The Sun. — London, England, 1852-02-13 00:00:00

Yortstnouth was sot by the ir , !" , qh:f , rlr, a 11, but rat bra fereatel by the Adeorelty f tee purpose oft bt a ining a judicial cleehion on the so tjc er ; an d if), • examination which they then nil& undettb:edly rt suited in the condemnation of so many of the canisters. He had no apprehensions whatever as to the state of the provisions supplied to the Arctic Expedition. But he wished to impress upon the House that in the present state of science the Admiralty were not able to secure a good supply of preserved meat. Wah respect to the general supply of the navy, they held contracts with several persons who had been exceedingly anxi us to prevent the deterioration of the meat, consequent on long exposure to the air; but they had not been successful. A general i m p ress i on was, that the meat w hi c h the Ad miralty supplied was all bad in quality; tint he ventured to say, when the facts came before the Committee, it would turn out that the cases ot bad meat were extremely few indeed. The whole or most of the bad meat arose, not from its being bad originally, but from its becoming so in the course of time.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gen tleman had indulged in many pathetic observations as to the results of using the bad meat in querion; but, on the other hand, he (Sir F. Baring) could tessere the lion. Gentleman that Mr. Goldner was a ruined man. He might add, however, that there was no intention what ever on the part of the Admiralty to forego proceedings against his sureties for the nonperformance of his con tract. He would propose, as an amendment to the mo tion of the Hon. Baronet, that the inquiry into the con tracts and the'mode of making them, for the supply of the meat provisions for the use of her Majeety's navy, instead of being confined as proposed to the years 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, and 1851. should extend over the Whole period from 1841 to 1851 inclusive.—(Bear, hear, and cries of " Oh, oh.") It the inquiry coetemplat.ed was a real and bond fide one he could not see the • grounds fur the unwillingness to carry back the inquiry to the commencement of the supply of preserved provi sions, and the nature of the contracts fin the supply of the provisions of the Erebus and Terror.—(Hear.) The remaining portion of his am-ndoaent would be in the words of the original motion it,elf. Colonel CHATTER CON stated that Mr. Gamble, Who had a large establishment at Curnhill as well as at Cork, had enjoyed the exclusive contract for the pre served meat for the navy fur a period of five years, and that no instance had occurred in which any complaint had been made of the provisions supplied. lie had sup plied the provisions to the expeditions of Capteins Parry, Austin. and Ross. Mr. Gamble had supplied the former expeditions in 1819 and 1820, and again in 1824 and 1825, with 24,314 casesof meat, weighing 108,3931 N., and not one of them when opened was touad in the least defective state. It was also a remarkable fact that when the Fury was wrecked in the Arctic Seas, in 1826, she lied some of Mr. Gamble's preserved meat on board. This was examined by Captain Ross, and al though it was exposed to all the vici-situdes of a climate the thermometer ranging from 80 deg. above to 92 deg. below zero for twenty-five years, it was perfectly sound, juicy, and wholesome. With these facts before their eyes, was it not strange that the Government should continue so to favour this Hungarian Jew, who since that period had had the contracr? Not less than 7,468 canisters of the provisions supplied by him had, upon examination at Portsmouth, been found to be unfit for human food; and he had no doubt but that, if an inquiry had been made in other ports, a similar discovery would have been made.—(Hear, bear.) It was lamentable to • think of the sufferings which in all probability were en dured by the brave Arctic voyagers, who had been sup plied with provisions by the sera() contracts r.—(Hear.) The neglect of the Admiralty had, however, been shown • not only in the present case, but upon former occasions. In July, 1849, the Apollo, a wretched crazy craft, was ordered to take on board 689 men belonging to one of the finest regiments in the service. It was found, how • e ver, upon touching at Cork, that the vessel would not a ccommodate that number of men, and five officers, 130 • ,men, and s even women and children, were ordered to • di sembark, in order to be conveyed by another vessel. From the first a most disagreeable smell arose. Malaria Was perceptible, which - could not be accounted for, and Which increased during the voyage. Most unfortunately the cholera broke out, and in a very short time one officer and 25 persons were consigned to the deep. Those casualties were doubtless caused by the crowded state of the ship, the malaria which prevailed, and the almost insufferable heat, particularly at night, between decks of the Apollo. The soldiers becoming weak and debili tated fresh provisions were ordered to be issued, and a citne of Goldner'a meat canisters were opened. The • cause of the impurity of the atmosphere was immediately ' a PParent, for the contents of these were a perfect mass f Putridity, and were, of course, rejec t ed by a ll, and thrown into the sea, whilst the preserved meat stock of b th li e shc ffi e m c n e t r , s, purchased at Cork, from Mr. Gambl e ' s este was in a perfect state of preservation.-- (Hear, hear.) It was decided that they should steer for Rio Janeiro, and on arriving there the troops were all disembarked and placed under temporary huts and tents at the Isla Grande, where, being plentifully supplied with fresh pro v i s i ons and vegetables, their health an d • strength was comparatively restored. The Apollo, in the meantime, was thoroughly cleansed and fumigated, and the troops re embarked, and arrived in safety, after this moat perilous voyage, in eight months, the freight ship, with th e remaining part of the corps, reaching her destination in four.—(Elear, hear.) The pestilential _disease, however, generated on board followed the regi ront to its destination, and shortly after arriving at silent it s destination, one buadred and thirty of the men died in the : sP i itai • Thus was one of the fittest regiments in en 8 rt `ce almost completely destroyed by the bad at larnmedetion and the execrable provisions providsd by 414 r. Goldner and the Admiralty.—(Hear, hear.) He tr usted th a t the whole subject would undergo a most • c omplete and searching investigation.—(Hear.) Admiral BERK ELEY telt confident that the result of the inquiry would be to show that the present B •ard of .Admiralty, which had been so much abused, had done More for toe comfort of the men in her Majesty's navy • than any of its predecessors had ever been able to so complish.—(llear, hear.) With respect to the charge Made by the Hon. end Gallant Member for Cork, of Sending a crazy vessel to convey the troops to Hong a,'ung, there was no ground whatever for it. The '_"•1 3011 0 waci a perfectly sound ship, new, and in every dweeifiye dproperly and fully equipped as a troop ship ; a n d h e any one who kneseauything of the subject to sa that there was a better in the service, It was very easy to make charges of the kind, but by no means so easy to sub s t antiate them. He did not find fault with th e • tone in which the motion had been brought forward; but he did with the manner in which the Board of Ad . istpaticraslty was abused, as not being fit to manage the af committed to its c h arge .—(H ear, hear) Notwith a_anding what h a d b een said, the Admiralty did look badtt e!r, n ander effectiv e ly t oo, the comforts of the men, and ~v embarked troops in improper ships.—(Oh.) M egmra, to whi c h allusion h a d b een m a d e, h a d to e n n!”e.d against the most tryin and adverse winds, and nwithstanding the statements g of a gallant admiral who had Made hi mse l f somewhat conspicuous in the art of letter -writing, and who had written to the Times news- ViPs on er the subject, h e conten d e d that the vessel kdecte ic d every way fit for th e serv i ce f or wh i ch she was • kr to. the House Charge ws not the fitness of vessels for the dis oof theirduty, but rather whether a proper and theelent supervision had taken place with reference to that description of preserved meat known as "Gldner's large proportion of which it w could a ° proved !jeunsisted of abominable, unwholesome, and excrementa ou& matter.—(Hear, hear.) had received a l etter 1v° 13 2 an officer who had been long connected with the and he stated with reference to this description of • human food supplied to the navy :—" The preserved Meat known as 'Goldner's patent' is now being done away with. It was utterly disgusting to bee the contents . W of it s h om t r le o d f u th n e g tins. In some cases they contained offal d g than anyinthsiindge—efaile ea lying packed like horse y.n,, equally good irt(at I have se on board ship Nll off hi en. with myself, provisions when issued which were issued wer thiessinictialctl i l n s g p ly er cent., and the parts a large quantity of indifferent." In 1849 in;at was disapproved of by the board; but, notwithstand 133; izher contract was entered into with Mr. Goldner Admiralty. What, he Would ask, became of the seeurittes in that case ? Why Were they not proceeded against ? '( Hear, hear.) He °f nneatthe d estroyed under . Wanted to know the quantity itt Y_ were first en- Wuh , ine contracts with Mr. Goldner since *red into, and how the country stood Ron. oh t hear)—whettlin sues matters th e contractor—(Hear, er the count ry GOldner had been mulcted, and ir t ntry p us i na from the preserved meat, th e em ber next r • d a dese r •b• €a • • passage from the same letter as abo. It Provision Bove In the f i rm7 l ing the condition of the salt Place," said the writer, " the quantity of salt meat condemned to be returned into store, or sold for the be ne6t of the C rown , or cr d e red to be thrown away, i s very great. In th e secon d pl ace , there is a very great lo ss o f we aght in boiling. All the meat is cut into 41 b. pieces, includingi hone, before boiling. The average weight of l ea , after boiling has been about lily, some I have se e nas low as 9 ounces, with bone. Now, as the men a are al lowed 2lbs in weight extra for each 41b. piecet t hoses half its weight in boiling, there is a very consider- Cur we amount paid for extras, as the following account of d iatilleti will show." The account began July 12, and en• ded November 22, and he found tke result to be that p r oper allowan ce of meat i ssued fcr the crew d ur i ng re Specifi e d t i me was 2,44511e5., and t h e extra quan tity 'glel for making an for th e l oss of weight in 13- fling ,01 21 b. He fuund from the same account that there 13241ndemned to be sold for the profit o f t h e C rown t o bt.; and of meat which was so b a d that it required be thrown overboard the weight was 1 ,1181b5., making neeard for as possible treble th e a llo wance of the weight vis a the crew of that ship. The case of salt pro ' e lQn s , although no t so b a d as th at o f the pmerved bi e on !! (,)/ Mr- Gold ner , equa lly s h owe d t h e necessity for b e — ` n ,quiry, and he trusted that the Committee would PPomted.—(Hear, hear.) Arr.• C ORRY said that h av i ng b een connec t e d w i l l s the Franklin at the time the provisions were supplied to the expedition in 1845, he felt bound to remove the Q 1 1'2 46 ' 40 11 which appeared to he entertained, that the te n t: e_ s l we of the Arctic from the im proper f vessels were suffering ood supplied by Mr. Goldner. In 1845 pre ttiest was not issued as an article of food, but as t h e se our medical comfort. At that time so excellent were L.rbeers that not more than 1 per cent. of them ap ° . _ found to be bad,'while in the best qualities of thatth a ,g,!alt meat it amounted to from 2 to 3 per cent.; so oila point of fact, there was then greater safety in ePotted meat than in the ordinary salt provisions e 11- ,oatTchaerenitueldil ever ml at for the use of : t a hl 0 1 i eo comforts of the crew were, how- The ordinary preserved 4 4tY at the p • nav y anxious that the uce beat was supplied to the Ad of 5d per pound. Being however titshed With meat er f eW s of contract wa:entuereld into by h this expedition should be fur- Possible character, a sepa ratekr. Goldner, for a b at prices ranginPPY of the very best description of the Admiralty with lie thought thatoty. gd. ex to Ir. per lb.—(Hear, -- Plonation would send in THE some measure, to allay the anxiety which was naturally It on the: tithjeet of the provisieae supelted to the Arctic vx, , euittOo. It was also virli-khOwti that meat io the calif latitudes of the isictic regions was not iiahle to decay, sad in coefirreation of the safety of sure-dying provisions of the kind, he might state that of 35 000 cases supplied to Captain Austin's expedition, only eighteen were found to be faulty. Some of the meat had been returned iato store, and recent examinations had tended to confirm the opinion upon the subject. Captain SCOBELL had no doubt whatever but that those oho had the management of the affairs of the Ad mirelty had not been altogether to negligent as that they would not be able in committee to offer some settisfac ! tory explanation on the subject. He was decidedly in favour of the amendment proposed by the Rigkt Hon. Baronet at the head of the Admiralty, as he considered it advisable that the Committee should carry their in quiries as far back as possible. He thought that this de scription of preserved meat would never be found to answer well for the use of the navy. Colonel SIBTHORP was riot surprised to find that th, Government preferred a foreigner to a British sub ject, and was not surprised 'at the cons, quences of this unjust partiality. He should like to know how many tenders had been sent in for the supplying of the pre served pi °visions by parties in this country more re st.), &able by far than Mr. Goldner, who would no doubt, he supposed, as things now went, to be very shortly knighted—(Laughter)—what were the terms of such tenders—and what were the reasons they had been re fused. If the Ministry bad partaken of the poisoned meat, it would have saved the country a round sum in salaries.—(Laughter.) The brt ad the poor sailors got was bad enough, but the cheese was quite enough to choke a dog. The country was greatly indebted to the Hoe. Baronet for bringing the question under the atten tion of the House, as it might have the elf, et of putting a stop to many discreditable practices going on in some other departments. Mr. MACGREGOR was anxious not to let the question pass without is few words of observatien. With the exception ut the ships of the United States, the British navy was b, tter victualled than those of any other ser vice in the world. It was a fact which ought to be ex tensively known, that the victualling or ships was ex clusisely made up without reference to preserved meats. A sufficient quantity of food was put on board, and preserved meats were only superaelded to the store al t, ally obtained. This was a circumstance which, were it known, would allay much anxiety in the residents of many of the seaport towns. The Right lion. Baronet at the head of the Admiralty had taken as much care, and bestowed as much pains on his department, as any person who had ever preceded him in that office; and if blame were to he attached to any person, it certainly was not to the Right Hon. Baronet. If the information were correct which he had received, it might turn cut that some canisters of bad meat were purposely con veyed into the stock supplied by Goldner. Sir WILLIAM JOLLIFFE had no particular reason for choosing the y-ar 1847, and he was quite willing to include the years 1845 and 1846, which would include the victualling of the Erebus and Terror. Sir FRANCIS BARING was only too happy to give the fullest facilities, and to make the inquiry as strict and as searching as possible. The motion as amended was then agreed to. THE LAW OF MORTMAIN. Mr. HEADLA NI moved the re-appointment of the Committee upon the law of mortmain. The labours of the Cemainte e were interrupted by the close of the sessi n of Parliament hetore they had time to report. They had already collected a lar -o amount of useful evidence, and their object was to place the laws of mort main on the best possible foundation. The Committee were not anxious that there should be any material ad dition to the evidence now before them; but they wore desirous to examine the Master of the Rolls in Ireland, who had been a most active member of the board of charitable bequests, as they considered his evidence would be most material. The Act of Lord Hardwicke had entirely failed in its object, and an amendment in the law was requisite. They had no desire to offer any impediments to the stream of charitable donations; but considered that it was infinitely better for those who had anything to give to give it during their own lives, when they could super ntend its distribution. After a few words from Lord JOHN MANNERS, the motion was agreed to. MAIL PACKET SERVICE. Mr. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH moved for copies of the tender made on the agreement or contract entered into with the West India Mail Packet Company to carry the mail to Brazil at 3e. 2d per mile, and the number of voyages performed by that company under such tender, agreement, or contract. The Honourable Gentleman complained that the Admiralty had shown an unjust preference for one particular company. Up to the 3 ear 1849, her Majesty's Government carried the mails to Dublin and Holyhead at an annual cost of 56,0001. per annum. At that time Lerd Auckland was at the head service of shouldtheßOatd b at, put Ad p m u ira t l o ty, and he advised that the offered to b e performed byputhbelicpcuo u m li puetS team t Packetwas Company for 45,0004 per annum. That offer was ac cepted. However, certain Members of Parliament con nected with tho Chester and Holyhead Railway remon strated with. the Treasury, and the effect of their repre sentations was, that the Treasury decided that the ques tion should be re-opened. The result was that the Dub lin Steam Packet Company were obliged to take the con tract: and they were annual losers to a considerable ex tent. In 1849 Lord Auckland, who was a loss to the Admi ralty, advised that the last of the sailing packets between England and Brazil should he superseded by steam, and the Screw Steam Company entered into a contract with the that they should perform the service at a certain rate, viz., 3s. 4d. per mile. The Treasury thought it neces sary to interfere. The contract was put up to competi tion, and a render was put in by the West India Steam Packet Company to perform the service for 3s. 2d. per mile. It was for the production of these contracts and agreements that he now moved. It was perfectly well known that the company who had obtained the con tract were cm in a condition to carry it out. They had only one screw steamer, and they took no steps to carry' out their contract. H e b e li e v e d t h at i t was tho duty of- the Admiralty to have stepped in and deprived them of it, or enforced its fulfilment. Nothing was done until the contract for the carriage of the West India mails e x pired, and then the Admiralty entered into a double con tract with them, to carry the two mails for the enormous sum of 2701. per annum, and that contract was given to the company for ton years. Now it was not the lowest tender that had been made. The General Screw Navigation Company, one equally competent to undertake the service, offered to do . it for 80,000/., and thus 190 0001. of the public money had been wasted. The materials of which the vessels of this favoured company were built were not of oak, Ha required by the Admiralty, but iron and pine were used. and it was owing in semis degree to the circumstance of the Amazon being built cf the last-mentioned wood that it ems found utterly impossible to check the flames. It was said that the Government gave this contract to the West India Company pertly from a commisseration of their losses. He did not think they were so mach to be pitied, since at their last meeting they declared a divi dend of eight per cent., and re ported a reserve fund for building ships of half a million sterling. He was in formed that the Admiralty had entered into a contract with the Australian Steam-packet Company for the car riage' of the mails to th at country , b u t a t so low a figure they would be unable to carry it out. • Mr. COWPER thought there were no such documents in existence as those referred to by the Honourable Gentleman. There was no tender for 3s 2d. per mile; there was no contract for it, and consequently no me Mr. FRENCH—WeII, let me have the correspondence. Mr. COWPER—The Admiralty would be most wil ling to thr ,w all the light they could upon the subject; the Honourable Gentlemen had brought a grave charge against them, which, atter all, would only amount to this—that the Admiralty had entered into a renewal of those contracts which were before in existeece. With i regard to the Dublin and Holyhead contract, he ad mitted the charge made by the Honourable Gentleman. The Admiralty were on the point of entering into a contract for that service at 45,0001.; but, before anything was signed, another party stepped forward, and the re sult, was, the contract was taken at 25,0001, thereby saving the public 20,000/. He could speak confidently of the circumstances of this case, because it was brought before a Committee of the House, who reported that the Board of Admiralty had done their duty in every res poet, and entertained quite a different opinion to that of the Hon Gentleman. With regard to the Brazilian con tract, the lowest tender was accepted, being that of the West India Company. It was true the Screw Steam Packet Company made a proposal and laid a plan for the service before the Admiralty, but instead of accept ittg t that propo sa l at once, they called for tenders, and as th _ a.eer Company did no t ma k e th e l owes t t e nder, u.Y am not obtain the contract ; so far the result was ofafvtohuerawb loeutothde practice of the Ad m i ra lty. The tend e r acceptanc e t he 14 Company was accepted, but atter its unable to compet e w company found their vessels were, by age, those seas by the U it - the h more rapid vessels, put in penditunrited to a large ex Entoadprocure States, and that they must go of grater power ; te e ; more efficient vessels . Pak-awn —How long for a fresh coati : act, rah e a proposal to the Admiralty Teat In the year 1849. L 'after ?] once, but when the Wesird? B4l was not accepted at the Brazilian line yews incor la contract was remodelled India contract had been curriedporatoed with it. The West with the Brazilian in addition, the oat 240,0001; and, continue at 270,000/. per annum. The eiralty agreed to der for the Brezdian contract was above n 37o lowest ten. the additional sum paid to the West India ao oo/., and as 30,0001, 'he public had still the advantage of In t h p e a l n o y w" tender, and of the two services being executed West, h . the corn by the same parties, W-:erl enabled comp an y to put on more efficient and powerful vessels. Be understood the Hon. Me tuber to say that ptnuliar favour had been shown to the West India Company in not compelling theen to use vessels built of wood. He (Mr. C owper) could assure the House the Admiralty regulations bad been strictly complied with; every vessel was carefully surveyed, and when, on one occasion, an iron vepel was put on the line, it was an extra vessel, to which no ob jection could of course be made, so long as the company continued to maintain the pro er Dumber required by the con tract. I , - P due to the Admiralty, , it w any reproach wa- - a for h , ivir,g driv en bard bargain with the West Indies rather a . Company, and not for having shown them any partiality or favouritism. Mr. HUME said the expl • fthe Admiralty was perfectly satisfactory to him, and he merely rose to im press on the Government th mi . • • our penny colonies the advanteg ee o f the im portance of giving could be sent to Ireland or tieenChanne lletter Islands for a penny, end he could not see why every one of our colo nies should not have the same ad We vantage,—(Hear, hear.) were paying for foreign post age a • erv:ce 600,0601 or 700,000/. a year, nod the amount O f inconsider a ble.postage Ire vessels of 2,oooottsns ge receipts was , there could be no difficulty in d evot i ng 100 tone to the ails instead of 30 or 40 1912 4 - 1 1 14 it would in 09 benefici a l . mails VW o Lii6 LONDON, SUN, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 13, 1852 a satisfaction to those who were ebliged to expatriate tb-mselves, that he trusted her Majesty% Government would phee cur celonif.s no the same position as Ireland on the Channel Id.teds.—(Bear, hear.) It might bo done without increase of charge for the service, though be anticipa , ed a reduction of receipts; hut when the House saw how inconsiderable those receipts were, ho was sure there would be no objection to placing our co lonies within the range and facility of penny postage. Mr. FRENCH would be very happy to take the re turn in any way the Admiralty might wish; but surely the Hon. Member for Montrose had net been in the House when he (Mr. French) made the statement that 270,000/. a year was b e i ng pa id for a service tendered at 80,0001 or the Hon. Member would not have expressed himself perfectly content with the explanation of the Admiralty, which left the statement unanswered. If the Hon. Member was content, he was the only parson that was content. The return was then agreed to. REGULATION OF TOWNS (IRELAND) BILL. Sir W. SOMERVILLE moved for leave to bring in a Bill to make better provisions for the paving, lighting, cleansing supplying with water, and regulation of towns in Ireland. Mr. MONSELL called for an assurancefrom the Chief Secretary fur Ireland that the same course would not be pursued with this Bill us was pursued last session, when within three days of the prorogation it was abandoned, and all their labour was found to have been in vain. Mr. ROCHE hoped the Right Hoe. Gentleman would also give some information of the mode in which he pro posed to carry other important Bills relating to Ireland through the House. He suggested setting aside some partien of tbe week for Irish business. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said it did so happen that at the end of last session it was found impossible to carry a great number of Irish Bill seccessfully through the House. That very important Bill, for the bette4 ad ministration of justice, was carried, but the Bill now bee:re the House was abandoned. For himself, he could only say it was his full determination to emit no effort which should bring this Bill to a successful issue during the present session. He had fixed the second reading for this day week, and should name an early day for going into Committee. In the last session many clauses were inserted in Committee, which occupied a great dee. of time; but many of those amendments were now in. chided in the Bill. The motion was agreed to. QUALIFICATIONS OF PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTS. Mr. JACOB BELL said the Bill for regulating the qualifications of pharmaceutical chemists, which he asked leave to bring in, was the same he introduced in the last session, with amendments, to meet objections then raised against it. To comply with the forms of the House he would move that the House resolve itself into Committee for the purpose of giving leave for the introduction of the Bill. The motion being agreed to, the House went into Committee ; and a resolution was proposed for giving leave, upon which Mr. HUME asked whether anything had been added to render the Bill more acceptable, and whether it had received the approbation of her Majesty's Ministers? Mr. BELL said ho had been in communication with the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Home Department; he had no objection to bringing in the Bill, and as soon as he had seen it he would state whether he would support it or not The objections last year were, that the Bill gave too much power to the body which it created, and it had since been altered to meet those objections. He hoped the Hon. Member would allow the Bill to be printed. The resolution was then agreed to, and, on the House resuming. was reported to the Speaker. Mr. FREWEN moved for leave to bring in a Bill to extend the powers of justices of the peace regarding dangerous animals. Mr. SOTHERON asked whether the dangerous ani mals went on two legs or four? For his own part, he would support the Bill, either for the one class or the other.—(Laughter.) CUSTOMS INQUIRY. Mr. MITCHELL moved the Select Committee on Custome to consist of Mr. Mitchell, Mr. C. Lewis, Mr. Goulburn, Mr. Gladstone, Sir J. Yarde Buller, Sir G. Clerk, Mr. W. Brown, Mr. Alderman Thompson, Mr. Forster, Mr. Macgregor, Mr. Archibald Hastie, Mr, Alderman Humphery, Mr. Moody, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Tennent. Mr. W. WILLIAMS thought there was already suffi cient evidence to satisfy the Government that there ought to be. some change in this department. Three years ago a commission was appointed, including officials and Lords of the Treasury, and they reported that the Commissioners and officers of Customs bad been guilty of neglect of duty, and had shown their incompetency in the issue of orders which it was impossible for officers under them to carry out. The Customs presented such a scene of mismanagement that frauds had to au un known extent taken place, in which officers of the Cus toms -of high rank had been concerned. There was overwhelming and, it possible, stronger evidence before the Committee appointed last session of the total incom petency of the Board. The blame rested, he believed, more with the mode in which the Board was constituted than with the individuals of which it was composed; though when they looked at the appointments to that Board —not in reference to the present Board more than to any former Board—it did appear the Commissioners—of ahich there were nine—were not appointed for their competency to discharge the duties of the office, but merely to fill places, and he had heard it often described as a sort of refuge for the destitute.— (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) The cases of tho St Katharine end London Docks further showed that the Board of Customs ought not any longer to be entrusted with the management of that important department, and he was surprised that the Noble Lord at the head of her Ma jesty's Government, having seen the report of that case —baying seen the report of the Commission, and having heard the statements which had been made before him by the leading merchants of the city of London and Li verpool, al}- th e total inefficiency of the present syaem for the collection of revenue, did not propose any change. With regard to the proceedings against the dock to which ho (Mr. Williams) had alluded, the Customs—without tiny justification, without any evi dence save. that picked up, in the first instance, from discarded servants, and afterwards obtained from up wards of sixty of the dock servants, who were paid for giving evidence against their employers—sent a body of their offieers through all the warehouses, con taining twelve or fourteen millions of property, threw everything into cenfusion, made seizures of packages to the value of, 20,0001, without duty, and issued 120 informations against these docks for defrauding the revenue. Every means were taken by the dock compa nies to bring on a speedy trial. The Customs threw impediments iu the way. At last the case was brought to trial, and after occupying eleven days, and costing the dock company 1 0.000/.—he supposed the costs to the public on the other aide would be as much—the jury found there had been only irregularity, without any in tention to commit fraud, on two packages of the value of 61. Every means were then taken by the dock com panies to go to trial on the other heformetions; but after numerous delays the Custom -house Board came forward and offered to compromise these charees of fraud to the amount of 20,0001. for Si., and which, owing to other iefleence, eves eventually compromised for 100/. in each of the cage:. Having charged the docks with having committed those gross frauds, and having offered to compromise them for 5/., the Customs had been guilty either of great calumny and oppression, or of participating in compounding for frauds on the public of a most serious amount. In either case they were unfit to manage a department through which 22 mil lions sterling of duties, 65 millions sterling of imports, and 71 millions sterling of exports passed through lest year. But if such was their conduct to the prin cipaln their conduct to the servants of the dock was much worse. He learnt iron a petition which he had presented, that servants of the company, who had for 36. years, 23 years, 20 years, and other periods respec tively occupied situations of trust, and borne irreproach able characters, were arrested like common felons, and taken, not before a magistrate, to ascertain whether their detention was just or not, but to the Central Criminal Court, and some were absolutely committed to goal, be cause they were not prepared with bail on the instant. These men demanded a trial. The trial was first put off, and when the time fixed arrived, was removed to an other court, to the incurring a great expense for their defence, and et last these men were set at liberty, the whole charge was abandoned, and the amount of robbery charged turned out to be the sweepings of the warehouses, of the value of 41., and supposing duty to be payable, only of the value of 275. For a year and a half these men were kept with the charge hanging over them, and put to the expense of sonic hundreds of pounds. After these circumstances were known could her Ma sty'a Government hesitate is making an instant change in the Customs, or did they really think these men were fit to hove the Ineragement of the most im portant department in a commercial country ? During the last year the publio newspapers were teeming with complaints of the unjustifiable conduct of the Custom house officers in the examination of passengers' luggage. He himself came from Ostend, and had to wait two hours and a half to get his portmanteau, and his was the first'examined from amongst the baggage of 170 passen gers, who were detained he knew not how long in the dirty, filthy room. He wrote to the Lords of the Trea sury, and it became perfectly evident that those most important gentlemen thought him guilty of great pre sumption in complaining, for he bad to send four letters before be could get an answer to the most ordinary question, and the whole tone of conduct was such as would not be expected towards any Member of that House. He knew not why those gentlemen were so important, unless it be that they were re ceiving a vast deal of money, more than they had either the ability or industry to deserve. He did e T h a e n t N s o o b f l L e o L n o a r o d n a , hope thi s C ommittee would not be granted by her Ma sant h a e t h h e e a y d h o d f t r h e e p r G es o e v n e t r Govorn m , at for the purpo o of delay.—(Hear.) ceived a very l arge number of the most important mer perfect inefficiency, t h e endless e n d m e t o n t ' h h i a m d t r h e e s inconveniences, and the harassing impediments to the commerce of the country inflicted by the present syste ra hoped the N o bl e L ord wouldh.ave After such evidenc e he taken and effected a t h orough reform, andup the question the head of that department a __e nibe unless he pl ace d a t Member and e, member of the Cabinet, itweelder ev of this Hou se satisfactory to th e merc h ants or efficient i n t e b r aollection be fo u nd of.reeenue. He did not object to the Committee, certainly thought overwhelming evidenceair but he l' ac l isted of the necessity o f an ent i re change in theye present system of management, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Government 'had assented to the appointment of the Committee with the view that it would be enabled to point out such changes in the laws, and such alteration m the management, as would be useful to the commerce of the country and conducive to the public service. Having heard the de putation to which the Hon. G ent l eman had alluded, and ayiug rea d a very long wad elaborate report txom Pio Board of Customs on the subject, he (Lord J. Russell) was ready to appoint a Committee, and to take the matter into the hands of the Government; aed because he had assented to the appointment of the Committee lie was told by the lion. Gentleman it was only for the pur pose of delay-- Mr. WILLIAMS—I said I hoped it was not for the purpose of delay. Lard J. RUSSELL-IVith regard to the narrative which the Hon. Gentleman had given, it would be un necessary for him to enter into any detail, though ho might mention that the Board of Customs had allega tions to make at variance with the narrative given by the lion. Gentleman, He would not, however, enter upon that now—(Beer, hear)—but he agreed to the re-appointment of the Committee, in the hope that they would apply themselves to discover some useful reforms which might be made in the administration of the law. Ho had no doubt that the very able gentlemen whom the Honourable Gentleman had named as members of the country at large. Ho might the Committee would apply themselves to that quoatiou, and would produce a report that would be useful to oCfabthineetp. atrHoenaligaedannoddtoousbtrt etnhgatthiefnhteheh could not agree to the plan suggested by the Hon. Gentleman, teat the chairman of the board should be a Member of this House, and have a seat in the ,thhee wii:susne.o—p(olll:iueralan state, however, that he proposition he would be told it wits merely for the sake I fl i u re en m e a e n i t n le re gard to the present chairman of the board, Sir Thomas atenthtiereslaymoepptiomseedatmo ahnimo(fLgorredaJteorhhnoßnouusr when that gentleman was a Member of the House, he s w e a ll s ). generally But d friend a ia t I o . g Government dhhl made s a , dWe because,i such tuhchi n a end of more indefatigable industry he believed did not exist.—(Hear, hear.) He was placed by the late Sir Robert Peel in that high and responsible situation, and with regard to certain legal questions which occurred between the board and the dock companies, he consi dered he was bound to take legal opinions, which did not turn out to be well founded; but there was nothing which ought to induce this House or the Government to injure a meritorious public servant, and a man of unsul lied honour.—(Hear.) Mr. HUME did not believe there was a man con nected with the trade of this country, whether in England, Scotland, or Ireland, who had not fully made up his mind that the Board of Customs ought long ago to have been re modelled. This was not a question of politics ; every class of the mercantile community had already expressed their condemna tion of the present se stem, and be could only regret that her Majesty's Government, with Such a mass of evidence before theme should still hesitate upon the subject. He also had long kndwn Sir Thomas Fremantle, and had been opposed to him for years. lie could also bear his testimony that he had always considered him to act like a gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) But his observations were directed against Sir Thomas, not in his personal charac ter, but as the head of a board which had made itself notorious for causing delays in the transmission of all sorts of goods, whether exports or imports. Indeed, he had lived long enough to say that he now began to doubt all boards—(Hear, hear)-110 was for one or more re sponsible individuals in every department. Since, how ever, her Majesty's Government wished to have the opinion of the Committee, he trusted that the Committee would go into the whole question, and particularly that they would review the whole proceedings respecting the compromise, which be considered discreditable to both parties, and which he believed had boencome to in order to prevent this Committee from offering any opinion upon the conduct of'the board. But he trusted the Committee would go into the w h o l e question and see who was in fault, whether the companies had been guilty of fraud, or whether the Board of Customs bad acted ignorantly or malicionely in bringing against them a criminal charge. The Noble Lord had given the Committee a fair chal lenge, and he trusted the Committee would accept it, and inquire not only into what was fact but with regard to the future remodelling of the Board, and whether any redactions could be made in its staff, for he re gretted to say, that though Sir Robert Peel had reduced or abolished between 600 and 700 articles of Customs, yet no reduction whatever had taken place in the number of officers. Mr. C. LEWIS said ho Was unwilling, after the severe censure which bad been passed upon the Board of Customs, to remain altogether silent. He entirely questioned the statement that the Board of Customs had thrown any impediment in the way of the trade of this country. lie believed the present administra tion of the Board was at least as liberal as any other that had gone before them.—(lronical cheers.) But it must be remembered that they were responsible to tho Crown and to the public for the collection of twenty-two millions of revenue; so that a heavy responsibility was thrown upon them to see that the law was punctually and faithfully exercised. In the course of their administration they had come in contact with two powerful bodies , the London and the St. Katharine Dock Companies, and representations were made to them that certain irregularities and breaches of the law had been committed by these companies. On that question they tock legal advice, and they were told that they would n o t discharge their duty if they did not take legal proceed ings, and legal proceedings were consequently instituted. With reference to the compromise to which his Hon. Friend had applied such strong epithets, and which was intended, he said, to prevent inquiry, and to screen the conduct of the Commissioners, be (Mr. Lewis) could state in answer that the proposal of a compromise came not from the Cbairmau of Customs, but from the Lon don Dock Company. How, then, could it be said, with any appearance of truth, that this compromise was effected to screen the Commissioners from inquiry ? This compromise was by no means unprecedented—a similar course had been taken about twenty years ago with the London Dock Company, and he was not aware that any censure was at that time pronounced upon the proceed ing. The re-appointment of the Committee would give full opportunity for an inquiry into all grievances, and for suggestions as to an improvement of the law; and, as his name was on the Com m itt ee , he could only say that, so far as he was concerned, he would do his utmost to promote these objects. Mr. MITCHELL would net have taken part in this conversation but for Certain inaccuracies into which both the Noble Lord and his Honourable Friend who had last spoken had fallen. It had been stated that if any mistake had been committed, the chairman of the Cus toms was led int) it by legal advice. Now,the evidence of Sir abundantly p rove d , b y the admission • Th o mas Fre mantle himself, that h t ough an opinion was taken as to the mere law of the case, yet he was left to exercise leis own discretion as to the applic a tion of the law; and that every step that Wall ta k en was done on his own responsibility. H e must therefore p ro test against its being now sa id that the lawyers were to blame. There was anoth er statement re by the Honourable Member for Her e f or d shire (Mr. C - or e ne wall Lewis) which, though it might be te chnical!right,wasyet substan tially wrong, when he said y for that the proposal a com promise originated with the dock It might be company. true that the first letter which proposed ed the compromise propos was written Irons the dock but if his Hon. Friend would inquire, he would comP ' any; tht when Sir Thomas Frementlo went to find visit the docks a in company with the French Minister ofcondescended to ask Mr. Chandler the Commerce, he whombet bad pre viously arrested on a charg e i - . 0 accom pany him; and in the cours e of .. smuggling—:o ! -t t )g s — itiel to him, " Oh, we shall be as goad friends f ot the visit ever, when this matter has blown over ; " and, asstime, other parties connected with the _ at the same . dock companies were con h stantly hinting the propei et r epromise.—(hear, no opinion, butear.) With regard to they of a co - matter itself, he expressed in Committee. he e a) I d . u faithfully discharge his duty The Committee was the n appointed. PASSENa RS ACT. . . Mr. PEEL, in moving f o amend and consolidate the I . bring in a Bill to leave to the Ws relating to carriage of passengers by sea, stated in the law certain defects having some time ago been felt law as it at present stood, a Committee had been appointed to ascertain whether any improvements could be bi g made. That Committee was presided over by for South Wiltshire (non. Hon ourable Friend the Member Sidney Herbert), and had made a report containing a variety of suggestions of great value. Most of these suggestions, so far at least as they referred to the prote etion of passengers during the voyage, had been incoep ated into the present mea sure; and he anticipated thator they would tend greatly to promote the safety an d comfort of the hundreds of thousands of passengers that were going every year from this country to Austral Mr. HUME was glad this a nd the United States. doted. At the same t i meho uicaeure had 'wished the Honourable Gentleman would lay upon th number of emigrant ships that heaelable a return of the been lost during the past year. Mr. ANSTEY asked whether the provisions of this Bill were confined to steerage passengers, tended to cabin and intermediat e or were ex- Mr. PEEL said it included thep r Caen of tho interme diate passengers. Mr. GOOLD thanked the Honourable the introduction of this measure, whi ch " Gentleman for eminent service to many thou hick would would prove of The Bill was then brought in and read countrymen. On the motion of Sir GEORGE rze, a first time. lowing returns were agreed to:-- k ' s RetorHELL the fol number of cities and towns, with the 0 n showing the same, which are goyerned by the- mt l i 3 u Pttletion of the England and Wales, Scotland, and le e l an le d 3 Pal Acts for ing those for each country which have had distinguish charters of incorporation granted to them since the Act 5 and 6 William IV., cap. 76. Retorpassing of the sal sums of freight money received h -3 , th(r)l of the seve- Greenwich Hospital since the 13th d ay of jreasurer of March, 1851, with the date of such payments, and w het or private account; also, the name of the .., yon public p or vessel in which the treasure was conveyed, arid of the the captain or officer commanding the same. On the motion of Mr. GROGAN copi es of an rant entered into between the Commissioners Jligireed- Revenue and Messrs. Bacon and Patch for en gra n v i a n n a , printing, and gumming the postage labels subsequent le; the lst day of May, 1851; and of any rep ort _ made by the Postmaster- General, or Rowland Hiii , Es in December, 1851, as to utility and advantage to the q" ub - lie of the perforated postage label!, were ordered. P Mr. SOTHERON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to am eties, whic end and h was read a fi a consolidate the t t a i lme.w relating to friendly soci The House adjourned at a Qierter pest Nino . elte() o'clock. THE CENSOmnir OF THE PRESS.—Th ere is estab ecnsorsofhit Englisii news papers, of the p ress a I particular ishedin t he bureau depa f r o t r m t e h n e t of examination h papers, and expert lawyers are employed to read th e L ondon journals, with the object of discovering c a l utnnious news, upon which a trial for libel may be instituted b efore the British court s o f law. The same may be said of' th e B e l g ian t Piedrnontese, Swiss, and Portug uese papers. B ut the dif ference between the treatment of the latter and the E ng li s h papers is, that in the Belgian and o th ers the leading article will furnish subjects of, th e re represe ntation to .spective•Go s ve rnments, and procure, if they attack 1 .01113 Napoleon,- the s uPPressici n of o 9 paper. —Observer, PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) THURSDAY, FEB. 12. The undernamed Railway Bills were presented, read a first, and ordered to be read a second time : South-Eastern and Reading, Guildford and Reigate. Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan. Shrewsbury and Birmingham. York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Deviation of Bishop Auck land Branch, &c). York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Deviation of Thirsk and Mutton Branch, &e). Cork and Bandon. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE. The undernamed Bills are appointed to be read a second ,time on Monday, Feb. 16:— Barnstaple Markets and Fairs. Birkenhead Docks. Birkenhead Dock Trustees and Birkenhead Dock Company. British Empire Mutual Life Assurance Company. Cheltenham Stipendiary Magistrates. East Anglian Railways. Exeter Roads. Frome, Yeovil, and Weymouth Railway (No. 1). Frome, Yeovil, and Weymouth Railway (No. 2). Kingston-upon-Hull Dues and Docks. Londonderry and Coleraine Railway. Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway. London (City) Improvement. London Solida(nC ` d i t L y s: te tw S i e m a bg a oe l r l o D u gc Manurehb t Rs Companyo E a x d. t e ns i on. . Ulverstone Waterworks. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. Fr . = the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. THURSDAY 2. , FEB.. LOUGH FOYLE AND LOUGH SWILLY DRAINAGE BILL. Order for Second Reading read; Motion made, and Ques tion proposed, " That the Bill be now read a second time :" Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add the words " upon this day six months :" Question put, " That the word ' now' stand part of the Question." The House divided : MAJORITY—AYES, 56. Adair, Hugh E. Geach, Charles Romilly, Colonel Bailey, Joseph. Granger, T. C. Scholelleld, William Baines, M. T Greene, Thomas Scobell, Captain Baring, Sir F. T. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Stansfleld, W. R. Bell, Jacob -, Hardcastle, J. A. Thompson, Colonel Berkeley, C. L. G. Harris, Richard Thompson, George Birch, Sir Thomas Hastie, Alexander Thornely, T. Blair, Stephen Hastie, Archibald Trelawny, J. S. Brotherton, J. Hindley Charles Tufnell, 11. Clay, Sir W. Howard, P. 11. Vivian, J. 11. Crawford, Robt. W. Kershaw, James Walmsley, Sir J. Dalrymple, Captain Loch, James Wawn, J. T. Dawes, Edward Lushington, C. Williams, John Divett, Edward Mackie, John Wilson, Matthew Duncan, George Mastarman, John Wrightson, W. B. Duncombe, T. Matheson, A. Wyvill, Marmaduke Ellis, John Matheson, Colonel Ferguson, Sir R. Parker, John TELLEZB. Foley, John H. Peto, Samuel Clay, James French, F. Pilkingten, James Clifford, H. M. MINORITY-NOES, 48. Arkwright, George Gwyn, Howel Pakington, Sir J. Baillie, IL J. Haliewell, E. G. Peahen, Sir G. 13renwidge, Richard Hamilton, G. A. Peel, Frederick Chatterton, Colonel Hardinge, C. S. Rushout, Captain Child, Smith Henley, J. W. Sandars, George Collins, Thomas Herbert, H. A. Sidney, Alderman Conolly, Thomas Hodgson, W. N. Spooner, R. Deedcs, W. Hughes, W. B. Stanley, Edward Disraeli, B. Keogh, William Sullivan, Michael Dodd, G. Knox, Colonel Tyler, Sir G. Du Pre, C. G. Lygon, General Whiteside, James Forester, G. C. Mackenzie, W. F. Willoughby, Sir H. Freshileld, J. IV. Mahon, Viscount Wodehouse, E. Frewen, C. H. Manners, Lord J. Wortley, J. S. Fuller, A. E. Morgan, H. K. TELLERS. Gallwey, Sir W. P. Naas, Lord Bateson, T. Greenall, Gilbert Napier, Joseph Jones, Captain COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday a Court was held for the dispatch of pub lic business. There was a full meeting of the Members in consequence of the notice of the report of the Fleet Valley Improvement Committee. Mr. LAMBE gave notice of motion for the next Court, that the sum of 2001. be granted in aid of the fund for the surviving sufferers by the late frightful inundation in Yorkshire.—(Hear.) Mr. BENNOCH suggested that the Court should sus pend the standing regulation, in order to come to an immediate and unanimous decision upon the subject. The majority, however, were of opinion that much inconvenience might arise from an instantaneous decision as to the appropriation of any part of the funds. The Tower CLERK read the following communication from Mr. Professor Brande:— " Royal Mint, 3d Feb., 1852. " Sir—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, inclosing a resolution of the Court of Common Council appointing me to test the quality of , the gas suppli e d by th e G rea t C en t ra l G as C onsumers ' Company. " I regret to say that I am obliged to decline the acceptance of the appointment in consequence of my other avocations. " I have the honour to remain your faithful servant, " WILLIAM THOS. BRANDE. " Mr. Sergeant Merowether." Mr. DAKIN hoped that the Court at their next meet ing would proceed to the appointment of a practical chemist to teat the gas, and an inspector of meters as between the consumers and the company.—(Hear.) The LORD MAYOR was understood to assent to the suggestion. Alderman Humphery and Mr. Deputy Watkins were appointed governor and deputy governor of the Irish Society for the ensuing year. THE COAL EXCHANGE. Upon the motion of Mr. FREEMAN, the chairman of the Coal, Corn, and Finance Committee, the report for providing moneys for the improvements in Tower-street, and on other financial matters of the Corporation, was taken into consideration. Mr. Deputy HARRISON and Mr. R. L. JONES proposed that the report should be sent back to the committee, with instructions that more particular details should be supplied of the apparently unaccountable expenditure in rebuilding the Coal Exchange. The CHAIRMAN said the details would sufficiently prove the care and vigilance of the present committee, and bad no objection whatever to the reconsideration of the report, which was accordingly recommitted. BLACILFRIARS BRIDGE. Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR (the chairman of the Bridge house Committee) brought up a report for sanctioning the Chamberlain's advances in respect of works autho rised to be executed at Blackfriars-bridge. Mr. BENNocrt called the attention of the Court to the state of the bridge, which was continually sinking, and causing a continual sinking of money by that dangerous process.—(Hear, hear.) Although 1,0001. had very latety been expended in repairs, no advantage had been effected. On the contrary, while the Bridge House Committee were tumbling rocks round the piers to prop them up, the Navigation Committee were at work to clear the river of such impediments.—(Great laughter.) Is was quite evident to the public that the corporation must very soon either build a new Blackfriars-bridge, or build a new bridge somewhere else. As for repairs they had been worse than useless, for they prevented the al ternative of a solid and permanent structure. Mr. Low said the observations of Mr. Bennoch were calculated to excite unnessary public alarm, and were ob viously made to hear out that gentleman's new notions about a new bridge.—(Hear, hear.) It was true that a large expenditure of money had taken place in conse quence of the frequent dikpidations, but no committee of the court was culpable. The fact was that a few years ego 100,0001. had been expended in repairs under the management of Messrs. Walker and Burgess, who asserted that they would last fifty years.—(A laugh.) In opposition to that assurance was the now existing fact that two of the piers wore sinking. It oc curred to him, when that defect was discovered, that the most advisable course to ba adopted would be to sink a coffer dam to ascertain the cause.—(Hear, hear.) At all events, the corporative had acted with due caution and activity, and were not answerable for the conduct of the contractors, who had engaged to accomplish an impor tant task, which they had failed to perform.—(Hear, hear.) The statement of Mr. Bennoch was exaggerated, but it could not be denied that a large sum of money had been thrown away. Mr. 11. L. TAYLOR said the price of a coffer damn for the ascertainment of the defect would have amounted to 30,000/.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared, however, from the representations of those who were engaged in repairing tho bridge that the experiment would not be necessary. Tho corporation was in the hands of the doctors, and certainly Messrs. Walker and Burgess had no cause to be dissatisfied with their patient.—(Laughter.) A large sum had been expended, and the corporation was in the following positiou. It had acted under the advice of Messrs. Walker and Burgess hitherto, and it would pro ceed no further without the additional advice of S ir William Cubitt and Mr. BruneL— (Hear, hear.) The obligation to repair the bridge bad been saddled upon it by Parliament, and piers would sink and bridg es would fail, and when they did fail new ones must be built for the accommodation of the whole commanity.—(Hear.) The report was then agreed to. THE GREAT FLEET VALLEY IMPROVEMENT.or e „ Mr. Deputy Kenmore rose to present the rep or t the Fleet Valley Improvement Commipttereesehunptcooonnbjs•eihsetsedwasef me morial of Mr. Charles Pearson. His to have the report and its app . endices, the reports of the several engineers, awndhicother evidence of an important character, printed, and t o prApeoenr.e) the consideration of the matter to a future d y what Mr. H. L. TAYLOR wished to know . d ble appearance as appen dices (which presented a most formi dable the altogether looked to hulk) consisted of before he would consent to the ex pense of printing them. The documen t than anything more like a huge railway concern of allowing such a mass else.— (Laughter.) He could not thin to get into print without due d Court had to his know elkiberation. Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR said t he endices of considerably ledge frequently ordered p greater length to be printed before discussion, otherwis e it was quite impossible that the members could know any of the contents. in the appendices, order to show the necessity M r. Deputy HARRISON , Henneso n oted some sentence s f rom of printing p connected with the est i mate e s the reorts of the eng of the p ro b a ble cost Ortll9 undertaking. Several members t vls b e to hear a statement o f t h e heads of the report, but Mr. Deputy HA-eisn ore handed the report it se l f to Mr. Woodthorpe, and move d that it should be rea d . carried, The motion being The CLERK re ad the report, w hi ch Was in substance as follows:- - e Teas having met immediately to proceed in the con sideration of the reference, we, in the first instance, di looted Die. to prepare the pr o p er not i ces cir to he inserte d in the Gazctie and uewspapers—that we were subsequently attended by Mr. Remembraneer, who laid before us the draft of nut;eo of an application to parliament, which had been prepared by Messrs.l3urchell a nd Parson, solicitors, and the draft of a notice proposed to be given on the Put of the City, which he itod Pro- ---- pared, and after consulting with the Town Clerk, Soli c,aintdo r o rd a r d e d ie t c: ear: saute t n o e e b r ; d w a e l y approved i o n f t t h h b e G n a o z t i e c t e t e , and papers accordingly. We al so di recte d t h e p l ans and models of the contemplated measure to be laid before us at our next meeting, and that the question of appointing competent engineers should be then considered, and we requested the architect in the mean time to examine the plan and estimate prepared by Mr. Pearson. " That at our subsequent meeting, the Remeenbrancer reported that the notices had been duly i nserte d i n the Gazette and newspapers, as directed by us. The City architect was heard on his proceedings under the order of the previous meeting; and Mr. Pearson having at tended, with Mr. Stevens, jun., his surveyor, laid before us plans and sections in explanation of hie general plan, and Mr. Stevens was heard as to the gradients embraced in the proposed measure, and stated that there was no difficulty in connecting the proposed line with the other railways to the north of the Thames. " That your committee having heard Mr. Pearson generally on his plan, it was resolved that the same was desirable, if, upon further inquiry, it should appear that no practical objection existed to the execution of the work, and that the cost could be amply provided for. And in order to fully satisfy ourselves and to afford the necessary information to the Court, we further resolved that it should be referred to Mr. Banning, the City's architect, with some gentlemen to be thereafter named, to consider as to the practicability and cost of the plans proposed by Mr. Pearson, with power to make and re ceive any suggestions they might think calculated to improve the plan, and to report to ns thereon. It was further resolved, that Mr. J. W. Higgins be one of the parties to be associated with the City architect in the inquiry ; and that Mr. J. Walker be the engineer to he is like manner associated ; and we requested E. Harri son,putthEesmq.s'edlveepsutyin, o c n o r m c m h a a n i r i m e a a t n i 0 , n w w i t i h t h M t h r o . a ß e u g n e n n i u n e g e t n o forthwith, and request that they would attend us at our next meeting ; at tin g oiir meeting on 21st November last we were attended by Mr. Walker and Mr. Banning, who were both beard, and the l a tt er l a i d before ns l a cora tion from Mr. Higgins, i n rep l y to the referengtou n h l im a , when we "Resolved—That the consideration of the subject be adjourned to Monday, 15th Decemberiirtoreeeive and consider the reports from Mr. Bunning,. Walker, Mr. Higgins respectively. " That your committee met on the 15th December accordingly, and received reports from those gentlemen, copies of which are hereunto annexed for the informa tion of the Court, and are respectively marked A, B, and C. We were also on that occasion attended by Mr. Pearson as the projector of the plan, who laid before us a statement from Mr. Stevens in explanation of the same, and particularly with reference to the cost of the pro jected measure, After hearing all the parties, and fur ther considering the subject, we referred it to Mr. Wal ker to report to us how far it would he practicable to connect the proposed trunk railway with the Great Nor thern, the Great Western, and the Eastern Counties Railways; and it was also referred to Mr. Higgins and Mr. Bunning to consider and report as to the cost in re spect of the property involved in any mode which Mr. Walker might agree to be practicable in an engineering point of view, for connecting the present railways with the proposed trunk line. We also authorised Mr. Hig gins and Mr. Bunning to give Mr. Pearson any infornaa- Lion respecting these reports which in their discretion they might think proper to communicate. " That at a meeting on the 19th December we di rected Mr. Walker to be informed that we wished to have his report on the 29th December, when we would meet to receive it. " Having then heard Mr. Pearson upon his plan, who in addition read a statement in respect of the informa tion he was desirous of having as to the estimates of Mr. Bunning and Mr. Higgins, and having also heard these gentlemen upon the subject, we resolved that they should be requested to give Mr. Pearson ithe amount of their estimates with respect to the property to the south of the line marked on the plan referred to in Mr. Pear son's statement. "That your committee accordingly met on the 29th December, when we received a report from Mr. Walker upon their last reference, accompanied with a map and four sections in explanation of it, we also received copies cf the reports of Mr. Bunning and Mr. Higgins to Mr. Pearson, giving him their estimates, as directed, and heard each of the gentlemen respectively upon the sub ject of their report, and we resolved to discharge the reference to Mr. Higgins and Mr. Bunning as to the cost of the several communications with the other railways, as some of the lines were purely hypothetical, and we did not feel justified in incurring, for the present, the expense of such a survey, having satisfied ourselves of the practicabili ty o f the commuercation. "Having thus detailed our various proceedings, it now remains for us to allude to the reports •of Mr. Walker, Mr. Higgins, and Mr. Bunning, as well as to the state ment of Mr. Stevens, all of which we have caused to be hereunto annexed, for the more full and complete infor mation of this honourable court. " And your committee beg further to report to your , Honourable Court that, having, as before stated, deter mined that Mr. Pearson's plan was desirable, if no prac tical objection existed to its completion, the expense being amply provided for, we subsequently considered Mr. Walker's report of December 15, 1851, and are of opinion that such report does not show any practical engineering diffielty in its execution; but, on the contrary, that it is capable of completion with only the ordinary difficulties attending such a line through a crowded part of the town, and where so many streets and thoroughfares are to be interfered with; but as the surmounting of these difficulties will afford facilities for improving many of the streets and communication, they may, in the result, be rather a recommendation to the plan than an objection. Mr. Walker, in his report, specifying distinctly all the works to he done, estimates the amount, upon a conside ration of the details, at 750,0001, "As to the cost of the execution, Mr. Higgins and Mr. Bunning, having been in corn municatton with Mr. Walker upon the hasty and general survey which the limited time allowed them only permitted them to make, state in their reports that they had estimated the amount under compulsory dealings in the total (detailed or apportioned estimates being impracticable) not to exceed 1,673,000/. after deducting the estimated value for surplus properties, the market sites and building frontages, and sites round the passenger station and the intended streets, making, together with the amount of 750,0001. before reported by Mr. Walker, the sum of 2,423,0001. " Mr. John 11. Stevens, the engineer and surveyor employed by Mr. Pearson, in a report to that gentle man, dated 15th December, 1351, states his estimate of the cost of construction at 800,0001., including the entire cost of excavating the ground tor four double lines, with sidings, the viaduct over Farringdon-street, the raising of Holborn Valley, the alteration and reconstruction of sewers, the completion of the connexion of all side streets with the main line of road, and the completion of the four lines of railway and their stations, including all contingencies; and further estimates the balance of loss between the purchase of the whole property required, and the sale of the surplus at less than 700,000/, in cluding the sums for trade compensation and the con tingent loss between buying and selling surplus property, not required to be taken for the purposes of the under taking, making together the sum of 1,500,000/. " In addition to the practicability of the trunk line, inasmuch as the ultimate profit of that line, as well as its benefit to the public and the city of London, must in a great measure depend upon the other lines to the north of the river Thames having access to it, we referred it to Mr. Walker to report to us the general practicability of communication between these several lines of railway, and we received from him the report, which we consi dered sufficient to show the reasonable practicability of tho junction of the trunk line with the Great Western, the North-Western, the Great Northern, the Eastern Counties Railways, and the Dock Junction, by means of several lines, some in existence, others projected, and others alternative, in none of w hi c h, h o wever, are there any unusual engineerin g difficulties to prevent their exe cution. practicable, and of . "We are, therefore, of opinion that the trunk line and the communicating lines are praee with out expressing any opinion whether. thecorporation embark provided lnirie i oa t uril is yy to be executed w purely a ques rLaoilnwdaoyn scheme, would o r w c h o i n e h l d w w e i witch consider r t e o t y be n th u e s, most the approbation o f tion for this Honourable Court, and not within our pro vince, we do not s being carried to the t a h n e y proposedcoobnjae ection near to i it e h e the corporation; and we consider that it would b e desirable to secure, if possible, to the public and the cor poration of London, the great benefits which will arise from such a terminus, and the street improvements which will be the necessary consequences ee the con struction of the line may be secured without any risk being incurred by the corporation ,beyond that for which there will be an adequate return." Mr. Deputy HARRISON then moved that the considera tion of the report bed ostponed, and that the report t appendices be prinand circulated Amongstthe an mem bers of the Court. Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said he had no objection to the printing of the document just read and the reports of Messrs. Walker, Banning, and Higgins, but he objected to the idea of printing the vi ews projector, who had already de'ws and opinions of the subject sufficiently to the b isplayed his talents on the public. It would be nothing less than identifyin— g the Court with the speculations of that ingenious yang an, and he should therefore move an amendment to the effect of excluding from the mo tion the statements, opinions, and explanations of the projector. Alderman SIDNEY said if the Court should determine to print the report and the appendices of the engineers, they were bound jector.—(gear, to print the observations jector.—(Hear, hear. ) It would be found that the pro fessional e nte rtained very men engaged upon the occasion remarkable dif etences of opinion, varying, indeed, from half a million to two million four hundred thousand in their estimate of the probable ex . pense —(Hear, hew., and loud cries of " No, no," and laughter.) It would be rec ollected, too, that the estimate was confined to the junction with one railroad, whereas upon the introduc tion of the plan the junction with four was contemplated, a Project which would have swelled the most moderate estimate to upwards of six millions. — (Laughter, and cries of " Oh" and " Hear.") If the Court would print the documents they would be able to understand the magnitude of the plan, and could not be c h arged with injustice or prejudice.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. WILLIAM JONES said it would be an act of great unfairness not to publish the whole of the documents upon which the committee had founded the report which had been just rea d to the Court. It was a subject w hich generally affected the constituency, and upon which every member of the corporation ought to be fully informed.—(Hear, ht at%) Mr. Deputy LOTT said the documentary .matter in cluded the able and persuasive address of Mr. Ch arles d P ea rson, and he would ask th e C our t whether the y ever yet done such a thi ng as pr i nt t h e e vidence of their own officer upon a sc h eme of his own for ming — ( Hear, hear, And laglit er , an d a i m oh o Ile "chid say of the body he was now addressing what he had the , other " You are malting day said to another body which had not been distin guished for wisdom or iud?p.endence, yen ." — (Lraighte and , a d d e r p er a f t T e n e g eonaed Afr. EL L. Tuilor's Mr. GRESHAM said the Court would pay v er y b a d eYrciuea amen dm e nt. oe i f T'e' great)Tli compliment to diem . selves to take the opi n i on o f the without being committee upon so important a questiop supplied with the documents upon which 0 2 " Opinion was founded. Mr. THORPE wished to have everything printed w hi ch the committke seemed to consider of importance. Mr. Deputy HARRISON said if any argument were cal.. culated to show m ost powerfully the necessity for print ing the whole of the documents, it was the extr aor di nary statement of Alderman Sidney, in which that worthy Alderman said the project involved such enormous sums. —(Hear, hear.) When the whole of the case should come with its accumulated evidence before the Court. he bad every reason to hope for its unanimous adoption.—. (Loud cheers and murmurs.) The amendment was then rejected by a large majority, and the original motion was carried. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR FEB. 12. Tha addition s t o t h e Royal dinner party, last cveni‘Jg were --Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, 'She Lady in Waiting to h er R iyal Highness, the Baronessde Spetb, Lady C aroline Barrington, and Sir Ge'arge Couper. The Queen, with the Prince of Wales, walked in the Home Park and Slopes this morning. Tho Princess Royal and the younger members of the Royal Family took their usual walking and pony exercise. A deputation from the Royal Patriotic and Industrial Society of Scotland and the Committee for Industrial Relief, eons . isting of Cluny Macpherson, Macleod of (hon. seere- Maee3o, Sir John Heron Maxwell, Sir Duncan M eFßreadillerick William dougall, ]LC.F., Mr. Charles Cowan, M.p., Mr. B ez i a . min Bond Cabbell, M.P., Mr. Charles Forbes (of As-- loun), the Rev. Henry Mackenzie, the Rev. John lien emorrg. e t r y . ) G , Caldwell (of Mis n t a e r d y Y' to M t r h . • hnish), and Mr. Charles Bond (secre eJllohiguhtanydleyb,eeMi tary of the society), had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. A deputation, consisting of the Lerd Mayor, M r . Masterman, M.P., Sir James Duke, M.P., Mr. Deputy Harrison, Mr. Blake, Mr. Perkins, and the City R e ... membrancer, had an interview with Lord John Rus se ll yesterday at his off ic i a l res id ence in Downing-street. The Hon. William Begot had an interview yesterday with Sir George Grey at the Home-office. The Earl of Waldegrave had also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet. Sir Anthony Perrier and Dr. Sutherland had an inter view yesterday with the General Board of Health at their offices, Whitehall, on the cccasion of their return from Paris, where they have been attending as two of the delegates to the Sanitary Convention recently held in that city. Lord Stanley of Alderley attended yesterday for the first time at the Board of Trade. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. THE NEW ARCTIC EXPEDITION.-Sir Edward .. Bel cher, C. 8., th e comman d er o f t h e new Arctic expedition, it is said, prefers the North Star, 26, to the Resolute, for service. No doubt the man-of-war would make the beat depot. Lieut enan t Sh erar d Osborne will again coin• mend ono of the screw-tenders, and Commander M'Clin tock will command the other. Commander Richards, late of the Acheron steam-vessel, at New Zealand, will go in Sir E. Belcher's ship. APPOINTMENT S . Lieutenants —Edward Na es (1848), to the Excellent; John Allen (1841), to the Boscawen, 70, flag-ship, Chat ham; A. Luckraft 1838), to the Vesuvius, 6, steam sloop, Dovonport. Surgeon—James A. Miller (1846), to the Simoom screw troopship, Portsmouth. Chief Engineer—John Boswell, to the Simoom. Assistant Surgeons—Dr. James Young (Jan., 1851), confirmed to the Cumberland, 70, flag-ship, W es e Indies; John Sole (1845), to the Tyne transport, Wool wich. Assistant Engi neers —J ames Downey, George Cork, John Wynhall, to the Simoom; W. R. Tabean, to the Ajax, 58, screw guard-ship, Queenstown. Boatswain—George Ray, to the Simoom. Carpenter—S. Croggan, to the Simoom. Tho paymaster of the Hydra steam-sloop, Commander Belgrave, which sailed on Tuesday evening for the Cape, was left behind, not having returned to his ship at the ime she was ordered to proceed to sea. Pilot, 12, Commanehr V. G. Hickley, from the East Indies, last from Portsmouth, arrived at Devonport at 4 15 on Wednesday? afternoon. She will be inspected, and having discharged her powder, come into harbour to be paid off. Spartan, 26, and the Desperate screw steam-ship of 400-horse power, are nearly ready for commission. Diligence naval transport was expected to sail yester day, from Devonport, with stores for the fleet at Lisbon. Marxeaverer lighter, Ross, sailed to-day with stores for Port:month and Chatham. The following warrant officers, attached to Davenport ordinary, having on survey been reported unfit for fur ther active service, have been discharged on superannu ation:—Messrs. Wallis, gunner, on 751. per annum; Freeman, ditto, 651.; Nicholson, ditto, 551.; Williams, ditto, 401.; Hale, carpenter, 601.; and Chard, ditto, 641. A boat, belonging to the Arophion, 30, advanced screw-ship, at sheerness, was capsized in a sudden squall on TursCaf, when one out of three hands in the boat was drowned. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 12.—At the examination of offi cers to qualify for the rank of lieutenant to-day, at the Royal Naval College, the following passed:—Measrs. S. W. G. F. May, G. S. Nares, W. Waymouth, R. Bm!shaw, J. Ti. J. Alexander. H. C. Burleigh, C, J. Rowley, H. H. Knocker, H. E. G. Earle, T. 0. Kidd, W. F. Edwards, F. Hardy, G. H. Burnaby, A. C. Bal lbogall, and E. L. Round. '.l'u® following second master s a l so passe d for mas ao H. C. A. t vv er i s ik :— ins Tl o l n e , ssr.. J iwa M in . , H m o . ck T l . ey w , rjiihct: j n oe d e . F. Cle meutson. The following young gentlemen at the same time passed examinations qualifying for entry into the service as naval cadets: —Messrs. W. M. Bridger, W. N. T&bell, 11. C. A. Brand, C. C. Hassell, and W. Brabazon. The Simeon new iron steam•frigate hoisted the pen dant yesterday. Captain Kingcome, late of the Bel leisle, commissioned her for troop service. She was to have gone out of harbour to-day, and the Rodney, 92, was removed for the , convenience of allowing her to swing for the adjustment of her compasses, but, at the last moment, it was discovered something was the matter with the engines, so she is delayed from going to sp i t. head for a day or two. rill procee d with the Arctic Expedition, The Argus new steam.sleop was taken from this portand which e to Devonpurt to-day to join the advanced steam squadron at that station. She took down a play o f men from the Excellent to join the Ilotspur gunnery ship. Woonwreu, FEB. 12.—Surgeon Robert Al.`Cormi - le is ordered to be made fully ready at Woolwich by (1827) 15th of April next; but he has permission' to the his own judgment with a boat party on . act on the arrival of the expedition at Wellington Channel. Upwards of fifty lieutenant,' have mad servic e in the expedition, b ut it i © application for mor e than four or five will b e s not expected that appointed unl t i ona l steamer of mor e Power than , e.ll an a 1- d . al ready in commission i s Placed at eithe r of thosed Sir Edward Belcher, which •is the service of C apta i n bo the case by all t h e oflicere an xiously wished should Lieutenant Rob ertson, of '7 h ere , had the pendantP toe steam department afloat the Assistance, the hoisted this morning on board Pincer. , 14" eSOLIte, the Intrepid, and the Captain Sir Edward in the fo renoon ßelcher a rr i ve d at t h e dockyard works on the sa'ila'nd gave dir ect i ons to commence the log vessels immediately, and in the course of the d ay scaff o ld ing was put up to sharpen the bows of th e p s sistance and Resolute, which will be of advantage to them RAILWAY AND OTHER BILLS ON STANDING ORDERS. WOLVERHAMPT ON J UNCTION R AlLW AY.—Yesterd ay this company' s Bill to ma k e a ra il wa y to conn ec t t h e Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway with the Shrewsbury and Buckingham Railway, and for working arrangements with them, and station ap proachei, at a cost of 104,000/., was declared not to have complied with the standing orders. DORCHESTER AND EXETER COAST RAILWAY..--Tho standing orders were declared not complied with in this case, for making a railway from Dorchester to Exeter at a cost of 490,000/. YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY.—In this case, for a branch lino to the Victoria or East Dock at Hall, the standing orders were not complied with. LEICESTER-SQUARE IMP ROVEMENT.—The Bill to pro vide for the improvement of Leicester-square, and to secure Mr. Wyld in the possession and enjoyment of the enclosed garden or area, yesterday complied with the standing orders. The Bill sets forth that Mr. Wyld has, , at considerable cost, erected a build i ng ( t h e . Great Globe"), and has planted and otherwise improved the square, which, from it s f ormer l y ru i nous and dilapidated condition, was a d etr i ment and nu i sance to the neigh bourhood. It states that Mr. Wyld has purchased the foe-simple and inheritance of the square and garden, and, the same has been duly conveyed to him, but that divers persons claim rights in respect of it, and that it is desir. able Mr. Wyld should be quieted in the possession and enjoyment of the square and garden, but that the same cannot be effected without the aid and assistance of p ar . a l so complied with the Etandiog liament. The following Bills to- i &et Harbour), Clausen' r and improvement :—Lincolnshire Estuary (for inclosure of lar da improvement of ~ a-D . s atent patents in England), Dept. Flax Company an for inc3rporation), and It . 1 ford Gaslight Comp Y ( at way A s surance Company. Passengers As. (for wor king who . mliasalong time attached to the Yard stantinop e, but who Is bettor known by his Nineveh,Constantinople, has been appointed Under Secretary a Affairs. of State for Foreign [ADVERTISEMENT.] - riolloWns's Ointment and • certain Cure for Bad Logs. — Extract of a letter from Pills a Mr. George Pates, chemist, ' Exeter, Dec. 31, 1851. "To Professor Holloway. Str,—Among the many persons who 3' bass fr. y l4 ; have derived benefit from your excellent medicines, I may discoveriesell at . mention a poor woman residing at Kinford, who had a bad leg of a severe description for many months. She was under the care of several eminent surgeons, but obtained no relief. At length the clergyman scription to purcha se f rom me some of your Ointment and Pills, and in a few w ee k s they effected a perfect cure of her leg and res t ore d h er t o good health. " —Sold by all Drugg Holloway's and at Professor of the parish kindly raised a sub. Establishment, 244, 8 tail Imam. H t was esdict ad of ) this ice of )f the rough ycir vies. 'flied xtent Ricers ( will latter. strion ,tiobe, gen-