The Press. — London, England, 1858-04-17 00:00:00

374 TO CORRESPONDENTS. Whatever is Intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion. but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent front the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. , - vbt 1t) rog. LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1858. POSTSCRIPT. PRUSSIA. The powers of the Prince of Prussia, as Regent, are further prolonged for three months by royal order, under the signature 3f the King. The Prince and Princess Frederick William have left Berlin for Weimar and Gotha. RUSS R. A slight modification of the Imperial Ministry has taken place. M. Brock, Minister of Finance, retires, and is succeeded by M. Knikjevitch ; M. Noroff, Miuister of Public Instruction, is succeeded by M. Kovalewski ; and the Prince Vassiltchikoff has been nominated id interim Minister of War during the temporary retirement from ill health of General Soukhozanett. SWEDEN. A sudden and violent fire on the night of the 13th and 14th of April, destroyed the greater part of the oity of Christiana. LAST NIGHT'S DEBATE. HOUSE OF LORDS. The Customs Duties Bill - 1;;;Ing been read a second time, and some petitions presented, their lordships adjourned after a brief sitting. HOUSE OF COMMONS. COLONIAL AGENTS. Sir J. GRAHAM, correcting a statement he had made in a previous debate, confessed that he had been in error when stating that Sir James Mackin tosh bad accepted a salary as parliamentary agent for the Canadian colonists. THE CAGLIARI. Mr. HEADLAM having asked whether the opinion of the law officers of the Crown respecting the case of the Cagliari had been received, and what course the Government intended to pursue ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the question divided itself into two branches—one respect ing international law, the other relating to the legality of the imprisonment of Messrs. Watt and Park. On the former point the opinion of the law advisers of the Government was not yet delivered ; but with reference to the latter, a decided opinion had been arrived at that the incarceration of the two British subjects was altogether illegal, and a despatch had in consequence been sent to Naples demanding compensation for the wrong done to them. This statement was received with loud cheers from all parts of the house. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, addressing the ex-Premier, in quired whether be had any objection, in the present state of circumstances, to lay on the table of the house a copy of the bill for the amendment of the law relating to parliamentary representation, which had been referred to in the Royal Speech at the commencement of the session. The question of Reform was, be observed, left in a false position. Various propositions for the improvement of the representative system had been left in abeyance in oorsequence of the pledge given by the late Ministry to bring in some comprehensive measure on the sub ject, but which, though promised also in the Speech from the Throne, had never made its appearance. Ad verting to the precedent established with regard to the India Government Bill, he observed that if Lord Palmerston even now brought forward his bill the present Adminigration would also introduce a mea sure of their own, and affOrd the house an opportu• nity el selecting between the two rival propositions. Lord PALMERSTON remarked, that as the House of Commons bad terminated the existence of a Govern ment pledged to bring in a Reform Bill, the fair in h rence was that no such measure was thought desirable at present. The arrangements which his own Administration had designed to propose were not drafted into a bill, and in any case he believed Vita an impoitant a proceeding could only be advan t tgeously carried into effect by the Ministry in power. Mr. L. KING regretted that the noble lord had not at any rote enlightened the house as to the funda mental principles of his intended bill. TRADE WITH CENTRAL ASIA. Mr. W. EWART asked the Chancellor of the Exche quer whether advantage would be taken of the oppol• THE PRESS, APRIL 17, 1858. tunity afforded by the negotiations with the Chinese Government at Pekin for opening a way for British and Indian commerce into Thibet and other coml. tries under the Chinese dominion beyond the Hima laysh Mountains? Mr. DISRLELI, in reply, observed that no negotia tions were as yet pending with the Pekin Govern ment. The subject, he added, would be kept in view whenever an opportunity offered. OF INDIA. In reply to Mr. Collier, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he hoped to lay on the table on Monday next the reso lutions that would be brought forward for discussion on the 25th inst. respecting the Government of India. THE WESTERN BANK OF SCOTLAND. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr. BRADY called attention to the circumstances attending the recent failure of the Western Bank of Scotland. After recapitulating many incidents con nected with the collapse of that establishment, he expressed a hope that the directors would still be brought to justice. The LORD ADVOCATE repeated what he had before stated, that no facts had come to his knowledge which afforded any ground for criminal proceedings against the managers of the bank in question. Mr. ELLICE remarked upon the calamitous results of the failure, which was, he maintained, altogether attributable to the misconduct of the directors. He was surprised to learn that the offenders were to escape scot free. If the law really could not protect the public from such injuries, it should be properly invigorated. Mr. BLACKBURN exonerated the directors of the Western Bank from any worse offence than careless management. They had absorbed none of the share holders' or depositors' money, having themselves lost largely in the common calamity. Mr. J. D. Frrzosaamn remarked that the directors had declared a dividend of nine per cent. at a time when there was an avowed deficit of more than two millions in the funds of the bank. He thought that the circumstances demanded the strictest investiga tion. Mr. MONCRIEFF reminded the house that there was a public prosecutor in Scotland, before whom any complaint might be laid with the certainty that if crime had been committed it would be immediately prosecuted. This was the proper mode of setting justice in motion, instead of inciting a popular dis cussion in that assembly or elsewhere. The discussion was continued by Mr. P. O'Brien, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Atherton, Mr. Hope Johnstone, Mr. Cowan, Mr. Drummond, and other members. The subject was ultimately allowed to drop. THE NELSON COLUMN. Admiral WALcoTT invited notice to the present in complete state of the Nelson monument in Trafalgar. square, which still remained unfinished, notwith standing the numerous grants of public money that had been voted from time to time for its completion. After a few words from Mr. W. WHiasus, _ . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEVER confessed that the present condition of the Nelson column was most discreditable. Although the public finances were not in the most flourishing state, he should put no obstacle in the way of any proposal for effac ing this disgrace from the country, and would, indeed, himself take charge of the necessary operations. SUPPLY. The house then went into committee of supply, and the remainder of the sitting was devoted to a miscellaneous discussion upon various votes belong ing to the naval arid military estimates. The house resumed, and adjourned shortly after midnight. Conn ano laskion. Her Majesty the Queen and Court arrived in town from Windsor on Monday afternoon. Her Majesty the Queen held a Levee on Wednes day, which was very numei ously attended. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales left Windsor on Saturday last, for a tour in Ireland. Her Majesty will hold a Drawing•room on Wed nesday, the sth May. Court of St. James, arrived at Dover on Thursday afternoon, and in London the same evening. Hi, Excellency on landing at Dover was received with great warmth by upwards of 5,000 persons who had assembled to greet him on his arrival. His Grace the Duke of Richmond, K.G., Colonel of the Sussex Militia, and the Marquis of Londonderry, E.G, Colonel of the North Devon Rifles, a n d th e M arquis of Donegal, K.G., Colonel of the Royal Antrim Militia, with the commandant and officers of th e garr i son , received his Excellency. On the arrival of the cortege at the Royal Warden Hotel, the Mayor of Dover presented a congratulatory address, which WAS replied to briefly by Marshal Pelissier, who observed, "Nothing could have afforded me greater pleasure than my appointment as Ambassador to this country, and it will always be my earnest desire to preserve those cordial relations which have hitherto existed between France and England." His Excel lency left immediately afterwards for London. AN INFLUENTIAL DEPUTATION from the West Riding waited upon Lord Derby on Thursday to advocate the total repeal of the paper duty. Tie deputation was introduced by Mr. Milner Gibson. The Premier, having paid great attention to the statements contained in the memorial, and to the arguments of the different speakers, after expressing his sympathy with the deputation, said that he feared the present state of the Exchequer would not permit him to hold out hopes of repealing even a tax so obnoxious in principle, and which he should be very glad to see repealed. AT A COURT OF DIRECTORS, held at the East India. house on Thursday, the thanks of the Court were voted unanimously to Mr. Ross Donnelly Mangles, M.P., chairman, and Sir Frederick Currie, Bart., deputy-chairman, for their great application and attention to the affairs of the East India Company during the past year. A Court was also held, when the three directors who were re elected the day pre vious—viz., William Butterworth Bayley, Esq., Russell Ellice, Esq., and Henry Thoby Princep, Esq.—took the prescribed oath and their seats. Sir Frederick Currie, Bart., was chosen chairman, and William Joseph Eastwick, Esq., deouty-chairman for the year ensuing. REAR-ADMIRAL SIR H. ICEPPEL has issued an address to the electors of Portsmouth, in which he refers to a report that Viscount Monck does not. intend to be again a candidate for that borough Should that report prove true, Admiral Keppel informs the electors that he shall offer himself as a candidate upon the Liberal interest at the next vacancy, and that he shall take an early opportunity of making a fall explanation of his political views . FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. Tussdisy, April 13. BANKRUPTS. GEORGE BROWN PELHAM, Albertetreet, Camden-town, buiIder—CHARLES MtLNER, Cannon-street, to' baczonist—Thomas BLAILAND, Maidstone, grocer—WM. Jonas, East Grinstead, SUMS, innkeeper—DAVlD LOGAN DEER. QUOINS. street, Seven Dials, currier—BENJAMIN FRANCIS HALLOWELL CAREW, Little Grove.street, I Jison.grove, Paddington, cab proprietor—Thomas FRANC is, Cross-street, Islington, plasterer —ROBERT PAris, Foreit of Dean, Gloucestershire, coal owner — GEORGE SMITH, BllTOlOghltn. grocer—HENßY JOSEPH LAN. CASIHEE, Dudley, Worcestershire, sprit merchant—EDWAßD WALEs, Burstein, Staffordshire, coal master—Thos. DEEDNET, Bathfod. Somersetehire, rag merchant—BENJAMlN Hassoa, Huddersfield, cotton waste dealer GEoßos Col, 'Wrezham, Denbighshire, grocer—JAMES ARELE, Sunderland, currier — EDWARD OTTO STERN 11134 HENRY DALWAT WHITCHORCH BALD. WIN, New:isatle.upon-Tyne, merchants BEN. ARMSTRONG, Sunderland, ironmonger. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—A. CRincEsHANE, Bridge end-mills, miller—D. BAIN and J. ALLAN, Bower, shire, joiners—R. FORS/TR. Juniper-bank, near Thurso. Csith nessehlre. architect—H. FINLAY. Glasgow, house factor--R. SrsvENsoN, Old Monckton, Lanarkshire, farmer—M. WurraLaw, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, tailor—A. W. Our; r 4, Melrose, merchant — J. Dorithrs, Thurso, Caithnesssbire, farmer. Friday, April 16. BAN KRUPTC Y ANNULLED.—SAutraL BENNET'', Mai. cheater, commission agent. BA IS KRU PTS.—BOHTLI NOE and Co., Liverpool, merchants -- Wittux YORALL. A sliton-un.ler- 14 no, saddler—JOHN D. Dicimisox Hastings. draper—WlLLlAll WILD, Counter -street. Southwark, carman—JOHN PATCH, NurdlSlDpwo, grocer—Jorts T. BARRsa, Stratford, builder—TuomAs WOOSLEY, Duenden, Lancashire, cotton spinner—Sritanual BuTt.trt,CIIRISTOPHIIR BARER, and CHARLES E. Basta, Birmingham, wire-drawers — JOSEPH SULLIVAN, Bristol, tavern-keeper CHARLES 11. STEWARD, l'otitill-street, Westminster. corn merchant—Twist s TAILOR, Moddershall Mill, Stone, stafforshire, dint grinder — C Burro PH R PY BUS, Catterick, Yorkshire. spirit merchant — CHARLES WILLIAMS, Cardiff. ship smith . SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. —Hula and Co., manufae turers, Glasgow—Roesftr innkeeper—AßCHlßALD Wallt, Glasgow, wine merchant • EDWIN HART, the brother of the murdered man at Portsmouth, is still detained by the local police upon strong circumstantial grounds of guilt. The investi gation by the bench is again adjourned. THE BARBAROUS MURDER AND ROBBERY of an old couple named Bucknall, resident in Coombe-lane, about four miles from Taunton, was discovered last Wednesday. The brains of the old man had been blown out by a gun discharge, and the throat of the woman was cut fiom ear to ear. The house wee stripped of some few trinkets and 401. in gold. The grandson of the obi couple bee been *Meted on suspicion. Voilitlcal. CABINET COUNCILS were held at the official resi. dense of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Satur day and Wednesday last. The Ministers presen were—the Earl of Derby, the Lord Chancellor, the Eiul of Hardwicke, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, Mr. Secretary Walpole, the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Stanley, General Peel, Sir John Pakington, the Right Hon. W. J. Henley, and Lord John Manners. Maaaaat PELISSIER, Duke of Malakoff, and km baisador from the Imperial Court of icsuce th• i