The Sun. — London, England, 1859-04-06 00:00:00

ft, LPERIAL PARLIAMENT ROUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY). The LORD CHANCELLOR, took his seat on the woolsack at fiv( o'clock. CHURCH-RATE RELIEF BILL. Tb LC Duke of MARLBOROUGH, in consequence of the Ares , mat state of political affairs, withdrew his motion with resp ect to this bill. THE DIVORCE COURT. T...ord CAMPBELL called the attention of the house to the , present state and constitution of the Divorce Court, and expressed an opinion that there was great necessity for in creasing the judicial strength of the court. It was utterly impossible to expect the present learned Judge Ordinary to transact the immense amount of business brought into that court. The LORD CHANCELLOR said ho agreed in nearly all that had fallen from the noble and learned lord. There was a great deal of business which could only be transacted before the full court, and it was absolutely impossible, with out the chief judges attended more frequently to form full courts, that the suits could be disposed off. The only way to obviate the difficulty was either to extend, as it were, the area of the existing judges. or to appoint three new ones. INDIAN LOAN. Earl GREY asked when it was intended to proceed with this bill, and also asked for some information with respect to the military expenditure in India. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH hoped that the bill would not be hastily hurried forward. The Earl of DERBY said he thought it would be con venient to take the second reading- of the bill on Thursday next, after which he would move the suspension of the standing orders, so that the bill might receive the Royal assent on Monday next. RECREATION GROUNDS BILL. This bill, after a few observations - from Lord WYNFORD, was read a second time. PATENTS FOR INVENTIONS (MUNITIONS OF WAR) BILL. This bill passed through committee:,_ COMIVIO RIGHTS BILL. This bill passed through committee. MANSLAUGHTER BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS, The following bills were read a third tine and passed : Border Counties Railway and Vale of Neath Railway. The following bills were considered and ordered for third reading :—Atlantic Telegraph Company (No. 2) ; Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway ; Castle Douglas and Dumfries Railway ; Charleston Railway and Harbour ; Forth and Clyde Navigation; Gateshead Quay; Great North of Scotland Railway; and Merthyr, Tredegar, and Abergavenny Railway. The following bills were read a second time :—Belfast and Londonderry Junction Railway; Cork and Kinsale Junction Railway ; People's Provident Assurance Society ; and Tralee and Killarney Railway. The Indian and Australian Telegraph Company (No. 2) Agreements, Scc., Bill went through committee, and was ordered for third reading. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented praying for a Continuation of the Ecclesiastical Courts in Ireland ; against the Registry of Lands Bill ; in favour of the admission of Dissenters to the same privileges as members of the Church of England, in reference to endowed charities, &c. PUBLIC BUSINESS. - Colonel PATTEN wished to ask the chairman of com mittees whether he would propose the same resolution that he had done previous to the dissolution of 1857 with reference to bills which were before committees, as several gentlemen engaged on those committees were anxious to return to their constituencies. (Laughter.) Mr. FITZROY said he intended to move the resolution in question to-morrow. VOTE BY BALLOT. Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that on Tuesday evening next he would bring under the consideration of the house the subject of vote by ballot. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) THE PHCENIX CLUB MEMBERS. Captain D. O'CONNELL asked the Attorney-General for Ireland whether it was a fact, as stated by several of the Irish journals, that at the late trial at Tralee of Daniel Sullivan, accused of being a member of the Phcenix Society, the 11 Roman Catholic persons who were called and answered, were directed to stand by" by the Crown, and that one of the persons so excluded was a magistrate of the county of Kerry, appointed by the present Lord Chancellor of Ireland ? Lord NAAS said that he had received a communication from the Solicitor-General for. Ireland on the subject, but he was not in a position to state whether the announce ments made in the Irish newspapers were correct or not. PUBLIC BUSINESS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that the Government orders of the day should have prece dence of notices of motion on this and all subsequent days until the end of the session. THE MAYNOOTH GRANT. Mr. SPOONER said he would postpone his motion, which stood on the paper relative to the house going into committee to consider the act relative to the endowment of the College of Maynooth, with a view to the repeal of the charge on the consolidated fund. He withdrew the motion solely from the state of business in the house, and not from any alteration of opinion on the subject, for he still consi dered that the grant in question was opposed to th e s pi r it of a Protestant country like England. ROMAN CATHOLIC OATHS BILL. The order for the second reading of this bill was dis. charged. ADULTERATION OF FOOD AND DRINK BILL. The order for the second of this bill was discharged. CHURCH-RATES ABOLITION BILL. The order for going into committee on this bill was dis charged. SUPERANNUATION BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. On clause 13, Mr. BLACK moved the following amendment:—" But in the case of those who entered the public service previous to the passing of this act if they shall be proved fully com petent to discharge the duties of their office, although they shall be permitted to retire at sixty-five years of age, it shall not be compulsory on them to retire till they had com pleted their seventieth year." He did not consider that when a man was competent to discharge his duty he should be compelled to retire from office merely because he had attained an age when some men might be unfitted for official duties. Colonel NORTH agreed with the hon. member for Edin burgh, and suggested the following alteration in the clause in line 27 : leave out from " receive" to the end of the clause, and add " The full superannuation allowance which could be granted by the act under which he entered the service, for the service which he shall then have completed, and in addition thereto the allowance under this act for each year's service beyond the quinquennium." Mr.WILSON supported the clause as it originally stood. The house divided, and the numbers were— For the original clause 147 Against • • O 129 - Majority against the amendment Mr. STEWART moved an addition to the clause. The house divided, and the numbers were— For the amendment Against Majority ----153 Sir S. NORTHCOTE moved the following proviso to the clause :—" Provided that this enactment shall not ap ply to persons holding any of the offices mentioned in the schedule to this act, it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, by order or warrant, under the hands of any two or more of them, to add to the said schedule any other office or offices which now exist, or may be hereafter created or established, the nature and functions of which shall render its or their exclusion from the operation of the said enactment desirable ; in every which order or warrant the reasons for adding such office shall be stated ; and a copy of every such order or warrant shall be laid before Parliament within one month after the making thereof, if Parliament be then sitting, and if not, then within one month after the next sitting of Parliament." Sir F. BARING wished to know whether it was in tended to exclude commissioners and heads of boards. Sir S. NORTIICOTE said it was intended to exclude those officers. Sir G. LEWIS called attention to the schedule, which, he thought, was imperfect. The Under-Secretaries of State and the Assistant-Secretary of the Treasury were named, but there was the Assistant-Secretary of the Admiralty, who should fall within the same rule. There were also fac tory inspectors, prison inspectors, and other officers of that kind, who should be excluded. COlonel FRENCH urged the same point. Mr. W. V.ANSITTART said a petition had been sent by the masters of workhouses, praying that provision should be made out of the rates for superannuation allowances to them. He mentioned the matter that his hon. friend might consider whether he could do anything. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD suggested that the bill should be reprinted. Sir S NORTHCOTE said the bill was not intended to extend the compulsory retirement to officers of the class that bad been referred to. He felt that the schedule was imper fect, and he would have the bill reprinted, and' would en deavour to specify a greater number of officers. Sir G. LEWIS remarked that as the clause stood the Treasury, having once issued a warrant excluding any offi cer, would have no power to vary it. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said he should add the words " from time to time." eIaiiTURD objected to proceeding with so im portant a bill in the last hours of an expiring Parliament. The clause was so objectionable that he intended to move its rejection. Mr. LABOUCHERE suggested that the consideration of the clause be postponed for the present, and that in the interval the Secretary of the Treasury should consider and specify what offices should be included in the list of excep tions. Mr. GLADSTONE joined in the suggestion. He was afraid that, do as, they would, the committee would not be able to get over the giving a discretionary power to the Treasury; but he cou ld see no reason, and he had heard none, why the committee in legislating on a matter so deli cate should not insist on carrying specification to the utmost point. (Hear.) Unfortunately, the clause had been drawn on the opposite principle. He added, that at this moment this was the last bill of all with which they ought to pro ceed in a hurry, seeing that it cor_nected itself more or less with the electioneering interests of almost ever}* mentleman on both sides of the house. (Het.) He also hoped before the bill passed that the Secretary of the Treasury would be prepared to give the house an estimate of the probable addi tion which it would cause to the public expenditure. Mr. WILLIAMS objected to giving discreti o ry na power to the Treasury in this matter, for they would be sure to abuse it. He had heard, but could not vouch for the state ment, that a person in a public office was about to retire to make way for a friend of a member of the Government. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said it was never the intention of the Government to draw the clause with the view to giving patronage to themselves. He would undertake to make a schedule of excepted offices, and for that purpose, if it was the wish of the committee, he would withdraw the clause for the present, and bring it up on the report in another shape. Mr. WILSON thought that the house might safely agree to the clause. Mr. WILLIAMS inquired whether officers of emigration would be included. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that such of the officers of migration as ,ere paid by the colonies would look to the colonies for their superannuation, while those who were paid by the Imperial Treasury would he included within the bill. Mr. COGAN had strong Objections to the principle of ee m pubory retirement, and would support a motion for the rejection of this clause. The CHANCELLOR of the . EXCHEQUER saicl that Wyeatosid 2441111514 *Au were proceeded with or not. Indeed, if he had followed his own inclination, he would not, under the circumstanoes, have asked the house to pass it. But very many gentlemen had represented to him privately that great anxie was felt that the bill should pass during the present s sion, and yesterday he put it to a full house whether th till should go on. An hon. gentleman opposite, who was a great autho rity on this subject, and who appeared to spe t with agreat concurrence of sentiment on both sides of the 1 ouse—(hear, hear)—thereuponurged him to proceed with the bill. From what then took place, and from the tone of the house en the division upon this bill, he was persuaded that it was the wish of the house that he should proceed with the measure. (Cheers.) With regard to the statement of the hon. mem ber for Lambeth, that an officer of the Government was about to retire to make room for some one else, if the hon. gentleman would favour him either publicly or privately, with the names of the parties, he would make inquiry into the facts. (A laugh.) Mr. WILLIAMS stated that he would not vouch for the truth of the rumour. Sir F. T. BARING hoped that thecommittee would pro ceed with this bill and finish it. (Hear, hear.) A feeling of great anxiety prevailed among public servants with regard to the bill—(hear, hear)—and nothing would be more in convenient to the public service than that this class of per sons should be looking to members of Parliament, and not to the Government. Mr. J. D. FIT ZGERALD believed that if this compul sory retirement clause were abandoned, the bill might pass. His objections to the clause had by no means been removed by anything he had heard i n th e presen t di scussion. Sir G. C. LEWIS suggested that the clause should be withdrawn, as it seemed difficult to make an exhaustive enumeration of officers to whom compulsory retirement should not apply. Mr. WILSON, who had supported the clause throughout, concurred in hoping the Government would withdraw it. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said the Government had not the slightest feeling with regard to the clause except to make an arrangement whi c h u p on high authority they believed would be to the advantage of the civil service. The clause had been a good deal misunderstood, and therefore, under the circumstanc es , h e wou ld w ithd raw i t. (Hear, hear.) The amendment was withdrawn and the clause negatived. Sir S. NORTHCOTE move d th e a dditi on of thefollow ine clause :—" For the purposes of thi s A c t no p erson here after to be appointed shall be deemed to have served in the permament civil service of the State unless suchperson holds his appointment directly from the Crown, or has been ad mitted into the civil service with a certificate from the Civil Service Commissioners ' • nor shall any person already ap pointed to any office be held to have served in the perma nent civil service as aforesaid, unless such person belong to a class which is already entitled to superannuation allow ance, or to a class inwhich, if he had been appointed thereto subsequently to the passing of this Act, he would, by virtue of the provision lastly hereinbefore contained, have become entitled to such allowance ; and no person shall be entitled to any superannuation allowance under this Act, unless his salary or remuneration has been provided out of the Con solidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or out of moneys voted by Parliament." Mr. WILSON said he was perfectly satisfied with the clause, as he understood from the Secretary of the Treasury that the Civil Service Commissioners would, as a matter of form, countersign the appointments in the War-office, Ad miralty, and other departments, on the representation of those departments that the requirements of the Civil Ser vice Commissioners were complied with. After some conversation the clause was agreed to. Mr. GROGAN moved a clause to extend the benefit of the bill to the medical officers of the House of Industry Hospitals and the Lock Hospital in Dublin. Sir S. NORTHCOTE opposed the clause, as it applied to one of that class of cases in which, he said, superannuation was impossible. Mr. VANCE supported, and Mr. WILLIAMS opposed the clause ; and it was lost upon a division by 113 to 18. On the question that the preamble be agreed to, Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that he had endeavoured to make some kind of estimate of the expense which this bill was likely to entail upon the public. It was extremely dif ficult, however, to arrive at any calculation on the subject, and, as he had stated before going into committee, really no reliance could be placed on any estimate, because it could only be based upon the average age and period of service at which people were now in the habit of retiring, which was on a much more advantageous scale than would hereafter be adopted. Supposing that retirements should in future take place at the same periods of service at which they now occurred, the additional charge imposed by this bill might amount to about £70,000, viz., £40,000 for the Post-office, £lO,OOO for the dockyards, Customs, and so forth, and £20,000 on account o f th e rev i s i on of? the scale; £70,000, however, would be the outside, and he himself did not think that the increase would be more than £50,000. Mr. COWAN asked whether the clerks in the Registry office of Edinburgh, who were paid by piecework, would be entitled to superannuation under this bill. Sir S. NORTHCOTE replied in the negative. Mr. CRAUFURD asked whether thq post carriers would be entitled to superannuation. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said that all persons who were re quired to give up all their time to the service of the Post office would be so entitled ; all other persons would not. After a few words from Sir D. NORREYS in condemna tion of the measure, The preamble was agreed to, and the bill was reported to the house. COUNTY PRISONS (IRELAND) BILL. The order for the further proceeding with this bill was discharged. POOR LAW MEDICAL CHARITIES (IRELAND) ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The order for the further proceeding with this bill was also discharged. The Public Offices Extension Bill and the Indemnity Bill were read a third time and passed. The orders for going into committee on the Title to Landed Estates Bill and the Registry of Landed Estates Bill were discharged. THE GALWAY LINE OF PACKETS. Mr. HORSFALL rose to call attention to the subject of the intended mail service between Galway and America, and to move for a copy of all correspondence connected therewith. He had no hostility, he said, to the proposed communication between Galway and America, nor was he influenced by any Liverpool feeling, because he knew that influential memorials in favour of the Galway line had been forwarded from the town which he had the honour to repre sent, and also from Manchester. But, as a general rule, he objected to all subsidies, and thought the postal service of the country might be effectually performed without them. The fact that the contract with the Galway line had been entered into privately had given great umbrage to many persons, and, for his own part, he believed that th e coun t ry would have gained by an open competition. So far back as October last, a rumour prevailed that it was the intention of the Government to enter into a contract with the. Gal way line of steamers for carrying the mail between Galway and America. A company in Liverpool immediately wrote to the Treasury to inquire whether such was the case, and he rested the whole of his complaintupon the answer which they received. They were informed, in reply to their com munication, that when a new postal service was about to be established by the Government it was the practice of the Treasury to invite tenders bypublic advertisement, thereby affording to all parties an opportunity of competing. Now, he thought the parties in Liverpool had some reason to complain that after such an assurance a contract should be entered into privately with the Galway line ; and he hoped, at all events, that the Government would be able to give some satisfactory explanation upon the point. (Hear.) Sir S. NORTH COTE said there could not, of course, be the slightest objection to produce the correspondence for which the hon. member had moved. A great deal of it had already been published, and the Government were ready to lay upon the table the further correspondence which had taken place on the subject. The usual practice when any new line of postal communication was intended to be esta blished was to advertise for tenders; but the Govern ment thought they were justified in treating the line bee tween Galway and America as an exceptional case, inas much as it was proposed not purely for postal purposes, but as a measure specially important to the interests of Ireland. The circumstances which connected Ireland with America were peculiar. A large amount of emigration took place between the two countries, and it was most desirable that every facility should be given to it, especially in the way of affording direct means of communication. If poor per sons were obliged to travel from the south or west of Ireland to England, and then to take their chance of find ing a passage to America from an English port, they would obviously be exposed to considerable hardship, and he believed that in many cases intending Irish emigrants had become chargeable upon the Liverpool poor-rates from their inability to proceed further. Moreover, a large proportion of the po s tal ccmmunication between Great Britain and America—he believed about a third—belonged to Ireland. Under these circumstances a company was formed to establish a lino of steamers between Galway and America. It entered into an arrange ment with the Government of Newfoundland for the performance of a postal service, and it asked for a sub sidy from the Imperial Government, with the view of making that service more complete—converting it, in fact, into a service between Ireland and North America gene rally. Its application was backed by an overwhelming number of memorials from commercial bodies, not in Ireland merely, but throughout the United Kingdom, and the conclusion to which the Government came was that those who had originated the idea should be the per sons authorised to carry it out. The same course was adopted, if he was not mistaken, in the case of the Cunard line, and the public interest required that the authors of new and valuable schemes should be regarded in order that others might be stimulated by their example. It was pos sible that further communications might be established hereafter between England and North A merica ; in that event the usual course of inviting tenders would be fol lowed ; but he hoped he had satisfied the house that the Government were justified in treating the Galway line as an exceptional case. (Hear, hear.) Colonel FRENCH said it appeared to him that this mo tion was made in the old monopolising spirit, to crush the rising interests of Irleand, as in former times acts of Par liament were passed to prohibit the making of cloth and establishing other restrictions in respect to Ireland, though he admitted that of late years that system had been changed. This company was formed to establish a direct communica tion between Ireland and America, and made to the Go vernment an offer which the Secretary to the Treasury had shown to be of public advantage, and he knew not with what object the present motion was made by the hon. member, unless it was brought forward in obedience to the desires of his constituents. Sir D. NORREYS conceived that the arrangement made by the Government was a hasty ono, and he believed th a t it would be fou n d a most improvident one ; but he trusted that the company had been bound to provide such vessels as would insure the greatest celerity and public convenience in the transit. If the Government had announced that it was desired to establish a communication between some portion of Ireland and America, the self-interest of the mercantile community would have led them to make an arrangement infinitely cheaper and more beneficial to the country than that adopted by the Government. Mr. VANCE thought that the conduct of the Government in this matter was highly to be commended. There was a general demand in Ireland for this subsidy, which had been well earned by the ability and enterprise which had led to the establishment of the line in question. (Hear.) The communication with Newfoundland was now very different from formerly. The Canard vessels went past Newfound land to Halifax, and the letters had to be brought back to Newfoundland. By the Cunard steamers the communica tion with Canada was fortnightly, whereas this new line would supply a weekly communication with that place, and no act of the present Government had given more satisfac tion to the mercantile interests, not only in Ireland, but in England, than the subsidy to the Galway line. Mr. COWPER, as an English member, entered his pro test against the most reprehensible and improper course taken by the Government in this matter. He understood the Secre tary to the Treasury to lay down the doctrine that the Go vernment were quite right in making this large contract for £78,000 without competition among persons willing to ten der, and without givingy the House of Commons an oppor twut of expressing an opinion with respect to it. (Hear, bear.) A fair opportunity r t gi Y ought . to have been allowed for gatarttoiascoZiliti aatl43.4rvtlaial34 ; 11 11: Ablx had to; THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1859 because there ought to have been some proper test of the value of the service to be performed, and such a test would have been best afforded by competition. (Hear, hear.) He thought the Government were also reprehensible for perse • vering in their intention to sign the contract without giving the House of Commons an opportunity of ascertaining the facts of the case, and considering whether, on the whole, the arrangeme n t p ropose d was the best that could be made, not only in the matter of economy, but with refe rence to the interests of Ireland. He thought the house ought to require some explanation why a very large expen diture was at all necessary fer the conveyance of letters be tween Ireland and Newfoundland. The house had been in the habit of voting a sum of about £7,000 a-year for the conveyan se of letters by mail-packet between Halifax and Newfoundland, and if £78,000 was applied merely to the conveyance of letters to the United States through New foundland, he thought it would be difficult to justify such an expenditure, because £176,000 a-year was already de voted to the maintenance of a weekly service between Eng land and New York; and England and Boston and Halifax alternately. He did not mean to deny that it might be ad visable to make arrangements for despatching a mail to North America from some Irish port alternately with Liver pool—(hear, hear)—but he thought it an e x t ravagan t pro position that, in addition to the weekly service from Eng land, another an d a t o t a lly di s ti nc t serv i ce s h ou ld be esta blished from Ireland. Letters could be collected from the greater part of Ireland and despatched to North America from Liverpool as conveniently as from Galway. It was im possible, however, to suppose that this expenditure was in tended merely for the conveyance of letters. Its object was, no doubt, to benefit Ireland by promoting emigration. The Secretary to the Treasury had admitted that it was intended to facilitate emigration by establishing a frequent commu nication between Ireland and Newfoundland. It was right that any fair sum of money should be devoted to such a pur pose, but if this were the object, why should the Govern ment take credit upon their own responsibility for advanc ing the public money to promote this intercourse ? The proper course would, in his opinion, have been for the Secre tary to the Treasury to have submitted to the house a vote for the necessary sum, stating the purpose for which it was required ; but why did the Governmentt take credit for a measure which was said to be popular in Ireland, without allowing the House of Commons to express their opinion on the subject ? He thought the Government had pursued a most improper, unusual, and unprecedented course in hav ing secretly, upon their own authority, without laying any papers upon the table or proposing a vote, granted a sum of money to a particular company without permitting any com petition. He thought this conduct was the more strange as Parliament was near its close. He hoped there was yet time for the Government to reconsider the course they were about to take, and that they would think it more consistent with their duty not to sign any contract at present, but to leave the subject to be brought before the future Parliament in a regular manner by an estimate, accompanied by an ex planation of the purposes to which the amount was to be applied. He would be most happy, if the Government could make out a fair case, to concur in granting any sum that might be necessary; but he thought the house ought to know what was the exact character of the contract, how long it was to last, and the specific object with which it was entered into, and the Government would then be relieved from many suspicions and rumours that had been spread abroad on this subject, which he thought could only be fairly met by their establishing a clear case for the grant. He must, under the circumstances, enter his protest against the course which the Government proposed to pursue in 1 relation to this matter. Mr. P. O'BRIEN was astonished to hear the hon. mem ber for Mallow (Sir D. Norreys), protest against this grant, which was regarded in Ireland—except perhaps by persons who were interested in particulor ports—as a great boon, very gracefully conceded by the Government. He believed Irish members were almost unanimously of opinion that the establishment of the proposed communication would be attended with immense advantage to Ireland. The Secre tary to the Treasury had, he thought, properly treated this as an exceptional case. If Cork, or Limerick, or any other Irish port had entered the field in competition with Gal way, he could have understood the objections which were made to the course adopted by the Government, but no such movement had taken place. Some four years back it was stated by the hon. member for South Lancashire (Mr. W. Brown), one of the leading merchants engaged in the Ameri can trade, that two-thirds:of the letters which were received by his house in Liverpool from America were from emi grants who had gone out from Ireland, and who had sent remittances to their friends in that country. He thought, therefore, it was fair to infer that increased facilities for postal communication between North America and Ireland were required. Mr. SPAIGHT seconded the motion, and observed that the Government had entiled themselves to the gratitude of the Irish people by acknowledging that, from its geo graphical position, Ireland was the high road between this country and her colonies in the West; but he en tertained some doubt whether the course pursued by the Government was the best calulated to attain the ob ject they had in view. If they deemed it right that a sub sidy should be given to establish postal commmunication between Ireland and America, he thought they should have studied the interests of the public by adopting the route which ensures the greatest convenience, safety, and eco nomy. The subject of this communication had been under the consideration of Parliament since 1831; four commis sions had inquired into the matter, and an opinion had been expressed that Galway was not the most convenient port on the western coast of Ireland as a station for trans atlantic communication. He deplored that the Govern ment had gone so far in this particular instance. They would have better consulted the public interest if they had reserved their decision until the whole matter had been made the subject of a public inquiry. Whatever might be the merits of the Galway line, he greatly doubted whether it had been proved that it had any claims upon that house and the country. Certainly the passage to Newfoundland had been successful. It was well known that owing to the fogs and the ice it was impossible for six months in the year to carry en a communication of this kind with New foundland. He entreated the Government, therefore, to stay any proceeding until the question had been fully brought before the house. The interests of the Shannon were entitled to equal consideration, and all he asked for was a fair and open investigation. The highest naval authorities had declared that Galway in its present state was totally unfitted for an efficient packet station. Mr. RICHARDSON said it was natural that the hon. member for Liverpool should dislike competition, but that Irish members should do the same excited his astonishment and was not patriotic. He thanked the Government for what they had done. It was stated that Galway was a dan gerous port to enter, but so was Liverpool itself; and, moreover, the former place could easily be made a first-rate port and transatlantic station at an exceedingly moderate expense. Enormous sums had been laid out upon English harbours. At Holyhead, for example, the cost of the works was about a million sterling ; whereas to render Galway a port which the Great Eastern might enter at low water, the entire expenditure required would be only £150,000. Even upon the right hon. member for Hertford's own showing, the present Government must have ent ere d into a very good bargain withthe Galway line, because they had agreed upon a less sum by £3OO per voyage than was paid to the Cunard line. The opposition offered in this case reminded one of the ancient state of Ireland, when Limerick fought against Galway and Galway against Lime rick. (A laugh.) If the Limerick gentlemen had shown their patriotism by starting a line from their own port for the accommodation of the country, not one word would have been said against them; but having done nothin g o f the kind, it certainly seemed rather like sour grapes for them now to unite with the Liverpool men against their own fellow countrymen in Galway. (Laughter.) The in terests of the north of Ireland, as well as of England and Scotland, ought to be considered in connexion with this question, because the direct line of postal service between Ireland and America and our own colonies in the west would lie by way of Belfast and the railroad now in course of formation to Galway. Dependent as it was kipon Liver pool for its postal communication, the trade of Ireland was in a position in which no public-spirited Irish member should wish to see it placed. Mr. ROEBUCK hoped the house would excuse him if he addressed it for a few moments on this matter, in which he certainly had a personal interest. Regarding Ireland as one limb of this great empire, ho had always desired to bring her, if possible, up to the standard of England. (Hear, hear.) He saw an attempt made on the part of cer tain enterprising men in London to open a direct communi cation between Ireland and America, and by thus affording mercantile advantages to Ireland to benefit that country without doing injury to anybody ; and though an English man, yet, wishing well to the sister island, he had taken part in this adventure. Now, he was very much—he was about to say astonished, only he had ceased to be astonished at anything—(a laugh)—but he admired this wondrous outburst of patriotism on the part of the front Opposition bench. (Laughter.) The right hon. member for Hertford (Mr. Cowper) appeared very much shocked at the idea of this contract being entered into by his political opponents with the Galway Company without the papers being laid before the House of Commons. But had that never been done before ? Had it never been done by the immaculate body whose hard fate it now was to occupy the Opposition benches ? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) What was lately done with Mr. Cunard ? And when the right hon. gentleman told them that no appeal had been made on that occasion to that house he told them nothing to the purpose. The last contract with Mr. Cunard was made by the late Government upon stipulations which were entered into by the present Government, because they had been left them as a legacy by their predecessors. Of that the House of Commons knew absolutely nothing, though that house was bound by the contract made by the late Government and carried out through the medium of their successors. (Hear.) What, however, had the present Government done with regard to the Galway Company ? It was found that letters could be transmitted from London to New York, through Galway, in 24 hours less time than via Liverpool ; and tenders were accordingly sent in to the Go vernment offering to conduct the mercantile communication between England, Ireland, and America by that shorter route. The Government, looking at the proposal from an imperial point of view, considered it in the light of a ques tion of what they could do for Ireland, and, indeed, for the whole mercantile community of the united kingdom, by means of a new postal line by way of Galway. Following previous examples, the Government investigated the mat ter and judged for itself. It had taken proper precau- tions to secure good ships, and to have the service done in the specified time. There was no harm or injury in flicted on any port in England by this. The hon. member for Liverpool (Mr. Horsfall) told them he was not an enemy to Galway—the chief opposition to the enterprise appeared to come from Ireland. There was always something going on against the Galway Company among persons connected with Limerick. The Honse of Commons, which was su perior to all local and personal considerations, would, he hoped, judge as he had done himself. He found that various persons perfectly conversant with mercantile and marine affairs had selected Galway from among the dif ferent ports on the Irish coast. There was no competition either from Limerick or Valentia • the company was estab lished at Galway ; and the opposition was very like the old Irish quarrels ; the dissensions among the Irish themselves utterly destroyed their own interests. No sooner was a good thing proposed to be done for Ireland than the most fierce opposition to it came from Ireland itself. Several Englishmen had selected Galway as the fittest port for the enterprise; they came to the Government, offered to do certain things, and bound themselves to do them ; and when the house was told that Mr. Cunard had astonished the Government by the lowness of his tender he could assure it that the tender of the Galway Company was lower than that of Mr. Cunard. They should leek at this enterprise as an Imperial matter—not as a mere postal ar rangement. He thought the establishment of the Galway Company a great step in the mercantile improvement of Ireland. That improvement depended on English capital flowing into It, and yet when Englishmen did what every good Irishman admitted ought to be done, by whom were they most opposed ? By Irishmen. It told badly for them ; they should merge their small, petty, and local feelings in the great consideration of the Imperial interests of Ireland ; they should forget Limerick and Galway, and think of it only as an Imperial question. Mr. P. W. RUS SELL had always approved the principle laid down by the Government, that the line of Atlantic communication should have its point of departure on the Weft Mt 91 lel nd, t Ito must ssudsum tAs %mu. ment for the mode in which it had carried out this contract. Having determined on the service to be performed, the Go vernment should have advertised for tenders for it ; there would then have been an opportunity of testing the compa rative advantages of the different Irish ports. The under taking was not commenced by Galway ; it was begun in London, and the steamvessels were sent over from England. There was no reason why other steam shipowners should not have adopted the same course. There were other ports from which the service, as far as the public was concerned, could be better performed than from Galway. From the nature of the coast about Galway it would be necessary to construct works there on the most gigantic scale, equal to those of Cherbourg—(No, no)—and at a great expense to the country. The Government ought to postpone any fur ther steps in this matter till a new Parliament had an op portunity of expressing an opinion upon it. Sir F: BARING thought the discussion ought at least to be suspended till the papers on the subject were before the house. It ought then to be referred to a select committee to inquire into all the proceedings that had taken place. He was surprised to hear the hon. member (Mr. Roebuck) condemn the good general principle of putting up all these mail lines to public competition. It would be well for the house to consider how the Government exercised the power of enter ing into these large cont:acts. The House of Commons had nearly lost all control over them ; they were made without the knowledge of the house ; and the parties were often bound by the agreement to build a certain number of vessels for the service. If the contract was not afterwards carried out, those parties would have a fair claim on the house for compensation for that outlay. The Government could not for itself erect a single shed without coming to the house for its sanction to the vote ; but it could enter into con tracts for hundreds of thousands of pounds, extending over 20 years, and the house had no control over it. It was a serious matter for their consideration whether the Govern ment should not be compelled to lay every contract on the table of the house some certain time before it was concluded. Mr. SULLIVAN regretted very much that the hon. and learned member for Sheffield should have had a fling at the Irish members, for had he taken the trouble to sift the chaff from the corn he would have found that out of the whole body of Irish members five would perhaps support Limerick while the other 100 would vote to a man in favour of Galway. (" No, no I") Ho (Mr. Sullivan) ha& the authority of an eminent member of this house (Mr. Stephen son) for saying that, in that gentleman's opinion, there was no other port in Ireland which could at all equal for the Transatlantic service the port of Galway. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MONSELL questioned the statement just made as to the comparative unanimity of Irish members on this tion, and said that a considerable number who were in terested in neither of the two ports mentioned thought that the subject should be fairly and impartially sifted before any selection was made. He should have desired the ap pointment of a committee to take evidence, and then decide whether the course proposed by the Government was best adapted not for the interests of this or that port, but of Ire land in general. Various committees and commissions which had previously inquired into the subject had reported not in favour of Galway, but of another port. (Hear, hear.) There was no difference of opinion in this house respecting, the desirability of establishing a Transatlantic communica tion between Ireland and America; the only question was the best mode of carrying out this object. Surely the pro per course would have been to invite competition and to call upon the whole mercantile interest of this county to send in tenders. (Hear, hear.) Everybody would then have been satisfied, and the best port would have been selected without regard to local bias. He would ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to allow the subject to be referred even new to a fair and impartial tribunal, and not to bind the House of Commons and the Government by entering rashly into this contract. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BEAMISH did not blame the Galway Company for what they had done ; but thought it would have been much more regular had the Government ascertained the feel ings of the mercantile body generally on this subject, and sought to establish a communication between Ireland and America by fair and open tender. He personally might have a predilection for the port with which he was connected ; but all he wished was that the matter should be fairly dealt with. So large a sum should not have been given to any parties behind the backs of the house without the security afforded by tender. (Hear.) Mr. JACKSON thought that no subsidies at all were re quisite, either for the postal or commercial service between England and America. If the communication between the two countries were left to private enterprise, ample accom modation would be afforded without the necessity for resort ing to Imperial taxation. (Hear.) The Great Eastern, with which he was connected, would, when ready for sea, be prepared to carry on the postal communication across the Atlantic swifter than any other ship without asking Go vernment for a shilling. With regard to Galway, he did not ask himself whether that was the best or worst port for the purposes required ; but he contended that if it were really the best it would soon have been selected as the point of in tercommunication, and he though the Government ought to have paused before supporting any individual enterprise, (Hear.) The'motion was then agreed to. EXPIRING LAWS. _ _ _ On the motion of Sir S. NORTHCOTE, a committee was appointed to inquire what temporary laws of a public and general nature are now in fore, and what laws of the like nature have expired since the last report upon the subject; and also what laws of the like nature are about to expire at particular periods, or in consequence of any contingent public events, and to report the same with their observations thereupon to the house. NATIONAL EDUCATION (IRELAND.) On the motion of Mr. SULLIVAN, the order of the 30th of March for a return relative to national education (Ireland) was discharged. ____ _ Mr. AYRTON called the attention of the Under-Secre tary of the Treasury to the fact that considerable dissatis faction had been occasioned in connection with the circum stance that tea which had been imported into this country had been so damaged as to be useless, and he trusted some steps would be taken to prevent the recurrence of the sale of an article which must be regarded in no other light than that of rubbish. Sir S. NORTHCOTE said he believed it was practicable under the circumstances which had been alluded to, for the commissioners of Custom s t o allow tea which h a d been in jured to be dried, or to be dealt with in some way or other, so that the fixed amount of duty might not be charged. The house adjourned at 25 minutes past nine o'clock. A BETTING-HO USE CASE. At the Marlborough -street Police-court yesterday William Butt, licensed victualler, landlord of the King's Arms publichouse, 2, Dnke--street, Grosve nor-square, was charged before Mr. Beadon - with knowingly permitting his house to be used - as a common betting-house ; Charles Heddingham of no occupation, 10, Charles-street, Oxford-street ; Thomas Heddingham, no occupation, same address ; Thomas Russell, beershop keeper, 9, Bird-street, Oxford-street ; and Edward Manning, Blackfriars road, with assisting in conducting the same ; and James Jackson, hotel keeper, Hyde-park Hotel, Hyde-park-place ; Chas. Middleton, 3, Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, clerk ; James Crisp, Avery-row, house agent ; Wm. Arbridge, 14, Milton-street, Euston-square, traveller ; John Batten, 21, Park crescent, no occupation ; Joseph Ringer, IS, George street, Duke-street, coachman ; Richard Bland, 10, Dover-street, Piccadilly, servant out of place ; John Cox, 62, Porchester-mews, Bayswater, coachman; Thos. Caulton, 3, Mead's-court, Bond-street, groom; James Nightingale, Farm-street mews, coachman ; Wm. Manning, 15, George-yard, Grosvenor-square, groom ; Alfred Clements, Old Town, Clapham, car penter; John Smith, 6, George-yard, Oxford-street, servant ; Chas. Coghlan, 4, Duke-street, Manches ter-square, tailor • Thos. Johnson, 35, S ou th- s t reet, bandage maker ; Wm. Douce, 28,Weymouth-street, Portland-place, greengrocer ; Jas. Rose, 74, Mount street, Grosvenor-square, servant ; Thos. Ballard, 3, Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, house decorator; John Rendall, 1, Queen-street, Oxford-street, but cher ; Charles Taylor, 14, Burton-street, Burton crescent, grocer ; James 'Watkins 2, George- s tr ee t, Oxford-street, no occupation ; Watkins , Rendall, 5, Francis-street, Golden-square, butcher ; Richard Camelford - house, Park-lane, servant ; Matthew Cooper, 11, Grosvenor-square, valet ; Joseph Twyte, 87, Frederick-street, Caledonian road, butcher ; and Thos. Scudi more , 28, Twyford street, Caledonian-road, of no occupation, were charged with being present in the said house while betting on horse racing was unlawfully going on. Mr. Sleigh, the barrister, conducted the defence for Mr. Butt, the proprietor of the house, instructed by Mr. E. Lewis, of Marlborough -street ; and Mr. Lewis, jun., of Ely-place, that of Russell and the two Heddinghamn. Mr. Superintendent Hannant having produced the warrant, signed by Sir Richard'Mayne, Chief Commissioner, authorising the police to enter the house in question, a report having been made to him that the same was used for betting purposes, contrary to the statute 16th and 17th of Victoria, chap. 119, said he had nothing to offer in evidence against any but the first five defendants—the rest who were only taken as being present he would, therefore, ask should be discharged. This being complied with by the magistrate the charge was proceeded with against the first, for that being the occupier hel did knowingly permit his house to be used as a betting place, and the other four with assisting in carrying on such betting. Mr. Sleigh said, as regarded the persons who had been discharged, he could not for a moment believe that the Legislature intended that men merely found in a house at a time when betting was alleged to be going on, should be subject to the degradation of being searched like common thieves, and have their private papers and pocketbooks taken from them. Mr. Jackson, for whom also he had been retained, had had his pocketbook taken from him, and he would ask that it should be immediately returned. The superintendent said, as a matter of course, it should be, Witnesses being ordered out of court, The superintendent deposed—At 10 p.m. yester day, accompanied by Inspector Webb and other constables, I went into Mr. Butt's house to a room on the first floor, on the door of which was written " Subscription-room," and there, among many others, saw all five defendants. I asked Butt if he was the landlord, and he said he was ; upon which I produced my warrant, which I read, showing him Sir Richard's signature. Acting upon this, I told him and the rest that I should be compelled to take them into custody ; but that they could put in bail at the station for their appearance to answer the charge at the court, and this was done. 'Mr. Butt produced a betting-book and some memoran dums relating to horse racing. Mr, Lewis applied to have these papers . produced, Witness said they were in the possession_of the inspector, who will bring them forward, as well as Woe found on the other clefendanta. Nanning also produced a betting-book. Russell made a movement, which induced Inspector Webb to call out not to throw anything away. After Russell was removed I saw Webb pick up two books of cards, relating to horse racing, on the spot where he had been sitting. They are the printed cards with pencil marks now to be produced, and refer to the City and Suburban. Handicap. A desk in the corner of the room con tained the Racing Calendar and .Ruff's Guide to the Turf for the present year. In a drawer in the bar I saw Webb take cards of this week's Shrewsbury race. The defendants seemed at a perfect standstill when they saw us come in. Mr. Sleigh—No doubt everything was at a standstill on your entry. Inspector Charles Webb, after confirming the superintendent's evidence, said—Butt was seated facing the door, so as to command a view of the room and persons entering. There were above 30 present, smoking, and drinking grog. Th e car d s produced I found under where Russell had been sitting, and they are marked with the odds against various horses. On the chimneypiece I found the Racing Times, and Ruff: s Guide to the Turf on the table together with the Racing Calendar. On a particular part of the floor, clear when I entered, I picked up these handicap books. Several pieces of paper were torn up and thrown into the spittoons by those present. Mr. Sleigh objected that this was not evidence. Witness continued—The racing cards produced I found in the bar downstairs ; also several books and papers and memoranda referring to racing. On Charles Heddingham I found three betting-books and cards, with odds marked against various horses; and on Thomas Heddingham four betting-books, handicap-book, and memoranda of horse racing. On Manning I found two betting-books and two books of handicaps, and sums of money on the dif ferent defendants, varying from £2 to £BOO. Butt had £6OO in notes, and Russell £2OO. Cross-examined—I observed the place where Russell sat, and that was the exact spot where I found the cards marked with the odds ; also papers of " Winnings and Losings," and figures which I believe to refer to horse races. There were similar books and cards found on those who had just been discharged. Mr. Lewis objected to this remark as not being evidence. Alfred Mitchell, 298 A, deposed as follows :—I went to the house at half-past 9on the evening of the 28th ult., in plain clothes, and in a large room on the first floor I found 40 to 45 men, three of whom are known to me as betting men. By Mr. Sleigh—All the defendants, except Rus• sell, were there when I entered ; heard Charles Heddingham bet with another, which he reduced to writing. Mr. Lewis objected that this was not evidence, the writing not being produced. Mr. Beadon ruled that it was. What was heard was as good evidence as that which was - written. Witness continued—The bet was 100 to 1 in crowns on a horse named " Earl" for the Northamp ton Stakes. Another was made with the same man, 25 crowns to 1, that " Earl" didn't get a place. Mr. Lewis—That was very fair. Any number of crowns might be bet that other earls also wouldn't get places at the present time. (A laugh.) Witness—Somethinglwas written down in a book when the bets were made. Manning made a bet with a man of 17 half-sovereigns to 1 that Black thorne did not win the Northampton Stakes. There was much more betting going on, and money was passed and repassed, Butt being there all the time. I went again last Friday at the same hour, when Butt made a bet with a man of £lOO to £1 that Touchwood would not win the Derby, and offered £2OO to £3 at another time, when something was entered in the books. Did not see any money pass that evening. The waiter went round with handicap-books for sale, and several were bought. I went again the following night, when all the de fendants were present as before, and bets were made against Whitehart for the Metropolitan Stakes. Russell, on this bet, took the money (10s.) in silver and entered something in a book. I said " No," and he added it was a bet I had made with him -20 to 1 crowns against Indifference. I said, " Per haps it was with my friend." He then, looking in his book, said " All right," and then went to Butt and said, " He's all right." Cross-examined by Mr. Sleigh—Went there to see what was going on. Don't know what is meant by a spy exactly. I went in obedience to my orders and lam not a member of Tattersall's. (A laugh.) Mr. Sleigh said Mr. Butt, for whom he appeared, was the keeper of a highly respectable hotel, and was himself a highly respectable man and a mem ber of Tattersall's. He did not seek to avoid the penalty for the mere sake of doing so, but to vin dicate a class. Why should not one respectable class of the community have the same privilege with another P Why should he be excluded from bets which he honourably paid when he lost whil e members of the Cabinet could with impunity make their bets at all times and in all places ? Mr. Beadon observed, that was a question to put to the Legislature, and not to him. Mr. Sleigh submitted that in bets on horse racing there was no greater immorality than in bets on the Stock Exchange, or on hops, cotton, and such Like commodities • that the statute under whi c h this charge was brought was never intended by the Legislature against a case of this sort, but against those who kept rooms and offices specially for this sort of thing on which profits were taken; the words of the Act being that "no office or room shall be kept open," &c. It was to prevent persons in little shops or offices, in alleys and by-ways, into which low persons were enticed and swindled that that Act was framed ; places where boys and ser vants were brought together, who too frequently robbed ther masters for the means of doing so, and not surely against such men as the defendants, who like numbers of the aristocracy, could afford to meet their liabilities when they lost their bets. The hotel of his client was not specially devoted to betting purposes, and it had, he contended, not been proved so, and it was such a place only which the Act provided against—a place set apart for betting purposes. The hotel of Mr. Butt was the good old English place where men could have and enjoy their beer or their grog, the same as noble. men in other houses at this end of town their Champagne and Moselle. It was not, he would submit, because betting-books had been found, that his client was to be condemned; for, if so, no man would be safe, and the nobleman who had such things in his library or study ran the chance of being charged. The magistrate would please to notice that he had not been shown to bet at all. Mr. Beadon—lt is on my notes shown he had 100 to 1 and 200 to 3. • Mr. Sleigh—Well, no money was seen to pass from his hand—and if no money was advanced he would not come within the meaning of the statute, and therefore is entitled to a discharge. Mr. Lewis contended that there was no evidence to show that the rest of the defendants, his clients, had in any way assisted in the carrying on of the house as one of betting, and that the Act never intended to exclude members of Tattersall's from betting, but persons of quite another . stamp, from ' spending thei r h ar d- earne d wages m offices set apart solely for betting purposes. Mr. Beadon said h e h a d a t once yielded to the expressed wish of the superintendent, and dis charged the others who were brought up, and this was as he had been accustomed to do, because he considered that persons might be there with no view to betting, or entrapped into it unawares ; but at the same time he was anxious that it should go publicly forth that all who were found in the house where betting was going on were liable to 40s. fine each. The question for him now to decide was, was this a house within the meaning of the statute. He would agree with Mr. Sleigh that it must be where money, or some valuable thing in lieu, shall be received in a house where betting takes plane, but must totally differ from him in that the place has no reference to a public-house ; if so, the Act might at once be put upon the shelf as altogether useless. As regards the mode in which by entering, and observation previously the police had brought this case home, he had only to say that it was very properly permissible. Some of the cases could not be brought clearly against persons but from doing this in the plain clothes detective system ; and the judges have laid it down as the only way of getting a proof. He (Mr. Beadon) was convinced that betting in public houses, of all places, was the most injurious to the morals of society, because servants going in for their glass of ale were entrapped into betting, when perhaps most of them would be ashamed to enter a place set apart as a betting-office. He should discharge Thomas Heddingham ; Butt he should fine .E5O, or three months ; and the other three defendants £2O each, or one month. THE EXPLOSION AT THE FAVERSHAM POWDER MILLS.—Wo have been requested by Messrs. Hall and Son to state that the paragraph which appeared in our columns yesterday in reference to this explosion was somewhat in accurate. The explosion was of a trivial nature only, the building in which it took place not being a store, but used in the first process of the manufacture, called a green charge mill. No one was inj ure d, an d th e damage to property was very slight. c 3 ADVERTISEMENT.j—HoIIoway's Ointment.—Hydro cep alus, or Water in the Head.—Teething.—lnfancy is always a time of anxiety to parents; the little indications of departing health require such constant vigilance to detect and correct them before the feeble frame falls into disease. The grand source of serious infantile sufferings is the ner vous system, which teething sadly irritates, laying the foundation for fits, wasting, and water on the brain. To allay this nervous irritability has been the endeavour of the noblest physicians, who have devoted all their skill to accomplish this end ; but with no certainty, till Professor Holloway discovered this ointment, 'Much, being well rubbed upon the swine and head, passes through the skin, peActraen awry otzuctwe l and puriaeis to blood. THE F. 'ATAL EXPLOSION AT _ROUX k?LOTV POWDER MILLS. Yesterda) afternoon Thomas W a kl ey , E sq., ' coroner for West Middlesex, resumed the inquiry ; i r e l d i e v a e t s h b s y o f t h t e h e e x s e r v l e o n s o unfortunate w m d e e n r relative to ti who lost the. mills situated at Hounslow belonging to Messrs. Curtis and Hai 'veY• The jury re-assembled at the Prince Blucher's tavern, Twickenham- common, and during the proo cedings the inqu es t room was densely crowded Plow present being chi e fl y in fluential gentleme.' residing in the neighbourhood. Mr. Sergeant Balilantine attended to watch the ease on behalf of Met isrs. Curtis and Co. The Coroner said,. ;as it had been stated that the men would be afraid t o speak if any of their supe riors were in court, Ito supposed Mr. Curtis and other gentlemen would have no objection to quit the room. Mr. Sergeant Ballantine said that it was Mr. Curtis's most anxious •wish that the men would state all they knew fully and fairly, and he would at once retire. The following evidence was then adduced : William Tomkins stated that he was in the em ploy of Messrs. Curtis and Harvey as a labourer in the press and corning houses. He had been in their employment upwards of seven years. At the time of the explosion he was at work in one of the corn ing houses. Had worked at' the lower press house at the press which blew up. It had been erected since the 18th of September last. The greatest quantity of powder pressed there at one time was about 16 hundredweight. There was a guage to go by to ascertain what amount of pressure was to be used. There were no figures to indicate the pressure, but there were marks made with chalk. Those marks were made by the workmen them selves. The witness here produced a sketch of the plan used for the guidance of the men. The Coroner said he could not understand on what grounds the marks were made. Mr. Sergeantpallantine said that the men, he conceived, used a certain pressure, and if that was not sufficient they applied a little more, until the right amount was reached, and then they made a mark, and worked by that afterwards. Witness continued—There was a leaden weight attached to a wire, and when it came to a mark they knew the pressure was sufficient. By the Coroner—When the powder was placed in the press it was dry enough to make into grains, although it was possibly dried a little more before it was made into grains. The learned counsel said that Mr. Wentworth could explain the working of the press. By the Coroner—There would be greater safety if the press was not se' large, or if so large a quan tity was not pressed at once. He did not think, however, that the explosion was caused by the pres sure. The whole of the powder was moved out of the press at one time by a screw. He had not formed an opinion as to the cause of the explosion, unless the men went beyond the pressure ; but of course he was unable to speak as to that. He could not say whether he should continue to work at the mills. There was no doubt that all the tackle was very good, but he still thought it would be better to press a less quantity , at a time. Had never made any complaint of any danger, and if anything was required by the men for their safety it was at once attended to by the manager of the mills. By a Juror—The pump of the press was worked by the hand principally, by three or four men. The men always referred to the leaden weights as to the pressure used, and not the resistance of the pump only: By another Juror—When the press was emptied, they had enough frequently to fill it again in the house. There were sometimes as much as 50 barrels. By the Coroner—Never saw one of the presses broken. He had nothing to recommend that he thought would prevent a recurrence of such a calamity as the explosion. He certainly considered that the whole of the tackle and press was in excel lent order, and he was totally ignorant of the cause of the " blow." The foreman always urged upon them to be most careful while at work. By a Juror —The men at the press received 2s. 9d. per day, but they made overtime. Taking the earnings generally, they made about L 1 per week. Robert Goddard, another labourer, stated that he was on the premises when the explosion took place, but he was not hurt. He was about 300 or 400 yards distant. He worked at the new press the first day it was set in motion, and they had then from 14 cwt. to 15 cwt. of power in it. There was not so large a press on the premises before. He knew when there was pressure enough, from having worked at the business some years, and from how hard the handle of the p um p worked. They had a string with a piece of lead at the end, and judged the pressure from how far the lead fell. They had sometimes pressed the powder too much. The piece of "hard stuff" produced had not been too much pressed. By the Coroner—Never had any apprehension of the press not being safe. He had not formed any opinion as to how the accident took place. He was not very anxious to go back to the work. By a Juror—He considered a smaller press would be as good as a large one. By the Coroner—Although he had worked at the mills for year he could not think of any cause of the explosion. He could not suggest anything to prevent a similar occurrence. He had not the slightest fear of speaking out. There was always danger in working in all powder houses. Every thing was done by the foreman, and others who had the direction of the mills, for the safety of the men. A piece of wood was put in the press to try it before it was worked. Mr. D. May deposed that he was an engineer and millwright, and resided at Hounslow. He put up the press which exploded in the lower press house. It was finished some time in September last. The hydraulic press came originally from Messrs. Moore and Son, of Glasgow, but had been on the premises for 12 months. The quantity of powder to be pressed in it at one time was from 15 to 16 cwt. There were valves attached to the press. The ma chine and valves attached were sent from Glasgow, and he merely erected it. It was tried with a knotted piece of deal timber, and stood the test, the valves being lifted. He had no doubt that the machine had been properly tested by the firm from which it was sent. There was a chalk mark on the board, and as the press rose the leaden weight fell, and the men thus knew when the powder was suffi ciently pressed. That was ascertained by several experiments. There were no figures to ascertain the weight—merely the chalk mark. By the Coroner—Too much pressure could not cause an explosion. It was impossible to make powder explode without fire. No pressure could do so. The unfortunate calamity had caused him to consider how it was occasioned, but he could not come to any conclusion. A piece of small grit on a man's slipper would be likely to cause an explo sion. Everything was done to prevent accident. Before the press was worked, the six men were called in, and they were asked if they ap proved of it, and the whole of them did so. A few trifling . alterations, suggested by the men for their convenience, were at once attended to. By Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—The powder was discharged from the press with a screw worked by hand. It was a most unsafe plan. The screw was made of iron working in a brass nut. The new mode of discharging the powder from the press by means of the screw was more safe than the old plan of opening a door. There would be no more danger, in his opinion, in having a large quantity of powder than a small one. The remains of the press had not been in any way altered since the explosion. By the Coroner—The head of the screw being broken, he was of opinion that it was under pres sure at the time of the explosion, but it was utterly impossible to say positively. By a Juror—Thorough examinations were made of the machine from time to time to see if all w as right. One turn by the machine might raise 158 tons. He had seen the plate of the upper portion of the press, and believed that it was brok en b y ex plosion and not by over pressure. By the Coroner—The metal inside the box was gun metal. By a Juror—He had tried to set fire to the powder with a sun glass, but could not do was confident pressure would not make gunpowder explode. Mr. Thomas Taylor deposed that he resided at Hampton, and was an engineer. He was formerly engineer in Messrs. Curtis's employ, and was there for two years and seven months. He left there about two years ago. There were then two hydraulic presses on the premises, one in what was called the lower house and another in the upper house. There were no accidents while he was there. He cou ld not form any o pinion of the ca use of the explosion. The new press had been put up since he had left. By a Juror—He never saw the press while it was up, but only after the explosion. John Burton said he had worked at Messrs. Curtis's mills for four years. He worked a t th e press which exploded ; but he never anticipated any danger, or complained of anything being wrong. At the time of the explosion the men seemed to be working easily, and not using any undue force. Witness Was about 20 yards away from th e press-house, but not in the way of the w i n d. He never saw any difficulty in working the machine. He was in a boat on the river and was knocked down by the shock. By the Coroner—There wee Nome powder in the boat. It was about five m Linutes before the explo sion that he saw the me n, and they were then pumping. He did not th ink the cakes of powder were being removed when ithe expllosion took place. William Rose deposed iihat he, worked at Mr. Curtis's powder mills. He always considered the press to work easily and properly. He never thought there was any danger in working it, and he could assign no cause for the explosion. By_ the Coro ner —H e th oug h t of leaving the works, as he considered the press and other houses were too near to each other. :He had no other cause. He would suggest that the buildings should for safety be further apart. By Mr. Sergeant Ballantine_The two houses destroyed were about 20 yards apart, but one was not used at all for the powder, having been con demned as unfit. had seen as muc h as 50 barrels By a Juror—Ho of powder in the press house. The General Manager said he was unable to assign a cause for the accident. It was now pro posed not to erect another large press, but to work one smaller, which 'was at present ou/the premises. That held about lt9 barrels. He 'was not aware that there was any law as tow much p ow d er should be kept o n the premisae. hfi It was against the rules to have as much as 50 barrels of powder in a press house at one time. The whole of the men had to change their clothes from head to foot, and none were allowed to enter the buildings with out they did so. By the Coroner—Ms opinion was that the ex plosion did not originate at the press. He had made an examination, and wits confident that the screw had not been used. He meant by that that the powder was not remove d from the press or being removed. He was satisfied that no pressure would explode gunpowder. All the men in the press house were paid by the duty and not by the work they did. They marinfactured about 400 barrels a week. Messrs. Curtis supplied the Government with powder during the wht de of the Crimean war. If the powder had too much pressure upon it it would become unfit for Goss ernment purposes. It was most important from the ,t cause that too much pressure should not be used. Thomas Robert Rouse, the: foreman of the men, stated that sometimes ther a were 50 barrels of powder in the presshouse • but he could not state how much they held. He was perfecty satisfied with the working of the preset, and would not mind working at a similar one. In fact, he should prefer it. He could form no opinioli of the cause of the accident. Thomas Cooper, who was examined on the pre vious occasion, was recalled, end said that he was confident that the explosion did not take place through any fault in the maci tine. Dr. Thompson said there was one question which he wished to ask from some competent person, and that was, if some grit got accidentally mixed with the powder before it was placed in the press, would the pressure then cause an explosion ? Mr. Ashbee said that it would not have that effect. After some remarks from flue Coroner, the inquiry was adjourned for a fortnight, that Professor Fara day and Dr. Thompson might try if science could throw any light on the cause of the explosion. COUNTRY KAREBTB. LIVERPOOL—AnaL 5. The arrivals from Ireland and coastwise during the week have been light. From foreign, ports we have received 12,280 quarters of wheat, 2,537 quarters of barley, 11,435 qrs' Indian corn, and 9,276 sacks flour. The exports, in the same time, comprise 2,919 qrs of wheat, 3,293 qrs. oats, 2,862 qrs. Indian corn, 2,184 sacks and 415 barrels of flour. The weather has lately become mild and seasonable again. We had only a small attendance of dealers at our market to-day, and business very limited. Wheat and flour little inquired for, and must be noted lower to sell. Oats and oamteal were difficult to move at the rates of last market day. Barley and peas as before ; but Egyptian beans de clined Id per eental, being at 7s Bd. Indian corn attracted little attention, and all descriptions of yellow are quoted from 5s 8d to 5s 10d, and prime white from 7s 5d to 7s gd per cental. LEEDS-APRIL 6. It is only particular qualities of wheat which maintain late prices, and to-day trade was dull. We make no alters tion in our quotations for other articles. Averages for the week • Wheat 3,972 qrs., at 41a Od .." 8ar1ey......... 1,303 „ ...360 2cl Oats 67 I, 23s ljd • • Rye — $) --I —4 1". Beans Peas.. .... 95 „ ........386 6d Arrivals this week : Wheat .......... 2,161 qrs. — 7 oats 49 Barley Beans 417 Peas Rapeseed 859 Linseed ' SUNDERLAND —A PRIL 2. A tolerable supply of wheat, but there was a dull feeling in the trade, and all good qualities scarcely realised the prices of last week—namely : wheat, 41s lld ; barley, 31a 6d ; oats, 22s 6d per qr. RICHMOND-APRIL 2. There was an average supply of grain to-day, and a fair business at the annexed prices :—White wheat, from 5" Od to 6s Od per bushel ; red, 5s Od to 58 6d ; beans, 5 8 6d to 6s Od ; barley, 28s to 34s Od per qr. ; oats, 228 to 28s. SHEFFIELD-APRIL 5. At this day's market the show of wheat WILI moderate. 1 The trade in all descriptions of grain was very dull. Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels... 14s 6d to 158 64 White fil ~ ...I6s Od to 18s rii Beans ?, :, ...178 Od to 19 s 6d Peas, per qr 58s Od to 548 Od Grimlino- barley, per qr 298 Od to 3280 d Malting ditto, ~ 3ss Od to 39s Oct Oats 9 f 213 Od to 3280 d Millers' prices for flour—ls sd, is 7d, and is 9d per 141 b. Hay, 80s to 85s ; wheat straw, 28s to 365 ; oat straw, 28a to 365; turnips, 180 to 19s per ton. NORWICH CATTLE-Arm 3. Our market to-day exhibited a very large show of ani mals, particularly of shorthorns, and there being a poor attendance of buyers, a small amount of business was transacted, at prices for all breeds barely equal to those of last week. At the close a very large portion remained un sold. Of fat beasts there was a large supply, and sales were dull at 7s 6d to 8s 6d per stone of 141bs, and all were not sold. Sheep—Fat sheep, 8s Od to 8s 6d, prime lots 9s per atone. Pigs—Good store pigs, 25s to 30s per head. Fat pork, 6s Od to 6s 6d, prime 7s per stone. The supply was large, and an active demand. LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL--APRIL 5. There was little doing to-day, and the market closed flat at per cent. decline. Eastern Counties, 111 12—Chester and Holyheads, 49.1 50I—Caledonians, 811 —Lancashire and Yorkshire, 94 I—London and North-Westerns, 94 I—. East Lancashire, 92 1--Dutch Rhenish, 4} 41 dis.— Grand Trunk of Canada, 8 I—Great Western, 68} 581—. Great Western of Canada, 151 1--Dovers, 21 / 5-1 —North British, 57 York and North Midland, 75 Berwicks, 91 21—Leeds Northern, 46 461—Midland 101 f —Blackburns, 11t--Birkenheads, 631 , }l. MANCHESTER-APRIL 5. There was a quiet business doing, and prices rather lower. Leeds, 94I—Dovers, 21—North Stafford. 41 Londons, 94 f—Shefffelds, 381 Midlands, 104—Great Western, 581—Berwick; 92. BIRM INGHAM—APRIL 5. There was a fair amount of business done to-day in this market. Londons, 94---Great Westerns, 58—Oxford,Wor eester, and Wolverhampton, 33. BIRTHS. ELWYN.—On the 3d inst., at Woolwich, the wife of Colo nel Elwyn, R.A., of a son. KILLEEN.—On the Ist inst., at Rome, the Lady Killeen, of a son and heir. MACCLESFIELD.—On the 4th inst., at Shirburn Castle, the Countess of Macclesfield, of a son. Suffolk, the TYz e N o . f — C On ta th in e T 3d ys ins sen t ; , R a . t N. S , p o rin f agson ii .all, WHITE.—On the Ist inst., at the Grange, Raheny, near D u bli n ; the wiff of Lieut.. Col. Lake White, of a son. MARRIAGES MARTEN—THOMAS.—On the 4th inst. at the British Em bassy, Frankfort-on -the-Maine, Mr. , C. H. Marten, of the Stock Exchange, London, and of 9 Stainton-plac e , Blackheath, to Anna Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Herr Johann Thomas, of Frankfort. TENXIEL—MACARTHUR.—On the 2d inst., at St. James's Westbourne-t errace, Adolphus, the fourth son of J. e. Tenniel, Esq., of 11, D orchester-place, Blaudford-aquans to Charlotte, the second daughter of Duncan MacArthur, Esq., of 8, Park-place, Maida-hill west. DEATHS. ALLEN. —On the Ist inst., at his residence, the Chantry, Bradford-on -Avon, Lieut.-Col. James Allen, late of the H.E.I.C.S. BONHAM.—On the sth inst., in London, Ellen Amelia, the wife of Sir G. Bonham, Bart., K.C.B. CII ETWYND-STAPLETON.—On the 14th inst., at 18, Devon shire-street, Henry Chetwynd-Stapleton, Esq., aged 70. DAWSON.—On the 3d inst., at 61, Montague -square, Eliza , both Jane Dawson, daughter of the late Hon. Lionel and Lady Elizabeth Dawson. FOSTER.—On the 2d inst., Richard Foster, Esq., of Brook land-place, cambridge, aged 77. HALL.—On the 2d inst., at Risley Hall, Derbyshire, the Rev. J. H. Hall, aged 90. WATSON.—At his residence, Broxbourne, Herts, Joseph Watson, Esq., formerly of Cambridge, aged 79. LONDON . : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Pr ec inct of the Savoy, i 4 the county o t 31iddlesez, Wednesday, April 6, 1850. . cii allWil of Ai ••••••,....... 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