sub-committee of the sewers commission) to dime the officer of health to make special report upon the effected the health of tho citizens of London of Smit too •lel market and the trades and occupations earr,c , l in, ti&reabe ut; . but after some di•cutsion, upon a show id L a , ~,, the lea alone and the q court was adjourn uestion was carried, by a trajottty •,f 20 to 7, ed. CHOLERA. Yesterday the following fresh o ft were reported to the Board of Health :—Csuimereid eed St. George-in-the-East, 1, fatal WhitechaPel, 2, 1 bill Bermondsey, 1; Marine Society's Ship, Dept/mi . . fatal ;on board " Mary Ti ffi n," Shadwell, 2, 1 t,t l . ditt, " Platoff of Stockton," Rotberhithe, 1 ; Dr aa a aa . e hospital ship, 1, fatal; Newtin-Swaffham Colas, 2 ; Ns , borough 13 waffham Union, 1; Carshaltor. . 1, fatal ; Le e pool, 1, fatal ; Edinburgh, 4, 3 fatal ; Glareow, 37, 6 nit Loudon, 1; Blantyre, 3, 1 fatal ; Tillicoultry, 6, I Hamilton, for 7th, Btb, and 9th, :33, 20 fatal ; Classy% 1 fatal; Greenock, 7, 4 fatal; Auchittleek, 2, land, carton, 15, 4 fatal ; Gaston, 3, 1 fatal. Total, 01 e s eases, and 61 deaths. THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS ELOIsTERED IN nog during the week ending Saturday last. Feb- 10 was; Births, 1,673; Deaths, 1,19 G; the average for the w is h buil 1,169. The 1,196 deaths registered in the weekllsom excess on the winter average of 27 ; and as compusegagi the return of the previous week, they give an inersaisde This result, to some extent unfavourable, is the creased fatality of inflammation of the lungs and especially the latter, which, in propntion to the te"ll4 - at each ago, carries off a greater number of the old, elm% former is fatal, almost exclusively, to the y ou ,. e e , deaths from inflammation of the lunge were lei. or jog go average ; in the previous week they were ti gy m bronchitis were 93, or 15 more than the average; former week they were 78, which is the aver..gs ogg j e c The readings of both the barometer and thermometer Me unusually high. Small pox, measles, scarlatina, 664 cough, all show a decrease u compared with tee formerne turn ; but fatal cues of cholera were 66, from whi c h i t 0 ., pears that this epidemic is on the increase in London, his worthy of observation, that diarriacs sod dysentery am* 37, which is considerably more than occurred in any of the first six weeks of five previous years ; while the lextilay from diarrhoea, dysentery, and cholera together is meal • six times the weekly ge. CLOSING OF THE HALL OF COMM Eltey.—Tiefi, flee in Threadneedle-street, built a few yews age bag, Moxhay, the biscuit baker, and known as the es Nag Commerce ' " has been dosed, after remainin e open to 6 public foe six years. The undertaking h s tuned sett hopeless failure. AN ASSOCIATION FOR SUPPLYING PURE WAIR TO TEE METROPOLIS.—Yesterday, several gentlemen inlet upon Baron Rothschild, M.l'., to request hi. aid sod ale ration in forming an association for the supply of pees ed cheap water to the metropolis. Dr. Owen, of Maulers. square, stated that no doub: 11 irongtotuchild was fully sim of the great necessitythere was for the supply of pus me to the metropolis. There were eight water companies Me supplied the whole of the metropolm,and simoi them Meet supply from the Thames. Since the large increase el eak which emptied their refuse into the Thames, the water W become unfit for use, and it would be f ightiul to enmesh the result if it was used when the sanitary teenlationsee into operation. To remove the arils created by the mum tioa of impure water an association was tieing feinted, the object:would be to construct artesian wells sufficient to mee the whole of the metropolis with pure soft water, and thspe sent deputation wished to solicit him (Baron Rutim the association in its views by accepting the &lice of preside,. Baron Rothschild said he had repeatedly refused to uY part in the formation of companies, and therefore ha did • see how he could comply with the present request-1 Taverner, the manager of the artesian w; 11. s. Trailer square and the projector of the proposed plan, intone Rayon Rothschild that there was no intention of formisgi company, but an association, to coneist of the leading si active men in the various metropolitan parishes, and de it came to maturity to apply for en act of parliament li wished the baron to understand that it was not intended a interf re with the existing water e• mpaeles. There em at present 60,000 houses, containing a eopulatim nearly half a million persons, unsupplied with Ma —Baron Rothschild considered that the several em companies would be affected. Mr. Taverner rephi that to the extent they were affected, a full m pensation would be given.—Baron Itothechild ingaiW bow they preposed to raise the capital.—Air. Taverner ail the first object was to obtain a bill, and if envie hoserkeepe subscribed only a shilling each, that would raise more is sufficient funds. Tha cost of water would not ;mend Ow year for each house, but if it was contemplated terms everything like a tax, a rate of about lee. to Liespe would pay the entire expenditure within eau.—Dm Rothschild was fully sensible of the vast importable 18 • eiety of a supply of pure water, and he bud no clack WI tkey would achieve their object, but from his numweese gagemente he must decline the henget which the wefts were anxious to confer on him.—The deput a tion temid Baron Rothschild and retired. ANTI-STATE CHURCH ASSOCIATION.—A Meetie of the members of this association was held vc-teniayereeig at the Lecture Room, Suffolk street, llnrnugh; Apia Pellatt, Esq., in the chair. The Rev. W. H. Bee proposed the first resolution • That the union between church and state in this coal= tivo of almost insuperable obstacles to the dirfueon of among all classes, and more especially among the Lt.,,es doss* ing non. l i g u r in eeolution was carried wiesout a dissentient.—lrk Thwaites moved the next resalution: That, in this, as In other countries, the endowir.ert ofreheidg the state is, politically, socially, and financially, .tit intakes* therefore this meeting rejoices in the rapid prf.,,“•••• et the advocated by the British Anti-State Church Ass:x.2loo, ti 4 to expre s s i ts unqualified winitratioe of the °Darrow, eelf.denying coarse recently ;Una by the lion. liaptisiak• aiding from the church, as by law established is V.r. olauf. Mr. (1. land seconded the resolution, which was pled unanimously; and, thanks having been voted to the due man, the meeting separated. BATHS AND WASHHOGSISB ANNTAL REPORT. Yesterday a meeting of the subeembns and committee old above institution was held in the Board-room, in ciFIF street, Eusten-square. The report, the second mused la congratulated the founders and suppritten on the feet, tee their expectations have to the fullest extent been Mee During 1618 the bathers had been 111 Tiki " • • W r. irone, manglers, &0,, 51 ,6! 10 ; individuals 246,760; articles of cloth ing washed, 2,220,510: WW I I total since August, 1846, of three millions and a WE l e statement of receipts for the - yeste included a Melia' lance of 611. 6s. Ild., donatirns and sulneeleia 1821. 16s. 10d. ,• receipts from baths, wash-hems , IntiFei ing baths, 2,3161. 15s. 9d. The expenditure, includisgs payment of loan of 6001., left a balance of 31. A. in Mho; of the bankers; the loans and liabilities amount to 2761. • extend the operations for accommodation of 6,000 poor er sons weekly, a building for their accommodation Is F to which the Queen, Priece Albert, the QA =agar, the Duke of Bedford, the Archbishop of Dell bury, ste. &c., have already subscribed upwards of I,o* " BRAZILIAN" PRIZE MONEY. —Sir,—As you Wile the justness of my cause, I h.ipe you will insert this lain valuable journal. The government of Brazil, is IN rocvered to the Brazilian government. Mow only one-third h ised ran t , p t aLt s h u e m sq o u f a;l 2 7 oo , 4:: ; i he fo n r th! r pitiescon t t as ai ttn en 4 4 1 4 this sum his been paid, and although repeated ambler : have been made to this highly-principled Imperial Brew' petitions that have been presented on behalf of t government, it has taken no notice whatever of tit: o leo s/I : 1 claimants, some of whom have received wounds spa bar been disabled for the remainder of their lives in tide ler"! Is not this one of the many acts of ielustiee that regale is t aid of Mr. Cobden and the public press ? A Serreeti - London, Feb. 12. JENNY LIND has, it is stated tn. the Liver Standard, consented to sing in aid of she sufferers by the in colliery explosion near Barnsley. Rev THREATENED IMPRISONMENT OP TILE 81101 LE.—The Patriot is not sorry to find that the Bister Exeter has taken out the necessary authority for the IP; sonment of the Rev. J. Shore, ot"rotnes. 'kite bir• t e Lordr rap,John to take g th s e te ms , ni INQUEST, YESTERDAY . —REMOV.SL ..,1— Pia 80NEtts.—Hefore Mr. Bedf ed, at the Millhank Prigooj the body of J. Neale, aged 21, and A. Cooke. ag ttle of whom were removed trom the Reformataie d i e d and i w t i a ll t h o ne e no alienates* lend, while in a weak state of health, and died is le quenoe. Bath the deceased priaouers, it appeared' o under a sentence of transportation ter Men Ye!". s: the 19th Dec. last were, with several other pnexeLl moved from the Wakefield gaol to the Portland prfeFLeLj the deceased appeared then very ill and feeble, spa to suffer from thejourney, but they made no ecnee t bo j arriving at Portsmouth , where they had to col "" a steamer for Portland, Mr. Hopper, who had them, observed them to be ill, and, laving Ter ._ .: ete d the medical officrr at the hulks, they had ine&F" with others were then chsined gam put on boa rd the vessel, and conveyed to r ‘?"