The Sun. — London, England, 1860-05-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Coln River Water Bill was read a second time. The following bills were read a third time and passed Midland Great Western Railway (Ireland), Great Southern of India Railway, Chard Railway, Midland Railway (Bur ton-upon-Trent Branches and Deviation), Wednes Gas and Water, Midland Railway (Rowsley and Beaton Lines), Midland Railway (Station in St. Pancras). THE EXPEDITION FROM GENOA. The Marquis of NORMANBY said he hail given notice privately to the noble lord that it was his intention this evening- to ask a question relative to the departure of an armed expedition from the waters of Genoa. He wished to know whether the Government would lay upon the table any report they might have received from Sir J. Hudson. The expedition left the place notoriously for the purpose of carrying on military operations in Sicily. He had no wish to rais: the question as to the policy which had been adopted by the Government, but he simply wished for any information that was in the possession of the Government, and which could be given without detriment to the public service. Lord WODEHO USE said there was no objection to lay ing the report that had been received from Sir J. Hudson on the table. He must however state, for tho information of the noble marquis, that some time since a remonstrance had been addressed by this Government to the Government of Piedmont against any such expedition as that which had taken place. .NAVAL RESERVES. Lord CHELMSFORD, in the absence of his noble and learned friend (Lord Lyndhurst), moved for certain returns mentioned by the noble and learned lord in his speech the other evening. He understood there would be no objection to the returns alluded to. The returns were ordered. THE DECAYED GUNBOATS. The Earl of HARDWICKE rose for the purpose of moving for a return of all the vessels or gunboats below 1.000 tons burden built by contract since the year 1852, with the 'names and residences of the contractors of each vessel, showing at the sametime the year of their constriac tion, the price contracted for, together with their present condition as to seaworthiness. He was induced to make this motion in consequence of a report which had been for a ome time current that a number of small vessels built in the last four or five years, under the sanction of the Crown, had turned out to be in such a decayed condition that they were not supposed to be fit for any operation until they should undergo further repair. This report had naturally produced in the country a feeling of indignation, because it was felt that some neglect existed, either on the part of the Government who made the contract, or on the part or the contractors, or on the part of both combined, whereby a large sum of money had been lost to the country ; and the hope and belief that the maritime defences of the coun try were daily strengthening and improving had at once been destroyed. This was a matter of very grave conside ration. (Hear, hear.) He was bound to say that the pre sent Government were not implicated in this matter, as the contracts occurred before they came into office, and he had no doubt that. the noble duke at the head of the Admiralty felt as much disposed as himself to remedy so great a grie vance. The contractors, no doubt, undertook to perform that of which notice was given them, by the document known as the specification of work. That document he had not moved for, though it would be necessary, if the return he now asked for were granted, to enable their lord ships to judge of the case; and he should, therefore, on a future occasion move fur it. From what had passed in another place ho understood that it was well known to the Government at the time the contract was made that there was in the merchants' building-yards no timber of a de scription fit for the intended work, but only such timber as was described as unseasoned. If it turned out to be the ease that the contractors made the agreement with the clear engagement to perform the very best work at the very best price, and that the specification contained words to that effect, while, at the same time, the Government were aware that the timber was unfit for use, then the Government were more to blame in the transaction than the contractors ; be cause, if it was necessary to run up a number of vessels for temporary use, it would have been easy tie have framed such a specification as would have allowed of vessels,being built for a temporary purpose at a moderate cost, Nevertheless, the contractors themselves were also blameable if they gave their names out to the public as agreeing to use the best material and perform the beet work. The great difficulty was to know who was the responsible party. He was aware that the Board of Admiralty was responsible as a board, but it almost always happened that the country had not got what it waated —knowledge combined with responsi bility. There was really no sound responsibility where the responsible party did not know his business. 'While a civi lian was at the head of the Board of Admiralty there was always difficulty in grappling with questions connected with the management of the maritime forces of the country. How ever, he apprehended that in this case the real party respon sible was the Surveyor of the Navy, who had, since these boats had rotted, changed his name, and become " Control ler." He wanted to know whether the Controller was re sponsible for what had taken place. That functionary was bred a seaman, and was a highly respectable officer, and he was placed in the position of Surveyor of the Navy, for which situation a person should be selected who was brought up from his earliest life, as apprentice in the building-yard, to the use of the adze. Formerly Surveyors of the Navy knew something'of their business ; they were thoroughly acquainted with shipbuilding in al: its details; but Sir James Graham introduced a new system, and as one re sult of Whig jobbery Sir William Symonds was made Surveyor of the Navy. Sir William was an ex cellent officer and a worthy man, but he was quite igno rant of shipbuilding, and in his new office proved an entire failure. He was succeeded by Sir Baldwin Walker, who might be an able naval officer and an admirable ad ministrator, but who knew nothing of construction. The consequence was that knowledge and responsibil;ty did not exist together ; but he trusted that what had occurred would induce the Board of Admiralty to give the office of Sur veyor of the Navy to some man who was practically ac quainted with shipbuilding. He was told that a few gun boats had been examined and found in a decayed state, and that two had been actually broken up; but he was afraid that the whole were more or less worthless. Information had reached him to the effect that the 16 which had been put upon the slip at Portsmouth were utterly rotten, and that the repair of the remainder would cost as much as their original construction. The fact that the gunboats were built of green timber was not the only one deserving of at tention. Evidence had been given as to the fastenings, which he could not help saying was of the most frightful description. He hoped the house would grant his return, which he promised to follow up by an attempt to discover the guilty parties ; for the matter was too serious a one to be overlooked, whether the blame lay at the door of a ras cally contractor or an ignorant surveyor. The Duke of SOMERSET —There can be no objection to give the information which the noble earl desires, and which, indeed, has already been moved for in the other House of Parliament. One part of the return, however, it would be very difficult to make. We have at present no fewer than 162 gunboats, and to be able to give an amount of their seaworthiness we - would require to have them brought into deck, stripped, and examined. That cannot be done with regard to the whole of them, as your lordships will see when I state how they are distri buted. There are 53 divided into three divisions in dif ferent ports at home--at Hasler, 45 ;in commission at Pem broke and elsewhere, 8; in China, 24; North America, 3; Mediterranean, 3; south-east coast of America, 2; con nected with the Coastguard, 14 ; in course of construction, 10. When the present Boa r d of Admiralty came into office we heard a great deal about the gunboats, particularly those at Relar, and we thought it our duty to have them inspectee„ Certainly a considerable amount 'of decay was fotaVl in them. I believe, indeed, the defect had been dis covered some months before, and at the time of our inspec on some workmen were already engaged in repairing them. Wore hands were put on, and during the whole of the sum mer there were 100 men employed. Of the 45 gunboats at Hasler 23 have been thoroughly repaired ; six more are in hand; so that 29 are either repaired or in a state of pro ves& We have been told that it was a mistake to keep the gunboats out of the water, but some of those afloat are quite as much decayed as those at Hasler. The one class does not seem to be more exempt from decay than the other. At the same time we have had gunboats constantly at work in China and with our coastguard, and, as far as we know, they have been, and are, perfectly efficient; so that the matter is not quite so serious as some people suppose, nor is it correct to saY that no reliance whatever can be placed upon any of t he Imboats. I admit, however, that great blame rests s meirhere for the mode in which these vessels were van oted. But we must l ook back to the circumstances which then existed. We commenced the Russian war with no gunboats. We were then engaged in repairing ships and replacing sailing by steam vessels. Your lordships may be aware that in the private builders' yards there is at any moment but a small stock of timber, and therefore when this pr m essure arose the b deuilrs diffi cu lt y obtaining had great in tiber, and when they did get it it was very small. Under these eirctunstances the Government offered not only the con tract price, but also a bonus for each gunboat that was com pleted within a certain time; so th tt the builders had the advantage not only of the contract, but also of the bonus. This, however, was not much to their profit, because the shipwrights in the Thames, being bound by n o engage. meats, demanded an increase of wages; and this, combined with the rise in the price of timber, led to the ruin of many of the contractors. As regards what took place in 1854-55, I speak quite independently. lamin no way re sponsible for what the Government did then, but I have inquired into what occurred, and I have been told that in many of these yards there were two inspectors, a chief inspector, aril a leading man under him, to watch the pro grass of the work. They were, however, working day and night, it was during the winter, in many , cases sow was upon the ground, and th us under this p r essnre opportuni ties were offered to dish onest workmen to c 't the frau d which has heel. referred to by cutting off the bolts. What makes that offence more flagrant is that the copper was supplied in long lengths by a AchnizaltY to be cut up for bolts as it was required by the builders. So far as we have gone we have found only two or three vessels in which this fraud has been committed, and I am therefore disposed to attribute it not to the contractors, but to some of the work men who may have bean introduced into the , ards under the pressure of the period. That question sef the bolts was brought under the notice of the Admiralty only about two months ago, since which time I have ins iluted inquiries with a view to taking such legal proc,eelir gs as may raise the whole question, and, if possible, bring to light the guilty parties. What the noble earl said about the Surveyor of the Navy is not applicable to this Case. At that time great exertions were being made in our dockyards to fit out ves sels rapidly; there were "a number of vessels to be built, and contracts and specifications to be, drawn up, and the Sur veyor of the Navy, as he was then called, could not himself visit the private yards and inspect the works which were going on there. He was much more usefully employed in overlooking the great works which were going on in our dockyards. All he could do was to employ the best men he could get as inspectors. With the advice and concurrence of the superintendents of the different yards he took the best leading men and workmen, and sent theta to the dif ferent contractors' yards to inspect the work which was going on there. That I believe is the system which has always prevailed, and I know no better one which could be adopted. If you are building a house you must trust to the clerk of the works, and if he chooses to connect him self with the contractor and permit him to put in bad tim ber, you aro quite helpless until you find it out some time afterwards. In the same manner, in the case of build ing a ship, if the man or men whom you appoint as inspec tors enter into connivance with the builders—l do not say that that was the case in this instance—but, if they do, I do not see what resource you have or by what means you can protect yourselves. The noble earl complains that the Surveyor of the ,Navy is not a practical shipwright. That question has been discussed over and over again. We have had shipbuilders as surveyors of the navy, and naval men have complained of them, that though they could build a ship they knew nothing about fitting it, and that the vessels which they constructed were not suited to go to sea. In the last arrangement which has been madethe Ad miralty took this course. They appointed a practical ship builder to attend to the construction of the hulls, a practical engineer to look after the machinery, and a naval man to act with them and to be guided by their advice. So far as I can learn, although, of course, great improvements may still be made, and I think naval architecture is making very rapid progress, the ships which have been built under this system are very satisfactory. The Channel fleet has, as your lordships are aware, been at sea in one or two gales, and it has been tried, although not very seriously, yet enough to enable naval officers to judge of the qualities of the ships of which it is composed. As soon as it arrived in port.l wrote to the captain of each vessel, and asked him to tell me what he thought of her and. of her behaviour while she had been under his command, and what, if any, improvements he could suggest in her build. Upon the whole, the reports which I have received in reply are most satisfactory, and do groat credit to the builders of these vessels, because they show that they are very efficient ships and have under somewhat diffi cult circumstances behaved very well. Therefore, I think, in opposition to the view of the noble earl, that the system which we have got is, upon the whole, a good system. The reason for changing the title of the Surveyor of the Navy to that of "Controller of the Navy" is, to show that he is not actually a shipbuilder, but that he is to overlook the ether two departments, and to bring the practical knowledge of a seaman to the technical information of the shipbuilder and the scientific information of the engineer, and by the combination of the three to give to naval men the assurance that they will have placed under their command the best ships that can be constructed. It is impossible that any of these officers should give to the dockyards the practical in spection which is necessary, and, therefore I had intended to - connect with the department of the Controller an officer who should visit the dockyards, see what is going on, and communicate with the Admiralty more readily than can be done under the existing system. The reason why I have yet made no such appointment is, that a commission upon this subject has been moved for in another place, and I thought that it would be better and more respectful to Par liament to wait for its report than at once to carry out my own idea. (Hear.) It has been said that many of these gun boats were constructed of green wood. That, however, is not the worst, for in many cases not only was the wood which was used green, but the sap was not properly re moved from it. That was a much greater fault, because it was hardly to be expected that in private yards there should be a proper supply of seasoned timber; but the material which was used might in all cases have been properly pre pared for use. In order to prevent similar occurrences in future, we have laid dosen a rule that when any builder ap plies to the Board of Admiralty for a contract for building ships, the Board shall send a person to visit his yard to see what stock of timber and what slip accommodation he has got. By watching the quantity of timber they kept, and by giving the contracts to those builders who kept the largest quantity of suitable timber, the Admiralty hoped to secure the use of proper materials in the construction of their vessels. The iron-coated vessels which are now being built are not vessels in which the green wood materially enters, the timber that is used for their sides being foreign timber. The gunboats to be put up this year will be sound and well-seasoned and of a somewhat better class than those we now possess. They will be able to take a part in our colonial service, in which their employment will often save the country the expense of maintaining the larger vessels. Reference has been made to the timber in our dockyards. To a great extent that timber consists of foreign oak and teak, which are all'well seasoned. Of Eng'ish oak there is not a suffieient supply in the market to meet the wants of the dockyards ; but there are certain purposes for which we are obliged to use that article. We are anxious to obtain timber from all parts of the world. Your lordships may not all be aware that last year there were added to our navy 17 ships of the line, nine frigates, three corvettes, and seven sloops. If we had gone ea building at that rate the whole of our seasoned timber would have been exhausted. But as regards our present operations, we aro putting vessels on the frames rather to season them than to launch them with the rai idity wo have lately done. My lords, I know of no other point to which I need now advert. I have stated why "we cannot give the information now asked for with respect to every gunboat, but only as to those of them that have been examined. But in the statement which will be pro duced the words " not examined" will be entered against those vessels which have not undergone inspection. One half of the mortar-boats are built of iron. As to the wooden mortar-boats, we have not yet gone over the whole of them, and are not, therefore, able to state what is their condition. The Marquis of TOWNSIIEND said it had been reported that the workmen, in driving the copper bolts through the timber of the gunboats, had cut off the middles of the bolts, put them in their pockets, and sold them for 6d. or ls. apiece. It anything could make our seamen tremble on board ship it would be the suspicion that they,had beensent to sea in vessels made of rotten timber, and held together by such deceptive fastenings. If we must continue liable to such frauds, it would be bettor to dispense with copper bolts altogether, and revert to the old trenail. He trusted that a searching inquiry would be instituted into these disgraceful transactions, and that somebody would be made responsible for them. The Earl of HARDWICICE was understood to agree to the verbal amendment of his motion, as suggested by the First Lord of the Admiralty. After a few words from the Earl of SHREWSBURY and TALBOT, The Duke of SOMERSET said there was a Board of Construction in former years, but it did not exist now. The members of the Board of Admiralty used to take part in the construction of ships, but that system was not found at all to work well, and it was then determined to make the sur veyor responsible for giving advice in such matters. At present, when the board thought more line-of-battle ships or other vessels were required, they sent to the surveyor, who called in the practical men under him to prepare the lines, and then his advice, together with the plans, was submitted to the approval of the board. The motion as amended was then agreed to. ROAD ACROSS HYDE PARK. Earl DIXIE presented a petition from many inhabitants of the districts north and south of Hyde-park, to the west of Edgeware-road in the former case, and of Sloane-street in the latter, begging for some more direct oomnaunication than at present existed between the distriets lying to the north and south of Hyde park. Re said the grievance of which t c h at e io pe n ti o t t i h on er er th s complained, pi) mpl i n . inee,, the want of a n y such corarauni k-lane, and especially the want of a carriag e -roa d oP:n at all hours of the day o r n i g h t, was a subject whicklad frequently been brought before the House of C°lall wais, and in 18,55 a committ ee w hi ch sat upon the subject of metropolitan communications a tiocnlsa class ';f in n f h avour of such k road,prac li i t n an g i c t o i m n inun the first fa th estrecommended for ad o pti on. The e v :idence of e M;. P em e nr es nithorne before the committee we:, strongly in its favour. Since that time an enormous Increase had been made to the population on both sides of Hyde -park, and on the south side many important public institutions had been erected. There was the South Kensington Museum, there was the new garden of the Horticultural Society now progressing, the projected Exhibition of 1862, and various hospitals. The pel:catnit,iorneejasminionwg thatabsiatinedetiforn s one properly omsuggesting anbylpart.iculngtar o the board which had charge of such matters. They wore anxious, however, that, whatever was done, the sanctity of Rotten- row should be preserved, and that nothing should be done to interfere with that ride. Every plan that he had yet heard suggested included a tunnel under Rotten row. It was, moreover, not desirable to make a public road in two close vicinity to Kensington -gardens. Lord EBURY thought everybody would concur that this road across Hyde-park was absolutely necessary; and the necessity of a more direct communication between the north and south sides of St. James's Park was also quite etident. At present the whole traffic .which came from Piccadilly or Oxford-street, and went to Belgravia, had to go round b y Charing-cross, and there to encounter all the traffic com i ng from the east end of London, and all that was going over Westminster-bridge. He regretted that when the footbridge was made in St. James's Park, two or three years ago, a carriage Toad was not constructed, which might have done without injury to the gardens. Lord LLANOVEE said it must be admitted that there were hardly any of the great throughfares in the metro- Polls capable at Present of accommodating sufli _____________ THE SUN, LONDON; TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15,1_1860, ciently the traffic that had to pass through them, and seri ous inconvenience was felt from this cause. But there were great difficulties in the way of extensive metropolitan im provements. On the one hand, it was often urged that Parliament ought not to grant money for such objects, but that they should be wholly provided for out of the local taxation. That might be fair if the metropolis were on the same footing as the ether great towns of the empire. But this was not the case ; for wbilst in other cities and bo roughs the municipalities had large funds, derived from various tolls and dues, applicable to the improvements of the town, here the whole of these coal dues and revenues from other articles was levied by the Corporation of the City of London, who expended that vast sum of money within the City, leaving to the rest of the metropolis no other resource than to impose a local rate. He did not know how this matter was dealt with in the bill now be fore the House of Commons for the reform of the London corporation, but it was a point to which the attention of their lordships ought to be directed with a view to enabling metropolitan improvements to be carried out. The widening of the south end of Park-lane, only as far as from Piccadilly up to Holdemess-house, would cost no less than £lOO,OOO, and it was impossible that such improvements could be effected out of a local rate. Newspapers Conveyance, &c. Bill be read for the purpose of being cancelled. The order for the second reading of the bill was then dis charged. THE COLLECTION, &c., IN IRELAND FOR THE • POPE. Mr. A. STEUART asked the Chief Secretary for Ire land whether Government had turned their attention to col lections of money being made, there chiefly, as well as in other parts of the empire, for the use of the sovereign of the Papal States ; whether they believed such might be used, or means adopted otherwise, for enlisting subjects of her Ma jesty for the army of that foreign Power ; and whether, if such be illegal or irregular, Government would take mea sures to check any agents in the matter, or to warn those who may enter into such engagements. Mr. CARDWELL said that according to the Foreign Enlistment Act such enlistment was illegal. Tho atten tion of the Irish Government had been directed to the sub ject, and they were determined to enforce the law in regard to persons engaged on enlisting for the Papal service. CUSTOMS' ACT. In reply to Mr. DISRAELI, Lord PALMERSTON said that it was not proposed to go into committee on the Customs' Act this night. , . THE NEW BRONZE PENNY. SELLING AND HAWKING OF GOODS ON SUN DAY BILL. Upon the motion for the re-committal of this bill, Lord TEYNHAM implored their lordships not to pro ceed with the bill, on the ground that they ought to see how far public and private efforts could succeed in putting down needless Sunday trading before they attempted to legislate upon the subject. Mr. BLACK asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the new bronze penny would be ready for issue ; and, if the distribution was to be made in England and Ireland by the national banks of these kingdoms, by what machi nery the distribution would be made in Scotland. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that all the arrangementswere made for striking the penny coin, which would shortly be issued. The delay that had taken place arose from what might be called the fine arts depart ment, but this difficulty was now being surmounted, At first copper coin would be issued only from the Mint, but when the demand occurred for a more extensive issue the Government' would then have recourse to the services of contractors. Arrangements would also be made with the Bank of England, and the Banks of Ireland and Scotland, by which they would be rendered centres of distribution for the new coin. With reference to the collection of the old coin, it would not be deemed advisable to have any special machinery, because it was considered there was sufficient inducement held forth to persons to bring in the old coin to the Mint. THE REFRESHMENT HOUSES AND WINE LICENCES BILL—IRREGULARITY OF PRO CEEDING. Lord PAL'MERSTON said that in redemption of a pledge ho had given on Friday night, he wished to call attention to an irregularity on Thursday, when the house went into committee of ways and means, and agreed to resolutions on which to found the bill. These resolutions were reported the same evening contrary to the usage of the house. On that occasion, as his right honourable friend (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought there was no difference of opinion, he appealed to the house to allow the resolutions to be reported at once, and it was done, but upon consideration it struck every one that that proceeding was a departure from the usage of ate house. It was the practice that resolutions for grants of money in supply should not be reported the same day they were agreed to, but on some subsequent day. There was only one instance, namely, in 1797, during the mutiny at the Nore, that the usage was departed from. The forms of the house wore sometimes accompanied by delay, but they were all founded on reason and good sense, and their tendency was to guard against accidental decisions, arrived at under the influence of feeling or by accident. In other countries, where these forms did not prevail, great interests were often affected by sudden resolutions. The object of all their forms was to guard the house against precipitancy of decision. It was important, there fore, to preserve the character of the house, and there were two ways in which this irregularity could be corrected— the one was, that what was done should not stand as a pre cedent, arid the other was that the practice should not be departed from in future ; but the latter course might be at tended with some inconvenience, as circumstances might arise which would render such an act indispensable. There was no doubt but that what had been done was a valid act, but for the reasons be had mentioned he thought the best course was to move that what had been done should be deemed null and void, and that the resolutions agreed to in committee of ways and means should be reported to-mor row. The noble viscount then moved a resolution to the effect, "That notice be taken that the resolutions had been reported the same evening they wore agreed to without urgent necessity, and that as such report was contrary to usage it be deemed null and void, and that the resolutions be reported to-morrow." Sir H. WILLOUG EIBY said it appeared to him there was a double irregularity in going into committee, for clauses 1 and 2 of the bill were agreed to, and which being founded on an invalid resolution the clauses also were in valid. How would they retrace their second false step Me considered this a most important question in a consti tutional point of view, as it was intended to give time to reflect before imposing a public tax. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said there could be no doubt but that there had been a double irregu larity. The resolutions would be as if not reported, and therefore these clauses must be brought up again. He moved the committee of ways and means without the slightest idea that the resolutions would be reported, but coming out of committee the chairman asked whether he would have the committee forthwith. He inquired whe ther that could be so, and was answered in the affirmative. Believing that some alteration had been made in the forme of the house he assented to that assurance, and acted ac cordingly. After a few observations from Mr. WALPOLE the mo tion was agreed to. BANKRUPTCY AN . D INSOLVENCY BILL. Mr. BOUVERIE inquired when this important mea sure was to be proceeded with. The ATTORNEY - GENERAL - said that was a very cruel questien—(a laugh) —as he saw no probability of being able to fix any day. He had appealed to the head of the Government for that day week to go into eommittee and make some progress, but at present there appeared no hos e of furthering the bill on that day. REFRESHMENT HOUSES AND WINE LICENSES BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. datums 12, 13, 14, and 15 were agreed to. On clause 16, Mr. Alderman SALOMONS moved, page 8, line • 1, after " Act," insert "and that shall be kept open after nine of the clock in the evening." He explained that the object of life amendment would be to exempt refreshment houses from the visitation of the police unless in cases where they were kept open after nine o'clock. He contended that houses which closed before the latter hour should not be treated in the same way as night houses, from which they were totally different. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he saw no reason why the class of houses in question should be exempted from the same visitation to which public houses were exposed under the existing law. Mr. E. JAMES said that the practical effect of the clause would be to invest the police with a very arbitrary power in respect to those refreshment houses. It was a fact that the pollee levied black mail at the west end, and on the unfortunate females who frequented them. Mr. HARDY considered that this bill would ultimately have to be revised. SHOT-BOATS, &c, conversation the amendment was withdrawn, Sir C. NAPIER gave no ti ce that he would ask to lo After some and the clause was areed to. row a question re l a ti ve t o t h e b u i lding of the shot-boats as On clause 17, well as the reserve ve sse l s . Mr. AYRTON suggested that, according to the bill, THE INSURRECTION IN SICILY. foreign wine, Mr. HENNESSY gave notice that he would draw the thininogrdetro to o efin ena e bwlehtahtowdaos:lethr discriminate t a o to f attention of the house to the money raised for the purpose between it and any home compound. of carrying out the insurrection in Sicily. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that NEWSPAPERS CONVEYANCE BILL. e to ee d n is s it was impossible to give any such definition as the hon. Mr. BAINES asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer member (Mr. Ayrton) seemed to desire. With re whether he intended to proceed that evening with the order gard to discriminating between what was foreign of the day which stood o n th e p a p er f or t h e second reading wine and what was not, it was a mere matter to be determined by t as t e or c h em i ca l skill. What was pro of the Newspaper C o n ve y ance Bill ? posed by this particular clause was to prOlibit persons sell- The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—The ing wine without a license. Newspaper Conveyance Bill has not yet been printed, and _Thhee remaining clause sas agreed to t 20 were agreed to. o. has been reserved for the purpose of submitting to th e house 1 at the same time the r e g u l a ti ons t o b e ma d e b y au th or i ty of After some discussion, clauses 21, 22, and 23 were also te. the Treasury, w hi c h th e a d o pti on o f suc h a bill would re- agreed On clause 24, quire. But tam obli ge d t o my hon. friend for putting this The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed question, because it will enable me to s t a t e w h a t appears t o an amen d ment, t h e o bj ec t o f w hi c h was t o ass i m il a t e th e be the convenient course to take with respect to the meanhours of opening and closing wine s houses to those which sure. The reasons on w hi ch the bill is founded are chiefly now rega:late the opening and closing right oin g of beer houses. or entirely d e p ar t men t a l and adroinistrative reasons; but a Mr. SPOON ll, asked if the in portion of the parti es a f ec t e d b y i t are disposed to contest tended by this eiail.°e t„9 authorise hon. gentleman the opening of refresh thosel dremain to reasons, and t o urge th at t h e present system 9f a stamp ment houses on Sundays, , hich were not allowed on supe r fi c i es, i nstead of a simple stamp on weight, with Opel at present. Ile thought l— clause a most objection the privilege o f retransmission is accompanied by certain able one, an d t rus t e d th a t th e r i g h t t,,,_on. gentleman would incidents which ma k e i t a beneficial and an economical ar- seriously consider the effect it was likely rangement for the p u bli c. That is an allegation which, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQ •rt . said there however it may b e opposed to the view of the authorities in was no intention to alter the present law, or to au, horise . the Post -offi ce d epartment, is yet a fair subject for inquiry, any house to open on Sunday which was not authorised 0 and I sho u ld not l i ke to urge the disposal of a subject of be opened at present. The clause as it now stood would this kind, with ou t attending to such a fair allegation,svhich impose all the restraints upon wine houses which were now it is compet en t f or t h ese parties to make, and fairly within applicable to licensed victuallers. the province of the House of Ceuamons to consider. We Mr. SP 0 ONER wished toknow whether these parties d were are, however, met by this difficulty. Sir Rowland Hill liable to penalties for following their calling on Sundays. the the Secretary to the Post-office, I regret to say, has (Hear.) What exempted these pastry-cooks been labouring under a severe illness, and an intima- from prosecutions ? He thought they were now an liable for tion has been made to him on medical authority that following their calling on Sundays. But if the e committee it is absolutely requisite, in order to the public retain - agreed to the clause, they would give a legal right t. to all ing his invaluable services, that he should have leave of parties to do that which they could not do at present. absence for no less than six months. I think it will be im- Sir G. GREY said that practically the act of Charles . 11. possible for the deprertmerit to state its case on a subject of • was inoperative. The fact was a number of refreshment this kind in tha absence of one who, I May say, has been ; houses and others were open on Sundays, but the parties the life and soul'of all the post-office arrangements in this were not prosecuted for following their calling. There was admit to I country for the last 20 years. Under these circumstances no doubt a law in existence, but it was not, or only very have no alternative but to pos seasion, I think it best to drep inquiry which 1 partially enforced. (Hear, hear.) the or not Sir RowlMr.S. consent be fair Tien:landed, and as it is uncertain whether to alter the for the ' and HQ may recover before the end of the , Chancellor of the Exchequer would r 4 079 that the order of the day had acted in a r f e t s e e r rve th 'n g to myself the renewal of it at a future period •the satisfaction of knowing that while _ da the bill—(ironical cheers)— clause in such a manner as that the committee th might have selatS xight obtain, ten is er i nquiry shall have been made. I would thereto- accordance with the right hon. gentleman's recommen e L Bev)) reading oft . 1 / 44 , opeag new places where p Lord CHELMSFORD said that, on a former occasion, the principle of the bill was folly discussed, and upon a di vision, at the instance of the noble lord, was recognised by a majority. Under these circumstances, he felt he ought to do no more on the present occasion than move that the house should resolve itself into committee. Their lordships then went into committee upon the bill, Upon the first clause, Lord TEYNHAM said the noble and learned lord prohi bited the sale of vegetables on Sunday, while he permitted fish, bread, and fruit to be sold; and observed that if he left out of the exception list anything material which was required by people on Sunday, the want of it would be felt by the community until parliament met again. He might mention that many horses were kept in a very unnatural state in London; and if, for instance, bran happened to be absolutely required for one of rhese animals on Sunday, the selling of it would, under the bill, be treate.4 as a cri tainal act. But he also objected to the bill because it was not general in its application. Sunday trading was car ried on both in Liverpool and Birmingham, and what was good for the metropolis was surely also good for those towns. He also objected to a fine not exceeding 10s. nor less than 52., believing that in nine out of every ten cases it could not be recovered without levying a distress, the result of which would be to deprive many poor persons of all the property they possessed in the world. (Hear.) Lord CHELNL-FORD contended that the noble lord had treated him unfairly by saying that he wished, by the bill, to, oppress the poor trader. He had introduced the bill for no other object than to meet , the wishes of thousands of tradesmen who had petitioned their lordships' house upon the subject. The clause was then agreed to. On clause 2, Th 3 Duke of SOMERSET thought that it would be a great hardship if poor people were not allowed to buy a loaf of bread after nine o'clock, while newspapers could be pur chased up to ton o'clock. The Earl of EGLINTON suggested that the hour should be ten instead of nine for closing all shops. The amendment was adopted, and the clause as amended agreed to. Clause 3 was agreed to. On clause 4, Lord WODEHOUSE said it seemed to hit a harsh measure that people hawking fruit in the streets should not be allowed 1.3 cry their goods. Lord CHELMSFORD said that in the particular part of the metropolis whore these cries mostly occurred they were regarded by the inhabitants as one of the greatest nuisances possible. The Bishop of CARLISLE said, that having had ex perience of London for some 15 years, and knowing how far these public cries affected congregations, he felt bound to say that on many occasions he had had to send out of church during the administration of the Lord's Supper to stop the cries of fruit. The clause was then agreed te, as was also clause 5. Lord CHELMSFORD said tho his noble and learned friend (Lord Wensleydale), who vies not now present, wished to introduce a clause after the sth, t. """e off_ct that the term for which a person guilty of a first offen. e against the act should be imprisoned should not exceed one calen dar month. He saw no objection whatever to the proposed clause. The clause was aceerdingly inserted: Claus6B 6,7, 8, and 9, were agreed to. Lord TEYNHAM gave notice that Le should take the "sense of the house upon tho third reading. BANKRUPT LAW (SCOTLAND) AMENDMENT BILL. In committee on this bill, Lord CHELMSFORD expressed a hope that their lord ships would resist the temptation which the abuse of the present law held out to them to make the bill retrospective. With a view to prevent such a step, he would move to omit the words " has been or." The LORD CHANCELLOR defended the clause in which these words occurred. The committee divided— Contents Non-contents .. 6-1 The words were therefore retained, and the house re sumed. THE COMMON LODGING HOUSES (IRELAND; BILL. This bill was read a second time: Offences against the Person Bill was read a third time and passed. • The Larceny Bill, the Forgery Bill, the Malicious In juries to.. Property Bill, the Coinage Offences Bill, the Ac cessories and Abettors Bill, and the Criminal Statute Re peal Bill were read a third time and passed. The Exchequer Bills Bill and the Customs Bill were read a third time and passed. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills wero read a third time and passed : Abergavenny Improvenient, Consett District Water, Leeds Township, and Sovereign Life Assurance Company. The following bills were considered and ordered for third reading :7-Banbridge Junction Railway; Belfast and County Down Railway; Belfast, Holywood, and Bangor Railway; Buildings Improvement Company; Dublin and Kingstown, and Dublin and Wicklow Railway Companies ; Egleston Roads; Keith and Dufftown Railway; Mersey Docks and Harbour Board ; Upper Mersey Dues, changed from "Upper Mersey Dues, Purchase, and Conservancy." The Monkland Railways Bill and the Symington, Biggar, and Broughton Railway Bill were read a second time. PETITIONS. Several petitions were presented against the Wine Licences Bill, in favour of an alteration in the Irish Poor Law, in favour of the Metropolitan Gas Bill, against the Highways Bill, &c. freshment, they were not going to open a new class of re freshment houses on Sundays. After some further discussion, the committee divided on the question that the word Sunday be inserted. For the amendment B2 Against ll7-35 , Clause 25 was agreed to. On clause 26, Mr. AYRTON suggested that the refreshment houses having wine licenses should be closed during the hours of divine service as well as the public-houses and beer-houses. Mr. Griffith, Mr. Crossley, Mr. James, and Mr. Hardy supported the same view. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the clause as drawn ran upon all fours with the words of the Beer Act. The schedule at the end of the bill restricted them from the sale of refreshments and wine. He had no objection, therefore, to introduce into the clause these words—". Nor shall any such house open for the sale of wine or any article, whatever." (Hear, hear.) The clause as amended was agreed to. On clause 27, Mr. CROSSLEY proposed an amendment to the effect that no license should be grantable to any person occupying such house, in which a third offence shall have been corn • witted, to sell wine by retail under this act in such house for the space of five years next ensuing such conviction. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had himself prepared an amendment which he thought would meet the case. The words he proposed to insert were, "or shall knowingly sell or offer for sale any wine so mixed, diluted, or adulterated." After a short conversation the amendment proposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer was agreed to. Clauses 27, 28, 29, and 30 were ordered to stand part of the bill. Clause 31 was negatived. Clauses 32, 33, and 34 were agreed to. On clause 35, providing for the exemption from the general operation of the bill to certain places, Mr. HARDY said the Vintners' Company could, without taking out a license, open a place for the sale of wine, and that ought not to be allowed. He would, therefore; move an amendment to the effect that they be not allowed any exemption from the operation of this bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained that as regarded St. Albans the Mayor and Corporation claimed under an ancient charter to enjoy the licensing power which was ordinarily lodged in the hands of the jus tices, and consequently it was now proposed to exempt theni. To adopt the amendment of the hon. member for Leomin ster (Mr. Hardy) would be granting too much or too little, and the effect would be to leave the law in a state of ambi guity. Mr. W. MARTIN said it would be hardly fair to take away the privilege without notice to the free vintners. The committee divided— For Mr. Hardy's amendment. 9O Against it Majority —7 The announcement was received with laughter. The clause was then agreed to. On clause 36, Mr. AYRTON moved to leave oat the word " Scotland." He believed there was no part of her Majesty's dominions which required a bill to promote temperance so much as Scotland. (Laughter.) It was a remarkable fact that of ' all the shops of £2O in value, one-half of them were public houses. He could not conceive why Scotland should not come within the operation of the bill. Lord FERMOY wished to know why Ireland was left out of the operation of the measure. Of late years the people of the sister island had become moderate in their potations, and if this bill were extended to that country ' French wines would no doubt be used to a considerable ex ' tent. He saw no reason why they should not have their cheap claret in Ireland as well as in England. (Hear.) Mr. BLACK said that Scotland did not consume all the spirits made in Scotland ; a good deal of it was sent across the border to England. The CHANCELLOR of the E XCHEQUER said that the Secretary and Attorney -General fcr Ireland had told him that there would be little difficulty in adapting the bill to Ireland, but with respect to Scotland the case was different. A commission had been sitting on the trade of that country; that commission had reported, but its report had not as yet been printed. Under these circumstances he thought it would be premature to legislate for Scotland. Mr. M'CANN hoped there would be no delay in extend ing the bill to Ireland, as he believed it would be as benefi cial for that country as for England. He thought there would . be no difficulty in introducing the word " Ireland" into the bill. Colonel DUNNE was opposed to the extension of this or of any other of the Government measures to Ireland, as he considered them all to be rash, impolitic, and inexpedient. Sir E. GROGAN said that when it was thought the bill was to extend to Ireland, a considerable agitation was got up in that country against it. It was then intimated that Ireland was to be excluded from the bill, and the agitation subsided. Under these circumstances he thought it would be a breach of faith to include Ireland in the bill. Mr. M'CANN persisted in asserted that the feeling of Ireland was in favour of the bill. He moved that the words or Ireland" be inserted in the clause. Sir G. C. LE WIS said the discussion was wholly irrele vant. If the provisions of the bill were to be extended to Ireland, it would be necessary to bring up an entire new set of clauses, as it had been framed exclusively with a view to English trade and customs, After a few words from Mr. M'CANN, Mr. HENLEY thought he might assure the members for Dublin and Drogheda that, as in the case of the income tax, the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer would oblige his Irish friends by early assimilation With England. The amendment was withdrawn and the clause agreed to. The committee then proceeded with the postponed clauses. Malicious Injuries to Property Act Amendment Bill, were read a third time and passed. Clauses 12 and 13 were negatived. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought up a clause in lieu of clause 12. A question had been raised on the last discussion as to whether the veto in the license should he vested in the Middlesex or the police magistrates, in the case of the metropolis. The Government were of opinion that it'should be ♦ested in the police magistrates. Mr. AYRTON protested against placing the metropolis under a despotism which did not exist in other parts of the country. Sir G. C. LEWIS said the hon. member for the Tower Hamlets was quite in error in supposing that the position of the stipendiary magistrates in London were the same as that of stipendiary magistrates in Manchester, Liverpool, and other places. In London the power of the police ma gistrates was exclusive in their own districts. They did not sit with the other magistrates. But in Liverpool, Manchester, and elsewhere the stipendiary magistrates sat with the others, and exercised a concurrent jurisdiction with them; The clause was prepared with a view of meet ing this difference of circumstances. The hon. gentleman said that the stipendiary magistrates in Middlesex were in the power of the Crown, and seemed to think that it was the constant habit of the executive to interfere with their functions. He (Sir G. C. Lewis) was not aware of any instance in which the Secre tary of State had interfered with the stipendiary magis trates. (Hear, hear.) As to the notion of the commis sioners of the metropolitan police having any control over the stipendiary magistrates it was a perfect chimera. The title of inspectors of police might have a formidable sound in the ears of the committee, but they were only officers over the main body of the police ; and they possessed no control over the magistrates. He thought there was no ground for the objection of the hon. gentleman. After a few words from several hen. members in opposi tion*to the transferring this duty to the police magistrates, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sad the Government had but one wish, and that was that the duty should be placed in the hands of those who would discharge it with efficiency. He understood it would be little better than a sinecure if left in the hands of the Middlesex magis trates, but as the feeling of the house seemed to be in the opposite direction he had no hesitation in giving way to that feeling. (Hear, hear.) But he must ask for some time to amend that part of the clause, as a great man/ words would hag . e to be altered. He would amend it on bringing up the report, Mr. HENLEY considered it would be better to adopt ix this bill the machinery recommended by the public-houses committee. As the clause now stood the proof required was all negative. The party was to prove that he was not an eating-house keeper, a coffee-house keeper, &c. He considered that it would be much better if the party proved all that was required before the magistrates in an affirma tive way, and by witnesses of character, and if the party made out his claim the magistrates would certify the fact to the excise; and the license would issue. It seemed to him that would be an easy and sure mode of proceeding. For the purpose, therefore, of raising this question, he would move that all the words after the word " aforesaid," in li ne 20, be left out, because all the latter part of the clause re- quired to be recast. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEUQER said he should be very glad to hear the suggestion of the right hon. gentleman more fully discussed by the committee. The advantage of hearing the views of his right hon. friend was very great, hut they did not bring conviction to his mind. tie did not think the Government had done wrong in giv ing,he structure thor had to the clause, and h e did no t con ..- sider the reasons of tb: right hon. gentleman were such as to induce their to accede to his motion. Mr. S. ESTCOURT suppcited the amendment. If they wished the magistrate to express An opinion he must do it affirmatively. The house then divided, - *hen there appeared— For the amendment ... lO4 Against it The Chairman then reported progTeas, and the house re sulted. NUISANCES REMOVAL AND DISEASES PRE VENTION BILL. -, - On the motion of Mr. AYRTON, the report of the select committee on masters and operatives of 1856 was referred to the select committee now sitting. lqr. LAING moved to discharge an order of the house, dated April 19, for papers with regard to the case of Mr. Drought, late surveyor of the Post-office in Ireland, and in stead of it to order copies of correspondence between the Post-office and the Treasury relative to Mr. Drought's superannuation allowance. Mr. HENNESSY was much surprised that the Secre tary to the Treasury should have made this motion. The house had sanctioned a return relative to Mr. Drought's case on the 19th of April, but since then the Post-office au thorities had come to the conclusion that they would not like to have both sides heard. The result would be to make known the charge against Mr. Drought, and not his de- fence. Mr. LAING said this motion had been taken as unop posed at an early part of the evening, and, as the corre spondence was confidential, it would not be for the benefit of the public service that it should be published. Lord FERMOY moved the adjournment of the debate until this day. After a few words from Mr. MALINS, The motion for the adjournment of the debate was agreed to. The house adjourned at a quarter after one o'clock. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—May 14. OLD COURT. THE CASE OF THE REV. MR. HATCH. (Continued from The Sun of yesterdv.) The summing' up of the learned judge occupied seven hours and three-quarters in its delivery, and at a quarter to six o'clock the jury retired to deli berate. They returned into court at eight o'clock and gave a verdict of guilty. The foreman of the jury at the Same time handed to the learned judge a written paper, which his lordship directed to be read. It was in the follow ing terms :—" We find the prisoner, Mary Eugenia Plummer, guilty, and while we recommend her to the utmost extent of mercy, we venture at the same time to express a hope that your lordship, if you have the power to do so, will direct that any im prisonment to which she may be subjected may be accompanied by a proper course of training and education of which she has hitherto been deprived, and probably would still be deprived at home." There was a burst of applause when the verdict was delivered, and it was not without difficulty that it was stopped by the officers of the court. A great number of perions had assembled outside the building, and the result of the case was received with loud cheering. Baron Channell said he should consult Mr. Justice Keating with regard to the sentence to be pro nounced, and, in the meantime, the defendant might go at large upon the same recognisances as before. The father of the defendant was called upon to give the required recognisances, but he was not in attend ance; and eventually agentleman connected with the solicitors for the defence entered into a recognizance in the sum of £5OO for the defendant's appearance, and she left the court with him. NEW COURT. (Before the Recorder.) The trial of William Cox, William Lehmann, Johan Ferdin and Beschott, William Hauschildt, and Johan Poll was resumed this morning at the sitting of the Court. The Recorder then proceeded to sum up the evi dence, and, after referring to the nature of' the in dictment, told the jury that the question which the jury would have to decide was whether the state ments of the prisoners were true or false, for there could not , be any mistake about the character of the charge as set out on the depositions. The jury would also take into their consideration that Leh mann, Beschott, and Cox were, according to their owe statement, mere accomplices in the crime which they charged the captain and mate with. The pri , soners had never made any statement or suggestion while on board the Nicholas Wood, nor at New port, and it was not until after there had been some difference about the wages that the charge was made. The prisoners who admitted taking part in the offence with which they charged the captain and the mate excused themselves by saying that they being the superior officers the prisoners were bound by their laws to obey them ; which seemed to him rather strange when the prisoners knew the act they were engaged in was an illegal one. Much had been said by the defence about the discrepancies in the statement of the captain and the report and the protest about the day when the vessel went down ; that he thought must have been a mistake, as all the people on the Nicholas Wood knew the day to be the 6th, and then the boats had been one night at sea. This charge was not a question of the captain's seamanship, but a question as to whe ther what he was charged with was true. With regard to the captain throwing away the log, it was true that if he had thrown it away to shield himself that would tell strongly against him ; but all agreed that it was not until after the Nicholas Wood had passed the boat without seeing them, and they had given themselves up for lost, that the captain threw -over his sextant, worth £4O, and his bag of clothes, and the question was whether he was Justified in doing so. The prisoners said there was nothing in the weather to-cause him to do so, but the bleak cook, who all agreed was the witness of truth, said it was stormy weather and tempestuous. Others who were in tfie boats spoke of the tempestuous state of the weather and corroborated the testimony of the captain, and it was not likely that hey would favour a man who had placed their lives in danger, The captain's statement about the leak was corroborated by the cook, who also spoke of the tempestuous state of the weather, and to his having first discovered the fissure which he men tioned to Lehmann, the carpenter, and yet he and the other prisoners had said there were no leaks save those made by the captain. Persons were sel dom known to commit offences without a motive, and there was nothing to show but that the insu• rances, with all their risks, would more than cover the loss of the owners, while the captain would lose £lOO. It was clear they were in great danger in the open boat, and would have been lost if not picked up, and the captain's party were not picked up for two hours after the passengers' boat, one being at sea 14 and the other 16 hours. The Recorder then referred to the other portions of the evidence, and dwelt upon those where Lehmann bud said that there had been no foul play by the captain, and that he had been put over the ship's stern to help to stop the leak. The Recorder then proceeded to com ment upon the evidence as affecting the different prisoners, and pointed out that the evidence did but slightly implicate Poll and Hauschildt. The jury, after an absence of about two hours, returned a verdict of not guilty against Poll and Hauschldt, and found the others guilty. Just as the Court was about to rise the prisoners were brought up for sentence. The Recorder said the case against the defend ants had been proved upon the clearest testimony. Beschott; who had been the principal in the mat ter, he sentenced to two years', and Lehmann and Cox to 12 months' imprisonment. James Schlegel, 32, mason, was indicted for a burglary in the dwellinghouse of B. Benjamin Norden, and stealing therein a gold cup and othe r articles, his property, and also with woundin g Moses Levy. Mr. Metcalfe and Mr. F. H. Lewis prosecuted ; Mr. T. Atkinson defended. It appeared from the evidence that the prosecu ;or is a gentleman living in York-place, Portman square, and on the night of the 17th of March, shortly after 12, Levy, the prosecutor's butler, was awoke with a noise, and went down to the dining room, and he there saw a man who had the things wrapped up in a table cover. Levy, who had armed himself with an old dress sword; instantly made a thrust at the man, which broke the point off, and he then cut at and seized him. The pri soner then came behind him and pulled him off the man whom he first seized. Levy then cut at the prisoner, and cut him on the cheek, and then seized him ; the prisoner, however, managed to get through the window at the back, and on to the leads, followed by Levy, who most gallantly stuck to the prisoner, who was stabbed four times in the shoulder. Prisoner finally got away, but the police coming up, they found that the prisoners in their flight had thrown away a handsome gilt vase, an inkstand, and other property belonging to the pro secutor. The prisoner had been seen on the evening of the robbery, and at that time Ikad no scar on his face. He was taken into custody on the 21st of March by Inspector Bryant in Arlington-street, Clerkenwell, and upon being placed among a num ber of other persons Levy was brought to the place where he was, and at once recognised him. Prisoner then had a scar on his cheek. For the defence a most impudent attempt was made to prove an alibi, and that the scar on the prisoner's cheek was got on the night of the 17th . of March at the Alma beer-shop, in the Caledonian road, where he lodged. The landlord of _this place, who was examined for the defence, admitted that he had been tried for receiving stolen goods, and had been upon more oc casions than one in the hands of the police for as saulting them, and also for harbouring thieves. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the sen tence of death was recorded. The house then went into committee on this bill. Mr. LOWE explained that the measure did not incraase the power of the central or local boards of health. Lord FERMOY moved to report progress, whidh . was consented to, and the house resumed. The Oxford University Bill, with the Lords' Amend ments, was considered. V 3.9 Marriages i AXtr4 rancllio,l rinoo Diu, Ana t4Q The Recorder said that the conduct of Levy had been very commendable, and ordered him an award £5. THIRD COURT. (Before the COmmon Sergeant.) Gorge Briggs ? 11, laborer, lyaffi indicted for cutting and wounding Robert Styles upon the head, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Mr. Platt appeared for the prosecution ; the pri soner was defended by Mr. Sleigh. It appeared that the prisoner, a man of respect able appearance, whose wife is a laundress at Wal •North, in a fit of violent jealousy, and suspecting, although the prosecutor denied it upon his oath, that too great a familiarity existed between the latter and the prisoner's wile, attacked him with a poker and inflicted some very serious wounds on the prosecutor. Mr. Sleigh addressed the jury, commenting on the evidence, and suggesting that prisoner had acted under a reasonable suspicion. The Common Sergeant having summed up, the jury found the prisoner not guilty. FOURTH COURT. (Before Mr. Commissioner Kerr.) Jacob Philip Meade, 46, shoemaker, was indicted For conspiracy with others to defraud Wilhelm Weiscnbach of £6O. Mr. Gent prosecuted, and Mr. Dickie was for the prisoner. The parties are both Germans, and the trick played on the prosecutor was the old one of being met by two persons, apparently both strangers to each other, one of whom had come into property, and then getting the victim to stake his property. In this instance the prosecutor was met by the prisoner and another man near the British Museum, as far back as the 9th of January. They got him into a public-house, and induced him to stake a gold , snuffbox and some articles of jewellery, to the value of £5O, against some nearly worthless articles, after which they got away, and the prisoner was not taken until the end of April. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and, there being another charge for a like offence, where he got £24 from another German, he was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Geo. Taylor was indicted for receiving a quantity of silk, the property of Joseph Surr, value £95. The prosecutor is a warehouseman in King-street, Cheapside, and the silk was, stolen in August last, and a few days afte r the silk was traced to the pri- , soner, who at that time got away, but was retaken in March last by Knight and Funnel, the City de- ' tectives, the latter of whom he severely injured. Verdict, guilty ; sentence, 15 years' penal servi- : tude. POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION, An influential public meeting, convened by the directors to give to the patrons and promoters of art, science, and industry, and the public generally, an opportunity of assisting in preserving this ad mirable place of instruction from extinction, was held yesterday in the large theatre of the instals don. The Earl of Shaftesbury occupied the chair, and, amongst those present were Mr. R. Hanbury, M.P. ; Mr. Blaney, M.P. ' • Mr. Gregson, M.P. ; the. Hon. Captain P. Maude, Captain Jones, the' Rev. C. Mackenzie, the Rev. J. Owen, the Rev. Mr. Sherman, and Messrs. J. Weylland, Joseph Payne, W. J. Maxwell, James Bell, J. S. Phone, Futvoye, F. Gaussen, A. Greatorex, and W. Spottiswoode. The Rev. J. B. Owen read the report, Vrhich, stated that the old Polytechnic Institution did not' fail, nor had it any signs of failure as an institu tion ; but the compulsory closing of it was entirely owing to the costly legal proceedings consequent upon the lamentable accident whieh occurred in January, 1859. In pursuance of a resolution. passed at a previous meeting the committee com menced. a vigorous canvas for shares, and were nl.- timately enabled to register the company under the' Limited Liability Act. A general meeting having' authorised the initiation of operations, the direc tors agreed to pay the sum of £4OOO to the official managers appointed by the Court -of Chancery to wind up the affairs of the late Polytechnic Institu tion. There were certain alterations to the insti tution which were estimated at £4OOO more malt' ing a total of £BOOO required. Towards this sum there had been 900 shares subscribed, which, at £lO per share, made £9OOO, but as it was proposed to call up only £7 per share, the present capitar available would be £6300. Donations £6OO, and guaranteed loan £650, leaving a deficiency of only £450. If only 200 more shares were subscribed the direelors would have no difficulty in carrying out this l'ery desirable project. Mr. R. Hanbury, M.P., moved, and Mr. SlaneY> M.P., seconded, the adoption of the report. The Chairman, before putting it, said that the average number of visitors year by year to the old institution had been no less than 250,000, and to show how the people from the provinces appreeit ated it, no less than £11,190 was taken at the' doors in 1851, during the Great Exhibition, and in no other year did they exceed £6OOO. , The motion was then put and carried unani" mously. Other resolutions in favour of the objects of the meeting having been carried, the proceedings ter' min ated. CO_UNIRY MARKETS. COLHCEST ER-MAY 12. A fair supply of wheat, ht la' per qr above last week's prices. Barley comes scarce, and is fully as dear. Bea o the turn dearer. No peas.. Wheat, white 503 to 56s Beans Mazagan..34s to 374 1 red 46s to 52s I Middle & small 36s to 4? Barley .. 36s to 505 White peas 36s to 3 8e Oats 2os to 2Ss I Grey 36s to 404 CHELMSFORD—MAY 11. There was a fair supply of wheat to-day, and the bes t samples readily realised late rates; inferior is cheaper, with a dull trade. Peas and beans firm. Oats and barley were . is dearer. -- ------. ,Wheat, white 438 to 57s Peas, Partridge ..408 to 416 red 428 to 51s White ......,...40s to 42i Barley... 36s to ‘Os Boiling .......403 to 433 Chevalier 4OB to 508 Dun ...358 to 38 0 Grinding . 308 to 35s Beans, Tick ...,40s to 43' Malt • 60s to 66s Harrow Ticks 43s to 466 Chevalier 63s to 68s Nazagan ns to 393 Oats 30s to 39s KIRKA Here to-day we have small of barley, and mode dine on late rates. Wheat Barley Oats First.... 488 Od 338 Od 268 Od' Second .. Od 38s Od 308 Od Third .. 54s Od Od _ 31s 6d .LDY—MA.v 12. had very fair supplies of wheat/ rate of oats. Sales ready, ait ado' COAL MARE (Prices of Coal per Ton a a. d. ET-MAY 14. the close of the market) Walls End. Howard's West Hart ley 15 9 Wylam Tanfield Moor Butes 13 3 Bell's Primrose l3 0 Byass's Bekids West s. d- Haugh Hall 16 Framwellgate ....16 9 Whitwo r th ..:16 ! Eden l6 r„ Braddyll'e Hett0n......17 Thorpe . Russell's Hetton 17 3 Gosforth l6 3 Eden Main l7 u Halton South Hetton 36 0 0 South Durham ...17 , South Hart1ep001......17 I lielloe Carway and Dern Malting 22 4' Hartley . 9 Davison's West Hart- ley ....15 9 Walker Primrose 13 3 95—Sold, 56. Walls En& Acorn Close .. 16 9 Llangenuech 2l 0 South Hartlepool l7 3 Hunwick 16 6 Haswell lB 0 Hetton.... Ships at market 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) M a y 16. Cave of Good Hope, &c. June, 'l. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) May 19. Do. (via Marseilles) May 13. Gibraltar (via Southampton) m a y 19. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) May 1 9 . Do. (via Marseilles) M a y 13. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. May 25. Do. (via Marseilles) May 19. Lisbon, Brazils, Buenos Ayres, &c. J ima 5. Lisbon, Vigo, and Oporto May 11. Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) .. May 19. Do. (via Marseilles) May 13. United States, California, &c. is Cork) May 16. W es tern Coast of Atrica, Madeira, Teneriffe .. May 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthgena, Cuba, &e. May 14. BIRTHS. ERSKINE.—On the 12th inst.,atHollybrook, Lady Erskine, of Cambo, of a son. JACKSON.—On the 13th inst., at 53, Notting-hill-square, Notting-hill, the wife of Robert Jackson, M.D., of s' daughter. MACDONALD.—On the 13th inst., at the Ranger's Lodge, Hyde -park, the Hon. Mrs. Macdonald, prematurely, of * son, stillborn. MARRIAGES. Girrs—STANSFELD.—On the 9th inst., at St. Helier's, Jersey, George Western Gipp s , E sq , youngest son o f thelate Rev. Henry Gipps, to Charlotte, third surviving daughter of the late Thomas Woolrich Stansfeld, Esq.' DEATHS. BARRY.—On the 12th inst., at his residence on Clapliani" cdmmon, Sir Charles Barry, R.A., F.R.S., aged 65. BURGESS.—On the 10th inst., at Bath, Hugh William Burgess, Esq., aged 64. COLNER.—On the 12th inst., at Greenhithe, Thos.•Celyer, Esq., aged 69. Coca..--On the 10th inst., at 91, Albert-street, Morning ton-crescent, the Rev. W. A. Cook, M.A., agod 56. DE SA.MPAYO.—On the lltla inst., at Elm-grove, Barnes common, Baron de Sampayo, Attache at the Portuguese Embassy in London. PowEr..L.LOn the 10th inst., at the Queen's Hotel, Nor wood, Rosa Edwyna, wife of Lieut.-Col. Powell, MP., of Nanteos, Cardiganshire, aged 42. LONDON : Printed ana Published by MURDO YOUNC;f of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Preeinot of the Savoy, in tb,o county of Middlogo, Tnosclay, May 15, 1860. I