The Sun. — London, England, 1859-02-25 00:00:00

liNIPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY). The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. MANNING THE NAVY. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLBY said he observed that the report of the commissioners upon manning the navy which was now in the hands of their lordships was not accompanied by a copy of the commission itself, and he also saw that the report was not signed by the whole of the comm issioners; there being an absence of the name of one gentleman possessed of con siderable knowledge upon the subject of the navy. He should like to know how it was that the report was not signed by the whole of the commissioners. The Earl of HARDWICKE stated that a copy of the commission would appear with the appendix to the report in the course of a few days, together with a paper by Mr. Lindsay, containing his reasons for not affixing his signa ture to the report. THE lONIAN ISLANDS. Earl GREY asked the Government whether there would be any objection to lay upon the table of the house a copy of the resolutions laid before the lonian Parliament by the Lord High Commissioner, together with Mr. Gladstone's address. They were Merely formal documents which had already been made public. The Earl of DERBY said it would be highly incon venient to lay on the table the documents respecting the lonian Islands, as it would open the door for a discussion of the whole subject, and he therefore thought it would be best if they were not produced before the whole question could be discussed. He had received a telegram from Mr. Gladstone, announcing that he would arrive in Paris on the 9th of March, and if the noble earl would postpone his motion respecting the consti tution of the lonian Islands from the 7th to the 14th of March, all the papers relating to the subject would in the meantime be laid before their lordships. Earl GREY said be would, under those circumstances, postpone his motion. PREPAYMENT OF LETTERS. Lord MONTEAGLE complained of the recent order enforcing the prepayment of letters. He objected most strongly to it, and moved for certain returns connected with the order. Lord COLCHESTER said he should have no objection to produce the papers moved for. He believed still that the order was one calculated to facilitate the business of the Post-office, and well adapted for the public good. In con sequence of the feeling that had been shown against the regulation in so many places he had decided on giving orders for its withdrawal. (Hear, hear.) The Duke of SOMERSET thought some plan ought to be adopted by which letters addressed to large commercial towns should be delivered at a much earlier period in the morning than they were at present. Such an arrangement would be a great convenience to a large number of mer cantile and commercial gentlemen. After a few words from the Duke of ARGYLL the subject dropped. THAMES WATERMEN AND LIGHTERMEN'S BILL. This bill was read a second time. ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS AND REGISTRIES BIL. The Earl of DONOUGHMORE moved the second read ing of this bill. Lord CRANWORTH said he had no objection to the bill, although he thought as the bill had only been delivered yesterday there had been scarcely sufficient time allowed to become fully acquainted with its provisions. He had himself a short time ago introduced a bill on the subject, but it was objected to by the ecclesiastical bench, and now the object he sought to attain by one bill was about to be effected by two. The Bishop of OXFORD entered his protest against the bill. The bill was then read a second time and ordered to be committed on Monday. EXAMINATION OF PRISONERS. Lord BROUGHAM laid on the table a bill to enable accused persons in criminal cases to be examined on oath if they desired it. The noble and learned lord said when he introduced a bill with the like object in civil cases, it had been said that perjury would be encouraged, but the actual result had been directly the opposite. He thought it but justice that all persons accused of any offence should have an opportunity of per sonally making their defence. Lord CAMPBELL opposed the bill. By the measure just introduced, persons accused of high treason could, if they chose, demand to be examined on oath. He viewed with alarm any such provision. His noble and learned friend wished to introduce into this country the most objection able system now adopted in France. Lord BROUGHAM denied that there was the slightest analogy between his bill and the French system of examination of prisoners. He thought the change he suggested would work most advantageously, and be a great improvement in the criminal law. The bill was then read a first time,:and their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. _ _ NEW MEMBER. Sir T. BADMEN took the oaths and his seat for the West Riding. _ PRIVATE BUSINESS. Colonel BIDDULPH moved that the petition of George liaminond Whalley, complaining of statements made to the select committee on standing orders by the opponents to the Ruabon and Denbigh Railway (Llangollen section) Bill, be referred to the select committee on standing orders; and that it be an instruction to the committee to inquire whether an allegation contained in such petition, that a cer tain wood, stated in the said statement to be an ornamental wood, is not a wood of that nature, is well founded; and whether, in the event of such allegation being well founded, it is expedient to dispense with the standing orders in re spect of the said bill. That the report of the said committee of the 17th inst. on the said bill, the petition for leave to bring in the said bill, and the report of the examiner thereon, be referred back to the committee.—Agreed to. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented against Auricular Confession, and other Popish practices in the Church of England ; from certain parties employed in the Post-office service in the provinces, praying to be placed on the same footing as those in the London Post. office with respect to super annuation ; against the abolition of Church-rates ; in favour of the bill on the Sale of Poisons, to be introduced by Go vernment ; for the admission of Dissenters to Charitable trusteeships and their children into endowed schools; in favour of the equalisation of poor-rates in the metropolis ; and praying for inquiry i n to th e wor ki ng of the pubhc house licensing acts. - THE WAR OFFICE. Capt. VIVIAN gave notice that he would move for a select committee to inquire into the working of the War office, and to the best means of securing the greatest amount of efficiency in the military service combined with economy. THE WAR ESTIMATES. Mr. WILLIAMS gave notice that on going into com mittee on the war estimates, he would move that such esti mates be referred to a select committee. MEDALS. AND PRIZE MONEY FOR THE NAVY. Sir G. B. PECHELL asked the First Lord of the Ad miralty, if it was intended to award medals and prize money to the officers and seamen of her Majesty's Navy for those gallant and successful operations in China which had been the means of bringing that war to a satisfactory conclu sion ? _ - _ Sir J. PAKINGTON said it was not intended to distri bute any prizes to the naval officers and seamen engaged during the war in China. He would not then make any statement relative to prize money. _ _ SEIZURE OF THE HERALD. Mr. AYMON asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps had been taken by her Majesty's Government respecting the seizure of the Herald by the Portuguese authorities, and whether the papers relating thereto Would be laid upon the table of the house. Mr. S. FITZGERALD said that the matter had been under the consideration of the Government. Some infor mation had been received, but it was necessary to make some further inquiry. THE NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE. Sir E. PERRY asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, on going into the navy estimates on Friday next, he would be enabled to state the decisionof the G overnment as to th e c l a i ms o f th e nav y medical ser vice to be pl ace d o n a footing of equality with the army medical service in point of rank and other advantages, such as they enjoyed before the issuing of the Royal war rant of October, 1858. Sir J. PAKINGT ON said that it appeared he had been misunderstood in his reply to a similar question the other night. He repeated that when he brought forward the navy estimates he would state-his general views on the sub ject. THE NAVY. Sir C. NAPIER moved for returns of the steamers on the home station in commission and manned, their force and steam power ; of the first reserve, and the men borne on their books ; of the ships in the second reserve, and their state ; of the stea mers a b roa d ; of the steamers in the third reserve, and their state ; of the s t ea mers building ; of th e s t eamers converting., and the probable time they will be ready ; of the ships built and broken up since 1851, specifying those never at sea, and of the ships altered. Mr. WALPOLE stated that the documents in question were not yet prepared, but when they were ready he would lay them on the table. THE NAVY ESTIMATES.-PARLIAMENTARY REFORM Sir J. PAKINGTON said, with reference to the Navy Estimates which he proposed to bring forward to-morrow evening, that as the noble lord the member for Tiverton had given notice of his intention to submit a motion to the house which would review the question of foreign policy, and probably lead to a debate. The hon. member for Montrose, and other hon. members, had notices of mo tion for to-morrow evening, and it would he difficult for him, under the circumstances, to state what course he would pursue ; but if ho could not bring forward the estimates by Friday, ho would postpone them till Monday, and the Chancellor of the Excehequer would have to postpone his motion on Parliamentary reform. Lord PALMERSTON said, so far as his motion was concerned—he could not speak for others—he did not think that it would materially interfere with the introduction of the estimates. But the right honourable gentleman (Sir J. Pakington) stated that he' would not bring forward the estimates after eight o'clock, bitt when he (Lord Palmer s t on ) was S eecre t ary f or W ar he' brought on at anmehlater hour in the e ve ni ng , an d h e th oug ht estimat es thefact was the right hon. gentleman merely wanted an opportunity to Postpone the motion on Parliamentary re form. (Cries of " Hear,hear " and " No, EDUCATION AND IN IN DIA. Mr. WARREN, in st a ting ofh that he would withdraw the series of resolutions on this subject, entered intoch he had given notice lengthened statement as to the motives that induc ed him to do so, and stated that being pledged to bring the office of Commissioner the of Lu but there were other circumstances thangi7,, that evening ; the office in question that induced him to abandon ire of in tention. The learned gentleman then stated thlnt hisl retiring from the house, and took farewell of the ro.ern'eberasa AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS, Mr. CAIII , D moved the following resolution Th at it Would be advantageous- to the public interest s that t Go vernment should ascertain and - publish periodically t h e agricultural statistics of Great Britain, in so far as they relate to the extent of acres under the several crops of corn, vegetables, and grass." He contended it was most desirable that the information in quest ion should be collected with the census, and presented in that form to the public. Then there were no difficulties in obtaining this information that could not be surmounted, and they could obtain the estimate when the crops were being gathered. If the Government would only take up the subject earnestly, they would be sure to succeed, and they could enlist the police as an efficient agency in obtaining the necessary information,whichwould prove most beneficial to the agriculturist, the merchant, the banker, and the shipowner. The neces y for securing all the information they could on the subj was most im minent. They might be on the eve of a continental war, and it was a fact that the source from which they derived one• fourth of their supply was dried up. He meant America, from which country he did not think they would receive any more corn, or other grain, till August next. Mr. GARNETT said that from personal knowledge of the subject he had no apprehension of any injurious result from collecting the proposed statistics, and he would second the motion. Mr. BENTINCK, in opposing the motion, said that it would be impossible to carry out the principle of any bill on the subject without the introduction of the compul sory clause. He considered that the hon. member (Mr. Caird) had not studied the subject sufficiently, and he (Mr. Bentinck) could not see what class would be benefited by a bill founded on the motion. He hoped under the circumstances that the house would not accept the motion of the hon. member, or adopt an abstract motion. Mr. PHILIPS opposed the motion, which he thought would do injury than benefit, in consequence of its being an affectation of accuracy where accuracy could not be ob tained, and therefore likely to mislead. Mr. HOLLAND and Mr. MILLS also opposed the motion. Mr CAIRD replied, and read letters from distinguished farmers in this country and Scotland in favour of his views, and stating that the farmers generally were not adverse to agricultural statistics. Mr. HENLEY said he was sorry the hon. member in tended to press his resolution. The word periodically might apply to six months or seven years. He could not see the use of the motion as now worded. But there had been during the last few years several compulsory schemes which had proved failures. Such a resolution as that would lead to no practical result, and that being so, there was no use in putting it on the journals of the house. It would, if acted upon, rather indispose than conciliate the minds of the farmers, and there was no body of men in the kingdom that could offer more passive resistance if so di spose d. (A laugh.) It was a mere abstract resolution, and could not lead to any practical results. (Cries of " Divide.") Mr. BALL said all the farmers wanted was to be let alone, and if the motion were persisted in and acted upon it would only produce nominal or fictitious returns. Mr. WILSON said that they were spending £3,000 a-year for agricultural statistics in Ireland, and also money for the same purpose in Scotland ; but it was admitted on all hands, that un l ess t h e system was extended to the whole kingdom, that expenditure, which was now going on yearly, was useless. The house should come to some re solution either to complete the system or discontinue it altogether. (Hear, hear.) He should support the motion. Mr. PACKE said that the returns, if madeovould„only prove delusive. Mr. BASS said that it was necessary, desirable, and of the greatest importance to ascertain the agricultural statis tics of Great Britain. The house then divided, when tkere appeared— For the motion Against it Majority —ll The motion was consequently lost. SHERIFFS. Mr. GRIFFITH obtained leave to bring in a bill to regulate the expenses to be incurred by persons serving the office of High Sheriff in England and Wales. TRIAL BY JURY IN SCOTLAND. On the motion of Mr. DUNLOP, leave was given to bring in a bill to amend an act of the 17th and 18th years of her Majesty, for allowing verdicts on trials by jury in civil causes in Scotland to be received, although the jury may not be unanimous. ROMAN CATHOLIC OATHS. Mr. JOHN FITZGERALD moved that the house do resolve itself into a committee to consider the Act 10 Geo. IV., c. 7, in relation to the oath thereby required to be taken and subscribed, instead of the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration. Having referred to the legis lation of last session, by altering the oaths taken by mem bers of the Established Church, and to the admission of members of the Jewish persuasion to Parliament, he said _he simply proposed that the Roman Catholic members of the house should be placed in the same position as other gentlemen, when they went to the table for the purpose of taking their seats and oaths. Were he to follow his own views he should abolish altogether the obligation of taking oaths, and substitute a short declaration of allegiance to the Crown and Constitution. It was only right that all mem bers should be placed on terms of civil equality. There was not equality at present, for the Roman Catholic oath con tained matters and statements which made the Roman Catholic member feel that he was placed in a position of degrading inferiority. The oath, last session, was confined in terms to the oath of allegiance, and it separated the de claration against the Pope or other foreign princes having dominion within the country. But the Roman Catholic oath, beside the declarations of allegiance and abjuration, contained two other clauses, which, if he obtained a select committee, he hoped, by means of a bill, to have the power of expunging. He would now call the attention of the house to the oath as it stood in the Emancipation Act. The first clause was, " and I do further declare, that it is not an article of my faith, and I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that any princes, excommunicated or deposed by the Pope, or under the authority of the See of Rome, may be murdered by their subjects, or by any person whom soever." The second clause to which he wished to draw attention was as follows, " And I do swear that I will de fend to the utmost of my power the settlement of pro perty within this realm as settled by the laws." There was a third passage followed by the clause, " and I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess and testify that I make this declaration in the ordinary words and sense of the oath, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatever." There was a fourth pas sage to which he would refer hereafter. This oath was to be found in the Emancipation Act of 1829, one of the authors of which was Sir Robert Peel, and the reasons which in duced Sir Robert Peel to introduce that oath into the bill were to be found in a memorandum contained in his memoirs lately published. The first clause of the oath he proposed to expunge altogether. It was absurd to suppose that any member of the house believed that princes deposed by the Pope might lawfully be murdered by their subjects. On behalf of the Roman Catholic Church, ho declared it was an insult to suggest that such opinions were entertained by the Church or by Roman Catholids. The clause pledging Roman Catholic members to defend to the utmost of their power the settlement of property as by law established, if taken literally, would preclude Roman Catholic members from votinc , on any questioii that altered the laws of the country as they were at the time of the Emancipation Act. (Hear.) Sir Robert Peel said the words of the Act of Settle ment had a special meaning. In 1662 by the Act of Settle ment, the Roman Catholics were obliged to give security in relation to property ; but surely, then, it was not now neces sary to retain any such conditions in the existing acts as those contained in the Act of Settlement. Since 1829, the Roman Catholics had become larger possessors of property in Ireland. In a debate in the Irish House of Commons, it was asked—Would it be safe, in the event of admitting the Roman Catholics to Parliament, to give them a power in relation to property ? Now, nothing could be more mn. founded than the apprehension that it would not be safe to -give them power in relation to property. They had now got that power, and no one would say that they had made improper use of it. He would refer the house to an extract from the speech delivered by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, when he brought in his measure for the removal of the disabili ties that affected the Roman Catholics. The hon. and learned member here read the extract, showing 'that it was the opinion of Sir Robert Peel that there was no danger to be apprehended from the admission of Roman Catholics to seats in the Legislature. Sir Robert Peel, in that speech, laid it down as his opinion that the Catholic oath was suffi ciently binding to secure all the interests of the Church, without imposing any further restrictions upon them, and that they should not be fettered in their right of free dis mission, or in their right to sit and vote according to the dictates of their conscience in Parliament. Thus Sir R. Peel said he did not see that there was any ground for apprehending that he would vote, speak, or act in any way to militate against the interests of the Church. He (Mr. Fitzgerald) would now read that part of the oath in which the Roman Catholic solemnly abjured all intention of doing anything. that could at all have a tendency to injure the interests of the Established Church. Sir Robert Peel had no apprehension, when he proposed the a d m i ss i on o f Roman Catholics to Parliament, that the Church. would be in any danger from the adoption of such a step, and the house would agree with him that the oath taken by Roman Catholic members at the table of the house was of a nature to .allay any feelings of alarm that the Roman Catholics could in any sense contemplate a desire to sub vert the Established Church. Hd wished to refer the house to that passage in the Roman Catholic oath wherein he declares, in relation to the oath of abjuration—" I make this oath without any mental reservation or equi vocation." Now, it had been said by a distinguished states man, in relation to that oath, that he knew of no oath that could be devised to bind a man's conscience, if that oath could be said not to be sufficiently binding. He submitted that those three oaths should be expunged, should he be successful in inducing the house to bring in a bill on the subject. It might be said that the house ought not now to proceed to disturb the Act of Settlement of 1829; but he begged to submit to the house that the act of 1829 was not afinal settlement of the question—(hear)—and to state that Sir R. Peel, when he brought forward his measure of 1829, had not any communication whatever with the Roman Ca tholic leaders of that day on the subject, nor with any of the Roman Catholic party. It had b.en said that certain securities should be g iven by th e R oman C a th o li cs ; b u t th e late Lord Castlereagh, when a similar oath was propoosed, byway of security, said. it was one of the greatest farces that could b e t o propose such restrictions. That was the opinion of Lord Castlereagh. lie (Mr. Fitzgerald) would assume that there existed in 1829 fears that were not realised lies were very der —and the feelings Protestants respecting Roman Catho en of t then to what they were at the pre sent time in this c ountry. ana The Roman Catholics were then viewed at a distanc e , party in this country op there undoubtedly was then a great opposed to them, at the head of whom was the late Lord Eldon . were not, however, now deal ing with the question of 182 J It t y were dealing with the state of feeling 30 years later. wsaid that the house would be inundated with Roman ?r he nll oi d have at leastn Catholic Catholics, should they b e admitted into Parliament, and that th e 1a 100 of them in Parliament, and th at cons tit ue ncies would send in me m b ers who wouldl h o stile to Church and State; but since then what waspgeier experience of 30 years ? There were, for instance 654 in , net n_ now in the house , and of that n umber there were :n1; 31 Roman Catholics , in place of 150, who it w as said would' be returned to it. (Hear, hear.) Of those 31 m em b ers not one was returned for Scotland, and one only Wa s i n the house for England. Now, how were they distributed ? From Protestant Ulster there was not one Roman Catholic member in the house ; from Catholic Munster, there were twelve Protestants and eleven Roman Catholic members ; and four Roman Catholic members ; and in man y of the and from Catholic Connaught there were ten Protestant s Ronan Catholic counties the constituencie s sent two Pro testant members to the house. He had no w g one throu g h the four oaths, and he trusted the house would permit him to bring in a bill to expunge three of them. Since the admission of the Roman Catholics to the house they had always voted in favour of the civji 4ind•-rehgions liberties of their fellow-subjects ; and he would put it to the house whether the Roman Catlilics, as a body, had not voted in favour of every 'measure calculated to advance the interests of the people of this country, and whether they had not voted for the Municipal Reform Bill, for the repeal of the Test and Cor poration Bill, for the Reform - Bill, and " though last, not least," for the admission of the Jews to Parliament ? Of the 1,500 who fell at Alma 800 were Irishmen, and upon all occasions they had never shrunk from the duty or been disloyal to their flag, or the Queen, or to the Con stitution, They had had a rebellion in 1848, and the most efficient agents in putting it down were the Catholic clergy. At a recent civic banquet in Dublin the Lord Lieutenant had taken occasion to express his acknowledg ments for the great assistance the Catholic clergy rendered to the Government. During the last 30 years they had had many Roman Catholics filling the highest offices in Ireland, and it would be slander to say that on any occa sien they had been unfaithful to the Queen or Constitu tion. He did not think any security was required againpt their disloyalty. Those fears which had been expressed in 1829 had proved entirely baseless. In the colonies, since 1856, every obnoxious oath had been abolished, and the present practice had the sanction of all well-thinking persons. He .would refer to Canada. Was such an oath required there ? It was not ; and Catholics and Protestants mixed together in the Assembly on terms of perfect equality. It was the same in Australia, and now in no portion of the empire but at home was any peculiar oath required. The ground he took was this—that Roman Catholics had a right to be placed on terms of civil equality with their fellow- citizens. (Hear.) He held that principle so valuable, that he should bring this motion for ward again and again till it proved successful. His present application was, that the house should go into committee in order to enable him to introduce a bill such as he had men tioned. The whole of the oaths he had stated ought to be expunged. As long as there was a separate oath they stood apart as a separate body. He wished for entire poli tical unity amongst all the members of that house, and that was the sole object he wished to accomplish. He begged to move that this house do resolve itself into a committee, to consider the act 10 Geo. IV., c. 7, in relation to the oath thereby required to be taken and subscribed, instead of the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration. Mr. FAGAN seco n ded th e motion. Mr. ADAMS saw - no reason for this motion, because he looked upon it as a breach of faith as regarded the compact entered into when Catholic emancipation was granted be tween the Irish Catholics and the Parliament of this coun try, and he doubted very much whether the Irish Catholics were, as a body, favourable to this motion. If the fact were otherwise, why was not the table covered with petitions in support of the motion of the right hon. gentleman ? Mr. FORTESCUE, as a Protestant member, rose to ex press his entire concurrence in the motion of his right hon. friend (Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald). He denied that the oath in question was a bargain- or a compact obliging the Roman Catholics not to ask for its repeal in after years. As a Protestant magistrate, he felt ashamed of being obliged to put the oath in question to Roman Catholic friends, when they were called to the magisterial bench. Mr. WHITESIDE said the argument of the hon. gen tleman went against all oaths, which were always re garded as having a binding effect, even in Pagan times. He regretted that this motion had been brought forward at this time, or indeed at any time, and he thought it would be wise in Roman Catholic gentlemen to allow matters of this kind to remain for ever buried in oblivion. He deprocatod thin effort to get rid of an obligation under whichthe hon. gentleman and other members of the Catholic body were enabled to obtain a position in that house, and places of distinction out of it, and which they willingly as sented to. He appealed to every honourable gentleman, whether it was to be supposed that those who benefited by the carrying of the question of Catholic Emancipation should now turn round, and repudiate' those very argu ments which Grattan and Plunket had used to induce Parliament to accede to the passing of that measure. (B ear, hear.) The right honourable and learned gen tleman then quoted passages from the oath which had been proposed to be enacted by Grattan, and which he said was of a more stringent character than the oath which was introduced into the- bill which was passed. In his speech in 1813,- Mr. Plunket said the oath proposed to be taken by Roman Catholics went to deny that they acknowledged the spiritual and temporal authority of the Pope within these realms. He therefore answered the objection of the hon. and learned gentleman by saying that Grattan and Plunket relied upon an oath which was substantially the same as the oath which had now to be taken, so far as the Church was concerned. Why, again, should any gentleman refuse to respect the settle ment of property? (Hear, hear.) Sir R Peel said the words, " the settlement of property," alluded to the set tlement made by Charles 11. in 1660. The Roman Catho lie, said R. Peel, on being relieved from his disabilities, was bound to acquiesce in the settlement of property, and s to respect it, and it was for that reason he said that the words were introduced into the oath in the bill of 1829. The noble lord (Lord John Bussell) was opposed to any alteration in the oath after the settlement of the Ca tholic claims, which, he remarked, after a struggle of so many years, had been effected. The right hon. and learned gentleman then quoted further from the speeches of Sir R. Peel, as to the importance of the oath introduced in the bill of 1829, and said, that if the argument had b e e n then used, the oath was comparatively little moment, and the Act of Emancipation would not have been passed. As to the power of excommunication on the part of the Pope, he believed that that eminent personage, if he still pre sided at Rome—(laughter)—although he did not now pre tend to the power of excommnnicating princes, he did still exercise that power as regarded private individuals. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Cork (Mr. Fagan) had ad mitted that the oath he had taken as a Catholic had re strained him from doing or proposing certain things as regarded the Protestant religion. Now a similar feeling, he knew, operated in the minds of many other Roman Catholics as well as on the hon. member for Cork, and this conscientious feeling sustained the opinions which had been expressed by Grattan and by Plunket, and justified the confidence they expressed in the respect with which Roman Catholics would regard that oath. It had been said that the Roman Catholio people of Ireland and the clergy never assented to the oath, Now after the passing of the Roman Catholic Relief Bill, the Irish archbishops and bishops assembled in conclave, and issued a pastoral declaring that the Government was entitled to their confidence and affection who had passed that bill, and raised the Roman Catholic people from their prostrate condition. There had been no compromise of the interests of the Roman Catholic people, nor was there any thing in the oath which could not be fairly and conscien tiously taken by Roman Catholics, even according to the testimony of the Roman Catholic clergy. He opposed it, not in any spirit of bigotry, but on this distinct ground, that in his opinion the oath contained a record of the con ditions upon which emancipation was granted, and, whether it was or was not efficient for the purpose for which it WAS destined, it was the cordial recognition by Parliament of the grounds upon which emancipation had been carried. He trusted the oath would not be disturbed by those who wished to preserve religions peace and tranquillity. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said tho view he took on this bill with regard to the disfranchisement of the Roman Catholic freeholders, and he came back to them with an answer to the effect that Government had encountered so much difficulty in obtaining assent to that measure that every part had been so settled that it would be very dan gerous to alter it in its passage through Parliament. They agreed with that assertion of Sir Robert Peel, for they be lieved he had made the best terms he could under the cir cumstances ; but he did not believe that either Sir Robert Peel or the Duke of Wellington shared at all in the fears existing at that time, and he certainly thought it was quite unnecessary for them to share in those fears at that time, and say that because there were persons who had wade fined and unnecessary fears thirty years ago it was neces sary to entertain them now. But the clause was also objec tionable for the good reason that a person who was in the high capacity of a legislator, and was called upon to act in everything affecting the highest interests of State, ought not to be bound down with respect to the particular course he may pursue. In his opinion, they ought to leave all these questions to the discretion of the members of the house. (Hear, hear.) But the matter became much worse when it was not an oath to be taken by all the members of the house. If it was necessary to guard their Church Establishment, and it was not safely guarded without the imposition of an oath, let every member who went to the table take that oath. (Hear.) The Attorney-General for Ireland had paid a well-deserved compliment to the hon. member for Cork (Mr. Fagan), who declared that he felt himself bound by his oath not to give a vote directly tending to the subversion of the Church Establish. ment. As they had improved last year the form of oath, so they should this year act similarly as regards the Roman Catholic oath, by striking out everything obviously superfluous, totally unnecessary, and, above all, what was in the nature of an insult to their fellow-subjects. Mem bers of Parliament ought to be able to come forward and vote as their consciences dictated, and they ought to de pend on the freedom of discussion, truth, and the general interests of the country, rather than on the phrases of an oath. (Hear.) After a few words from Mr. NEWDEGATE, Mr. MAGUIRE said the oaths imposed upon Roman Catholics implied degradation, and ought to be abolished. The right hon. gentleman the Attorney-General for Ire land called upon them not to open old sores ; but he would tell the right hon. gentleman that it was those degrading and insulting oaths that kept open the running sores, and that it was idle for the right hon. gentleman to attempt to gloze them over by any salve or plaster. (Laughter.) Mr. WALPOLE wished, before they came to a division, to state why it was he should vote against the motion He had listened to the debate with some degree of pain, because he thought that, after what had occurred last session, they had done with discussions on these oaths. He had good reason to hope when they settled the form of oath to be taken by Protestants—that when they converted three oaths into one—throwing out of them all superfluous and obcoloto expressions which diminished its sanctity—that all would be settled. The question then arose also with respect to the Roman Catholic oaths, it was debated, and decided by a large majority, in which the noble lord the member for the City of London voted. The noble lord argued the question on grounds which would be equally applicable to taking any oath. He said the house had no right to dictate to any member the course he should take on a particular mea sure ; but the question they had to discuss was not the form of oath now, but was there a good reason to alter that im posed in 1829, by the late Sir Robert Peel, the author of that measure which admitted Roman Catholics to that house, and which was looked upon as a condition of that admission ? (Hear, hear.) Unless they had strong reasons for doing so, they would alarm the Protestant mind in this country, they would do away with that which was considered by them as a security. If there was nothing objectionable in it—and Roman Catholics had taken it from 1829 down to the present—if they said the oath was to be done away with, tha people of this country might say that they did so because Roman Catholics objected to take it. (Hear, hear.) Well, then, if that be so, and if they declined to swear, in the words of the oath, that they will defend property as settled within this realm—that they will not disturb the Church Establishment as settled by law, nor exert any influence to disturb or weaken the Protestant religion—and he was not going to say they had any such intention—but the inference would be, that they wished to do so, and so considered by the people of this country. When Roman Catholics were admitted into that house, they bound them selves not to do so ; and he was of the same opinion as the noble lord the member for London, when he said that, when questions were settled after much deliberation and long discussion, it was not wise to reopen them again. If they altered the oath in one instance, they must do so in another; and, for the sake of peace and tranquillity, it was better to leave the oath as it was. He relied on the state ment made by the author of the oath, he relied on the wise maxim of the noble lord, that when things were settled they ought not for the sake of peace to be disturbed, and for these reasons he should oppose the motion. M. V. SMITH said he was favourable to the motion of his right hon. friend, as he was anxious that the special obligation imposed upon Roman Catholics by this oath should be done away with. Mr. SPOONER looked upon the present motion as another step in the direction of the destruction of the Pro testant religion of this country. The house then divided, when the numbers were,- For the motion 122 Against it Majority . ---9 The result was received with cheers at the Opposition side of the house. The house went into committee on the resolution, which was to the effect that the chairman ask leave to bring in a bill to repeal the Roman Catholic Oaths Bill framed in 1829. On the question that the resolution be agreed to, the committee again divided, when the numbers were 7, For tlie motion Against it Majority for the motion -15 The resolution was then agreed to, and the house re. sumed, when the bill was brought in. BLEACHING AND DYEING WORKS. Mr. CROOK moved for leave to bring in a bill to place the employment of women, of young persons and children, employed in bleaching works and dyeing works, under the regulations of the factory act. Mr. KIRK oppogod tho bringing in of the bill. Mr. MA cARTNEY also opposed the motion, as likewise did Mr. TURNER. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that it was exceedingly un desirable to interfere with voluntary arrangements of masters and servants. His disposition was, at least at present, very strongly to vote against the introduction of the bill. questiorr was, that he wished the house to reflect whether it was not fit from time to time to consider the oaths which were taken, for the purpose of seeing whether there were any parts of them insulting to a section of the house, or whether there were not portions which :might be re altered without removing any security whatever. Every body must admit that if there' were parts of an oath by which members bind themselves in that house, by which men holding office bind themselves oei entering their ap pointments, which were liable to objections, it was not wise on the part of the legislature to retain those objectionable parts. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Whiteside) seemed to think that his right hon. friend (Mr. Fitzgerald) had wantonly and uselessly introduced the subject to the attention of the house; but the same principle was introduced last year. In the case of the Jewi Bill, the Jews had no objection to renounce James 11., and the person falsely calling himself James 111., _ . Mr. HENLEY quite agreed with the rule, that masters and men should settle their differences ; and unless a very strong case was made out, ho should not consider this an exceptional case. Lord J. MANNERS thought that further time ought to be given to the masters, to see whether they would carry out the recommendations of the committee. Mr. PEASE and Mr. GREER 7 opposedihe motion. The house then divided— For leave to bring in the bill Against it lOB Majority against —7B ALLEGED RELIGIOUS PARTIALITY. Mr. COGAN moved for a return of the names of the members of the board of superintendence of each county prison in Ireland, specifying the number of Roman Catho lics on each board. The hon. member stated the reason of the motion to be the paucity of Roman Catholics on these boards, where it was of importance that some of those in authority should be of the same religious faith as the majority of prisoners, which necessarily, in the majority of instances, was composed of Catholics. Lord NAAS would be prepared to show at a future time that the superintendence of the prisons was of an entirely satisfactory kind. (Cries of "No, no.") The first portion of the motion was useless, as the names were already on the table ; and as to the religious faith of the individuals, no record was kept, and he did not know from what source the return, if ordered, could be made. Mr. H. A. HERBERT would remind the noble lord that the returns could be furnished by the secretaries to the grand juries. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL forIRELAND said that a more ungracious attack could not be conceived than that which had been made on the conduct of the Govern ment in reference to Roman Catholic magistrates. They were rthtdy and anxious to make such appointments when they could find proper persons to fill the office ; and when the Marquis of Donegal, who was himself a member of the Whig party, had lately, in his capacity of lord lieutenant of the county of Antrim, recommended that a Roman Catholic gentleman should be named a magistrate for that county, the Lore Chancellor for Ireland had at once made the ap pointment. In reference to the motion itself, he would only observe that there were no means of compelling any gentlethan to make known what was his particular reli gious profession. Mr. GREER said the facts of those grievances should be put before the house, so that hon. members might have an opportunity .of forming an opinion respecting them. Ho hoped his hon friend would persevere in his motion. Some discussion took place, in which Mr. Hassard, Mr. M'Carthy, and Mr. Timothy O'Brien took part. Mr. WALPOLE said the appointment of the Board of Superintendents was made by local authority and not at all by the Government, who had nothing whatever to do with such appointments. The hon. gentleman wished the Government to give a return with the characters of the members comprising the Board of Superintendents, and to specify who were Roman Catholic and who were Protes tant members. For some reason it was alleged that the Board was not constituted in a satisfactory manner, but he would put it to the house whether such a return was ever before moved for? (Hear, hear.) The Government could not enter into the merits or demerits of the Roman Catholics and Protestants composing the Board. The report was that of the Inspector-General. He therefore hoped the member would not press his motion. Mr. COGAN having replied, the house divided— For the motion 35 Against it B4 Majority —49 INCLOSUItE OF LAND. or any of his descendants who might bo living and might attempt to disturb the throne of Queen Victoria ; but it was not for the sake of the Jew that they left out all those parts of the :oath.l They left them out because, as Protestants, they thought they were unnecessary. They thought it was somewhat of a profanation to come and make an oath which was a mere mockery and applied to things that did not exist, and accordingly they did shorten the oath with the very general assent of the house. That task having been successfully accomplished, his right hon. friend said, " You have done this, but there is still a part of your fellow-subjects who take an oath to portions of which they strongly object." With the view he took of the subject, and seeing that this question must be deter- mined, not by 31 Catholic members, but by the whole 654 members of the house, he was not in the least degree affected by the argument started by an hon. and learned gentleman who spoke early in the debate, and which was assented to by the right hon. gentleman who spoke last, that there was a compact on the part of the Roman Catholics. Were it a compact or no compact, still nothing was to prevent the Legislature altering an oath, if they could make it a simpler oath, one by which they could bind themselves to all that was requisite, but without any confusion or ambiguity. There was no reason why the wisdom of Parliament should not make such an alteration. When the act of 1829 re- ceived the Royal assent in Parliament, both Sir R. Peel and the Duke of Wellington stated over and over again that they might have pursued one of two courses—the one was to negotiate with the Roman Catholics ; to ask what oath they were willing to take ; to what securities they would bind themselves, and to frame the measure upon the result of the negotiations thus made. But Sir R. Peel said that was an unwise mode of proceeding ; that there was another mode which was this, that Parliament should con sider the whole subject, and at the same time consider what was due to the Roman Catholic people of this country, and what was due for the real security of their Protestant institutions, and frame a measure accord ingly. That was the principle on which they framed their measure and presented it for the approval of the house—(hear, hear)—and surely that did away alto gether with the idea of any compact with the Roman Ca tholics. (Hear, hear.) Now then, let them, as Protestants, consider whether it was wise to keep those four articles of the oath to which his right hon. friend had alluded. The right hon. gentleman the Attorney-General passed rather slightly over the first article of the oath, to the effect that they abjured the doctrine that princes deprived or excom municated by the Pope might be deposed or lawfully mur dered by their subjects; and the right hon. gentleman quoted a passage from a speech of Sir Robert Peel, inwhich he said that to ask the Roman Catholics, as an article of faith, that heretics might bemurdered, was so offensive that it should be omitted. But if it was right at that time to omit passages which were offensive, he must call the atten tion of the house to another passage in the oath, where a Roman Catholic member is required to declare that it ilEot an article of his faith and he does rejirt and abjure the - trine that princes excommunicated by the Pope might be lawfully murdered by their subjects or by any other person whatsoever. He maintained that it was quite unnecessary to call upon any Roman Catholic to swear that he abjured such a doctrine; and if it was unnecessary, then it was no security, and was only a gratuitous insult which they ought not to keep in the oath unless there be some valid reason. Then, again, the Roman Catholics were called upon to swear they would defend to the utmost of their power the settlement of property as established by law in these realms. Ho thought this was a very needless declaration, but it was quite r t a v a s n a t s w f o h l e l o t h w e s r : t sleft disavow in any s y t r i n u t c e k n o t o t n . t T o h s u e b n v e e a r t t article the present Ch urch Establishment, as settled by law in of" This h e thought was certainly framed •to m Protestants ad e up o in r the eo T pe e d a r 2 fr l9, fo when r re th c e o s n e c r i e le al tre . or made why th e y s h ou ld not b e a li tt l e oaths the o oath but t w h a es did copied,not wiser than the Protestants of 1829. He remembered per fectly welljon that occasion, being summoned to a meeting at the house of Sir Francis Burdett, where for 14 years they had been defending the cause of the Roman Catholics. They were asked to consider whether they could assent to the proposal of the Government of that day; and he re membered Lord Althorp left that meeting, charged with a message to Sir Robert Peel, to ask for some change in the The Inclosure of Land Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. The other business on the paper was disposed of, and the house adjourned at one o'clock. WARNING TO YOUNG LOVERS —Master Thomas Jones, of the mature age of 19, and Sarah Ann Leresche, aged 16, both of Birmingham, had. " engaged" themselves. But the young lady's p a p a un ki n dly f or b a d e th e acquaint ance. Thomas, however, hied to Worcester, and procured a licence. The young lady packed her boxes, borrowed £9 in her father's name, and got safely away from home. But, alas fox' the lovers, telegraphs and detectives were in requi sition, and just as they were proceeding to church, in bridal attire, they were apprehended, conveyed before a magistrate, and remanded—Miss Sarah on the charge of stealing her father's goods and obtaining the £9, and the lad with re ceiving the stolen property. On Friday the prisoners were brought before the magistrates, when greatly to the satis faction of a crowded court the charges were dismissed. !Volvo' ha mpton Chronicle. FATAL ACCIDENT TO A WOULD-BE RAREY.-7-AR inquest was held on Saturday last, at Calver-hall, Branth waite, on view of the body of William Garnett, of Colter, when a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned. Tho deceased had been to Cockermouth horse fair with a young horse, and in going home, or soon after his return, he un fortunately took it into his head to show his fellow-servants, a la Rarey, how tractable and quiet the animal was which he had in charge. Ho first - crept between its fore legs, under its belly, and having performed these and other manoeuvres, with success, he very foolishly ventured so fltr as to creep betwixt the hind legs of the animal. He passed through safely, but, just as he was rising, the horse, with one foot, pushed him off a little way, and with the other struck him on the head; and killed him on the spot.— Cr tat berbtmi p ac k e t. NEIV WORK ON AGRICULTURE.—We understand that Mr. W. - W. Fyfe, the editor of the Dorset Coetnly Chronicle, has in the press a work entitled, "Agricultural Science Applied in Practice." From what we know of Mr Fyfe we venture to prognosticate that the work will com mand an extensive cirenlation.—Bell's Messeuer, Feb. 21, 1859, THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 25, 1859. THE ARBIY. Sir B. Hawes, accompanied by Sir W. Armstrong, who was admitted to the honour of knighthood at her Majesty's Levee on Wednesday last, visited Woolwich Arsenal yesterday morning and trans acted business with Col. Tulloh, superintendent of the Royal carriage department. They were received within the Arsenal gates by Col. Wilmot, superin tendent of the gun factories ; Capt. Gordon, prin cipal military storekeeper ; and Mr. J. Anderson, inspector of machinery. It is rumoured that the appointment of Sir W. Armstrong as engineer to the War Department for rifled ordnance is the first step towards the improved arrangements about to be issued for carrying out with greater efficiency and economy the duties of the manufacturing de partments of the Arsenal by civil officers in the place of those of the Royal Artillery, as at present. The subject is at present under the scrutiny and in vestigation of some of the members of the House of Commons, and will be brought before the house, together with other important matters connected with the Royal Arsenal during the present session of Parliament. One of the extraordinary breech loading weapons invented by Sir W. Armstrong, a 12-pounder, which was received a few days ago at Woolwich as a sample"gun, was yesterday morning brought on Woolwich-common for driving and theoretical firing practice by a detachment of Royal Horse Artillery, in command of Adjutant Everitt, when a large proportion of the officers of the garri son were present. The most stringent orders are observed to prevent the near approach of civilians or any examination of the piece by strangers, under the impression that so valuable an arm of warfare may be illegally imitated and manufactured in coun terpart. During the few days the gun remained in store at the Arsenal even the officers or the establish ment were refused permission to inspect it. After the detachment exercise yesterday the gun was re turned to the Horse Artillery square, where it was subsequently housed in a temporary wooden shed erected to screen it from the public gaze. A gentle. man who was detected in the act of taking a pencil sketch of the gun was immediately arrested and called upon to forfeit his unfinished production, which he most reluctantly yielded up to an officer present. Mr. Warry, the armourer sergeant of the 3d depot battalion of Chatham, having succeeded in making one of his breech-loading cannons on a much larger scale than that formerly brought under the notice of the authorities, a trial of the new gun took place at Brompton barracks yesterday morn ing for the purpose of subjecting the new invention to a severe test.. The length of this breech-loading cannon is 16 inches over all, and 14 inches from the breech to the - muzzle. Its weight is 111 b., ex clusive of the carriage, the gun itself being of brass, and, together with the mechanism at the breech, of beautiful workmanship. With this cannon ten rounds can be fired per minute, being as fast as two men can load and fire it. The balls used yesterday were the ordinary Enfield rifle bullets and Captain Norton's paper-coated conical balls, the latter pre senting many improvements over other rifle bullets. With this cannon 10 balls per minute can be fired at an object at a distance of 2,000 yards with the greatest accuracy of aim, as was fully demonstrated in the firing which took place yesterday. The most valuable improvement in this breech-loading cannon is, that the firing takes place by percussion, each gun being fitted for a percussion cap, whereas in the breech-loading gun invented by Capt. Armstron g the charge is fired in the old-fashioned manner adopted in firing ordinary cannon, and where Capt. Armstrong's gun fires about one round per minute, Mr. Warry's breech-loading gun has fired 10 rounds per minute, which rate of firing can be maintained as long as the ammunition lasts. By a simple contrivance, which has been invented by Mr.Warry since the last experiments were made, the cartridge is cut, the nipple pinned, and the breech closed, all by one motion of a small lover placed on the left hand side of the gun, so that it is almost impossible for the gun to miss fire. After the most rapid firing the interior of the gun is always found to be perfectly cool, the opening at the breech admitting a current of air immediately each charge is inserted. It is intended to apply Mr.Warry's prin ciple to an ordinary 32-pounder gun on board ship when it remains to be seen whether the invention will be found to answer as satisfactorily in the case of large guns as it does in the smaller kind of cannon. fl'll_E NAVY A court-martial was held on board the Royal Albert at Berehaven on Friday, the 18th inst., for the trial of Lieut. A. Helby and the officers and crew of her Majesty's late brig Wizard for the loss of that vessel on the Roancarrig Rocks in a heavy squall of wind and rain on the night of the Bth inst. The court consisted of Rear-Admiral Sir C. Fremantle, K.C.8., commanding the Clvinnel squa dron ; Capts. Forbes, of the Renown ; Ommanney, of the Brunswick; Houstoun, of the Orion, Willcox, C. 8., of the Victor Emmanuel; Paynter, of the Racoon ; and Price, of the Royal Albert. Mr. C. Pritchard, secretary, officiated as judge-advocate. Lieut. Helby was assisted by Mr. K. L. Suther land, paymaster of the flagship. Mter a lengthened trial the court sentenced Lieut. Helby to be admo nished for error of judgment, by putting the helm to port on a cry from the lookout-man from for ward, saying " Port, port ; hard a-port," instead of keeping it to starboard, as he had already ordered it to be done. The rest of the officers and men were fully acquitted. The President of the Court, on re turning Lieut. Helby his sword, said he had much pleasure in doing so, and that he left that court without any stain on his character as an officer or seaman. Her Majesty's screw steam transport Himalaya, Capt. J. Seccombe, embarked at Portsmouth, on Wednesday, the 2d battalion, 13th Foot, previously enumerated in The Sun—excepting-that Paymaster Brown embarked in lieu of H. L. Carter, and Capt. Cobbe and Lieut. J. C. Conington, who did not join.. The Himalaya shipped a mail yesterday morning, and sailed at 1 p.m. for the Cape of Good Hope. Commodore Drummond having forwarded a re quisition to the Board of Admiralty for an increase of labourers in Woolwich Dockyard, 35 extra hands were taken on yesterday, and an additional 20 are to be engaged to-day. The following ships were yesterday taken up by the War Department as store transports,—namely, the Nereid, for Sierra Leone ; the Lady Shelburne, for Colombo ; the New Great Britain, for Algoa Bay ; and the Koh-i-noor, for Bermuda. Her Majesty's screw steam frigate Terme4 . 25, Capt. R. Hall, which was placed in No. 7 Dock at Portsmouth, on Wednesday, to stop a small leak in the vicinity of her st ern -p os t, an d remove th e impediment which prevented the proper shipping of her screw, had a portion of her inner stern-post stripped, caulked, and recoppered. A piece of iron bolt was found in the " seat" of her screw frame. She was removed out of dock yesterday at high water and steamed out to Spithead, where she will take in her powder and shell, and afterwards be in spected by Admiral Sir G. F. Seymour, prior to her crew being paid their advance and the ship sailing for her destination—West Coast of Africa. The Bullfinch screw steam gunboat yesterday made a trial at the measured mile in Stokes Bay of Philps's propeller, which, comparatively speaking, is at present a failure, as compared with the com• mon screw. The Fire Queen paddlewheel steamer was yes terday taken into No. 7 dock at Portsmouth to stop a leak in her bow. The new naval cadet training ship at Portsmouth (the Britannia, Capt. R. Harris) was yesterday officially inspected by Admiral Sir G. F. Seymour, G.C.H., whose term of command at Ports mouth expires on the 28th inst. At the close.of the inspection, and on the gallant admiral leaving the ship, he cordially shook hands with Capt. Harris and his officers, expressing his entire satisfaction with everything he had witnessed. Then, turning to the eadets, and wishing them " good bye," he said that he trusted that while they were in the Bri tannia they would continue to deserve the same good accounts which he had always received about them while they were in the Illustrious. DR. BUNTING'S NEW SYSTEM OF HORSE-BREAK ING.-Dr. Bunting had the honour of appearing before her Majesty, the Prince Consort, and the members of the royal family, by command, on Thursday,' the 17th inst., for the purpose of displaying his new method of subduing horses. The exhibition took place at the riding-school, Bucking ham Palace, under the superintendence of Mr. Meyer. One of the royal carriage horses was first put into the break, and her Majesty and his Royal Highness expressed their entire satisfaction of the simplicity of the construction of the machine, as well as of its great utility. A horse be - longing to Colonel Mountjoy 3lartyn, 2d Life Guards, on which every previous effort to tame had proved unavailing, was then exhibited, when Dr.- Bunting, without the use of straps, induced the animal to lie down, get up, follow him, curve, pivot, and stand on a sort of platform. This exhibi tion elicited the warm approval of the royal party, and the horse is now, we understand, rendered so perfectly tractable as to be ridden with the greatest ease. The doctor operated upon one of the royal ponies belonging to her Majesty, without the assistance of the break, with which her Majesty and the Prince also expressed their gyeat •sa tislactio3, Many of the nobility and intere:st d in-th 6 - Alarm - gement of. horses have sicce witnessed the ad vantages to be d er i ve d f rom t h e use of Dr. Bunting's invention, at' Mr. East's stables, White Horse street, Piccadilly, and - -from - the simplicity and inexpensive nature of the machine it will no doubt be generally adopted. By its use, the breaking and bitting of colts and other horses, which have hitherto been a work of time, and attended with considerable expense, may be performed in a few days, and at trilling cost, with the certainty of the most vicious animal being rendered perfectly and permanently - tractable, without the adoption of either violence or punish ment. Dr. Bunting, who has recently arrived from Mon treal, will shortly take his departure to exhibit his inven tion to the Crowned Heads of Europe. RETURNS. • • An Account, pursuant to the Act. 7th and Bth Victoria cap. 32, of the Average Amount of Bank Notes, of the several Banks of Issue in England and Wales, in circu lation during the week ending Saturday, the 12th day of February, 1859. ' PRIVATE BANKS. Andover Bank,.Andover—Heath and Co. £9,626 Ashford Bank, Ashford—Jemmett, Pomfret, & Co. 10,657 Aylesbury Old Bank, Aylesbury—Cobb and C 0... 22,220 Baldock Bank and Baldock and Biggleswade Bank, Biggleswade—Wells, Hogge, and Co. . 25,286 Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple—Marshall and C 0... 6,445 Basingstoke and Oldham Bank, Basingstoke— Seymour, Lamb, and Co. Bedford Bank, Bedford—Barnard and Co .. 29,513 Bawdley Bank, Bawdley—Nichols Baker, and Co. 10,765 Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford Bank, Bicester—Tubb and Co. Birmingham Bank, Birmingham Attwood s, Spooner, and Co. Boston Bank, Boston—Claypons and Co. ,,,,„ 62,375 Boston Bank, Boston—Gee and Co. Bridgwater Bank, Bridgwater—J. St . J. L. Sealey 8,760 Bristol Bank, Bristol—Miles, Miles, and Co. Broseley and Bridgnorth and Bridg,north and Broseley Bank, Broseley—Pritchards, Boycott, and Co. Buckingham Bank, Buckingham—Bartlett, Par rott, and Co 23,759 Bury and Suffolk Bank, Sudbury Bank, and Stow market Bank, Bury St. Edmunds—Oakes, Bevan, and Co. Banbury Bank, Banbury—J. C. and A. Gilbert Banbury Old Bank, Banbury—Cobb and Son 24,540 Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton Buzzard—Bassett, Son, and Co. Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Lloyds and Co. 25,727 Bradford Old Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire—Harris and Co. Brecon Old Bank, Brecon—Wilkins and Co 46,123 Brighton Union Bank, Brighton—Hall, West, and Co. Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington—Hard ing, Smith, and Co Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds— Worlledge and Co. Cambridge Bank, Cambridge—Mortlock and Co. 14,335 Ca,mbridge, and Cambridgeshire *ilk Cambridge —Messrs. Fosters 39,554 10,935 Canterbury Bank, Canterbury-Hammond and Co. 29,911 Carmarthen Bank, Carmarthen-David Morris and Sons .. 21,411 Chertsey Bank, C)iertsey-La Coste aid 50n.... 2,705 Colchester Bank, Colchester-Round, Green, & Co. 14,124 Colchester and Essex Bank, and Witham and Essex Bank, and Hadleigh, Suffolk, Bank, Colchester- Mills, Bawtree, and Co. Cornish Bank, Truro-Tweedy and Co 38,833 Coventry Bank, Coventry-Little and Woodcock 6,428 City Bank, Exeter-Milford and Co. Craven Bank, Settle-Alcocks, Birkb Bk, and Co 66,763 Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Monmouth Old 'Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Chepstow- Bromage, Snead, and Co. 7,039 Derby Bank, Derby-W. and S. Evans and Co. Derby Bank, Derby-Samuel Smith and Co .. 31,869 Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak Bank, Derby-Crompton, Newton, and Co. .... 25,724 DeVizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes-Locke and Co. Diss Bank, Diss-Fincham and Co - 10,398 Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster- Cooke and Co. 61,552 Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton-on- Tees Bank, Darlington-Backhouse and Co 78,957 Devonport Bank, Devonport--Hodge and Co.. 7,694 Dorchester Old Bank and Dorsetshire Bank, Dor chester---R. and H. Williams 49,271 East Cornwall Bank, Liskeard-Robins, Foster, and Co. East Riding Bank, Beverley-Bower and Co 49,643 Essex Bank and Bishop's Stortford Bank, Chelms ford-Sparrow, Round, and Co 41,264 Exeter Bank, Exeter-Sanders and Co 26,635 Farringdon Bank and Bank of Wantage, Farring don-Barnes, Medley, and Co 6,905 Farnham Bank, Farnham-John and Jas. Knight 9,529 Faversham, Bank, Faversham-Hilton and Co 5,752 Godalming Bank, Godalming-Mellersh and Keen 5,253 Guildford Bank, Guildford-Messrs. Ha don 13,485 Grantham Bank, Grantham-Hardy and Co 24,631 Hereford City and County Bank, Hereford-Mat thews and Co 14,682 Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull- Smith, Brothers, and Co Huntingdon Town and County Bank, Hunting don-Veasey and Co Harwictrßank, Harwich-Cox, Cobbold, and Co. Hertfordshire, Hitchin. Bank, Hitchin-Sharples and Co. Hereford, Ross, and Archenfield Bank, and Ross and Archenfield Bank, Ross-Morgan and Co 20,282 Ipswich Bank, Ipswich-Bacon and Co 21,052 Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk, Had leigh Bank, Manningtree and Mistley Bank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich-Alexanders & Co 57,871 Kentish Bank, Maidstone-Randall, Mercer, and Co. • 14,950 Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington-Davies and Co. Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank, Knaresborough-Harrison and Co 18,996 Kendal Bank, Kendal-Wakefield, Crewdson, &Co 43,398 Longton Staffordshire Bank, Longton-C. Harvey and Son 5,175 Leeds Bank, Leeds-Beckett and Co. 51,352 Leeds Union Bank, Leeds-W. Williams, Brown, and Co. Leicester Bank Leicester-T. and T. T. Paget 30,158 Lewis Old Bank,Lewis-Whitefeld and Co. 24,261 Lincoln Bank, Lincoln-Smith, Ellison and Co 76,835 Llandovery Bank, Lampeter Bank, and Llandilo Bank, Llandovery-D. Jones and C 0.... - Loughborough Bank, Loughborough-Middleton ' and Cradock Lymington Bank, Lymington-S. and G. F. St Barbe - 43,368 4,000 24,930 4,392 Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynn Legis— Gurneys and Co. Lynn Regis and Norfolk Bank, Lynn Regis— Jarvis and Co 10,086 Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield—Brocklehurst and Co 14,430 Manningtree Bank, Manningtree—Nunn and C 0... 2,042 Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelly—Williams and Son 4,273 Miners' Bank, Truro—Willyams and Co. Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, Abergavenny—Bailey and Co. 28,820 Monmouth Old Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon Bank, Chepstow Bank, Chepstow Old Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Monmouth— Bromage, Snead, and Co. Newark Bank, Newark—Godfrey and Riddell 21,762 Newark and Sleaford Bank, and Sleaford and Newark Bank, Sleaford—Handley; Peacock, and Co Newbury Bank, Newbury—Bunny, Slocock, and Co 17,627 Newmarket Bank, Newmarket—Eaton, Hammond, and Co. Norwich Crown Bank and Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Norwich—Harveys and Hudsons 48,937 Norwich and Norfolk and Fakenham Banks, Nor wich—Gurneys and Birkbecks 93,871 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Notting ham—Hart, Fellows, and Co. Nuneaton Bank, Nuneaton—Craddock and Co. 3,619 Naval Bank, Plymouth—Harris &Co .. 22,523 New Sarum Bank, Sarum—Everett and Co .. 11,34 Nottingham Bank, Nottingham—Samuel Srniih and Co Oswestry Bank and Oswestry Old Bank, Oswestry —Croxon and Co Oxford Old Bank, Oxford—Parsons and Co 34,349 Old Bank, Tonbridge, Tonbridge and Tonbridge Wells Old Bank, Tonbridge and Tonbridge- Wells and Sevenoaks Bank, Tonbridge—T. 11. and S. Beeching Oxfordshire Witney Bank, Witncy—J. W. Clinch and Sons 11,53 Pease's Old Bank, Hull, the Hull Old Bank ar a Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and Co. Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and Co. Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter - borough—D. Yorke and Co. Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—J. and W. Walters _ _ 10,170 _ 29,592 8,506 8,566 'Reading Bank, Reading-Simonds and Co. Reading Bank, Reading-Stephens, Blandy, & Co 29,932 Richmond Bank, Richmond-Roper and Co. Rochdale Bank, Rochdale-Clement; Royds, &Co 3,015 Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Rochester-. Day and Nicholson Royston Bank, Royston-L-Fordham and Sons 12,106 Rugby Bank, Rugby-A. Butlin and Son 9,397 Rye Bank, Rye-R. C2Pomfret and Co' 10,150 Ross Old Bank, Herefordshire, Ross-Allaway and MacDougal Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron Walden-Gibsons and Co. • 28,630 Salop Bank, Shrewsbury-Burton, Lloyd, &Co 11,945 Scarborough Old Bank, Scarborough-Woodall and Co. Shrewsbury Old Bank and Shrewsbury and Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury-Rocke, Eyton, and C 0..... 32,247 Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne- Valiance and Co.- SouthaMpton Town and County Bank, Southamp ton-Maddison and Pearce Southwell Bank, Southwell-Wylde and Co. Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southampton -Atherley, Fall, and Co. Stafford Old Bank, Stafford-SteVenson and Co. Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford-Eaton, Cayley, and Co - 25,856 Shrewsbury anl Welsh Pool Bank, Shrewsbury- Beck, Downward, and Co. Taunton Bank, 1 aunton-H. and R. Badcock. 25,071 Tavistock Bank, Tavistock-Gill, Sons, and Co. .. 7,891 Thornbury Bank, Thornbury-Harwood and C 0... 9,679 Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton-Duns ford and Co Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northamptonshire, Thrapston-York and Eland Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring-Butcher and Son Towchester Old Bank, Towchestcr-Percival and Co 7,791 Town and County of Poole Bank and Ringwood and Poole Bank, Poole-G. W. Ledgard and Sons 8,805 Union Bank, Corn Wall, Helston-Vivian and Co 13,006 Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge-Hull, Smith, &Co 12,514 Wallingford Bank, Wallingford-Hedges, Wells, ;and Co. Warwick and. Warwickshire Bank, Warwick- Greaves and Co. Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington-Fox, Brothers, and Co 3,150 West Riding Bank, Wakefield and Pontefract Bank-Leatham, Tew, and Co 44,105 Whitby Old Bank, Whitby-Simpson, Chapman, and C 0.... 13,984 Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Winches ter-Bulpett and Co. Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank, Wey mouth-Elliot, Pearce, and Co. Wirkswortb and Ashbourne Derbyslure Bank- Arks,vrigh; and CO. Wisbech and Lincolnshire Bank, AV isbach-G ur nays and Co Wiveliscombo Bank, Wiveliscombe-P Hancock .......................... ......... 5,750 Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton-Goodri c k e and Holyoake Woicester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old B an k, , Worcester-Berwick, Lechmere, and Co - 6e9: Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton --R: and 1 ' W. F. Fryer 9,987 Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and llalesworth and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth-Gurn e y s , Birkbeek, and Co. 23,100 :;G, 764 ........ 41,288 and W. Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank Great Yar mouth—Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and C 0....., 11,630 York Bank, York—Swann, Clough, and C 0.,...... 40,490 JOINT STOCK BANKS. Bank of Westmorland, Kendal . $10,531 Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley Bradford Banking Company, Bradford. 48,258 Bilston District Banking Company, Wolver hampton Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Bradford 19,480 Burton, Uttoxeter, and Staffordshire Union Bank ing Company, Burton-upon-Trent Chesterfield and North Derby-shire Banking Com pany, Chesterfield ... Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work ington b _ ___ _ . 9,671 32,393 Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company, Coventry . . Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry.... 13,752 County of Gloucester Banking Co., Cheltenhv,m.. 109,874 Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Co., Carlisle ... 21,870 Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Co., Dudley 31,791 Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby 19,035 Darlington District Joint Stock Banking Company, Darlington 22,345 'gast of England Bank, Norwich 24,3'25 ttloiicestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 135,5 79 Halifax Joint Stock Bank, Halifax Huddersfield Banking- Company, Huddersfield 33,71.8 null Banking Company, Hull Halifax Commercial Banking Company, Halifax 13,8 97 Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking-Co.Halifax 40,4.9.8 Helston Banking Company, Helston Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford Knaresborough arid Claro Banking Company, Knaresborough 27,131 Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 2,5 55 Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster Leeds Banking Company, Leeds Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester 62,0 17 Lincoln and Lindsey Bankin g Company, Lincoln 47,656 Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking Company, Leamington Priors Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Banking Company, Nottingham Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking Com party, Nottingham National Provincial Bank of England, Birmingham (Head o.ffice, 112, Bishopsgate-street, London) North Wilts Banking Company, Melkaham 41 , ,53 5 Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 71,77 1 Northamptonshire Banking Company, Northampton 19,2(1 9 North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool 50,311) Pares's Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester 49,51.5 Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth 2,0t11 Sheffield Banking Company, Sheffield ... 35,123 Stamford, Spalding and Boston Banking Company, Stamford Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset shire Bank, and Somersetshire Bank, Langport 349,36(3 Shropshire Banking Company, Shiffnall 36,7411 Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Com pany, Stourbridge 54,954: Sheffield and Hallamshire Banking Co., Sheffield 23,53 5 Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Stock Banking Company, Sheffield 51,7 15 Swaledale and Wensleydale Banking Company, Richmond 45,8T0 Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Banking Com pany, Wolverhampton. Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank, Wakefield 14,188 Whitehaven Joint Stock Banking Co., Whitehaven. 27,908 Warwick and Leamington Banking Co., Warwick. 25,970 West of England and South Wales District Bank, Bristol Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 74,476 West Riding Union Banking Co. Huddersfield... 31,642 Whitcburch and Ellesmere Banking Company, Whitchurch 3,830 Worcester City and County Banking Company, Worcester 5,953 York Union Banking Company, York 65,997 York City and County Banking Company, York 85,227 Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds 116,436 W. W. DALBIAC, Acting Registrar of Bank Returns Inland Revenue Office, Feb. 19, 1859. 27,13 8 COUNTRY MARKETS. MANCHESTER-FEB. 24. Wheat and flour were dealt in cautiously, but in the value of good qualities there was scarcely any change. Oats and oatmeal steady, with a moderate business. llcallS and Indian corn without inquiry. BIRMINGHAM—FEB. 24. Supply of English wheat large, which sold at the cur rencies of this day se'nnight. In barley no change. Oats again declined 6d per qr., and beans and peas is per qr cheaper. BOSTON-FEB. 23. The wheat trade is dull to-day. Millers are looking for lower prices, and the farmers refuse to give way. To effect sales a slight decline had to be submitted to. Oats were 6d and beans is per qr. less money. Barley and peas as before. Wheat 35s to 39s I Oats.. lBs to 24s White do ..40s to 45s I Beans, new 40s to 46s Barley 2Bs to 40s I Peas .... 4OB to 50s Averages for the week : Wheat 2,740 qrs., at 39s 3d 8ar1ey......... „ —s Od Oats 739 „ 22s 10d Rye - If —s Od Beans Peas •• • • 7 8 I, 39s 10d LOUTH-FED. 23, The supply of wheat is very plentiful ; fine dry samples are held for last web's rates, but the business transacted is on a limited scale. Barley in pod demand at high rates. Oats at late rates. Beans rather more inquired after, and rather dearer. Wheat ... 38s to 41s Oats 23s to 26s White .44s to Vs Beans ... to Barley .35s to 39s Ditto, old .49s to 455 EDINBURGH GRAIN-FEi. 23. Supplies still large. Sales rather easier, and prices much the same as last week. Wheat on the top Os 6dUp. average Os 3d down. Barley on the top -ls Od down - average Os 8d down. Oats on the top is Od up... .........average . ..average Os 7d up. Beans on the top is Od down.... ..average is 2d up. Averages per Imperial quarter. Wheat.... Barley 1 11 5 8-12ths Oats 1 4 3 2-12ths • Beans 2 2 8 0-12ihs Total Supply and Sales. Wheat........ 1572 qrs Sold 1161 qrs 8ar1ey........ 1991 qrs Sold 1068 qrs Oats .3266 qrs Sold 2181 qrs Beans 534 qrs Sold 383 qrs GLASGOW—FEa. 23. The tone of our market has somewhat improved, but the sales were few and mainly in retail. Wheat and flour sold at last week's rates. Marianople brought 235, Ghirka 225, and Danish 225. Barley, beans, peas, and oats were a dull sale, and rather lower. . CORK-FEB. 23. The following were the quotations this morning :—Red wheit, 21s to 22s Od; white, 22s Od to 23s 9d; barley 12s 91 to 15s Od; oats, Ils 6d to 13s 4d.' DERBY SMITHFIELD-FEB. 22. The supply of fat beasts to-day was good, with a full attendance of buyers, and the last week's prices were fully maintained. The number of sheep was smaller this week, and sold at higher rates. The show of pigs was numerous; and of good quality. Fat and store calves were more scarce and well sold. Beef 61d to 7d Veal 7d to 71d Mutton .. . 8d to fild Pork Lamb Od to —d Rough fat, 58 3d per stone. Hides, 4d to 5d ; calf skins, 51d to 6d. The Lapwing (s.), of and from Glasgow, for In verness, and the Islesman (s.s.), came into collision yester day, between Sands and Campbelton ; the former, it is re ported, sunk, and two men supposed to be lost. [AnvEßTisEmENT.]—Holloway's Ointment and Pills. — Bad legs, bad breasts, ulcers, abscesses, canc,ers, and woundsof all kinds may be thoroughly healed by the appli cation of the Ointment to the parts affected, after they have been duly fomented, or washed with warm water; the dis charge is not checked at once, for such sudden check must, of course, be always dangerous. Nature is the noblest of physicians, and must not be opposed, but seconded. All sores are, for a time, the safety val v e s of the constitution, and should not be closed or healed until they assume a healthier charactenmder the action of this powerful Oint ment, assisted by a Course of the Pills, which assist and purify the deprav* humours of the body. BIRTHS. ANDERTON.—On the 22d inst., at Euxtonliall, Lancashire, the Lady Emma Andetton,. of a son. HUNT.—On the 24th inst., at Buckhurst, Sunninghill, the wife of George . Ward Hunt, Esq., M P., of a son and heir. -XamsAY.—On the 22d inst., at 30, Hall-Moon-street, the lady of Seville Ramsay, Esq., of Croughton House, Nor `thamptonshire, of a daughter. PHILPOT.—On the 23d inst., Mrs. Philpot, of 20, Monta gue-street, Russell-square, of a daughter. MARRIAGES MII I / 4 1331AY—LEFEVRE.—On the 22d inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square, Captain Hervey George St. John Mild may,'R.N., of Hazlegrove-house, Somersetshire, to the Hon. Elizabeth Shaw L.efevre, youngest daughter of the Viscount Ever.sley. WILKIE--CRAwcoutt.---On the 23d inst., at St. John's, Marylebone, William Wilkie, Esq., only son of the late W. WilkierE:sq.;Of Edinburgh, to Ellen Semina, only daughter of Edward Crawcour, Esq., Wilton-place, Re • gent's-park, DEATHS. ALEXANDER. -L-0 11 the 24th inst., at her residence, 12, Hanover-terrace, Miss Joaiikia Alexander. BAILLIE.—On the 9 7th.1\.Tov, on board the Alnwick Castle, on his passage home, Henry David Baillie, 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade, third son of David Baillie, Esq., aged 22. CATOR.—On the 23d inst., at Haine, county Devon, the seat of C.A. Harris, Esq., Captain John Cator, of H.M.'s 10th Rogt., eldest son of A. Cator, Esq., of Woodbast wick Hall, Norfolk, from the effects of wounds received at Inkermann and Lucknow: ' • . . DAVISON.—On the 18th inst., Mr. Robert Davison, ship owner, of 32, Lower Shodwell, aged 59; - - Du ri . .—On ibe 22a inst., at hi s brothor's resideno , , 18, Onset t-terrnee, Uloucester-gordln, Pt i ddin t :ino, J. J. Duff, Esq., of Arandel-terrace, Barn6bury-park. Fneunz.—On the 23d inst., at Dartington,tfieVen. Provide, Archdeacon of Totucs, aged 89. SANDwicir.---On the 20th inst., in Curzon-street, the Countess of Sandwich. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer; at The Sioz Office, N0..112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county •f Middlesex, Friday, Februery 20, 1809• 6,430 PAL li, !lAA EA and it CinV( 71'1,1 bite] 810: SOP 'tut A. k oi I\ D' Jam ( Chan Jahn Capt Capt fl Capt Eir a ugimi and rive Crrip tom