The Sun. — London, England, 1860-06-06 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS, Boschetti's Estate and the Cardiff Water bills were read a second time. _ The Bourton-on-the Water Railway Bill was read a third time and passed. FURIOUS DRIVING. The Marquis of WESTMEATII brought in a bill to amend the law with respect to furious driving. The bill was read a first time. CHURCH RATES. Lord LYVEDEN presented petitions from places in Wales in favour of the abolition of church rates. Lord BELPER presented similar petitions from Not tingham. Lord BROUGHAM presented similar petitions from Denbigh and other places. The Earl of CLARENDON presented 23 similar peti tions from places in Glamorganshire. Lord LYTTLETON presented petitions from Worcester against the abolition of church rates. THE MAINE LIQUOR LAW. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition in favour of the establishment of the Maine Liquor Law in districts where three-fourths of the inhabitants were desirous of such being done. PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. On the motion for the second reading of this bill a short conversation ensued. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he should not oppose the second reading, but he thought that after the bill had passed that stage it had better be referred to a select com mittee, as it was open to great improvement. This suggestion was agreed to and the bill as read a second time. SELLING AND HAWKING GOODS ON SUNDAY. Lord CHELMSFORD moved the third reading of this bill. Earl ST. GERMANS said he still entertained great objections to this bill,and felt certain that it would disappoint the expectations of those who expected good to result from its passing. Ho thought the bill totally at variance with the existing law, and that being so, he should say " not content" to the motion for the third reading. Lord TEYNHAM opposed the further progress of the bill. Lord CHELMSFORD said that, after the full discussion which this bill had undergone on a former occasion, and particularly after the strict examination which had been extended to the details of the bill, he had hoped that he should not have had occasion to discuss its principles fur ther. The noble lord would understand him as by no means making any complaint, but he was in hopes, inas much as the noble lord who had left the house had stated that the amendments which had been already made had re moved many of his objections, that there remained no others of a serious nature. He did hope, therefore, that the bill would again receive the assent of their lordships, and that it would as soon as possible be sent down to the other house of Parliament. Earl GRANVILLE did not think the complaints of the noble lord, as to the opposition which his bill had met with at its present stage, were justifiable ; for the measure was now quite a different one from that to which their lordships had given a second reading. He (Lord Granville) had a great objection to the employment of the police in enforcing the provisions of the bill ; but that portion of it having been struck out, he was informed that the measure had no lon. ger any chance of becoming operative at all. He saw no inconsistency in objecting to legislation for enforcing the observance of the Lord's-day, and at the same time in objecting to give any degree of legislative sanction to practices on that day which they must all deprecate. As the bill offended the religious feelings of a portion of the community ; as it might inflict *hardship upon another if it were ever carried out ; and as he thought it very injudi cious to attempt legislation of this kind unless there was a reasonable prospect of its proving successful, he should vote for the amendment. The house divided — For the third reading Against it Lord CRANWORTII then proposed an amendment permitting the'sale of postage stamps. Lord WODEHOUSE suggested that the sale of paper should also be allowed. Lord CHELMSFORD agreed to the noble and learned lord's proposal, but did not see any reason for the further amendment. In case it became necessary to write a letter on Sunday there could be no difficulty in obtaining a sheet of paper, and he should himself say that people ought to provide themselves with stamps. (Hear, hear.) The words were then inserted. The Bishop of LICHFIELD moved the insertion of words restraining the sale of newspapers and other perio dicals on Sundays. Lord CHELMSFORD opposed the motion, and after a short discussion it was negatived. The bill was then passed. SALE OF GAS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Lord REDESDALE moved the second reading of this bill, which he stated was for the purpose of postponing the operation of the Sale of Gas Act for another year. The bill was then read a third time and passed. WINE LICENSES. Earl GRANVILLE moved the second reading of the Refreshment Houses and Wine Licenses Bill. Ho said it wee a measure of some importance, containing provision for the enforcement of penalties, and its object was, by lower ing the duties on wine, to encourage commerce as well as to promote the comforts of the people, and habits of tempe rance among them. It might be necessary for him to ex plain to their lordships, in detail, the provisions of the bill, but he was entirely in their hands as to whether he should offer that explanation now, or upon a future occasion. The bill was then read a second time, and the committee fixed for Friday. _ Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SrEax.zu took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : London, Brighton, and south Coast Railway (Deviations and New Lines, &c ), and Watchet Harbour. The West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway Bill was considered and ordered for third reading. Mr. C. FOSTER moved that the order of the 15th day of February last, that the Portsmouth New Railways, &c. Bill be committed, be read, and discharged ; and that the bill be withdrawn.—Agreed to. PETITIONS. Several petitions were presented in favour of the Reform Bill, and praying the house to pass the measure without delay; against the Highways Bill ; against the Medical Relief Bill; against any alteration in. the Marriage Law, &c. HARBOURS OF REFUGE. Mr. LINDSAY gave notice that this day fortnight he would move that it was the duty of her Majesty's Govern ment to adopt the recommendation of the committee ap pointed in 1858, relative to the establishment of harbours of refuge on the coasts of England and Wales. CAVALRY COMMISSIONS. Captain D. O'CONNELL asked the Secretary of State for War if he was aware that, since the reduction in the price of commissions in the cavalry, the amount paid over regulation had increased : And if it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to enforce the act of George the Third, which makes it illegal to give or receive any amount in excess'of the regulation price for commissions in the army ? Mr. S. HERBERT said he was not aware that any such increase in the prices of commissions had taken place. With respect to the second question, he considered that government were bound to adopt steps to reduce the pre sent 'price of commissions, but he doubted whether the act of George 111. gave them the power necessary to do 10. CLERK OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL. Mr. GRIFFITH asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in case of any appointment of a successor to the office of Clerk to the Privy Council, he will suspend the decision of the salary to be allowed to the office until the house has had the opportunity of considering the subject in the Ci►il Service Estimates ? Lord PALMERSTON said that Mr. Helps was to succeed the present clerk, who was about to retire, and that his salary would be continued at £1,200 a year, but the duties of another office would be transferred to him, which would effect a saving to the country of £5OO a year. SURVEY OF THE NORTMERN SEAS. In reply to Mr. WYLD, Lord PALMERSTON said that the Lords of the Admi rah) , would have no objection to furnish ships for a portion of the survey, but they would not undertake to supply ves sels for the whole of the survey that was proposed. TRANSPORT SERVICE. - Mr. LINDSAY moved for a select committee to inquire into t heormaization and management of those branches of the Admiralty, War Office, India Office, and Emigra tion Board, by which the business of transporting, by means of shipping, troops, convicts, emigrants, materials of war, stores, and any other similar ser viees, is now performed, with a view of adopting some uniform system by which such services may be economically and efficiently conducted under the authority of , one consolidated and responsible department. He said he understood there would be no opposition to his motion.. By the present system they had different depart ments of Government competing for ships, and when there were rumours of war with Russia there was no responsible department of Government to attend to the important ques tion of the transport of troops. The transport of soldiers to the Crimea in one year cost £ 5 ,000,000, and the whele cost no less than , £15,000,000. (R ear, ; The Duke of Newcastle suggested that. • the. Minister o f war should be responsible for the transport of troops, and in 1854 a transport board . was organised ; b u t t h at board was not established permanently. In consequenc e o f want of proper organisation, at the breaking out of the war, o ur men were dying for want of food. When the transp or t bosit! came' Into operation, the expense of vessels em ployed in the transport service was considerably re- : , (1264 which, showed the benefit of proyse orgauiAtition in a platter of - this description, THE'SITN,WIAONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 6, 1860. Having referred to the present defective mode that prevailed in reference to procuring vessels for the conveyance of troops, the hon. member said that the sending out to India and bringing home of each soldier cost the country £46 18s. Mr. Wood a gentle man of considerable knowledge in respect to his subject, asserted that the cost could be reduced to £25 per head. Other competent authorities had stated th . the cost could be considerably diminished. An organic on that would effect that object would be of advantage at the present time, when the number of troops it would be necessary to send to India would be so much larger than previously. He con tended that the most practical means of dealing with the subject would be to revive the emigration office, which would discharge their functions so effectually, and the ma chinery of which was still in existence. That board might be presided over by the Minister of War or by the First Lord of the Admiralty, as might be arranged by Govern ment. Lord C. PAGET said it was not the intention of the Government to offer any opposition to the motion, but he thought the hon. member would find difficulties in the working of the Emigridion board which he proposed to revise. He believed that at the present time there was a proper understanding between the War office and the Admiralty on the subject, at least he had heard no complaints at the latter with respect to the for mer. He suggested that the 12.0 n. member should leave out the words from "performed" to the end of the motion. After a few words from Mr. Baillie, Sir H. Willoughby, Sir C. Napier, Sir J. Elphinstone, and other hon. members, Sir J. PAKINGTON said he did not think this was a proper time to enter on the discussion of this subject. The only question really before them was whether there was not ample ground for inquiry into the sub ject. As far as he was concerned, he considered there were the strongest reasons for such inquiry, and that it would be productive of benefit, as any improvement in the system of transport would lead to a corresponding im provement in the condition of the troops, who sometimes were exposed to inconvenience and delay. Mr. LINDSAY consented to the omission proposed by the noble lord (Lord C. Paget,) The motion was then agreed to. CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS. Mr. COCHRANE moved that, for the future the Civil Service Commissioners shall publish, with their animal report, all the examination papers submitted to candidates ; specifying the proportion in which filo maAIMUm of marks ...signed to each branch of knowledge is divided among the questions contained in each paper. The hon. gentleman contended that the only other country where competitive examinations prevailed was China, and he quoted the opinions of Sir John Bowring and Lord Monteagle against the present system. He quoted some of the questions which candidates were required to answer in the examination of persons applying for Government situations, which excited much amusement. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he must confess that having examined this motion his col leagues and himself considered that there were very grave objections to it. But if any doubt existed on that subject it would have been removed by the speech of his hon. friend which the house would recollect must be taken in connection with the motion. The animus of that speech could not be mistaken. His hon. friend gathered what scraps he could to show that the whole idea of a civil ser vice examination was mischievous and absurd. His hon. friend said next that the examination was retrospective, but what did his hon. friend mean ? Did he mean that a person in the civil service was required to submit to an examination to retain his office ? If he did, such was not the fact, and if he meant that on migrating to another depart ment, an examination was required in that case, he spoke correctly. When the landing waiter from Barbadoes wished to transfer himself to the Audit-office, no doubt he had to submit to an examination, and his hon. friend considered that monstrous. In his (the Chancellor of the Exchequer's) opinion, it would be impossible to exaggerate the mischief that must ensue from the adoption of the plan proposed by his hon. friend. In point of fact, the question which his hon. friend wanted to bring to an issue was whether the system would be altogether maintained or abolished. His hon. friend who was so much alive to the evils of examining a landing waiter from Barbadoes, does not remember the class of evils which the present system was intended to re move. He did not bear in mind what a huge jobbing power had been at work throughout the country, through the medium of members of the House of Commons. Of course it was impossible that any member of the House of Com • mons could knowingly mix himself up in the perpetration of a job—(a laugh)--but members of great eminence, and who now took a deep interest in the work ing of the examination system, had been them selves unwitting instruments in the perpetration of jobs. These examinations were introduced in a spirit of hostility to jobbery, and with a view of obtaining the best men. His hon. friend said that the public were well served under the old system. True, in many offices it was so, but there were other offices in which the contrary had been the case. Many offices he knew to have been miserably filled, and they would have continued to be so but for the examinations which had been instituted a few years since. The motion was so narrow that he felt almost drip taxied in dcauendins fiom the din,uc sion of broad principles to its restricted terms. It might be right to publish a general idea of the scope of an exami tion, but it would be decidedly mischievous to give every detail. But that kind of particular examination, without bounds and without limits, which his hon. friend sought to secure, tended to destroy the efficiency and honesty of the examination, and to put those young men, not upon seeking general information and cultivating and furnishing rightly their minds, but upon all the tricks and stratagems which might be applied, and sometimes were successfully applied with fatal effect, for the purpose of vitiating this process of examination, and evading those tests which it was the ob ject of the examination to secure. His hon. friend with great magnanimity, said he was not at all dispeSed to com mit an act of injustice towards the examiners, and he would by no means quote particular questions, which might be misunderstood, and having laid down that gene ral principle he immediately iroceeded to quote a string of particular questions which appeared to his hon. friend ex tremely ridiculous. Mr. B. COCHRANE—The questions I quoted all fol lowed each other. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had said a "string" of particular questions. (Hear, hear.) It was not easy to find a word which would more clearly express that the questions followed each other. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) He would venture, however, to say this, that there never was a good examination paper set which would not give occasion probably to a titter in a mixed assembly, before gentlemen who were not met for the pur pose of undergoing examination, but upon matters quite different from scholastic examination. (Hear, hear.) Having listened to these questions he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) must say that they appeared to him to be extremely reasonable and proper questions, very well cal culated to test general knowledge and general capacity, and to do credit to the judgment of those by whom they were framed and put. (Hear, hear.) His hon. friend said that the value in number of marks ought to be attached to each of those questions. The hon. gentleman, unable to defeat the system, AC as determined to do everything to weaken it, by bringing the power of cram to bear upon it, and he wished to have artificial aids given to young men to direct them to what questions they were to go. So that they might say, " If I get up this question I only get 3 marks, but if I get up this I get 12 marks." In the first place, that would be a degree of detail which it would be absurd and ridiculous to ask the examiners to enter into, and in the second place it would be a thing of no manner of use what ever, except to encourage these young men to cram for par • titular questions. (Hear, hear.) The question was whether the examiners had given to those who wore to be examined that sort of general information as to the character of the examination which was fair and just. And what had the examiners done in their first report ? For once, they did publish the whole mass of the examination papers that they had set for the year. For once they did that, in order that there might be laid out before the candidates fair means and opportunities of becoming acquainted with our system. But to pursue that year after year, by pub lishing the whole of their examination papers, would, in the first place, load their reports and the shelves of the library of that house with a vast quantity of the most use less and worthless matter. One of the most important branches of this examination was arithmetic ; and what could be more ridiculous than to call upon those examiners tdprint in detail every sum and problem in arith metic which was put before every person, who came forward to be examined with a view of entering the, civil service of the country. It would be very mischievous as regarded the amount of needless expense to which it would put the pub lic, and still more mischievous from the tendency it would have to encourage trick and stratagem in the young men, instead of leading them to trust to the manly processes of a sound and well-conducted education. He thought the mo tion, framed as it was, laid down rules which were very ex ceptionable, but if the opinion of the hon. gentleman and the general opinion of the house really were that Ihe exa miners had not done enough to make those parties acquainted with the general character of the examinations, such an ex pression of opinion, deliberately made by those who had looked into the reports, and had really considered the ques tions, and conveyed to the examiners themselves, would, he had no doubt, have great weight with them. But he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) should like to know whether there was in that house any one man who had considered carefully the whole of the papers published by the exa miners, and, having considered them, had made up his mind that they were not sufficient to give fair information to the persons to be examined. Had his hon. friend him self (Mr. B. Cochrane) road all the published papers ? He should like an answer to that question. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member was very ready to speak just now, when he had something to say, but he was not es willing to speak now. (Hear, and laughter.) But if the hon. gentleman had, and if he considered that sufficient information was not given, it would be a matter well worthy the attention of the examiners, and one which he (the Chancelh of the Exche quer) felt sure they would take into consideration. would be no cause for the interference of the house by - nw ipotionez,hi:wca.h%,tino stahyonnoatthutinevattzujureeedeb.Zdt:lol7:rtaw:aeusnits;; questions press upon the belle, majority—speaking oft-o. Mar, hear.) The doctrine he wo uld was this ; that those gentlemen ought not to be discouraged, but encouraged in their difficult task. (Hear, hear.) But what time had his hon. friend chosen to make this motion ? He had tried to force them to interfere with this system at the very moment when they had recently appointed a committee to examine it—when the committee had nearly concluded its labours,and was preparing its report, but at a time when they were entirely ignorant of the nature of its report. Thus, in the first place they appointed a committee to examine the sub- jest, and then at the instance of his hon. friend they pro ceeded to prejudge a most important matter. (Hear, hear.) Nothing could be more, he would almost say, irrational on the part of the house, and nothing certainly less in confor mity with its usual mode of proceeding, than to have selected a body of men in whom they had confidence to look into the whole matter, and report their opinion as to the nature of the system, and just at the moment when within a few weeks or days the house might expect the result of those inquiries, they should on the speech of his hon. friend proceed to an ticipate them, and possibly to cross and contradict what they would recommend by the adoption of this motion. For these reasons, and if time were not valuable for many rea sons which could be given, he trusted the house would not agree to the motion of the hon. member, if it were too late to express a hope that the hon. gentleman himself would not press his motion to a division. Sir F. SMITH said that he had been for five years a pub. lie examiner at Addiscombe, and he quite concurred with what had fallen from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with one exception. There was no doubt that if the examination papers were published continuously it would have the effect of enabling the cramming schools to prepare the necessary questions. Nut there was one point on which he differed with the right hon. gentleman. He saw no harm in putting on the examination papers of the day the number of marks to be assigned for each answer. It would enable the candi date to complete the number of marks necessary for his examination and to apply himself to those questions which would give him the greatest chance of success in the depart ment he aimed at. That would guide and properly guide the candidates. With regard to examinations by competition he had seen enough to know that they would do great good in the civil and military services. There was no doubt that at competitive examinations they could not test the quali ties of the candidate, but tkey tested his knowledge and his power to be useful in some particular branch. They could not test the courage of the young soldier, but they could test his mind and his general fitness fur the service. Ho hopod tho houzo would not aooodo to tho motion of his hon. friend ; but, at the same time, he trusted they would concur with him in opinion that the number of marks on each question should be laid before the candidates at the time of examination. (Hear, hear.) Mr. H. BENTINCK said it appeared to him the speech of the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer was quite as remarkable as many other speeches which they had heard from him in that house. The first thing the right hon. gentleman complained of was the animus of his hon. friend (Mr. B. Cochrane) to be discovered in his speech. That appeared to him (Mr. H. Bentinck) to be a eulogy rather than the reverse. He had often listened to many speeches in that house, and the complaint was, that it would be impossible to understand what was the animus of those speeches. Now, if what the right hon. gentleman said were true, he could not see why the system should not be applied to the Treasury bench—(a laugh)—because its application to that bench might be most beneficial to the public service. The right hon. gentleman went on to say that prior to the establishment of this system many offices were miserably filled. That seemed to him a sound reason why the system should be applied to the Treasury bench, because many offices on the Treasury bench had been mise rably and ruinously filled, and if we had the benefit of the system of competitive examination that might have been prevented. (Reiewed laughter.) The right hon. gentle man asserted that the effect of the system was to establish the general knowledge of the applicant, but the object of his hon. friend was to establish the fitness of the candidate for the particular office which he might have to hold, and not his general ability. One of the complaints against the system was that the examination had no reference to the fitness of a candidate for any particular office. The right hon. gentleman had mercy on the shelves of the house, and spoke of the inconvenience of having piles of figures, but it would be well for some hon. gentlemen if their figures had no record, and were blotted out from the memory of man. (Laughter.) The right hon. gentleman had complained that his hon. friend (Mr. B. Cochrane) had treated the house to a few scraps from the examination papers. Now he (Mr. H. Bentinck) had understood his hon. friend to say that he had in his hand numberless instances of the absurdity of the questions, but that in deference to the time of the house he would abstain from quoting many of them. Since the right hon. gentleman complained of these few scraps he (the hon. member) would take the liberty of offering him a few more, and would quote some questions put to candidates for commissions in the army. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—The civil service commissioners do not examine for the army. (Hear.) Mr. H. BENTINCK—It was the system of competitive examination which he wished to show up. The following were some of the questions asked, " Make a sketch of a cliff, a quarry, or a railway cutting, and mark the line of bed ding, and the courses by which the layers of rock are di villa/1 2" ortah+ol..) Would waxy 1111 Treasury bench who might take it into his head to give up his seat there and go in a commission in the army be able to answer that question ? (Laughter.) " What are the prin cipal data for determining the geological age of a stratified rock ?" " What are the colonial possessions of Spain and Portugal—describe the political constitution of any one of them ? Point out any permanent traces of Napoleon's con quests on the map of Europe, and is the present Emperor his legal representative ?" (Laughter.) The latter part of this question was very wisely omitted by the commissioners in the publication of their report. In an examination which lasted four hours the candidate was asked to discuss the most important political questions which had agitated Ire land for the last 30 years. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—Is that question in the report ? Mr. H. BENTINCK—It was in the paper from which he read, and which was a correct copy of questions by a very high authority, who had been called upon to examine into the system. But the worst feature of all was the utter want of confidence which the system had created in the mind of the public. Nothing could induce persons who were not conversant with the manner in which the system was con ducted to believe that whatever amount of jobbery existed before it was instituted, the jobbery now was not much greater ; and it would be impossible to do anything effectual as long as the system of irresponsibility prevailed, and there was a total want of check upon these gentlemen. He had heard this feeling expressed only the other day in very homely but not very classical English ; but it conveyed for cibly the general opinion which prevailed on the subject. A person who laboured under the mistaken impression that members of the house had no difficulty in getting Govern ment situations for applicants came to him, and asked him to befriend his son. He told him that he must qualify his son for examination in the subjects specified for candi dates for employment in the particular department which he wished to enter, and that when he had passed his exa mination ho would do his best to have his "name put down," adding that beyond that he could do nothing. The applicant scratched his head, and hesitating for a mo ment, said, It's all very well what you say, but I have inquired about it, and this is the way. Them as competes, when they have competed, if they ar' n't no friends they gets nothing." (Laughter.) He repeated that the one great insurmountable objection to the system was the irresponsi bility of the commissioners, which no Minister, however in genious could venture to defend. They were not responsible to public opinion, nor open to the censure of the house ; and so long as the public knew that, and justly felt that they had the control of the entire patronage of the country, what ever might be their attainments, their charicter, or their intentions, se long would there be dissatisfaction, and a re opening of the whole question by motions similar to the one now before the house. (Hear, hear.) Lord STANLEY could not help thinking that the very fact of the competitive examinations under the civil service commissioners being now the subject of debate was a suffi cient proof that those commissioners were responsible to the house and the public, to whom, through the medium of the house, they presented their annual report.. (Hear.) It was said that the amount of jobbery under the present system was greater that that which existed before, but it was a well-known fact that the system made a candidate inde pendent of the power of friends in or eut of that house, and dependant alone on his own merits. (Hear, hear.) It was a mistake to suppose that the patronage of the Crown, as the hon. member (Mr. Bentinck) had stated, was transferred to irresponsible persons. It would be as consistent to say that a judge who decided a right of ownership to an estate possessed patronage with respect to that estate. The civil service commissioners were simply judges, and nothing more, as to the fitness of a candidate to fill a certain appoint ment. They possessed no power to appoint. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member would no doubt be happy to hear that he was also incorrect in stating that the subjects for exa mination were proposed by the commissioners, and not by the heads of departments. (Hear, hear.) It rested with the heads of departments to furnish the commis sioners with a statement of what were the branches of knowledge in which they required a candidate to be com petent, and the commissioners decided which candi dates were most competent. Much had also been said about the supposed over-strictness of the examinations, and the strange and out-of-the-way questions which were put to the candidates, but it was not dealing fairly with the subject to select out of a list of some hundred questions one which well might be considered strange or out of the way, and to take it as a sample of the whole. (Hear.) Such a mode of proceeding involved this fallacy among others— that it presumed that a candidate was necessarily required and expected to answer every question. Such was not the fact. In examining men or lads from all parts of the world, and who had been educated at different universities and colleges, it was necessary to make as large an allowance as the subject would admit of for such diversities of training. The object was not merely to ascertain the amount of knowledge possessed by a candidate, but to give him a chance, if he possessed more information than usual on any one subject, of displaying his knowledge in that particular. qo far from candidates being required to answer all the - - used, it was a plain fact that an enormous - ^ 4 he would say four-fifths of the whole—failed, not in the more obtuse, but in the mos ' simple branches of education, viz., arithmetic and spelling. (Hear.) Was it then or not beneficial to the public service that 400 out of 500 candidates for appointments being unable to spell or do a sum should be excluded by the civil service examiners ? (Hear.) No person looking at the subject dispassionately could possibly give any other but one answer. He hoped therefore that the house would not consent to the mothm. He objected to it also for another reason, namely, that a committee of which he was a member was now sit ting upon the whole question of civil service examinations. They had concluded the evidence, and he hoped that before long their report would be laid before the house. The result of their labours, he believed, would throw some light upon the subject, and although he was not permitted by the rules of the house to refer to any portion of the evidence, he might say that, whatever inconvenience and disadvan tages might attend the present system, they were light as compared with the total absence of check on the admission of unqualified persons to the public service which previously existed. (Hear.) Mr. BOWYER objected to the character of the exami nations as being inapplicable to the duties of the depart ment which the candidates were expected to discharge. Sir G. LEWIS said the Civil Service Commission had no authority to make a report to any one but the Crown, and objected to the motion. After a few words from Lord R. CECIL and Sir S. NORTHCOTE, Mr. COCHRANE consented to withdraw his motion, but the house negatived it without a division. trayed some backwardness in joining Prince, but he ultimately did so towards the close of 1846, accom panied by Mrs. Thomas, Prince having sent one of his emissaries to bring Mr. and Mrs. Thomas to him at Weymos.th. After Mrs. Thomas had arrived at Weym - outh, Prince, who was stopping at the same house with her, remonstrated with her on the subject of having dissuaded her husband from obeyitg his (Prince's) commands, and said " If ever you dare at tempt to influence your husband again in acting contrary to my commands, God will crush you out of the way," accompanying these words by extend ing his clenched fist towards her. In November, 1845, Mrs. Thomas learned that Prince was corre- sponding with her sister Louisa Jane, to induce her also to come and reside at Weymouth, and was writing a letter to her to dissuade her from doing so, when one of the so-called brethren, who was staying in the house, looked over her shoulder and read what she had written, and then, snatching it away, took it to Prince ; and that evening, when she was proceeding to the bedroom usually occupied by her and her husband, the latter forbade her to go, saying, " In wr:ting that letter you have deeply sinned against God's Holy Spirit. I therefore care nothing about you, nor what becomes of you. The room adjoining this is empty. You can go there if you please, so that you may not be near nee," and from that day, which was a Friday, until the Wednesday following, Thomas slept in a diffe rent room from his wife. In February, 1846, Prince became aware of Mrs. Thomas being pregnant, and he thereupon, and in consequence thereof, expressed great anger with her. Thomas was then at Bridge water, away from his wife with Prince, and ad dresed to her the following letter : "My best beloved,—l herewith enclose you a small por tion, eat, drink, yea. drink abundantly; and let your soul delight in fatness ; let the will of God be your home and resting-place. Out of His will there can be no happiness, but in His will there is life, and joy, and peace. "The ser vant of the Lord' told me that you would not be in your present state unless you had rebelled months ago ' • and thus you will suffer for it, in not b e i ng a bl e t o go a b ou t with her as you otherwise would ; but when I see you I will tell you all about it." Two or three weeks afterwards Mrs. Thomas had directions to leave Weymouth, and she accordingly did so, being at the same time forbidden to join her husband at Bridgewater. She then went to reside, first with her mother-in-law, and afterwards with her mother, and in 1859 an attempt had been made by her husband to take the child, which was born to her in June, 1846, away from her; but this at tempt was defeated by an application, in 1850, to Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce, who appointed Mrs. Thomas and her mother guardians of that child. In December, 1845, Miss Louisa Jane Nottidge, who was then about 41 years of age, went to reside in the neighbourhood of Weymouth, in order to be near Prince, and under whose influence she then placed herself. After some difficulty her brother and brother-in-law succeeded in taking her to her mother's, and, as she appeared to her friends to be tray symptoms of insanity, they called in medical aid, and the result was, that in November, 1846, she was, upon the usual medical certificates, placed in confinement. She remained in confinement until the 15th of May, 1848, when she was released by order of the Lunacy Commissioners, those gentlemen being of opinion that, although she laboured under extraordinary and irrational notions on the subject of religion, she had exhibited no other indications of insanity, and that her bodily health would suffer by her confinement being pro longed. In the meantime—viz., in 1847, Prince and his followers had taken up their abode at the Agapemone, at Spaxton, near Bridgewater. On the day of Miss L. J. Nottidge's release she was met by Thomas, who brought and took her on the same or the following day to Prince's broker, with a view of making a transfer to Prince of the stock then standing in her name, about £5,728 Three per Cent. Annuities. Not knowing the amount of stock standing in her name she was then unable to make the proposed transfer, and went with Thomas to the Agapemone on the 16th or 17th of May, 1848. About a fortnight after she made the transfer of the above amount to Prince, having in the meantime ascertained the amount of stock to which she was entitled. In July, 1858, she died intestate. The defendant, in his answer, said that he was not the founder, but that, Mr. William Cobbe and the Rev. George Robin son Thomas were the founders of the institu tion or establishment called the Agapemone, and that its members professed certain religious tenets, being those of the Chinch of England, with certain further opinions to the following effect : " The object of all God's dealings with man, even from the beginning, has been the development of His Lame to make himself known. This is His glory. The way in which God in His wisdom has chosen to make himself gradually more and more known to man, as well as to develope his opening counsel and purpose concerning Him, has been by raising up from time to time from among men certain individuals prepared and appointed by Him for the special end he has in view. These have been His wit nesses, inasmuch as they have borne witness, or testified to the true character, the name of. God, or to the particular mind or purpose of God, which they were appointed to develope. Moreover, they have been living witnesses—that is, what they lived, not merely what they said, made mani fest the character or mind of God. It is plain from the Scripture history of God's dealings with mankind that He has from time to time entered anew into covenant with man, and that on such occasions He has had one way of de veloping and carrying out His counsels and purpose, and that that way has been to select and appoint 'one man as His witness thereto. The first time God entered into a covenant with man was at the creation of mankind. Then Adam was his witness. The second time when God is recorded to have entered into covenant with man was at the destruction of mankind by the deluge. Then Noah was His witness. The third time when God is recorded to have entered into covenant with man was after the disper sion of mankind at the time of the building of the tower Babel, when he left them to their idolatry. Then Abra • ham was His witness. The fourth time was at the redemp tion of mankind by the Gospel. Then Jesus Christ was His witness. God, in Jesus Christ, has again entered into covenant with man at the resurrection of mankind. This is the first resurrection, and now I am His witness. This one man, myself, has Jesus Christ selected and ap pointed his witness to his counsel and purpose, to conclude the day of grace, and to introduce the dayof judgment to close the dispensations of the spirit—the Gospel, and to enter into covenant with flesh ln each in stance where God entered anew into covenant with man it has been in connection with the falling away from God of the children of the former covenant, that is, of the pro fessing people of God, and also of their being left or for saken of God lt is a most remarkable fact in the Scripture history of mankind that in every dispensa tion, so soon as any one has been found dispensationally perfect, that dispensation has closed, and made way for another The dispensation under which the immediate descendants of Adam lived closed as soon as there was one found perfect therein, perfect in his gene ration—Noah. The dispensation under which the imme diate descendants of Noah lived closed so soon as one was found perfect therein—Abraham. The dispensation under which the descendants or seed of Abraham throng& Isaac and Jacob lived, that is the law, closed so soon as one was found perfect therein—the Lord Jesus Christ; and in like manner the dispensation under which the spiritual seed of Jesus Christ lived, that is the Gospel, closed so soon as one was found perfect therein—Brother Prince. As it has been God's way in the history of mankind to open a new dispensation by means of him as His witness, in whom He had made perfect the former one, so now He has intro duced the day or dispensation of judgment and the first resurrection throughßrother Prince as His witness, in whom he had by Hi s s pi r it f u lfill e d th e di s p ens ation of the Gos pel, and so closed it." With reference to the Agapemone itself, the in mates of which were between 50 and 60 in number, the evidence of the defendant described it as fol lows : " The establishment of the said Agapemone consists of a large mansion -house, having attached thereto extensive gardens, conservatories, hothouses, pleasure grounds, and a farm, of which the defendant is the proprietor in fee simple, consisting of about 200 acres of land, occupied by a person who cultivates and manages the same for the bene fit of the members of the Agapemone. The produce of the garden, hothouses, and farm are applied to the purposes of maintaining the table, and other occasions of the members of the Agapemone, and the residents in the establishment enjoy every kind of comfort which such establishment can afford. In addition thereto carriages and horses are kept. There are numerous horses of great value, both for driving and riding, kept for the use of those resident at the Aga pemone, and they occasionally ride out in a carriage drawn by four horses." Other persons besides Miss Nottidge had given the defendant large sums 'of money. Starkey said he had given Prince £l,OOO, and his wife had given him an annual income of £BO. Price and his wife had given £6,000 to the de fendant, and Mr. and Mrs. Cobbe the same amount, and Mr. Hotham Maber and his four sisters had given Prince £lO,OOO. The learned counsel said he had gone into the circumstances connected with Mrs. Thomas's marriage and her treatment, in order to show the ascendancy which Prince had acquired over his people, and he contended it was clear that at the date of the gift Miss L. J. Nottidge was under the spiritual ascendancy of the defendant, and that she laboured under gross delusions respect ing him. Mr. Bacon (with whom was Mr. Smale) com menced his address for the defendant shortly before the Court rose. The Mysterious Power of the Magnet is most beautifully developed by Mr. F. M. HERRING, of 32, Basinghall-street, in his Patent Magnetic Brushes and Combs, which are the remedy for grey hair, weak or falling hair, neuralgia, nervous headache, rheumatism, stiff joints, &c. His Teazle Brushes for cloth, velvet, &c., are admirable ; they not only cleanse but preserve the fabric in a remarkable manner. The public are cautioned against counterfeits.—[AnvT.] [ADVERTISEMENT.]-llolloway's Pills and Ointment.— Exercise your Judgment. —For purifying both the solids and fluids composing the human body; for regulating the functions natural to each corporeal organ; for strengthen ing digestion and invigorating the nervous system, the powers of Holloway's remedies have been acknowledged for the last quarter of a century. They are composed of the finest balsams without admixture with any mineral or poisonous ingredient ; consequently the use of Holloway' purifying preparations, while - wonderfully efficient in sub duing disease, can never act wrongly, or do mischief to the weakest constitution. No well. conducted household should be without a supply of these excellent family medicaments at this season of the year when the blood and body gene rally more especially require cleansing. TRIALS FOR FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR. Mr. DENMAN obtained leave to bring in a bill for the amendment of the proceedings on trials for felony and mis • demeanor. WAKEFIELD ELECTION. Capt. JERVIS moved " That whereas by the act 17 and 18 Viet., c. 102, s. 14, it is expressly enacted that no person should be liable to be prosecuted for any offence committed against the said act unless such prosecution shall commence within one year from the date of the said offence, this house is of opinion with reference to certain prosecutions com menced at common law against divers persons at Wakefield, for offences committed at the late general election against that act, but which prosecutions have not been commenced within the time prescribed by that act, that such prosecu tions should be abandoned." As the hon. and gallant member was proceeding to explain his object in bringing forward hie motion, an hon. member moved that the house be counted. The house was counted accordingly, when it was found there were just forty members present—the number requi site to constitute a house—and Captain JERVIS resumed—He said he had tried to make himself acquainted with this subject, although he was no lawyer, and since the reign of George 11., al though many persons had been prosecuted by the Attorney- General for bribery, he had been unable to discover a single instance of any person being so prosecuted unless he had been served within a year after the alleged offence was committed with notice of the intention to prosecute him. An Hox. MEMBER here moved that the house be counted, which was done, and there bling only twenty-nine members present, The house adjourned at twenty-five minutes to eight o'clock. LAW INTELLIGENCE.—June 5. VICE-CHANCELLORS' COURTS. (Before Vice-Chancellor Sir J. Stuart.) NOTTIDGE V. PRINCE. The hearing of this cause was resumed. Mr. Malins, for the plaintiif, said that the defen dant Prince was educated at Lampeter College, in Wales, with the view of becoming a minister of the Church of England, and he had been accordingly ordained deacon and priest. In the year 1840 he became the curate of Mr. Starkey, then rector of Charlwich, in Somersetshire, and continued such for about two years, when, in consequence of his inter ference with neighbouring parishes, he was deprived by the Bishop of the diocess of his licence. He then obtained a curacy at Stoke, near Clare, in Suffolk, in the neighbourhood of which place the late Mr. Josias Nottidge lived. Mr. Prince there became acquainted with that gentleman and his family, which consisted of his wife and four daugh ters, and succeeded in acquiring great influence over the daughters. Of that curacy likewise Mr. Prince was deprived by the Bishop of Ely, at the end of 1842, or early in 1843. From Stoke Mr. Prince went to Brighton, where he took a chapel, which he called Adullam. Thither he was followed by the four Misses Nottidge, Louisa Jane, Harriet, Clara, and Agnes, with whom he had in the mean time kept up his influence by means of letters written as well to them as to servants of his own whom he had left at Stoke, the letters to his servants having been written by him with the express view of their being read to the Misses Nottidge. He remained at Brighton until May, 1845, when he persuaded the young ladies, whose father had in the meantime died, leaving them sums of between £5,000 and £6,000 .picoo, to leave Brighton for the purpose of accom pany him to Charlwich, where he contemplated opening a new chapel. In the course of their journey to Charlwich the whole party went to Taunton, at one of the inns of which placo the Misses Nottidge lodged, Mr. and Mrs. Prince and Mr. Starkey lodging at an adjoining inn. All the expenses, however, of the whole party were, at the express direction of Mr. Prince, defrayed by the young ladies. On the morning of June 10, 1845, the party being still at Taunton, Prince sent a mes sage from his own inn to Miss Harriet Nottidge requiring her presence, and upon her entering the room in which he and Mrs. Prince and Starkey were sitting he informed her that she would give great glory to God by marrying his friend, Mr. Lewis Price, and, such consent having been ob tained, he directed Miss Nottidge to withdraw, and to keep entirely secret what had passed at their interview. A second message of similar import was immediately after received by Miss Agnes Nottidge, and when she got into Prince's presence he told her that God was about to confer on her an especial blessing, which the Spirit directed him to make known to her, but that, before hearing what that blessing was she must make a solemn promise to do whatever was required of her. After some reluc tance on her part Miss Agnes Nottidge gave such promise, and was thereupon informed that the bless ing in question was that she would be married to Brother Thomas in a few days. Miss Nottidge ob jected to the marriage taking place before a settlement should have been made for the purpose of providing for any family which she might have. Prince and Starkey immediately replied, " There will be no need of anything of that kind You will have no family. It will not be in accordance with your present calling. Your marriage will be purely spiritual, to carry out the purposes of God." Miss Agnes Nottidge then withdrew. On the same day Prince dined with the young ladies, in company - with Messrs. Price and Thomas, and during dinner informed those gentlemen that Harriet and Agnes Nottidge had, in obedience to the will of God, con sented to.become their wives. In the course of the same afternoon Prince informed the two intended brides that it was the will of God their marriages should be solemnized at Swansea, and proposed that they should all at once proceed thither for that purpose. The young ladies demurred to this course, upon the ground that it would cause great sorrow to their mother if they were to be married without first returning to see her. Prince, however, told them that they must not allow any such feelings to divert them from the path marked out for them by God, and that if they read the Book of Jonah they would see the effect of acting contrary to God's commands. Two days after Harriet and Agnes had consented to marry Thomas and Price, Prince ex torted from Clara a promise to marry William Cobbe, another of Prince's followers. On the 9th of July, 1845, the three marriages took place in the parish church of Swansea, Starkey giving away the brides, who by Prince's express directions were all married in black dresses. Prior to Mrs. Thomas's marriage she received a letter from her intended husband relative to her proposal that her property should be settled upon her, from which the following is an extract : "2, Windsor-terrace, Brighton, June 21, 1845. "My beloved Agne 3, -I must write to you just what the Spirit leads me to do ; this I do with the more confidence, because I believe you have an oar to hear what the Lord may say unto you through him that loveth you. You men tioned your desire to have a settlement of your property upon yourself ; this, I assured you, would be very agree able to my feelings, and is so still, but last evening, in waiting on God, this matter quite unexpectedly was brought before me. I had entirely put it away from my thoughts —leaving it to take its course so you might be led to act ; but God will not have it so. He shows me that the prin ciple is entirely contrary to God's word, and altogether at variance with that confidence which is to exist between us, who are one spirit. This desire on your part must be aban doned. Give it up to God, and show that you can trust His faithfulness, and I can assure you the confidence you re pose in Him will not be disappointed. I knew God, and I know that none who trust in Him shall ever, can ever, be confounded. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. As regards the promise you made your parents, I would merely say that any promise made when you were uncon verted, and which was not in accordance with the Word of God, you are not bound, neither would it he right in you, to adhere to. I must bid you farewell, and believe me to abide, in mph love,—Yours affectionately, in the everlast ing covenant, "Brother THOMAS," No settlement was made of the property of Harriet and Clara, any more than of Agnes's property. When the marriages took place Thomas and Priv, were in indigent circum stances, and Cobbe had a sum of his own of about £l,OOO. Early in August, 1845, Prince left Swan sea and went into Somersetsbire, leaving Thomas and his wife at Swansea. After a short interval Mr. and Mrs. Thomas went to Ilfracombe, where the former received a•summons from Prince as fol lows: " Brother Thomas—l command you to arise and come to Weymouth. Amen." Thomas at first, at the instigation of his wife, be- POLICE' INTELLIGENCE.—June 5. MARY LEBONE.—EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF CONCEALMENT OF BlRTH.—Sarah Gough, 30, housekeeper and cook to Mrs. Mirehouse, Upper Symour-strect, Portman-square, was brought up on remand, charged with having concealed the birth of her female infant. The particulars of the first inquiry have already appeared, and it will be remembered that, in conse quence of information received from Mr. O'Neill, an inspector of the Berks constabulary at Clewer, Inspector Stear, of the D division, went to the resi dence of Mrs. Mirchouse, and there saw the prisoner, who admitted having recently given birth to a child, and sending it off in a box by the Great Weste-n Railway to the "Lady Superior of the Sisters of Mercy," at Clewer, near Windsor. It was further shown that, upon the box being opened, the body was found, with several napkins, and an apron and a shift. There was also a sheet of paper in the said box marked " Mirehouse." Some additional witnesses were now examined in proof of the box being the same as that forwarded to the Lady Superior of the institution alluded to (it was produced by Inspector O'Neill). The prisoner, who was in tears during the pro ceedings, had nothing to say, and was committed for trial. SHOCKING CRUELTY TO A SHEEP.—Henry Sparkes, a rufpianlylooking young fellow, a drover, was brought up in custody, charged with cruelty to a sheep. The evidence went to show that, on the previous morning, the prisoner was driving a flock of sheep along the Hampstead-road, when, as they did not go on to his satisfaction, he rushed in amongst them and inflicted upon one of them a tremendous blow upon the head, which caused it to bleed profusely. The poor animal fell to the ground, apparently in an almost lifeless condition, and was carried away in a cart. The prisoner was taken to the station house. The stick, a most formidable one, was shown by Mr. Franklin, the chief usher, to the magistrate. Mr. Seeker, after commenting upon the brutality of the prisoner, inflicted upon him a fine of 205., or in default of payment, 21 days in the House of Cor rection. OUTRAGE ON A TRADESMAN. AND CONSTABLES —George Knight, late in the service of Mr. W. J, Cook, cheesemonger, &c.,Hampstead-road, as por ter, was charged with e following ruffianly as. saults It appeared that the prisoner was dismissed from his situation, and that on the previous day he called for his clothes, which he had left behind, arid by permission obtained them. On leaving the shop he abused Mr. Cook to sxch a degree as to compel him to thrust him out, wheu he (prisoner) grasped him tightly by the throat and tore his waistcoat and shirt ; a great crowd collected at the spot, and on assistance arriving the prisoner was, after a despe rate struggle, captured. On the way to the station house the prisoner attacked Madgett, 83, Kingdom, 173, and White, 290, all of the S division, two of whom he bit and tore their clothes. He (prisoner) was much the worse for drink. The prisoner's answer to the charge was that he had served as a soldier in the Crimean war. He received a wound in his head, and that when he took a drop too much it completely got over him. He had no recollection of having assaulted any one. For the various assaults proved the prisoner was convicted, and in default of payment of the fines inflicted, together with costs for damage he had done to clothes, &c., he was sentenced for different terms to imprisonment in the House of Correction. SOUTHWARK.-EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY OF EXTENSIVE FRAUDS ON CONTINENTAL MER CHANTS BY A GANG OF LONDON SWINDLERS.- Cornelius Reding, 35, a fashionably-attired man, who described himself as a leather merchant, of 6, Southampton-terrace, Pentonville, and Pierre Har douire, a Frenchman, also stating himself to be a leather merchant and commission agent, of 7, Long lane, Smithfield, were brought before Mr. Combe by Sergeant llewlett, one of the officers who was on duty at the Paris Exhibition, charged with attempt ing to obtain property of the value of £2OO, from the Bricklayers' Arms Station, of the South-Eastern Railway Company. They were also charged with forging the name of Mr. William Stockil, tanner and currier, 37, Long-lane, Bermondsey, to various documents. The circumstances attending this case are of a ' very singular nature, showing a novel way of rais ing the wind by victimising foreign merchants by false and fictitious orders from London. Mr. Wm. Stockil, tanner and currier, of 37, Long-lane, Ber mondsey, has for many years carried on business not only in England but in all parts of the Continent, having agents at Paris and elsewhere to transact his business, consequently the firm is well known in every capital of Europe. He obtained a prize medal at the Exhibition of 1851, and a first-class medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1855. The pri soner Reding was aware of his extensive transactions abroad, and by some means he, or some of his com panions, had a file simile almost of his bill head engraved,'with the London Exhibition on the the left and the Paris Exhibitiort medallions on the right, making it appear as the genuine bill-head of Mr. William Stockil, the only difference being in the address. The genuine one being 37, Long-lane, Bermondsey, and the fictitious one, Long-lane, E.C. The latter have been printed on fly-sheets, on which orders were written for goods of considerable value, and forwarded to the Continent. It is strongly suspected that the gang have succeeded in defraud ing a number of Paris and other Continental houses, through the well known name of Mr. Wm. Stockil ; but a few days ago it came to the knowledge of the latter's agent at Paris, and hence the discovery of this extraordinary attempted fraud and forgery, and the apprehension of the prisoner. Mr. William Stockil, on being sworn, said he was a tanner and currier, of 37, Long-lane, Bermondsey, and the Bermondsey New-road, and he dealt largely with merchants at Paris and elsewhere. He had an agent at Paris, through whom all his foreign busi ness was transacted. He knew the prisoner Reding, he having been a customer to some extent, but he knew nothing of the other prisoner, and he never authorised either of them to order goods in his name, or signed his name to any document. A short time ago witness received information from his Paris agent that he understood he was buying goods in Paris, and he was rather surprised that the orders were not sent through him. Witness instantly sent him word that he had sent no orders to Paris for goods, and if orders had reached there in his name they must be spurious. In reply to that his agent forwarded him ene of the fictitious bill-head circulars, purporting to be written by witness, inquiring about a certain quality of goods. He then had some suspicion that a gang of swindlers were victimising foreign houses by the use of his well-known name, but still he could ob tain no further facts at that time. However. a few days ago he accidentally heard that a case of goods was lying at the Bricklayers' Arms Station of the South-Eastern Railway with his usual marks on it, from Paris, and it was to be kept till called for. He immediately went to the railway station and saw the case marked "W. S., Long-lane, E.C." The clerk told him that a man had been there a day or two before representing himself to be Mr. William Stockil, and seeing the case he had signed an order for its being detained until called for. That order was signed W. Stockil, and was a forgery. The police were communicated with on the subject, and it was decided that a constable should watch the rail way station and apprehend the party who claimed the case. Mr. Combo asked whether any goods had actually been obtained through those means. Mr. Stockil replied that goods valued at £2OO bad been obtained in his name already, and no doubt, if publicity was given to this case, the police would be able to find several other instances. William Henry Foster, a clerk in the goods de partment of the South-Eastern Railway Company at the Bricklayers' Arms Station, said that a week ago a case came from Paris, marked "W. S., E.C." and addressed to Mr. William Stockil. On the 29th ultimo the prisoner Reding came and said his name was William Stockil, and claimed the case. He signed an order for its detention until called for. The order was signed "W. Stockil." On Monday afternoon Reding came for it, and was taken into custody. John Marsh, police-constable 184 M, said he was instructed to watch at the goods station, and on Monday afternoon he saw the prisoner Reding come there with a horse and cart and two men. He then demanded the case. Witness went up to him and asked him if he was William Stockil. He replied " No, he was not, but he was Mr. Stockil's agent, and he had employed him to take the case away, and dispose of the goods." Witness then took him to the police station, where he was detained. Sergeant Hewlett, who had been specially engaged in the case, said that from information he received he went on the previous day to No. 7, Long. lane, Smithfield, where he mw the prisoner Pierre Hardouire sitting in an office writing. wi tness was i n private clothes, and he asked him if his name was Stockil. He said his name was William Stockil, and that was his office. He also said ho received all letters for TV. Stoekil. Witness then told him he was a police officer, and that he apprehended him for being concerned wick o thers, in obtaining goods of conside ra bl e va l ue under false and fraudulent pretence s . found on him a number of blank bill-heads, copied from Mr. W. Stockil's of Bermondsey, and a num ber of letters showing his connexion with the frauds. Witness believed that it would be neces sary to proceed to Paris and other places on the Continent, for the purpose of obtaining further evidence, therefore he should ask for a remand. Both prisoners declined to ask any questions or make any defence, when Mr. Combo remanded them until Monday next. 7'1111; IV AV . The Volcano, paddle (late floating steam factory), has been placed in No. 4 dock, et Portsmouth, for • examination and repairs. The Royal yacht Fairy has taken out her masts, and is having her decks caulked and payed prepa ratory to being placed in dock for her annual em bellishment, &c. The Minx, iron screw water tank, for tho use of the fleet at Portland, has been berthed alongside the north wall of the steam basin at Portsmouth, preparatory to being placed in dock to make good defects. The Firebrand, 6, paddle, Commander J. M. Bruce, sailed from Portsmouth yesterday for the westward. The Princess Royal, 91, screw, was undocked from No. 2 dock yesterday at Pm timouth, on the completion of repairs to her stern and quarters; and the Harrier, 17, screw, was afterwards placed in the same dock for overhaul and repair. The Vigilant, 6, screw despatch vessel, was also un docked the same tide from No. 5 dock, on the com pletion of her repairs, and the Coquette, 4, screw, was afterwards placed in the dock for examination and repairs. The Hornet, 17, screw, in No. 1 dock at Ports mouth, has hands from the steam factory at work upon her extra hours, to complete her repairs. The Cormorant, 4, screwEsteam gun-vessel, was towed from Chatham to Sheerness by the Adder steam-tug yesterday, to coal, preparatory to a trial of her nit - chinery. Her Majesty's ship Edgar, 91, Capt. Katon,bear ing the flag of Rear-Admiral Erskine, passed the Downs yesterday to join the Channel squadron at Leith. RAIL IPA 1 INTELLIGENCE. NORTH LONDON. A special general meeting of this company. was held yesterday at the Euston station, Mr. R. D. Mangles in the chair. Mr. Chubb, the secretary, read the notice con vening the meeting to consider the question of ex ercising the powers conferred upon the company in their Additional Capital Act, 1860. The CHAIRMAN explained that the Act authorised the company to raise £150,000 additional share capital, by 15,000 shares of £lO each, and to in crease the debenture bond debt by £50,000. The shareholders were aware that the company had, from time to time, raised temporary loans, the in terest on which had been borne by the revenue account. The loans amounted to £BO,OOO. The further sum of £25,000 was required to purchase additional engines and rolling stock. The direc tors proposed to issue the whole of the new shares, limiting the present calls thereon to £5 per sbare, which, with the borrowing power, would furnish an amount sufficient to meet all existing wants. Each shareholder would be entitled to three of the new shares at par for every £2OO stock. The pro posed measure would not add much to the com pany's expenditure, as the money to be raised would go to pay off money that had been borrowed on their property ; and thus leave their rents free. The portion of money to be applied to the purchase of additional engines and carriages was to meet the requirements of increased traffic. ) A formal resolution authorizing the directors to raise the additional capital was agreed to unani mously ; and, On the motion of Captain PORTER, a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors closed the proceedings. BELFAST AND NORTHERN COUNTIES. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Thursday at Belfast, Mr. R. Orimshaw in the chair. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, the report was adopted, and a dividend at the rate of 1 per cent. per annum, less income-tax, was declared payable on the 14th of June. The Rev. Mr. BLAND proposed that a sum not exceeding £ll4 be placed at the disposal of the directors for their services during the past half year. Mr. WALKINGTON seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. Mr. LANYON, the company's engineer, stated that a committee of the directors had recently gone over the line with him . ; and he had recommended several improvements to stations along the line, including the erection of two stations, the whole cost of which would be £3,570. At the Belfast station it was absolutely necessary to erect new engine sheds and new workshops, and to obtain new tools, the total cost of which would be £4,600, making the total estimated amount £8,170. Mr. CRAMSIE objected to an, outlay on works which he thought might be postponed, so long as they were only paying 4 per cent. to the share holders. The CHAIRMAN believed that the proposed im provements would increase the dividend instead of diminishing it. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings. COUNTRY MARKETS. LEEDS-JUNE 5. Fine fresh new wheats must be quoted fully is per qr. dearer than last Tuesday, but the demand for old is limited, at is per quarter advance. Oats and beans in favour of the seller. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE-JUNE 4. A limited show of wheat at market to-day, for which the trade was firm for most samples ; other grain in active. White ruled at 56s to 60s, red 50s to 57s per qr. Barley, 29s to 44s ; oats, —s to —s; beans, 38s to 48s ; peas, —s to —s. LIVERPOOL—JuxE 5. We had a very good attendance at to-day's market, and the consumptive demand for wheat and flour was brisk 2 at last week's extreme rates. Oats were id per 451 b, and oatmeal 6d per load lower, and on a retail scale. Beans and peas is per qr. cheaper, and in limited request. Barley 2d per 661 b cheaper. Indian corn dull. SLEAFORD-JUNE 4. Th• supply of wheat was limited, and there was a thin attendance. Trade ruled firm, at fully last week's rates. Beans and barley without alteration. NORWICH CATTLE-JUNE 2. ••• • .•/.. 1....1...11.11.."-• • This morning our market exhibited a very large show of store cattle, comprising Scots, Devons, shorthorns, and Irish, in good condition. A good attendance of buyers, and there was a brisk sale. A fair clearance was effected, on very good terms. Fat beasts a tolerable show, and all sold. Scots, 4s to 4s 6d ; shorthorns, 3s 6d to 4s 6d ; Irish, 3s to 45 6d; Devons, 4s Od to 4s 6d (estimated weight when fat). Sheep—There were good supplies of sheep , in the pens. Fat sheep, 8s to 9s Od per stone ; prime, 9s 6d to Os. Pigs—A fair supply. Store pigs 30s to 355; fat pork, 8s Od to 8s 6d. per stone, THE MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South ampton) .. .. .. .. .. .. June 10. Do. (via Marseilles) June 4. Bahamas and Havana (via New York) .. .. June 7. Canada, &c. (via Cork) .. .. .. .. June 7. Cape of Good Hope, &c. .. .. • • • . July 1. China, Penang, and Singapore (via June 18. Do. (via M ia S' arseilles) June 12. Gibraltar (via Southampton) • • • • .. June 10. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampt on ) J une 18. Do. (via Marseilles) June 12. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. .. June 10. Do. (via Marseilles) .. .. June 4. via Southampt on ) .. J une 10. Lisbon, Brazils, B u enos Ayres, &c. .. .. (via M arse ill es) .. June 4. • • .. .. June .june 1 5 1 . . mLiasblican,,ElTaigDpoto,,.aanndd oAidioern ( to United States, California, kc. ( % i a C or k ) .. J une 6 . Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriffe .. June 10 West Indies and Pacific, Carthgena, Cuba, &c. June 14. BIRTH S. MONSON.—On the 31st ult., at the Rectory, Bedale, the Hon. Mrs. T. J. Monson, of a son. MOSTTN.—On the 4th inst., at 93, Eaton-square, the Hon. Mrs. Mostyn, of a son. STOPFORD.—On the 4th inst., at 8, Gloucester-gardens, Hyde-park, of a son. the wife of Major Stopford, Royal Engineers, MARRIAGES. KIDD—GEAUSSANT —On the sth inst., at St. John's, Hackney, b y license,. Mr. Houston Kidd, of the firm of David Kidd and Son, Mark-lane, to Sarah Ann, youngest daughter of Mr. S. Geaussant, Dalston-rise. Viciults —DOUGLAS.--On the sth inst., at St. George's, Hanover- square, Thomas E. Vickers, Esq., second son of E. Vickers, Esq., Tapton Hall, Sheffield, to Frances Mary, only daughter of the late Joseph Douglas, Esq., of Sumner-terrace, Onslow .square. DEATHS. CHALMITUS.—On the 2d inst., at Dundee, Lieut.-Gemerai Sir William Chalmers, of Glenerieht, C. 8., K.C.H. CHAMBERS.—On the 4th inst., at the Manor House, Great Durnford, Captain William Wylly Chambers, R.N., aged 60. DIXIE.—On the 2d inst., at Myddelton-square, Edward Dixie, Esq., aged 43. HAWKINS.—On the 3d inst., at 32, Sussex-gardens, Hyde park, Major-General F. S. Hawkins, of the Bengal Army aged 61. TRA.FFORD.—On the 3d inst., at Lower Grosvenor-street, Field-Marshal the Earl of Strafford, G.C.8., K,M.T., &0., aged 82. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sim Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the countit' of Middlesex, Wednesday, June 6, 1860.