The Express. — London, England, 1850-05-27 00:00:00

Vie erprnixi. lirsoiteres is so importnettapaitien el 'hippies trade, as to ruder the consideration the state dthe existing law *Oen le any general improvement in the legislallint`bY that interest is governed. Be, butt g abmttdy stated the objsetioes setertained by shipowieses its the Merearsties Mor•ns Big No. ff, we sow Prorise is note some omissions therein of provisions of very serious importance to Insurers u a body,es well u to the character of the British emnasercial navy; to which, it is maderstood, the committee of Lloyd's bare already drawn the attention of the Board of Trade, though not, it is feared, with much scones. Underwriting, as our readers know, is the insurance of ships and their °arcs against loss or damage. This trade is carried on public companies, by ma llet clubs, and by private individulls. Bat in London the great underwriting establishment is known as Lloyd's. At one time there was reason to =woes that the balk of the business would gradually be su p onopolissdby the com panies ; but experience has roved that, as under wnungis a matter requiring the closest and most unremitting individual attention, the apprehension that companies would obtain supremacy in the trade was unfounded; and in spite of the gra dual descent of premiums since the war, a large pro portion of the business is still done by individual underwriters, and, in London, at Lloyd's. The low rates to which premiums have fallen, of course renders losses heavier to bear ; and raise in importance all means by which they can be avoided. One great cause of loss to underwriters arises from the collision of vessels. Now, it is no secret to any one who has given attention to such matters, that there is a large proportion of these collisions which, if not positively criminal or fraudulent, is nevertheless preventible or avoidable; and there is too much reason to fear, that of late years this proportion has very largely increased, and that there is a class of vessels now insured chiefly to be lost. The question of preventible or avoidable collision is, consequently, one that ought not to be blinked or over-looked at a time when the Board of Trade professes to have under its consideration the general state of the laws relative to shipping. A vary intelligent underwriter, Mr. Itreitza, has st issued a useful sheet of statistics, collected from Lloyd's Books, on the collisions that have been re rrfliin the five years, 1846 to 184 9 , inclusive. this sheet, it appears that, on a comparison of the former with the latter d those years, there is a slight falling off in the number of collisioes: the figures for 1845 being 382, against 340 in 1849 ; yet in the whole of that period there were not lens than 1,913 cams of collision; and had Mr. RUCKER carried his valuable researches back to a decennial, instead of confining them to $ quinquennial period, he would, we believe, have found that, on a compari son of the year. 1838 with 1848, the number of colli sions in the latter year was nearly or quite double that of the former. But Mr. RECKER'S statements are startling enough for all practical purposes ; seeing that in the five years 1845-9 they show an annual average of 382 cases of collision reported to Lloyd's, during which period the number of British registered ships only rose from 23,253 to 2;,0;1: and that in the earns period there are only four instances of her Majesty's ships and eleven of her Majesty's steamers coming into contact with other Teasels, and only one instance each of collisions between two Queen's ships and two royal steamers. The best opinion to which we have access on such a point instructs us that of this annual average of 382 cues of collision in all probability one-half is pre ventible or avoidable ; consequently the loss repro sented by 191 cases of collision in each year, 1845-9, has been uniuotly or fraudulently imposed on under writers. This opinion, too, is strongly confirmed by Mr. RECKER'S classification of the seas in which the collisions he has enumerated have occurred. For of them, 161 cases in 1845, and 142 in 1919, took place in the English and Irish Channels and parts adjacent; 1 138 in 1845, and 134 in 1849, in the ;forth Sea; 34 in 1843, and 31 in 1849, in the Baltic and Mediterra nean, including the Cattegat and Straits of Gibraltar ; and 46 in 1815, sad 33 in 1849, in all other parts. Now this classification of collisions shows that they occur in larger proportions exactly in those voyages where the seamanship of shipmasters is worst, where ' the vessels are moat inadequately and indifferently manned, and, more important still, where the ships are most irresponsibly owned. As might have been anticipated, the number is greatest in the coasting trade, is leas: on the long voyage. On a former occasion we pointed out that the Bri tish mercantile marine might be cLvided into three classes. 1. Of ships owned by great capital ists, such as the GREENS, the WIGRANS, the SMITUS, and the Glasgow and Aberdeen owners, who torn out vessels unrivalled in construction, in accommodation, and in equipment, who employ the best masters in the service, and ship none but competent and well-conducted seamen. 2. Of ships on the whole reputably owned, properly navigated, and of sea-worthy, though inferior, cha racter. And 3. Of vessels which are a disgrace to a marine country : built, like Peter Pindar's razors, to sell, generally owned by persons of insufficient espied, usually heavily encumbered with mortgages, essameeded by drunken skippers, and shipping the most worthless of our sailors. This last class of ship ping it is that will generally be found in the coasting pads and in the North Bea ; and there it is Mr. RECKER shows that collisions are most frequent. Of the larger part of this class—viz., that engaged in the coasting trade—it is their misfortune to be still protected by law ; and in addition to this misfortune, Mr. LABOUCIIBRE proposes to exempt them from many of the really useful clauses of Bat No. 2. Now until the coasting trade be subjected to the risme of foreign competition, and be rendered amenable is provisions for the pro tection of insurers, much im provement is hopeless, and the Newcastle Colliers will continue to be what they now are, a scandal to the country. But what legal provisions can be devised to limit and diminish the present large amount of preventible or avoidable collision, which presses so heavily and so unjustly on underwriters? No doubt collision is a fair and proper risk to insure against; but to insure for the pu rp ose of losing a worthless old vessel by intentionally foul or careless navigation, is an offence much worthier of the superintendence of the Board of Trade than any it proposes to assume jurisdiction over. OUTGOING MAIM The bias for BMWs Nail harries end the United aura w4ll be rote ir on the every of May 31. The Wrt ladle Mies Beroinr, flevunir. Norm Ilooduree, New Orl= l a lltelleo, end grinding ChM, ko Jnea4l-Nietrarin, New Onnode, ChM, eri Ihnitodl he roam on_the 'vision oiler 1. The mei fee liwiers.lbe ftione, sad Bruce Ayres, will be err up on the conks of Jane 4. The Nude for Lisboa, *pre, sad Gibraltar will be redo tip ea Jane 7. The node rid lieneilles, to the Meditommeo, Egypt, Ceylon, ladle, Hoorlieng, Le., will be sere up is the oveslog of lose 7. The torn for Gibraltar, Melte, Orem, the lonian Islands, Cellos, la th e, sod Chloe, via Boutherpto s, will l i e g = up as the morning of Jose 20. MON WATT% AT LONDON POUDOI. D.. —Yawn(. Vt. Ilairsess. 3L NM an o w—Nersog. 11% Ado. Ma Nee. Li Dn. LONDON. rONDAY; MAY 27. Tar rage of those Powers, whose system of govern ment reposes on the hangman and the bayonet, knows no bounds, because the English Minister has coerced GISMO into respect. These very powers have anni hilated Qac ier and taken possession of it, because it politically offended them. Rusin has subdued Han gary, and still occupies the Danubian principalicise. Austria garrisons the Romagna. The French have bombarded Rome, weepy it, and whilst they have banded over its every liberty to the Pore, they are suspected of exerrasing coercion even on the Pore himself, who is prohibited from absenting himself from the city. Amidst all these monstrous breeches of the rights of nations and of sovereigns, England had made a dis play of force apparently for a very small p urpose. The government of Greece having committed divers wanton wrones en British subjects, and even on Bri tish officers, King Orno has been compelled to write a letter of apology, and to pay some eight thousand pose' it density. Henn these powers, who have been exercisieg their tyrnany right and left, for the most arbitrary political reason% and in defiance of the laws of Europe, giver drea d ful to the direst rage, and indulge in the most fur scaleass incluse, forsooth, Lard PALMIER. WON bee ventured to do the one hundred and ninety ninth part of what these bullies have been doing. TIN, have trodden liberties under foot, annihilated the independence of nations, blotted from the map of Europe saies whose existence was guaranteed by the TreatT of Vienna. Tracy have shot Italian pt - rats for the crime of confessing liberals, flogged Hungarian women for giving a breakfast to liberal., not to talk of the thousands of brave men whom they have hanged like dogs, and the universal ruin and coatis cation they hays decried. But all this is nothing. Whilst thc compelling King Onto to pay some thou sand pounds compel:intim for claims, the justice of which inns very tyrants do not deny—this, forsooth, is not to be borne by them. They must have ven geance. They must make reprisals. And their organ—for %Fey hare found an English journal that doss not blush to act as such—tells us what these re prisals are. The first is, that the Russian ambassador is to be recalled. We did not recall ours when Cracow was sold, or when the revenues of the Danubian pin cipality were feloniously seized by Russia to feed its armies, an outrage far greater than could have been inflicted on King 01110, had Admiral PARKER coerced him without assigning a cause. After having abstracted five millions sterling from the monied savings of this country, under the false pretence of making a railroad, the Emperor of RCSSIA wants to dictate to Queen VIC TOIL% who are to be her minstrels, and what their policy is to be. It would snit the CZAR to have the complaisant Lord ABERDEEN for English minis' - ter; and, in order to obtain this, and to force out of office an English statesman who has ventured to show sympathies far Italian and Hungarian independence, 'diplomatic plot Is °wonted to be avenmedof a minis ter so English, and so bold, and so little disposed to pander to the impolicy of absolutism. For after all, we Dave no reason to think Lord PAL MERSTON so monstrously liberal. He shows no signs of it in domestic police, neither do his colleagues. Bat he thinks it best for Kings, that they should make some concessions to their subjects. . . He has declared his opinion that Austria would be morally and physically stronger, bad she not one foot upon North Italy, whilst try ing to tread down Germany with the other. Lord PAL MERSTON thinks that King OTHO would Ilke far greater hold of power, and lay firmer foundation of an empire, was his government a constitutional one. In entertaining these thoroughly English ideas, Lord PALMERSTON is evidently no enemy of Kings, nor of aristocracies, nor of conservatism. Ard we will be bound to say. he loves NI/am' or Srauve, as little as Fieldlarshal HATNAU himself. Bat your Austrian or your Russian statesmen abhor the moderate constitutionalist even more than the wild republican. And it seems that neither the Czaa nag Prince SCHWARZENBERG wi.l tolerate or allow even whiggism amongst us. If our court and our public fonctionar:es do not put on the old C.isilsacacH livery, and forswear even the semi-liberalism of CAN NING, St. Petersburg will not even keep up the csm mon ran of civilities with us. _ _ _ The absolutist powers of Europe are, in fact. deter mined to form a continental blockade against the principle of whiggism. They will recall their ambas- Isadore, the Anglo-Russian official organ informs us, and they will allow no Englishman to 'settle in their dominions. We need not tarry to inquire who would lose most by such a prohibition. And this is to be done—why? To contest the right of avenging or seeking redress for wrongs dons to British subjects. We confess that such a right ought to be rarely exercised. Civilised nations will not inflict these wrongs, or if committed by their vents, will instantly re,ve redress. Suppose a French or a Russian chief of the police had seised a British officer and beaten his boat's crew, at Boulogne, or Havre, or Croustadt. Do we not know that there would be instant complaint, and in quiry, and redress? But when the officers of such governments as Greece end Naples commit such out rages, and commit them on purpose for political vengeance and retribution, and when not only all redress is refused, but when even no answer is given, what power will bear it ? Why, had any great power behaved to us as Greece has done, war would have been the cons( queries : the outrage and the insult would not have been borne, and therefore would not have been committed. And U the Greek court had seen that England thirst not take vengeance in this last event, the result would be that every petty Greek captain of a port, every M. RIIONDINOPOCLAS, would have seized every op portunity for beating our officers and seamen, besides spoliating Englishmen of their lands or getting mobs to pillage their houses. In every despotic country, England and its govern ment are now disliked, because they declare the right of every to to a certain degree of freedom. We no ht to intrud e thi s opinion upon Russia and upon ustrie, and do not. We recommend it in Greece, and have a right to recommend it; but not being listened to, we tolera•ei tFe contrary. But that le no reason why we should be purposely wronged and studiously insulted. England, we fear, is at present cordially hated of To subject the coasting trade to foreign competition and to raise the character of the shipmasters in that and the short voyage trade, would, in all probability, have some beneficial effect. But, in addition, an improved system of registering mortgagee on ships, and power to punish both master and men for defec tive, careless, or intentionally bad look-out ;or for imperfect lights at night, are very much required for the protection of underwriters. At present it is too mach the practice of a disre putable class of shipowners, who are either indiffe rent to or wishful of collisions, to insure their vessels for sums beyond their value, and of course largely in excess of the amount which they have obtained on them by mortgage. A ship-owner of this stamp raises, for example, 7501. by mortgage on a vessel which is perhaps worth 1,0001.; and this ship he insures for, say, 1,5001. The abandonment or lose of a vessel so owned, mortgaged, and insured, leaves, therefore, a profit of at least iOOl. to its proprietors. Now the insurance of such vessels is generally under written in ignorance of any, or, at all events, in ranee of the extent of their mortgages. charges meet, we believe, be duly residual at the custom-house; bat it is quite impracticable for underwriters to delay their business by sending thither to make inquiries. The registry of ship? ought, therefore, to be published, or at oll l events T made accessible at LLOYD'S; and by seep reference to it, underwriters would be able to avoid inuring vessels for amounts that render collidese and total loose profitable to their owners. So, too, a master may, by wilfully foul navigation of his vessel, by,laxness of discip line over his crew, or by obstinacy and perverseness in coming into Poets into collision, and injure the Insurers to the benefit and advantage of his owner : yet foe *soh ended there is neither pecuniary nor personal re speisslbility. The tailor whom be places on the watch Rep be incompetent for that duty ; or, being comps. Mat, may grossly neglect it eithe r through self kele/peees, oe to spite and injure his skipper. Here else Mk conduct escapes all punishment, though its mete endanger life and inflict loss on the under writer.- Now these are offences of which the law ought to take cognisance, and of which it most take genre cognisance ere we can hops for any large di minution in the yearly average of avoidable and pre ventible collisions at sea. With such omissions is the Mercantile Marine Bill No. 2 as these, underwriters are justly dissatii lied. the eciatiftent by iho abwilutists and ;unionists, bemuse we do not approve of train sad military met t; by the revolutionists sad an arc hi sts , use we have no confidence in their wisdom, their moderation, or their (opacity to foand a government. Engish opinion seeks for something between the two ex•renies, and unfortunately there is at present scarcely a miedle between the two extremes to be found. And consequently the English are oat of favour with emits, ani out of respect with peoples. These grudirs towards us are greatly to be regretted. But do not they spring from our honour and our wis dom? We are the only people calm, the only people right, in this age of panic and reaction. But no long time can elapse 11 ithont justice being done both to our position and our motives. Military courts may proscribe, and socialist demagogues may anathe matise no, but sever was then a time in which the " . Itistastes et frotaeem," expressive of the proud couseiuusness of being liberal without being anarchist,' fair withow. being quarrelsome, and of entertainist just views and hopes of the future prospects al Europe, uninfluenced by the bigotry of cohtending parties, could have been pronounced with more teeth sad up; ighturas than by England at the present mo ment. THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 27, 1850. The ..bi gi f,what is called the " minting down e k es , •in • • of Maum W Maumee might too be ren tegeoaslT 1 by . law. At present it Wilms se vaderwitters, ant Oaf an the Ymage or loss arising Rep the vessel isinwed, bat payment of terwthirds of the damage or loss of the 'hip )rat down. And un derwriters waspish', and not without mese, that this latter liability sets as a premium en the =slimness sad Indifference of shipowners sad idtipmuters. CONCERNING the " New Palace at Westmin ster," whether it is the Home of Commons that is to blame, or the Woods and Forests, or the Committee of Taste, or the Cetsoosmon, of the EXCNEQI7III, or Dr. REID, or Mr. BARRY or any body else, it is nukes to inquire. There hie been frightful mismanagement sad a shamedd meant of public plunder. Upwards of two millions of mo ney ban been spent upon a work which was to cost only ono-third of that amount. The money is goner How it has been speak and who has re ceived it, we do not know. We should like to see an account of the payments, if it mild be produced; but that is apart from the point now to be emaciated. There is °Defrost duty to be performed is connexion with this subject, and the public will require of the House of Commons to ass that that duty is Milled. The works connected with the "New Palace" are still incomplete. The government asked on Friday night for 180,0001. more to defray immediate expenses connected with them. The tmilding grows slowly, bat each succeeding year the estimate increases. It is computed that quite two millions more will be required m the whole before the work is done. The architect originally proposed to complete) the whole fabric in six years. He has been at work sixteen yeses,and the House of Commons have not got into their chamber yet. According to present appear ances it will be ten years more, at least, before the whole will be completed. Now, what oe ask is, that referring to the past only for the purpose of experience, full provision shall he made for the proper conduct of these works in future. Let the House of Commons place, all the arrange ments respecting this building in proper hands. Let them appoint a committee, or a commission, to super intend the work., to be responsible for every pay ment that is hereafter made in respect of them, to direct their progress, aced to sanction each deviation frem the original design. This committee er direction may work in entire harmony with the architect, who at the same time will be subject to their legitimate control. To them will be Teetered each unseemly disputes as those which have recently embarrassed the works, and in consequence of which slope the country has been put to several hundred *nand pounds expense. The members of this l iantinittee who have seats in the House of Coen ' Row will be responsible to that assemhly, and we shall be saved, in future, the pain of seeing a Obsocellor of the Exchequer come down, as w eaned on Friday night, to defend extravagant expen diture, and to get beaten in division. With regard to the new House of Commons, its completion would have saved the country a quarter of a million of money which has been frittered away in Spviding " temporary accommodation" for the eaker and other offioera of the house. We agree that this edifice, and all the other useful portions of the building, ought to be completed with the least possible delay. The house ought to be completed, too, in a proper manner. The arrangements recently in pro gress (it is impossible to tell what modifications they may undergo from day to day) were entirely incom patible with the convenience or dignity of the house. There is not a single respect in which the new house is not inferior to the chamber in which the members are et the present time assembled. Mr. Brame seems not only to have pookpoohl the recommenda tions of the cimmittee of 1833, but to have negleved the most reasonable requirements. The house is too small ; the galleries are too small ; the lobbies are too small ; the refreshment room and libraries are at au inconvenient distance; in fact, everything has been &reified to one great idea of 'finding Mr. SPEAKER an opportunity of seeing from his emir the Quer., sitting on her throne, half-a-mile off, in the Home of Lords, whenever the doors of both chambers, and some twenty-five between them, may be thrown wide open at one and the same moment. The vote of Friday night was an unworthy conclu sion of a debate involving such large considerations as those by which this question is surrounded. But it was useful as exhibiting the feeling of the house, and as tending to check unnecessary expenditure upon the building. In this point of view it Will, we trust, be followed by good effect. Any one who may chance to know anything of the "peers' dining room," will know that nothing can be more absurd than the idea of spending a large sum of money in decorating that apartment. The room itself is little better than a narrow corridor. It looks out upon a smell court-yard, and is one of the darkest apartments in the new building. Bat more than this—the room is scarcely ever used. As the peers rarely sit after 7 or 8 o'clock, it is not six times in a session that any of them ever require to dine at Westminster. For the past two months, it is raid, that not a chop ham been served in the peers' dining room. So little is it frequented, that whilst every other apartment connected with the house re idoes in a mass of gilded medieval furniture, this apartment has been scantily supplied with common Blab tables, which have been found to answer all its purposes. It happens . that this room contains three panels opposite the windows. In the rage for deco.l ration, it was resolved that Mr. LANDSEEP. should be requested to fill up these panels with sporting sub- OM at a thousand guineas a picture. The first was to bare been done this year, and the subject was to have been a (medieval?) boar-hunt. Toe Haase of Commons, however, have vetoed this waste of money; and we congratulate Mr. LAN DSEER on being released from the performance of a task in which his genies would no doubt have been curbed by the requirements of the architect and the eccentric taste of the decora tor. Not only this bat all other merely ornamental works ought to be stopped until the useful portions of the building are completed. Whilst referring to matters of hate, let us congra tulate the House of Commons on having escaped the vote which Sir CHARLES WOOD proposed to them on Friday of 14,0001. (in part of 20, 8001.) for the re moval of the marble arch to the centre of the mall in St. James's-park. Of all the extraordinary projects ever heard of, this is the most singular. What in the world is the poor arch to do there? Is it intended to bide it among the trees, or is it to be fixed there to obstruct the view ? English notions about arches are not generally the most correct; but hitherto they have been regarded as places of en trance. It seems, however, that this arch is to be put in the centre of a flower-garden! kgreat design of Lord LINCOLN'S, extending the mall to Charing Cross, is to be entirely sacrificed, in order to carry out this ridiculous scheme at an estimated cost of six and twenty thousand pounds, and a real expense ap proaching probably to nearly four times that amount. THE CITY OF LONDON AND TEE GRAVEYARD Conwriow.—The Court of Common Council of the City of London have had the government bill for the abolition of intra-mural interments under consideration ; and we under stead that they have came to a very important resolution. They accept the principle of the bill, but seek to exempt the city from its operation. With that object a committee of the memos council has prepared a bill, to be sub mitted to the Emir Secretary. The hill that all fate-mural interments shall oases in the tr and its Liber ties on the let day of July, 1851. A aufacient cemetery for the interment of partite dying within the city and its liberties is to be provided. Compensation is to be given to present incumbents only, and not in perpetuity —on three pare average of receipts. end not on five, as pro posed In the government bill. This compensation the com mittee propose to award, either in money payments at once, or by an annuity, or by girls' the present incumbents to transfer their present mural privileges rzethe peseehial to the proposed suburban burial ground. Compensation on the same principle to be given to clerks, sextons, and other officers, helonein4 to, or connected with the ecclesiastical authorities. The whole build arrangements of the city to be under the control of an unpaid committee of the corporate body. It is proposed to establish a cemetery within five miles of the city, and that the families of deceased persons shall have the power of burying in any manner they may think proper, while a system of cheap burials shall be provided for those who may choose to avail themselves of It. Reception houses for the dead are to be prodded, but no one is to be eompalled to deposit the body of has friend or relative at such • place except in came of the meet extreme sanitary fleets. sity. Part of the ground of the cemetery is to be conse crated, and part not, t t meet the peculiar views of differently thinking parties. It is not proposed to levy any rates, but to raise the moneys which may be required for the purpame of interment—should such a step be neesmary—on the credit of ON city seal. It le expected that in the course of the en suing week • deputation from the corporation will wait upon Sir George Grey upon the suhine.— iVerVy CAroniek. FRANCE. PARIS, sAII7IDAT 11e1MINO, 7 P The promieent fact of the present moment is the reconciliation between General Cavaignao and the . Monotain. It hu been noticed, sines the general's speech in the debate on the Menne Bill, that the most ardent spirits of the extreme left have been sent to shake hands with him in the Chamberois if toeless the old wound of June. This mutual approximation hu been wrought no less by the pude tone of the Mountain than by the firm resistance of General Cavaignse to the contemplated destruction of univer sal suffrage. At the same time, it is not to be concealed that the violent stress of party feeling occasioned by the use perating words and sots of MM. Thiers, Montalem beet, and compeers, has brought about a schism be tween the waveren of the tiemparti and those who have taken a decided attitude in defence of the re. I public. I have hoard some of the most distinguished leaden of the extreme left express their opinion in private conversation that a ministry of Cavaignao and Lainartine would receive the support of the entire Moun tain ; but this confidence is not extended to eminent republicans who have preserved a passive and neutral position upon the capital question now under debate. After the electoral law is passed a series of other laws equally opposed to the spirit of the constitution, will follow. beginning with the law of the press and of clubs. Provocations will be accumulated to break down the patience of the people and to drive them into the initiative of battle. Among other measures it wins probable that a prop-isition to extend the President's lease of power to ten years will be brought forward. Having sent you the report. which prevailed about Changarnier's quarrel with the President, I have to add, from sources which may be relied on. a striking instance of the presumption of this perennage, and the impotence of the President to contend with his good will and pleasure. The origin of the remon stranne of d'Hautponl was the arbitrary change introduced by the commander-in-chief into the list of persons approved by the Minister of War for decoration. D'Hautpool perceived that one of his meet important functions, the distribution of military rewards. was thus vitiated in the execution by the highest military servant of the governm.nt, who ought to have been the first to set the example of subordination. The order given by Oen. Changarnier, at his military levees, that no offi cer should obey any command either from the Ministry of War or from the Elyere, without his (Gen. Chensearnier's) sanction, was a still more inso lent usurpation. But the act with which :hie order was accompanied is not mentioned, although pro bably the crown and head if his Renee. In order to show hie contidentinl cffieers the sort respect with which they were to treat the de creel; of the executive he tore up Gen. d'Hautpoul's order in their presence. I have this feet from an authority on which von may rely. Gen. d'Hautpoul having represented the sort of deference paid to his authority to the President, was directed not only to overlook the offence, but to apologise to Gen. tiotegsrnier for having remonstrated against the latterki insubordination. The chief event in the sitting of the Legislative Assembly to-day was the adoption by assis et lest of the first article of the bill amended by the committer, which says that the mayor, assisted by two delegates from the jrsge do pnix, stall draw up the electoral list of each commune within twenty days after the promulgation of the law. Thirty daas was inssrted instead of 20. The main speech was the of de Flotte, which is of much importance. He said that the Mountain d d not desire p3wer, because they felt that they were in a minority in the country, and did not wish to force their ideas on the country. But the majority of the Assembly did not represent public opinion in France b Ater than the Moantain. The (sly possible government was one betws en the two. The sitting terminated with the adoption of the first article. The monad, on domicile, will be discussed on Monday. SrNDAT FrarTNick The leading pert taking by M. Thiers in the fram ing of the Ehetoral Mil, naturally renders his speech on Friday the fittest source for tracing the meaning and the motives of this bold measure. M. Thiers admits that the opportunity was presented by the elections of Perin. The choice of March was the glorification of the barricades of June; that of April hoisted the flag of socialism over the capital. M. Thiers dors not believe in communism ; he is not even afraid of the agrarian law, which could never set foot in France. But what was this thing that marked it self under the name of industri it aseociation, accessi bility of w rk, abolition of the system of salary? Why, it was the expropriation of all the great in dustries ; it was the credit of the state set gestalt ouster within the reach of everybody, by means of banks multiplied throughout the country, and working by paper money. Such a system was the infallible ruin of France and subver sion of sod, ty ; and the prospect cf such a catastronhe was quite enough to establish the legiti macy of the measures taken within the circle et the constitution. M. Thiers then entered into a long demooa'ration that neither the text nor the spirit of the constitution were violated by the conditions rela tive to domicile, and the means taken to purify and moralizs nuiversal suffrage. He would not dies.mhle the numarous exclusions which would result from the law; but he would point oat the class against which they were directed. It was not against the rural po pulation, whose rights were guaranteed by the high wa,y duty, nor against the laborious workman, who grew old in the meaufactaro in which he was bred up, but it was against the vagabond who hawked his laziness from town to town, from tavern to tavern ; it was against the men whom history bad stigmatized justly as a vile mob. This word was like a match laid to all the explosive materials in the breast of M. Thiers, who scampered through the Roman history, the annals of the world, ancient and modern, picking up twigs of the thorniest kind to form a birch for the plebs. Tyrants alone kept on good terms with the vile multitude, because they used it, fed it, and thrashed it. The mob it was that had bartered tho liberties of Rime for Panem et Cireenses; had pulled down and murdered Cremes, massacred the brothers De Witt, and in France cut the throats of Baillyand the Girondins. It had made a bloody idol of Robespierre, and destroyed him on the scaffold.' Lastly, it was the mob which, hiving so often worshipped the name of Napoleon, after his reverses tied a rope to the neck of his statue, aud, dragging it down from its towering pedestal, dragged it through the kennel. This allusion to one of the monumental scandals of French history was the signal for a tremendous row. Napoleon, the son of Jerome, rose in his place, on the peaks of the Mountain, amid universal shouts of " Order!" to attribute the ignominious treatment of his uncle's statue to the royalist aristocrats ; and having persisted in disobeying the Presideuee call to sit down, had the censure applied to him by a large majority. This vote was the signal for fresh disturb &noes of the noisiest and most confused kind. The whole Mountain quitted the Assembly in a body. When they came back, Napoleon Jerome occupied the tribune, to offer explanations ; but these being considered by the majority as a fresh insult and de fiance, the vote of censure wee maintained, amid loud cries of remonstrance from the Mountain. M. Thiers then resumed, amid clamorous ink rrup tioa, hie tirade against democracy, with which his friends on the Right signified, by enthusiuitic and rapturous applause, their entire cmcurrruce. The next day, the man whose electh n on the 10th of Match was one of the main motives of M. Thiers'e virulent sallies against democracy, M. de Flutte, made a speech, the quietness, tact, and sagacity of which form a singular contrast with that of M. Thiers. M. DI Fhorrn laid : I will not inquire with what pro priety the elections of the 101 of March sod 28:h of April have been, I will not say attacked-1 think that no one fa this plea* would dare to direct attacks against universal etarage—but interpreted. I am clearly entitled, when this Assembly has authorised these inzerpretations, to espial& therm as they suggest themselves to me. These elections have been regarded is two points of view, the last entir.ly pees nal. There have been, since the commence. meat of this discussion, too many personalities uttered at this tribune : I will not adopt Buell a course. I must, however, he allowed to say one word. Yesterday M. Thiele said he was astonished to me me in this place, if I carried back my recollections for some yean. If anything astonishes me; it is to see M. Theirs here ; and if I carry back my recollections for tome years, I am the more astonished to ons him here professing the opinions Is does. I psis to quietens more serious. A certain sense has been wished to be given to the adoption of ray nava* on the list of the elected of the 10th of March. This is a delicate question to dircuss before you. You wish to know the truth ; it is sometimes painful to bear it bat as you have desired it you shall bear the whole truth. I have 'weight to speak of the events of the lath May, or of the insurrection of June, but I tau a eight to 'peak of the ousegneeou of these events. Mk 'Main that after the insurrection of June, the rights and the liberty et the cilium were supended—that temporally the wens of justice was suspended. This was mond on the pound of neesmity ; this excuse of necesearthe eountly brought to believe, but is meat Imre been surprised that the necessity did not usu. Toe fist need of tke country was to protest fa favour of the sentiments of sight and liberty, which shentlet be the basis of ell authority. The country was astonished that it was continued to be de prived of this. precious guarantees founded on a necesity which could only be appealed to for an exceptionel fact. It is against this suppres4on of guarantees that the electors de sired to protest when they voted for me. They did not ask whether is June 1 had been before or behind the bar ricades. A Voice on the Big ht , — On which side were you M. Da ?Lorre — That question I ruler to those who seat me Din, By what right no you ask on which aids of the barricades I was ? If you do not know solar as it concerns me you do not know more as to those who are still detained end who an involved in the same uncertaisty. I am here the representative of those whom yon consider es guilty, of those whom you hold as innocent, of those, is short, of whom you know nothicg. lam here to, protest in the name of justice. You have thought fit to suspend the rights that :publfic opinion considers as necessary to all the guarantees of liberty ; for a time the country might aooept this irregular position, but it will ultimately insist on its being abandoned for a reeular position. A sense has been wished to be given to the elections of the 10.1 a of March aid 28th of April. It has been said that this election was • wen gsr which it was resolved to oppose by all meths. A Voles on the Hight.—By ell legal mesas. M. DE FLorre —There is a greet misfortune of which our country has been constantly the victim ; it is the spirit of resistance of the government against public opinion. In whet is passing at this moment for the country, for you, and for us, the socialists, as you call us; we seek a 'sub— sist absolute truth—the country dose not think so, and it abandons us. Yon wise to make it believe in a dark future, in the overhrow of society ; but to prove your position, in stead of facts you only adduce causes of alum in these Causes of alarm it does not believe, and it comes to us. (Asset to the Left.) Instea+l of thus alarming the people you ought to endeavour not to give pretext to alarms ; you ought to endeavour to adopt its legitimate, reuonable, and acceptable desires. Is geceral the great majority of the people is peaceable, it is sufficiently satisfied with the present; it isnot, as it has been represented, impatient of the future ; it fears at once both what it has too well known and what it des not yet know. (General marks of approba tion.) That which I hope of you, gentlemen—of you, the majority of this Assembly—is that you will to; allow the country to throw itself into the ex treme opinion; that which it expects of you is to study its sentiments, it wants, Its wishes—in short, to govern it, and not to leave it wearied, at het to throw itsel f into de structive courses. You have said, the time is for us ; but do you think that the time dots not modify our ideas as it tom yours? Do you think that we de not study the opi n i on of the nation? Do you think that we do not see the bar riers it opposes to us ? Do you think- that we are ready to throw ourselves on it as on a prey, and that it will allow itself to be devoured ? No, gentlemen, no ! Thu* are bug bears that are raised to deceive yes, which you would never conjure up yourselves. (Assent to the Left.) It has been said, also, that wo seek the government, What could we do with it ? You are in a position on which you have not sufficiently reflected. You have the power, with settled opinions, with ideas and projects peed.. termitic d, and you would compel their adoption. Allow me to say that this is not to undentend the part of the National Assembly. Our place—reercsentatives of the people—ft in the country ; it is wherever titers is a want to inquire into or to satisfy, a progress to realize, a pledge of benefit to give —our place is everywhere. I repeat it is not in the On , vernment. itc.pect public Opinion, and you will see it confined within its legifircaie lien's—order and legality. (Lout and lorg approbateu on the Left--tontinued inter. motion.) If I speak thus, it is here in the midst of 'the national represent ier, in the midst of the people. I am not ahowed here to be a party man. lien, I am, not of Paris—l am not for those only who have returned me, I am for all the electors, for the whole coubtrt That which I should speak of to you here, that which Ishou!el solicit you to de, is cot that which I wish, is not that which I thick. Here I must speak of that which may be useful t the country, I must no that which may be profitable to it. I am here, we are all here, to learn the opinion of the country, and to cause it to be carried into effect. Yes, public opinion is seemed from the existing government; it tends to throw it into an extremity. You do not wish this, bat you do not take the means to prevent it. As you peme. vers in your count, an inverse action takes place ; thus this ' unhappy country, bandied between systems it will not accept, cannot find the rest it is gasping to attain. War has;been spoken of et this tribune. Assuredly, if we stood alone, w,. end our piety, with pleasure, with joy, I would reply by the cry of war; for between us I know there is no cone lis'ion possible, and it is wherifne the country, the crinstitutioa place theist elvese between these two extremes. If you commence a war, it will not be only a was of Ronal, it will be a war of the Pope, a war of catholicity, a war of the sovereignty of a hook arainst the sovereignty o' the people. How many were there who desired the war of Rome who did not know that it would result in the re-entry of the Poo, without ausrantee., euel in putting all as before in question. Yes elonialembert was quite right: between us and him and hie there can be neither truce nor repose ; but when the country wants peace, is it for him first to descend into the arena ? Is it for him to spread abroad alums of which be avails himself to attach the country to him because he knows it would never side with him again of its own accord. There are in iicatione by welch the public opinion may be known, endeavour to lay hold of them, whenever jou pass a false judgment oe the sovereign public opinion the sovereign will judge you itself. Allow me to recall to your recollection an occurrence. On the 19th Eleptemb-.r, 1849, M. Fallnex pri nounced tome remarkable words within these walls. He stood forth as the opponent of the Constituent A‘sambly, and asked what power, what authority unquestionable dwelt to urivenial suffrage;? That tarty which then refused to touch universal suffrage new attacks it because the r suit has turned against it. With such sentiments there can only he struggles, obstinacy, and differences in the government, and general ignorance of justice and truth. (Approbation on V.. Let.) General Cavaignac, Ccquerel, M. Cone, and M. Ferdinand do Laateyrie, lesterday presented the &Hosing amendment to the Electoral Law The electoral domicile shell he established by the real residence in the commune in which the citizen shall have satisfied the laws of recruiting for the army and navy. This domicile then, however, be transferred to any commune in which the citizen may have fixed his principel establish ment, subject to his making six months before the revision of tee electoral list the double declaration prescribed by article 104 of the Civil Code. The Committee on the Electoral Bill met yelterday before the sitting, and decided upon admitting no amendment which tended to weaken the Efficiency of the law. The Patrie protests against members being slowed to derelap amendments, as in that csse the discussion will last to the middle of June. Last evening, on it becoming known in the Passage de l'Opera that the first article of the Electoral Law had been voted, the Five per Cents. rose t 4) 91 ; they afterwards fell to 90.75, at which price they closed. To-day there has hem little done. The tenth having been offered at 90 75,_rose to 90 85. • The recall of Lord Normsuby was reported as dtfi. lively arrangcd. SPAIN. Letters of the 21st, from Madrid, state that the French envoy had had a conference with the Presi dent of the Council, and another with the Miiister of Foreign Affairs. The recall of M. Drouyn de l'Huys had excited much sensation. M. lsturitz will set oat for London on the 23rd. ITALY. ROMAN STATES. ROME, MAY 18. I have to inform you of a moat flagrant violation of the respect which is due by courtesy, if not by right, to the British flag and arms in every part of the world, and which has hitherto been observed even in this city, throughout its various periods of anarchy, war, and foreign occupation. The domicile of Signor Ercole, secretary to the British consulate, was in vaded and forcibly entered by the ebirri last night, in spite of the most energetic protestations and remon strances of his wife and family. The facts are as follow: Signor Ercole is a highly respectable person, who has for many years tilled the situation of can cediere, or first clerk of the consulate, and has been on several occasions authorised by the British govera mint to act as pro-consular agent, in the absence of Mr. Freeborn, in which capacity he was de facto re cognised by the Papal authorities, insomuch that he frequently transacted business with them, and once had the honour of waiting upon his Holiness himself, to compliment him officiallyas being the only ackoow lodged representative of the Mash government then in Rome. Daring the late disturbances Signor Ercole took the precaution of having an escut cheon with the British arms placed over the door of his private residence, whilst his diploma, as can calliere, was framed and hung up in the entrance hall, in order that be might enjoy that protection which the British government is supposed to afford to every one engaged in her military, diplomatic, or consular service. Last night. however, at half-peat ten o'clock, whilst he was absent from home, a capo-sbirro, or police agent, with four carbinesrs, knocked at the door, and on the servant's inquiring from within, in the Roman fashion, " Chi e t"(" Who'd there P") re plied, "The police, open immediately." The servant called her mistress, and then unclosed the door, taking the precaution to place a safety chain, which prevented it from opening more than a few inches. The Signora Ercole, being thus enabled to parley with the enemy through the aperture, informed the - sbirri that her husband was at a liiend's boast sCi ~Z.; ing the evening, and that t h e h ope d that they t..'" intend to violate :he r e sp ec t d ue to his charatter British etraptoye, or the reverenre which the B r i t i.: arms ought to inspire, by foreiely entering his in his absence. The capo-abirrn very inicltc,l - that he acted by order of the goverchi tnt f -- that the government reverenced no one. The ken; then entreated him to refer the augu r ' least to the British consul, and obtain at authorisation before offering such an:insult to his tary. This the &Niro rehtsed in very 4rJis trc; saying that he did not cars ad— for th e n. 4 14 „' his secretary either, and con c l u d e d b y thrus•L ' pistol into' brow ou t aperture of the d oor , aid thrt „,; - er, to .ow ou the brains of any one who sheald , his entrance. The fright of the Sigher a this ruffian's menaces, and her disgust at It:, al;:iTse language, may bt easily imagined. Ste immsild,,, ! had the door opened, de c l ar i ng t h at she by no es s. ' .; intended to oppose such a display of fora', at le same time, that she ccold not avoid protesting s o w the abase of it. The sbirro,having d fa,. I carbineers as sentries in the hall and ki•chtti, them, with strict injunctions to all ow no one to ;,a,; e the h ouse; so that the Signora Ercole wax call some of her neighbours fr„m the ,„4 request them to go and summon her huabloi lio loo' no time in returning, erd found M-. Freeborn know the state of affairs ; „ , entrance was already effected, it ve-ui the c • opinion that nothing could be done until t'.c r, r- - , The whole family were thus kept ir. a sta., tion and uncertainty until the o'clock Chit. when the Judge Mariani, one of the cardia .1 • lieutenants, made his appearance with :el armed with bludgeons and pietas, sad •Ee intention of examining the premses. Having concluded his hal:lces labours Sig. !`. recoaantJuded Sig. Ercole to keep the matter es. , ) to make no publicity about it, but to pay avi , CirLan el Vicar in the course of the day, t ht doubtless have some questions to put to with this sapient piece of advise Le at.il hi, 1:: r - -;. dons withdrew. NAPLES. NAPLE-, The Neapolitan government is singularic ). ite imitatieu of everything that is d's!erne- t, a• and app essive in its Austrian ally. The ~ confiscation has commeneed here, as in llu• L imburly. and under mere aggravated c . •.. 7:7! Withent trial and wilt •ut the u.uel it egt • some 16 or 16 Neapolitsu fmi!.es, which are now political exiles, have nett v. front the police authorities that they are n rxaet rents from th►ir tenants, the latt.) equally commanded to hard over the wool 0 government. This is carrying out the pr• Of crashing and crippling the clnsti'ution every possible means—by threats, imprisonic, der, and false accusations of the paid govern-. The reactionary triumph in France and C. )7:- blinded the Neapolitan carnarilla to the public retribution, and the acts of govern working out a policy which does rot app. a! cipato a future. Me ors the King ci.nti shu' himself up at Casert!, surrounded by 'rn. I should imagine perfectly lip -rant of current of indignation whin: will ruturcd::. bre.k forth with a violence in prup..rnon t sent restraint. The trial of political off Mere in the ; belonging to the "United Italia! s," has money!, and the lair enurtd, unable • , istcnee of this terrible sect, have b-e.: literate many, emicentrating the g '- ranee on the leading men in each d . tog a continued imprisonment for tt ther proofs can be produced." Such was of the whole of the trials throughout laroro, avery important disteict of the r . military rule has entirely effaced thority. The Neapolitan army is daily increa.•• , am told, the formation of a n ilitary c •. reigned' to supply the Swiss regiments ,‘; and 1f452, will become rebels in the eye, . government if they contirue to Scree • Naples. Even tow the recruits arr..: • enns:nt cf their government, an•t are Neapolitan agents in Switzerland. The French, contrary to treaty, ar anchor nine ships of war in the port. i government is on excellent terms w. that be. The squadron is expecting e: • hear nothing of their sailing from N. contrary, I believe the French governn.:t to keep the crews as far away from Frar at the present moment. Nt. Rayneval for Rome. The American squadron is prepar4 t r expeettd to return to Naples ag,in in a !a The Sr. Lawrence (frigate) will _ amicable and extensive interchange of . • taken place between the officers of the the English inhabitants of Naples, ace 1..1' the very best feeling on both sides. Her , steamer Spiteful is the only English shipof war the bay. It isgencrally believed in Naplts that A Parker's squadron will pay us a visit ; perhaps be necessary to do so if our Sicilian claims a:. paid. The French were paid long since, by s unmistakable intention not w put up with th.:! litau delay which always occurs in finance. SeapliLan Fives, 97i ; Exchange cn 1. asked. LOMBARDY. M. Carlini, the ce:ebrated as:ronomer of the Ohtercatory at 31iinn, announcts the Jlit,ut Gazt!e, dated the 16th inst.. tl a received a circular addressed by M. &Mira., the astronomers of Europe, announciu4 of a now telescopic comet by M. Petciset. servatory of Alton on the Ist of tlt s r inviting them to search for it, he 01.1. .. succeeded in obta:uing throe ob. ervatioi.t 11th, 12:h, and 13th inst., the element, states as follows : 51cAu Time Right .1 , 011492. 11th 9h. 311 u. 255. 25:dcg. lam. i.. 12th 9 51 24 25t1 39 39 1310 19 9 54 25a 39 35 10 39 31 2.3 32 3s; A correspondent of the Milan 0.::. - Genoa that some activity is perceptib:. that several vessels are fitting out, .1...1 has been reinforced. GERMANY. PRUSE.I.k. 13E111.7N •: It will be readily understood thlt Tab •• is to-day devoted solely to the attempt r ..• day on the life of his . Majesty. ..n • : facts of the case was communicated Tes,r,'...: little more has become known ; l'Ut accounts it is perfectly clear that r: • tires have had nothing whatever to du NI itli The attempted murderer is, and has bet time, insane. An examination of the prisoner wai instituted yesterday, while Le ri mauled a. minus; but, so far as is knowr. not'' ••-• from it tending to compromise other ver T. 3. Prince of Prussia, who was to have le:L evening for Warsaw, has postponed hisdefai: . consequence of this event, until Saturday •a morrow). The ultra-reactionary journals& tate to ascribe political motives to the Ilt:t:TIti; even connect with it the arrest of serera. • ••• the democratic party, which took pease y„ The real cause of their arrest use centaur , yesterday's letter: how little connexion v. ni• the attempted assassination of his May-7 deduced from the fact that they were ri•lc•. ,, morning without an examination. Th! rumours are in circulation. T . :O King to iMild been warned by lettere from London. rce..r. days ago, that an attempt would be mad!. • 1 . 4 Other equally improbable stories readily find among the absolutist party. Bulletins issued this morning stated ilia; !a Jssty had pawed a quiet night, there is 113 fever. NOON..M In the course of yesterday afternoon became feverish; the wound, which had oke•-• very painful, and a natural sloughing onion... Hie Majesty slept quietly, and the lever i• diminished ; the local symoonei are favoural''' The &data Anzieger publishes the followiti , net order: In cae the wound in my right arm .hou!.l Ilona eating my signature to any dveunienis wd bito