The Press. — London, England, 1855-08-11 00:00:00

754 LIMITED LIABILITY. This bill was read a second time in the Lords on Monday. It was necessary for the purpose to sus pend the standing order, and on this motion a dis cussion took place, both as to the propriety of the suspension and the merits of the bill. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said that there was plenty of time to dis cuss the bill, which was one of undoubted urgency. Lord REDESDALE could not see why the House of Commons had not sent them the bill earlier, and thought that the subject might well stand over, the Privy Council granting charters of limited liability in the meanwhile. Earl GREY said that so important a principle should be more deliberately considered. Lord ST. LEONA.RDB argued against the bill itself, be lieving that sufficient means of forming companies with limited liability existed at present, though with restrictions, while without restrictions it would be serionsly detrimental to the community; and Lord MONTEAOLE said that, in its present shape, the bill would establish bubble companies. On the other hand, Earl GRANVILLE explained, from the course of business in the Commons, how it happened that the bill was so long delayed, and the Loan CHANCELLOR said that, unless a more liberal view was taken of the question of urgency, a dange rous blow would be struck at the Constitution. The suspension was carried by 38 to 14. The second reading passed without a division, and almost without discussion. The bill passed through com mittee on Thursday amid considerable opposition, and with several alterations. LEASES OF SET PLED ESTATES BILL. This bill was given up by the Government on Thursday, on the failure of their attempt to introduce a clause prohibiting Chancery from sanctioning leases when Parliament had already refused its consent. The clause had reference to the inclosure of Hampstead-heath ; and after some discussion, in which the postponement of the bill until next session was urged on all sides, the Solicitor- General and Sir G. Grey withdrew it. CHANCERY DESPATCH OF BUSINESS BILL. This bill, in its progress through committee on Thursday, met with some strong objections from Sir J. GRAHAM, who said that the appointment of junior clerks without providing an additional judge was beginning at the wrong end. The discussion, taken at the morning sitting and interrupted by the hour, was adjourned until Friday. NEWSPAPER POSTAGE TO THE COLONIES. Mr. WILSON, on Thursday, stated that the Post master-General had made a proposition, to which the Treasury had agreed, permitting unstamped newspapers to pass free to the colonies and foreign countries if a single adhesive stamp were affixed to them. BEER BILL. This bill was read a second time in the Lords on Monday. It was necessary for the purpose to sus pend the standing oidel, and the suspension was opposed by Lord REDESDALE, who contended that there was no case made out for the violation of so useful a rule, and that the Commons' committee which bad reported in favour of an alteration of the law had only done so as a compromise, and had had no time for prosecuting the proper inquiries. It was also opposed by the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, who said that many peers had left town on the strength of the standing order. The suspension was, however, allowed by 25 to H. The measure has since been carried through its subsequent stages and passed. LrvErtroot. letters announce the failure of Messrs. Latham, Brothers, in the Buenos Ayres trade, with liabilities for 78,000/. CANNONS of the invention of Colonel Cavell', of the Artillery, of terrible power, have been sent from Turin to the Crimea. The cannon is rifled, and of an unusually long range. The ball, which is of large calibre, is of conical form, and has a point in steel ; it is, besides, made hollow, in order to be filled with powder, and is supplied with a percussion cap to light the powder. There are few obstacles which can rebist the steel point of this ball, and any object that it meets with causes the percussion cap to go off, and the projectile to burst into fragments. THE ASHURST ESTATE, lately in the occupation of Mr. Strahan the banker, was on Monday sold at the auction-mart. The property is situated at Dorking, and comprises 682 acres of arable, meadow, wood, and ornamental land ; the mansion, " having every requisite for a nobleman or gentleman's seat," terraces commanding extensive views, three farm homesteads, besides farm houses; the land•tax was redeemed and a portion of the estate was free from great tithes. An offer of 15,0001. was made, and after an active competition it was knocked down to the mortgagee for 27,0001. At the conclusion of the sale, the auctioneers offered the lease of the Headly Farm Estate, which was adjoining the above property, with the right of shooting over 1,062 acres of land, the pur chaser of the above estate having the option of taking it without competition, provided he accepted the sum proposed. This was also sold to the mortgagee. THE PRESS. REVIEW OF THE SESSION. TIM session which will probably be brought to a close on Tuesday next, has, like that of its immediate predecessor, been emphatically of a warlike character; and measures of a purely social nature, have given way before the imperious necessities of a war policy. Amongst the most prominent of the measures brought forward with a view to social improvement were those con nected with education. The English Education Bills, propounded respectively by Lord J. Russell and Sir J. Pekington, are to be referred to a committee, and the Scotch measure, after many combats, passed the Commons only to be ignominiously rejected in the Lords, by the exemplary majority of $6 to 1. The Irish Tenant Right Bill and the Cambridge University Bill were likewise sacrificed; and many other measures, have been forced into the limbo of uncompleted projects. The Royal assent has, however, been given to several Acts, amongst which may be classed the bill for enabling the militia to serve abroad, that for the enlist ment of foreigners, and for concluding a convention with Sardinia, the Newspaper Stamp Duties Bill, the North American Fisheries Bill, the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill, the Friendly Societies, the Bills of Exchange and Promis sory Notes, the Public Libraries and Museums, the Limited Liability, and the Amended Beer Bills. Amongst the more notable events to be recorde d are the change of Administration from the hands of the Earl of Aberdeen to those of Lord Palmerston, the resignation of office twice by Lord J. Russell, the visit of the Emperor and Empress of the French ; the death of the Emperor Nicholas, of Lord Raglan, and of Joseph Hume; the with drawal of the Peelite party from the Administration, and the accession to the Cabinet of Sir Benjamin Hall, and Mr. Vernon Smit'l ; the steady ascent up the steeps or official life of Mr. Bouverie, and the acceptance of office by Sir R. Peel, Sir Cornewall Lewis, and Mr, Lowe. In the course of the session the Government have been worsted upon numerous occasions, but the Opposition have certainly shown no unfriendly spirit and no niggard band in contributing the " Ways and Means " which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has thought necessary for the purpose of the war. Parliament having assembled on the 12th December, 1854, the House of Commons will have sat since that period upon 143 days, extending over 985 hours, while the Lords will have sat upon IU7 days, extending over 242 hours; the average duration of the daily sittings of the Commons, therefore, is not quite seven hours each, and of the Lords about two hours and a quarter each. The sit tings past midnight have been unusually numerous, and make us fear that Brotherton has been sleeping at his post. Legislation has been carried on by the Commons on one hundred hours after midnight, adding upwards of a fort night of seven-hour days to the session. The Lords have only sat two hours past midnight. There have been two "no houses " during the session, and the counts-out have been nine in number; but several of these have been of sheer exhaustion, at late hours in the morning. Members would confer a greater benefit on the country than they imagine, probably, if they would more frequently exercise the privilege of moving a " count," and thus provide against the transaction of important business by less than forty members. It is a good constitutional safeguard which should be invariably brought into use when there are less than forty members in the house. The total num ber of divisions in the Commons has been 210, and in the Lords 13. The greatest number of divisions in any one day took place upon the 28th of June, when there were no less than ten, of which nine were upon the Tenants' Com pensation (Ireland) Bill, a measure which, after consu ming much valuable time, was withdrawn. DECENIIIER 1854. 12. Parliament called together thus early and opened by the Queen in person, in order that by its assistance her Majesty might take such measures as mould enable her to prosecute the war with the utmost vigour and effect. The Address, which was moved in the House of Lords by the Duke of Leeds and seconded by Lord Ashburton, and moved and seconded in the Commons by Mr. H. Herbert and Lord Leveson Gower, was agreed to in both houses without an amendment. Long and interesting debates took place upon the aspects of the war and the position of the country. 13. Lord Palmerston brought on the Militia (Service Abroad) Bill, and it was read a first time. 14. The Duke of Newcastle moved the second reading of the Enlistment of Foreigners bill, and, after a long and important debate, it was read a second time. In the Commons Mr. Hildyard put a question with reference to the loss of the Prince, which elicited an answer from Sir J. Graham. 15. Votes of thanks to the allied armies and navies moved in the Lords by the Duke of Newcastle, and in the Commons by Lord J. Russell, and seconded in each house SATURDAY ) by the leader of the Opposition. The Foreign Enlistment Bill went through committee, notwithstanding powerful speeches against it by the Earls of Ellenborough and Derby. The numbers were —contents, 55; non•contents, 43. In the Commons a little suarring took place between Mr. Layard and Mr. H. Drummond. 18. The Foreign Enlistment Bill, which was again strongly opposed by the Earls of Derby and Ellenborough, and supported by the Duke of Newcastle, the Marquis of Lansdowne, and Earl Granville, passed the Lords in an amended form. The Militia (Service Abroad) Bill in committee in the Commons. Lord Drumlanrig brought up her Majesty's answer to the Address. 19. The Militia Bill passed the Commons, and was in troduced into the Lords. Lord J. Russell moved the second reading of the Foreign Enlistment Bill, upon which Sir B. Lytton moved that that stage should be taken this day six months. A long debate ensued, in which the most prominent speakers were Mr. M. Gibson, Mr. S. Herbert, Lord Stanley, Lord Palmerston, and Mr. Disraeli. The second reading was carried by the rather narrow majority of 241 against . 402. 20. A discussion upon savings-banks took place in the Commons. A debate, which was at length adjourned, en sued upon the motion for going into committee on the Foreign Enlistment Bill. 21. The Militia Bill, which was debated but not opposed, went through the stages of second reading and committee in the Lords. The Earl of Hardwicke put questions as to the exchange of vessels with the Prussian Government and the state of Bulaklava Harbour. The Commons got into committee on the Foreign Enlistment Bill, and the first five clauses were agreed to. 22. The Militia Bill passed the Lords. The Chancellor of the Exchequer made a brief statement as to the tea duty. The Foreign Enlistment Bill passed the Commons after a long debate, Sir E. Dering's amendment to read it this day six months being lost by 173 to 1315. The speakers included Mr. Cobden, Sir E Perry, Lord J. Russell, Sir J. Pakington, and Mr. Bright. 23. The Royal assent was given to the Foreign Enlist• ment Bill and the Militia Bill, and both houses adjourned for a month. JANUARY, 1855. 23. The Lard Chancellor read a letter from Admiral Dundas in acknowledgment of :he vote of thanks. The Duke of Richmond introduced the subject of medals to the Crimean army. In the Commons Lord J. Russell, in reply to Mr. Layard, explained the present state of the negotiations for peace. Sir B. Hall brought in his two sanitary measures. 24. The Speaker read a letter from Lord Raglan acknoaw ]edging the thanks of the house. 25. The Lord t.'hancellor read a letter from Lord Raglan on the same subject, inclosing one from General Canro bert. The Duke of Newcastle in their Lordships' House, and Mr. Hayter in the Commons, announced the start ling, though not altogether unexpected, intelligence of Lord J. Russell's resignation of the office of Lord President of the Council. 26. The Earl of Aberdeen made a statement with refer- ence to the resignation of Lord J. Russell. Earl Grey made some inquiries relative to the withdrawal of the 12th and 91st Regiments from the Cape ; and the Earl of \Vinchelsea put a question as to the position of the news• paper correspondents with the army in the East. Lord J. Russell made a lengthened personal explanation, in which he was followed by Lord Palmerston. Mr. Roebuck then brought on his motion for a committee upon the conduct of the war, which led to a most interesting debate ulti mately adjourned. 29. Earl Grey, in an able speech, brought under review the conduct of the War Department, which led to a debate, in which the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Hardinge, and the Earl of Ellenborough, shared. The adjourned debate in the Commons resulted in the defeat of the Go vernment by the overwhelming majority of 8115113 148. FEBRUARY. 1. The Earl of Aberdeen in the Lords, ani Lord Pal merston in the Commons, formally announced the resigna tion of Ministers. The Duke of Newcastle made a long exculpatory speech, and retaliated with some success the attack made upon him by Lord J. Russell in the other house. 2. The Speaker conveyed to Sir De Lacy Evans the thanks of the Commonsof England for his zeal, intrepidity, and distinguished exertions in the general actions against the enemy in the Crimea. 5. Lord J. Russell rejoined upon the Duke of New- castle's defence, and after a comment by the Chancellor of the Exchequer the house adjourned. O. Sir G. Grey announced that Lord Palmerston was engaged in the formation of a Government. A good deal of impatience was expressed at the delay in not bringing the Ministerial crisis to a close. S. In the Lords Earl Granville, the new President of the Council, made a Ministerial statement, in which he was succeeded by the Earl of Derby, the Marquis of Lana downe, the Earl of Malmesbury, and Lord Panmure. Adjourned for a week. H. The Commons adjourned till the 18th inst. 18. Parliament reassembled, and a discussion took place in the Lords upun the state of the army, which was initiated by the Earl of Ellenborough. Lord Panmure brought in a bill enabling enlistment for abort periods. Letters were read in reply to the vote of thanks to the navy. Lord Palmerston, as Premier, made a Ministerial statement, in which lie was followed by Mr. Disraeli and others. Sir James Graham moved the Navy Estimates in committee, and the case of Sir C. Napier was brought upon the lapis. 19. Mr. Layard addressed the house at some length upon the present political aspect of public affairs, Be