The Sun. — London, England, 1858-04-16 00:00:00

`"'''''"'""--"-•'"-----."------"--''-""- e t re e ----- p willingness, and satisfaction to the country' His belief the employment of a short-hand writer to take notes of the the presentation of the report, ender an was that Tribunals of Commerce would never prove satis- trials, and for whom a salary might be fixed, and he trusted i veil. He wished he could lift that he f:TaeMoment, factory in this country, but ho was quite free to admit that he would consider the suggestion as deserving of considera and see how many harbours ineetrh)e kingdom had de- Having had the the subject had been so ventilated in commercial circles, tion. mended five millions. (Hear , h he thought it desirable there should bo a committee ap- Mr. MALINS entirely approved of the objects of the b:11 honour of proposing the reformed.sysiem under which the ointed to look into the entire question. For their in- proposed by his learned friend. He thought it right, how- Trinity-house lead worked for five years he had no objet h proposition in vestigation he did not anticipate any useful result, but it ever, to state that the Court of Chancery had at present the Lien to inquiry, and should support was only right that the subject should be investigated. \ power of cross-examining the witnesses vfycz voce. They preference to a special commission. Lord JOHN RUSSELL expressed his satisfaction that were so examined by the Lords Justices when there was any Mr. BENTINCK said h there was one point in the noble w object. He could not agree the Government had given its assent to the modified pro- disputed point in question ; but some of the Vice-Chancellors lord's motion to which e position of the hon. and learned gentleman. He thought did not act upon the power. Ile hoped provision would be to the transference of th e e lighthouses to the control of the some good might arise from investigating the complaint made in the bill for cross-examining the witnesses in the mane A d m i ra lty. He hoped the noble lord would acquiesce in of those who were engaged in the commerce- of the coup- nor suggested. the proposal of the Board of Trade, and accept a royal try, at the same time that he agreed with the learned Mr. M'MAHON said the speech of the rig m h b t yat h the o e n p . trr g oiv e b n ius t ni l oa e n e l commission. Lord PA.LMERSTON said that the house ought to be Solicitor-General in his view of the efficacy of the pro- man, t ba h in e ldi S f o oh l ie. ic d t el o ct r i.s. - i G 3tol e n n siv e ,f r ai a nh l o , an w l)l o ch ul aos d pees n d o ohf d e o d u vris b po t hnu g itd i e ve great satisfac obliged to his noble friend for bringing forward a subject loosed Tribunate of Commerce. It appearedl to him t t h o at th in e t in io h n is ; a so much national importance. He agreed in many England . commercial men had been too points which had been stated by his noble friend. Since Previ 1 eg e of bring the superior judges o c o f ry a , jury,sitting ne s t t Li necessarily ncei n, B e I ni n np,a butue I g l t e h d i nep r i ct n ohope t ue ir. ( c e tteyno C nf o at u rcro r ihse t eas : w f caeh C nre l ydr i a e n tai nos the committees referred to by his noble friend an import- courts of common law, .where . they _ ao forpnp. ya and leavetdo le find atr no thateindt introduce oetdnhutelceehmot gentleman ant change had been made in the constitution of the highly instructed and administering a code of laws which ' t w h h e ic d h is t p h u ey te m d io. q h u t es b ti e en d s ire r c e t s e p d ec h t y in e . The hon. and learned e b D d i l. gentleman FlTZGERALD andhe hhosdhoped d movedw Triaity-house, and he should therefore strongly mcommend had grown up during propose and li l . e . a l ' - j • d n . him to accept the proposal made by the right hon. gentle- gentleman had said thmaatntyheag•uedges were not permitted issues, man the President of the Board of Trade, namely, that a to dictate the law to had a eins , thatx consequencewu as w t i h toh e f theas hh commission should issue. He believed, notwithstanding cage, and the rule tns been hein o ae r ifd e te juries. But with regard would act upon the p suggestion thrown out by his hon, and the improvements which had been made in the arrange. political considerations would d oyed to take notes of the merits of the Trinity-house, that considerable economy ques tions, e h b et eg b fl elieved that juries could not learned friend Mr. Se lat might yet be effected in that department. In the abstract theto commercial questions l D easy, and provide that a short very much relieve the judge, who proceed there was a great deal of plausibility that the expense of do better than acce t the opinion of the judge trying the hand writer should be rj e H could not p think the specfie remedy proposed ings. Such a toupee lighthouses should be borne by the public at large instead cause. He likely to be adopted, but undoubtedly complaints could, by being relieved from taking notes as at present, pay of calling upon the passing shipping to pay it, for the light was one unnaturally made that in a country like England more attention to the case,. pore not delay was experienced in the trial of commercial Mr. MELLOR was sorry to say he could not agree in the ing of our coast was undoubtedly a duty that belonged to the nation rather than private individuals. Take the aria causes. He must also consider it to be a great grievance views of his right hon, friend who had just addressed the that London jurors should be so frequently ca lled upon to house, with respect to . the employment . of a short-hand logy, though it was upon a smaller scale, of lighting v. try country causes. Probably, however, by e xtending and wrier to take notes solely • and he did hope that the neces streettticiatlhse would not large town. We did not call upon the travellers of the improving the jurisdiction of the county courts much of city which existed for a judge taing a full note of the evi to pay the expense of its lighting; no, the parish paid that ; and, reasoning by analogy, the nation ought the evils complained of would be removed. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD believed that the state of the o d b e j n e e c e ti i o n n be dispensedH with. e had no to pay the expense of lighting the coast. On the other . tary notes of a short-hand writer ; band, however, until the department which was reopen present law admitted of great improvement, and that the but he ho 11 power of hoped, whether one be employed or not, that the hon if hie to Parliament should be vested with fu proposed committee would, in a great measure, effect that and learned . arrangements gentleman, the Solicitor-General, would resist the .eontrolling the expense and enforcing the . object. It was said 30 years age that their laws were the proposal to ' the o the service, and ec - relieve the judge from the necessity of his taking Crest adapted for the efficiency of . it would be proms- perfection of human wisdom, but any one who witnessed a note of the evidence. noreical performance of that service, . . to the con- the reforms that since took place, must be surprised they The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said the billwould from the shipping not be tore to make the transfer were allowed to continue so long. He was one of a tom- compulsory in summoning • all witnesses in cases to London Solidated fund. se ought to have a winds- mittee that sat a few years ago on the bill which passed and should it be found to work well, provision would be mad: Mr. WHITE thought the hon . . he didnotquite respectieg bills of exchange, and was deli ghted at the im- hereafter for having parties • examined in the counties wherein teat policy, and that being l e is opinion of the right hon• gentleman the provements made on that occasion. But why should not they resided. With respect to the suggestion to ern share the apprehensions . the same principle be extended to allwritten employ a ht hon entleman seemed to contracts ? short-hand writer to take notes, he did not think it would member for Oxford. The rig .t to. g lace some 200,000/. And why should not many material changes •d be think it would be a great calami y p . in the Court of Bankruptcy_ require act well, inasmuch as after he had been all day taking notes osal of the executive ; and yet how effected ? With res et to tri- the could not be read 'pe . . yuntil he transcribed them. (Laughte.) of patronage at the dish . dthe it since the house arrive at conclusion bunals of commerce, he hadheard that they were originally Leave was given to bring in the bill, which was read a first long ago was lndia should be handed over to adopted in Spain, from whence they spread themselves that the vast patronage of No later ago than last session Parliament France and all over Europe. The whole question would, the executive? CHELSEA HOSPITAL. 250,000/. to the King of Denmark for extinguish- he believed, be advantageously sifted by the proposed corn votedig the Sound dues. Now the light dues on the coast were mittee, and on that account he gave the motion his cordial far TL more oppressive and vexatious than the Sound dues, approbation. 2:nd if it was proper and judicious to extinguish the dues Col. SYKES wished to say a few words on the subject, in the one ease, it was equally so in the other. Let it also and they would be but a few, as the motion was acceded to. be remembered that in making the transfer to the conso- The hon. and learned gentleman (the Solicitor-General) lidated fund they would be benefiting the consumer, and said that tribunals of commerce were the offspring of the ,carrying out the principle of direct taxation, in favour of ages of barbarism ; but he had in his hand a document, 'which the house had pronounced years ago. describing such tribunal established in Calcutta. It com ,Mr. A. SMITH observed that the right hon. gen tl eman prised the whole of the details of such a tribunal, the cases the Member for Oxford was mistaken in supposing that the which would come before it, and the judges to preside, United States commissioners had reported in favour of the who were to be elected by the commercial community. He English system of lighting. On the contrary, they reported believed that such tribunals were absolutely necessary in while the that,best English light, which was inferior to this country , and should support the motio n . that of France, cost 500/. a y ear, that of France onl y cost Mr. M'AIAHON agreed with the hon. and learned gen -300/. Moreover, proceedi n g u p on the French s y stem, they Osman (the Solicitor-General) that tribunals of commerce reported the whole of the United States coast could be were the relics of barbarous ages, and not at all suited to lighted for 81,0001. a year, although the number of lights this country. Such tribunals in the case of insurances far exceeded those of England, At the same time he agreed existed from the time of Elizabeth, but such was the par with the right hon. gentleman wheuhe said, that this mat- tiality evinced by the judges that they fell into disuse, and wore at last discontinued. He believed it was utterly for ought not to be placed in the hands of the Government; but nevertheless, he should like to see the Trinity-house impossible they could give satisfaction to the people of this thoroughly remodelled. He wished to me it made suitable country- In France, the judges of these courts were eelected b the Crown, but such a proceeding would not for looking after not only the lighthouses, but also many tolerated, foe not only would their lives, other matters connected with the mercantile marine. At fur hu t e moment be o ,laced - at its disposal. He corn present the eighteen brethren were self-elected, whereas theiro of the ro p egrrteye,t delays lained in the country in the ad minis they ought to be selected by the mercantile marine body p tration of justice, as compared with that of London • and from persons amongst themselves, connected with the certainly he thought the number of assizes ought ' to be chipping interest. The Trinity-house would then become considered also before that committee. He, however, cor e% useful department. dielly concurred in the appointment of a committee to Mr. L. PHILLIPS protested against the . ar ument that o g OO/. for the inquire into the whole subject. hecaOse Parliament had agreed to pay 1,25e,0 Mr. BLAKE said it was a great satisfaction to him, as extinction of the Sound dues, they ought to. vote anether re resenting a commercial community, that such a motion the light dues. If P three or four millions for extinguishi:g was acceded to, and he had no doubt whatever but that the f the hon. member the house admitted the prin f c e ipl t e o the consolidated fund greatest possible amount of good would be effected by its for Plymouth, that the trans r appointment. that it would benefit should be made for the simple reason g Mr. COLLIER did not believe tribunals of commerce light dues ; the the consumer, they could not stop at from lighting harmonised with the institutions of the country, but he ' ht have railways seeking to be released was of opinion that, instead of creating new courts, they might w o uld then be able to carry charges on the plea that they would do better to extend the jurisdiction of those now in It a said a abort time ace) }passengers se a cheaper rate. wa the office existence. He thought that if they improved the juria ntleman who then tilled f bY a right b°°' r; dictiondiction of the Courts of Assize and the County Courts, it Chancellor of the Exohequer, that the clangor to the public • would confer immense benefit • but as an inquiry would from the useful projects of benevolent inch finance arose dgreat dealofgoodonall ' o a .. these subjects, and throw , and unless a check was put upon their efforts to . light upon many things requiring reform, he should sup saddle their schemes upon the consolidated fund, the con ort the motion. soli a •ti ted fund would cease to be consolidated. It would P Mr. BUCHANAN denied that tribunals of commerce In the words of Hamlet, "Thaw and dissolve itself into a were the relics of barbarous laugh.) times, and from his know- A. Mr. COWAN said the Northern L i g ht Commissioners d e w . ( ledge of the working of one in Hamburg, he could say that they were of the greatest value. The greatest benefit de bt.' long given satisfaction to the c ommercial interest in rived from such tribunals was a speedy decision, an I be- Scotland ; but since the commissioners had been placed cause they prevented serious and mischievous litigation under the Board of Trade , their p roceedin g s had not been He would suggest, if they were to be adopted in this co satisfactory. Their plans were set aside for others in ountry, that merchants should be associated with the ferior, and which cost double the amount in carr y in g out. 9 Mr. J. E WAR r could not agree with the noble lord in judges, in order to give them the benefit of their mercan asking that the whole charge should bo thrown on the tile experience. consolidated fund. The lighting system pressed heaviest Mr. HORSFALL thanked the hon. member for the' upon the coasting trade, and he would therefore suggest Tower Hamlets for the manner in which lie had brought that the coal dues amounting to 60,( 00/. only, should be forward this motion; for although he was personally not transferred from the shipping to the consolidated fund, very sanguine as to the advantages to arise from the estab lishing of tribunals, many of his constituents took a dif (Hear, hear,) ferent view of the matter; and as an inquiry by a select Lord C. PAGET said, after the assurance of t he Presi- dent of the Board of Trade, he would not press his motion. committee could not fail to be of advantage, he was glad to find that the hon. and learned Solicitor-General hal The motion was accordingly withdrawn. agreed to the appointment of a committee on the question. TRIBUNALS OF COMMERCE. There were many things which appeared very beautiful in Mr,AYRTON in moving for a select committee to iu - theory which • • turned out very different in practice, and quire respecting the expediency of establishing tribunals this Thera might be one of them. • era was one point that had of commerce, and otherwise improving the mode of pro - n o t been clearly stated—viz., whether the members of oedure in actions and suits of a commercial nature—said these tribunals were to be paid or not, and the answer to a large body of commercial men in the city of London that would have a very atur I influenceon conceived that the present mode of administering justice question. It was saidthat n thes a e tribunals in commercial cases was dilatory and unsatisfactory. I ; werebut there necessary - n or the speedy settlement of differences was foreign countries these matters had been adjudicated by now in existence a mode of obtaining such a speedy settle tribunals of commerce, and he thought it was worthy the meat, where the parties wished it, by referring the matter couoideration of the house whether the practice of foreign in dispute to arbitration instead of goine , into court. Iu countries in this respect might not be imitated with advau- the course of the discu ssion Liverpool had been alluded to tage. In important commercial cases in London they must as an example of the evils arising from the delay in the be tried by special juries, and some months must elapse administration of justice, but he must state that they had before a case can ba tried. When a judge tries such a four courts in the year, in which justice was as speedily u.see he reserves certain points and decides others. It was administered as could bo well desired, and he agreed with no affront to judges to say that they were not as good the hon. and learned member for Plymouth that if this judges of commercial documents as those who were familiar kind of business could be engrafted on the present jurie with commercial dealings. It was a very serious ques- diction of the County Courts, it would meet all the re tic,n whether the administration of justice in commercial quirements of the country. sages might not be improved. (Hear, hear,) Persons Mr. AYRTON briefly replied, and generally who litigated preferred having their cases tried The motion for the appointment of a select committee in London instead of the country. But was that satiefao- was then agreed to. tory to those who were compelled to sit as jurors without COURT OF CHANCERY PROCEDURE. any compensation ? He found that where there were 1,248 causes tried in the metropolis, there were 1 , 110 tried The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he would endeavour in the country. He found that in causes for sums above in a very few words to explain the object of a bill which 201. and under 501., out of 4,000 there were 400 tried in he asked the leave of the house to introduce, entitled the the metropolis ; and in causes for sums above 50/. more Court of Chancery Procedure Bill. In the course of the than half the number were tried in London. The hon. debate which had just terminated he had been struck with end learned member referred to cases for the purpose of the remark of his hon. and learned friend, the member for showing the increased expense to which a suitor who lived Eunis, as to the serious evils arising from the present de• in the country was put by the trial taking place in London. fective state of the law of bankruptcy, and the manner in Arbitration was generally a compulsory course, and was which suitors, after having gone to one court fur redress, the beginning of a new snit, when, to be of value, arbitra- were afterwards compelled to go to another fur a supple tion should be resorted to in the first instance. E v id ence inentary remedy. (Cheers.) He trusted that in the course bad been given to prove that merchants sometimes gave up of a few days a bill would be presented in one of the accounts fur the purpose of closing their books rather than houses of Parliament by which the defective the bill bankrupt wait the delay of a trial or have a trial at all. In France law would be amend d—(cheers)— rid he hoped asked 1s e leave to would a tribunal such as he contended for had jurisdiction in ho now a e introduce 3 be found to go far ell cases such as those to which he was alluding. In Eug. to prevent these double suits in order to b • land, with the exception of Liverpool, there was no such mental remedies. The ef theh.l o tam supple mown object I was to enable , tribunal, and he saw no reason why other towns should the suitor to obtain iu court all the relief nut have such tribunals as well as Liverpool. The hon. was entitled. The Courtneof t to which ha Chancery a present . gave re member concluded by moving for a select committee to lief in the case of breach of contract by restraining any inquire respecting the expediency of establishing tribunals future breach ; but it could not now t give any remedy fur -of commerce, or for oth erwise im p rovin g the aelministra- breaches in times p as t, an d t o o bt a i n that remedy the suitor aiun of justice in commercial disputes. was obliged to resort to a Court of Common Law. So also Th e SOLICITOR-GENERAL admitted the great im - w:th respect to actions for the performance of specific port:taco of the question brought forward by the hon. a n d agreements. The Court of Chancery could decree that these learned gentleman, and desired briefly to state his reasons specific agreements should be carried out in fature, but for offering no opposition to the motion, and generally his could not give damages for past breaches up to the time views of the case, especially with reference to the estab- at which it decreed relief. The Courts of Common Law liehment in this country of Tribunals of Commerce. The hal now in these cases complete jurisdiction, and what he title was, no doubt, an attractive one, and they probably proposed by the present bill was that the Court of Chan benefits would be conferred upon the eery should in future have similar complete freei might suppose that commercial world by institutions of the kind ; but they (hear, hear) -and that suitors might be left in all cases must not be led away by names however attractive. It to choose whether they would go to the courts of common should not be forgotten that they had established in this ' l.sw or to the Court of Chancery, with the knowledge that country a m o st success f u l i m provements in their courts. in both cases they would be able to obtain complete relief. They had introdu ce d county courts, giving them consider- That was the first object of the bill. The second was a con able jurisdiction. That they were successful no man could responding, though somewhat different one, namely, to ob for one moment doubt, and that they had established a vista the defects now existing in the practice of the Court of speedy and cheap mods of administering justice was equally Chancery in trying questions of fact. It would be retnern indisputable. They had modified the courts of common bar ed that in 1852 the mode of taking evidence in the Court law, and made their proceedings as speedy as he thought of Chancery was very materially alters '. Previous to that could well be done, consistently with doing justice to the time the practice was to take all the evidence by means of parties engaged. Latterly they passed an act on the sub- depositions, and all the parties were examined in private, s leet of bills of exchange. All these three different classes of and without being confronted with their opponents. That measures had occupied the attention of the Le g isl a ture had been altered, and at present there was a system of with the view of reducing delay in judicial proceedings viva voce examination, not before the judge who had to s t eel he believed that delay had beau reduced to the try the case, and who would therefore be able to form an timeliest possible amount; but if it could be shown that opinion as to the character and the demeanour of the wit the period could be further lessened, he should gladly ran- nessee, but before an examiner. That was no doubt, so far as der all the assistance in his power to accomplish that ob- it went, an improvement upon the ' previous system, but ject. Was the Tribunal of Commerce proposed to be in- there were numerous and grave complaints as to the very et i tilted to be a court of appeal, or a court without appeal ? ser i o us evils to which it ga v e rise. In the first place, the If it was to be a court without appeal , when , as the hon. judo who had to try the case never saw the witnesses, and au 1 learned gentleman suggested, causes would b e dec i d ed h ad still to rel y on written de p osi t ions . In the next , the iu 24 hours, then in his (the Solicitor-General's) opinion it examiner had no discretionary power as to the evidence he would not enjoy the confidence of the pub 1 e or of the mud receive. Parties might come forward and say what persons involved in the cause under its judici a l co g nisance, the y p leased, relevant or irrelevant, and the consequence' but if it were to be a cou rt of a pp eal, where execution was, that when the de p ositions came into court, they had would be suspended , and the case brou g ht to other courts to go through piles upon piles of p a p er, which he was sur for final judgment , th en wh y not go to the higher would frighten any hon. member who had never seen theme courts in the lint instance i The hon. and learned gentle- --(hear, hear)—and to wale through page after page l • n man had objected to th e mode in which mercantile order to get at a simple fact, which might have been cases w ere handled in this country.. He was dissatisfied, stated iu a tenth of the time, and at a tenth of the ex that while the facts wore left to the jury, the judge should pause. (Hear, hear.) The Court of Chancery, under the take th e ques tion of law and place his construction upon existing system, could not chock this prolixity and unneces the b ear i ng o f some d o cument which had been made evi- nary expense ; nor could it, without seeing the witnesses demo, in th e course of the hearing, while the Tribunals of personally, judge as to whether they were speaking truth Commerce, they were told, decided questions of fact and o r f a lsehood. Now, in cases of action for breach of springing out of a coin- contract, or the performance of specific agreement s , law. But why should a document, cuniary damages were almost always at inertial case be treated differently to any document arising issue, and in the out o f, or connec t e d w ith a ny other description of case. common law courts i t was found that the moat effective uriepru- method of settling any such questions was to refer them Any innovation of that kind on their system of j dance mus t b e eminently unsatisfactory ; and he felt quite to a jury. He proposed that the Court of Chancery should satisfied that the house would not for one moment enter- in such cases have the power of ceiling in a jury, and Ciu an proposition of the sort. Tribune's of Commerce, thus at on ce s p eedil y , satisfactoril y , economica lly , and y p he Might permitted to say, sprang out of a state of completely settle all the questions the of fact at issue. things much less enlightened than that existing at present. (Hear , hear.) He did not propose, in first nstance, They were institutions of the remote state of the barberian that this measure should be compulsory. He would leave age., and very far inferior to those we enjoyed. He ad- it, in the first instance, to the discretion of the court ; and emitt e d th e j us ti ce o f th e complaint male b the lion and if it should be found in the course of time-as he bored learn e d mem b er an d h e admitted it y most 't . it would be-"a successful experiment, he trusted it would was a usethat when one encourage them to make still further improvements in the court they were frequently handed and pioCe • dure of the Court of Chancery, and to ferred from law to . over to another trans- practice au the demeanour of the witnesses. Le doubt, a serious equity and from equity to law. It was, enable the judge to s saying • no hesitat i on in that the b . ll 10 1.. but , e. %, blot on our system of jurisprudence, Mr. HEADLAM had . " happy to state jurisdiction to the Court of Ciro'. leave, that evenint, that he intended aeking, fur would give a very valuable .. t t• of justice. ' remedy some of o f t; ttgnt ro d uce a bill which would go to eery, and greatly improve the adunnis ra iv , lt 0: h w complaint which evilsthe h a e nd m i sc hi e f s o f t h e syst e m. Au- eras impossible to over-cstiumte the advari f ag s o suitors of was, that an unfair amount, hon. and La•ned member made having a complete remedy in one court. I a jury wit the Loudon jurymen, who had to o . f work was thrown on the best means of deciding in eases, tlici•e was no reason why but country gases. rhi,,h,,ppen tazesti g ate not only London that tribunal should be confined to a court of comiu in law, opened a greater number of days because th e cour t s H e wished that in all cases in the Court of Chancery the exa werelocal courts, partly because they were presided tee assize or mivations of the witnesses should be taken viva voce before jud 4es eminent for their skill and the ''esided over by the judge in the earns manner that they were now taken be in which they administered the law, and satisfactory a ;manner fore a jury in courts of common law. It was quite certain the skill, intelligence, and competency partly yh from t that the decisions in the Court of Chancery were not, ill all J themselves brought to bear on the die-' cii es satisfactory. and he hoped his hon. and learned friend the charge of their duties. They could not expect greater Solicitor-General would extend his bill, and make a provision speed in the hearing of commercial causes nuess they h (1 for the examin a of Chancery. ation of witnesses by the judges in the Court le,tab i lished a greater number of courts in the country. see s. se e Were the proposed Tribunals of Commerce to be paid or to England, DEASY hoped th t bill would net be confined unpaid ? Did the hon. and learned gentleman think that Attorney-General i th f,, at the hon. and learned gentleman, or the l'arliisment would sanction the appointment of a new staff bill, for that country. Ireland, ,.‘ would introduce it, or a similar throughout the length and breadth of the country ? Fos witnesses in the Ceu y r . t of Chanceryt i present, the system of examinng Abe proposal was that those tribunals should be established live and unsatisfactory, nod.he hoped of Ireland was most defec- Vfhereier commerce was carried on. Such an orgauisation ing• them by the judge and beforieepe . d the power of examin- Would entail a serious snout of expense. If the tribunals to the judges of the Court of Chajnacry ei W , ?l;l4 be extended Wore'not paid, how could they expect that persons would thought it would be a great improvement7iainthelreland. lie di4clearge the duties appertaining to the tribunals with lion, and learned eentlemau would make . bill, if the provisions in it for Lord J. MANNERS obtained leave to bring iu a bill to confirm a contract for a sale by the Commissioners of her Majesty's Works of certain lands to the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital, which was read a first time. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH THE EAST. Sir H. RAWLINSON moved an address for copies or ex tracts of correspondence that may have passed between her Britannic Majesty's embassy at Constantinople and the Fo reign-office, during the last six months, ou the subject of the establishment of a line of telegraph between Constantinople and Bassorab. The hon. member said he had intended, iu moving for papers on the subject of telegraphic communica tion between England and India, to make a few observations on the general character of the arrangements, more particu larly with regard to the lino of communication through Tur key, but at that late hour of the evening ho would not tres pass on the patience of the house ; and as he found that the subject was to be brought before the house on another mo tion, he would reserve his observations for that occasion. He would only observe at present that the object of his remarks would be to show that the telegraphic communication be tween England and India, via Egypt and the Red Sea, would be ♦ery difficult, not to say impracticable, while on the other hand telegraphic communication with India via Asiatic Tur key and the Persian Coast, might with the exercise of tole rable skill and care, be carried through successfully within a very short time. The motion was then agreed to. FIRE INSURANCE. On the motion of Mr. GREER, a returi was ordered of all sums paid into the Inland Revenne Office in Great Britain and Ireland, for duty on insurances against fire, for the quarters ending severally the 25th day of March, the 24th day of June, the 29th day of September, and the 25th day of December, 1857 (in sontinu .tion of Parliamentary Paper, No. 142, of session 2, 1857). IRISH BILLS. Lord NAAS proposed to adjoura the committee on the Clerks of Petty Seisions (Ireland) Bill until the 26th of tkis month. He could not agree to the Medical Charities (Ire land) Act Amendment Bill, and would not, therefo , e, pledge the Government to it. The same observation applied to the Grand Julies (Ireland) Bill, he thought it was a good mea sure, and hoped it would go into committee to be amended. Mr. J. D. F o ITZGERALD said that, under these circum stances, he would move that the orders of the day in refer ence to the Medical Charities (Ireland) Bill and the Grand Juries (Ireland) 8.11, be discharged. Lord NAAS intended to bring in a bill, in a few days, in reference to the clerk , a ' s `l• sessions. The other orders of thc,.. , ~ty were then disposed of, and the louse adjourned at eleven o'clock. 11E R MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Third appearance of Madlle. Titiens. SECOND APPEARANCE OF MADLLE. POCCHINI. LES HUGUENOTS. TO-MORROW (THURSDAY), April 17, will be repeated Moyerbeer's Grand Opera, GLI UGO:s;OTTT. DRAMATIS PERSON £. I 1 Conte di San Brig (Governor of the Louvre) Conte di Nevcrs Signor ALDIGHIERI. De Cosse Signor NIERCURIALI. Tavannes De Retz Meru Head of Night Watch Raul di Nangis (a Huguenot Gentleman) Signor GIUGLINI. Marcell° (his Servant) Margaritta di Valois (betrothed to Henry I V,) Urbane (her Page) Mdme. LUCIONI LANDI. Dare* d'Onore Valentina (d:ughter of San Brie) Madlle. TITIENS, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court, Pages, Citizens, Soldiers, Students, Night Watch, Monks, Musicians, ct c. Conductor, Signor ADRITI. With scenery, entirely new and original, by Mr. Marshall ; dresses, entirely new and taken front the best authorities, by Madame Copore, and executed by M. Liureys and Mrs. Nfasterman ; principal machinist, Mr. Slomau ; head of the property department. Mr. Bradwell ; the miss-en-scene and incidental ballet, by M. Massot. To conclude with a new Ballet Divertissement, by M. Massot, entitled CALIST ); OU, LE RENVOI DE L'AMOUR. The principal parts by Madlles. Pocchini, Annetta, Pas quale, Morlacchi, Bioletti, F. Brown, La Petite Philipe, and M. C iron. On TUESDAY, April 20, Mdlle. PICCOLOMINI will ratite her first appearance this season as Norina, in Donizotti's Opera of DON PASQUALE, and shortly afterwards i❑ LUISA MILLER. A limited number of Boxes have been secured to the public. Price 21s and 31s 6d each. The full prospectus of the season arfaipments may be bad at the Box Office. To commence at half-past 7 o'clock. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, April IG, will be performed • AN UNEQUAL MATCH. Characters by Messrs. Buckstone, Chipendale, Compton, W. Farren, Rogers, Clark, and Miss A. Sedgwick, Mrs. B. White, Miss Lavine, and Mrs. J. Fitz wilham. After which a C:assical Extravagaium, entitled PLUTO AND PROSERPINE. Concluding with MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. irchostra Stall (which may be retained the whole of the evening), 6s, each. (No charge for booking.) First Price, s. d, Second price. s. Dress Boxes ................ 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 0 I7o Per B"es ........... 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 P t 2 0 Pit 1 0 Gallery ..................... 1 0 Gallery 0 6 Commence at Seven. ft " A P L ro„ r ' I t or, I N i e E e S h S' l S s THEATRE. THIS EVENING will be presented the now farc3 entitled THE STOCK EXCHANGE ; or, The Green Business. After which, will be revived FAUST AND MARGUE RITE. Me dbistophiles, Mr. C. Kean. To conclude with the now farce, entitle I SAMUEL IN SEARCH OF HIMSELF. T HEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. Lessoe—Mr. Bea. Webster. THIS EVEXING will be presented the drama of THE POOR STROLLERS, in which Madame Celeste, Mr, B. Web3t3r, Paul Bedford, and Mr. Wright will perform. After which, a new operatic spectacle, THE CALIPH OF BAGDAD. The characters by Mr. Rolfe, Paul Bedford, J. Bland, and Misses Rolm, Keeley, and Arden. rIANTERBIJ RY HALL, Westminster-road.— t.)O PEN EVERY EVENING.—The follow- In; company of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Silections from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CII ORUS ES, GLEES, D UETS, &c., viz. : —Miss Russell, Mrs. Badzey, Nliaa Brutioll, Miss Ray, Madame Lartoletti, and Mi , s Montague; Herr F. Jonghtuan, Mr. Renshaw, S. lonec, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio, E. L. llhne, Mr. Badzey, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Bell, and Sir. Bernard ; Messrs. T. Maclagan, W. T. Critelifleld, John G. Fordo, and E. Hackney. Piano'orte, Mr. Cecil Hicks ; harmonium, Master Williams ; Director, Herr F. Jou,glnans. Commence at Seven o'clock precisely. Suppers, dte. , until twelve o'clock. Mr. AUGUSTUS BRAHAM will appear every Evening. Mr. WOODHOUSE (by permission of Oh rice Kean, Esq ) will have the honour of introducing, every evening, his highly successful Performance on the Row REGULATION DRUM. THE WEATHER—SON OFFICE, APRIL 16. THERMOMETER, IN TEIE SHADE. C6—highest since noon yesterday. 53—lowest this morning and during the night, 61—this clay at noon--the highest this season. BAROMETER, 29.98, WIND, S.W. ; light, with fine warm sunshiny weather. ) LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1858. The Palmerstonian organs are becoming per fectly rabid on the subject of Lord JOHN RussELL's interference respecting the Government of India &Fs. If we are to believe either the Times or Post, the No'ile Lord was the Deus ex machin THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 16, 1858, HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Our expectation that the grand opera of Les Huguenots would be more perfectly given on the second representation, was thoroughly realised last evening ; when a full and enthusiastic house con firmed the brilliant success of the opening night. Madlle. Titiens had lost all the slight trace of ner vousness which even the greatest artiste experiences as a debut before a London audience, and poured forth her gushing tone of song in rich freedom. The qua lity of her voice is superb, and its power completely under control. The upper register of her notes is singularly broad in intonation, and capable of yielding the extreme of the range without impress ing the listener with the slightest notion of strain ing or effort. The way in which Madlle. Titiens holds on C in alt, the precision and distinctness of her chromatic passages, and the infallible clearness of her transitions, remind us somewhat of the glories of Malibran and Pasta. The extent of her capabilities is vast, for her dra matic claims as an actress demand commensurate appreciation with her rank as a vocalist. We be lieve that her • Fidelie and Lucretia Borgia will fully equal—if not excel—her Valentina, and wo earnestly hope that opportunity will be afforded of testing the validity of our faith. A new ballet divertissement was produced, entitled Calisto ; ou le Renvoi de l' Amour, in which Madlle. P,cchini appeared as the nymph Calisto, and fas cinated those who are susceptible of the influence exerted by Terpsichore. The dancing of this lady is florid and sparkling in its character, and her action elegant and graceful. Some of her steps are wonderful, and calculated to astonish where they may fail to de light. Madlle. Annetta made her debut as Venus, and elicited a fair share of admiration and applause. The rest of the "fantastic toed" agents were supported by M. Caron, who is great in the twist ing and twirling style of choregraphy ; Madiles. Pasquale, Morlacchi, and Bioletti. Her Majesty agaiu honoured the performance with her presence, appearing much gratified with the singing of the prima donna. ST. MARTIN'S BALL. MR. CHARLES DICKENS. Our great and truly vernacular writer road, last even ing, in this hall, Lis "Christmas Carol." He gave his gratuitous services in aid of the funds of the Childrens' Hospital. The combined attraction of the transcendani merits of Mr. Dickens, and of the claims of the charity, resulted in an audience literally packed as close as her rings. _ _ And what an intellectual treat awaited the audience Mr. Dickens enters so completely into the lights and shades of his characters, to whom he has given "a local habitation and a name"—is such a consummate master of the various infections of the voice—does so abound in that geniality which literally radiates from him as from a centre, and possesses such a hold en our sympa thies, that his audience is perforce spell-bound. Hie style is therefore the antipodes of the mannerist, and yet he never degenerates into caricature. Mr. Dickens indeed commands at once our sunniest laughter, and our least selfish tears. No words can describe the effect of Mr. Dickens' sway over an audience ; to be appreciated it must be felt, and we congratulate the community at large on the fact that Mr. Dickens intends to instruct and charm the public—his public—which is the whole empire, by giving a series of three readings at St. Martin's Hall, commenoing with his "Cricket on the Hearth," on Thursday evening, the 29th inst. ARRIVAL OF THE DUKE Op MALAKHOFF. The arrival yesterday at Dover of Marshal Fells- Bier, Duke of Malakhoff, the newly accredited Ambas sador from his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of F►ance to the Court of St James's, was distinguished with every mark of respect and attention which it was possible to evince. His Excellency arrived shortly after one o'clock, in the French Government steamer, Le Corse, Captain Gareault—Capt. Luke Stnithett, of the Royal and Impe rial Mail Packet Mail Company, having been specially engaged to pilot. the vessel across the Channel. Oa the arrival of his excellency at the Lord Wardell Hotel, the Mayor, Mr. Tnomas Birch, and the corpora. tion presented an address of congratulation. The Duke of Malakhoff having received from the mayor the address, replied in French to the following effect : " Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,—l thank you with every feeling of gratification for the reception you have accorded me upon my arrival here. Nothing could have afforded the greater pleasure than my appointment as ambassador to this country, and it will always be my earnest desire to preserve those cordial relations which have hitherto existed between France and England. If this pleasure could have been enhanced, it has been by my meeting on landing here several in whom I recog nise as old comrades." After the presentation, his Excellency and suite im mediately proceeded to the railway station, where a large number of persons assembled to witness his depar turs. The train left for London amid loud cheers, The Marshal arrived in town at five o'clock, and im medlt,ely proceeded to the residence of the French Em- Lassy—A.lhert-gate House. The Queen honoured the performance of her MajeAy's Theatre with her presence in the evening. The Royal suite consisted of Lady Churchill, Hon. Lucy Kerr, Hon. Mary Bolted', the Earl of Sheffield, Colonel the Hon. A. N. Hood, and Captain Du Plat. Her Imperial Highness the Princess of Salerno and the Duchess d'Auinale visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, yesterday, at her residence, Cla rence-house, St. James's. Lady Ernest Bruce has returned to town, from Brigh tor, for the season. Sir Edward and Lady CarolineKerrison havereturned to town, from Broom Hall, Norfolk, for the season. Lori Abercronaby has arrived in London, from a tour in the East. The name of Lord Chewton was substituted for tl at of Lord Clinton in a paragraph announcing the arrival of the latter nobleman at the Pavilion Hotel, Folke stone, in our impression of yesterday. The Duke of Rutland arrived at his residence a few days since, from Belvoir Castle. The Earl and Countess Stanhope have returned to town, from 03e/ening Park, Kent, for the season, His Highness the Prince Soltykoff has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, St. James's, from St. Petersburg. His Excellency the Duke de Terceira, accompanied by tie Marquis de L':ZI and suite, has left Claridge's Hotel for Berlin. The Earl and Countess Talbot have returned to town. The noble earl has taken a residence in Lowndes-street for the season. The Countess Dowager of Meath has left Claridge's Hotel, fir Sennicott's, near Chichester. In the Insolvent Debtors Court, yesterday, Thomas George Buckland obtained his discharge. Viscount and Viscountess Corcbermere are at Lea• minEton, and will not come to town until Wednesday next. The announcement of their arrival in Belgrave- ' square, from Combermere Abbey, was made in error yesterday. LETTERS, ka , FOR VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.—As oppor tunities for transmitting letters from this country to Vancouver's bland by private ships, direct, are found to occur very rarely, in future all letters and newspapers fit that colony (unless otherwise specially addressed) will be forwarded in the mails via the United States to Sin Francisco, California, between which place and Vancouver's Island the communication is understood to be frequent. The combined British and United States postage on letters aad newspapers thus forwarded will be :—Letters not exceeding half an ounce, Is. 20.; above half an ounce, and not exceeding an ounce, 24. 5d.; . . h es, th 4s ie l t O t d.; theless, Lieut. TORCKLER, though he could not in newspapers, ono r o s un 2 c i e, a a nil h. not T ex h c e eed o i s n t g ag t e wo u o p u o n n c ers this way be "hanged," wasput P.of on. the way and newspapers pape mtut in all cases t be paid in advance. as if a guilty person, awl Lord DALHOUSIE refused ns the Foa steam-shipSlvitnEN— London, lnfo under contract beenrmationhaving h til‘ilre to publish Isis opinion o f th e nu llit y of the proceed- cevc A d that the Swedish Government for the conveyance of mails ings. lie also refus3d the Lieu'enant a copy of tbetween running, L ndo u mailsan d willGo t te i n e b made tirg is u a a b. u t t h t ,d.e co al - the proc ee di ngs o f t h e court-mart i a l , re f use d a Post-office foriransmiii,ion by this vessel, on e e ach e t i :c e c rl a a court-martial to investigate his charges against the s b i(al th o ' f s hreorutdeep w a il r l t u h re h f ,i ah r iL L t ond th on. sa me Letters t for ward e d e D3puty-Jud ge -Ad vocate, an d re f use d t o restore as y letters sent rid Ostend, viz. :-1 , . 2,1. N l a o l f el ) t o e s r tag n e t him to his commission, which had been suspended exceeding half an ounce in weight; 2s. 4d, for a letter by his order, although the proceedings agaiust above acc h o a r i d r i n g ounce, tot h b e u s t ea n l o e t exceedingfcir chargingan inlandonco ; and so him had be en b y hi mse lf d ec l are d nu ll an d v oid. This postage may be paid i n a d vance, or the lettelresttneiras.y Tice pretext was that the whole case should ba n b e e: , e p n a t p u er n B p a ai r d a , te at o t f hti on o e pt p i e o n n n of the sen d ers. Upon " " but this promise was vance. The London is yroust to salbe paid in ad laid befo re th e Ki wi, appointed three weeks, the first departure being on the every never fulfilled.morni ng cf Sun day, the 18th inst., and letters in London But for the injustice donehim, Lieut. TORCKLER usual hour on the Saturday previous viilih up to ., the nri4llt now have held the rank of a regimental , a A n l d l letters and nehyvsipapfrs addressed to Gat e I t n en t hurl; C done! : he only enjoys au annuity of ';'o/. a year of making up the rnaill, e a r n e d in ar tehne ot Po d -tiofEce d at th b e time t after ten years' s3rvice in India! The proofs of and newspapers will be forwarded by the Londoi s i e • b ro ut letters e Q the corrupt proceedings at the court•martial be forwarpdaepdeFsftobriother parts of Sweden, intended to by s vessel, must be specially addressed, are complete ; the evidence that there was no "Per steamer Loudon," RIGEL WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. I's DAY—Morn., 13 min. aft. 3—Even., 32 min. aft. 3 To-Iluattow —Morn., 5; min. aft. 3—Even., 13 min aft 4 who saved the Derbyite Government, But for his unexpected appearance they would have been past praying fvr. If we are to believe the asser tion of the Post, that the Government depends " not upon the favourable opinion of the public out of doors—not upon the possession of a ma jority within the walls of Parliament—but upon the success of a very clever and artful trick, which Lord JOHN Russm, in concert with the small section of extreme Radicals, has had the ingenuity to devise and the temerity to attempt to play." We can understand the extent of the fury that has betrayed these journals into such indecent and ridiculous demonstrations. It was intended that the Indian question should be made the pretext for a factious vote, and that all parties calling themselves Liberals, without reference to the interests either of Great Britain or Hindostan shoull combine, in order to deprive Lord DERBY of once, in order to pla ce L or d PALMERSTON therein. Now, we may ask, wh a t proof is there respecting the state of p u bli c f ee li ng , either amongst the community at large, or the in dependent members of the Legislature? Whatever may be the opinions of the Post, it may be as sumed that Lord RILMERSTON does not command the undivided allegiance of the Liberal party. Nor are they by any means disposed to obey the orders of the quonlarn Tory Minister—the col league of SIDMOUTX, PERCIVAL, LIVERPOOL, and CASTLEREAGH ! ! 1 As we recently explained, there are many sections of the Liberal party. Lord JOHN RUSSELL is the recognised leader of the pure Whigs, and he would perhaps command as large a following as Lord PALMERSTON himself, more especially were he disposed to tender a large and comprehensive measure of Parliamentary Reform for general acceptance. The Radicals aro ranged under the respective banners of Messrs. ROEBUCK and BRIGHT, and most unquestionably the member for Birmingham would prefer Lord DERBY to Lord PALMERSTON. Indeed he has openly avowed the fact, and spoken of the latter as the " worst possible Minister for the country." Nor is Mr. ROEBUCK that thick and thin adherent who would per fas aut nefas vote for Lord PAL MERSTON whether right or wrong or attempt to e lablish a political dictatorship perhaps : where, then, wo repeat, is the majority ? The Derby ites outnumber the Palmerston ians two to one. And if the Premiership rested between these two noblemen we venture to assert that the present Premier would receive the larger number of votes in the House, and a still greater proportion of the electors of the United Kingdom. The Post expresses its surprise that "a man like Lord JOHN RU6SELL, who is par excellence a Constitutional Statesman, and a Constitutional writer, proposes a course of proceeding which would, in express terms, deposit the entire govern ment of the country in the House of Commons !" Why, it is because be is a Constitutional Statesman that ho has acknowledged that " the people is the only legitimate source of power." Why should not the proposer of the modern Magna Chariot— the Reform Bill —recognise the democratic ele ment ? Why should he connive at the various en croachments that have recently been made against its legitimate authority, or reduce its power to a mere veto, without allowing it to initiate anything unsanctioned by the Crown or its advisers ? The blatant bellowings of the Post only prove that the shaft has struck home—that the " galled beast winces" under the unexpected blow. Lord JOHN' has produced in 1858 a ROLAND fur the OLIVER. of 18 52. If L'rd PA LM EASTON caused the overthrow of his Administration in the former year, he has prevented, or retarded the accession to office of his rival six years later. It is a fair quid pro quo, and every unprejudiced and disinterested person will acknowledge the poetical justice of the retaliation. But were the Government so antirelj dependent on this intervention—WAS Lord JOHN RUSSELL, indeed, their protector and guardian ? We be lieve not. We are satisfied that the Government of India Bill, incomparably superior as it is to that previously - before the house, would, with some slight variation in the details, which could not at all affect the stability of the Cabinet, have been carried by a decisive majority. If Mr. DISRAELI promptly aceedel to the recouainenclation of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, it was because he recog nised its propriety—because he would have acted in that very manner but for the course previously adopted by his predecessor, and his knowledge of the character of the opposition, to which he [night be subjected. He did not wish to ignore the popular supremacy, or to deprive the majority of the chosen representatives of the weight to which they are fairly entitled. He does not seek to establish a virtual despotism, or to insist on th e i n iti a tive, in eve r y i nstance, being vested in her M AJE siy's Mini s t ers. But while he gives them fitti ng weight in b ot h H ouses, he will maintain th e di gn ity of his offi ce un i mpaired, and be no more a Minister on sufferance than any of his predecessors for the last twelve years. On the 3d Dece m ber, 185 i, h er M AJESTY was advised by Lord P A LuEnsToN t o say to both Houses of Parliament—" Your attention will be called to the laws which regulate the representa tion of the people in Parliament, with a view to consider what amendments may be safely and beneficially made therein." The promise was dis tinct and unequivocal—why has it not been ful filled ? There have been two opportunities ; it might have been done during the short indemnity session, just as Mr. DISRAELI, in a manly way at least, laid his I n dia Bill befor e th e H ouse for con sideration during the recess. It m i g h t have b een done again, and ought to ha ve b een, on the very first day of the re-assembling of Parliament for a session. Why was it not ? Why was it put off till after Easter ? Why was a QUEEN'S advised pro mise, deliberately made to the kingdom through its representatives, not fulfilled at Christmas—not fulfilled before Ea s t er ? and therefore an oppor tunity left for a no w Mi n i stry to say, " We were no parties to the pr om i se, and therefore we mus t leave her MAJESTY and L or d P ALMERSTO N to settle the matter as best they can." Mr. T. DUNOOMBE, it seems, is natura ll y a little jealous for the honour of h er MAJESTY and her ex-Premier. He wishes to give the Noble Lord an opportunity of showing what the strange business of a Queen's Christmas promise to be fulfilled after Easter referred to. He will as k the Noble L )rd to-night " whether he wou l d have any o bj ec tion, in the present position o f P arliamentary R e f o rm, to lay upon the table of th e House a copy o f th e Bill for the amendment of the laws relating to the re presentation, referred to in the speech from the Throne at the commencement of the present session ?" " Whether ho has any objection !" Why, what objection in the world should he have ? He will of course, thank the 11)n. Member for Finsbury for giving him the opportunity ; he will be but too glad to favour the House with his own views on ßeform. At his advanced age, his experience is too good to be th rown away. He i s a R e f orm NESTOR for us. H e h as seen three generat i ons o f Reform -propoundi ng men, and now lives with the fourth. Oh, YES ; h e w il l gladly tell to t h e youths of fifty, and the lads below that age, what three- legal or even morally equitable " finding " is score years and - fOurteen can teach them on Reform. also quite-satisfactory ; and it appears incontro " Any objection ?" Certainly not. What he , vertible that an English gentleman, without any had promised by the lips of Royalty was worthy court-martial, or any inquiry in which he has had to be a Royal promise. No German silver—no electrotype—no plated article. No, but some thing altogether genuine—something which the nation would hail as an obvious improvement in the method of creating faithful Commons for her MAJESTY'S and the people's service—something so precious that it has been carefully locked up in impenetrable secresy—a treasure too valuable to be vulgarised by every one's knowledge of it ; especially not to be irreverently handled by the Hon. Member for Bucks during the six weeks' Christmas holidays. There be, indeed, in these evil times, sceptics whose faith is limited by sight. They have seen no Bill, and so they believe there is none ! They pretend that we had nothing before Christmas because there was nothing—nothing before Easter because there was nothing. They deny not only the existence of reforming intentions, but even of a paper draft which should pass for them. They will have it_ that Lord PALMERSTON would have given us his Reform Bill first of all things if he had had one ready in his desk. They (sceptic like) insinuate that it was intended after Easter, but for the unlucky French and CLANRICARDE blunders, to have substituted India for Reform, and to have renewed the promise for 1859 ! A faithless generation it is, indeed ! Just so, there were some who at the elections last year laughed at the idea of "PALMERSTON and Reform"— laughed over our " joking premier" and reform, as if Reformers must needs be sour faced monks or Puritans, and have nothing to do but to chant litanies. Why can't we reform in fun without making fun of Reform ? What is there so melan choly in shuffling the electoral cards a little ? However, to-night will, doubtless, put all to rights. Lord PALMERSTON wilt not, as some predict, be out of the House when the question should be put ; nor will he evade it, or joke about it. He will be most happy to oblige the House, if the House wishes to see his long-ready Reform Bill, and loud cheers will almost overcome the feelings of the veteran Reformer, PALMERSTON. Lieut. TORCKLER, late of the Bengal army, has forwarded to us, as he has done to some of our contemporaries, a pamphlet detailing the wrongs to which he has been subjected, and urging his claim for redress on the East India Company, while it still exists. His statements are, of course, entirely eas parte, yet they are so completely sus tained by documentary evidence, that it is not easy to disbelieve their substantial, perhaps their entire, correctness. We think it only fair, there fore, as journalists, to advert to his pamphlet, and ask those to whom he appeals, to explain, or to do him justice. The Lieutenant's name was wrong the opportunity to answer his accusers face to face, has been deprived of his commission, and after ten years' service sentenced to 701. a year, and to the stigma of a sentence of death against him remaining on the records without the publi cation of its being null and void. Unless the East India Company can publicly justify their proceedings in the case of Lieut. ToucKLER, they cannot do an act of more imperative justice than to restore him to the position he ought to occupy, and to reimburse him to the extent of his losses. He appears to have had but one thing against him —" he had uo interest." fully, as he has shown, unless his statements be refuted, erased from the Army List of the East India Company in 1832, not for any crime, but on account of certain disputes, which L)rd CO3l - who examined into them, declared to be so trivial that he merely ordered him to join and do duty with another regiment ; while the Board of Control declared " that he was the victim of a gross conspiracy in his regiment, and more sinned against than sinning," or words to that effect. That there was some such conspiracy, seems, prima facie, almost certain from the proceedings at a Court-martial held on the Lieutenant in an other case. The facts which gave rise to it we give in his own words : " Five officers of the regiment (whom I now re frainen s t p to o r e send n t t o i ruin 1.1 them n aancdh challenge stigma se ae t n i e s a e rl m y e a . ll l o w f a t s he from naming, the grave having closed over p m ro ), vo c k o They referred my challenge to the commanding officer, who openly encouraged their schemes on account of my having preerred very serious charges against him for a breach of the regulations of the service in several instances. My friend was compelled at his peril to withdraw the challenge. Being then ordered to join and doduty with •th the 48th Regiment, and feeling that I could not do so without first clearing myself of the dishonourable imputations unjustly cast upon my character by these officers, I put loaded pistols •in my pocket, and went to the house of the principal (my junior officer), for the purpose of obtaininit, if possible, his signature to a paper which I took with inn, exonerating me from those imputations. That officer refused to receive or peruse the paper, but ordered me to leave his house, and called upon his servants to turn me out, employing the most in sulting and opprobrious terms in English and Hin dustani. All this did not provoke me to produce my pistols, or commit any act of violence. I calmly persisted in demanding his signature to the paper, and refused to quit the house without it. He then attempted to shoot me with a pistol, which, he admitted on the trial, he had kept primed and loaded several days expecting a hostile visit from me. He admitted, too, that, up to that time, I had not touched, assaulted, threatened, or provoked him by word or g esture be y ond refusin g to quit his house without the satisfaction required ; that I bad not produced my pistols, and that he did not know that I was armed and able to defend myself. His pistol missed firs. Some irregular firing then took place, but there was no blood shed. He made two more attempts to shoot me, once his pistol again missed fire, aril once it flashed in the pan. I fired two sho ts at random, as the dir ection they took proved. It was proved on the trial that ' I was an expert marksman, and yet, at six paces (only half the usual duelling distance) I did not kill or even wound the man whom I was falsely charged with firing at with intent to murder him. He acknowledged, too, that he know that the only , lawful mode of protecting himself when he appre hended his life to be endangered, was to exhibit articles of peace against me, but he preferred to taking the law into his own hands, and was at least as criminal as I, if not more so. He was not, how ever, brought to trial in consequence of my supposed conviction. He continued in the service and rose to the rank of Colonel : but although he thus escaped the hands of human justice, and did not scruple to perjure himself on the trial in order to insure my conviction, divine vengeance overtook him at last. He was murdered by some mutinous sepoys iu June last, at Begum Gunge, within a short distance of Sultanpore, in Oude, the very spot where, eight and twenty years before, he at tempted to murd.r me." The Court-martial on this case is proved by documentary evidence to have been so infamously conducted, that its proceedings were declared null and void ab initio. The Deputy-Judge-Advoca‘o was his personal enemy ; he took the written and folded votes of each officer secretly, and declared, without any ono present knowing hth w e er his vote was correctly represented or not, that it was against the prisoner. The same secrecy was practised in regard to the sentence ; and the possibility—nay, even the probability of foul play was so strong, that the h 1 v o e transaction was de dared, as we have stated, null and void. Never- LATEST NEWS. FRANCE. PARIS, THURSDAY. The Emperor left Paris yesterday afternoon for his estate of Mothe-Beuvron, in the Sologne, and arrived there at five o'clock, having been every where received along his journey with the loudest acclamations. His Majesty is accompanied by M. Fould, Minister of State ; General Baron do Be ville, aide de-camp ; Colonel the Marquis de Ton longeon, orderly officer; and M. Vicaire, director general of the Domains and Forests of the Crown. The Moniteur publishes a return of the re venue for the first quarter of 1858, as com pared with the corresponding period of 1857, and which shows an increase iu favour of the for mer period of 4,713,000 fr. As compared with the corresponding quarter of 1856, the augmentation amounts to 18,915,000 fr. The items of revenue which show an improvement during the first three months of the present year, as compared with those of 1857, are registration dues, 1,321,000 fr. ; cus toms duties on French colonial sugar, 1,022,000 k export duties, 288,000 fr. ; duty on potable liquors, 2,348,000 fr. ; beetroot sugar, 4,676,000 f r. ; sale of tobacco, 1,215,000 fr. ; Post-office, 65,000 fr. The heads which show a falling off are : toms, 3,616,000 fr. ; sundry duties and rcn e i p t„ 674,0001 r.; stamp duty, 579,000 fr.; corn, 351,000 fr.; foreign sugar, 454,000 fr. : sundry customs )03nO1 the,o O r O e f g r s t l r f a t t wai h orto e atnuek s lr t ded i p tnoi p ebfis r ? w s s h i suppressionho c f e t a h s e e c s i e t c o on b d a duties, 131,000 t r .; d u t y on sa l t, 71,000 fr; gun rnidve eerod in on the with t B h s fi B rl , sBtwse7cir quarter e n t t h o 9€ a cp c B c r7 o e, u soe n o on t t , f ry t e a rain crease and d gun powder, comparedre e with 1856, 23,685,000 fr. The London journals have committed an error in announcing the arrival of Lord Cowley in the English capital. His lordship bas not left Paris, but intends, we understand, proceeding to England on Monday or Tuesday next, with the intention of making a very short stay there. The following telegraphic despatch has c' be ..n re ceived here : "Christiana, April 14.—A fire last night d • g The B greyed three-quart ers o f t h e town e Bank was burned down, but all the P- • apors were saved. The damage is estimated af. nine or ten million francs. closßing OURSE, April ......Tho foll ow i ng wero the quotatiouP, 41 1 per Cents : 1.7 93 20 Do. end nr3nth — 3 per Cent. .. ... 69 35 Do. end month..... 69 45 Bank Shares Credit Mobiher 730 Do. Account Credit Foncier Belgian Piedmontese (5) Roman B9 Austrian Spanish Threes Home Debt . - Fon CASE. Orleans ............... 1267A1 Northern ... ....... 945 - New Ditt0 ,, ,,,,,, 775 Lyon and Illediteran. 810 New Ditt0,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 780 Geneva6s2l Midi Western' 622 4 Strasburg Grand Central Sardinian Austrian PRUSSIA. In the Second Chamber of Prussia on the 12th on the v o t e o f th e b udget of the police of Berlin,, M. de Patow, ex-Minister of Public Works, stated that treat dissatisfaction existed in Berlin, in con sequence of the police department of the city having openly taken under its protection a certain adver tising sheet in preferenc e to a rival journal, and had not only made constables collect advertisements for it, but bad threatened several keepers of coffee and public-homes with the withdrawal of their licences if they did not advertise in it. He said that the sheet thus patronised by the police was a new one, and that their reason for encouraging it was that its proprietor had under taken to pay the administration 10,000 thals. an nually, and even 12,000 or 15,000 thals., according to its circulation ; whereas the rival sheet had only given 1,000 thalers to the police and its owner was besides a noted and very active member of the con servative party. He concluded by denouncing the police for such interference. The Government commissioner replied that there was exagger ation in M. de Patow's complaint. An animated debate ensued on the matter, and eventually the Chamber adopted an order of the day, in which it declared that " the affair of the adver tising journal ought to be regulated in a different manner." A. committee of the Chamber of Nobles of Prussia has recommended the adoption of the proposition of M. d'ltzenplitz, that the Government should be requested to use its influence in the Diut to obtain the suppression of gambling-houses in Germany. RUSSIA. A St. Petersburg letter states that the nobles of the governments of Orel and Twer bad, at their own request, been allowed to form conamitteirs for the emancipation of the serfs. The nobles of Orel who signed the request were 970 in number. Another letter from St. Petersburg of the Gth says :—" The representative of the Porte had a conference yesterday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and entered into souse long explanations on the affairs of Bosnia, which had been appli e d f or b y the Russia n Government. According to what has t , anspired, the declaration made by' the Turkish Minister was not very satisfactory to the Russian Cabinet, as many of the most impiJrtant points were passed over in silence. Prince Gortschakoff having observed that the Government of the Emperor would be obliged to in s i s t th at the abuses complained of by the Christians should be remedied, in conformity with the engagements en tered into by Turkey ir, the treaty of Paris, the representative of the Porte replied that his Govern ment had already explained itself on that point, and that he should add nothing to the declaration already made. The Turkish Minister attached particular importance to the nomination of the new governor of Bosnia, Kiamil Pacha, who is repre sented as the real interpreter of the intentions of the Sultan with regard to his subjects." SARDINIA. In the Chamber of Deputies of Sardinia on Mon day, M. Crotti requested the president of the coun cil to fix a day for a question he wished to put re specting a strange pamphlet published in England by Mazzini, on the policy of the Piedmontese Cabinet. Count Cavour, in reply, expressed his astonishment that a deputy should want to question the Cabinet about a pamphlet by Mazzini, and declared that he would not reply to any such question. "I am ready," 11-3 added, "to give the tu:lest explanations as to the Conspiracy Bill, and any question M. Crotti may wish to put in his own. name on that matter shall receive an answer. But . if he intends to call attention to the attacks agains t the Sardinian government M. Mazzini has though t proper to make, my only reply will be a col 1- tomptuous si!erice." This declwation was receive with loud and prolonged cheering from the chant' 'er and the galleries. M. Crotti declared himself per fectly satisfied, only remarking that as the Bri ash press enjoyed a wide circulation, he had thougl.cd it might be expedient to enter into some explanations on the policy of the government. The deputies of the Piedmontese Chambers who have inscribed their names for the debate o n the bill concerning the press arc :--for the bill,, MM. Mainiani, Buffa, Ratazzi, P escatore, and 3 .larco ; against, MM. Solaro della Margherita, Pareto, Brofferio, Cutta, Ramusino, Bertazzi, Farina, and Casalis ; again s t cer t a i n articles, nf. Boggio, Faiini, Alfieri, Costa di Beauregard, Tecchio, Michelini, Robecchi, Correnti, and NAPLES. The following is the rescript for the liberation of Park : RESCRIPT. "His Majesty our Lord having beau informed that the English engineer, Mr. Park, is in the Eng lish hospital in the capital, and that up to this time no sure and certain opinion has been given regard ing his health, the medical men having given cer tificates of his general good state ; having been informed, too, that the Grand Special Court of Salerno has deliberated that the case in which Park is implicated should be continued for all the others whose cause was admitted independently of the said engineer, who for the present has been from the proses now in course , which delibera tion is already p u t i n execution his Majesty wish ing to g i ve a new proof of deference towards a subject of her Britannic Majesty, has daigned to permit th a t Park should return to England. When in hi s own country, in case of need, he may n - it be w ith out that care and assistance of his friend s w hi ch the actual condition of his health may render necessary. Iu the Royal name I communi cate ta you this Sovereign determination for your use and guidance, and for its necessary accomplish ment. " PIONATI. " Naples, April 8." A. letter from Vienna, in the Cologne Gazette, says :—" Russian troops have of late advanced to wards the Polish frontier. They are replaced as they advance by. others from the interior. The first corps d'armee, 60,000 strong, has marched into the governments of L u bli n and Randono, and . been replaced the garrisons which it had occu pied by the second corps, of equal strength, which had advanced from Lithunania. Although these movements of troops excite attention, the Austrian Government has not thougLt proper to ask for any explanations on the subject from the Russian cabinet,"