The Sun. — London, England, 1846-03-06 00:00:00

........ •- ' ''‘ . ' '_ 3E , h!iter from his situation. He (Sir James Graham) • kh 7 dot the slightest wish to keep back one particle of 4,,7 evidence which had been taken on that case, and "Il'eteutht that it was highly desirable that all papers con if,(ll,,,with this isiquiry should be hid on the table. t o , " .-r4BRANI.), before the question was put, a ished 0 , !It whether he could second tha amendment to the nStisal resolution, 'ihe SPEAKER having replied in the affirmative, tea % WAKLEY said he was for the original motion tre or the amendment also, because he thought it ex 16,11:erlY desirable that the House should be furnished /t a PPear ll particulars r espect i ng t hi s i mportant matter.s ura ed to him that the better an would be ad- , the debate fort hree weeks or pl a month; and to there , 01 4 5 reasons for the adjournment of the debate of which k el ) Ron. Members were not aware. There was now o w r i tn titaiw m n i i t rg t i e n esittin g , o f w hi c h h e was a mem b er, wh i ch into th e appo i ntment of d i str i ct off i cers in th e , l unions. Th e Commissioners had as much as th' could aecomplish in f urn i s hi ng t h e C omm i t o e with th e necessary documents ; and he felt sure that if iek,rilruPosed Committee were appointed, it would be itt e ,l impossible fur the Poor-lass Commissioners to ktaa, s t u tln'tn. He (Mr. Wakley) had never tha n il l % 05 50 which required a more searching scrutiny l ion. ite °II * now in question; and he felt sure that the th e ,Member who had moved for the appointment of reel."'„,°lnniittee would be of the same opinion.. The t oed " that the Right Hon. Geutleman opposit , e , had , tot ye: that it was merely a ~ workhouse squabbk, !vas l'y creditable. He (Mr. Wakley) admitted the im del,7ce.oe to the matter that had been brought under the 014,,,, r at10n of the House.He would lint undertake to Ilor --4 8t i o et h the prow se of public opinion on the point in I llore o ," It involved the consideration of something P aulet oss.4_" a w orkhouse squabble. The powers of the ts h i ', Co mrnisioners, which had been . cha . racterised no w ii)leg' ext raordinary, and even unconstitutional, ha . d . kat a el l exercised for the space of 10 years. Unto re: motion had been brought before the House with liSo et ,: h to_ i the manner in which the Poor-law Commis- Wat th,, 4/11 exercised their functions. He considered it (I IItr o; "utY of the House to inquire in what way the Losleth.lcuers had fulfilled their office. It was therefore Poe. d u g more than workhouse squabble. The Bight O, N gentleman had a stated that several improvements " 4 ° (li st en Place, and that, amongst others, the amount of tree , -a rY had been increased. But did he know that Iliq-tkili_th_e.i.nereased dietary is not sufficient? It was I ,7eoli s e e which had led to the dismissal of a . n assistant en' oft I°ll er, who had performed his duties in a satisfac ,sse elner, for a long period previous to the inquiry. rapke.rumlaissioners complained of Mr. Parker, and A r l e r f . t e te te l i C o Ol uPlained of them. M`Dougal, the h ,,rge s ti e complained that the most . outrageous ma nd '"tlis e "ad been made against him. He a 0 4 lkil 4 th e c, ovvcd the opportunity of defending himself. 4 4 , 0; 0 o s A AP : eatigust the Right Hon. Barone r er d n e s rt i o in o g k ‘l4 4nquiri h, lie ns es on the subject of the bone I • wiihe: ref There had been also further complaints '4lleonderence to the treatment of the paupers, and N I i .`icet of 1 4tt Pua tu , d of the th governors ein o w f h t i h e a h t workhouse. He that inquiry had 11 / 1 11 14;?! 1(Il leted w e ijr r n e n fer r ence to throwing all the re- Sk i Laity b est e , , and providing funds, and the expense of Zhite tn ' uPon the medical officer of the workhouse f . Q t h - ,,, a PPear before the public as the accuser o e s '"re er s"oer, and upon him was thrown the ;jt3 oleoPonsibility and expense of the examination. 7st k , e te ever such a shameful thing known before, „. 4 ,tt,„, ° in, eel. is to appear before a Court which was Ns ~,et'Y s peaking, a tribunal ? There was no judge, L 'eSe e r g' *lnd no witnesses allowed to be called for the k loto 6 , - . Be (Mr • Westlake) did not, however, flinch -l! Be . which was thus unjustly laid upon airy --`lB v ritne Y sses were procured at a great expense tlt en e w s its gone into, and proceeded with to a great 141 1 ' o '"ull Mr. Parker then considered it was neces- VP ' sta l Order that the master (Mr 1114llougal) might 'llties,"'s that to postpone the further inquiry for tkllt back 110 Came 'up to London, and was immediately i. l ied l a k e ,: by the Poor-law Commissioners,. who mm -01.0.7 to go on with the inquiry, notwithstanding ; 4 4,,:"'5e of five days to prepare the evidence. Under Lllisamruonistances is it liky that the public will be 474 0 - ' °l)osiderin, the power exercised at the Poor 11' ithy bArl lnlniss ioners'- g offi cea power never before granted is a llse O F 4 Y of men—superior to any power of either j*.einatio Parliament, which enables them by a rule or .44eat p ll to suspend the operation of an Act of Not -144411!. t . h ott , .We should be jealous of that power. le e Inquiry should be made, but even the bare 4 i,s,_ l 4of that Power being misapplied should lead to L ,Zestigation in that House. If, however, there e ltt l°, 6sd he Po inquiry —if we are to remain mac without instituting any Committee, the Nil s und the boards of guardians will not be so latLeatified. The public will see how the paupers are toultalZuseeinehenlvhethey have been suffering in that work passing of the oor-law from the want of le The alteration of the p dietr sufficiently ' proves te;:_ Be hoped the Right nonour Y able Baronet would i;cent to withdraw his opposition to the present i lOn, and to appease the feelings of the suffering poor. 4,, kw reflect up pa their feelings if they found that this :e shut their door aesainst inv estigation of their qsaj: ances. He did not wish to go into any of the tions against Mr. M'Dougal, because he had not top, 44, opportunity of rebutting them, which he said he ,%*ss nat e done, had he been allowed to do so. He will 'Niel, have an opportunity if this Committee is e lite, "IL the resent motion was an appeal from %lit , court he p p support the motion. It is k 1 10 .. , vrou u not 'lle berver, one. The inquiry was not complete, it was t : k it, A '„, r e a gPmtleman who had not power to do justice go M. l'arker was the last person to be sent down tiis ) ,. tl ght to have been sent down to make tha . t in- Ik it Ztea: l u had to inquire into his own conduct, it was b ,... 4 as...Nieeted, therefore, that he would make are Coe 7fillkst himself. He was a gentleman, who, by 4 - It Wee his office, was supposed to have known all U pon as ig'ing on in Andover ; he was sent down to IA ft.'ill'estigation and he was the culpable party. N e ,..-mitt u i eli , ground, therefore, he considered that another h n lar. Ni9,, 4 should be made. Cot (Sir4IITIE considered that the Right Hon. Ba ts 74 ti le J‘lnes Graham) did not always look done 4 bbl e Ile did not always consider it a workhouse kg l Ari t t seemed, from a pamphlet published by lea, s tr C r ' t hat he rec e i ve d a l e tt er f rom one o f Li s kaiithe itinle,hna.issirioners in which he states that he had tt ei ,;exp r Z 3 ' non. Baronet,.. the Secretary of State, as s a erie oed his opinion upon the subject as being to it aerie matter ; but now he thought fit to de tet:e A u lt Mere workhouse squabble. The subject It stira s - ,lyer Union had been before the public for h eti ' 4 4 i h ' It had assumed many shapes, but . from n first e 4 1* '',.t th„ er ,° had always been a desire o k1ip 4 ‘;04 1 ,.„ - , 4 ight Honourable Baronet and the Poor lact,li -,74sioners to keep back all unfavourable 4 - h ""Jet. In refusing a Committee of Inquiry Ittli4 a_toti i t--° Right Hon. Baronet was only acting in kistehq with his former conduct. With reference Pets sallotal„, to which the Right Hon. Baronet refers in 4 44 4 tIlti se nt, he (Mr. Christie) would ask why were ,4:o„„PoPers produced before this ? It was more 1 4% 0 e e - a gt i. ll since they were moved for by an Hon. t N es tle: 44 m- The Right don. Baronet has kep NA , ti o , l back to the last moment, and he then . 40111 10 41 and proposes to substitute these papers, in at red fo ry, which the Hon. Member for Andover Ne - v -, tie did not wish to be unparliamentary, 11 4 00 4 , Iti te tt e l p ; !ay he thought that it was nothing more Z'lt L.L...r„ Juggleo on the part of the R:ght Hun. VI I le ' 11 ar, hear," from Mr. Ferrand.) He did Vlts a i b are the papers time enough to examine 'ltih„ lip oh te,s, and he wished by means to im ,l all V ' rarliament and the country these that he was la pt i r t t 00 th.t.at could possibly be done to promote an 'lli ye t le . 1 0 subject. The simple facts of the case 1 t s° 4tli :-.41 r Commissioner Parker was sent down i li t ' t h o : u.lAu.gnst to make inquiries on the su b j A kt ile crushing, and other alleged misconduct k t i o aver union. He sent up a report of the de &4lto--,,'" on that occasion. On the Bth August the , t v , `otE,' called on the Right Hun. Baronet at 4 00 -- i e ,' and a conversation took place there ;11eqns t"e Horne Secretary, Sir Edmund Head, kie„oit Aar Immediately after that conversation tkllil l iZ tt ltt 41104! Baronet came down to p t r h h e er H h ou ad se, co a m nd 4 4 As• sistant Commissioner_ • it II N t o him that he had made inquiries with re elritthe tip s Paupers of the Andover Union having N t 's),, e sh and a row of putrid bones. He (Mr. 4440tnssigsideredmthrt the report of Mr. Parker went 11 44 1 , 4 : - l e r, and contemplated a a greater number the /1 4 00, : r i t t il , 1 1. 1 7 e l i s i ti h n g to this laid horrible I p t r i aa l t t ic i e ro t n h o a u n ra t hl e e thk i t l „ t he table been t n h l e st llou y se. He says in his re itt,4 h, :1 . % inmates of the workhouse had eaten the .d oat hil t t " h id 'h had been found attached in a putrid N -I )s b ",o.t tl :,. °4 e3 and other stinking meat. He also stated iti e 'to s Q "'e Was necessary to be taken, in order to 'ilka u t A tl tc,,°Ltile paupers, who was in the habit of thus ki7to fr o ,:°_ was considered to be in an unsound state ' a ea, Z s g Dag near the . bonehouse or the hog-tub. L *es e 70 were described as men of depraved ap 'N)Vrh ' in addition to other inmates of the work -6 ' t the °ta tad that they had been in the habit of '4141111 0' nteat and breaking the bones, in order to tOre il tser ow ttry Par ativei from the bones, which were brought state from the tables of the tilIli;1:10t1)114 in h Y abi f t r e e . s t h s of An.lover and the public Oh, * IA i....:,./V nothing of this report, with the exce.p -r, Mt " tl eY could obtain from the sources of daily N C 0 % t0211 111 „ 4 , a ,d they had just reason to consider tbe h n: kil l elZistl3',l B factory. Mr. Parker had placed in . his tOlt-'4 ''ok - 3 ) hand emorandum of a conversation pi a , 4 a m li e toLlltia ohetween the Right Hon . ou . rable Baronet Iti_koj‘ L , tiohaeother Poor-law Commissioner ; and in s'° lion b ey - of his (Mr. Christie's) general statements, 4 41 4 iZ l oa t b t° ,_read the . mememorandum to the House. I"4ltiestiole Member went on to read the memoran- Vs e , h ad 11, from which it appeared that . Sir James eon ) 'kent ° Mr. 4. )1° at e' t Parker that he did not lik . - I, Vv lt h of the poor in bone-crushing. He said t 4t 4 Ci t l ll d - ,? t ePeedil put an end to, there would be 44 --4 th . "'v in Ye Heuse on the subject. It was ld tiNtl ll 4 at oe tt !should the inquiry be continued it would 4 1 ' 1 1 / 4 Wi th In trade for the limes for the next six n„ . °la o.l. es (3141, reference to the rep in of Mr. Parker, traisat s o , - ono had stated that the report must not h pl ,ot, 41 sio tts Itrd in that state. Mr. Nichol, one of the ‘ll . k tl lt k lit i, ti ' akin expressed an opinion to the same Nta le IN e tritttni,ally, Sir James Graham undertook to 414044 e Pea r befor e the House, in the most favour shl Itkrezthetiblet The Honourable Member went Ty e ' de no benefit could be derived from bringing kAti'iti t i n ti ; °lttlit s .ition of witnesses taken upon the second . 44 - it ' ) ; 4 7 h ad - r k e ation had taken place upon the subject. kit ° °,llsr a i ki .l ue en Productive of no beneficial results, tk . i ; a 4 ,,-.er ed -to satisfaction to no parties whatever. Nl',' l hi e ' tell e t "t the Right Hon. Gentleman should 11 4 4 4 4 'l i s t udt 6 1° far in his condemnation of the master No , h - tr 3, itu'ld been decided by the tribunal este. N 4 lrt i l t :„ (l , on e . . L T he case of the master was a p.enti :l fins, ' - ,e had petitioned the House, detailing h prep ai tucl stating, that if he had been allowed -4 11 - his defence d ' nst the eed es u l , ''" are been a bl e agai to have tnet all thegm PRE_ sux, tdoNg satisfactorily ; and, moreover, that where •he had time to prepare, he had entirely established his innocence. He further stated that Mr. Parker had promised him time to prepare his evidence, and that that promise had been fulfilled; in consequence of which, he found it necessary to resign, or proceed to his de fence without being able to furnish any evidence of his innocence. Under these circumstances there was only one course open to him to adopt, and that was not to allow the inquiry to continue, and to throw the de nial of justice on the Poor-law Commissioners. There were two incidents in that inquiry, which struck him in a remarkable manner, and which, he must say, ap peared to him inexplicable, except upon a supposition to which he was most unwilling to give his assent, namely, that the Poor-law Commissioners, thoroughly scared by the inquiry, were determined to stop it, at every hazard, no matter who might suffer or be injured. —(Hear, hear.) At a time when the public prejudice was at its height, the Poor-law Commissioners suddenly sent down an order suspending an inquiry, and with it a proposal that another course should be adopted, which he (Mr. Christie) must say was of a most extraordinary and unjustifiable character, It , 4 as that Mr. Wesley, the party bringing the charges, should select one case of embezzlement upon which the Commissioners would prep ire an indictment against the master, and one charge of an attempt to take liberties with the female inmates, upon which also they would prepare an indictment, and send the cases for trial at the sessions. Now he asserted that this was a most unjust proposa , , for if the master was acquitted on one case, would he not have reason to complain that he had not be.'n allowed to defend himself from the other charges which were brought against him, especially when it is considered that the evidence supporting those allega tions was before the public—and even were he acquitted on that one case, would it not have been said ever after by the public, that he would not have been acquitted on the others had the evidence been gone into. He said, therefore, that such a course would not have been avail- able for the purpose of justice. The proposal, however, being unsatisfactory to both parties was refused; and when it was so the Poor-law Commissioners determined to resume the inquiry, and accordingly Mr. Parker re commenced the investigation. That gentleman pro posed that the master should be allowed some few days to prepare his defence ; this was, however, negatived, The counsel for the accused then applied for time and sought a respite of ten days. After much discussion, however, all parties consented to the propriety of a grant of five days. Mr. Parker returned to town, and had an interview with the Poor-law Commissioners, whom he found strongly disapproved of the course which had been adopted in permiting the delay of five days. Now he (Mr. Christie) contended that for a defence to the charges which had been made, five days was but a short time to prepare some of those charges ; especially those relating to improper conduct, which were of a nature diffi- cult to disprove; and particularly so when the party is inno cent. But it should be recollected that many oft hese very charges referred back to a period many years anterior to the time when the charges were first made. But the Poor law Commissioners overruled the delay, though Mr. Parker assured them that if they did so the counsel for the accused would advise his client to throw up the case, and throw the odium of the denial of justice on the Commissioners. His remonstrances, however, were without effect, and the matter turned out exactly as Mr. Parker had anticipated. Now he considered he had made out a case upon strong grounds, which fully jus tified him in demanding an inquiry into the conduct of the Poor-law Commissioners. Something had been said of the mode in which Mr. Parker had conducted the inquiry, and he must say he heard with great surprise an observation which fell from the Right Honourable Baronet in depreciation of that gentleman. He bad been dismissed from his situation, but there was one thing Which mu,t strike every man, • that Mr. Parker invited inquiry ; the Poor law Commissioners shunned all investigation. If the Right Hon. Gentleman alluded to the appointment of Mr. Price to the office of master, he (Mr. Christie) had only to state, that before Mr. Parker went down to An dover, he had an application from Mr. Price, for Mac dougal's situation, for such time as would b e th oug h t fit. Mr. Price h a d the highest recommendations, and Mr. Parker had an opportunity for some years of judg ing of his character and capabilities when placed in a similar position ; and, from what he then observed, he highly approved of his conduct, and, be sides that, Mr. Price had letters of recommendation from the chairman of the board of guardians at Oxford, speaking in the highest terms of him, and urging Mr. Parker to get some better situation for him. Mr. Parker had also seen Price when he was applicant for the Swin burn Union, and he then examined his testimonials, which were of the higl est character, and he was there fore not surprised to receive the application; and having such a high opinion of Price, he had no hesitation in ap pointing him. No person who considered the circum- Stances, could ever blame the course pursued by Mr. Parker. It would have been much more agreeable to his (Mr. Christie's) feelings if the Right Hon. Gentleman had felt it his duty to consent to this inquiry, for he would then have moved for it without any preface, but under the circumstances of his refusal, he could not have sought one without making a case which would justify his demand. He had the honour of being acquainted with Mr. Lewis and Sir E. Head. No one could deny their abilities, and he was sure he would be the last person who would be a willing party to any harshness. But he must say, that Mr. Parker had been most un fairly dealt with by the Poor-law Commissioners. Mr. Parker had been in the service of the Poor-law Commissioners for a term of nearly ten years. He had been first engaged as assistant secretary, and subse quently as Assistant Poor-law Commissioner. He left the honourable profession of the bar to enter their service; and now, after the lapse of nearly ten years, by that act, that arbitrary act of dismissal, he was again thrown back on his profession, though every gentleman who knew anything of human nature should be aware that, having given up a profession for so many years, and then returning to it, the man who did so laboured under very inauspicious circumstances.—(Hear, hear.) His peculiar hardship was that, in the course of the inquiry, facts and circumstances had transpired, and statements had been put forward in the newspapers that caused great excitement, and brought much odium on the Poor-law Commission, in the administration of which he held a prominent part ; yet no steps had been taken to explain why he was dismissed. He (Mr. Christie) certainly thought, until he heard the statement of the Right Honourable Baronet (Sir James Graham) that there had been some cogent reason for his dismissal ; hut after what had fallen from that Right Honourable Gentleman, it would appear that the Poor law Commis sioners disapproved of the mode in which he had con ducted the Andover inquiry, though everything ha had done in reference thereto was done under their order.— (Hear, hear.) However, the dismissal of Mr. Parker at that time, and under such peculiar circumstances, led the public to inf er th at h e h a d b een di sm i sse d be cause the Commissioners had adopted all the complaints made to them in reference to the conduct of the Andover investigation.—(Hear, hear.) There had been a petition presented to that House by Mr. Parker,in which he stated that he believed, and was fully prepared to prove before a Committee of that House, by evidence, the most unquestionable, that the Poor-law Commissioners dismissed him (Mr. Parker) in order to divert from themselves the odium that naturally would attach to them from such an inquiry.— (Hear, hear.) And he (Mr. Christie) should say, on behalf of Mr. Parker, that he had made out, in his opinion, a strong, a powerful case in support of his statement.—(Hear, hear.) So strong did he believe the case to be, that the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary for the Home Department, should, in justice to the Poor-law Commissioners, grant the inquiry, and then let these gentlemen produce their re butting testimony, when the public could judge who was right and who was wrong.—(Hear, hear.) The Right Honourable Baronet had, however, moved an amendment which he hoped would be negatived ; and though it might be said that the Poor-law Commis sioners had a discretionary power to remove and rein state their assistants at will, yet he (Mr. Christie) wished to know if that discretionary power was to be exercised by them without responsibility ?—(Hear.) He looked on it that there was a responsibility, for the House of Commons annnally voted these gentlemen their salaries ; and he then begged to acquaint the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, that if he should think fit to shield them from inquiry by negativing his proposition, he would feel it his duty, when the period for voting such salaries arrived, to confer with any other Honour able Members in resisting the payment of such until such an act of injustice and harshness should be inquired into and explained. (Hear, hear.) One of the principal charges advanced against Mr. Parker was, that he published documents that became known to him as a public officer, and in the discharge of his duty as such. Now if the Poor-law Commission ers had the power to dismiss an Assistant-Commis sioner, and then refuse all inquiry, such a doctrine, as precluding the injured party from making known their grievances, with a view to procure their redress, would lead to a great hardship, and the result, in his opinion, would be that there would be no security for any public servant hereafter. (Hear, hear.) Ho then left the case of Mr. Parker in the hands of the Right Hon. Gentleman •, and he hoped he would, in justice to the Poor-law Commissioners, grant the inquiry which he (Mr. Christie) sought for. But it the Right Hon. Gentleman should persist in refusing the inquiry, he should appeal to the Hon. Members of that House, and tell them that the case was not alone the case of Mr. Parker, but that of every public servant ; and that, judging from the way in which he had been treated—his past services forgotten—no allowance made for the single indiscretion of a long-tried and public servant—such would also be their treatment, the result of which would undoubtedly prove disastrous to the most important interests of the country.—(Hear.) Sir JAMES GRAHAM (who was quite inaudible in the gallery) was understood to say, in reply, that it was true he had received a written report from 111 r. Parker about the last day of last se-sion; and he did not hesitate to say that he thought he used that document for the public good. The Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Christie) had given it as his opinion that Mr. Parker had not transgressed the bounds of his duty, in introducing to the public reports of conversations that had occurred between him and the Poor-law Commis sioners. Now he (Sir J. Graham) should say that such a course of proceeding was indeed very novel. Now, as regarded the inquiry sought for, he begged the House would consider what the position of the Poor-lacy Com missioners really was. Parliament had given them the absolute power of appointing and dismissing their assis tants, inasmuch as they were responsible for every act done by their assistants. The act of the assistant was the act of the Commissioner, for the assistant was the agent, as it were, of the Commissioner ; and if there rested not such a power with the Commissioners, how was it possible that any business could be performed, or who would make themselves responsible for its due performance ? (Hear, hear.) It would, in his opinion, be destructive of the entire machinery, if the power of that body were questioned ; and he then felt bound to tell the Hon. N, FRIDA Gentleman that it was not on account or tse:Ased. in which the Andover inquiry had been Con ducted, nor was it for an}• specific act, that Mr. Barker was dismissed. Mr. Parker had been the subordinate officer of the Commissioners, but, in a spirit of insubor dinivion to his superiors, he quarrelled with them . ; they became dissatified, and accordingly dismissed him.— (Hear, hear.) He would not trespass further upon the attention of the House, as he wished to confine himself to an explanation relative to Mr. Parker. Mr. FERRAND said that he might consider this, not merely as a work house squabble, but:a Somerset House one. He thought the day had arrived when the Right Hon. Baronet should declare by what means he became possessed of those documents, as he considyred that his character required him to make that explanation. He congratulated the country that bone cru4aing had, in consequence of this exposure, been abolishettr-frem work houses. He remembered well the treatment he received from the Right Hon. Baronet, in reference to the erec tion of a rag-mill in the Halifax union. The Right Hon. Baronet then gave a pledge to the House and the country--and how had that pledge been fulfilled ? The present question was an answer to that. He was travelling on the continent when the news of the pro ceedings at Andover union were published—(Hear) — and the foreigners whom he met were quite disgusted. He thought it was the duty of the House to grant the Committee of Inquiry. He gave notice, that afternoon, of his intention to add a few words to the motion of the lion. Member, and he hoped the inquiry would Le ex tended to his own neighbourhood. He had no hesita tion in saying that these reports were drawn up by the Special Commission, to serve the views of the Right Hon. Baronet, and that Mr. Mott was employed for the purpose of drawing up a false report, to crush him (Mr. Ferrand). Mr. Mott entered the union on the 13th of April, 1842, and in the June following the Right Honourable Baronet got the report drawn up. Mr. Mott was sent down to the north of Enngland to make these caluminous statements, and Sir John Walsham was sent down some time aftgrwards to con firm the statements of Mr. Mott. The Hon. Gentleman, after referring to the Keightley Union, proceeded to say that a Committee of Inquiry had been appointed to in vestigate the accuracy of the statements, and he had no hesitation in saying that it was a packed co:nmittee. The Right Hon. Baronet resisted the motion for the production of all papers. The Noble Lord the Member for the city of London said that he could not under stand the reason of that refusal. Until the Right Hon. Baronet made some explanation in reference to these re ports, he (Mr. F.) should treat any resolution of the House with contempt.—(The lion. Member, having been called to order by the Speaker, withdrew the offensive expres sion.)—The Right Hon. Baronet used language towards him (Mr. Ferrand) for the purpose of holding him up to the scorn and ridicule of the country. At the time Sir J. Waltham made his inquiry there were fifty inmates in the union at Bingley in the state that had been de scribed. He could prove that there were at that place four and five crowded in a bed. The Secretary of State for the Home Department was to blame for all that had taken place there. He was, to be sure, backed by the Poor-law Commissioners and the Assistant-Commision ers, but it was in the power of the Right Hon. Baronet to remove them. He hoped that this inquiry would end in removing the Commissioners, and that the Ministry would also be obliged to resign. Captain PECHELL thought there was a great ne cessity for the production of papers for the purpose of a thorough and searching inquiry. He thought that the Andover Union called for some explanation, and he trusted the result of the labours of the Committee would be the doing away with the abuses complained of. In one union the guardians say that they have one ton of hones on hand, and there being a refractory pauper, the bones were to be ground by him. It was well known what a punishment this bone-grinding was. They were green or damp, and it was by the severest labour they could be reduced to powder. He hoped the Right lion. Baronet would reconsider his amendment, by al lowing this Committee to take place. Sir R. INGLIS wished to call the attention of the Right Hon. Baronet to the facts attending the case of Mr. Parker. It appeared to him that that gentleman had been too severely punishied for what was at the most an act of indiscretion ; for it was not said that he had com mitted himself wilfully. He was a gentleman of an honourable profession, yet by this act of indiscretion his whole prospects were blighted. He trusted the Right Hon. Baronet would see that Mr. Parker had been treated too harshly, and that he would yet be reinstated in his former position. if any Hon. Member would say that Mr. Parker had been guilty of anything more than an act of the most trifling indiscretion, he (Sir R. Inglis) would consent to the withdrawal of the petition. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that not only had there been indiscretion committed by the Assistant-commis sioner, but the consequences of his conduct were insub ordination and want of discipline in the workhouse. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that notice had been given for the production of certain papers relative to the Andover Union, so far back as six weeks ago ; and that had been complied with. He had read the whole of Mr. Parker's case, and he (Mr. Duncombe) considered he had made out a very good case. But if his case was to be gone into by this House, it would be only to do over again all that had been done already. He conceived that the only mistake Mr. Parker made was in resigning his office at all. He should have waited till the Commis sioners dismissed him. It often happened that Go vernment Ministers were recommended to resign, but they declined to do so until a majority of this House compelled them.—(Laughter.) He would say that as Mr. Parker was not a member of that House, and could not therefore lay his own case before it, it would be much better if the Hon. Baronet opposite, instead of laying these papers before the House, had agreed to the vote at once. Mr. P. BORTHWICK said he did not think that this matter should be regarded as a mere workhouse squabble, but as matter of somewhat more importance. They had sent out missionaries to foreign countries to alleviate the miseries of the natives ; but would they not be more ready to make inquiry into the state of Englishmen who were at home, and within reach, and where their miseries could be more easily ascertained, and the manner in which those miseries had been aug mented by those to whose tyranny they were subjected ? He saw by the petition now before the House, that much had been suppressed before the original inquiry that should have been made known ; and that through the assent and connivance of the Commissioners, evasions had been made in the books of the guardians, and that the Commissioners and guardians had entered into a com bination to dismiss the physician for having done his duty.—(Cries of " Divide, divide.") Mr. HUME said the Right Hon. Baronet opposite had stated that acts of insubordination had been com mitted by the paupers. Now he (Mr. Hume) would like to know what the nature of this insubordination was; for he would contend that there should hare been a minute made and a record kept of the nature of these acts.—(Hear, hear.) He would defy the Government to refuse this inquiry, for the House would grant it if the Right lion. Baronet attempted to screen the Com missioners in this way. Lord POLLINGTON said he would only utter one sentence, and that was, that from all he had heard this evening upon this question he would vote for the in quiry. _ - _ _ _ . Mr. JARVIS said he considered it would be of the greatest public importance that the Government should define the duties of the Commissioners. He would ask, if Mr. Parker had been indiscreet before the inquiry, why was he appointed to make this investiga tion?—(Hear, hear.) He would say that he was at a loss to know what was meant by the term " refractory." Surely, it could not be said that Mr. Parker had made any admissions of this sort, or any admission even of in discretion. On the contrary, he made a fair and hum ble statement of his conduct, and, therefore, further and strict inquiry should be made. He hoped the Right Hon. Baronet would grant this inquiry, regardless of the consequences to the Commissioners, and he had no doubt that the result would prove creditable to Mr. Parker ; but if it were not made, the public would not be satisfied. —(Criesof " Divide, divide ") General JOHNSON wished that a Committee of In quiry should be appointed. The public were not satis fied with the present state of affairs. Even if the com mittee of inquiry were appointed at a late period —even after the recess, the Hon. Member would be content to withdraw his motion. _ Mr. AGLIONBY said that the public service was too much implicated to allow this inquiry t o b e suppresse d and an inquiry was certainly necessary in order to clear up the mystery that had hung round this question. The public mind had been for some time past absorbed in this question. They thought that something had been kept from them, that some instructions to higher quarters had been kept in the back-ground. A man might certainly be a Commissioner, but would the public think that he gentleman. committed hadhetv d o e t n t t o l y conductbe ebeen a an himself act o of insubordination a by some of the parties employed, and therefore he sa thought that the inquiry ought tobe made more general. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD said that he would not occupy the attention of the House for any length of time. He certainly thought that the present question ought not to pass without the attention of Government. It was not only the Commissioners but the guardians that were implicated in the proceedings that had taken place. These proceedings had been brought to light by parties who were not interested. The people were com• mitted, without any remedy, to the mercy of Poor-law Commissioners and guardians ; so that where miscon duct had occurred, both justice and every sound prin ciple of policy demanded a more extended inquiry, and he wished that the sense of the House should be taken upon the subject. Mr. FIELDING said, that in his opinion a Select Committee should be appointed to carry out the in quiry. The public felt interested in the inquiry. They would look to the decision of the House on this matter with more anxiety than they would to the corn-law question—(Hear)--and if Hon. Members wished to do what was reasonable, the inquiry would at once be granted.—(Hear.) Sir J. GRAHAM said, that when it was said that he was always ready to attend to the general feeling of the House—nothing more than justice had been done to him.—(Loud and prolonged cheering from all parts of the House.) The production of certain papers on this subject had been moved for, but he believed that a Com mittee of Inquiry would not be necessary if the House should, after the production of those papers, remain of the same opinion. He certainly was willing to withdraw his amendment, but with respect to the motion of the Hon. Member for Weym ou th, h e should offer the most decided opposition. The Poor-l aw C omm i ss i oners were respon sible for the acts of their own servants, an d t h ere f ore he thought that no interference should be allowed w ith th e power of appointing those officers. After a few words from Colonel SIBTHORP, Mr. CHRISTIE wished to say a few words in addi tion. After what had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet, he must press his motion. He considered that the inquiry into the causes which had led to the dis missal of Mr. Parker should be coeval with the investi gation into the affairs of the Andover Union. Mr. JARVIS rose, amidst loud cries of " Divide, divide." He should vote against the amendment. He thought it would be better to inquire into the affairs of the Andover Union first, and afterwards find a Com mitted to investigate the circumstances that had led to Mr. Parker's dismissal. He was of opinion that many parties in the House only supported the amendment, not caring for Mr. Parker, but to emb a rrass the Right Hon. Baronet.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.") Such was his opinion, and, under those circumstances, he should vote against the amendment. Dr. BOWRING said the remarks of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir James Graham) decided him to vote for his lion. Friend, as the inquiry ought to be full and complete. He must support the amendment. Mr. WAKLEY hoped the House would unanimously agree to the fullest inqury. The feeling out of doors was unanimous for an investigation. If the Poor-law Commissioners had this unlimited power attributed to them, in Heaven's name, let the country know how they use it. The Right Hon. Gentleman has shown him self squeezable, and he (Mr. Wakley) would advise him to yield a little further. By doing so a division would be avoided, and the disagreeable possibility of a defeat. He must take that opportunity, in justice to Mr. Westlake, the medical attendant of the Andover Union, to inform the House, and through them the guardians of that union and the public, that he (Mr. Wakley) had never received any communication from that gentleman till after the period he brought the - subject before the at tention of the House. He said so that Mr. Westlake might not suffer in his interest, as he (Mr. Wakley) understood that a conspiracy was on foot which was to be carried out next Saturday by driving that gentleman from his place. It was but proper that this ejection should be prevented till it was known whether he de served dismissal or not. They had shown great sym pathy to the legal gentleman (Mr. Parker) who had been dismissed, and he trusted they would also extend it to the medical profession which was attacked in the person of Mr. Westlake. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said he had always maintained that the Poor-law Commissioners were responsible to the Home Secretary, and that the Home Secretary was re sponsible to the Honse of Commons. The Right lion. Baronet therefore was bound to satisfy the House re specting the proceedings of the Poor-law Commissioners. If Mr. Parker had been guilty of insubordination, the Poor-law Commissioners had a right to dismiss him ; but that ought not to preclude inquiry. The question was whether Mr. Parker was in the wrong, or the Poor-law Commissioners ; and in order to arrive at the truth there ought to be an inquiry. He called on the Right Hon. Baronet to concede the whole inquiry at once, and not make the half-concession he had done, as he was sure to be defeated. Grant the Committee for the full inquiry at once, and it would soon come out which party was in the wrong. Sir B. HALL briefly stated his intention of voting for the amendment, The gallery was then cleared for a division. On our re-admission to the gallery, we found that the numbers were— For Mr. Christie's amendment 92 Against it Majority for the amendment... THE NUNS OF MINSK. -23 Mr. COWPER then rose to move that conies of dis patches received by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, containing information about the persecution inflicted upon the Basilian nuns of Minsk, should be laid upon the table. (The Hon. Member then referred to the punishments which were said to have been inflicted upon the nuns of Minsk.) The report of the horrible barbarities perpetrated upon them was authenticated by the deposition of each of the unfortunate victims. They were employed in works to which they were altogether unaccustomed, and of six hundred and fifty-eight that were alive at the commencement of the persecutions, which lasted seven years, only fourteen were now living. If the history of their persecutions was true, it was a most lamentable and awful one—(Hear, hear)—and one hich cast a stigma upon the age in which we lived.— (Hear, hear.) It was true that some people were in clined to disbelieve the statements, from the very atrocity of the affair ; but that was no evidence that the cruelties complained of had not been exercised.—(Hear, hear.) Indeed, the annals of religious persecu tion showed us that such cruelties had never been exercised within the memory of man. In past ages we had seen, by the annals of the In quisition, that scenes of great horror and unprovoked slaughter had occurred. In England itself we had had too many instances of horrid barbarites committed some centuries ago on account of religion. But the Inquisi tion had been put down by the public voice of indigna tion of the civilised world. The persecutions to which he had alluded as having occurred in England had stig matised every one connected with them. The leader of the Reformation had been blamed in the severest manner. And a sovereign living in those times had been branded with the name of " Bloody Queen Mary." And although such barbarities had been perpetrated years ago, it was no reason why we should not show our utmost indigna tion at the late persecution in Russia. On the contrary, he thought that it became the civilised portion of the com munity to protest loudly against such barbarities, snd so induce the Government of e ver y country to prevent the holding of certain religious opinions to be placed in the same category with those offences which might be con sidered as injurious to private individuals in the Govern ment of the country. If they allowed transactions of this nature to be perpetrated abroad, without attempting to ascertain whether they were capable of proof, and if proved, without expressing their sorrows and grief at them, he conceived that we lived in a country where we had not the advantage of a free course to pursue with respect to our religious opinions ; and, further, he conceived that they should not be discharging the duties which they owed to society at large.—(llear, hear.) There had been many opportunities of disproving the statements of these offences, if the reports were false. The accounts had spread all over Europe. They had been published in Rome, when the Emperor himself was present, and when he had, of course, ample opportunities of dis proving them.—(Hear, hear.) And until they hai some superior information, which he (Mr. Cowper) had not yet seen, they had no other alternative but to accept the accounts as true. Now, he did not necessarily accuse the Emperor of Russia with being cognisant of the varieties of torture to which these unfortunate nuns had been subjected ; but he thought that that illustrious individual could not be acquitted of having at least permitted the exercise of such perse cutions in his dominions. He hoped that the House would not object to his motion, as the venerable Greek church, which had been charged with these cruelties, might then have an opportunity of clearing itself from the charges. He understood that there were authentic documents in the hands of the Government respecting this subject, and he trusted that they would not have any objection to lay them on the table of the House.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. T. WYSE seconded the motion, and in so doing thought that it was well known that the report of these atrocities, which were of the most ex traordinary nature, had been contradicted by the Warsaw Correspondent of an Edinburgh journal, but by way of rejoinder to that contradiction, a full detail had been published at Rome by the abbess of the eon vent at Minsk, under the sanction of other authentic authorities. Now, either that document must be a com plete fabrication, or the statements of the Warsaw cor respondent were untrue. Now he would ask on which side was the truth likely to be ? The Hon. Gentleman concluded by making a few further remarks in support of the motion, which were not very distinctly heard in the gallery. S:_r R. PEEL—Sir, I am not enabled to communicate to this House any official dispatches which would throw a light on the painful subject to which this motion refers. Her Majesty's Government has not received from its representative at the Court of St. Petersburg, or from any other quarter, any official or authentic information on the subject. The only communication we have re ceived is from the British Consul at Warsaw, a most re spectable and amiable gentleman, who, seeing the reports in the French newspapers that the barbarities—for they can be called by no other name—had been commit ted in Poland, thought it his duty to write to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and state dis tinctly that it was a complete error to suppose that any thing of the kind had taken place in Poland, and his confident belief was that the report must have been with out foundation, or must have been grossly exaggerated. That is the whole of the information we have received, consequently it will be impossible for her Majesty's ' Government to produce any official information on this subject which would throw any light wh atever upon it. Now Sir, I should feel the deepest regret if there were any foundation for these reports. I have certainly a strong persuasion that nothing of the kind has taken place either with the sanction or with the knowledge of the Government of Russia. I understand, from private communication which I have had with the representative of the Emperor of Russia at this Court, that when the Emperor was at Rome, on the matter being mentioned by the Pope, he expressed great surprise, and stated to the Pope, that if anything of the kind had occurred, it had been entirely without his authority, and without his knowledge ; but a strict inquiry should be instituted. This fortifies one in the belief that if anything of the kind had given sanction to these statements, it was with out the authority of the Government of R uss i a, and that thean inquiry facts of wouldthe case. Sir, instituted I s b hi y to u tlthat be esGovernmentroetfhoraet stronglythese re ports advise every individual M ember of th is House to suspend his judgment on this matte r. It is v ery possible, and I hope arethat reeyprove foundation, or have b een much exag without r o e u s t u lt as a bra nc h o f t h e Legisla ture,ur e you not t o se t t h e examplef exag gerated. of interference with the acts of another Governm en t. It rate l d s . till But more in strongly our capaeit g Y would be impossible for any minister, or any Govern ment, or any party, to repress the outbreak of those feelings which naturally arise on statement of facts like 1 those to which the Hon. Gentleman had referred. I cannot divest myself of individual feeling, and I declare that if this statement should be founded in fact, I should view with the greatest regret such a violation of the rights of conscience and humanity. B ut, as a House of Commons, I advise you on no account, whatever your private feelings may be, to establish a precedent of inter ference with the domestic affairs of other Governments How have we ourselves been occupied to-night? What has formed the subject of discussion for four or five hours before the Hon. Gentleman brought forward his motion? An allegation that inhabitants of this country—the subjects of this realm—have been employed—there being no othercharge against them than the charge of poverty— had been employed grinding bones, some of those bones supposed to have been human bones, and that their sub sistence was so scanty, that on their finding bones in a decomposed state, from which marrow could be ex tracted, a general engagement of the parties employed took place to get possession of one of those bones, and that the party getting possession of one of those bones was obliged to hide it, in order to derive some suste nance from it. Can anything be worse than that ?—and yet we should deeply resent it if one of the Chambers of France thought themselves justified by a regard to prin ciple to take any notice of that. Surely, we should re- VJ NI . NG, IWA R CTI 6, 1846. I quire from them that they should place confidence in the justice of the House of Commons, and in the justice of the Executive Government. That con fidence would be perfectly justified, for my Right Hon. Friend has stated that directions have already been given by him for the suppression of this practice in every union workhouse. But that is beside the question —no other Government has a right to interfere in eur proceedings. Ido conceive that nothing would be more injurious than that we, as our example is looked np to by other countries, should, prompted by feelings in themselves natural and laudable, attempt the establish ment of a precedent by an interference of this natare in the domestic concerns of another country. Again I must repeat that I hope every gentleman will suspend his judgment with respect to the truth of this story. It is highly probable that it is untrue, or it has been grossly exaggerated, and I hope they will be individually satis fied with the assurance that the Government of Russia has undertaken to make inquiry into this subject. I have stated to the Hon. Gentleman that I have no dispatches to lay on the table. That assurance will probably induce him to withdraw his motion, and I must strongly recommend you not to establish a prece- dent, which I think most injurious, and fraught with danger as inducing other powers to act on cur example fur worse purposes than could possibly be imputed to us now. Mr. COWPER said that after what had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet, he should withdraw his motion. Sir ROBERT PEEL said he had stated every thing that he knew to the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. THOMAS I)UNCOMBE called the attention of the Right Hon. Baronet to the ad4ress that was pre sented to her Majesty immediately after the visit of the Emperor of Russia to this country. He was sorry to hear the Right Hon. Baronet mix up the Andover case with the atrocities perpetrated on the nuns of Minsk. Ete considered that it could not be compared with the atrocities committed under the Russian autocrat. He hoped, however, that as an extended intercourse was going on between this country and the court of Russia, e shall be able shortly to hear that the Emperor of that country has established an inquiry upon the subject as they had done i❑ this country. Mr. MILNER GIBSON stated that the principles of such a policy as that propounded by the Right Hon. Baronet did not correspond with the efforts which this country had made, and was still making, to procure the abolition of the slate trade. Mr. P. HOWARD considered that public opinion should be expressed in a dignified manner upon the sub ject. He hoped the time would speedily arrive when all the subjects under the Emperor of Russia's rule would have a perfect liberty of conscience in religious matters. Doctor BOWRING considered that the Emperor of Russia would be glad fcr having the opportunity afforded him of defending himself against these opinions which bad been gathering around him. Mr. NEWDEdATE said that in consequence of the lateneness of the hour, he would withdraw his notice relative to vexatious obj( ctions against votes, and would mould move it on Tuesday next. Sir R. PEEL, in answer to a question of Mr. Philip Howard, said that he proposed going into committee on the corn-laws before he went into the committee of supply. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Twelve o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. .From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. THURSDAY, ICIARCH Jr. ANDOVER UNION. Motion made, and Question proposed, " That a Select Committee be appointed, to inquire into the administration ofthe Poor-laws in the Andover Union, and Into the management of the Union Work house :"—Amendment proposed, at the end of the Question, to add the words, " and into the conduct of the Poor-law Comtnissioners, and their late Assistant Commissioner Mr. Parker, in reference to the two investigations held at Andover, and into all the circumstances under which the Poor-law Commissioners► called upon Mr. Parker to resign his Assistant Commissionership :"—Question put, " That those words be there added." The House divided : MAJORITY-AYES, 92. Acton, Colonel Fielden, John O'Brien, A. S. Aglionby, li. A. Ferrand, W. B. Packe, C. W. Aldam, William Finch, George Palmer, R. Allix, J. P. Fleetwood, Sir P. Palmer, G. Arkwright, George Fuller, A. E. Pechell, Captain Bankes, George Gooch, E. S. Plumridge, Captain Barnard, E. G. llalford, Sir H. Bart. Pollington, Viscount Benet t, John Hall, Sir Benjamin Rashleigh, W. Benet, Philip Halsey, T. P. Rendlesham, Lord Bentinek, Lord G. Haunter, Sir John Repton, G. W. Beresiord, Major Harris, Hon. Capt. Scott, F. Berkeley, Grantley Hawes, Benjamin Serner, 11. K. Bodkin, W. H. Henley, J. W. Sibthorp, Colonel Berthwick, Peter Hildyard, T. B. Somerville, Sir W. Bowring, Dr. llinde, J. H. Spooner. R. Browne, W. HindlQ', Charles Spry,!Sir S. Buller, Sir J. Y. Hudson, George Stanstield, W. R. Busfeild, William Hume, Joseph Staunton, Sir G. Cayley, Edward S. Humpliery, Ald. Stuart, Lord J. Clayton, R. R. Ingestre, Viscount Stuart, J. Collett, John Inglis, Sir It. Tanered, H.W.I Collins, William Johnson, General Taylor, J. A. Copeland, Ald. Langston, J. H. Thompson, Ald. Cowper, W. F. Law, Hon. C. E. Troubridge, Sir E. Crawford, W. S. Lawson, A. , Waddington, H. S. Deedes, W. Manners, Lord J. Walsh, Sir J. H. D'Eyncourt, C. T. Matheson, James Williams, W. DiAraell, B. Miles, W. Yorke, H. li. Dodd, G. Mitcalfe, Henry Duncombe, T. Neeld, Joseph TELLERS. Etwall, Ralph Newdegate, N. Wakley, Thomas Evans, William Norreys, Sir D. Christie, W. D. MINORITY-NOES, 69. Acland, T. D. Fitzroy, Henry Martin, C. W. Adderley, C. B. Fitzroy, Lord C. Morpeth, Viscount Baring, W. P. Flower, Sir J. Morris, David Bourerie, E. P. Forster, Matthew Pakington , J. S. Bowles, Admiral Glynne, Sir S. Patten, J. W. Boyd, John Gordon, Hon. Capt. Peel, Sir Robert Brisco, M. Goul burn, Henry Peel, Jonathan Bretherton, J. Graham, Sir J. Reid, Colonel Bruce, Lord E. Greene, Thomas Russell. Lord John Bruges, W. H. L. Herbert, Sidney Smith, J. A.! Buller, Charles Hill, Lord M. Smythe, George Cardwell, Edward Hope, G. W. Strutt, Edward Carew, W. H. Pole Howard, P. H. Sutton, Henry Childers, J.:W. James, William Thesiger, Sir F. Clerk, Sir G. Jervis, John Thornely, Thomas Cockburn, !:lr G. Jocelyn, Viscount Trelawny, J. S. Corry, henry Johnstone, Hope Trotter, John Courtenay, Lord Jones, Captain Villiers, Charles Cripps, William Kelly, Sir Fitzroy Walker, Richard Davies, D. A. S. Lambton, H. Wellesley, Lord C. Denison, E. B. Lockhart, A. E. Wood, Charles Dennistoun, John Lockhart, W. TELLERS. Douglas, Sir C. M`Geachy, P. A. Young, John Escott, Bickham Mahon, Viscount Baring, Henry PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) THURSDAY, MARCH 5. The following Petitions for Railways were reported, and the Bills ordered to be brought in by the undernamed lion. Members : Lynn and Ely (Extension to Spalding)—Lord G. Bentinck and Vb. count Jocelyn. Lynn and Ely (Extension to March) —Lord G. Bentnick and NU- count Jocelyn . . Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland Junction—Mr. Lascelles and Mr. M. Bell. Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction and North Wales Mineral Companies Amalgamation—Sir W. Wynn and Mr. W. 0. Gore. London, Bristol, and South Wales—Earl of Shelburne, Mr. H. Berkeley, and Mr. Pusey. RAILWAYS The Committee of Selection have nominated the following Select Committees on Railway Groups : A Committee consisting of—Lord Worsley (Chairman), Mr. Spooner, Mr. Gaskell, Mr. Archbold, and Colonel T. Austen—to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 9, viz. : Caledonian Railway (Glasgow Termini and Branches), Glasgow, Garnkirk, and Coatbridge Railway (Extension), General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Railway, Glasgow Harbour (Grand Junction Railway Terminus), Glasgow Harbour (Mineral Railway), Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway, West of Scotland Junction Railway, Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway (Polloc and Govan Branch), Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway (Amendment and Branches). The Select Committee wilbmeet on Monday, March 16, at twelve. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Protheroe (Chairman), Lord Emlyn, Mr. Grogan, General Lygon, and Mr. Jonn O'Connell—to whom they have referred:the Bills comprised in Group No. 14, viz. : Kent Atmospheric Railway, North Kent Railway, South-Eastern (Canterbury to Dover), South-Eastern (Chislet to Margate), South-Eastern (Greenwich to Chart, near Ashford, with Branches to Tonbridge and Riverhead), South-Eastern (Greenwich to Chilham, near Canterbury, with Branches to Sheerness and Faversham Creek), South-Eastern (Maidstone to Strood, near Rochester), Dover and Deal. The Select Committee will meet on Monday, March 16, at twelve. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Daniel O'Connell (Chairman), Mr. Hindley, Sir Robert Price, Mr. Mackinnon, and Captain Hatton—to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 15, viz.:— South-Eastern (Ashford Station Enlargement), London and Brighton (East Grinstead Branch)„ South-Eastern (Godstone Station to East Grinstead), Brighton and Chichester (Bognor to Littlebampton Branches), South-Eastern (Rye to Rye Horbour), South-Eastern (Tonbridge Wells to Hastings and Rye), Chichester and Bognor, Brighton and Chichester (Steyning Branch), Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Deviations, and EitAbourne, Hails ham, Seaford, and Newhaven Branches. The Select Committee will meet on Monday, March 16, at twelve. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. A grand dramatic masque, entitled The Ruins of Athens, was produced here last night ; and, as a most gorgeous spectacle, it met with deserved success. The bills state that the whole of the music is composed by Beethoven, the meaning of which is, we imagine, that the music has been selected from the works of that celebrated composer, and certes the selector has shown his judg ment in his selection. In the opening scene we have an Olympian cave, in which Minerva, (who has been there confined for two thousand years), is discovered be. wailing her unhappy lot. She is set at liberty by Mer cury, and wends her way to her beloved Athens, which she finds a city of ruins, inhabited by barbarians. Mercury tells her of a new Athens, which has arisen in the far west—a land of liberty, and science, and civi lization—a land which has produced a mighty magician, inspired equally by Melpomene and Thalia, and who to the sublimity of /Eschylus joins the calm dignity of Sophocles, the tenderness of Euripides, and the wit of Aristophanes. This mighty magician is Shakspere ; and Minerva, transported to London, does homage t o the genius of him who, of all un insp i red writers, ap proached nearest to inspirat i on — (if perchance he were not actually inspired, for upon no other theory can we satisfactorily account for his marvellous insight into the workings of the human heart)—and the pi ece en d s w i th a grand pageant, (an i m i tat ion of the Stratford Jubilee) in honour of " the Sweet Swan of A von ." I t i s a , gor geous spectacle, admirab ly put upon th e s t age , an d w il l no doubt have a run. The house was well attended. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing in an open carriage on Wednesday afternoon. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken their walking and riding exercise on Wednesday afternoon, in the pleasure grounds of Osborne House. There wa; no addition to the royal dinner party at Osborne House in the evening. Her Maksty and her Royal Consort walked yesterday morning in the plantations. The Royal Family- were taken on the beech in the forenoon. Her Royal highness the Duchess of Cambridge honoured the performances of the French Plays with her presence on Wednesday evening. Mr. A. l3eresford Hope, M.P., had an interview with Mr, Secretary Gladstone yesterday, at the Colonial-office OVERLAND MAIL INDIA AND CHINA (From the Times.) Our extraordinary express from Marseilles, in anticipation of the Bombay mail of the 3d of February, has reached us . It brings important news from the theatre of war on the banks of the Sutlej. The British 'army, of about 43,000 men, is thus described in the Delhi Gazette of the 23d of January : Men. 11 Troops of Horse Artillery, say ... 1,000 8 Companies of Foot Artillery, about ... GOO 7 Companies of Sappers and Miners ... 800 3 Regiments of European Cavalry, at 450 1,350 7 Regiments of Native Light Cavalry, at 400 2,800 5 Regiments of Irregular Cavalry, at 700 3,500 9 Regiments of European Infantry, at 750 6,750 20 Regiments of Native Infantry, at 800 20,800 2 Regiments of Local Infantry, at SOO 1,600 39,800 Forming a total of about.. Besides which, the following corps are on their way, or under orders:— The 4th Regiment of Bengal Infantry, from Sinde; the 7th Regiment of Bengal Infantry, from Delhi ; the (7th Regiment of Bengal Infantry, from Bundelkund; and the Kumaon Local Battalion; as, also, Captain Smith's Light Field Battery, from Sinde; which, when they have joined the force, will make " the Army of the Sutlej " of the fol. lowieg estimated strength:— Artillery ... Sappers and Miners Cava!ry : European ... Native Irregular ... Infantry European ... Native Men. ... 1,680 ... 800 ... 1,350 ... 2,800 ... 3,500 - 7,650 ... 6,750 23,200 ... 2,400-32,350 Irregular Ordnance :- 1 Heavy 24 -pounders Howitzers, 10-inch Howitzers, 8-inch Iron 12-pounders (elephant battery) ... Already with the force, siege guns taken from Umballah, where they were sent for practice from Delhi ... ... 11 Troops Horse Artillery ... ... - 5 Light Field Batteries ... ... 30 —making the proposed army to consist of 42,480 men, with 140 pieces of ordnance of all sizes. There are also 21 mor tars of various sizes under dispatch from Delhi to .day. This army is formed into five divisions of infantry and four brigades of cavalry, with a large brigade staff The cavalry is commanded by Major-General Sir J. Thackwell ; and the infantry divisions by Major Generals Sir H. G. Smith, W. R. Gilbert, Sir R. 11. Dick, Sir J. H. Littler, and Sir J. Grey. From the 22d of December, when the victory wasovon by the British at Ferozeshah, up to the middle of January, both parties appeared to be preparing for the approaching struggle on the right bank of the Sutlej. The Governor- General remained at Ferozepore, engaged in raising the bridge of boats, and in making preparations for the crossing of the river by the British army. The boats, which had been sunk, were found to be somewhat injured, and time was required for their repair. The crossing of the river was expected about the 4th or 6th of February, when the heavy guns, which had left Delhi on the 10th of January, were expected to have reached the camp. Sir J. Littler's division was stationed at Attaree, about seven miles from Ferozepore; the head-quarters of the Com mander-in-Chief were at Aruffkee, twelve miles thence ; and Sir Harry Smith's force was in advance of the others, not far from Hurreeke Puttun, which is one of the great fords of the Sutlej. In the meantime the Lahore Government was making every effort to reorganise its army. Several attempts had been made in different placeas to cross the river. A strong force was collected at Phulloor, opposite to Loodianah. This force was independent of the grand Seikh army stationed on the way from Hurreeke ghat to Lahore and its neighbour hood, with the object of protecting the capital. Some skirmishing took place near the Seikh bridge of boats on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of January, without any re markable effect. On the 15th the Seikhe came over the river at Phulloor, plundered the neighbourhood, and pitched a camp on the left bank, in the British territory. On the following days they made some further advances, and entrenched themselves near a nulla. Sir H. Smith moved ... 12 ... 6 ... 12 his brigade up the Sutlej, driving the enemy before him until the 21st, in the morning, when he came upon one of the fortified positions of the enemy, which fired grape shot amongst the British troops. Some of the native troops are said to have thrown down their arms, and to have fled, leaving the Europeans to bear the brunt of the battle. Her Majesty's 53d and 31st were engaged, and are said to have suffered severely; but they demanded to be led anew to the fight, which Sir H. Smith did not deem it prudent to do, and therefore withdrew the troops. The Agra Ukbar construes the retirement into a defeat; while the Delhi Gazette states. that heavy firing was heard in the direction of Loodianah during the whole of the afternoon of that day. .Nothing positive appears to have been known as to the results of that day when the mails were leaving Bombay. The preparations of the Governor-General at Ferozepore appear to be of an efficient kind, and it was supposed that the British army would move ever the Sutlej, and before the hot weather set in, in April, take possession of Lahore, the Seikh capital, which is not fifty miles from the Sutlej. There is said to be considerable dis union amongst the Seikh chiefs, many of whom have made propositions to the British authorities, declaring their willingness to join the British standard as soon as it appeared on the right bank of that river. It was supposed that the Seikh troops would try another battle before they would allow their capital to be taken. The gallant conqueror of Sinde, Sir Charles Napier, was again in the field, and, at the head of about 15,000 Bombay and 5,000 Bengal troops, was expected to cause a powerful diversion, by proceeding to attack and to conquer Moultan and the southern provinces of the Seikh dominions. The very name of Sir Charles Napier infuses dread among the native inhabitants of the banks of the Indus and of the five rivers of the Punjaub ; he is called by them Sheitanka bhaee, " the Devil's brother." His troops expected to be in movement towards the enemy's frontiers on the 16th of February. The latest intelligence from the Bombay troops in this ex pedition describes them as in the highest spirits, for they 1, ek forward to victory for themselves, and even to a coronet for their experienced leader. It is undeniable that the Seikhs are a brave enemy, whom the discipline they have learned from European officers renders far more formidable than the other inhabitants of India. The necessity of the most strenuous efforts to subdue the troops and the fanatics of Lahore is evident. Theiremia saries have attempted to tamper with the Bengal sepoys, but, as yet, they have gained nothing. The British troops have abundant supplies of all kinds, and it nowremains to be known if anything of a decided nature will occur before the hot season. The late attempts to produce sedition amongst the troops and inhabitants of Dinapore, Patna, &c., have failed, and the ringleaders have been seized and punished. The latest intelligence from Upper Sinde states, that her Majesty's 86th Regiment had reached Roree on the 23d of January. The Sinde Horse, under Captain Jacob, had gone to Subzulcote, where some Bengal troops had joined them. A circumstance had occurred in the Seikh territory, near Bhawulpore, which it may be useful to explain. Captain Brows, the chief of the Sinde mounted police,went about ten miles into the Seikh district in pursuit of a robber. The head of the village promised to surrender the robber; but, instead of doing so, he collected a number of horsemen (said to be 300 and proceeded to attack the Sinde police. The first volley killed three men. This proves the spirit of the Seikh authorities to the southward. Moulton was quiet, but great efforts were made to restore the fortifications, as a siege was expected. An augmentation has been ordered of five regiments of irregular cavalry to the Bengal army, and of three regiments of infantry to that of Bombay., The Bombay Railway, or, as it is called, the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, has been most successful. Th e engi neers who have examined the districts through which it is to pass into the interior, have found far more facilities for the undertaking than they ever expected. The utmost tranquillity prevails in the interior of India. The Bombay Times adds the following particulars to those details which we have already received in a more authentic form from the official dispatches - - - " For nearly a week after these terrible encounters the Seikhs continued on our side the river; nor do we appear to have considered ourselves in a condition to follow up our victory or drive them across. About the 27th they seem to have retired in safety within their own dominions, and to have encamped on the other side, leisurely and unmolested, within sight of our pickets. The different divisions of our army, now rapidly increasing in numbers and in strength, were encamped near to, and in close communication with, each other. General Littler and his division were posted at Attaree, seven miles from Ferozepore ; the head-quarters of the Commander-in-Chief some six miles higher up the river ; and the Umballah force four miles beyond this, or seventeen from Ferozepore. The Governor-General has, since the action, continued at the place just named, and which may be considered the point of advance, maturing his plans, and hastening on preparations. The enemy mean while were permitted to complete a pontoon bridge without interruption, in hopes that they might be induced again to cross over to our side ; the heavy ordnance sent from Um ballah being so posted at the same time as to command the passage. A foray had been made across the river by about 200 of the enemy of the 14th, with the view, apparently, to plunder, and of course the robbers were speedily driven back. The enemy, at the same time, continue to muster in formi dable force, and 70,000 men, with 110 pieces of ordnance, are said to be assembl e d ready to oppose us. The bridge they have established is one of much solidity, well placed, and protected by heavy ordnance. Frequent demonstrations had been made on Loodianah, where the force was considered ( weakest. About 20,000 h a d crosse d over by the 18th ;anl to they had on the 19th settl e d th emse l v es, and proceeded intrench in our neighbourhood. particu larsmoitte of the general action, believed n (l2 [. o ' o'clock), k h , v have a k f e e I p y t o w u a r rr c a o n i t u e m d, ns in o b p o e p n es t o . f t l h ea e r l moment the 21st. It is said that General S t ir o t h L ay s e m o it c h cu i r l r ie ed ve a d b• h u is t division up the Sutlej on the 19th i and sig 2 h O t t e h f , encountering the hcamp but little opposition; that com ngn about eight o'clock in the morning of the 21st, he prepared for action, being shortly a ft erwar d s j o i ned b y the- Loodianah force. No particulars hare reached us; the battle is sup posed to have been a severe one, a heavy cannonade having been heard at Simla and Loodianah, as, we believe, also at Ferozepore, till three o'clock in the afternoon. It is probable that the steamer may be detained till the Governor-General's express brings tidings to the Presidency; so that the home reader may, shortly after the arrival of this, know more than cut " ta S , in o c f e t l h a e st 2 n s i t g h h f t ro m u a l "ails eolfhti,hean2d4ththheay2 we at present do of the matter. fr is o i m ad C ras al : e 6t a h rri f T ro ed m They bring us no news of any importance, and we infer, therefore, that no further particulars had transpired of the alleged action on the 21st. The communication along the disturbed districts is at present irregular and much inter rupted.] " The services of the force under Sir Charles Napier, whose co-operation seem to form a portion of the Governor-Gene ral's plan, will hardly be available before the Ist of March, and considering how soon after this the fierce and tremen dous heats set in, it appears more than doubtful whether a regular campaign beyond the Sutlej will this season be en tered on. It must be remembered that the country pro posed to be invaded, if intended to be annexed to the British dominions, must be throughout completely subjugated; that it comprises an area of 25,000 square miles, traversed by vast rivers and mountain ranges reaching the greatest altitudes known to m n; that it contains a fierce and untamed popu lation of nearly 5,000,000 of human beings. Nor must it be forgotten that not one-fourth of the magnificent artillery.of Runjeet Siugh has been captured or disabled; that two thirds of his arms' remain undamaged and entire. It seems not improbable that tbi- season Lahore may be occupied and garrisoned, the communications with Ferozepore--the post where our troops and magazines must be collected—being kept up; and that thus will their own capital become the centre and emanating point of next year's operations. The war-advocates at home have for years past talked of the con quest of the l'unjaub as once at easy aid desirable--the de struction of the Seikh empire the task of a few months. The exploit has been forced on us, and we must perform it as best we may ; we doubt not but in the end we shall do so triumphantly; but we must add 30,000 men to our army, and 10,000,600/. to our debt and this, with an income not able of late to meet our expenditure by nearly 2,000,000/. a year." THE ARMY ON TIIE SUTLEJ. (From the Delhi Gazette, Jan. 21.) Matters at Ferozepore continue much in the same state as when we last wrote, and must remain so until our opera tions for crossing the Sutlej are complete at all points, and that cannot now well be before the 4th, sth, or Gth of Feb. The only event that might vary the monotony of a standing camp would be an attempt on the part of the Seikhs to cross to our side, and that they have thought of so doing may be inferred from the fact, that about noon on the 14th a picket of theirs came over, about 200 or 300 strong. Tneir object in doing so is not known to us, but the Commander-in-Chief lost no time in ordering out a party, which speedily drove them back again, and when they had succeeded in so doing, their heavy guns (our Lahore correspondent, whose letters are necessarily brief, says they have 120 pieces of ordnance with 70,000 men ready to oppose us) commenced firing at us across the river, on which some of our heavy ordnance were brought up to return the compliment, and thus a very use less and undignified cannonade was kept up for near four hours, neither party doing any execution. One of our cor respondents also writes of a slight skirmish with the same picket, on the night of the 13th, in which we lost one European artilleryman killed, and a native one wounded. These skirmishes occurred at the point where the Seikhs have or had their bridge of boats; former accounts were to the effect that they had themselves broken up the bridge; others now say that our artillery destroyed it on the 14th, while the rest are silent regarding this point; so that we may conclude that the Seikh pickets come over on their own bridge, and that the bridge is still standing. As a sample of the reports which are carried about, we may mention, that the firing was, at Ferozepore, placed to the account of a general battle, and magnified, by the time the Ferozepore letters got to Umballah and Kurnaul, into a victory in which the Seikhs had been signally defeated in large numbers and driven into the Sutlej. The contents of our La hore newswriter's communication, although brief, seem to show that the Seikhs are determined to stand out, and we have every reason to think, from present appearances, they will do so. At Ferozepore itself the 27th and 44th Native Infantry, and the 3d Irregular Cavalry, supported by Cap tain Garbett's troop of Horse Artillery under Brigadier Car negy, are encamped at the Khoodee Ghat as a protection to the boats, and a check upon the ghat three miles below. The boats had, at the date of our latest letters 17th January, been nearly all raised, but require, on a careful inspection. much greater repairs than was at first thought would be the case, as they suffered considerably in the hurry of sinking them. Captain Prendergast (who has been ap pointed second in command to the 14th regiment of Irre gular Cavalry, and not Lieutenant Pattinson, as we formerly stated) left Ferozepore on the IGth, in progress towards Sa haranpore, to assist in raising the corps, Captain Fisher being unable, from the nature of his wounds, to take the initiative in the formation of the corps, of which he has obtained the command. The question has already been asked us, by what authority Queen's officers are appointed to such situations ? We can only say that they are made in the face of the most positive existing orders of the Court of Directors. How far the prospect of such a campaign as the one now in progress may have induced the Court to fur nish the Governor-General with extreme latitude in these matters, we cannot say, but we apprehend Sir henry Har dinge, who has hitherto been extremely cautious in the in fringement of general rules, except on this identical point, would not act without authorityin a matter of such very materiel importance, affecting ,the rights of the Company's army. Time will show, but we think it would be well to say at once what is the extent of the authority under which those rights have been infringed. At Loodianah the Seikhs have presented a bolder front than at Ferozepore, proportioned to the strength of our force at that place. They crossed, it ap pears by our native correspondent, on the 13th, and a friend on the spot furnishes such a clear view of the subsequent events, that we prefer giving it in his own words : " Loodianah, Jan. 16. " I do not know whether you have any correspondent here ; if not, a few words on our proceedings may be accept able. Our friends are gath er i ng rather strong, and ha ve a camp on this bank of the river, apparently at least a mile long, with another smaller one several miles lower down, which was pitched yesterday, I think. They have, it is said, brought 47 gulls of various sizes Over, and four mortars, and are intrenching themselves ; so, probably, intend to give us the pleasure of paying them the first visit. If they should come outside the reach of their great guns, I imagine we are n ow qu i te a bl e to wa l k into them. The lst Cavalry and Lane's four 6-pcunders arrived here on the 14th; that is all we have of cavalry or artillery, but we have the two Gom klia regiments, and th e 30th and 36th Na tive Infantry, besides a detachment on duty in the fort. We marched out on the 14th about. 2,000 strong, a mile towards their camp, which is some five miles oft; and after standing in most martial attitude au hour or two, marched home again, 'covered, if not with glory, yet with dust. The Horse Artil lery alone remained in camp all harnessed, and the enemy's artillery fired off a feu de joie on the occasion ; a reconnoitring party afterwards went out and saw nothing but a similar party of the enemy. This was our first day's operation, and it seems clear they had the better of us; both parties ail. vanced, but we have retired while they have kept; their ground. On the 15th, the 30th marched in from liassean, and our neighbours had increased their camp considerably, and sent a large division of horse to the camp, some miles lower down, probably to look after the Ferozepore road. Our friends of the 53d are expected from that direction (Bassean), and had better look out for their baggage. Major Bradford, with a troop of the Ist Cavalry, went out to reconnoitre, and got close to the enemy's camp, when they were very near bagging a fine string of camels, but were fired on by matchlock men concealed behind a sand-hill, so retired; there was much less noise this day, so we suppose they were employed intrenching themselves, Heavy firing about noon to-day for some ten minutes, at nothing I suppose ; two squadrons of the cavalry went to reconnoitre. There are a multitude of Affghan idlers about here, who, it is said, would willingly take service, and might at least be depended on_against the Seikhs, fine able bodied fellows; they would at least fill a ditch much better than those Puteealah scaramouches. Futteh Jung could raise a regiment of them in no time. One can conceive no men at arms more beggarly than those same Puteealah allies of ours, horses arid men. One of them came to Lieu tenant Lake the day before yesterday, as they were going out reconnoitering with one troop, and said he was afraid of his life, so he was permitted to go home and take care of' himself. " There can be little doubt our neighbours are determined to have another throw before they give up the game, but I t e h l e 9th loo th k at of th o e u se r little ks think they will let us pay our compliments to them in their mud gurrhee. here.' Reports had reached own camp. They :h d e o d n ij 't 112 8 711111 to o l n ik t e h bad been driven across. (From the Delhi Gazette of Jan. 24.) The news received this morning is not so precise as we could wish it, as we cannot reconcile dates and distances without more detailed information, but it appears, and we give it as we have it from a station not on the frontier, that Sir Harry Smith moved his division up the Sutlej on the 19th and 20th, overcoming such opposition as he met with in his progress, and that on the morning of the 21st he came, be tween 7 and 8 o'clock, in sight of the Seikh encampment • that he immediately prepared for action and commenced battle about half-past 8 o'clock, and furth er , t h at Sir rylt was, about 9 o'clock, joined by the Loodianah force. The battle, if such actually did take place, and we are inclined to place reliance en the account, must have been a severe on as one letter f rom L oo di anah has it that very heavy • N firing continued till half-past 3 (of the 91st). We regret to hear from a most respectable party at Loodi • snap, that such has been the feeling at that place regarding the unprotected state of the station, " that the Mahajuns and cloth merchants generally have deposited their wealth in Phulloor, and given large presents to the Seikh force there to protect them in the event of Loodianah being plundered." We learn from the general tinders, received this morning also, but too late for insertion in the supplement, that a 15th. Regiment of Irregular Horse is to be raised at Meerut. The name of the commandant is not stated. The following ap pointments connected with these corps have appeared:— " 11th Regiment—Lieutenant R. H. Hicks, Ist Enslga Light Infantry, to be second in command, in lieu of Sma/A page. Ensign C. Cureton, 38th Light Infantry, to be Adjut ant 12th Regiment—Cornet A. W. M. Wylly, stl._ Li g h t Cavalry, to be Adjutant. " 13th Regiment—Lieutenant C. Need, 7 th Nittive Infantry, to be Adjutant. " 14th Regiment --Captain Fisher, her Majesty's 8d Dra goons, Commandant; Lieutenant G. M. Prendergast, 44th Native Infantry, to be second in command; Lieutenant W. D'Oyly. 58th Native Infantry, to be Adjutant," It is with sentiments of much pleasure we mention an in stance of much tact on the part of the Governor-General which. was evidently intended to smooth down any little asperity that might be shown on the publication of General Littler ft report along.with the dispatches, and we hay. no doubt that it will have the good effect intended by Sir HenryHardine, who asked the officers of the 62d Foot to meet Sir John Littler at his table, and after dinner made a . .!aidsoln speech eulogistic of the regiment, them D highly for r r , their bravery and gallant bearing on the loss in killed and showing at the same time that then the field, other regiment in wounded exceeded that of anyand _ bore incontestable evidence to the noble manner in which they;,;(7l,;;Ftii;7l;siructive and truly awful tire fromille enemy's iutrenchment. This must have been extremely sa tisfactory to the gallant General and to the officers of a regiment which will yet have many opportunities of dis tinguishing itself and of commanding greater success. It ought to be a source of satisfaction, both to General Littler and to the 62d, that if they did not do all they could have wished, and all they deserved, the attack on his side rni have most materially influenced success elsewhere, and the victory of the centre division was based en the of all. e %Its _ (From the Bengal Hiakatn) It now comes out that we are indebted to Captem Lum ley, the Assistant-Adjutant-General, for our do r aciency at Ferozeshah, in cavalry and artillery, that of r acer having taken upon himself to order the cavalry and artillery en gaged at Moodkee back to Perozepore Als may be sup posed, Captain Lumley was, immediately on this being known, superseded in his appointment, and a court-martial ordered to be held on him. A medical cf. rtificate has, it is said, been subsequently produced, der.iarktg that Captaiai