The Press. — London, England, 1853-05-28 00:00:00

Pr W~ • , VDMaI. Taz Docinrasa INQuIRY has at length terminated a report, which ttse committee have laid before the • as the result of %heir protracted labours. The whereon they wtgre commanded to pursue laseediettoos are dividtd in tho document into four Beads : 1. As to the circumstances tinder which 4. ,t reu t or silt i, t o the Superintendents of her Majesty's Doelayaram, thaw! septemher 21$, 1849, was cancelled on the 19th of April, IM2, sinew soy order or minute of the board. U. To inquire into the circumstances under which at letter ad d by Sir Baldwin Walker to Mr. Stafford, as Se.tretary to Oil Admiralty, in which letter Sir Baldwin Walker tendered his rilignation u Surveyor of the Navy, was withheld front the ZilTo investigate the circtuntabutces connoted with the at ent of Mr. James Wells as master smith hi the dockyard at Portsmouth, the subsequent canc,elling thereof, and the ap pointment of Mr. George l'obiell iu lair mead. IV. Generally to inquire into the exercise of the influence and patronage of the Admiralty in the dockyards and Government departments cemented with the several parliwnentary boroughs. On these several heads the commieee recapitulate at considerable length the substance of the evidence given by the various witnesses examined before them. They observe that the patronage relinquished by the cir cular of February, 1847, issued while Lord Auckland was First Lord of the Admiralty, was solely the pa tronage of promotions, and that the board had not surrendered their right of making the first appoint ments. The report then alludes to the circumstances which occurred after the accession of Lord Derby's t iovernment, with reference to promotions in the stockyards, and the complaint of Mr. Stafford, that great dissatisfaction was felt by his political friends as to the system of appointments, on the ground that the patronage was distributed among their political opponents. The result was, that on the sth of April Sir B. Walker, the Surveyor, had an interview with Mr. Stafford at the Admiralty, when the subject was warmly discussed. The report then refers to the statement of Sir B. Walker, that Mr. Stafford observed to him, "It is of no use blinking the (ideation ; I am so pressed by Lord Derby and the Chancellor of the Exchequer that I cannot help myself;" and remarks that Mr. Stafford said that, though he could not speak as to the precise words used at the interview, no pressure had been put upon him either by Lord Derby or the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that what he had meant was the pressure put upon him by the members of his party. A rumour of this evidence having reached Lord herby and Mr. Disraeli, they attended the meetings of the committee, and denied having pressed Mr. Stafford on the subject of patronage, or used language which could be construed into an indication of a desire to use such pressure. On this point the rota mittee remark that there was a material difference between the assertions of Sir B. Walker on the one hand and Mr. Stafford on the other, as to the precise words which had been used at the interview. Ad verting then to the correspondence between Mr. Stafford and Captain Richards respecting the ap pointment of Mr. Ridgway to Chatham obwkyard, the report states that the committee had been in formed by Mr. Stafford that he had made that appointment on the representation of Sir Frederic Smith, then a candidate for the representation of Chatham, that Mr. Ridgway had been passed over on account of his political opinions, and acting under the impression that Captain Richards was a violent political partisan. The committee report that , in making this appointment. Mr. Stafford did so in opposition to the views of the intmediate superior of the subject of it, and without consulting the Surveyor of the Navy. and that there were no grounds whatever for his impression of Captain Itiehards's character. With regard to the cancelling of the circular of 'IRMO, Mr. Staftbrd stated that he had reason to believe that that circular lied been issued on the sole authority of the Secretary of the Admiralty. and be informed the Duke of Northumberland that 1w believed he was justifies' in rescinding an order so made. It appeared to be satisfactorily shown, in the opinion of the committee. that the circular issued on the 19th of April. Igsl, which cancelled Sir F. Baring's circular of 1849. was issued with the consent of the Fist Lord of the Ailmiralt, given under an assurance front the Secretary of the Admiralty that the power of issuing such a circular belonged to the secretary. The sanction, therefore, of the First. Lord was given in ignorance. and bet Ore an activate opinion could he formed of Cie propriety of rescind ing the order of Sir F. Baring. The committee had endeavoured to obtain information as to whether the enter of 0449 had been honestly carried out, and in reference to this point the superintendents examined stated that they had perfect confidence in the im partiality of the surveyor's department, and that they believed the order of 11449 to be an improvement on the previous practice. There was another important thing to be considered. namely, whether the officers who conducted the examinaC s had invariably per formed that duty with impartiality? I itt this subject the committee received conflicting evidence, and Mr. stated that he had been influenced by reports THE PRESS. respecting the manner in which the principal officers of the dockyards had executed their duty in this respect ; but he declined to mention the names of his in formants, on the ground that it might lie irkinrions to them, and stated viiat he bad himself endeavoured to remedy the injustice. The committee were of opinion that if Mr. Stafford entertained suspicions of such a nature respecting the conduct of the dock yard officers, and WM induced on this account to have the order of 1M49 cancelled, he would have been doing no noire than his duty. the the whole, how ever' the committee are unable to discover any facts which justified the issue of the circular of the 19th of Atiril, 1552, cancelling the order of 1549. The committee felt it due to the Surveyor of the Navy to say that nothing had been stated in evidence before them which cast the least suspicion on the integrity of the conduct of tiir 11. Walker. _ . _ Respecting the ciremnstances under which the letter of Sir It. Walker of the 21st of April, t45►2, to Mr. Stalibrd, resigning his office, had disappeared, the evidence given by the several parties concerned is largely entered into in the report, and the points shown h► which their statements disagreed, but no opinion expressed on the subject. ►Pith regard also to the cancelling of the appointment of Wells to the smithery at. Portsmouth and the appointment of Cotsell in his stead, the report enters into a full statement of all the points connected with it, and the committee leave it to the house to form its own opinion. Adverting to the general results arising front the order of the 111th of April, POW, the committee be lieve that the superintendents who were examined were justified in saying that those results had been detrimental to the interests of the public service. Officers of the highest honour and of distinguished abilities stated that they had observed the course of the appointments which succeeded to that order with feelings of dismay, and even of disgust. The Duke of Northumberland undoubtedly had the ps►wer to cheek such improper proceedings, but his grace had surrendered a portion of the patronage to the Secre tary of the Admiralty, and although it was only right to state that no fault, could be found with those ap poiutments which had proceeded from the I►nke of Northumnl►erland himself, yet the committee express their• opinion that the head of each department of the public service must be held responsible fin• the system of patronage acted upon throughout his department. The committee I►ave restricted their investigations to the proceedings subsequent to the issuing of the order of 1847, when a new era might be said to have commenced ; in previous years it was admitted that corrupt. practices prevailed in the dockyards. The committee also limit their report to the question of dockyard patronage, and are unwilling to pronounce any opinion on the general subject of patronage by the Board of Admiralty. With regard to Mr. Statti►rd, the committee are of opinion that he had acted in ignorruce of much that he should have known, that he had sought, counsel from no one, that he had dis regarded all precedents, and had rendered nugatory the regulations of the Admiralty. After some re marks on the importance of the system under which labour in the dockyards is employed, and the conse quent necessity ter economy, and the impartial promotion of meritorious servants, the report con cludes with a suggestion that future changes in the regulations of the Admiralty should be submitted to Parlitunent without any delay. THE Queen has appointed the Ear) of Hm Nom to be Keeper of the Great Seal, mull Lord Patimure to be Keeper of the Privy Seal, for the kingdom or Sent land. Lord Augustus !mints, her Majesty's Secretary of Legation at Stuttgardt. is transferred toile Secre tary of Legation at. Berlin, in the roman of Henry Charles Howard, Esq., now her :Majesty's Minister to the Brazils. Mr. It. Murphy is appointed Vice- Consul at Alexandretta, in the room of Mr. W. B. Neale, appointed Consul at. the Pira A llovvt. Commissiox is shortly to 10 issued, under the lima Seal, to inquire and report upon the constitution of the city of London corporation, time only institution of the kind left untouched by the Municipal -Reform Bill. The chief eommis sioneni to whom this delicate inquiry is to be en trusted will be the Right lion. John Patteson, ex- Judge of the Court of queen's Bend); the Right lion. Henry Labouchere, M.P., formerly President of the Board of Trade ; and Mr. tieorge Cornewall Lewis. formerly M.P. for Herebirdshire. fader Seere tiwy for the Home Department, and Joint Secretary of the Treasury. Two Commcw-w. DrerrArtoxs waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Monday, one to re quest the continuance of think draft hitherto allowed at 111 V C 1144101114 oil ory vilest of tea : the other to remonstrate against the withdrawal of the promised reduction of per cent. in the duty on raisins. To • the tir4d• deputation Mr. tilmistime would promise only a short postponement in the disallowance of the draft, in order to admit of the clearance of tea bought under the former system. Dittbrent mem bers of the second deputation dwelt upon the loss of SATURDAY, the e t yma crop last year, the reappearance of the blight in the present season, the high price of the fruit., the certainty of a sufficient supply under the lower duty, and the injustice that would be done to growers, merchants. and retailers by rescinding the reduction after the lapse of a period during which it had been extensively acted upon. It was also stated that there were at the present moment in this country not less than 9,000 tons of low and damaged fruit, which at a duty of 10s. per cwt. would be taken for home consumption, but at 15s. would be re-ex ported for use in the north of Europe. If this o,otat tons of raisins (which, though of inferior quality, are perfectly fit for use) could be tempted into the English market they would yield 60,000/. to the revenue, whilst the amount surrendered by the ss. reduction upon the consumption of last year would be but 57,315/. These facts and arguments appeared to produce a strong impression upon the Chancellor, who asked that a statement might be sent him, pro mised to reconsider the subject, and said that, at all events, opportunity should be allowed for a full discussion upon the duty in the house. The depute tuna,having promised to send the facts in writing, with drew, satisfied that Mr. Gladstone had obtained a new view of the matter, and that means should be taken to bring it under the especial notice of members. Ax influential public meeting was held in the Vic toria Rooms, Bristol, on Monday, to consider the im prtant question of the future government of India. Mr. It. G. Barrow, the mayor of Bristol, presided, a number of gentlemen of local rank and influence oc cupied the platform, and Mr. Bright, attended as the representative of the Indian Reform Associa tion. Several addresses, and an elaborate statement read by Mr. Bright, resulted in the adoption of reso lutions to the following elect That the question of government of India. involving as it does the WClfitre of P.M millions of her Maienty's subjects, and the rcial interests Of two great empires, is a tmestion of vast importance. *mil one whirl' demands full inquiry and deliberation previous to auy permanent legislattbei thereon. That committees of both Houses of Parliament are now sitting, to whom have beet. referred petitions numerously signed by both the Christian and native popdations of India In nil the presidencies. alleging heavy grievances; and, therefore, it is highly desirable that the reports of the said committees be receivisi before tittering upon any proposition for the permanent settlement of the Adore go vernment .v 1 India. That to the system of government now in I' owe has been attributtsl much of the imperfect. administration of justiee, the neghs.t of public works, the insuttiviency of plice, the increvew of the public debt , the defi cienc y in the public re. ve •. the oppressive nature of WIWI of the taxes, and the gene ral poverty afflicting a large portion Of her Majesty's eastern sub jects. A petition in accordance with the ,-entiments of the several resolutions was afterwards drawn up for pre sentation to Parliament. x the week that ended last Saturday the deaths registered in London numbered 1,095, being nearly the same amount us in the previous week. Lt the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1843-52 the ave rage number was 900, which, if raised in proportion to increase of population up to the present time, would give a mortality of 090. Hence it appears that the actual number of deaths last week exceeds the estimated amount by l 0 Tile Lord Chancellor has appointed James Losh, Esq., to the judgeship of the Northumberland County Court, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. U. H. Wilkinson. THE MAttNETHI TEMiIIAPH CoMPANY effected their communication between Scotland and Ireland on Monday. when their new cable between Donaghadee and Portpatriek was successfully laid down. THE SticlETV tot: THE FItIENDS IrAtx held a meeting on Wednesday evening at the Music-hall, Store-street, under the presidency of P. A. Taylor, Esq. M. Kossuth wits upon the platform. A Novo en Ammess M H mart. Bl Eeneit STowe was presented on Wednesday evening at a ?whir held in Willis's Rooms, St. James's-street, at the instance of the British and Foreign Anti. Slavery Society. There was a crowded attendance. The room wag elegantly decorated with festoons of roses and leaves, and on a pedestal at the back of the platform was placed a bust of Mrs. stowe. beautifully exeettted by Mr. 'Bement in white marble. Mrs. Stowe, who was loudly cheered, was aceompanied by her husband, the Rev. Professor Stowe, and there were also on the platform a muul ter of ministers of religion of various denominations. Joseph Sturge, Esq., presided, in the absence of the Earl 44 Shaftesbury, from whom a letter was read, regretting his unavoidable absence, owing to an engagement at Chatham to lay the foundation of a church and to open a rag,geil school. A similar letter was read from the Earl of Carlisle. .11t1.7.txt is stated by his friends to have arrived safely in England. 1: is added that he was in Milan three months before the outbreak. his errand being known to hundreds, !mid yet his presence not betrayed. He remiit ed in that city for a month after the ins= ecti in had been suppressed, and then left. Baty in safety for London. TitE proposal to aces pt new 11 per cent. stock for the 90,000/. forming tl e Fitrwilliant Fund, and now invested in St nth Sea Annuities, has been rejected by the Senate of Camhrutge University. The votes were—Placetsp 9 ; non-Owls, 4. V