The Sun. — London, England, 1862-02-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMEN T HOUSE OF LORDS -YESTERDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at fivo o'clock. THE EDUCATIONAL CODE. Lord BELPER presented petitions against the new educational code. _ ARRESTS OF BRITISH SUBJECTS IN AMERICA. The Earl of CARNARVON took the opportunity to correct a slight mistake he had made respecting the num ber of English subjects he had stated the other night had been arrested and confined in Fort Warren. He had stated that there were three persons, but he had since learned that one had taken the oath of allegiance to America, and therefore he had removed himself from the protection of the British Government. While he was addressing their lordships he would take the oppor tunity of asking a question of the noble earl the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, of which he had given him private 'notice. He then proceeded to allude to the arrest of Mr. Shaver, and asked whether any claim for compensation for indignity offered that gentleman in America had been de manded by the British Government ; and, also, whether there was any further correspondence, in addition to that already presented, in the hands of the Government. Earl RUSSELL said with reference to the case of Mr. Shaver, that gentleman had not claimed com pensation, and that being so, he (Earl Russell) had not claimed compensation for him from the American Government. The noble earl seemed to have overlooked that Mr. Shaver, it was said, was the medium of commu nication between the Northern and Southern pariies, and that he had also conveyed revolvers to the Con federates, Mr. Shaver had not said the charge was unfounded, and before he asked for compenea-. tion for that gentleman, he thought he ought to have satis factory evidence that the charge was at variance with the fact. If Mr. Shaver had acted in the manner described, and had given the Confederates aid, he had acted In direct contradiction of her Majesty's royal proclamation, and he had no right to ask for any compensation for the inconvenience he had suffered. As he had said before, Mr. Shaver had not made any demand for compensation, and the - assertion of the American Government remained uncontradicted. With respect to the other topics touched upon by the noble earl, no one could regret more than he did the lamentable position of affairs in America, and owing to that unhappy state of affairs the acts of the Government ought to be looked upon with great forbearance—acts which, under other circumstances, would call for remon strance and indignation from this country. Mr. Shaver had not yet demanded compensation, and therefore he did not think that he should be justified in directing Lord Lyons to take any steps in the matter, but in the event of a claim being made, satisfactory evidence would be required that he had not acted in the manner described. THE TAXING MASTERS IN DUBLIN. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE wished to ask whe ther it was intended to fill up the office of a third Taxing- Master in the Court of Chancery in Dublin; and also what progress had been made in collecting judicial statistics in Ireland ? Earl GRANVILLE was understood to say that commu nications were now passing between her Majesty's Govern ment and the Government of Ireland, in reference to the appointment of a third taxing master, and that when they had come to some decision on the subject he would state the fact to the noble marquis. With regard to the other question, a gentleman had been appointed to collect the statistics, but it was expected that they would net be com pleted until next year. The noble earl was nearly inaudi ble in the gallery. THE OFFICERS OF THE INSOLVENT DEBTORS COURT. Lord CHELMSFORD, who had a question on the paper with reference to the non-payment of the salaries, &c., of he officers of the Insolvent Debtors Court who had been transferred to the Court of Bankruptcy, under the provi sions of the Bankruptcy Act of last session, said he had given this formal notice of his question in order to call the attention of his noble and learned friend on the woolsack to it, and that he might give such an explanation as the case deserved, it being one of very great hardship on the officers referred to. Under the act of last session the Insolvent Debtors Court was abolished, and by two clauses the clerks and officers of the court were transferred to the London Court of Bankruptcy, and by two other clauses, viz., the 33d and 36th, provision was made that the salaries and allowances of the officers should be paid as under the old law—they were to receive the full amount of their salaries from the fund referred to in the Act of last session. No one could read the section to which he referred without seeing that it was the intention of the Legislature to trans fer to those transferred officers the amount of the salaries and allowances which they had previously received ; but although several weeks had elapsed since the previous quarter's payments became due, they still remained un paid. This circumstance had caused serious inconvenience, not to say suffering, to the parties and their families. He would mention two instances of the hardship which had re sulted from it. One of the officers in question incurred a debt which he agreed to pay by instalments, and thought the means he had of doing so was by receipt of his salary. Not receiving it he was unable to meet his engagement, and his creditor, not believing that it was his inability to pay, but considering that it arras from dishonesty on the part of his debtor, put an execution upon his goods. The other was the case of a man who had insured his life for the benefit of his family, and was unable to pay the pre miums in consequence of his salary not being paid, and the consequence was that his insurance dropped. Those parties were entitled to the sympathy of their lordships. (Hear, hear.) He hardly expected to hear that, if the fund had,in consequence of the change from insolvency to bankruptcy, run dry, the officers were to be deprived of their salaries and allowances. He was satisfied that their lordships would feel that the case of these parties was entitled to their consideration. (Hear.) The LORD CHANCELLOR said he was much obliged to his noble and learned friend for affording him an oppor tunity of making a statement upon the subject. He could say with sincerity that nothing had occurred since the passing of that Act of Parliament which had given him so much vexation and caused him so much pain as to find the position in which the cfficers of the Insolvent Debtors Court had been placed. It had arisen from the fact that words had been used in the act with one view and to express one object, upon which the clerks of the Insolvent Court had naturally put a different construction, and one which had given rise to expectations which unfortunately he had not the means of meeting. The difficulty arose in this way. The officers of the Insolvent Debtors Court were paid partly by salaries and partly by fees, The salaries were paid by an annual grant voted by Parliament, but they were very inconsiderable as compared with the emoluments which the clerks represented they had received from fees. The annual vote made by Parliament was expressed to be for the purpose of discoarging salaries, certain allow ances, and certain compensations, and with a view to entitle the clerks to have the benefit of a continuance of that vote the 30th section was framed. The language of that secti n was very 1,rg,3 and extensive in the commencement. It gave to the clerks the full amount of the salaries, remunerations, allowances, and compensa tions which they then respectively received. These were large words no doubt, but unfortunately they were limited in a manner inconsistent with their ordinary meaning by the following words. They were to have this benefit, but " out of the same fund, and payable in the same manner in all respects as if the act had not been passed; and for such purpose the annual sums now payable out of the monies voted by Parliament for the use and purpose of the Insol vent Court, shall be paid in future to the credit of the ac countant in bankruptcy." The unfortunate effect therefore was that these salaries, allowances, and remunerations were to be derived out of a fund which was limited to a fund which Was itself limited to salaries properly so called, and allow ances and compensations. The difference between salaries and fees was so great, that while the sum voted by Parla ment was about £6,000, the sums claimed by the officers amounted to £20,000. If the clerks relied on that particular section as giving them a perpetual annuity to the amount of the fees they happened at the time to bo in receipt of, it waa impossible to suppose that such could be intended. It 'was at variance with all former principles of legislation, Which was to ascertain the value of an office about to be abo lished. an d to give appropriate compensation. All he (the Lord C hancellor) could do was to apply the money voted by ratl ia ment to th e p ayment o f salai ies, and he regretted he could not do more. If the op eration of the clause had been perfeetlY understood . on the part of the officers they unques • tio ably would eve a made some claim for compensation; and outhe other' h a they were to n b e he understood—which he did not— thatb fees and not by salaries only,he should undoubtedlyeid As it have provided for them some means of compensation. sufficient to pant was these gentlemen are left with not with sufficient totheie pr aa o l vi a . r d ieo, properly so called, but to that which, from t e fora salary at all equal they were in receipt u of o a s e t ver tit al sources referred to, clause r :ime the a ct came into operation. The oth er r uired some expla nation, because by the 26th Election ee q t wer ain f unds which were in the Insolvent Debtors Co urt ruptcy, to d irected pp to be transferred to the Court of Bank . to three several purposes, one of which w as , to defray sala ri es of of clerks and other persons transferred from the one co urt to the other. That particular fund had aceuntrakt e d f rom unpaid dividends, which might be claimed at any ti me, but the interest on the unclaimed fund had always been treated by Peril ment as applicable in part payment of salaries, and accordingly the annual vote had always been worded in this way 176 is voted for payment of salaries, and f or • payment of certain allowances an d certain compensation s , but it is reduced to that sum by deducting from a lar ger sum that would be the amount of the salaries, the probable amount of the interest on E xe hequer Pills, purchased with unclaimed moneys, and app li c able under a particular statute in part payment of salaries.''Such was the wording of the 26th section Was to last vote. The intention of the because the trans ferthe principal sum to the Court of Bankruptcy, the creditors whose dividends were unclaimed should apply in future to that cou r t f or payment. These officers had appealed to him to pay them the residue of their claim out of that fund, but it was impossible he could do so. The utmost he could do was to apply in payment of their sala ries the annual sum voted by Parliament. The subject I bad been One of great anaiet to him and he had directed the optttion .a the la* atviatil to be taken 'on it. They had given it as their opinion that it was Utterly impossible to corn° to the conclusion from the Words of tl e act that the clerks were entitled to receive out of the funds in court such swum of Money as in the aggregate would be equal to the fees and salaries of which they Wert iu receipt at the time the act came into operation. They added that these gentlemen had a strong moral claim upon the tonsider ration of Parliament, but that the Lord Chancellor had no power to apply any part of the fund mentioned in the 26th motion in payment of the claim. In this state of things the only course open to these genttlemen was to accept the salaries he had offered them or to apply to Par liament for relief. He had done all in his power for them, and regretted he could not altogether relieve them from the position in which they were placed. Lord CRANWORTH gave his noble and learned friend full credit for having done all in his power to obtain for these gentlemen that to which they had not only a moral right, but which it would be a disgrace to Parliament to withhold from them. In the select committee the subject had come under discussion, and the Lord Chancellor (Lord Campbell) had assured them that the clerks transferred were fully provided for, and that the words of the act were amply sufficient for their protection. The words were that they were to receive their full salaries as nearly as might be out of the same funds. He merely rose to express his re gret at the present position of the officers, and to say that, as a member of the committee, he should feel the result a sort of humiliation if Parliament did not step in and give these gentlemen full relief. The Earl of DERBY said that having sat as a member of the committee, he could bear testimony to the matter of fact just stated by the noble and learned lord. Ho perfectly recollected that it had been pointed out that a very small portion of the remuneration of these gentlemen arose from salaries, the greater portion arising from fees—that, in con sequence, they might be placed in a very great difficulty; and I remember hearing the noble and learned lord who then occupied the woolsack state that full and ample provi sion had been made for them. Lord CHELMSFORD said that compensation could only be given to officers whose offices were abolished, and whose services were dispensed with, but these were efficient and acting officers, entitled to their full salaries, the words of the act being, "the salaries, remuneration, allowances, and compensation, which they now respectively receive." These were to be paid, "as nearly as might be out of the same funds" as before. But suppose there were no funds, surely the salaries of the officers should still be paid. He thought that great injustice had been done those persons, end as there had been clearly no intention to deprive them of the amount which they had theretofore been in receipt of, he trusted that no time would be lost by the Government in introducing a bill in the House of Commons to afford those gentlemen that to which they were entitled. The LORD CHANCELLOR said his noble and learned friend seemed to think that he argued against the claim of these unfortunate men. :He never intended to do any such thing. He merely stated the grounds on which the law officers of the Crown arrived at their conclusion. He should be sincerely happy if the construction of the act by the two noble and learned lords were the legal construction. For himself he had no desire to press the language of the act. He believed that the language used showed the intention to give these gentlemen the fullest possible remuneration. The only difficulty had been that words had been used without adequately understanding them. He must say that he never from the commencement had any doubt about the propriety of giving these gentlemen full remuneration, but he had no means of doing it. This question had been discussed again and again, and he must leave these gen tlemen to bring forward their claims in the proper mode. He hoped their lordships would agree with him, that with the limited power he had, he could not have made them a more liberal offer than giving them these appointments in the Bankruptcy Court, where the salaries were larger. But the officers of the bankruptcy oourts were paid by salaries and not by fees, and upon that there had been misapprehension, but that misapprehension ought not to be used to do an injustice to those gentlemen. He should be happy to find that the House of Commons adopted the same view. As far as he was concerned, he should be happy to recommend and promote any measure which would give them that redress which, if he had been aware of the whole circumstances when the act was passed, he should himself have taken care to give. Lord CHELMSFORD explained that what he said was, that his noble and learned friend urged the w or d s i n t h e act as the ground of his inability to give these gentlemen the remuneration to which they were entitled, THE REVISED CODE. The Earl of DERBY presented a petition from All Saints Schools, Dalston, against the revised code. Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from a place in Kent to the same effect. INTERNATIONAL LAW. The Earl of DERBY presented a petition from the Fo reign Affairs Committee of Manchester, in which they ex pressed their opinion that the seizure of the Southern Com missioners on board the Trent was justified by the principle of national law ; that our remonstrance was an abandon. ment by us of the right of search; and that there was no validity in the engagement entered into by Lord Clarendon on the part of this country ; and they prayed that their lordships would appoint a committee to inquire into the whole subject of international law as regarded belligerent rights. He had informed these gentlemen that he consi dered all their arguments were founded in error, but as they nevertheless wished him to present their petition he of course did so. He had received a petition with a similar prayer from Leeds, which he begged leave to present. THE HABEAS CORPUS WRIT. it The Duke of NEWCASTLE introduced a bill respecting the issuing of writs of habeas corpus in her Majesty's pos sessions abroad. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. _ _ _ Mr. P. A. TAYLOR took the oaths and his seat as mem ber for Leicester. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time :--Aberdeen Police, Water, &c., Barnsley Coal Railway Extension, Hull and Hornsea Railway, Lostwithiel and Fowey Rail way, Merionethshire Railway, Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway, North Devon Railway and Pock, South Yorkshire Rail way (Hull Extension), Trent, Ancholme, and Grimsby Railway, and West Riding, Hull, and Grimsby Railway. GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (No. 2.) BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr. J. BROWN moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. He referred to the fact that whenever this bill came before the house it was defeated either in committee or in the second reading, and contended that it was monstrous that a company like tho Great Northern should be permitted session after session to re introduce it. Mr. G. H. PACK defended the bill, and said that there were only two or three landowners under the law who dis approved of it. He asserted also that the line would not interfere materially with the country through which it would pass, and that it would be a great advantage to the public. Lord GALWAY thought it was a very bad return to make to the hon. member for Malton (Mr. J. Brown), after the manner in which he had previously acted in reference to the Great Northern, to intersect his land with this line, without any corresponding advantage to the public. He concluded by expressing a hope that the bill would be rejected. Mr ROEBUCK said that this house was not the proper tribunal to decide this question, and he thought it right that it should be referred to a committee up stairs. Mr. M. MILNES opposed the bill, and called on the house, by its rejection of it, to show that they could not allow the interests of landowners to be overridden by a powerrul company like the Great Northern. Mr. M A SSEY considered that the house should read the bill a second time, and its details could be dicussed fully before a select committee. (Hear, hear.) The Great Northern Company merely desired to make a loup line of five or six miles, in order to relieve the main line from the pressure of its goods traffic. He thought, under all cir cumstances, that the bill should receive the sanction of the helve, and that it would be of much use to the public. The amendment was agreed to without a division, and the bill was accordingly rejected. TOLL GATES 1N THE METROPOLIS. Mr. WHITE gave notice that on Fr;day next he would ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he had received any information from the commissioner ap pointed to consider the subject, and whether any measure would be adopted for the removal of the toll-gate obstruc tion in the metropolis. PATENT LAWS. Mr. RICARDO gave notice that he would (haw the at.. tention of the house to the propriety of an alteration in the patent laws. REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE. Mr. COX asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce thig session a bill to amend the representation of the pecple in Parliament? (Laughter.) Lord PALMERSTON—It is not the intention of Go vernment to introduce this session any bill to amend the representation of the people in Parliament. (Laughter.) TREATY WITH JAPAN. Mr. WHITE asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreig n Aff a i rs, w h y N ee e - gata, or some ot h er conv enient port on the west coast of Nipon, was not opened to the Briti s h trade on the Ist day of January, 1860, as was sti pulated by the third article of the treaty with Japan ; and whether British subjects will be allowed to reside in the city of Nedo, as was likewise stipulated in the same article of the above -named treaty ? Mr. LAYARD Naas understood to say that the Govern ment bad not come to any determination on the subject. MURDER OF OFFICERS BY SOLDIERS. Mr. RICHARDSON asked the Secretary of State for War, what precautions had been taken to prevent the re petition of theitis numerous murde rs of their officers by sol diers in the Brh army ; and wheth er it was in contem plation to discontinue the practice of permitting soldiers to retain ball cartridge in their barrack rooms, Sit G. C, LEWIS said that the military authorities had been eOnsilted on the subject of depriving soldiers of ball cartridge in their barrack-room, and it appeared that it would be impossible for any amount of vigilance to prevent soldiers getting possession of ball cattriclge. HoWeter, he proposetl to introduce a bill to tender the punishinent of soldiers firing at theft. ()died§ - More Spbetly than it *as at Pieseht. THE AMERICAN BLOCKADE. Lord R. CECIL asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how soon the papers which had been pro mised upon the subject of the American blockade were likely to be bid upon the table ? Mr. LA' ARD said that papers ware being prepared on the subject with great dispatch, and he hoped to be able to lay them on the table at the end of the Week. Gear.) MARRIAGES or AFFINITY BILL. Mr. BLACKBURN asked the hon. member for Ponte fract, whether, as his Matriages of Affinity Bill ettends to Ireland and Scotland, it was his intention to proceed with the second reading on so early a day as to-morrow ? Mr. M. MILNES said he would be happy to oblige the hon. member by postponing his bill, but from the arrange ments he had already made he could not do so. OFFICERS IN INDIA. Colonel GILPIN asked the Secretary of State for India, whether, in consequence of the effects of amalgamation upon the prospects of a considerable number of officers in India, many of whom have rendered good service to the state, and who have already lost the money paid for their promotion on the fa:th of a General Order of the Court of Directors, dated May, 1858, and who are now receiving Indian lay and allowances for doing, comparatively, nothing, these officers, or any of them, will be allowed the option (in accordance with the recommendation of the commissioners) of retiring upon a moderate bonus. Sir C. WOOD was understood to say that offers of com pensation had been made, but in some cases they were not accepted. LORD HENLEY. On the motion of Mr. BRAND a month's loave of absence was given to Lord Henley, on the ground of domestic affliction. LAND DEBENTURES BILL. Mr. SCULLY, in moving for leave to introduce a bill for authorising transferable debentures to be charged on land in Ireland, explained that the present measure resembled that which he brought before the house on a previous occa sion, only that it did not extend so far. He contended that the bill would be of great advantage to Ireland, and that it was popular amongst the landowners in that country. Mr. URQUAHART seconded the motion for leave to bring in the bill. He contended that the objections which had been made to these debentures as interfering with the currency applied with equal propriety to bills of Exchequer and bankers' cheques. Mr. H. HERBERT would not oppose the introduction of the bill, but he hoped it would receive the most careful consideration of the house. After a few words from Mr. GEORGE, to the effect that he would reserve his judgment on the measure at present, Sir R. PEEL said the subject was one that did not excite much discussion in Ireland, and he thought the dis cussion should be postponed. Mr. HADFIE LD considered that the effect of the bill would be to multiply difficulties and increase expense. Mr. SCULLY replied. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. THE SVINT i LONDON, WEDNEBDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1 . 1862. money, which had been supplemented in different ways by colonial votes and subscriptions, but until the present occa sion that continent had never been successfully crossed. du this occasion the act was Petforined ettirely at the ex pense of a Colony which would appear to have no interest in the itiattei Whate+ef; btlt to hate been actuated purely by public spirit; and it was a cutiout3 fabt that this expedition should have been the first that had been entirely success. ful. He thought an act of such public spirit on the part of one of our youngest colonies justified him in bringing this matter under the nutlet) of the house. (Hear, hear.) He hoped he might say one word as a trlbure to the very re markable man who was the leader of the expedition, and to whose energy and ability it mainly owed its success. (Itear, hear.) Mt. Blithe, with whose name the successful discovery of large tracts of connlrj , in the Australian colo nies Was connected, was a brother cif the gallant colonel whose gallant deeds in the early part of the Crimean war were so famous. After the death of his brother Mt. Burke threw up a lucrative position in the colony to take part in the Crimean war, and he again threw up a good position to lead this apedition, in the Course of which he and two of his partners, Wills and Becker, had lost their lives: The circumstances attending the death of Wills and Burke, and as to the statement that the; should have been met by those whose business it was to supply thent with notssaries, were undergoing most careful investigation by the colony, and it would be unjust and unfair to prejudge the result of that inquiry. The crossing of the Australian continent had been very nearly effected in other directions befofej from the east to the west along the northern coast, and from the south to the north along the south, and great results had attended those expeditions, and those results had greatly facilitated the work of Mr. Burke. But it had been now for the first time established that in addition to the colonies on the eastern and southern coasts of Australia there war (Maple territory favourable to the establishment of noble colonies on the northern coast. Thero was good water, the country was well suited for agricultural purposes, and the river at the mouth of which the expedition terminated, as it was now well known, ran for miles through the country, and the water was of a similar character to that of the rivers of the south. At the present time, when they were everywhere seeking for new territory suitable for the growth of cotton, it was of the greatest importance that it should be estab lished that such had been discovered ready at once for the occupation of the white man, and that the Government should come forward in the matter and add one if not more to the many rich dependencies of which the country boasted. The dreams of 15 or 20 years ago, those dreams which were shared in by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and in which the house and the country for a long time joined, but which were thrown back by previous failures, were now estab blished facts, and nothing was more easy with the co operation of enterprising settlers and the Crown than to establish a colony on the northern coast of Australia, which would add as much credit, he hoped, to the English name as the great settlements in the south. Upon the subject of this expedition the noble duke at the head of the Colonial-office had said that when the results were known it would be time to see whether further steps ought to be taken by the English Government. He (Mr. Chil ders) thought that time had now come, and they would have to consider very soon the propriety of giving a proper establishment to the settlements which would grow in the newly discovered districts. (Hear.) When that matter was dealt with theymight expect the greatest advantages to ac crue to this country,and therefore, while placing the greatest confidence in the action of the Colonial-office,so far he hoped they would continue in the same course, and that the time would come when the new colony to be established would become one of the most flourishing of the British depen dencies. (Hear.) Mr. KINNAIRD hoped, after the statement of his hon. friend, that Government would take into their consideration whether some measure might not be taken to perpetuate the memory of the leader of this expedition. We who had de rived great advantage from the extension of our empire in that part of the world, must appreciate the services of Mr. Burke and others who had devoted themselves to this great work, and he hoped that some steps would be taken by the Government to do honour to the memory of these men. Mr. C. FORTESCUE would bo glad to lay upon the table of the house without delay the papers for which his hon. friend had called, and he thought it was only right that the Parliament of England should have in its possession an authentic account of the heroism and devotion which had added to the vast territories of the British Crown, and provided space for new and flourishing colonies. He was glad that the attention of the house had been called to the gallant enterprise which would be found detailed in the papers moved for, and he was glad also to have the oppor tunity on the part of the Colonial-office and the Government of expressing their sense of the public spirit and liberality of Victoria, and of the gallant devotion, and he was sorry to say self-sacrifice, of those who took part in the expedi tion. The papers he should have to lay on the table would not be complete, because the circumstances connected wtih the sad fatalities which constituted the most tragic part of this tale, and which led to the death of Mr. Burke, were now under investigation at Melbourne. The Government would have at a future time to give further papers in con tinuation of those now in their possession to the house, containing the results of those expeditions, which his hon. friend knew had been fitted out in a spirit quits equal to that which fitted out the original expedition of Burke and Wills, and which had for their object to discover the fate of those brave men who had taken part in it. The interest felt in the colonies upon this matter had been so great, that not only had a fresh expedition been sent from Victoria, but it had been accompanied by separate expeditions from Southern Australia, from Queensland, and from the Gulf of Carpentaria itself, where a steam sloop had been provided to aid the search. These papers, which he should have to lay upon the table, would be found extremely interesting, and hon. members would find in them a touching account, from the pen of Sir H. Barkly, of the labours, sufferings, and deaths of the brave leaders of the late expedition. He thought the time was not far off when populations would rise upon the newly discovered territory, and the names of Burke and Wills will be held in grateful remembrance by the colony of Australia. The motion was then agreed to. Upon the motion of Mr. BRADY, a select committee was ordered to be appointed to inquire into the best means of utilising the sewage of the cities and towns of England, with a view to the reduction of local taxation and the benefit of agriculture. BLOCKADE OF THE SOUTHERN PORTS. The O'DONOGHUE said that at the request of the Pre sident of the Board of Trade he would postpone his motion on this subject until Thursday next, SUPPLY. The report was brought up and agreed to. EAST INDIA STOCK TRANSFER (REMUNERA TION) BILL. The report was brought up and agreed to. The house adjourned at 25 minutes to 8 o'clock. COURT OF ALDERMEN. Yesterday, at 1 o'clock, a Court of Aldermen was herd at Guildhall, the Lord Mayor presid ing. Mr. Sheriff Cockerell reported that the number of prisoners now in the gaol of Newgate is 100 ; in the Debtors' Prison in Whitecross-street, 89 ; and in the City Prison at Holloway, 380; in all 569. of whom 14 are in the infirmaries. The return in each case was accompanied by the certificate of the sur geon as to the fit condition of the prison. Mr. Alderman Humphery, on being re-elected to the governorship of the Irish Society, took the oath in cident to the office. Messrs. Arnold Jacomb, Thos. Jacomb, and Henry Jenner Holder Hogg were sworn in as brokers. Mr. Woodthorpe, the Town Clerk, read a letter from Sir George Grey, the Home Secretary, addressed to the Lord Mayor, suggesting certain new arrangements with respect to the Queen's Bench and Whitecross-street Prisons. The right hon. gentleman stated that it is probable, owing to the operation of the Bankruptcy Act of last • Session, that the number of prisoners confined in the Queen's Prison will be so permanently reduced as to render that establishment unnecessary, except upon a very reduced scale, and that, as the same result has been, no doubt, produced in the prison of Whitecross-street by the same change in the law, he would be glad' to be informed whether in the opinion of the city authorities one debtors' prison would not be amply sufficient for London and Middlesex, and whether, if so, Whitecross street Prison would not of itself be large and • commodious enough for the purpose. It appeared to him (Sir George Grey) in that case that the Queen's Prison might be altogether abolished, and he would be obliged by an early intimation of the views of the city magistrates on the subject. Alder man Challis moved that the letter be referred to the Liao! Committee, with power to communicate with the Government, reporting the result to the Court. He took occasion to say that, whereas Whitecross street Prison was built to accommodate about 380 debtors, the whole number of debtors now incar cerated in it and the rest of the prisons of the metro polis was, owing to the recent change in the law, not more than 140. Considering that the Queen's Prison and that of Whitecross-street were main tained at an annual cost to the Government and the Corporation of London of more than £lO,OOO, he highly approved the Home Secretary's suggestion. I Colonel Wilson anbmitted that the magistrates of I the ciry of London had acted regardless of a sense of duty in allowir,g for some nine months past the prison of Whitecross-street to remain without either a governor or deputy-governor; and he urged on the Court the appointment of a governor, pro tetnpore, during the present transition state of the law, with whom the responsibility of its care and conduct might rest. Alderman Sidney, 111.1 1 ., Was TRADE MARKS. Mr. ROEBUCK, in committee of the whole house, moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to trade marks. The manufacturers of this country, by dint of labour, skill, and industry, had acquired a great reputation, and were naturally anxious to preserve t 3 themselves all the advantages that resulted therefrom. His only object was to prevent forgery, and he asked the house to aid him in his efforts for that purpose. He would illus trate the existing evil by a foreign example. This month one of his constituents had received a letter from a manu facturer in Prussia offering to make for him articles of hard ware with the mark of any Sheffield manufacturer he pleased, and to put them into the wrappers used by that maaufac. turer, or in others so like them that no one could tell the difference. The reasons given for these forgeries were some times very strange. A Prussian who wished to come into the market to compete with the English manufacturer would make a bad article, put an English mark upon it, and charge an English price, which was a high one. Then he would make a good article, put his own mark upon it, and charge a low price—so that he might be able to say that his goods were cheap and good, while the English man's were bad and dear. His constituents at Sheffield had for many years had a corporation called the Cutler's Com pany, which assigned trade marks and registered the gyre. bola which different manufacturers employed ; so that any one by consulting the books of the company might ascertain in an instant what was the mark of A.B. He wanted, in a similar manner, to protect all English manufacturers inthe honest prosecution of their calling, and to enable them to keep their symbols free from forgery. He believed that other towns besides Sheffield experienced the want of an improved law. There were persons, for instance, who sold reels of thread with the name of a well-known Manchester house upon them, and a statement that they contained 300 yards, whereas in reality they only contained 200. The re sult was that the public, when they discovered the fraud, exclaimed, " What rogues Messrs. So and So are !" the real truth being, all the time, that their goods were perfectly honest, and that it was only the forger of them who sold the deficient lengths. He 'ithe hon. and learned gentleman) proposed to send his bill before a select com mittee, to which he supposed the right hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. M. Gibson) would also refer his mea sure, and he hoped that the result would be a prac tical law by which the evils of which his constituents complained might be remedied. His own proposal was to visit the forgers of trade marks with summary conviction; and to make the enactment reciprocal with other nations, so that the goods of every foreign manufacturer should be protected, if his country protected the goods of Englishmen, but not otherwise. The bill would do no harm to any one but rogues. (Cheers.) Mr. GIBSON was quite willing to adopt the suggestion of his hon. and learned friend, and to refer his intended measure to the same select committee. A bill on this sub ject had last year passed the House of Lords, but it sculd not be proceeded with any further owing to a want infor mation in this house on the subject; and there was not time last year to appoint a committee of investigation. The object was one upon which they were all agreed, but it was extremely difficult to effect what they had in view without exposing innocent persons to prosecutions of a vexatious character. It would also be very difficult to say what a trade mark was, so that a justice of the peace, to whom it was proposed to give jurisdiction, might be able to say whe ther A B was entitled to the exclusive use of the symbol he claimed. It was not sufficient for a person to show that he had used a particular mark, but he must show that he had so used it that it became known to the world as his. With regard to the foreign question, he could not say that the retaliation clause which the hon. and learned gentleman proposed seemed to him judicious. It appeared to him that it would be better to give the foreigner the benefit of our laws without reference to how they treated us in return. It was said that foreigners had already the benefit of our laws, but that those laws were so bad as to be useless to them. At the same time, unless the experiment of attempting a prosecution, say, in Prussia, had actually been tried, it could not be said that Prussia refused our manufacturers redress. It did not appear to him that the registration of trade marks would be of any benefit. It was altogether a different case from the registration of designs. That was intended to create a new species of property ; whereas the bill would neither create a new property nor introduce a new law; for it was already illegal to appro priate another man's mark. A registration, therefore, would rather be a new obstacle thrown in the way of manufac turers, because it would require them to pay some fee or to go through some additional form before they could take steps to defend their rights. These were, however, all mat ters of detail, which it would be wrong to discuss at pre sent. The Government were entirely of opinion that some thing should be done to remedy the evils complained of, provided only that it could be done without exposing inno cent persons to frivolous and vexatious prosecutions. Mr. CRAWFORD said his constituents in the City were chiefly interested in the bill, so far as it would render them liable to prosecution for innocently selling articles which had fraudulent trade marks upon them ; and he was glad, therefore, to hear that they would have an opportunity allowed them of stating their views to a select committee. Mr. LOCKE agreed w ith the hon. and learned gentle • man the member for Sheffield ; but there was another fraud to which attention should be drawn, namely, the practice of manufacturers themselves putting false trade marks upon their goods. For example, a case had occurred in the Court of Queen's Bench, where a manufacturer had labelled his cotton as of greater length than was really the fact. He (Mr. Locke) had been in Paris while Mr. Cobden was ne gotiating the commercial treaty, and he learned from the secretary of that hon. gentleman that the greatest difficulty had been experienced in attempting to settle the question of trade marks, in consequence of the practice which obtained amongst English manufacturers of using fictitious labels for their own goods; and the very case which he had cited Las bccu a oftritea Lu. (Hear, heal.) Mr. HADFIELD agreed with the hon. and learned gen tleman, and was of opinion that the registration' trade marks would be both feasible and useful. He had known of cases in which a manufacturer had advertised a caution against the forgery of his mark, and in which the forger had straightway retorted by advertisements, stating that his goods were the genuine ones, and that the real makers of the articles were fraudulent imitators. (Hear.) Mr. CRUM-EWING supported the bill. Mr. M. GIBSON said he had been in communication with the Attorney-General upon this question, and he was authorised to say that the right hon. gentleman had given great attention to the subject, and would be ready to give every assistance in the passing of a measure upon it. The motion was then agreed to, and the house having re sumed, leave was given for the introduction of the bill. AUSTRALIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION. Mr. CHILDERS, in moving an address for copy of all despatches from Sir Henry Darkly and the other colonial governors upon this subject, drew the attention of the house to the successful cross'ng of the Australian continent by the expedition under the charge of Mr. Burke. He reminded the house that for expeditions to endeavour to cross the Australian colonies they had voted considerable SUM of glad that the Government had taken the initiative in this matter, and gave it as his opinion that the time had arrived when there should be a consolidaz tion of the City prisons, the expense of which was altogether incommensurate with their importance. The Alderman was continuing to comment on this topic; when he was reminded that it was irrelevant to the motion before the Court. The motion was then put and carried. the Town Clerk read a return presented by the Chamberlain, to an order of the Court, showing that Mr. J. R. Whithair, late keeper of Giltspur-street Compter, had been in the receipt of a retiring allowance of £3OO since September, 1854 ; Mr. W. W. Cope, late governor of Newgate, of £5OO since December, 1855; and Mr. Thomas Burdon, late keeper of the Debtor's Prison, of £4OO, since December, 1857. Alder man Halt, presented a petition from Mr. B. Pever ley, an attorney in the city, praying that the Court would order payment to him of £3O, his charges for proceedings for the release of prisoners confined in the Debtors Prison of Whitecross-street. This led to a discussion as to the manner in which certain charities given by some of the city companies for the relief of persons confined for debt, and their families had of late been administered. The conver sation arose in an incidental way; statements were made on the one side with respect to Lieut.-Colonel Hicks, lately governor of Whitecross-street Prison, and contradicted on the other, and the matter which was regarded by a majority of the Court as irrele vant, was left in an unsatisfactory state. Colonel Wilson having taken occasion to reiterate his com plaint that there had - been no governor of White cross-street Prison for nine months, the Lord Mayor ; interposing, said, having been chair man of the Gaol Committee, and being chief magistrate, he might be permitted to state that in consequence of the alteration in the laws relating to bankrupts and insolvent debtors, which had pro duced a state of transition, it had been thought de sirable not to make any permanent appointment of a governor of the Debtors' Prison, but to confide it for the present to the care of the person who had been chief officer under the late governor. That arrangement had been referred to Mr. Parry, an inspector of prisons, who had written a letter to the effect that the prison was never in better order than at present, and that it would be wise and pru dent to continue the arrangement until the full effect of the change in the law should be ascer tained. Alderman Copeland, M.P., said Col. Hicks had never been appointed governor by the present sheriffs, and that his term of office ended with that of the late sheriffs. Eventually, on the motion of Alderman Challis, the petition :of Mr. Peverley was ordered to lie on the table, which was tantamount to its dismissal, and the court ad jonrned. LA W INTELLIGENCE.—(Feb.IB.) COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, at Guildhall, before the Lord Chief Justice and a Special Jury.) FORD V. THE LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAIL- WAY COMPANY. Mr. Macaulay, Q.C., Mr. Manisty, Q.C., Mr. Hindrnarch, Q C., and Mr. Macroy appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Hawkins, Q.C., and Mr. Johnston for the defendants. The trial of this cause, which has occupied the time of the Court since Thursday, was concluded to-day. The plaintiff, as we have in our previous reports stated, claimed compensation for injuries sustained on the line of the defendants, near Wim bledon, on the 28th of January, 1861. The real question was whether or not the defendants had been guilty of negligence. Probably no case which ever came before a jury wa i l fought with more energy. Almost every point raised was argued. Facts and theories were disputed on either side. Witnesses of every genus and species were called ; practical and scientific men of the greatest emi nence crowded the court. Such gentlemen as Colonel Yolland, Sir Charles Fox, Mr. Nasmyth, Mr. M'Connell, Mr. Bidder, Captain Iluish, Mr. Strapp, Mr. Bovill, and Mr. Woodhouse were examined and cross-examined in the most minute and ex haustive manner, and the view contended for by the company, that there were some accidents which could not be prevented, was elaborated and com mented upon at great length. The plaintiff pointed out several cases which contributed to the accident. The defendants said that it was attributable to none of these, and asserted their inability to assign any reason for the train leaving the line. Mr. Bovill, it is true, said that an axle might have become bent during the journey. This theory, however, was not very strongly urged by the company. In reference to the question of damages, it was stated that the plaintiff', feeling a sudden jerk, ex claimed, "Good gracious, the carriage is o ff ," and that he was immediately hurled over, and lost his senses. When examined by a medical man it was found that two ribs were broken on his right side, his left shoulder blade was injured, his chest was very much bruised, and his left shoulder was broken. He was under the doctor's special care for ten weeks, and for a considerably longer period he required attendance, and was unable to superintend his business. Before the accident he was a strong and healthy man, but since then he had been ex ceedingly nervous and irritable, his eyesight had become defective, and he had not since been able perfectly to use his arm, nor was his shoulder quite in the position in which it should be. On behalf of the defendants it was stated that the question as to how this accident occurred was con sidered of great importance to the scientific world, and no expense would be spared by railway com panies to investigate the matter, in order to avoid such an accident for the future. Deeply as the directors deplored the accident, their answer to the action was that it had not been caused by any negligence upon the part. Nearly eighty trains had passed over the spot where the accident occurred on the 'same day, and for six s eeks afterwards the line was left in precisely the same state, except that a broken rail was replaced, so that any body might fully examine it, and 100 trains a day passed along without accident and without danger of accident. The plaintiff contended that the speed was too great, but it must be borne in mind that the train was an express one, and it had taken nineteen minutes to travel the 8-!- ; miles from London. Now, as to the state of the railway. it was not possible to have a line that was at all times perfect in its gauge, and at that moment there was not a railway in the kingdom in which there were not variations in gauge to the same extent as those spoken to by the plaintiff's witnesses, especially in curves. The same observation applied to the superelevation of one rail round the curve. The weather, of course, materially affected railways, and preced ing the accident there had been a long continu ance of wet weather, followed by a frost, which had subsequently broken up. On the 16th of Jan. a notice was issued ordering engine men and all concerned "to direct the most particular atten tion to engines and tenders during the continuance of the present frosty weather," and saying that " they must make the most minute and rigid scru tiny of every part so as to detect flaw or breakage, and they will be rewarded for any defect they may discover in proportion to the skill exercised in find ing it out." It concluded by saying "when the frost breaks up great injury to all parts of the line may be anticipated, and engineers are therefore to be more tban usually vigilant and careful, reducing speed as necessary, and reporting any bad part of tho line at the next station at which the train stops." On the 24th January a driver reported the road to be in a bad state between Wimbledon and Wey bridge, and on the 25th another driver made a similar report of the line between Wimbledon and Maldon junction. These defects it was impossible to avoid ; but it was found that there was no bad bit for half a mile before getting to the Epsom junction, nor for 400 yards past it. On the 26th an order was issued that as it was reported that the line was in a bad state between Wimbledon and Maldon, enginemen were to reduce speed there and to report the time lost at the end of the journey; and the platelayers were at once sent to put the line in order. As to the tender-wheel, it was perfectly true that the rim had turned round upon the other part of the wheel ; but there was this additional circumstance, that the defect having been discovered, the wheel was on the 20th December sent into the workshop, where it was put properly in order, and it remained running, and the rim was perfectly tight until the accident. It would also be shown from marks made, by the evideLce of the enginemen, and from other circumstances, that it was not a tender wheel but a carriage wheel that first got off the line, and the tender-wheel in no way caused the acci• dent. As to breaks, the power of retarding the train was the same whether the break was at the middle, beginning, or end of the train, and there were some advantages in having the break in the middle of the train. As to the quantity of break power in this case, it would be shown that it was perfectly sufficient. There was one other head of negligence suggested by the plaintiff's counsel, which was this. The company's regulations say that " in all cases no engine shall pass through any junction points at a speed of more than 12 miles an hour," and the plaintiff's counsel submitei, that this applied to a train going along the main line and passing a junction, but on the other side it was said only to apply to trains passing from one line on to the other, and thus passing " through" the points. This morning Mr. Hawkins summed up for the defendants, and Mr. Macaulay, who was labouring under a severe cold, which, he good-humouredly said, rendered the position of his auditors as dis agreeable as that of the tenants of a break carriage, replied on the whole case with great minuteness. After hearing the observations of the learned judge , _ _ _ . The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff— damages, £1,500. FROII THE GAZETTE OF LAST NIGHT. WHITEHALL, FEB. 17. The Queen fins been pleased to appoint the Right Hon ourable Lord Kinnaird, K.T. ; the Honourable Fulke Egerton; Nicholas Kendall, Esq.; Henry Austin Bruce, Esq. ; John St. Aubyn, Esq. ; John Bavie Ferguson Davie, Esq. ; Edward Headlain Greenhow, Esq., M.D. ; and Philip Henry Holland, Esq., to be her Majesty's Com missioners to inquire into the condition of all Mines in Great Britain to which the provisions of the Act 23 and 24 Vict., c. 151, do not apply, with reference to the health and safety of persons employed in such mines. CROWN OFFICE, FEB. 15. MEMBERS RETITRNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. Borough of Great Grimsby.—John Chapman, of Hill End, Mottrain, in the county of Chester Esq., in the room of Charlei Maude Worsley Anderson Pelham (commonly called Lord Worsley), now Earl of Yarborough, called to the House of Peers. FEBRUARY 18. Borough of Leicester.—Peter Alfred Taylor, of Aubrey House, Notting-hill, in the county of Middlesex, Esq., in the room of John Biggs, Esq., who has accepted the office of Steward of her Majesty's Manor cf Hempholme. WAR. OFFICE, FEB. 19. 3d Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Gentleman Cadet Rich mond Griffin Nicholas from the Royal Military College, to be Comet, without purchape, vice Robert George Smith, deceased. 6th Dragoon Guards—Lieutenant Augustus Alfred de Bourbel to be Captain, by purchase, vice Robert Scott Hunter, who retires ; Cornet John Fryer to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice de Bourbel. Ist Dragoons—Lieutenant Carteret Houstoun. Kempson, from the 7th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Harvey, who exchanges; Charles Falkiner Morton, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice William Wemyss Frewen Hay, who retires. 7th Hussars—Gentleman Cadet William Langan Forsyth, from the Royal Military College, to be Cornet, by pur chase, vice Metcalfe, promoted. 18th Hassars—Charles John Fletcher, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Whiteside, promoted. Royal Artillery—Surgeon Thomas Ghy, M.D., having completed a period of 20 years' full pay service, to be Sur geon-Major under the Royal Warrant of the st October, 1858, Military Train—Staff-Surgeon O'Connor D'Arcey, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Surgeon William Braybrooke, re moved to the staff. 7th Regiment of Foot—Lieutenant George Lake Harvey, from the Ist Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Kempson, who exchanges. 15th Fcot—Lieut. Henry Jardine Hallowes to be Captain, by purchase, vice Silvester Calvert, who retires; Ensign Reginald Cartwright to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Hallowes; Ensign Edward Joseph Jekyll, from 73d Foot, to be Ensign, vice Cartwright ; Lieut. Joseph M'Alurray to be Adjutant, vice Lieut. Hallowes, pro- meted. 19th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Edward Spencer Mott, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without pur chase, vice George Albert Macdonnell, removed to 18th Foot. 20th Foot—Ensign John Lacey Morley, from 78th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Stourton, who exchanges. 21st Foot—Ensign Edward Walker, to be Lieutenant, by pureL9se, vice John Popham Mainwaring, who retires; Claude Dui em Patterson, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice "Walker, 23d Foot—Ensign Charles Morgan, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Wriothesley Augustus Fitz Roy, who re tires; George Bentlnck Luxford, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Morgan. 29th Foot--Lieutenant Joseph Bourke, from the Ist West India Regiment, to be Lieutenant, vice Alfred Fawcett, who exchanges. 34th Foot—Ensign Gerald Brenan, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Charles Hamilton Webb, who retires; William Francis Trotter, Gent., to be Ensign, by par- chase, vice Brenan. 41st Foot—Ensign Thomas P. A. Bracken, to be Lieute nant, by purchase, vice Isaac King, who retires • Cor net Thomas Duncombe, from 6th Dragoon Guards, to be Ensign, vice John T. Johnson, appointed to the Commissariat Department; Gentleman-Cadet Edward Richardson, from the Royal Military College, to be En sign, by purchase, vice Bracken. H 52d Foot—Captain ugh P. Pearson, from the 84th Foot, to be Captain, vice Fraser, who exchanges. 68th Foot—Lieut. Benjamin 0. Johnson. from half-pay late 11th Fool, to be Lieutenant, vice Edmund Peel Ethelston, placed on half-pay. 73d Foot—Gentleman-Cadet Richard J. Airey, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Jekyll, removed to the 15th Foot. 77th Foot—Gentleman Cadet William Forbes Gatacre, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Henry Reginald Bate, promoted, without purchase, in the 13th Foot. 78th Foot—Ensign Arthur Joseph Stourton, from the 20th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Morley, who exchanges. 84th Foot—Captain George Cruden Fraser, from the 52d Foot, to be Captain, vice Pearson, who exchanges. 93d Foot—Lieutenant William Gordon Alexander to be Captain, by purchase, vice Charles Hugh Levinge, who retires ; Ensign Henry Thomas Butter to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Alexander; William Copland, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Butter. 91th Foot—Lieutenant-Colonel James Dodington Car michael, C. 8., from half-pay 19th Foot, to be Lieutenant- Colonel, vice Brevet-Colonel Charles James Conway Mills, who retires on half-pay. 99th Foot--Ensign Richard Townley to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice David J. Copeland Jones, who retires.; Allan Gnome Raper, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Townley. Ist West India Regiment—Lieutenant Alfred Fawcett, from the 29th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Joseph Bourke, who exchanges. DEPOT BATTALION.—Captain George Joy, 59th Foot, to be Instructor of Musketry, vice Captain Madden, 4th Foot, who has rejoined his depot at Chatham. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. —Surgeon William Braybrooke, from the Military Train, to be Staff-Surgeon, vice Henry Higgins Jones, M.D., placed upon half-pay ; Staff-As. sistant-Surgeon Joshua Henry Porter to be Staff-Surgeon, vice D'Arcey, appointed to the Military Train; Staff Assistant-Surgeon Patrick Charles Baxter, M. 8., from half-pay, to be Staff Assistant-Surgeon, vice Porter, pro moted. PURVEYOR'S DEPARTMENT.—To be Deputy Purveyors to the Forces —Purveyor's Clerk Joseph Muskett ; Pur veyor's Clerk William Richard Taylor. ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE.—Captain and Brevet- Major Alfred Picton Bowlby, 64th Foot, to be Captain of a company of Gentlemen Cadets, vice William- Thomas Exham Fosbery, who retires upon half-pay. BREVET. Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet-Colonel Charles William Dunbar Staveley, C. 8., 44th Foot, to have the temporary rank of Brigadier-General in China, while in command of the troops in that country. The undermentioned promotions to take place, consequent on the death of Lieutenant • General Jeremiah Taylor, Colonel of the 59th Foot, on the Ist Feb., 1862 : Major• General Arthur Richard, Duke of Wellington, K.G , Lieutenant-Colonel upon half-pay Unattached, to have the rank of Lieutenant-General. Major-General John Julius William Angerstein to be Lieutenant- General. Brevet -Colonel Edward Rowley Hill, from Lieutenant- Colonel half-pay 63d Foot, Deputy Adjutant-General to the Forces in the Windward and Leeward Islands, to be Major- General . Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Bingham, 60th Foot, to be Colonel. Major John Thomas Dalyell, 21st Foot, to be Lieute nant- Colonel . Captain Wm. John Dorehill, half-pay, late 43d Foot, Staff Officer of Pensioners, to be Major. The undermentioned promotions to take place consequent on the death of Major-General Sir Thomas Harte Franks, K.C.8., on the sth Feb., 1862: — Brevet-Colonel George Wm. Key, from Lieut.-Colonel half-pay, 44th Foot, serving as a Brigadier-General on the Staff of the Army in Ireland, to be Major-General. Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Hamilton, C.B.,Major 78th Foot, to be Colonel. Major George Neeld Boldero, 21st Foot, to be Lieuten ant-Colonel. Captain William Francis Stehelin, 67th Foot, to be Major. BANKRUPTS. James Weston, miller, Flimwell, Sussex John Graham, clerk, Westmoreland-place, Camberwell Joseph S. Hemp, tailor, North-road, Highgate Charles Highfield, greengrocer, Caledonian-road Edmund Newman, salesman, Walworth Thomas J, Cleaver, Colbath square, Clerkenwell James Meaton, merchant, Fenchurch street William Syer, builder, Chetsworth John T. Canning, miller, Grove-villas, Hounslow William Ealdeir, accountant, Gloucester-terrace, Vaux hall• bridge-road George Mesher, licensed victualler, Weybourne, Surrey James Berger, commission agent, King's-road, Chelsea Mark W. Kingsland, miller, Barham, Kent William Anderson, colourman, Marylebone Judah Barnett, furrier, Goswell-street, Middlesex Charles Upton baker, Stepney Chas. Musto fisher, carpenter, Hight-street, Peckham John Stubbs and Thos. Stubbs, manure dealers, Com mercial-road Chas. J. Agg, assistant bookbinder, Paternoster-row George H. Larking, grocer, Wapping Francis J. '!'reacher, chair maker, Chepping Wycombe, Buckinghamshire George T. Whitington, statist, New Broad •street, city Th om as Woodham, painter, Rathbone-place, Oxford- st Peter Dempsey, calico printer, Mitcham Ernest Dawson, clerk in the Admiralty, Upper Norwood George Newton, carpenter, Upper Thames-street, City George Piper, glover, Uckfield, Surrey George Barnes, baker, Herring worth,lNorthamptonshire John Roffey, butcher, Caledonian-road Richard Chapman King, attorney, Great Coram-street Thomas William Sawyer, baker, Bethnal-green William Francis, leather merchant, Bermondsey Adam Hunter Craig, india rubber manufacturer, London Thos. Moorwood, furniture dealer, Marylebone Robert Greedus, china dealer, Compton-street James Hooper, clerk, Bermondsey Wmi T. Knightsbridge, journeyman butcher, Mans field-street, Kingsland-road Robert de Neufville Lucas, attorney, Greenwich Hockley F. Wood, solicitor, London Thomas Dickinson, colonial agent, Mincing. lane Louis Stern, commission agent, Rotherhithe Peter C.Greig, green,grocer, Munster-street,Regent's-park Auschar Chauncy, artist, Whiteeross-street Prison Benjamin Spittle, horse dealer, Chelsea THE GRECIAN THEATRE.--THE EXCISE AUTHO RITIES DEFEATED.—Mr. Benjamin Oliver Conquest, the proprietor of the Grecian Theatre, City-road, appeared yesterday at Bow-street, to answer a summois charging him with selling spirits in the theatre without a licence, but it was contended on the part of the Crown that the licence did not extend to the theatre, as that was a distinot trade or business from that of a publican. The Magistrate was of it 001 1tral7 oPillico, and dismissed tlte =lmmo A7'7'.EhIPTID MURDER BY A DISAP _POINTED LOVER. At the Special Petty Sessions, held at Guil dford, yesterday morning, Alfred Edward Stevens. a. young man aged about eighteen, the son of a trades man at Chobham, was charged with shooting Eliza, Dewberry, Nith intent to murder her. The cir cumstances of the case are of an extraordinary character, and great 'excitement prevails in the: neighbourhood wh, ctre tl..e crime was committed. The following is the .subs ,, ance of the evidence ad duced yesterday, whejt Ir. Humphreys, jun., of Newgate-street, instru.c"'ed by the authorities at Scotland yard, through the, ,instrumentality of Sir Denis Le Merchant , Bart., whose mansion is at Chobham place, conducted ate prosecution. The prisoner was undefended. The' girl, Elize Dew berry, who is 22 year of age, was living last December in the service of Mr. Lake, of Chobham, and the prisoner wished to keep company with her, but his overtures were rejected. This disappoint ment seems to have worked upon tike young man's mind so much that he is supposed to have made two attempts to take Eliza Dewberry's ht.'. One even ing, about a week before Christmas, wen Mr. and Mrs. Lake were sitting in their drawing' - room, the girl had occasion to pass between the lamii and the window, and, almost immediately afterwards a gun was fired through the window, and a bullet, which passed within four inches of Mr. Lake's head, broke the lamp and the looking-glass, and rebounded without injuring any one. The authorities at Seat land-yard were communicated with by Sir Dens Le Merchant, and Detective Whicher went down. to Chobham to make inquiries, and had an inter view with Stevens, who was suspected at that time, but nothing resulted from these proceedings, al though a reward of £5O As offered by Mr. Lake for the discovery of the offender. At the end of January Eliza Dewberry left her situation and went to reside with her parents at Sutton, near Guildford, where, on the 13th inst., the offence with which the prisoner stands charged was com mitted. On the 9th of this month Stevens called sh at Dewberry's cottage and asked to see the igirles,, but the mother, knowing her daughter's' W said she was from home. About half-past seven o'clock on Thursday night Mrs. Dewberry and her daughter were Pitting in the kitchen, which feces the high road, when they heard the report of fire arms, and two pallets passed immediately over their heads and struck the opposite wall. The escape of both women is most remarkable, for they were sit ting in a line, and the daughter, who was between the candle and window, within five feet of the latter, was in the act of stooping the moment the gun was fired, The shadow of the daughter would fall upon the blind, and the cottage is low built, so that a gun might easily be fired from the garden into the kitchen. Several persons saw the prisoner walking in the direction of Sutton, between 6 and 7 on Thursday night, and returning towards Chobham between 8 and 9. Nearly all of them noticed that he carried something under his coat, and one womam swore positively that he had a gun. A girl named' Emma Fricker was walking past Dewberry's house at the hour in question, and saw prisoner standing before it. When he noticed her he walked away, but before she had gone many yards she heard a gun fired, and, turning round, saw some one running away in the direction of Chobham. This witness saw no other person in the neighbourhood of Dew berry's cottage that evening. The young man was arrested next morning at his father's house, where the police found a gun which bore marks of having been recently discharged. The prisoner, who merely said he was innocent of the charge, was committed to take his trial at the next Surrey Assizes. COUNTRY MARKLJS. V BRISTOL—FEB. 18. At this market to-day there was a fair attendance, but the demand was limited for wheat, at last week's prices. SHEFFIELD-FEB. 18. At our market this morning there was an average atr tendance, and we were moderately supplied with grain; good samples of wheat were at the rated of last week, but inferior sorts almost unsaleable at reduced prices. Oats in good demand, and select qualities at fully late rates. Beans unaltered. Red wheat, per lead of 3 imperial bushels...2os Od to 22s Od White If 2 ...22s 6d to 23s Od New red , , ...22s Od to 23s 6d New white „ 29 ...24s Od to 26s Od Beans )) 29 ... 18s Od to 19s Od Peas, per qr s4s Od to 55s Od - Grindmg barley, per qr 32 s Od to 36 s Od Malting ditto, „ , 38s Od to 40s 01 Oats Millers' prices f or flour-2s 3d, 2s sd, and 2s 7d per 141 b. LEEDS—FEB. 18. We have a moderate show of grain. There is a sluggish demand to-day for wheat, the condition of grain being much affected by the soft weather, and the sales made were is per qr lower than last Tuesday's rates. Beans, barley, and oats at previous prices. MARKET HARBOROTJGH-FEB. H. At this market to-day there was a fair trade, but only a limited show of wheat. For inferior sorts prioca were cheaper—old, 60e to 69s ; new, 60s to 64s per 36 stone. Barley at about the rates of the week previous, malting selling at 34s to 37s per qr., grinding 32 s to 33 s per 30 at. Oats, 23s to 32s per 24 st. ; beans, 4!a to 465; new, 38s to 46s per qr. NORWICH CATTLE. The supply of store cattle to-day showed a great falling off, not more than half the usual quantity being exhibited, consisting of Scots, shorthorns, and Irish. The attend ance of buyers was small, with a slow sale. Scots, 4s to 4s 6d ; shorthorns, 3s 6d to 4s Od ; Irish, 38 Od to 3s 6d ; Dovons, 4s to 4s 6d (estimated weight when fat). Fat beasts a large show, but sales slow, at 7s Od to 78. 6 d per 141 b. Sheep—There was a good supply of sheep in the pens, and a fair sale. Fat sheep, 8s Od to 8s Gd per stone; prime, Os Od. Pigs—A fair supply. Store pigs, 18s to 20s; fat pork, 7s 3d to 7s 6d per stone. FOREIGN HAIL PACKET LIST. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Feb. 18. via Marseilles Mar. 15. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. March 6. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena March 3. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Feb. 18. via Marseilles Feb. 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Feb 15. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Feb. 18. via Marseilles Feb. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton Feb. 25. via Marseilles Feb. 20. Lisbon Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Feb. 18. via Marseilles Feb. 20. Newfoundland ..Feb. 19. Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet ... Feb, 1 9 . by U.S. packet by Canadian packet Feb. 19. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe Mar. 10. Bahamas, via New York Mar. 13. Mexico ....Feb. 28. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, j Feb. 28. California, and British Columbia.. Those who take no account of their own sin in life may expect to be brought one day to a "dead" reckoning." A rash young man has threatened to apply the Maine liquor law to his sweetheart, she intoxicates him so LADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills.-- Excessive Infant Mortality.—The unusually large number of deaths occurring daily from scarlatina, measles, diptheria, bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, and other diseases of childhood may be diminished by the proper application of Holloway's medicaments, which may be safely and effectively used by every mother or nurse. The Ointment should be rubbed at least twice a day upon the skin as near as possible to the seat of disease, while the Pills in proper doses are administered internally either in syrup, honey, or dissolved in water. Under,this treatment a change for the better will soon be observed ; the symptoms will be loss severe, the sufferings less distressing, and many anxious hours eptued to doting parents. BIRTHS. GURNEY.-011 the 15th inst., at Paris, the wife of the Rev. Archer Gurney, of a son. INNES.—On the 17th inst., the wife of Georgo Rose Innes, Esq., 17, Norfolk-street, Strand, and 20, Billiter-street, city, of a daughter. LOAD.—On the 18th inst., at Peckham, Mrs. E. Load, of a son. ST. GEORGE.—On the 16th inst., at 17, Rutland-gate, Hyde-park, the wife of Colonel St. George, C. 8., Royal Artillery, of a son. MARRIAGES. JONES—BECKETT.—On the 15th inst., at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, George Jones, Esq., of the Middl Temple, to Maryanne, widow of Gilbert Abbot a Beckett, Esq , Metropolitan Police Magistrate. _ . TRIBE—FRAsER.—On the 15th inst., Arthur Blake, the youngest son of the late Thomas Tribe, It N., to Bessie, youngest daughter of Alexander Clinton Fraser, Esq., Deputy-Inspector-General of Imports and Exports, her Blajesty's Customs. DEATHS. BRADSHAW —On the 17th inst., at 11, Queen's-gate-ter race, Anna Maria, widow of the late James Bradshaw, Esq , M,P. for Canterbury. GRABAM.—On the 16th inst., at Long Hedge Farm, Bat tersea, Bernard J. Graham, Esq., age 65. KEEN.—On the 17th inst., at Croydon, Thos. Keen, Esq•, aged 62. MACLAREN.—On the 16th inst., at 5, Rectory Villas, Stoke Newington, N.E., Mr. John Maclaren, of 55, Cornhill) aged 60. NERNITAM.—On the 15th inst., at 15, Cornwall-terrace, Regent's park, Nathaniel Newnham, Esq., aged 89. RIDLEY.—On the 17th inst., William Ridley, Esq., of Cowper's -court, Cornhill, and 1, Tuwer Villas, Grange.. road, Canonbury, aged 62. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG 0 No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TnE SUN Office, No. 112,Strand in the Precinct of the Savoy in the County of Kiddleoex Wedneficigh FOrtutry 18, 1862.