The Sun. — London, England, 1852-05-28 00:00:00

county he represented, fur the poor-law rating was so unequal and unsatisfectory, that they had found it ne cessery to have So‘no systematic and uniform system in trolueed. They had therefo:e a leaved th steel ol town-land rating, and althotesh the Hon. Baronet, the 11, mber fur Londunderry, hal sail that it was atteeded with much expense, yet he believed that the cesspayers f °Trod themselvee greatly relieveci by it, and it gave them every satis!action. lie woutd further re mind the house that a CereMittee of Han curable Members set en this question, -u.nd that Committee re nominendel a just and uniform system of valuation all over Ireland, to bo taken under the cognizance of some /.aepectable effiser, and not under the authority of the ror-lew Guardians. The present measure was there fore the carrying out'of that report, and he therefore . heartilY sueported it. Sir D. NORREYS said the Hon. Member had forgot to state, thet in 1846 a Bill was introduced and passed in consequence of the recommendation of that Com mittee, and which hod proved a complete failure. The present measure was an itttempato remedy the evils en tailed b y that measure, but as it was changed t h e whole of the system of valuation in Ireland, he would impress upon the Noble Lord, the Secretary for Ireland, the pro- PrictY of not p rocee di ng w ith it this session, as hut few Irish MereberS co u ld he present to join in the discussion of it . Re mentioned that the average scale of prices Proposed to be taken by the measure for the purposes of Valuation, was too low. Lord NAAS explained that the scale of agricultural Prices was taken from the return of the prices of such Produce at 40 markets for the last three years, which gave the average prices o' 6,000 markets. Sir DENIIA.M NORREYS maintained that the averag e prices taken were below what these retu rns Showe, and, as a proof that they were by fir too low, Mr. Gria,h, the officer, who took the scale of valuation Prices in 1846, had stated, that his scale was 25 per cent. below the average prices, but the scale of prices now taken was 25 per cent. below his. Mr. NAPIER said that the measure heel been intro duced last session of Parliament by the late Government, but from the late period of the session at which it was introduced, it was found necessary to postpone it. During the progress that Bill made, some objections had been made to it, and the great object had been in framing the present measure to übviwe those objections. The objectims which had now been raised did not at all affect the principle of the measure, and he thought, therefore, that the better time for arguing them would have b een w h en the measure went into Committee— . hear.) The first objection was, as to the ex. pence. Now, the great portion of that expense was incurred in consequence of appeals, while the greater number of those appeals were not followed out. In Tip perary, the expenses of appeals amounted to about 2ad. per acre, b ut out of 533 appeals lodged there for the -December sessions, only 12 were persisted in, and only three trifling alterations were made. These appeals h aving been made, the valuation had to be assessed, so that all the expense of that was thrown away by the ap- Peals not being persisted in. That expense was, how ever, got rid of by the present Bill, which was founded on the principle of a uniform valuation for the whole of Irel an d , under the tenement system, taken so far as lands Were concerned, on a scale of agricultural prices, averag ing from 14 years to 14 years. That he conceived to be the fairest system that could be adopted; and, while in C ommittee, the Government would bs ready to listen to an y suggestions. He hoped the House would now con tient to the Bill being read a second time. 14 . S. CRAWFORD said that this was the best valuation Bill ever introduced to that house, and if In there were objections in detail, they could be disposed of o C mmittee. One of the advantages of this Bill was, " it went upon one uniform principle. He begged to eXpress a hope, that it was still the intention of the Go vernment to bring in a Bill to settle the question of averages in reference to agricultural prices. aanienel RA.WDON supported the amendment, as be , f ees o tztler e a the period at which the Bill was brought Ir r el "4- not being an opportune one. Members for b ei a nd were likely soon to leave for Ireland, and this leg sc h he thought it would not be fair to those Hun. z rers to p rocee d w i t h t hi s Bi l l i n t h e i r a b sence. th VVIII - PESIDE Esaid that the Emse was asked in le s month of May to abdicate its functions, becauae Hon. feenibers for Ireland were about to leave this country Tor Ireland. The Bill was good and sensible—under it the valuation of land would be made at three farthings an acre, whereas the valuation cost 4d. an acre. Nu Valid objection had been urged against the Bill. Mr. GROGAN supported the Bill, and suggested that it could be quickly got through at a morning sitting. „.Captain JONES objected to mo rn i ng sittings of the alatiuse, at which he thought a great deal of bad Leeis- Stare took place. He suggested that the Bill should be sent to Select Committee. Sir J. YOUNG was favourable to the Bill, and sug gested that it should be persevered in. hir. V. SCULLY objected to hasty legislation in re gard to the question involved in the measure before the liouse. He contended that this Bill had a political as pect, and he believed it would have the effect, if its de tails wer e carried out, of disfranchising thousands of : 6 , te rc He obj ec t e d t o fi x i ng th e rate of valuation up on u higher average than was warranted by the facts of the Ca se; and he contended the valuation under the poor rate ; rrdic iple was not a just one. There was, howee er, much i n the Bill, and ho should, therefore, suggest at i t h. h e referr e d to a Select Committee, i n or d er to i ts b eing "'me a complete meas u r e . ILord NAAS was glad to hear that there was, in fact, i 4) real obje ct i on to the principle of the Bill b efore the e () ! I lo• If the arguments of h i s two Hon. Friends op- Vat) were to ha ve e ff ect, it would amount to this, that f r v e ?' should not attempt to have a uniform legislation in t h e and.—(gear) H e was no t pl e d ge d t o th e d sta il e o f ac ute; and if it could be shown that the cla uses Buddh e advant ageous l y amen d e d , b e s h ou ld not o bj ect. aible e thought i t r i ght to say that h e i nten d e d, if pos . A tter tO carry th e Bill t h at sess i on . s' f ew words f rom M r . CLEMENTS, The fi °use divided, when there appeared — For the second reading 89 A g ain st it • 6 Alaiorit • —B3 PATENT Y On the Order of the day for reading this Bill a second her. cov e .. Acct t 'w eeN suggested that it should be referred to sure ee- Committee. Amongst other results of the mea tett, , the prerogative of the Crown would be much in ecuerei with. By the 17th section certain official per ao,,ges were to b e appo i nte d comm i ss i oners f or t h e pur - Lr of admi n i stering the law. The duty of these cora ."tioners Would b e t o ap p o i n t an exa miner or exami +hers t e ref whom every a ppli ca tion for a patent should be erred. Ile wished to know was it wise that such an tensity Power should be referred to any subjectano va ltter W h at his position? He objected, also to the r: I because it would transfer from the Courts of Scot cenada—eand Ireland also—to Westminster Hall, all pro ceedings arising out of letters patent. The Bill Further P r oposed to extend, by a series of payments, the law of ftiteats to the three kingdoms, as well as the Channel he , 31 ,_dta but omitted the colonies. On all these grounds though t it would be better to defer the consideration of the Bill to the next session. Mr. WAKLEY said that great evils resulted from the Frest.nt system, and, therefore, there ought to be an alteration in the law. He was in favour of sending the sill to a Select Committee, and having practical men eza nained•—(Hear, hear.) The class of witnesses exa mined before the Committee of the Lords was not such as could gi've the most valuable information. It. seemed to him that the patent laws should be assimilated to the principle of copyright. It should make no matter whe ther a m an impressed the image of his mind on iron, wood, or paper ; in either ease,invention should be protected. In Prance, Belgium, and the United States, a man could secu re protectionfor less than 101.; why should not the same ba the case in this country?—(Hear.) Mr. BROTHER TON thought that sending this Bill to a Select Committee would have the effect of post poning it to another session. He had been assured by several influential constituents that they approved of the was Prepared 8111, and he, therefore, to support the se cond reading.—(Hear.) Mr. J. STUART should say that his view did not at all correspond with that of the Ron. M ember for Fins bury (M r ,W a kley), in assimilating- this law w ith t h at eoiffiee')iPeynrtiigy vestig hita.The subject, how ever, had n o t b een. u • ated. He was not prep are d to abro of this country ; and it struck him gate the patent law that, between the present state of the law and the ex treme i H n t e er r m e d r. ia s te tu.a p r o t i ) nts pa vv rt h ic i co h . remedy pointed out by the Hon. Member for F insbury, a there were many eelht well be considered. °f which objected to the 27th clause of the Bill, the e ff ect 1 ll rewards for discoveries " 1 Which would be to Win- a Right Hon. Friend (Mr , ilade • He implored of hi?_ Henley) not to press through wifh this Bill in the pre sent might be as fruitful or session If he did, the result . and in cense a an OYELIICO as the amended l a w tn the ease of wills, Which was also hurried through with, g en " of which the cleverest lawyers in theo weg. re e three ifficulty as regarded the construction fore hoped would no li t resist 113q u i his - Right lion. Friend wou r Y„ a hY a Select Committee. knowv• ENLEY said, it Bill as was bee e - G p uiSt this was substantially I the same was right the House should r - eoth House of Lords, rec e i ved Rouses of Parliament in the last session. It Whe re a }4 o careful consideratioo.of the Th e B ili g t r h e_at deal of evidence had been taken last Wa s ttgai came down to the year. the seasill sent back to the Lords; and, he House of Commons, ad of havin g 4 , 0 ( 1 1 h ad lasted a few days longer, i"te be ho u lci s, n if d the law of xi with the measure just nOW, it would the 27th el (3 land.--(Hear.) With the except i o n of id °ll of the t r Gentle re was not a single clause or prronvoid s against which the Hon. and Lea the goon and urged an objection. On the contrary, Rouse with Learned Gentleman had amused the but , a long dissertation on the subject of wills, ex cept and patents had to do with each other, ordelea e at e both subjects happened to stand upon the et a l oca l ' for to-night, ho (Mr. Henley) was utterly the tz_ to comprehend.—(llear hear.) Certainly /mate 's; udiourable Gentleman had dwelt at much thou length upon the question of the law of wills Ho lt u P °7l the measure more immediately before the cer sa•--(llear he ) S fr as the 27th clause was con , rued' ho ar. o a lt had referencewever, he was perfectly ready to admit that might be to a matter of the greatest difficulty. It Pro that this clause was not framed in the most Put into but as to whether it could be amended and eri improved sitar, or whether it should be de privedth__of its retrospective effect, and made prospective, e( 7 19 Were questions rather for the House to consider in ad z!: lt.t He was quite ready to take any reasonable h u e un Tort into consideration; at the same timeit should !lathed that the subject was oue which must be de with in some way or other.—(Hear.) The Hon. 4aelnaheie for Edinburgh (Mr. theft Coan) had stated that the the ; .11 was an invasion of Queen's prerogative; her In the event of the Commissioners appointed by Majesty doing certain thin u3 gs l' , it would be." (41:. , 14° I 1 of the Queen' attettleye, e 8. p r erogative. That, to him 0711 however, a i d not appear to be a very logical mode of proving his case. The Hon. Member seemed to think it hard that Scotland and Ireland should be de , prived of the privilege of sealing their own quarrels in their own courts. N,,w if that were so—if there were a pretence for saying that anything of the sort was intended—he (Mr. ll..nley) would readily agree with him. But the msin prieeipie of the Bill—and he was sure the House would agree with hith that it was a :ound one—was. that Ei:giend. Scot land, and law I elandin x e a united kingdom, if t h em were a patent it tught to oper a te through out t, the kingd. , m.—(Hear, hear.) That was a mein principle of the Bih; but whether the machinery for carrying it out was the best and simplest that could be devised, and not capable of improvement, he should be very sorry to say. It improvements weze requisite, the Com mittee would he at liberty to make them. With regard to the Commissioners—it being conceded that it was de sirable to have one patent law for the whole of the United Kingdom—of course a machinery must be sot up which would be common to the three countries. There, then, was the necessity for the Commission, which would be composed of the Master of the Rolls, one of her Majesty's judges, and the law officers of the Crown in Eugland, in Scotland, and in Ireland. And as to the reference to be made to the Commis sioners, it a Scotch man wanted it patent in Scotland, he would refer to the Commissioners in that part of the United Kingdom; and so with an Irishman, he would refer to the Commlieioners in Ireland, On the other hand, if either thought preps, he could take out a patent in London. Another point, which might be open to consideration, and in respect ot' which the Bill might perhaps be amended in Committee, concerned the extension of the patent law to the colonies; and if in Committee it should be considered that the preroga tive of rho Crown was not sufficiently saved by the Bill as it stood, ho was inclined to think it might be amended by introducing a clause for that express purpose. — (dear.) Most persons desired that the -measure should tot made as simple as possible, and that was his (Mr. Henley's) desire, and the desire of her Majesty's Go vernment. It was their great object to simplify the law, to save expense, and if possible also to save parties from future litigation. With regard to the difference said to exist between patent right and copyright, he confessed he saw but . little. He believed a man could only sus tain the latter by proving his works to be original, and could only sustain the former by proving them to be a novelty; so that in these particulars he thought they were very nearly analogous. Oh, but it was sometimes said, you give a man a copyright, and he sets his views forth for the advantage of the world. True, he did set them forth fur the advantage of the world, and then he set his own price upon them at the same tinne.—(Hear, hear.) And it was just the same thing with patent right. He could not, therefore, see much distinction between the two.— (Hear, hear.) Yet many persons of great practical knowledge had contended that there was a distinction, and that the system of patents ought to be done away with altogether. He was not of that opinion and he hoped, therefore, the House would a gree t o the second reading of the Bill.—(Hear, hear.) One word with re gard to the expense, which was, after all, a most ma terial question. He believed that a patent for the three kingdoms could not at present be taken out for a less sum in fees and stamps—independently of the expense of employing a patent agent—than 250/. or 2601. By the Bill before the House it was proposed that it should be obtained at a cost of 25/, and that of itself was an enormous boon. Then if, at the expiration of three years it should be found that the invention was so useful as to make it desirable to extend the period of the pa tent, it could be renewed upon a further payment being made. He feared that by the reduction of the patent fees to so low a point a considerable loss might, he did not say would, accrue to the Treasury. [Mr. WABLEY—It will be a gain to the public.] But of course if parties were to have a privilege they ought to pay for (Hear, hear.) Still he did not say it was certain the loss would arise. That depended entirely upon the cir cumstance whether or not the number of patents in creased in consequence of the comparative cheapness of obtaining them. As to the question pat to him by the Hon. Member for Edinburgh, he had throughout ex pressed his readiness and his wish to send the Bill to a Select Committee, and he hoped the House would con cent to its second reading, in order that in a Select Com mittee those amendments' might be introduced which were found to be necessary. Mr. CARTER took objections to certain portions of the Bill, and observed, that whatever might be the loss it would entail upon the Exchequer, he did not believe it would be so great as the Right Hon. Gentleman appre hended; for, according to the schedule of fees, the total amount of the cost for the first period of the patent would amount to 1491. lls., a sum which, in his opinion, was immensely too high. Mr. MUN IZ denied that this Bill was the same as the measure of last year, and he considered it was as bad a Bill as could possibly be constructed. If he consented to its second reading, it should bs upon the assurance that the examiner shouhl not have power to decide upon the value and utility of an invention. Frequently seven years elapsed before the utility of a pattern was ascer tained; in his own case, it took that period to convince the puoiic that his invention was a good one. Where, then, was the use of the examiner? A more important point even than that was the clause which rendered every pattern invalid which bad been used abroad. Why, no patent could be maintained under such a clause as that; for they had only to bring over a vagabond from the other side of the water, who would swear to anything, to swear to that. With respect to the fees for patents, the Government had power to reduce them without legisla tion, and he would advise them to do so, and let the Bill stand over for future consideration. After a few words from Mr. GREENE and Mr. WILLIAMS Mr. PALMER questioned the propriety of their pressing to its final stage at the present moment, when little thee remained for a full discussion of the subject, a measure which ietroduced new machinery and new principles into the patent law of the kingdom. It com prised two distinct classes of clauses, to the immediate passing of one of which into law, it embodied in a mea sure by themselves, he had no objection. This class of clauses referred to the reduction of lees and the im provement of legal proceedings relative to patents. But the other clauses of the Bill ought not to be • proceeded with now, or at least they ought to know whether the Government on their own responsibility gave their ap proval to the measure. It was prepared by a Noble Lord in another place, who declared himself unfavour able to the maintenance of the patent laws, and hoped for their ultimate abolition, and he (Mr. R. Palmer) could trace the tendency of that Noble Lord's mind in that respect in the Bill. They ought to know, then, whether the Government on their responsibility gave their assent to a measure of that kind, the effect of which would be to undermine the patent laws of the kingdom. There were two principles in volved in the Bill which would have this effeat— one was that which did away with the power of the Crown in the colonies to grant patents there; the other related to foreign patents and to English patents in foreign countries. One of the clauses embodying this latter principle declared that the use of a patent abroad would be as fatal to a patent here as if it had been used in this country. Under that clause it would be impossi ble for a patentee to establish his right in a court of justice, such would be the difficulties of obtaining the requisite evidence from all countries of the world. A second clause, that when a foreign patent relating to the same invention as an English parent shall have expired, the English shall expire at the same time; and a third clause provided that patented .articles which might not be used in English ships, might be made in foreign ships in British waters; thus giving en undue advantage to foreign over Bri!ish shipping. Besides, the preliminary investigation proposed by the Bill, before granting a patent, would require a large staff of officers, and expose the patentee to two suits to establish his right, one before the examiner, the other before the Attorney-General, and then the decision would not be final. He objected also to the provisions relating to the publication of plans, specifications, and drawings, as being inefficient. En tertaining these objections to the measure, he should, if there were a division, vote against its second reading. Mr. 'WALPOLE said, if his lion. and Learned Friend had been present when his Right Hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade had explained the object of the Bill, he would have found that it did not interfere with the principles of the patent, but maintained that it was a wholesome stimulous to invention. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman especially objected. to the clause re lating to foreign ships, and to inventions the use of which was known in foreign countries or the colonies. With regard to the first, the object was to anticipate those differences which might arise and become matters of law iu reference to fOreign ships carrying their na tionality with them, which would be extended to articles used on board ship. The President of the Board of Trade had stated, however, that the Hoarse in passing the Bill was'not b oun d to adopt that provision. With respect to the use of inventlims patented in the colonies or abroad, he agreed with the Hon. and Learned Gen tleman that th e pr i nciple of the Bill in that regard re quired great and careful consideration. But those two provisions were quite independent of the main object of the Bill, which was first to diminish the expense of a patent to the inventor and the re duction would b e fro m _2601. to 251 and next to establish One patent for the three main divisions of the United Kingdom, so as to prevent a patentee being obliged t o ta k e separate patents for En - land, Ireland, and Scotland. He c ou ld not helthi g that the effecting of these He would connstitutienga great benefit to the public and the inventors ; and for the objection of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Mame) to the examiner, the object of that officer's functions was to give to the law officers of the Crown an assurance, based on scientific knowledge, that the inventions pro posed to be patented were worthy of a patent. B ut if there was an insuperable objection to that provision it could be altered in Committee. Ho hoped the House, t h e n, would allow the Bill to be read a second time and referred to a Select Committee, after which they could se e whether they wou ld ado p t the whole Bill br sepa aonssectaonwdhtiiemhe,heahadadaraddevreerdtetdo. ra te from it the two proviasi The Bill was then rea e. be referred to a Select Committe The Scutch Mills for DV. (Ireland) Bill was read a second time. Ltiw OF WILLS AMENDMENT BILL. o B n this IriL. The House having gone into Committee Bill, On the first clause, Mr. BETIIELL stated that the abuses arising .l out of s n ' the state o f th e l aw relat i ve to the s;gnature of wil . dered some measure of th i s kin d n ec e ssary. As the law stood at present, no will was valid which had not the signature " at th e en d or foot thereo f ; " b u t these worue had led to as m uc h difficulty and doubt as had ev en foie lowed the ambiguous phraseology of an Act of Parlia ment. The interpretation of which these words were susceptible made the law in this respect a delusion and a snare. It had been held that if the signature to a will was not pieced at the tad of the last clause of i, the iii etruednit was invalid. The present Lord Chancellor, a wishing to remedy the evils of the present system, and THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY , EVENING, MAY 28, 1852. sation like the present. He suggested to the Rouse and the Hon. Gentleman to put an end to the discussion, and to fix some day when they met at the usual hour. gr. HORSMAN thought the matter ought to be set tled before they adjourned. The Roman Catholic Mem bers were now, after the speech of the Hon. Member for North Warwickshire, most anxious to have thu-question fully discussed, and it was only fair to them that an op portunity should be afforded theM. The Governnient might well say that the question could not, with any convenience to public business, be now discussed, or they ought to fim early sittings every day until it was dis posed of. If not, let the order he at once discharged. Mr. ED WARDES wanted to know what grounds the Hon. Member for Athlone had for stating that the Ho n . Gentlemen who had motions before the adjourned de bate would postpone them? Mr. KEOGH rose, but was mot with cries of " Order" " Chair," and cries of " Youghal." , Mr. ANSTEY also rose, bat could not obtain a hearing. Mr. PORTAL said, if Hon. Gentlemen opposite were sincere, they would at once assent to his proposition. He proposed that they ought to divide at once.—(ob, oh.) Mr. SCULLY said it was most unfair to ask his side of the House to go to a division, when only two Roman Catholic Members had spoken on the subject. He thought the Government ought to give them an entire day to discuss the question. Mr. ANSTEY rose amidst cries of "spoke." He merely wished to explain. The Hon. Member for Lam beth distinctly stated that he would not stand in the way of the House resuming the debate. The Noble Lord the Member for Middlesex had also agreed to give way. Mr. SPOONER was unwilling to put the House to 'any inconvenience. It was said he did not wish to bring forward the question, but he distinctly denied that. It the Right Hon. Gentleman would assure him that they would give him a day, he would postpone it to any day they might fix. If not, he would take the sense 'of 'thel House now on the sitting at twelve o'clock. ' I ' Mr. WALPOLE had hoped the question would hail been settled on Tuesday last, and the Government hati not now a single day to spare to get through the ordi-i nary business of the session. The motion, be must say,' was neither brought forward by, nor encouraged by, the! Government, and they had nothing to do with the mo- , tion beyond what any individual member had—namely, to pronounce an opinion, and he denied the right of any Hon. Member to call upon the Government to give a day on the ground that it was a Government question. He hoped if any day could bo fixed that the debate would then be brought to a close, but at present he certainly could not.name any day. _ _ Mr. H. HERBERT bad a motion on the aubjeot,. • and he certainly would not press it, although he did not hesitate to say that the object of that motion was to quash an idle and mischievous motion, that ought never to have been brought forward in that House. He did not think there were ten sincere men in that assembly but that nearly all of them were heartily sick of it. Mr. REYNOLDS said the only sincere Member in the House was the Hon. Member for Halifax, who said that his constituents were deeply interested in it, and he was anxious to be able to tell them that he had voted for the inquiry into Maynooth. He congratulated Hon. Gentlemen opposite on the dissolution of partnership between the Hon. Member for North Warwickshire and the Government. To repeat the phrase of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer ap plied to the late Sir R. Peel's Government, the present position of affairs was nothing less than "a re-organised hypocrisy." The Irish Members did not want to divide —they wanted to speak, and they would put the op posite party on their trial, and convict them of rank and unadulterated bigotry and hypocrisy. If the Com mittee was granted to-morrow they could not act, and he was then entitled to call it a rank unadultured hy pocrisy. Mr. MILES regretted the tone and temper the de bate bad assumed. The Government was placed in a peculiar position. They wanted a day, and if the mat ter was postponed to the end of August, a day must be had. The Protestant feeling of the country required I it. He proposed to postpone the debate till that day, and then let the Government be prepared to name a day. The question must not be blinked, and the I country required that it should be fully and entirely dis cussed- Mr. FRESHFIELD consented to 'withdraw his mo tion for the meeting of the House at twelve o'clock, which was agreed to. On the motion that the debate be adjourned till five o'clock, , Mr. ANSTEY objected, until the Ministers had made up their minds what day should be fixed for resuming the debate. Strangers were ordered to withdraw, but at the suggestion of the O'GORMAN MAHON, Mr, An stey's opposition was withdrawn, and the motion was agreed to. A new writ was ordered for Huntingdonshire, in the room of George Thornhill, El.; deceased, and The House adjourned at Three o'clock. • COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE. THURSDAY. Owing to the unfavourable state of the weather, her Majesty and the Royal Family were unable to leave the house yesterday morning. There was no addition to the Royal dinner party. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Duchess of Gloucester yesterday, at Gloucester House. Mr. J. Bailey, M.P., had an interview with the Earl of Derby yesterday, at his official residence in Down ing-street. A deputation, consisting of the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Granby, Colonel Wood, Mr. Guthrie, and Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P., had an interview with the Chancellor of Exchequer yesterday, at his official resi dence in Downing street. • A deputation on the subject of emigration had an in terview with Sir John Pakington yesterday, at the Colonial-office. The deputation consisted ot Sir W. Verner, M.P., Mr. J. Evelyn Denison, M.P., Mr. Wynd ham Gould, M.P., Messrs. Robert Brooks, William Walker, P. W. Flower. F. R. Gore, C. M'Lachlan, J. R. Morrison, G. H. Donaldson, J. C. Ki ng , R. lane D e S a ll e , J. Les lie Forster, J. A. Jackson, Joseph Suther land, James Levick, Charles Stirling, W. Fanning, Henry Moor, Captain Starlsy Carr, and Major Mercer. Mr. Charles Wilshere had an interview with Mr. Se cretary Walpole yesterday, at the Home-office. A deputation from the Sanitary Committee of the town of Worthing had an interview yesterday with the General Board of Health, at their offices, Whitehall. The deputation consisted of Mr. W. H. Dennett (Chair man ot the Committee), and Messrs. Collett, Roberts, Cortis, Harris, and Hardingham. Mr. Peers Williams, M.P., and Mr. Christopher Tower, had an interview on Tuesday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. General Love transacted businete yesterday at the Home-office. A deputation about Presbyterian marriages in Gib raltar had an interview yesterday with Secretary Sir John Pakington. The deputation consisted of the Rev. Adam Cairns, Mr, E. Ellice, Mr. J. Fergus, and Mr. C. Cavan. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAL—The Queen, 116, Captain Wise, railed from Spithead this afternoon for Plymouth, to be paid down. The Conflict, 14, screw-sloop, Commander Jenner (acting), was paid off here this day. Lieutenant Swaine, of the Woolwich division of Royal Marines, tried by court-martial for conduct arising out of the :Air whfch led to the court martial on Captain Hawkey, orthe same corps, hes been acquitted. The Superb, 80, Captain Purcell, is ordered to Sheer ness, to be paid off. She will sail when the wind is favourable. The 13sailisk, 6, paddle-sloop, has been put in com mission here this day by Commander the Hon. Francis Egerton. She has been taken to the entrance of the north dock, and 'will be taken in when the Tiger comes out, to have her bottom examined and a slight defect remedied. with that anxious desire to promote the due adminis tration of the law which had ever distinguished that most learned judge, had introduced the present Bill, and a more proper one, in its scope and objec t, could not well be conceived. And yet, owing to the menrier in which a per tion of it was framed, it was no: Only net calculated to re-move the unfortunate mischief, bat was likely actually to multiply and augment it. What was wanted Was a plain and ordinary rule tor the guidance of plain and orei-tary men; bet .he (Mr. Betbell) feared that a portion of this Bill, as it now steed, would complicate re-her thee simplify. 'Listed:l of repealing the original enactment, it was reteinede accompenie i by a long sec tion which partly expounded and partly affected to be a remedy for what was admitted to be a vicious state of the law. The Bill, as at present constructed, provided that whatever might be the position of the signature, whether " at, or after, or following, or under, or beside, or at the end of the will," the instrument should be of no effect unless the signature were so placed as that it should be apparent the testator meant to give effect to the writing. The attempt to explain and determine , the meaning of the previous provision with respect to signing was unsuccessful, and it would' be far better to lay down one plain general rule. The best mode of alter ina the Bill, therefore, would be to extract the words in question. and to substitute others, not entirely new, but in part adopted from the original clause. The HOD. and Learned Member, after remarking en the imperfect nature of the language too frequently made use of in the, law Bills which were introduced into that House, and compiimenting the Nobler and Learned Lord who framed, the Bill for his great learning, stated that the first clause, nevertheless, was a maze without a plan, and therefore proposed as an amendment to omit in the preamble the words "as follows," and tho whole of the first section, and 'in lieu thereof insert the following as the first section of the Billh--" That so much of an Act passed . in the first year of the reign of her Majesty Queen Victoria, intituled, ' An Act for, the Amendment of the Law with respect to Wills,' as enacts ' Tout no will shall be valid unless it shall be in writing, and executed in manner hereinafter mentioned (that is to say), it shall be signed at the foot or end thereof by the testator, or by some other person in his presence and by his direction; and such signature shall be made or acknowledged by the testator in the presence of two or more witnesses present at the same time; and such Wit nesses shall attest and shall subscribe' the will in the presence of the testator; and no form of - attestation shall be necessary,' be, and the same is . hereby re pealed: and in lieu thereof be it, and it is hereby enacted that no will shall be valid unless it shall be in writing,' and executed in Manner hereinafter mentioned (that is to say), it shall be signed by the testator, or by some other person in his presence and by his direction, in such manner as that it shall be apparent that the testator in tended to give effect by such signature to the writing as his will, and such signature shall be, made or acknow ledged by the testator in the presence of * two or more , w it n esses present at the same time, and such witnesses. shall attest and shall subscribe the will in the presence of the testator, but no form of attestation shall be ne cessary." Mr. BERNA.L said the amendment was a perfectly new clause, and could not, therefore, bo put in that shape. The course was to negative the original clause, and then make the addition of a new one. The MASTER of the ROLLS concurred neither in the clause nor the amendment. It was most important in the law as regarded wills to avoid technicalities and " to enable persons who made them to carry out their intentions. The existing, law was framed upon the report of the Real Property Commissioners for the pur pose of avoiding, technicalities; and yet it had, created more than had previously existed. The Real Property Commissioners bad put an end to the holograph wills,' but he thought they would have amended the law more effectually it they had required two witnesses to each. There should not be one species of rule for one instru ment and another for another instrument, as existed at present. Sir H. Jenner Fust had stated to him that baskets-full of bond fide wills were every week refused probate at Dectors'-commons. The evil was, therefore, v ery great. But, nevertheless, he doubted whether the House of Commons was 'in a position to - amend the evil; and he submitted whether a Select Com mitte would not be the best mode of dealing with the subjeche--(Hear, hear.) The signature of a will was the attestation of the same, and there could be no difficulty in arriving at a conclusion in re spect to it. He thought there should be an expression on a will as the signature at the foot; all that should be required was the signature and the attestation of the same by witnesses. By the amendment a law suit might be raised on every will upon the words " that it shall be apparent that the testator intended to give eff e ct by s uch s i g nature to the writing, /, He was of opinion, there fore, that the attestation of a will by two witnesses was all that should be necessary. The present forms led directly to fraud. He had considerable doubts whether it was requisite that the witnesses should sign in each other's presence or in the presence of the testator, and he quoted tt case in which a will was held to be invalid from excess of caution. Ho would venture to say that neither of the law officers of the Crown had communi cated with a single lawyer conversant with wills in courts of justice who would tell them that the effect of the Bill would be such as was anticipated by i.s pro moters. He believed that the only remedy for the evil complained of would be a simple enactment requiring every man able to make a will to sign such document in the presence of two attesting witnesses. He was so de sirous of the Bill being referred to a Select Committee that he was disposed to suggest that the chairman should report progress in order to effect that result. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL could not concur in the suggestion of the Right Hon. and Learned Gentle man to refer this Bill to a Select Committee, inasmuch as such a proceeding must necessarily be attended with considerable delay, while numberless wills were being executed every day, the validity of which it might be hard to establish in the present uncertain state of the law. An important amendment was introduced into the law by Lerd Lengdale'a Bill, in 1837. Nothing could be apparently more clear and simple than the conditions required by said Bill for legalising wills. The words were that the will shall be signed at the foot thereof by the testator, and that the signature shall be attested by two witnesses. Unfortunately, however, these words raised the greatest difficulties in the way, and many deci sions were given by the learned judges in respect of them; the effect of which was generally that if there was an interval of space of an inch or thereabouts between the foot of the will and the signature the document was hold to be invalid. The Lord Chancellor, fully aware of the evils arising from the defective state of the law in this respect, lost no time after his appointment to office in endeavouring to apply an effectual remedy to them. lie (the Solicitor Ge neral) had heard with much surprise the comments of the. Hon. and Learned Member fur Aylesbury upon the structure of this Bill, which had also received the disapprobation of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Master of the Rolls. Now, he could not but temind the Com mittee that the Noble and Learned. Lord the author of the Bill was not only the greatest of living equity lawyers, but that he possessed the most extensive experience in the practice and administration of the law of any man in existence. The Noble and Learned Lord was also intimately acquainted with the subject, and was the author of some of the most important and useful Acts to be found in the statute-book.—(Hear, hear.). The Noble and Learned Lord in the present Bill applied himself solely to the grievance that was to be remedied in *respect to the position of the signature of the tes tator, rind therefore provided that if the signatur e be placed at or after, following, or beside the will—that no matter where the signature of the testator be placed, the document shall be valid if it shall be apparent on the face of the will that the testator wished to give effect to it. If the clause was enacted in the way Hon. and Learned \ Gentlemen propoeed it should be enacted, it would come under the consideration of the Prerogative Court, and then all the objections would lie taken which the lion. and Learned Gentleman contended would be overruled by his alteration. He apprehended that the whole of the clause as it stood in the Bill, from the beginning to the end e was necessary in ogler to apply a remedy to those evils enumerated; and whatever might be the form of words used, he was satisfied without this specific enactment, those words would be entirely insufficient. By the language need in the clause a remedy for certain evils was applied: lie did not say all the evils of the Act of 1835 would be remedied, but certainly much of the admitted evil would he diminished. He would add ono more word on another point which had been referred to. The Right Honourable and Learned and Ho nourable and Learned Gentlemen opposite seemed to think that the statute of 1835 relative to the execution of wills was intended as a guide to persons as to the way they should make their wills. The great mass of makers of wills, - he would beg to remind those Hon. and Learned Gentlemen, seldom looked to an Act of Parliament in order to learn the way to make a will. Men of education and property usually took legal opi nion, and the parties they consulted would no doubt take care that the wills were made in a proper form. But he coutended that it was not the province of an Act of Par liament to teach people how to make a will, but to tell courts of justice how to pronounce on the execution of wills which came under their consideration. The great question was this, that laws were not to guide ordinary men in the way' they should make their wills. That was not the question or the object of Acts of Parlia ment, Bat the question was, would these Acts of Par; liament enable courts of justice who had to pronounce on wills, to do justice and to carry out correctly the inten tion of the testator, if these intentions appeared to be dubious? His opinion was, the more simple the language of an Act of Parliament, the lAtter would be obtained the great object of framing an Act of Parliament—namely, to guide courts of justice to the intentions of testators. e N bvu o 2 f : r usv iv ne o tr l oe o u u e sor technical objection ought to be allowed to set aside wills. The clause as it was now framed offered a complete remedy to evils under the Act of 1837, and He ethterucal t e e u d se t o h f eo the Hon. and Learned Member for Ayles bury alteration.substituted,hed. plu ttw Committee the voau rlido e ul f se r e u c v t e would open courtsto l e e v of e jus tice, as now, t WOOD g be ett en tit p u r d e e ss t i o n w g a o r n ds al th are would to on th the e ela A u c a t e . tempting to remedy a said N he concurred in expressihg Sir W. P. _Ale and Learned Lord for at rievance that for a long time had question e es p t ii o rtion of the community. But ld wb be ether the Bill, in its it was quite another objection on the statute present imperfect form, should ion f of delay, ho book. With respect to the oh' re gretted that the Bill had Lot Len fat e e pa to re d e to le ago to the Select Committee; for if L e s errruerds'esohmade daysbecn t longer Bill, b, i ,eu hadr reported i d ; taken gi slat e the u u upon otohsee subject.wo uldhav i e r b w e a e s n no bt t t c e io r co amuc e h nd lon h referredfor the Bankruptcy to a sel eet Committee, Bill, upon in a tow hours. The present Bilk would be P pro perly‘ dealt with by a Select Committee in about two e q s. It bad been asserted that this Bill was a perf ect Bill; but ho must take au exception to that description o f the Bill. No la ws, in his opinion , required to I be more simple and definite than !MVO by which per- sons, perhaps, in extremis, were to dispose of their property—when, in fact, they were not in a condition to refer to legal Acts of Parliament, or had ready access to legal assistance. Now, the first objection -to I the Bill was on the ground of its complexity, and the next, that which had reference to the signature. The - Hon. and Learned Gentleman might, have used a mach simpler and more practical form. The bekt objection related to a series of paragraphs whiCh he was asto nished should have found their way into the'Bili- The Hon. and Learned Solicitor-General justified the inser tion of the string of words in question, by saying, if in serted, we should not haie the diffienities again to over come which had already given so much"trouble. Bat all those difficulties'arose from - these words—" at the end or foot." Why, then, was it necessary to have these words at all? , If the diaiult - circumstances enumerated were not to restrict the Aet, why put in - the words at all? His opinion was that you could not, make an Act of Parliament too simple, or put it into words too fami liar, so as to be comprehended by all persons who were not legal persons. Then the next objection was rela tive to worth inserted underneath the signature. He hoped the Bill would be referred to a Select Committee, that it might be put into a proper shape for the House to pass. Mr. ViTHITESIDE thought thii an extraordinary argument, considering that the Bill had come down from the House of Lords—(H ear , hear)—and after careful consideration on the pareoethe most able of the Noble and Learned Lords among their Lordships. The Bill went first directly . and affirmatively to the evil complained of as to the position of the signature in the will, and .then went negatively to declare that none of the bad deci sious which had been come to on that point should inva lidate any will.--(flear ; bear.) Nothing could more properly carry out the object of the raeasure.-!—(flear.) Mr. J. 'STUART said the clause called " a farrago of words" was framed by the-most eminent and - experienced equity lawyers of the age--(flear)—and agreed to by all the lawyers in the House of Lords.—(Hear.) To 'hear this called a " farrago Of, words" was really extraordi nary, end did not tend to the credit of the debates in the House of CommOns.—(Hear.) The effect of the latter part of the clause was only to negative a series of bad, decisions, founded on an entire misapprehension of the object of the Legislature in framing the Act of Victoria. The measure was supported by such men as Lord. St. Leonard's, Lord Lyndherat, Lord' Cranworth, and: Lord . Campbell--(Hear, hear)—and two of them, who criticised the Bill, wereagreed ss to' the nature of the . 'amendments.—(Hear, hear.) 'The Bill was to be re ferred to a Select Committee; but if the legal.lgebeis could not agree in the House, why should they in the . Committee?—(Hear.) After all this, they would base to adopt some authority, and what could.they more.pro perlY defer to than the highest in the realm? — (Hear, hear.) It must be recollected, that if the Bill were materially altered; it could not • possibly pass this session, which all agreed was necessary and desi rable in order to destroy the bad decisions that had been referred to. Nothing could be intended by'a re ference to a Select Committee but its total defeat and destruction, and leaving the :law in dis 'graceful s,tate.—(Hear,,hear.) its'eplesent Mr. MULLINGS said the ,proposition was to omit the words " signed at .tbe foot of the will," the object of which was to prevent any fraud from being perpe trated by the adding of anything after the signature. If the amendment were adopted, fraudulent practices would not be guarded against, and the law would be left_ open to all the difficulties that at present eXisted. - The MASTER of the ROLLS said his object in moving that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee was not to delay its passing,'but to obtain the assistance of the judges, in order that the Bill might be put in a proper form. He .begged, therefore,. to move that the chairman report progress, with, the view of the,Bill being referred to a Select Committee. Mr. WALPOLE said that to send the Bill to a Select Committee . would be to - send it to a Committee of lawyers, who would all differ in opinion on the subject. He had not beard a single argument to show that the Bill would not meet the defects in the law of 1837. The Bill would not alter that law, but would simply provide that the judges were Aot, IQ put, that foraed.constructien on the Act which bad had the effect of leaving a vast number of wills unadministered. He did hope the Com mittee would not think it necessary to delay this benevo lent measure. The Committee divided, when there appeared— For reporting progress ... ' 64 Against it ... ' ••• •• 121 • Majority • • ••• —57 _ _ In clause 2, " - Mr. BETHELL moved the insertion of words to make the clause applicable only to the wills of persons who should die after the passing of the Act. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL was in favour of the clause as it stood. . Sir P. WOOD said the notion of sending a Bill to a Select Committee upon coming down from the House of Lords was the most absurd proposition that could be made to that House. Everybody must see that immense litigation must arise from the clauses now framed, and he protested against such's system' of legislation. . The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND de fended the clause, and complained of, the objections that were now started after the Bill had been so long be fore the House, without any amendment being placed upon the paper. The clause with the remaining clauses were then agreed to, and the House resumed. GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL. On the order of the day for going into Committee on this Bill, Mr. BROTHERTON moved an instruction that the Committee have power to amend the Public Health Act (1848). —Agreed to. The House then went into Committee, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. The several clauses were agreed to, some new clauses were added, and the House resumed. INDUSTRIAL AND GENERAL PARTNERSHIPS BIL G. •On the motion of Mr,. SL[ NEY this Bill went through a Committee, the various clauses being agreed to without amendment. • The Public - Works Bill was read a third time and passed, • The Poor Law Board Continuance (Ireland) Bill was read a second time and ordered to be Committed. Mr. BOUVERIE moved that the House do go into Committee on the Burgh Harbours (Scotland) Bill, and observed that its provisions were to enable smell burghs to make rates to repair these harbours. Mr. F. M'KENZIE opposed the Bill, on the ground that it gave too large a power to these small munici palities to tax all vessels en ter i ng Right Hon. Gentleman the ,p res i d Trade would explain what the. objections of the Go vernment were. these harbours. ent of the Board of Mr. HENLEY was not satisfied that a proper check was placed upon tho taring powers o f these munici palities. Mr. PORTAL, at that late hour, suggested that the Committee should be postp oner', u e sedivieled, when ere appeared Committee. th ere 64 ToeFor lirj h t against the Lo . Against it ... Majority 10,6 ,-42 On the motion for conside r i ng the amendment on the Ecclesiastical Courts (Crimi nal Jurisdiction) Bill. Mr. ANSTEY objected to proceeding with it at that late time of the night, and m oved As an amendment that the House do now. adjourn. The motion was sccordingty. postponed. ' • On tha motion for the sec o n d Bishops Bill, reading of the Colonial Mr. ANSTEY also objected , Bill, as it was, au attempt to to pyo n e ec ji - pg with that Rouse had no pretence or right titles to.which that The second reading way, after t. , • • poned till this day, ._ Some discussion, post- MAYNOopu The dropped orders were then the adjourned debate on m i ., ; proceeded with; and on Mr. FRESHFIELD moved e eth being read, , sumed that day, at. twelve o' clock.. the 'debate be re- Mr. WALPOLE protested against at twelve o'clock, after it h a d ti V i ust the . Hotistieitting, two o'clock. It would be inspossTil been sitting till near the country to be carried on if Members le for the business of come down again in a few' hours were obliged to Mr. ANSTEY said the motiofi° t er House. to provoke the appeal of the Righthad been made merely was a repetition of the fareeor Hon. Gentleman. It Hon. Members wanted the deb ate W, ednesday last. If to have been there at eightVel oo k! e go on they ought Not one of the Miniaters" were - pr ,, fla Tuesday evening. was counted out, although the. Af: e . h e t when the House tions before the House intimated Or" who had mo way. If the Government would noti- intention to give a measure which they believed to be oj a day to discuss let the Hon. Member for Wa r w i oksb . l 'ital importance, charge of the order, and put an end to move the dis- Mr. FRESI-IFIELD hoped it wo u ld that dull farce. that his side of the 'House was not anx; not be supposed di sc ussion brought on at the earliest possible period. the Hon. Member for Warwickshire b.‘ , o ! . proceeding of with their entire approbation.—(A i tin " u o rroughout met to know what was the condition of the Government ) He wanted that question. There sat the Hon. mem upon shire, who bad jumped through - thro r for Feeble question. When the House re-assembled goo ‘ ras on the where were the Members of the GoveriT eight o'clock were all ready to declare their hostility t o :t eu t? ' They grant, and yet they shirked the debate it, 0 e Xfayriopth, the Derby. Why, the National Club.oohi,rder to go to three Members at eight o'clock, an d a the a nl Y ' fluster only one Member; when the debate was ab out overnment "b nOollt to be re sumed. Mr. NEWDEGATE was certainly under the i sion on Tuesday evening that the late whi -mpre s Ministry, seeing that there were three of the motions on the paper, would have endeavoureir Whig and keep a House; but the Home mi g h t 0 ,„,, to make prise when he found" that that Right Hon, Gentleman sur had 'actually counted out the House. Ho could assure .the Hon. and Learned Member for Athlone, that was the greatest anxiety te bring on the question, at there and his friends were, however, unable to delude H e country as to their real intentions. H --e appe aled e the Government, us all parties seemed willin g to bete the the question, whether some. day might hot b bring on e hzid for its discus= ln? . The O'GORMAN MAHON said h e could assure Hon. em b e rs that the Run let Catholic Meenbers M most anxious to have the qur,stion fully discusso, more were especially as imputations h ad been attem p te d to be upon the religion to which he bed the honour to b least If documents such as the Hon. Member had referredeeg. were iii, existence. he averred that they were repudiatedto by fl ' -)t h the laity nd the ecclesiastics of the Catholic - , I , Roman religion. ahoy courted discussion, and they ealied upon the Government to demand o respond to th e of the lion: M em b e r tor - North 'W arwicksh ire. Sir J. PAKINGTON into the di ' hoped they • • 'n 4n Lucia would not be led Minion oft question I -0114110.9nyer- APPOINTMENTS. W9OLWICII, MAY 27.—Commanders—Thomas Miller (1847), to study steam at Woolwich Dockyard, vice Lieutenant H. M. Elliot, passed; Henry Harvey (1841), to the Penelope s t e am-frigate on the West Coast of Africa station, vice Hillyar, promoted. Lieutenant Henry Hannant (1842), to the Encounter steam-sloop at Portsmouth, vice Curtis, promoted. Surgeon Archibald J. Little (1845), to the Basilisk steam-sloop at Portsmouth ; Assistant-Surg D eon Daniel W. Stephens, M.D. (1848), from the Highflyer steam sloop, to the Basilisk. Clerks—Alexander. Jeffreys (1845), to the Blenheim, 60, screw • steam guard-ship, at Portsmouth; J. J. Stevens, to the Ferret, 8. sloop, at Devonport. The Black Eagle ' steam-vessel, Master Commander John E. Petley, left Woolwich at four o'clock s..x. to-day for Portsmouth. DIAMOND DUST. (From Eliza Cook's Journal.) He who possesses a susceptible heart has an inex haustible mine of sweet emotions. To form an opinion of human nature from a perusal of history, is like judging of a fine city by its sewers and cesspools. Self-indulgence takes many forms, and we should bear i n mind that the re ma y be a sullen sensuality a 8 well as a gay one. Running after happiness is only c h as ing the horizon. Kindness pains more than cruelty when it is given instead of love. Many men have the materials of happiness placed within their reaob, but not one in ten knows how to ma. nufacture anything out of them except ennui. A p r esentiment of coming gladness is the summit of terrestrial felicity. Love can excuse anything except meanness, but melte.' lICS3 kills love , and cripples even natural affection. • LIGHTING THE NEW V ICTORIA•STREET, WESTMIN. ann.--After months of delay and a great deal of public remonstrance through the press and otherwise, during pas whichsab time l e to t h e e hn e a u t b t nh o see v t ro e ouwut t se h esr o stot r mb o p u bi e g endrs h ei t f ese a str r r e i aa Innhmdaafterbecome la .eua.e.dnnil tsaderThe a kee l v m ii zene c agro sarmetrlopimnbali place s sinners have at last cmmenced operations to light it shore( i l a ., : n u ai d e dyo t h e two rows if u g i r t: h o t hr i w t d hl et Y s Ahr ' ge o 130-f least n- Blt o s a ja m Epoi:sNos pi ABERDEENSHIRE. - " Hul , eig Rho loss n E r e . i .- l o aio n yft i e nit a tgi c m, h side, placed on the ground, and will be fixed as soon as the wea ther permits, as it is intended to have the mstaaitmnesedtrautlnhhaustp, gold has o f new granite been placed over it, so that when it is lighted it will be perfect as a leading thoroughfare to Belgravia and Chelsea. has been discovered in the limestone queries at Auchirie five miles from Fraserburgh, and that th e aua lyse4, and pronounced to be genuine, x, Wail: . . .. . 0-4vorils British . MESMERIC INFIRMARY. The annual general meeting of the friends and sub scribers to this excellent institution was held yesterday at Willis's-rooms, King-street, St. Jamce's. The atten dance of ladies and gentlemen was so large that it was found necessary to adjeurn the meeting from the apart ment in which it first assembled into the large ball-room. Earl STeenore, who was unanimously elected to the chair, considered it a distingui.heci honour to be called on to preside over such an assembly, but he sincerely regretted the chair was not filled by one of his learned friends, who, from his medical. knowledge and expe rience, would be far more worthy of it th an hi mse lf. I From a very early period of his king life he had taken the deepest interest in all that related to medical science, to which he attached the utmost importance, as it had for its object that which was most important to mankind—the alleviation of suffering, and, as far as it was practicable, the restoration of health, which was the greatest bles sing they received from Providence, and which was in dispensably requisite for the enjoyment of life. As soon as mesmerism was revived in this country, in which it had slumbered for many years, he became curious about it, and h© took the earliest opportunity of witnessing th e exper i ments that were made at the hos pital y of th e L ondon University, and by Baron Dupotet. After attentively considering tho ' se experiments he saw a phenomenon of a physical and also of a psychological nature, which appeared to him eminently entitled to phi l osophic investigation Ile was not discouraged from pursuin g the inquiry . from an observation made in the Globe newspaper, that in attending tho se ex p e riments he ought to b e considered as lrisan a test mes merism was to be co ns id ered m nt ase.lf a belief in mes of insanity, all the lunatic asylums in the country would u not be sufficiently h t t b er e . ,capacious to hold the patients. (te L o T re h b e e m w o a re s he examined the effects of mesmerism, convineefi %fits reality and truth that e t he studied ,the eubjectrAhe deeper was his conviction ü b t , i ) ii t_ . had xtreme importance and o f th e utmost practical a it Wag y of lli i tiiing formed that opi n i on on d e lib erate reflection , ters:Olden in avowing it freely, for he always thought nktr.worse and most discredit a bl e species of cowardiceA ak iss, n the r want of moral courage.—(Hear, hear.) 2epori.deficient in bodily coura ge m i g h t a ll ege that want -- df taerve, or weakness of constitution, did not enable him or render him unwilling to expose himself to any per sonal danger, but no apology could be made for him who, being thoroughly convinced of any truth, was ashamed or afraid to avow it.—(Hear, hear.) It was fortunate for the world, fortunate for the honour and dignity of the medical profession, that there were physi cians in this country who, disregarding fame and fortune, and those advantages which were most dearly prized and eagerly pursued, nobly and magnanimously sacri ficed them'to the cause of truth.—(Hear, hear.) They might be reviled and ridiculed—they might become ob jects of censure or misrepresentation, but their names would be transmitted to posterity with the honour to which they were justly entitled, and they would have the satisfaction of knowing that truth would ultimately prevail. They read in the Holy Scriptures of what would, he was convinced, be fully ex emplified in mesmerism—" Great is truth and stronger than all things. It endureth, and is always strong—it liveth and conquereth for evermore." Mesmerism has to contend, not only among members of the medical profession but also among the public, with such invete rate prejudice that, in one case that came within his own personal knowledge, it had actually obstructed the course of justice. This was a somewhat curious ease. About nine years ago a young woman applied to him to be mesmerised, as she was obliged, in consequence of being subject to epileptic attacks, to leave her situation. He found her so susceptible, that in a quarter of a minute she fell into a deep mesmeric sleep. In returning from the house he was informed—but later than he ought to have been—that she had had another fit of such violence that it continued for several hours, and the strength of four men were required to hold her. He visited her im mediately, and found she had been seized with tetanus or loOk-jaw. Taking hold of an instrument which happened to be at hand—a kind of ripping chisel—he used it as a lover, and wrenched her jaws open. He was shocked at the operation, and still more at the noise, which seemed to indicate that the jaws had been broken. By making a few mesmeric passes she opened her jaws without any difficulty. In that year he was obliged to remain con stantly in London, so that the opportunities he had of mesmerising her wore few and far between; but he had the goodlortane of restoring her to health and of seeing ' her return to service. Some years afterwards she en tered the service of a person in the metropolis, who, for a very trifling cense, got into a very violent passion, and seized her by the throat. The excitement made the girl frantic, arid her epileptic fits returned. Complaint was made to a magistrate, who thought the case so serious that, instead of summarily convicting, he sent the party before a court of justice. The young woman was afterwards cured by his friend Dr. Elliot , son. When she was examined on the trial, she stated correctly what took place. She was asked, among other foolish questions, on cross examination, whether she was ever exhibited as a mes meric patient, and she truly denied that she ever was. She was then asked whether she was quite sure she was I awake when her master committed the assault, and also When, where, and by whom she had been mesmerised. Great surprise was shown when his (Earl Stanhope's) name was mentioned. The case name on before Mr. Law, the late Recorder, and the result was that the un fortunate person was treated as an impostor and non suited. Now, the opponents of mesmerism had not only shown a disgraceful want of candour, but, in some in stances, had been guilty of the most flagrant injustice. He alluded to the case of a labourer in Nottingham, whose leg was amputated without feeling any pain while in a mesmeric sleep. The medical men of London met to consider the case; not knowing the individual, and not being able to cast the slightest re proach on his veracity and honour, they re presented him as an impostor. Now he said it was infamous to represent tiny man as an impostor, be he peasant or prince, without full and substantial proof. —(Hear.) The folly of the charge was equal to its ma lignity. Did these medical gentlemen not know that, even if he had endeavoured to act the part of an ia3pos• tor, though his spirit might have been willing, his flesh might have been weak? If they supposed it possible by any extraordinary effort he could suppress all manifesta tions of pain, s u ch as groans, shrieks, and cri es , s till there were other indications which would show whether he felt the operation. He was well aware that the same effects were produced by chloroform, and he also knew that all persons were not susceptible to mesmeric influ ence; but this he contended, that when that influence could be exerted, it was much safer than chloroform; and in that he was confirmed by all candid medical men who had examined into the subject. When it was said by their opponents that mesmerism was the effect of the imagination, he asked whether insensibility to pain could be the effect 'of the imagination? If so, it seemed to him rather extraordi nary that the imagination should be brought to apply when people suffered from :violent toothaches, or from other excruciating pains. Even supposing mesmerism did excite the imagination, what objection could there be to its use, if it relieved pain and cured diseeders? But he denied that mesmerism was connected with the imagi nation. Then it was said there was collusion in mes meric ester meats, that the experimenter had a confede rate who exhibited various antics before an audience at his desire. Now, he should like persons who entertained that opinion to read a very curious and interesting pamphlet by Dr. J. Wilson,who media l % series of experi ments on the brute creation, including wild and domestic animals, some of which we:o ferocious in their nature, and might be supposed least susceptible of mesmeric influence. Could it be said these animals were moved by the imagination, or that there was any collusion between them and the mesmeriser? But then it was said, " What is your theory—how is all this explained?" No w , h e did not think they were called upon to explain the theory. It was sufficient to say that the practice of mesmerism was efficaciouisf. Butthey could should like to ask these medical could explain the theory of a numlrgoreolfitplehmenenomena e a ) ; ' oation. It was ' exhibited in the animal and vegetable could they give a evident they could not do so. p Again, poduced sleep? All satisfactory reason one of Moliere's knew the effect of thewcihryago,-bi7toc.no-nrlencould discover the causes a bleb produced thateff plays this subject was treated d in . a very ludicrous light. in 4 h , is own bad Latin, One of the characters asked Why does opium Quare opium Idea dorm i re?" produce sleep," and the other replied, " Quict est, in ea virtus dormitiva." ".Because it had a soporific quality."—(Laughter.) Though he was not able to explain the manner in which mesmeric influence passed from the mesmeriser to the patient, yet there wag every reason to believe that the immediate effect on the patient was produced by the invigorating restorative power of nature—via medicatrix nature—for it was very truly and candidly stated by a physician that h e did not cure disorders, but only enabled nature to cure them by removing the obstructions that were in the way. As f ac ts were stubborn things, he would mention two - out of some thousands that had been effected by mesmerism. He visited in a street near Holb orn a tradesman, whose . so n, about thirteen years of a ge , h a d a paralytic affec tion of the spine—he was unabl e t o ra i se his headand lifted slightly up in b e d h e f e ll b ack on one sidealior the other like an inani ma t e o bj ect. In twenty rninutes from Dr. Elliotson's fir s t v i s it h e rose from hisbed walked across the roo m , an d , as t h e fathertruly a o l t d . served to him on a su b sequent occasion , Dr. Elli otson had almost raised hi s son f rom the grave.--(Cheers.) The next case was that of a lady, eminent from her high station, and still more eminent for her benevolence and exertions in this cause, who had cured a per son o f y blindness who had been affli c t e d b for y t t y a e r a d r s i _ nary process stall, . Now, could eith er o f t h ose cases be curedl b still less in so a b ort a time? The instructive collection of cases by their worthy secretary, Mr. Capern, s h owe d t h at mesmerism had been efficacious . 14 no less than fourteen different diseases, some of which iii could n o t be treated b tiey Ansi art. He rejoiced to the ordinary find that mesmerism • id rciade such progress in this country; and also that elt. , .. . D r !s4raents had been formed in various parts of th e i gdOin for the aseistHanecbesoaf those to whom it wouldta_n.r be extremely valuable. the meeting with so long a discourse , to apologise for de .! was a but he felt 15 w a duty which he owed to them' ex press the conviction which , after of study , after many years and the country to and experience , ho entertained on this most i mpor t ant and valuable subject. Dr. ELLI uTSuN then read tho following annu a l re port:— " Ihe committee of the London MCSIIIerie Infirmary 'oleo rsecjriber i n being able to coratulate the donors and sub tle public 8 U pon the increase d o f the charity by support friends in th e — the increased confidence of the sick and their benefits o f me smeriim, and u p on the con tinuance of -- proofs of the alleviating and remedial powers of ono of the greatest blessings ever vouchsafed to mankind. The conviction of the truth of mesmerism, of th© truth of its p h enome na, and its al leviatin g and re medial powers, h as spread most extensively since we production of oloop ` last runt , 'A doubt the mesmeric and sleep-waking, and their dispersion; of rigidlty,`eats lepsy, and r e l axat i on; the mesmeric abolition p peculiar a r r e andsto ration of sens a ti on; mesmeric traction; formerly unknown effects of metals, ecnrr in and other substances in the mesmeric state, thee ordinary state of some persons who have been innmesmeric state, and even in some who have never bee mes merised, is no longer regarded as a mark of s n 'nee ; and superiuri - y, but, excic*.s surprise, end causes an to be considered ignorant and absurd. I L: - such phenomena as the mesmeric excitement of disn duct cerebral organs, the symealey of sense- Liens and ideas, and a certain eegrse of cleirvoyance, are generally admitted, and their admission no longer subjects us to the imputation of credulity, or exposes U 9 to ridicule. Fourteen years ago mesmerism was de clared in London to be destroyed for ever, utterly ex tinguished, and sure to be never heard of again except as a tale that was told—illustrative of the ignorance, weakness, and folly of a few individuals who had rained their reputation irrecoverably. But now mesmerism is one of the chief topics of conversation, and is alluded to as a fact in publications of every description. The sale of mesmeric bot ks is very large, and has increased asto nishingly of late, and Mr. Beilliere informs us that the demand for the English quareerly journal of mesmerism, the Zoist, far exceeds the demand of even last year. The medical journals sneer at mesmerism, and vilify u; less frequently than before; and, though they continue to keep all our splendid tacts from the eyes of their readers, to whom it is their duty to make all:these facts known, it is evident that they are conscious of being in an awkward position, behind the present day, and near an overwhelming necessity of acknowledging the truth of what they have so violently, coarsely, and obstinately denied, and of reporting mesmeric facts as regularly as others. Although the mana gers of the Royal College of Phyeiciane, of the Royal College of Surgeons, and of the Royal Medical and Chi rurgical Society, still refuse to purchase mesmeric works, it is known that the members of the two latter bodies continually ask for the Zoist, and the desire can not much longer be disregarded by those who ought to know better, and to have more feeling for the sufferings of their fellow-creatures. The spread of the conviction of the truth cf mesmerism is shown in the additions to our list of donors and subscribers. Since the last annual meeting, we have had 47 new donors, besides anonymous contributors of mites to the donation-box, and 38 new subscribers. Five only of our former subscribers have resigned, four expressing their regret at their in ability to continue their subscriptions, and the fifth com plaining that a case of St. Vitus's dance that she sent us was not cured off-hand donations were bestowedat a in few co s n it s ti eg n u g e s nee S o ev f er m al es o m f mesmeric cures having been effected in the families of the donors, without ehgicte any connexion _ Mr. Baillia-e • , whose dati,ht sr 2 a recovery from typhus recorded in with the infirmary. will, .1 trust, be has sent us, in consequencetKsvithe next Zoist, the e r hands . gree great benefit of h i t , fi ve derived from mesmerism guineas through related in the Zoist while recovering from a sevhewereoaehcasident, has sent us 10/. tude by presenting assiduously mesmerised by Miss Jane Preston, who was remedial powers sick and Mr. Janson, has evinced her us with 15/. The increased confidencegrati powers of their friends in the alleviating and mesmerism is manifested on every side, and l shown by the numerous appli ca ti ons for admission etFikingtlY, our infirmary—far more numerous t h an we have the means of satisfying. They are now aware that es merism exerts a powerful influence, not over nervous affections only, but over the diseases of ev e ry organ, andu over diseases of every description—upon inflammation, structural as well as functional diseases, enlargement, change of texture, ulceration, &c.; and that it not only soothes but invigorates. Some who are believers in its blessings are still shut out from them by the gross superstition of its Satanic nature. This preposterous absurdity will continue till education becomes what it should be, and points oat to those upon whom it is bestowed that all around us is nature—all governed by universal and unerring laws ; and that mesmerism, like everything else that man does, must be natural, and not a supernatural affair. It may be worth the reflection of the superstitious that we have 12 divines on our lists, the greater part of them clergymen of the Church of England, one a elector of divinity and formerly a professor in the University of Oxford, and at the head of them, an archbishop—his Grace the Archbishop of Dublin—who did not for a moment he sitate to become one of our vice-presidents. Another anti-Satanic argument is, that above 50 ladies appear on our list. Continued proofs of the assuaging and reme dial powers of mesmerism pour in upon us on all sides. The Zoist teems with them from every quarter—num berless others are occurring daily which are not re corded. Since the last meeting 154 patients have been treated at the ins:itution-20 were not improved at all— but the greater part of them attended too short a time for mesmerism to exert its power. Thirteen of them attended but two or three times, and among them were cases of epilepsy, blindness, and consumption-19 weie slightly improved, and t h e greater part of them left us before there was any chance ca: a cure ; 39 were much improved, so much that they did not think it worth while to attend any longer, though we should have wished them still to persevere for some weeks; but persons in all ranki, and of all ages and education, are disposed to impatience, and the poor have but too many causes of inability to attend an insti tution daily for any time; forty-two have been cured; thirty-four are still under treatment; and of these ten are already greatly improved, and some have not been with us long enough for benefit to be expected. It must be remembered that the majority of our cases are chronic—that most of them have defied medical treat ment, generally, at the hands of several practitioners— and that many are certain of receiving no amelioration from any kind of non-m.,sresrm treatment." After describing numerous cases the report proceeds to state that the receipts for the year have been 437/. 9s. 6d., and the expenses 437/. 10s. 18., being bid. over our receipts; but the mciety has 8841. 3s. 9d. in hand. It then states—" We may, therefore , consider :.urseltes very prosperous; but we are anxi , us to extend the benefits of mesmerism—we are anxious to be able to mesmerise a much larger number of patients, and to have an hospital in which patients may reside, as the sick cannot obtain the advantage of meemerism in the ordinary hospitals. Twenty names en the list of donors and subscribers are those of me dical men. We know the advantage of ordinary medi cal treatment; we have the same good opinion of all well-established practice as our brethren, and give our patients the full benefit of it. The difference between us is that we employ mesmerism in addition to the means used by them, knowing that mesmerism cures diseases not at present cured by or dinar y means, and asmsts all the established methods of cure. The general healing power of mesmerism appears to be that of assisting na ture to throw off disease, whatever that disease may be —to aid the vie medical ?taunt. The lease of the pre sent house will expire at Christmas, and we are desirous of taking such further measures in this respect as may b e necessary. We are bound to express our warmest thetas to the ladies who kindly compose the ladies' commiLe e ,. nt irm They meet weekly, and o ne or more visit th e house every day. Their presen ce, their eu gg e stioes, and general'assistance are invaluable. Nor can we conclud e withaut expressing our sense of Mr. Cagan 's value. lies devotion to the blessing s of mesmerism, his ti zeal, his beoevolence, modesty, and di s i n terestedness a ro beyond all praise." t a h e portion i.o _to I t * the of Mr. M. M I LNES, MT, in moving the Ad opt i on r report, said he regarded mesmerism not ill - n -,--O. the (bC,,ellects.) sionai or iimoiftednprftluntr,vo,f v d T ea w a , n b d a ig as rc ' f ese kingdom He believed every intelligent man end th e of of appreciation or every t s h tu e de lt n e t s o m f e n r a ie ta i re e y it d u h ti i o e n tor h y a •— d and prudently conducted. Is was no W isely established such an institution is the prenerst r easy matter to form about mesmerism. He was did :due of public feeling circumstances connected with poaed to think there were explain the great difficulty it ' mesmer ism, which might ingitself as a science, and es ,ndd to encounter in assert careful of receivin g ev i dtm a plishing itself in a nation so rally were. The f e et of th e . O as tie English people gene rally rule defining the h • - cit. not being able to lay down of mesmerisP2smle had glee,' and psychological pro pertiescovered w i th so ltd to mesmer i sm being Much imposture and falsehood. Owing to scientific men refusing from prejudice to re ceive mesmerism as a science •t h d been delivered up as a prey to the impostor , - " I a •ns and de lusions,. had whose exaggeratio . prevented an clear and definite understand ing as to the realcharacter mysterious agent being arrived at. R of this confident the institution would do a vast deal e worg ood, because it was in the hand of as self-sacrificinge body of men as ever stood forward to demandthe public sympathy.— (Cheers.) Re believed it was a great mistake and a dangerous error to use mesmerism for the mere purpose hoped that so dan gerous ex perimeet and amusemeafe and emplo) ed by per sons an i nstrume n t wou ld only be sons well acquainted with its real effects. Mr. A. J. ELus seconded the motion, and said the report alluded to the fact that mesmerism was Once con sidered dead. Indeed, it was a matter of notoriety that a certain well known coroner presumed he had eat on its body, and even dug i ts grave with an i ns i gn ifi can t Lancet.—(Laughter:) Bat that occasion was a glorious rising, he would not say like a phoenix, apotheosis of its _ . . . fled being.—(Hear, hear.) but like a sort of beati fie d , The motion was then put and carried. The CLUJ„ Ice s observed that Mr.;M. Mil n es had said a good deal about the imposition whi c h was practised by se smerism. Now, he denied that imposition means o f --es possible tie purely medical cases, for they we re to be "3 judged by m e dical men. He supposed the Hon. G eu tleman mast have alluded to those psycholog ic a l _ . on which he had abstained from saying any benOMena P for they were not, never were, and never would thing; . inquiry but, at the o bject of by that institution; be, the ' same time, he did not wish to be und erstood as throw ing a ny doubt on the reality of thosphe e nomena. JENDIE Mr. J. C. Luxxonu moved, and Mr. A. Tided that Professor De Morgan, profess -or of mathe seem. s . • ' Unive which rsity C was aolleg e, greed tbe o elected vies-president m in of anes the society,. Mr. J. JANSON moved, and Mr. J. B. PARKER Se conded, that Dr. Ashhonrne and Mr. W. Topham, who retire from the committee, be re-elected, and that Mr. Kiste arid Mr. Wilberforce be elected on the Committe e , in the room of Mr. C h a ndler and Mr. Robertson, who are unahie to attend.—Agreed to. The Rev. G. Seeman . moved, and Mr. O.I3NDEKWOOD seconded, a re,olutien of cur. - I:al tht:Lits to the lad' of the committee for their important services , ladies - - which was carried by acclamation. Mr. JOHN AMOR moved, and Professor IsT•DONALD SE condcd e. motion, that the cena a La , e; eee empowered to naske arrangements for taki ag , h , ,, , 5h er house for the purposes of the institute;;,; ; ur for .. 1 e at: ye in g their interest in the present house, wb; e h v . A vote of thanks to 11 as also agreed to. Noble Chairman concluded the business of the a ' ' me , ling, ST. JAMES'S T Company arrived a t the St. Kath.irine'a-wharf early yester dayilFAT-R .. - - - Th e German Theatrical ig. morning, by the General Steam Navigation oOlPPanra StO4M-ship Qeogga,troy 491t4rdia'