The Sun. — London, England, 1846-06-13 00:00:00

itAILANAY CONi 11 IT FEES. ESTEItDA Y.) toUE Or LORDS r.'0.117 1 3.1 Smarr° npsu in, E. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Lord Ingestrie, M.P. for the South Division or Llncashire, Lord Sandon, M.P. for the borough of Liverpool, gave general evi dence In favour of the line, expressing their opinion that it would greatly benefit the district through which It would pass, and would be the best and most direct line that could be made through the dis tricts which it would traverse. Mr. Alderman Copeland gave similar evidence, and also some sta tistical details as to the existing traffic in the north of Staffordshire. Mr. Bidder, who. conjointly with Messrs. R. Stephenson, Gooch, Hawiteshav,-, and Forsyth, is engineer to this line, gave the usual engineering evidence, the main facts of which were contained in Mr. Talbot's opening address. The works were generally light; the gra dients were good throughout, and the curves but slight. The line was laid down by himself arid Mr. Robert Stephenson. The witness was cress -examined at great length by Counsel for the petitioners, and re-examined by Mr. Sergeant Murphy, On the con fiusion of the re examination, Mr. Sergeant ALLEN requested the Chairman to ask the witness whether, by a Deviation which lie exhibited on a sketch, the injury to Sir Henry Everett's property might not be avoided? The CTIAIRMAN having put this question, Mr. Bidder admitted that it might be so avoided. The Committee then ordered the room to he cleared, and in the course of about five minutes the counsel and agents were re-ad mitted. In about a quarter of an hour the room was thrdwri open, and we were admitted. The proceedings in the interim did not transpire, hut we understood that the Committee had caused the room to be cleared, in order to consider certain suggestions which they had proposed to offer for the consideration of counsel, and also to discuss the proposition of Mr. Sergeant Allen as to the deviation line. No decision, however, was made, and The Committee rose at about half-past four o'clock, and adjourned till eleven o'clock to-morrow. DtRECT LONDON 13.1W11 POTLTSMOITTEL (Costinued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Numerous witnesses v. - ere called, and gave evidence as to the want of railway communication in the district which this line pro posed to accommodate, and as to tlte advantages that would result from its formation. They were cross-examined by Counsel on the part of the several petitioners. Shortly after four o'clock. the Committee adjourned till Monday at eleven. HOUSE OF COMMONS. GROUP 11. CORNWALL RAIL W.:17. The Committee nict at the usual hour, Viscount Morpeth in the chair. Lord Vivian and Mr. Divett, 3LP., gave evidence in favour of the central line. Mr. Randall, engineer, state I the difficulties attending the con struction of a bridge over the Tamar, and the inadequacy of the esti mate of 31r Brunel for constructing the same. Capt. Berkeley, 3LP., one of the Lords of the Admiralty, considered that the navigation would be seriously injured by the bridge over the river at the height proposed by Mr. Brunel. Mr. Pare believed the traffic on the central line would be consi derable. Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney thought the curves and gradients on the Cornwall line very severe. Mr. Locke was examined at considerable length by Mr. Coes- BURN, on behalf of the Corporation of Saltash. Mr. Brunel was also, by the consent of the Committee, allowed to be examined on several points of the South Devon line alluded to by Mr. Locke in his examination. The Committee adjourned at five o'clock till eleven on Monday Morning. GROUP XIII. AYRSHIRE AND GALLOV/AT. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. Laurie, an extensive farmer in the neighbourho - 41 of Dum fries, was examined as to the damage that would be done by the line to the pi operty of Colonel Maxwell of Orchisten. The line passed for three miles through the property. The distance of the line from the mansion at one point was about 780 yards.. There were two approaches with lodges, and the line approached within 50 and 40 yards respectively. The turnpike road was between the house and the railway, and it was twice crossed on a level, so that which ever approach Colonel Maxwell took he had to go over a level crossing. Cros3lexaminel—lle believed they could get rid of the level cross ings If Colonel Maxwell would consent to allow the proposed line of M.Kle, convener of the county of Kirkcudbright, eoiroborated ttia evidence of the previous witness. There was very little traffic north and south p.:ralle.l wttn e route of ihe present railway-. The course of traffic was from east to west, the route the P.ritish and Irish l'aion was to have taken. l'::cordiat; to the letting of the tolls last yetr, the tolls on the south and north route let fog but 350/. Mr. Gls, keeper of the toll-:rate at Kenmore-bridge, near New nall:,:vu, about half way on the route of the I:no, deplsed :hat he had 931. a year rent for tae, toll, and he had been obliged to give it up he:t.attie he could not rook e ;:nytliiint for his trouble. The witness real a nunThir if particulars which he had taken down, to show the meagre character or the traffic. Mr. Geddes, mi:tiug engineer, was examined, with the object of showing that the Dalmeilington and Patna mineral fiAls were not so extensive and prolific as they bad been represented by the p •o meters of the Bill, tliGu.gh he admitted they miOt turn cut very good fields. - Mr. Christie followed to the same effect. Captain Robinson, it.N., was next examined, to show that Balcary Bay was not well adapted for a harbour; that there was scarcely any water in A at low tide, and that ships could not be sheltered in the port where water was deepest, unless the wind was blowing from off the land. The Committee adjourned till Monday, at twelve o'clock. GROUP XIV. The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills Comprised in this group re-a.sembled at the usual hour this morning, Mr. Protheroe in the chair. SOUTH-EASTERN (MID RENT LINE). The Committee were occupied the whole of the day in discussing and settling the claims as to this Bill. The whole of the clauses, with amendments, were got through, and the Chairman was instructed to report the Bill. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP MANCHMSTE/L AND XVII. SOUTHAMPTON. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. J. Fincham, master shipwright at the dockyard, Portsmouth, for several years, said he obtained great quantities of materials from the north, Manchester, and its immediate neighbourhood, and that a direct communication between Manchester and Southampton would be of the utmost importance. The opening up of a communication with the timber districts about Marlborough and other places on the line would also be of considerable advantage. By Mr. KEATING—Loss of time was a serious inconvenience. The loss of half-an-hour might cause a ship to lose her wind, and, conse quently, prevent her leaving the port for twelve hours They kept a large stock at the arsenal, but sometimes they happened to be out of articles required without any but necessary delay. A break of gauge would be agreat inconveulen.T. Major White, town major of the garrison of PortSmonth, said many thousands of troops went to the north every year, for the pur pose of embarking at Liverpool for Ire:and, and for duty in the north. Had heard it intimated that the depot for troops at Weedon was about to be removed to Birmingham, but lie was not sure whether the report had any foundation or not. The Manchester and Southampton would afford the means of ready access to the north. The saving of 18 miles was an important matter. It would render Southampton very eligible for the embarkation of troops. Mr. KEATING—The garrison at Portsmouth averaged from 2,000 to 5,000. Mr. Cope, traffic taker, had the traffic along the course of the line taken in October and the middle of November last, a period not very favourable on account of there not bell g any fairs. Ills experience showed that railways Increased traffic four and sometimes sixfold. There was a great moving local traffic on the line, independently of the traffic from point to point. Ity the CHAIRMAX—Traffic increased to such an extent as almost to dory calculation. The existing local traffic he valued at-48,7351., the estimated Increase at 146,43.57., making a grand total of 194,1911., which would yield in the shape of revenue, after deducting 401. per cent. for working expenses, 116,514/. or 7/.15s per cent. on the million and a half to be expanded in the construction of the line. The witness was then cross-examined by Mr. HOPE, the continua tion of which was deferred until to-morrow at eleven o'clock, when the Committee will meet and sit till three o'clock. GROUP XVIII. EXETER (GREIIT WESTERN). The cross-examination of Mr. Brunel occupied a considerable time of the Committee's sittings. Lord De 3fauley gave general evidence in favour of the line. Mr. Miller was also examined in corroboration of the evidence of Mr. Brunel, the Committee having decided that two engineering witnesses should be called upon each side. The Committee adjourned till twelve on Monday next. GEOUP XX. 1.0271130 AT .11.2=13liTX=DSOIL. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) After some discussion the room was cleared, that the C(,mmittee might consider the admissibility of such secondary evidence. But the original petition being found In the meantime, no decision on the point was necessary. It was, however, ultimately ruled that the date of the petition took it out of the scope of Mr. Duncombe's resolutions, and that it could net be entertained. The preliminary evidence was then gone into on the subject of the London and Windsor, and Mr. Sergeant WILANGBAbt stated the ease for the promoters. Mr. CHA3mEas, for the opposing petitioners, insisted that the original deed should be produced. Mr. 3 fEititEwErliElt, ibr the Bill, explained that what was called by his Learned Friend the original deed had no legal existence, inasmuch as it had been cancelled by a sutssequent deed. The Committee decided that the original deed should be produced. Mr. MEIMEWETTIER undertook that it should be forthcoming on Monday, and proceeded to cal' witnesses on the merits. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till twelve on Monday. GEOUP XXIV. TECETPOM.Z AND NEWILTAXICET. The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. G. Vernon In the chair, when Mr. Bedells, a grocer and ale and porter dealer at Bury, was exa mined by Mr. U'aLtizer---ife stated that there was a considerable trade carried on between Bury and alildenhall, that the terminue at Bloomfield Paddock would be most advantageous to the town, that the opinion was unanimous in favour of it, and from his own of niter hecould was of the utmost i say that the intercourse with Mildenhall importance. Mr. Jtexthes said Tat the quantity of oats brought yearly from Mildenhall to I; w that there was the utrn, '" W as not less than 10,000 quarters, and oat necessity for keeping the old commualca tions open. Mr. Croft, surveyor of ilery stated that he had surveyed the ground for both the stations in Gate, and he unquestionably g r to that In Bloom ave tZd 44(l°ck and the rurilt field Paddock, which world run g o t u r jan,:le Tivi-,n:lllnwhne th at i n the North erenc e Gate could only he reached on a xpSIXTICTI Alsrn ntr air. At the conclusion of this evidence Mr. T ato , o'r addres the Committee on behalf of the Ipswich and Sto ry a rmy dwelling particularly on the advantages which are likely to from the access given to Oxford and the south accrue to Bury - the north-wes t of England, mut the bene 'west, to Birmingham the extension o i e h t i h eh e fits also which were and d ely to ftriee from thought were advantaged foreign trade. These he h He had ought to be considered as far more important than an y that could be derived from the opening to - `4 Yaten and Peterboroug wrangharn beenmuch impressed with the observations ofMr. Serg eant with respect to the cheap distribution of fuel, but yet he could not attach much consider a ti on t o th a t point, for lie little expected to see the Leicester coal-field opened; and even if it were, that was no peculiar reason in favour of the opposing line, for the line, as n planned, would en j oy equal opportunities of reaching othercoaol7 acids. The differ ence of 20,0001., or 30,0001., was not worth nOticing, as the money would he saved in the soundness of the foundation, and the loss would therefore be ultimately prevented. Then with regard to gradients, that also was no consideration ; for should the trains he as long as was represented, the difficulty would readily be met by an increase in the power of the engines, and if the gradient of 132 were to be considered as too severe, certainly,if it were to - be objected 20, there would be a contravention of all the decisions of .Parliatnent during the present session. And as far as the station was concerned he should observe that the station selected by the company which he represented was the very one which had been approved of last year without any opposition, end which must hereafter be the station for the through traffic; and if the station at Illoom lield's Close were to he made it would be just es com petent for the Ipswich and Bury to make It as any other com pany, and self-interest would naturally prompt its adoption. Tice Learned Gentleman then went through the objecticns of the pe titioning lanlownere. Another point was tile difficulty of the June- Von with the Thetford branch at Newmarket. The curve proposed at that jnnctior was of ten chains rallue, and in the event of the Board of Trade requiring a larger radius the company were prepared, by the possession of property, to make it. So that in fact there was .no remarkable ground for opposition to the preamble of this Bill. Mr. Sergeant WILANGRAU addressed the Committee on the advan that the line tages offered by the Ely and itery Company. I n d o i ng so, he stated had only two placee of any Import:lnc on it—these were Bohan and Mildenhall ; the former place nsierl agricultu ral importance, and through this place the lineactually ran, instead of going at some distance from it. Then with regard to araden hall, it vvaa absolutely the fact' that the great portion of the poptiletion which was resident In the two hamlets attached to it were even north of the Ely and Bury lm e, and therefore placed in a wane position for the line than if they were all con centred round the focus of the town. Then it should be observed that the population, exclusive of the termini which it was proposed to accemmodate, was only one •th ird of the member of' those who would get the benefit of railway transit by the other line. After speaking of the injury which would be wrought to the mills and the other establishments on the river Sark, the Learned Sergeant alluded to the rumoured plan of amalgamation between the Thetford and Ely and Bury Companies, and stated that unless the Ipswich and Bury line were the best the country could afford, it ought not to be allowed to pass. He then compared the gradients on the two lines, and discussed the difficulty of the junction at Newmarket . . After a long address the room was cleared, and on the re -admission of the parties the Chairman declared that none of the preambles had been proved, The Bills for the Ely and THR SUN, LON'DO-gy gA.TURDAY EVENIN'a, 3ITNE In 1846. vtyp , ' "r"St CATTILY.. 1733 hLrroTierLeLe,,,,Ndvlitoo nacti,re• aersetdiii?enobinernlitill,fteoefinth,e,ppWosniriicgtteorstilitiisreseChaenmati.. then The CH tIRIHAN ant:on:iced that the Commi t t ee would give their At ; the conclusbin of the Learned (7ou nse l' s address, d er t s wn on the Bill on .11raalav next. LONDO:a A.P.JD 7 :_ , T 4 =7:1:41.11,2 (AYLESBURY runcriasE). The conslaeration of this Bill, which is nnopposed, was postponed until Monday next. SI-ITS7Sarrvir, 031 . 7 7E9 - 2.11.7, A3IIIISC=MSTTIR 'JUNCTION (NORTLI NATALES TVIINV.R.AL A:I6I.AL GAIKATION). This Bill, which is also unopposed, was next called on. A portion of the clauses were gone through and sanctioned, an the Committee aJjourned until Monday next. GROUP LXIV. MISR crtzaT WESTZILN (POSTA2I.• LiNGTO37 TO GILL - WAY). (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. Dagneß was next examined, and stated that the general depth of the water of the Shannon where he had been employed to bore was 27 feet, and that the deposition of the mud there was fr m 5 to 20 feet. After hearing some further corroborative evidence, the case of the promoters of the Bill was concluded, and the Committee ad journed. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships met this morning in Room 1, House of Lord, eleven o'clock, Lord Shaftesbury in the chair. The further consideration of the DUMBLANE, DOUNE, AND CALLANDAR was postponed till Tuesday : as was that of the litl PERTA L PARLIAMENT. HorisE OF Lonns,Jmne 12. The LORD CtraNcELLoa took his seat on the Woolsack at Five o'clot k. MESS IGE FROM THE COMMONS. Messengers from the Commons brought up certain Bills. Lord LYTTEL UON laid upon the table of the House cer tain papers containing information respecting the colonies of New Zealand, Australia. and Newfoundland. EDUCATION. The Bishop of BANGOR presented several petitions from different places in Wales in favour of a better and more ex tended system of education in Wales. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a numerously signed petition from the county of Down (Ireland) against the punishment of death. CRIMINAL REFORMATION. The Bishop of OXFORD presented several petitions from the city of Oxford, praying their Lordships would take some mea sures for instituting a place of refuge for erimin ils who had been liberated. and enable them to obtain an honest living. FORGERIES BY A CLERK IN IRELAND. The Marquis of CL ANRICA RDE rose to draw the atten tion of their Lordships to the conduct of a clerk to a certaio firm in Ireland, who had committed some very extensive for geries, yet who had been liberated without being brought to trial for such a proceeding. PROTE'YI'ION TO A GRI - ULTURE. A Noses LORD presented several petitions from Salop and other places praying that their Lordships would give protec tion to British agriculture.—( Hear, hear.) TENANT RIGHT. The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice that he would, in the Committee on the Corn Bill, move for the insertion of a clause for the purpose of allowing all tenants to vacate their lea , es and to receive compensation fier their exhausted crops. A Noble Lord said that he never had subscribed to the Cheshire Agricultural Protection Society, but he had the minutes of the Cheshire Protection Society before him, in which be found Lord Delamere's name down as having sub scribed 251., and as being an annual subscriber of t wo guineas. CORN IMPORTATION BILL.—ADJOURNED DEBATE. The Marquis of EXETER then opened the adjourned debate on the Corn linrortation Bill, but in so low a tone as to be almost wholly inaudible in the reporters' gallery. Ile was understood to implore their Lordships not lightly to abandon the present protection to agriculture, and asked what sort of arguments had been adduced in support of the second reading of this Bill.—(" Hear." from the Duke of Riehmond.) The Noble Lord then referred to the years 1792. 1793, and 1794, when, he stated, the price of wheat was 50s. with a protective duty of 245., but owing to the extremely low tone in which he spoke, the tendency of his remarks were, as we have said, inaudible in the gallery. The Noble Lord then went into a statistical statement, for the purpose of showing that the free-trade principle, as developed in the late, tariff, had not worked so favourably as to justify the deductions which had been made by the Minister— that an entire free trade in corn would be beneficial to the country; on the contrary, he could show that it would have a most disastrous effect, by throwing land out of cultivation, it would not remunerate the farmer for his labour, in consequence of the low rate at which corn would be sold. When the price of corn fell, rents were always found to decline in prcportion ; and thus the landowner and the tenant would be mutually injured, while the country would lose the benefit of having a revenue which should be maintained in some sort, and the only way it could be maintained would be by laying some heavy tax upon property, which it would not be able to pay. Under the old system agriculture had flourished and the country prospered, and he did not see with what real in they sought to change it ; and, believing that the measure would be hurtful to the country and injurious to her interests, he would give it his most decided opposition. Several Noble Lords rose at the conclusion of the Noble Marquis's speech to address their Lordships, but there being loud cries for Earl Delawarr, Earl DELAWA RR accordingly proceeded to address their Lordships, and said that he rose to perform a painful duty in reference to this question. From the first moment that these measures were announced to the public„and at the commencement of the present year, he felt that he should be called upon, as an humble individual, to sty aye or no to these Measures in his place in Parliament, and he foresaw that he should be placed in painful and difficult circumstances. On the one hand, the question of severing himself from strong political attachments presented itself ; and on the other hand, stern requirements of duty and conscience. He felt that a ques tion of this magnitude and importance, involving fearful changes according to his opinion, required that he should give, when called upon to express his opinion on the subject, a solemn and serious consideration. He had laboured hard and long with those who had brought forward this measure, and he felt that it was an honour to Le associated with such a name; but he a'so felt that great as that norms might be considered, it. was of far inferior importance with the duty of acting according to his conscience in reference to this Bill. ( Hear, hear ) The Noble Lord, who seemed much affected, proceeded to say that at that protracted period of the debate he would not enter into the details of the process which brought him to the con clusion to which he had ultimately arrived ; suffice it to say,- that ail the attention he could command he devoted to the consideration of the subject, but all the arguments advanced failed to convince him that there was anything in the exigencies of the present time to call for the adoption of such a measure, or that any irresistible circumstances had suddenly come upon us—he would not say to change the cur rent of their legislation, for they were told that it was bat fol lowing in the course of their past legislation—but he held that nothing had occurred to induce them to draw up the flood-gates which stemmed its too sudden impetuosity. He would not impute any improper motives to the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel), and the Noble Duke (the Duke of Wellington), or to the other Members of the Government, for the course they had adopted had been taken, as on former oc casions, because they considered it would benefit the country. He thought they were mistaken, but that never theless they had "!carried it out with a single ness and sincerity of - purpose.—(Hear, hear.) It had been said " what was the use of resisting the measure—what would they obtain by their opposition—public opinion was in its favour, and if it was not carried this session it would be carried the next ?" He begged to deny that the public were in favour of it—( Hear, hear)—for it was well known that a great number of Noble Lords in that House, and Members of the other House of Parliament, who had supported it, stated that they very much disliked the Bill in its present shape, and that a very large number in both Houses disliked the principle of the Bill altogether ; and there fore it was not fair to suppose that the public were in favour of it, and he believed if their opinion were asked it would be found not to be in favour of it.—( Hear, hear.) He doubted much w h et h er it would be found that the well disposed portion of the community were in favour of any change in the present state of things.—( Hear, hear. ) There was one important fact in connexion with this me asure , in the expressi on o f th e i r forward as a party m easure . If w fearlessly, h onest l y an d man f u ll y proposed to the m , th ey m i g h t feelings.t No h oo a kb t el e t d h e a y to r twdlhsete did r e wm a n e soats theirupa measure el pushed allowed ita fnfoa was dr i r yet escape from the difficulties by which they were surrounded. He had endeavoured thus to discharge a . painful duty, and to declare that he could not assist in passing a Bill that would be so detrimental to the landed interest. The Bishop of ST. DAVID'S wished to be allowed to say a few words on the measure before their Lordships, and he could assure them it was not because he intended to enter into a discussion of the general merits of this great question, which had been already so well done by other Noble Lords, but to state the grounds why he thought it necessary to address the House. He must say that the subject was so alien to his usual pursuits, that he did not put himself up as an authority of the slightest weight, and could advance no new facts and arguments to those which had been already stated. It was from a different motive that he broke silence and claimed their attention. He spoke in his own defence. It could not• be forgotten that during the recent discussion repeated refer ence. was made to that portion of the House where he sat, and those references were of such a nature, and contained charges as to their motives and o p in ions on that bench whi c h re q u i re d that he should claim, in explanation o f t h e vote he had given, their attention for a sh o rt time. He wished it to be under stood that ht he was which he would ma k e he would have their' part. and he was n , but in to concurrence. Those charges , he was a greea bl y surprised, on), came the that presumptuouscame from one party in their Lordships' [louse, and that was the party who opposed the measure. He would not hare been surprised had those charges come front another quarter, and statementsa speaking simply on hi s own enough to stand f ort h as their advocate that it had been said that they wished to prevent the blessings of Providence from being spread over the land. There might have been texts of Scripture quoted against them in order to raise the popular prejudice, but he admired the wisdom and the forbearance of the parties who proposed the present mea sure in not alluding to any arguments like those. They were fallacies; not the less so because they were brilliant and pointed, hut because they took for granted the question in dispute. They took for granted that these blessings would accrue from this meusure—a question which was a mitten of the most se rious dispute; but he was surprised that such arguments suould have been resorted to, as their Lordships must see that such arguments might have been used against themselves. In making these appeals those Noble Lords should recollect what were the consequences likely to result from the policy which they assumed to be the right one. They should recollect that the question submitted to that Committee was submitted under the supposition that the clergy were the representatives and guardians of the interests of the labouring population. They should recollect that other Noble Lords, in the course of their several speeches, had emphatically thrown overboard every consideration of this matter as a landlords' question ; that they had given to the labouring population all the :nterests which they themselves professed to hold, and that they had simply considered how far the result might conduce to the general benefit. They had allowed that the interests of the community at large were paramount. Why, then, should they in taking the clergy as the representatives of the interests of the labour ing classes—and he believed that they were right in so consi dering them—why, then, did they take up such a diminutive and insignificant point as that of the interference with the incomes of the clergy? This, at least, appeared to be unjust in itself, and injurious to the parties of whom they spoke. He believed the clergy themselves, in the consideration of this question, would never condescend to consider so unimportant a mattter as the redaction of their own incomes. It appeared to him that they were indications (and they were the more valuable indications because perfectly involuntary) of some thing which those Noble Lords were willing to conceal, not only from their Lordships, but from themselves.—( Cheers. ) And he wished their Lordships to recollect the vehement language in which they were addt eased by one of those Noble Lords, who held out some vain and indefinite threat of the con- Sequences that were to follow upon the Members of that (the episcopal) bench ; if, as he said, their Lordships deserted a law—not the interests of their country—not the interests of the labouring population —not any one of those which might be ex pected to be dear and sacred to them (the Bishops) in the character which they had to sustain—but the Noble Lord said, if they deserted them, he (the Bishop of St. David's) did not know what retribution was to follow, nor did he care, but he wished to draw their Lordships' attention to the point of what was uppermost in the mind of his Lordship at the time that he snoke. Why, it was clear from what the Noble Lord said, it was not a question of the labouring classes—not a question even of the tenant-farmers, but a question of th e l an dl or d s. —(Cheers,) If it had bee other wise he was sure that the Noble Lord, would never haveor s i ad dressed such an appea l to their L &h . - Lordships.—.(Hear, Hear, hear. ) Now, there was another circumstance markable, and th a t was, t h at those Noble Lords should ex. press so mach s y mpat h y for the interests of the clergy as to . appear to understand their wishes and feelings better than the clergy themselves.—(Hear, hear.) Why, clergy, as a body, l pub]ic . y expressed no feelings on this sub ject.—(Hear, hear)—not had onlythey abstained ,from ap proaching their Lordships' ; ns—(Hear onse with his (the Bishop of St. David's) knowledge, in private sign:fied to them, the members of that (the episcopal) - • h bench, any wish as 50 th e course of conduct which they would_ de • them to pursue on that occasion.—( Hear, hear.) He H desir e in so doing—((beers) l e ad considered that the clergy earned the approbation and. the who knew them. But what was expect of all ") the ten dency of the appeals whichmade to them by those Noble Lords, had been should s, except that they (the Bishops) s volun tarily and officiously inte f in this question, and so place the clergy exactly in that e e re y invidious and dangerous posi tion which they themselves had declined to stand in ?—( Hear, hear, and laughter. ) He should like to know, would any of their Lordships say wh a t wou ld b e the effect upon the public mind if there had been a perfect unanimity in every sense amongst the clergy concerning this ? Would there have been two opinions in the mind of any man in the country that the eeisco, al part of their Lordships' House at lens had been swayed, not ty their own dispassionate and deliberate convic tion, but by a sense of the interests of a parr!r•otar cias. ? ( Hear, hear.) He mu 4 say that he rejoiced that there was not that unanimity, but he njotced that there was no unani mity at all upon this sub ect in that part of their Lordships' House, because every impartial person must see that they as a body followed their own convictions, and he might be permitted to allude to a very singular fact in respect to the division, that two of their own body, who were united not only by their office, but by their ties of love, went on opposite sides on the division on this Bill.---( Hear, hear.) The Noble Duke who spoke last night stated to the House the result of his calcula tions as to the effect which the measure would have upon the interests of the clergy when it had been passed into a law, and he had calculated the matter so exactly that he discovered it _would produce precisely a diminution amounting to one-fourth. Now, he did not pretend to be able to follow the Noble Duke in these cs!cula•ions, or to ascertain whether they were without foundaeiOn or not, but he did conceive that the Noble Duke must have clearly overlooked and put out of account anything in the shape of a comp , •nsation which 'he clergy might receive in order to make up this deficiency, in consequence of the effects anticipated by the opponents of the measure. And, moreover, he must be permitted to say. in reference to this, that whatever might be the consequences arising to the interests of the clergy, and to whatever degree those anticipation.; of Noble Lords on the cross benches might he realised, still he thought the bad effect which had resulted and must result to the interests of the clergy would not principally be laid on this measure, but resulteo from one which was passed long before. It was taking this measure in connexion with that for the commutation of tithes that the interests of the clergy were placed on a different footing from other classes interested in land. But he said, although it was psssible that the clergy might receive some loss, they certainly could not say that they had sustained any injury from that measure, because it was undoubtedly passed with the consent of those who represented them in that place—and not only that, but it was passed with the full understanding that there was a possibility it would be followed by the measure now under their Lordships' considera tion. He said that some of those that took part in the dis cussion on that measure distinctly and expressly adverted to the possibility that at uo distant period a repeal of the corn-laws might take place. Now he only alluded to this circumstance for one purpose, which was to shove the uncertainty of calcula tions of this nature, for those who adverted to this possibility in connexion with this subject did so. not because they con ceived that in the event of a repeal of the corn-laws the interests of the clergy would be affected, but that that repeal would operate as a grievance upon the owners of land. The Duke of RICHMOND —Oh, oh. The Bi.hnp of St. DAVID'S—I do not know, proceeded the Right Rev. Prelate, what the Noble Duke means by that expression of dissent, but I venture to refer him to the hest accounts that can be had of the discussion which took place on that occasion, and I beg to assure him that that circumstartee was adverted to for that purpose. However, he said, he would not deal long with this part of the subject and if he had referred to it, it was for the object he had already stated. He was quite sure, however, that the clergy at all events did not wish that this measure should be judged by any operation which might happen, and if Le were to meet with any of the clergy after this discussion, and to say them " I think I have deserved your approbation, because the measure was one likely to promote the general interests of the country; still because I understood it was likely to operate injuriously to your in terests, I complied with the earnest exhortations which I re ceived from many of your best friends in the House of Lords to vote against it." He was sure if he were guilty of such a feeling of dishonesty, he should be far from earning the good will or the thanks of any of the clergy, neither should he de serve the good opinion of any man in the country. But he had done with that part of the subject, and he could not say he should not consent to piss this measure on any such paltry and miserable grounds as on account of its effects on the parti cular interests of such a limited class as those with whom he was connected. He was sure in eunonrting this measure he was performing a public duty. He looked not to is effect nn any particular interest, but to its iefluence on the comforts and condition of the great body of the people —( Hear, hear.) The measure might be a great and fearful experiment, hut it was not a gratuitous and wanton one. With reg rd to the interests of a few the measure might he a perilous . xperiment, hot with regard to the interest for which Noble Lords professed such great sympathy, he must say it was a question of lifs and death to the people of the country. Moreover the measure had one advantage ; it held out hope. which was the great sweetener of adversity. But should they resist the measure, and abide by the old system in operation. he should like to know what prospect Noble Lords would hold nut of improvinq the condition of the Denole.—( Hear, hear. ) One thing which ought to claim their Lordships' attention was, the reason why. if they rejected the measure, they would create mistrust and discontent in the public mini? That was a subject which ought to gain their consideration, and it was pertectly worthy of their dignity. He did not look upon the measure as replete with a great deal of advantage. Had it been trumpeted forth by the Government, as it had been by the Anti Corn-ltw League, he would have looked upon it with .reat mistrust, but his confidence in it was greatly increased by the sobriety with which it was introduced to the House by the Mi. nis'ry. It was stated by the Minister that one of the beneficial effects of the measure would be to create a steadiness in the markets. He could state to their Lordships that the poor people - were unable to take advantage of a moral or religious education from the low state of their physical condition. The reason they often gave for not attending their church, or their school, was, that they had not clothes to attend. And if this measure gave them any facilities, if it bettered their condition it would be no conteruptiele boon ; and even if it could be proved to him that the measure woiald not be fraught with the benefits to which he alluded, still he would support it, as he did not consider that they should lay themselves open to suspicion, which would infallibly attach itself to their Lordships if they rejected the measure. He did trust that if there was an in jury inflicted on any class by the measure, that it was not out of the reach of the legislative wisdom of Parliament to deal with that evil and remedy it ; and in this belief he comforted him self that in giving his vote fur the measure he was coin ciding with the opinions of those eminent men who had given their attention to the subject. The Bishop of EXETER said he did not agree with many statements of the Ri4ht Rev. Prelate who had last addressed the House, and he considered that the clergy were bound not to look on in silence when the interests of the• clergy were at steie—interests which it was their especial and bounden duty to protect. It was the custom of their Lordships, whenever their interests were invaded, to call upon them tosupport them. That had been the invariable practice of their Lordships, and he thanked them for appealing to them upon the present ques tion. He considered that the measure would depreciate the moral and physical condition of the people, and that it would also lessen the property of the church. Was cheapness of pro vision the great point a ught by the ministerial measure? He considered that cheapness was not of such moment to labourers as high wages.—(Bear bear.) To raise the wages of the agriculturist or mechanist, the more you would better his con ditions morally and physically ; and he considered that it was an unanswerable proposition that the more they introduced foreign manufactures the more they would 'uteri re with and depreciate the labour of the home manufacturer. His experience taught hire so, and he believed that the measure would not be attended with any of the benefits which it was alleged would accompany it; and, impressed with that opinion, he gave the measure his opposition. And he would conjure their Lordships to give their vote upon this subject as they would do u t ton a judicial case—that they would lay their hands upon their hearts, and say, "Not content, upon my honour."—( Hear, hear. ) The Bishop of ST. DAVID'S explained. The Earl of WARWICK and the Bishop of OXFORD rose together, And after a few observations from Lord BROUGHAM, Earl Sraseerore, and the Duke of Ftictim.wo, as to who should be heard first, The Earl of WARWICK was allowed to address the House. He gave her Majesty's Government credit fur the best inten tions in bringing forward this measure, hat lie could not help entertaining the opinion that no necessity whatever exisied for such echanme as it contemplated. He would ground his ob jections to it in the words of Lord Bacon, who said, "It is not good to try experiments in states unless good grouncis exist for the change." He denied there was any necessity whatever for the present Bill. A great deal was said about the agitation for it, but the agitation was greatly over-rated, and was confined to one class. It was the most blasphemous and di.gusting agitation that ever disgraced the land. The Noble Earl then qnoted the circulars of the Anti-Corn-law League, and an address to the electors of the country, which contained the most inflammatory and exciting remarks. For his part, he would say " Nut content" to the Bill in all its future stages. The Bishep of OX FORD said he would wish to explain the 1 reasons which influenced him to vote as he intended upon this question. A Noble Lord had said that the House looked to the Right Reverend Prelate on the bench he occupied for les sons in morality and religion ; but he did not think that the appeal of the Noble Ma , gels who commenced this deb2te was at all calculated to promote the cause of either religion or mo rality. He did not think that he and other Rev. Prelates sat in that Howe merely for the purpose of benefiting the clergy, brat for the purpose .of the general benefit of the country.— ( Hear, hear.) It was not without the deepest convictim, and the most painful reflection, that he voted as he had tone open this question, and should vote in the same way upon a 1 fu.ure stages of the Bill. He was aware that this Bill was a great experiment ; and he would aelc, what were all great legi,lative measures but experiments? And they had the authority of Lord Bacon for saying that all such experiments were only to be justified by the exigency of the occasion that called for them. He would contend for it that all legislation was only an interference with the operations of nature ; and where it was so, or where it acted so inju riously it should not be permitted to exist. He had heard a cheer from a Noble Lord; but he would ask him did not this fact suggest itself to his mind, that in proportion as the labourer he employed gave him value for the wages he paid him, so did the labourer compete with the foreign labourer, and keep him out of the market. The Noble Lord might laugh; but he (the Bishop of Oxford) would still con tinue to maintain this argument, even though the Noble Lord should laugh to the highest pitch of coneatination.— (Laughter. ) He had now heard the Noble Duke on the cross benches speak upon the subject of the protection of agriculture, and he argued that protection to agriculture would not be the result of this measure. The Duke of RICHMOND said that all his life he had been devoted to the protection of agriculture. The Bishop of OXFORD said he might have misunderstood the Noble Duke's principles ; but he regretted that the Noble Duke had not been so clear in his arguments as to have pre. vented 'him from being misunderstood. But it had been said that all those who supported this measure were giving ay to agitation and clamour. and to the claims of the League; be' he would ask, was the House of Lords to be deterred by such a body as the League ? He had a different opinion of the august assembly he was now addressing.—(Hear, hear.) He was aware that a great agitation had been got up in favour of this Bill, but he would ask was that a reason why the clergy should be deprived, not deny of their luxuries of life, but of many of its necessaries ?—Hear, hear.) Had the clergy been silent on a measure when they knew that the Bill for the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor was an especial favourite with many leadi ng M em b ers of the Government ? Ilad the knowledge of that fact hindered the expres,ion le o e f t? It ir opin'ons? And, i n thi s case , w h y -h a d th e y been was becauie they cou ld h ave no just ground for opposition this measure. They had ref u sed to joined clamour p s nto t whicho tht they might most ingeniously have swelled. They had there a d set to all classes of the community valuable than money,ah examp was something still more and they would receive a ' greater reward for it than the reward of their an nual income. There could be no doubt that the I eergy wo uld Fuller by this e y would be included in that com- extended to other classes. It h a d meas ure, and no doubt he they p en sation which would been said that one of Vie effects of this measure would b e t o induce the farmer to outlay t a larger proportion of cap i ta l on his farm in order to improve it, and enable them t o compete w ith the foreign grower. The Noble Earl w h o had spoken the other evening (the tf.arl of Stanhope) had anticipated him in the question which he was about to ask. The Noble Earl had, with a simplicity of language which he would not attempt to imitate, put the case of a man whose property was mort gaged to the deepest extent, and had asked, in a time of sepul chral demand, " Where is the money to come from ?" (Laughter.) It happened to him the other day to be inquiring into the moral condition of a certain parish, and the answer given by the clergy was, that it was in a state of the lowest moral degradation. He asked the reason why the principal landowner did not interfere —net only on the higher ground of eivy.bu' on the lesser one cf expediency—and the reply was, that he had net got the stoney. These duties were the great resTeiosibilitfes attendant upon the posseasian of land. The pees intr.. of the country saw their own Mine and the state of their child,. n before them day after day, and they naturally laulced retied them for a remedy, stud the only tort sly that reonieed itself was an itneroved condition of the country. But Noble Lords said that the measure was not calculated to im preve the condition cc the country ; that the home market was the best field of operation, and that would be totally destroyed by this measure. If the agricultural and manufacturing interest was redly on the verge cf destruction, and the erect of the measure would be such as was stated, what would be the consequence? Why, their Lordships would have to re trace their steps, and that would be the worst evil it would draw upon them. 1 here was one fear, and the only one of which he thought their Lordships capable, and that was the fear of being thought afraid. They were afraid that they should be thought to have changed their minds with regard to this measure through a fear which they did not wish even to seem to feel. When Mr. Burke said at Bristal that lie would raise the woollen manufacture to supply the world by admit tMg foreign competition. lie was almost hooted off the stage with that sort of marked dissent, to which many in that House were not strangers.--( Laueliter.) He hoped that they would nut be misled by that eloquence which of late had tickled their ears, and by arguments which painted over facts, which had been proved to be nothing but rottenness and delusion. He did believe that there was in the minds of the English people a deep- seated conviction that their Lordships would act in the question for the good of the majority, and he en treated their Lordships not to disappoint that feeling. It was said, it would have been better had this question been first submitted to the electoral body of the country; but, in his opinion, such a course would have been fatal, if not. disgrace ful, to the character of a great statesman. Besides, it would have been unfair, because the masses would have been led away by rppeals to feelings rather than to sense. Class would have been iet'ed against class, and the whole country would have been thrown into a state of wild exehernent and commotion, without removing the difficulties or evils this mea sure was proposed to meet. Let their Lordships remember, that the labouring classes of this country —who had long borne continued suffering with a poient endurance of which no (ether nation in the world ;drooled an example—looked to them to do something to remove the evi's under which they were cuff-ring. He besought their Lordships not to disappoint these expeetafiens—expectatien; rowed by the vast wisdom. ability, sod known justice of their Lord s hip s He e n t rea t e d them not to mistake the quietness of the endurance of the penile for anything like apathy ot unconcern, Such quietness was a sign of the times in which they lived. The people had never evinced so little of anything like a turbulent spirit of dissatis faction as they flit' at the present moment ; but it was not because there was no suffering—it was [tot because the pre valent misery was confined to a few classes only, hut bees t!S3 the people teat : that those wha were in power had mani ! felted a disposition to do all they could to relieve their sufferings. —( Hear, hear.) He besought their Lord ships, then, not to attempt to stem the torrent of universal conviction, but, to he guided by wise and equitable principles. Do not, he implored them, let the people trunk that. they had the power and the wealth of an ancient aristocracy without its virtues, but. by the division, ot that night, show the country that the wisdom, justice. and impar tiality of their Lord-hips' mighty House still remained as great. as ever.—( Cheers ) Lord STIBURTON said in the course of the whole of this discussion he had heard nothing so personal, nothing so eloquently admonitory, as the speech of the Right Rev. Prelate; but he must confess, eloquent though the speech was, it ap t-eared to him to be totally devoid of all argument. It was something like a speech made during the French revolution, in which the speaker recommended his auditors to "respect property, but change its proprietors "—( Hear, hear, and laugOter. ) The Right. Rev. Prelate told them, in the same breath, that their labourers and tenantry were in great distress, and the ones means of removing it was for them to sae.rifiee half their property.—( H ar, hear,) He confessed he could not see wisdom in the force or applica bility of such a recommendation ; and he, for one, trusted their - Loolships would not he influenced by the eloquence of the language, or the rhetorical figures in which the advice was conveyed.—( Hear, here.) The Right Reverend Prelate had r a id them that the corn-laws were unnatural, and hid ven tured to propound the prineiple, -that the less they Moe fered with the laws of nature the mere wise and efficacious their legislation would be. Why he hail always heard it said that self-preservation was one of the first laws of nature; and nothing, he thought, could be more in favour of protection than this brooch of the Itieht Reverend Prelate's areument. Fie then weet on to say how - much thelat.d might be improved. But at the same time it was an unfair reproach to say that the English farmer wets b :hind-hand in the science of agriculture. Far otherwise—for the fact was that. he produced fully double the quarnity from the same port'on of land than the farmer of any other country in the world. It was true that the British agriculturist went to the end of the world in search of artificial manures. But even if they passed this measure, they would ruin and take away his capital, and then could they call en him to improve his land ? What might be the fate of the British farmer he could not say, but it was quite clear that the great mass of them must be ruined. Not only under the present system is the land made to produce more, but we have it on the best authority, that of the Lea suers themselves, that one English lab curer was worth two of any other country. But they did not went those incitements to promote native industry when her own p'op'e were so much bey und any other country. And then his Right Reverend Friend had observed that it was wise in the Minister to make a series of experiments. He could not agree in such a doctrine. M uc h as h e a d m i re d his talents and his eloquence, he consider- d it much better for churchmen to keep to their church ; for if they advocated such doctrines, - and if they real such lectures on political eco nomy, they should not advance much in the science of legisla tion. The Learned Prelate had said that he considered this measure worhy of support, as it would tend to produce a steadiness of price in the markets. But he contended that, under the present system, as great a steadiness was obtained as possible, even if they legislated on the subject. and fixed a stated price. For even when the markets of other countries were disturbed—when the markets of France, of Spain, and of Holland rose, no fluctuation occurred, though it might be ex pected in this country. But if he considered this measure of the greatest possible advantage—if he were favourable to the principle, and if he thotieht it desirable to remove protection, he could nor support the measure, as he believed it calculated to defeat iis own ohject. and fatal to the end it proposed to ac complish. And as the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Monteagle) was fond of authorities, he would quote some. M Huskisson, in the year 1825, in the month of hay. tore.aw an approach • ing bad harms'. There were then 400,000 quarters of wheat in bond. acid he proposed to let them on' at a lOs, duty, the price being then 755. per quarter, hut so cautious was lie in not letting it out hastily upon the market that he let it out in the proportion of thirds every month. He adverted to this to show the caution which was requisite upon matters of such a nature, and he wished to contrast it with what they were about to do: They were going to let out two millions of quarters, and that not in the proportion of thirds, but at once— not at a lOs. duty, but a 4s. dut.y per miarter—at a sernon ton when On-re was the prospect of a toot and an early harvest. The market would necessarily be swamped. tie, therefore, believed that this measure was not suited in any degree what ever 'o accompli.h its own object; and neither slid he believe that its principle was good, he would, therefore, oppose it. They talked of free trade—it was a very fine expression, but was that free trade in which they opened their ports to every one, and no one opened to them ? Was that the principle of mutuality ? Was that the principle of reciprocity? Or did it prove that the principles of I'l - Yet - rade were the just ones? He would rather say that they were the principles ot uncommon nonsense. They were about to open their ports to the rest of the world. The consequence would be that whon there was a scarcity they would not receive any advantage from so doing—they would receive no favour. Other countries would be equ Ally benefited, and the only advantage which would remain to England would be that when she had a plentiful harvest, Franre. and Spain, and Danteee would help to drug her markets, and send their wheat when it ;vas not wanted. And now lie wished to offer one or two ohiervafions on a very important question. fie meant the colonies. And he begged to recall to their Lord ships' recollection what had been stated with respect to the feelings with which the Canadians would receive the inti maaion of this legislative measure. They were all aware that Lord Cathcart wrote a very urgent letter to the Government, stating that it would create feel ings of distrust and disaffection amongst the Canadians; and is hat mud have been his conviction upan this sutsject when he was so urgent in his remonstrances? It was seldom that Governors-General had the hardihood to tell the whole truth to their masters ; and the Noble Lord who last night wide:-sled them did not make any explanation but his speech ; showed them how little explanation he had to offer on the sub jet t, and that the feelings of the Canadians were in opposition to the measure. They could not, he was sure, think of these alternatives w thout being sensible of the care with which it was their duty to examine the question, and of the fiemness with which they should act upon the determination to which they should come. Lord MONTEAGLE said, in matters of trade, as well as of liberty, the great point rested upon individual action. He would not follow the Nob'e Lord who had just spoken on the burdens of land. The Noble Lord had again referred to the tithe being a binder on the land. He (Lord Monteanle) thought that this was a question so completely settled that no rational man would have attempted for one moment to re-pro duce that statement. The late Mr. Sidney Smith, who was more distinguished for his strong practical good sense than h-s wit, put this question in a clear light.—( The Noble Lord here quoted an extract from a p imphlet written by the Reverend Gentleman about the time the great excitement existed about tithes some years ago. The Noble Lord then proceeded to read extracts from docu ments he held in his hand, to show the difference between the agricultural and the manufacturing population, which he con tended exhibited a decreasing per centage of the agricultural population, and an increasing per centage of the manufacturing population. lie next quoted from the work of a Mr. Jones, to the same effect. He then went on to say that he would prove to his Noble Friend (the Duke of Richmond) that protection to all- -not protection to agriculture merely, but to all articles, was the greatest fallacy that he had ever heard of.—( Hear.) He had heard it said that general protection was general robbery. Now he did not wish to use bail language, anti therefore he would call it general nonsense. The Noble Lord then quoted the opi nions of several persons who had written against the corn laws, in order to illustrate his argument. He said he had heard much said about the changes which had taken place in the opinions of the Government ; but he would ask how a ma n t.Y Noble Lords in that H o u se were th ere w hose b 4 no t also undergone a change upon the sauna subject? His Friend had objected to this new corn-law as an eiLerin.gmieinnta;l but he ( Lord Monteagle) would ask whatw e tt original but he (Lord Monteagle) would asic what ? We j ear hear. corn-laws but ? a series of experiments ( The last Bill on this subject to which thetiyatewdetr:beeall,emilicutolaatet here was, by his Noble Friend in 1845, 0f s to lead to the result that the tenantry ; England would be in - 0 but at that time they future in a more prosperous c were in distress, and had ex)tue.nriTencil,etrh:i‘rvac,apaitnaolt„haerridsauvbo jueledtreto quire some time to realise . d which he would refer, as it had often been referred to before— he alluded to our dependency on foreign countries. Th a t de pendency existed note, and by this law it would he removed. In the present st ate of t h e law that dependency e x i s t e d , and it was for them to alter it by rendering the law more certain, and less a vehicle of fraud:Ad specula-ion. His Noble Friend had said, that for the la t two or three years there had been s carcely any imputation that wa s an assertion against the main . argument which which had been used, for if they required the reigner to produce corn f or t h is country, it was necessary to encourage him, and the people of this country would then be looked upon as customers; but if corn was only taken now and c‘, then, oul d when he l oo k i d m u e i d ) exigencies.. required it, our corn trade and we might ba at fault when we most enquired a suspicion, u s s u l 7p i l o y n . He would apologise to their Lordships interfered with trespassed so long, but he under, stood that he in no one, as it had been arranged that there should be no division t that evenintr. He would call the attention o f th e H ouse to the effects of IC; present proposed Rile upon I re l an d . H e did not think that perfect m P oTtrade would be prejudicial to Ireland. He would not tread upon the unstable ground of fixing prices, for that would not be warranted by the results of former predictions on the subject. He believed that the effect of the measure would not be so much to diminish the general average of prices as to diminish the fluctuation in Ireland within a year, or front year to year. That fluctuation was most prejudicial to Ireland, for the greater the amount of filet ion the more it caused a greater amount of tendered rents. He was sorry to hear it stated that the dis tresses of Ireland had been spoken of with some degree of ridi cule ; but he wished to say, that, in his opinion, there had not been one Peer who had spoken without the deepest feelings on the subject, but some levity might have been caused by the long continuance of a debate calculated to excite so much deep fie line, seed, in their cooler moments, they were, there fore, more re:Too - el to listen to stories about the humbug of loch famine, One word before he sat down, thanking their Laze'ships for having given him so much of their attention. It wa, said that conces.ions of trade were all on one side, and this country got nothing in return from foreign nations. But the gustier, for them to consider was whether their example would not produce its effects on foreign states in inducing them to make concessions on their part. Now, the experience of the pagt proved to them that it did, hi 1824 the corn-laws stood in the way of concessions, which the United States were ready to make to this country about that time. Again, in the case of Prussia, the corn and timber duties were the only obstacles in the way of amicable commercial arrangements between filet country and this ; and these obstacles always would exist so long as a petty protective system prevailed in England. H e had already s t a t e d h e did not anticipate any great reduction in prices from the adoption of this measure, and many great and eminent authorities agreed with him in this opinion The effect he anticipated it would have would be to regulate the trade of this country- eith all the world, but more par ticularly to regulate the corn trade. But then it might be asked what goad the measure could do if it did not reduce prices? Why, it would have the great good of placing the trade of this country on a sure and safe footing, and protect it from those distinctions which the disputes of nations had of late so often thrown in its way.—( Hear, hear.) Lord STANLEY said, having intruded on a former occasion at an extreme length on their Lordships' attention, he did not again intend to present himself before their Lordships, but after the pointed manner in which the Noble Lord who had just sat clown had addressed some of his observations to him, he felt it to be his duty to offer a few words in reply.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") And in the outset he might remark, that this was the first time an attempt had been made to reply to a speech he delivered a fortnight ago, but for his own part he did not feel that he should be justified In allow ing a single moment to pass by without pointing out some of the inconsistencies which the Noble Lord's reply presented. In the first place the Noble Lord argued as if he rested the de fence of the protective system upon the wisdom of their an cestors, and to some extent he admitted that he did. But the Noble Lord brought for war d a part i cu l ar A ct o f the reign ,•f Edward IV., by which p ro t ec ti on , w hi c h ex i ste d even at that l time, was abolished. The Bill, however, to which his Noble Friend had alluded, related to the internal, and not to the foreign trade of the country. It related to parties who were subject to their own legislation, and under their own control, and it was rather too bad that his Noble Friend should have sul•pressed that fact.---( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord bad said free trade ought to be the rule, and protection the exception ; while a Right Reverend Prelate had remarked that the nearer their legislation appr ox i mate d to a state of natur e s the more perfect it became. But, unfortunately, in this' world they could not always reach a state of nature, and before they could establish free-trade upon this principle, all men and all na• ions must come under the same control. It was a eel good theory, he admitted, but in legislating upon it they must take into consideration the difficulties which were in the via/ of its being put in practice. Arguing in this way was just the same as a man saying he had discovered or invented an inge nious system of perpetual motion, without taking into considers tioa the action of the air and atmosphere on his invention. The Noble Lord then proceeded to express his astonishmen t, that he had def e nd e d th e s lidi ng - sca l e, b ut h e did no t impugn his arguments, which p rove d th a t t h e s lidi ng - sca l e had pre served a sliding in the market ; he did not prove that his argu ments were false.—( Hear, hear.) Could it be shown that Prussia had reduced her duties on English cotton when they reduced their timber duties ? She had not, and they had no reason to suppose that if they reduced their duties on cores that it would lead to a reciprocation from other countries. He; was much surprised to hear from his Noble Friend, the under- Secretary of State for the Colonies, that they were to be eon; sidered more as an outlet for the overflow of the population of the country. But if he looked upon the colonies in such ai light he would tell them that they were useless. Nay , the y were less so, th e y were a burden. But they were not so. They were for the purpose of extending their commercial cone flexions. The N o bl e Lord said he was a ddressing the Hou se un d er disadvantages because th,e_ were not recei ve d f rom Canada.—(Hear, hear.) 11"Y' bea would weih nothing b e tt er t h an t h at they s h ou ld wait--and that they should wa i t unt il the country had declared upon the measure.—(Loud c h eers .) Had they consulted Lord Met calf ? He believed that they had not. He was notaware what. his opinions sere respecting the measure, but he did not think that. they were favourable to the measure. Let them look to the feelings of the Canadian Legislature—let them see, the opinions of the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General of. Canada, and they would see how they received the they would find that they declared that it was fraught u tt . tt ft ruin to the Canadas, and left no resource to them b to throw themselves into the arms of the United States.—(Hea r.) The distress in Ireland did not arise from want of food, s u n , from the want of employment. The want of employe! measure., begot mutiny, which prevented the introduction of calli ta !! and the consequent circulation of money which. bad 11 would produce.—(C r i es o f " H ear , h ear .") They "_. in Ireland an im They were landed proprietary, with he e •leteily mortgaged estates ; and what were they about to do? were about to reduce, at least temporarily, the price ofcern; for he belie ve d th at t h e i r one - s id e d f ree t ra de would pr oduce the greatest fluctuation, sometimes causing great temporarytraa. diminution of price, and a t o th er tim es raising it to an extrava gant could gent height. Su c h wou ld b e th e grea t es t e vil the labourer endure, as their wages were fixed generally by an average, and would not by a fluctuati on . And he believed that the landlordss it was not be affe c t e d by t h e measure i n so grea t a degree a imagined by some. He con s ide re d th a t it would press heavier _ upon the l a b our i ng c l asses , an d, w i t h t h at f ee ling, he opposed it. This measure was not only injurious from its tendency en the price of corn, but it was also inj u riou s on t he grounds of its interference withl the incomes of the clergy. The church would have be en b e tt er prov i ded for had not the Commutation Act passed into a law, for then they would have had an lee terest in the improvement of the land. There was a vast dif ference between the parochial clergy and the Right Reverend Bench.—( Hear, hear.) The parochial clergy were dependent on the price of corn, while, on the other hand, the 'eight Rev. Bishops had their incomes fixed.—( Hear, hear, and e No, no.") There was one interest which would derive a benefit from this Bill, namely, that it would increafe the price of money one-fifth, and the effect of this would be to increase the national burdens of the country in connexion with the national debt.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") One Right Rev. Prelate said that this Bill would have the result of keeping alive the hopes of the people. He warned their Lordships against any such fallacious cours e as this.--• ( Hear, hear. ) Hope long deferred maketh the heart sick.- - ( Hear, hear.) It was a dangerous thing to feed up the hopes of the people. It was a most pernicious thing to feed ffn people with sw e eten e d hop es , w hi c h, w h en di sap p o inted, would be found to be worse than any evil s w hi c h might other wise _ arise, ev e n supp os i ng th ose ev ils to exist, ha contended did net exist.—(Bear, hear.) tie warned their Lordships against the measure before the House.—( Hear, hear.) Many of their Lordships were in clined to 1 , ok upon this measu re as one w hi c h s hould not ca l l for their opposition, because it was to be passed whether they. should vote or not. He sho u ld b e sorry t o say that they should.e not bow to the decision of the Legi s l a t ure , but theyrti should bear in mind that they would, by votin g f o r the measure, be voting against their conseienees.—( Hear, hear.) If this was a measure which was necessary to the p reserva tion or wen being of the country, why was n o t th e o pi n i on o f t h e c ountry taken upon it ?—( Hear. hear.) I n a s h ort t i me i t wou ld be necessary to take the voice of. the peopl e , an d w h y not wa it for that ?—(Hear, hear.) If i t were d emanded by the country at large, it would then be high time to answer that demand—but even if the whole voice of the people declared in favour of it, he questioned whe ther they could then leave the agriculture of this country without protection.—(Hear, hear.) If, however, it was to become the law of this country, if they were to pass that law, after the voice of the country was taken upon it--( Hear, hear) —they could then bow to that demand of the country with 6 good grace.—( Hear, hear.) He warned them, however, against passing the present measur e w ith out b eing b ac ked by the demand s o the people. It was not asked for by the nation at large, but, on the contrary, it was opposed; and, if it was desired, let the question be tried at once.—(Loud cheers.) Earl GREY, amidst considerable cries of adjourn, en; much confusion, rose to address the House. After order bad been restored the Noble Lord proceeded. The Noble Lord who had last addressed the H ouse commenc ed his speed' b y alluding to that side of th e H ouse , an d c h a rging the Nob le Lords who were in favour of the measure with not having answered the arguments advanced by the Noble Lord former occasion. He (Earl Grey) considered that the IN ;t! 7 Lord's speech h a d b een answere d b y and Learned Noble and Learne d Friend (Lord B roug h am ) . It was true his N oble Learned Frie n d h a d not gone into all the arguments advancedt (Ear[ by the Nobl e Lord, but those which he did follow he E Grey) was of opinion that he had succeeded in tearing the Noble L or d' s arguments to tatters. He wou ld not - a t that late hour follo w hi s N o bl e b r i en d t h roug h a ll t he details of .u. his speech. Hhad is Noble Friend howeve r referred to one i on s which he wou ld j us t g l ance a t. H e sa id t h at the late li Grey) denied had been pr o du c tive of s t ea d y pr i ces . He (Lord ) denied that such was the fact th e , for in contrasting prices of this country with foreign countries, took the Gezotee price for wheat in this country an d market price for corn abroad.—( Hear, h e ar.) This made very material difference, and operated most injuriously foreign prices, as compared with p r i ce s in this country. His Noble Friend had also referred to Ireland, His arguments however, on this head was very untenable, for they had no right to keep up the price of land in Ireland by a continu_ king of these protective duties. If th e r e was one part of the. el dom more than another which would be benefited by the one re moval of these restrictions, that part was Ireland. EveatrYbaue eimitted that excessi a vi th o ew m r: p uis e nu t ab it sj ion in land was the gre at evilof w Ireland,eui would band abatedi re b i y r required the o repealargument f t.h a to c u show n, a w that s, . 9usgreat n d s (Lord ed . Lord BROUGHAM hoped Stanley) would no longer say that made by his Noble Friend (Earl t h a t hi h s i s s pe N ec o h ble was Fri u : a n After the excellent reply just re Id be no longeev e rrded as having Grey), that brilliant effo rt part of that di ie y u ss 1.0 n. sight had been most satisfactorily refuted. e p l a a s b s o er r l ate withoutbara harangue irregular and absurd blunders he had ever subject hamedcutbeehuennadcseormmitted that *At . of the Hoe Well, let them admit it • by the Noble Lord • there was to be a fall in the • r t i , ce b of corn after h O e n a e rd of t,o th m e rw m i o tt s e t d iz o c e tny Noble Lord said ddeo that with thethe of corn the passing, ofe Lord a all other cam ' modities would fall, with the exception of bul lion ; and this falling of prices and rising in the value of money cwoouni l add d d aay a t h fi i n ft to all the g h be more a b p s u u b r l d i c than burd et this —he h ( e l (Hear, e a r s , hear.)geing toN rot argument—but argument it could not be called?—( Hear.) Lord STANLEY explained that he meant that the mo ney t of those who had fixed incom would ' rise in value, and... l , having fallen, a The prices of corn and commod it ie s would do so in this wa money double whaptehneoyen:Owti b th efo a re ti . xed income could get for hte . Lord BROUGHAM replied that h e t oo k i t i n th a t light , but how could the falling of prices add to the burdehs of th e man who had a fixed income? Here was the absurdity, and he was glad the [louse perceived it with him. He rejoiced that they lived in the times of a representative Government, wh ile lie denounced the unconstitutional principle of those who we re represereed i n t erpos i ng, a f ter they had delegated their trust to the Ministry to settle particular questions, not only for thee" selves, but fur those whom they had elected as their represen; tatives.—( Hear, hear.) This, in his opinion, was the rear_ evil that could fall on a country governed by a representate v e Government, and he felt it his duty to warn the protection!!! party that they were by their present course generating the e vil' Nell, then, it was said that an appeal was to be made to th e people by dissolving the Pa r li amen t ; an d it wou ld be said that appeal was to be made upon a most important gaesthen; but the intrigues of party made the most trumpery ettes .es t i th a question of " paramount import ance ." The ItlaPrg ut grant was made a question of " paramount importance k . few. though there was no dissolution of Parliament, many!L e i r hers resigned their seats, and when they constituents they were not sent back to Parliament. -- ( ale , l hear.) The speech of his Noble Friend, Lord I‘llllogble went down to., , ie sr _ had been mentioned, not as an answer to that of th Lord opposite, but only as an attempt at an allusion t (Laughter)—and still it was a speech in defence of those w ho had changed their opinions. e o Lord STANLEY—No ; but who had changed their vote'. Lord BROUGHAM—WeII, then, he would adopt the 4 e tinction, but it reminded him of that which en old maid o n e insisted on, who did not wish to be called an old maid, bu t ad elderly unmarried lady.—( Laughter.) The reason for " P elee re ferring the total repeal of the corn-laws, against which he fully aware there were several arguments—among o thers th e extent of the experiment, for he genii* 00 Os° th nary, the 11..wieli and Bury, and Thetford and Newulari:ct lines are consequently for the prseitt seszion all thrown out. GROUP XXXI. ZR.ISTOI. 33=.EZIZIGHILIVI (amotrcEs. fia773 S CODIEROMSZ JITATe T e Commlite, re-a.4sembled :it twel% et this morning, hen Mr. Tate an,. other iiltnemses were examined in supp.irt of the Dill. Their eyidence merely went to prove the amount of traffic which might be expected along the proposed line, AM also tho necessdt7 that existed in the district for railway accommodation. Mr. Connell, superintendent at Gloucester, and other witnesses• were examined at considerable length with respect to the engineer lug capabilities of the line, the expense of construction, and other matters connected with the accommodation proposed to be afforded to passengers and traffic along the line. The witnesses also entered into detailed accounts, by which it would seem the inconvenience of the break of gauge at Gloucester, where the broad and narrow lines meet, was very considerable, but it would be superseded if the pro posed line was made. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP XX.VIII. The Committee on this group met to-day, at twelve o'clock, in Room No. 24 (Grand Corridor) ; present, Sir Robert Ferguson (chair man). the Marquis of Worcester, Viscount Norrey, Mr. Felluivi, and Mr. Smollett. They resumed the consideration of the LONDON AND IMMINGHAM (BnutanTG -1111.7n :EXTZ2:SION ). _ _ • - A good deal of additional evidence was given in favour of the pro posed site for a central station in New-street. It was stated by the ivitnesses that the arrangements contemplated would be a great ad vantage to the town, and that an expense of 5001. a year would be saved to the post-oftlee, by the increased proximity of the railway terminus. In cross-examination it was endeavoured to elicit that the station proposed to he erected by the Dudley, Wolverhampton, and Birming ham Railway Company, between Snow-hill and Livery-street, would be more central, more commodious, and at the same time free from that objection on which the petitions against the Bill was founded, namely, the interference with the burial-ground. Mr. Robert Stephenson, engineer to the London and Birmingham Railway, was examined to show that he could not find a better or less objectionuble site in Birmingham. It would be a great im provement to the town, removing streets of a low and vicious cha racter from the part where the principal public buildings and the most respectable persons are situate. The case for the promoters having been concluded, Mr. WHATELEY, Q.C., prepo3ed to put in evidence as to the extent of the interference with the grave-yard, to which the petition against the Bill applied, but , - -- The CHAIRMAN said tin Committee were not disposed to hear any further witnesses to that part of the cage. They would postpone their decision upon the preamble until they had gone through the other Bills in connexion with the London and Birmingham Railway Company. NORTHAMPTON AND WEED ON. To this Bill there was but one opponent, a petitioning landowner, who did not appear. The usual preliminary eviden:e having been put in, the promoters called Mr. Robert Stephenson, the engineer, who stated that the line had no engineering difficulties. The expenses of purchase, &c., would. be small, as the land was poor, and there was no town within the distance. The length would be about six miles and a half, and the estimated cost about 160,0001. The preamble was declared to be proved, and the Committee ad. jonrned till Monday. GROUP XLI, EAST LANCASHIRE DEVIATION LINE. The Committee assembled to-day at one o'clock, when the business was opened by Mr. Sergeant WRANCHAM, who, after describing the line generally, went through the series of appositions offered to the line. 'With respect to the two branches of the line, it appeared by the traffie that they would be as remunerative to the Company as they would prove useful to the public. Mr. Macaulay, the enginc er, said that the line would pass over some of the highest ground in Lancashire, which it was proposed to get over by two inclined planes, on which there would be 1 in 40 and 1 in 96, there being an intermediate gradient of 1 In 132. Those gradients were deemed objectionable, and when the several com panies were amalgamated under the title of the East Lancashire Com panies, he was instructed to improve the gradients If possible, and had therefore planned the deviations now before the Committee. The most objectionable gradient of 1 in 33 he had reduced to I in 39, which was to be worked by an assistant locomotive. The steepest gradient in existence is one on the Gloucester Railway, which is 1 in 34. There is one in the Glasgow and Edinburgh Railway of 1 in 42. Without these inclined planes there would have to be a tunnel six or seven miles long. The expense would be 74,0001.. and the first deviation, which would run fur 4 miles 5 furlongs along the valley of the Erewcll. That valley was one continued series of manufacturing population, being studded with mills al 'the way, and was connected with the tributary valley on which Newchurch Town is placed. The sec 1).1 branch would be a mile and a half in length, and would cost 43,0001., and would principally accommodate Craw shan•e ; and this line, with the first, would accommodate a population of upwards of eleven thousand, all engaged in manufactures. The third deviation would cost 23,0001., the total cost of the whole being 210,000/. The Bill sought 300,0001., because originally the line was intended to be a single one, but now it was intended to be a double line. The station also was to be en ezed in consequence of the contiucm'e of other ralltvays. The ad .iitional cost of the station wo,hl be 30,0001., and the connexion with Manchester and Liverpool would be completely opened. The Committee next took the IVLACILItUrtINT AND 7307....17014 :CM./ Z, the capital for which is 250,0001. The main line runs from the former to the latter place, going through the town of Darwin, joining the Bolton and Manchester line, it being Intended also to make a branch to time North IA; itish Railway at Clitheroe. There was also to be another branch to Turton, when it would be connected with the Liverpool and Bury Rail•.cay. The length of the branch would be 6 miles 55 chains, the cost 150,0001. This branch would go thr ugh a district altogether without accom modation, and which is a thickly peopled manufacturing district, there being, not less than 57 mills, and more than 20,000 inhabitants. Taking coals alone, there were as many as 57,000 tons used in each year for domestic and trading purposes, and the saving would be fully 10,0001. a year at the present rate of consumption, beside the prevention of inconvenience. The dye woods, oils, and chemical, substances would also come by a much quicker as well as cheaper transit. That this was no mean consi deration was evident from the factof the quantityof this sort of goods now introduced into the neighbourhood of Bury. At one end there was communication ; there were lines with all the radiating lines leading to every part of the country, so that the communication was always safe. Casty, he might say two or three or words respecting the opposition offered to it, the only plea being a matter of gradient, and such being the case he conceived that the opponents did not de serve the slightest consideration. Mr. VignOles was then called to show the engineering character of the line, and the Committee adjourned till Monday. GROUP XLVI. This Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock; present Mr. Bramston (chairman), and the other members. NEWCASTLE - UPON-TYNE, EDINBURGH, AND DIRECT GDEISC•OW JUNCTION. The evidence in support of this Bill, which is a competitor of the Newcastle and Carlisle Ex tension and Branches, with the consideration of which the Committee have been occupied during the last two days, was heard to-day. It was substantially the same as that on the part of the first Bill. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. GROUP LIII. This Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock ; the Hon. E. Lascelles (in the chair), the Earls of Arundel and Surrey, Captain Dalrymple, Mr. R. Clayton, and Mr. Hildyard. suamvsnunar AND BIRMINGHAM. The first witness examined this morning in favour of this Bill was, Mr. John Walton, irommaster, of Priors Lee and Donnington Wood, in the parish of Shelia!, who proved that the construction of this railway would confer great benefits on the people of that district, and would enable the manufacturers to send their products to South Staffordshire at half the present cost. A more conve nient communication with that district could not be devised. Mr. Bankes, surveyor, Mr. Thomas Waltvr, ironmonger, Wolver hampton, and Mr. Benjamin Mickley, of the firm of Crowley, Hickley, and Company, Wolverhampton, were also called to show the desir ' ableness of the project. The difference between the cost of carriage per canal and per railroad, from Birmingham to London, would be 10s. per ton, according to the evidence of the last-named witness ; he also preferred the proposed sta tions of this Company to those of the rival Companies. lie preferred the higher level. Queen -street, into whieh this line would enter in Wolverhampton, was the principal street of that town, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the market-place. The station of the Shrewsbury and Staffordshire Company would be about half a mile from Wolverhampton, and the street in which it would be (Old 31.11-street) was exceedingly narrow, and the approach to the station very steep and dangerous. The haulage of goods from the station to the town would also form an important item In the expense of their transit. Cross-examined by Mr. F. Ronixsom—The proposed access to the station of the South Staffordshire Company was the same as that of the Gra. Hd Junction Company. lle did not know whether power had been obtained to widen that access. He was not aware that 1,600 of the people of Wolverhampton had petitioned Parliament in favour of the South Staffo.rdshire Company, and a like number against the scheme under consideration. . Underhill, of Wolverhampton, gave similar evidence to the preceding witnesses. - Mr. It - rowning believed that no better scheme than the present could be devised for the accommodation of the district through which it was proposed to pass. The witness was briefly cross-examined as to high and low level stations, by Mr. WiraTra.v, Q.C., who appeared on behalf of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley. Mr. Philip Williams, an extensive ironmaster and coal proprietor in the county of Stafford, said that that district suffered mush frm not having the accommodation which this line would afford. This line was a loop line, which he considered its principal advantage, as the goods would not interfere with the passenger traffic. The town of Darlaston, containing a population of 8,244, would be accom modated by this line whilst it would not be touched by its rivals• This line would accommodate every town in the district, which could not be effected by the present canal or the other proposed railways. He was of opinion, that com petition, in most instances, ended in monopoly, and that the greatest safeguard to the public, in respect of the means of travelling and transmit:ing their goods, was a compulsory system of moderate toll+, and not competition. The tolls proposed by this Company were very moderate—much more moderate, in fact, than the tolls of its rivals. The evidence cif Mr. Sparrow, irorunaster, Wolverhampton, was to the same effect. In answer to Mr. CORBETT, The Hon. CHAIRMAN said, that after the case for the promoters of this Bill had been concluded, they would proceed to hear the peti tiolers against it. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock, until twelve o'clock on Monday next. GROUP L I I". ZEICESTER AND IMMINGHAM, WITH A 131tANCEZ. The Committee re-assembled this morning at the usual hour, ant proceeded with the examination of witnesses is support of the line. Mr. Muntz, M.P., was examined, and stated that he was clearly of opinion that an independent line of railway was necessary for the accommodation of the traffic and passengers between Birmingham, Leicester, and Nuneaton. The London and Birmingham and Mid land Companies ware not equal to supply the requisite railway ac commodation, in consequence of the irregularity and insufficiency of their trains. He was in favour of the proposed line then before the Committee, as, in his opinion, it would be sufficient to meet all the wants of the district through which it traversed. At the close of Mr Muntz's evidence, Mr. Vignoles, the engineer in -shier, who had been previously examined, was recalled, and cross examinedthe line, as al.) 'W o ws t eestimates, as to the engineering merits of the line, the sufficiency of th stimrues, and th deputy thak,an f t e general capabilities of the line. Mr. Shaw, evidence of Mr. VI Company, was also examined In support of „4noie , ner, who corroborated the engineering exam i ned, mid With ev ai idence Pare a n d M r. Atk i nson were then brought to a clos e , their vidence the ease of the promoters was The Committee then adjourned. e "' lina M The Select Committee ap"poitin°ttredi.to eons. compris in this group re - assembled at th usual hour thismorning; consider merits or the r. ElVar ed t ln the chair. EAST AND WEST INDIA nocxs Jun) B IRMINGHAM Zusrarzozr, line. Mr. TALBOT opene d the case for the promoters of this It was eight miles long; but, although so short, It was a line of the greatest public importance. It was promoted by th . London and Birmingham Company, for effecting a com munication between their Camden-town station and the East and West India Docks. It p as sed through Holloway, Hack. junco with ney, itornerton, skirted the Victoria - p ark, formed a and run ti auto tits: the Eastern Counties and the Blackwall RtulwaYs , dock-basin at ItlackwalL The want of this communication was very mull felt by the tratte of the country, and the rates of cartage between the Thames and the London and Binning ham Railway, was from ss. 6d. to 7s. per ton, which would be considera bl y reduced by the proposed line. The capital of the Company which 350,000/. WAS subscribed by the Railway and D ock Com p anies, and the remainder by private individuals. was §00,003 1 ., of Mr. Cook, of the firm of Trueman and Cook, colonial brokers; Captain Huish, the general manager of the Grand .Inaction Railway; Mr, Poole, general goods manager of the same railway; Mr. Alder man Copeland, M.P., and 3lr. Horne, of the firm of Chaplin and Horne, bore testimony to the importance which it would prove to the trade of the country to have an uninterrupted railway communi cation between Liverpool, Manchester, and the 3lidland district, and the docks and port of London. Mr. Martin, the engineer of the East and West India Dock Com pany, who laid out the line under Mr. Stephenson, detailed the pro gress the line took front the docks to Camden-town, and the nature of the works. The line presented no engineering difficulties. Ills estimate for the w orks was 349,7791. The line N7ould! cross the Lon don and York line. _ _ The Commliieeadjourneil shortly after four o'clock.. GROUP T.Vlr. TZIE Lawn= AND ninran calArei GRAND 31 . 1 WCTION, AND TYILITeTCHESTER. AND DM -7.OTINGZIAIVI RAIX.WAY AMALGAIVIA:X XON ( Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. Hon said he expected that the cempanies, when amalga mated, would be able to reduce their tolls. The question was eventually adjourned until Monday, for the pur pose of enabli ng the proprietors to show ahe impossibility of carrying into effect the arrangement proposed by the Board of Trade. KILMARNOCK AND TROON. The case of the STIRLINGSHIRE MIDLAND JUNCTION was postponed till Monday. EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN (NEWPORT RAILWAY AND ST. ANDREW'S BRANCH). EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN (STrtATHERN DEVIATION). EDINBUR.M AND NORTHERN (DUNFERMLINE BRANCH). EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN (PETTYCUR BRANCH). These four branches of the Edinburgh and Northern Railway were passed. In the case of the BRISTOL AND SOUTH WALES JUNCTION RAILWAY AND FERRY, the standing orders were declared . complied with. The same decision was made with respect to the Bristol Water works, and some other Bills of a local character. EAST OF FIFE. This Bill was passed, and ordered to be specially reported. CALEDONIAN AND DU3IBARTONSUIRE JUNCTION. Standing, orders complied with. WILSONTOWN, MOILNINGSIDE, _AND COLTNESS (BATH. GATE BRANCH). WILSONTOWN, MORNINGSIIiE, A\D COLTNESS (IMPROVE MENT AND BRANCHES). In both these cases the decision of the Committee was that the standing orders were complied with. SLA3IANNAN (BATHGATE AND JAWCRAIG BRANCHES). Standing orders complied with. EAST AND WEST YORKSHIRE JUNCTION. Standing orders complied with. LONDON AND BRIGHTON (WANDSWORTH BRANCH). This Bill was also passed. Their Lordships then resolved themselves into a Select Committee on Merits, in order to proceed with a list of Estate, Gus, and other local Bills, and one Railway (namely, the East Lincolnshire), all which were unopposed. No point of public interest arose, and at about a quarter to five o'clock their Lordships ruse, and adjourned till to-morrow at one. STAFFORDSHIRE AND SHROP SHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY. An adjourned meeting of the shareholders of this Com pany took place yesterday, at the Offices of the Company, Abingdon-street, to consider the best means of winding up the affairs of the Company. At one o'clock the chair was taken by Mr. Brainton. It appeared from the statements made at the meeting, that a great deal of disreputable conduct had taken place in the ma• nagement of the affairs of the company. A number of part ies had been elected on the committee of management to vote sums of money for the purposes of the Company, who never held a single share; and it also appeared that cheques had been issued to the officers of the Company to the amount of 2,500/. for the purchase of shares, or, as it is termed, " rig ging the market." It was alleged that a sum of 300/. had been received by Mr. Kemp, the former chairman of the Com pany, for which he had never accounted, and when asked for an explanation, he only wrote a letter to Mr. Brainton, saying he was going to Paris. It also appeared that the sum of noney paid up in the way of deposit was 17,030/., of which 3nly 8 000/ remained, while that sum was liable to some erious Mr. TEMPLE, Q.C., explained that he was not aware when he was on the committee of management that the cheques were for the purpose of purchasing shares. Much disapprobation having been expressed by the it:art- haters, a resolution appointing a committee of itivesligatior into the accounts, and ascertaining the liabilities of the Company, was app Hinted, and the meeting dissolved. BA.NK OF ENGLAND. (From last Night's Gazette.) An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, foi the Week ending on Saturday, the 6th day of June, 1846. ISSUE DEPAATMENT. X. Notes 155ued........ 28,325,000 Government debt Other securities 2,984,900 Gold coin and bullion 12,192,710 Silver bullion .. X 28,325,000 X 28,325,000 M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. Dated the 11th day ofJune, 1846. BANKING DEPAILTMENT, Proprietors' capital.. 14,553,000 Rest 3,379,044 Public deposits (in eluding Exchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Sav ings-banks, and Di vidend accounts) .. 5,753,512 3ther deposits • • •• • • 13,927,013 Seven day and other bi 115.......... Government securi- tics (Including Dead Weight Annuity) •. 12,988,065 Other securities 18,321,641 Notes • • •••.• • • • • • 8,468,180 Gold and silver coin.. 686,691 852,008 4 40,464,577 40,464,577 if. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. Dated the 11th day of June,.lB4, MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of June 12.) &MAR.—To-day there was a fair business transacted in West India Sugar, and the rates paid were 6d per cwt above those of this day week for Refining sorts, and in several cases yellow kinds brought prices rather above thore of that time. REFINED.—To-day Refined Goods were much sought after by the home trade, but few parcels are to be bad. Brown lumps are firm at 6Ss to 68s 6d, and standard lumps at 69s per cwt. The market for bonded Crushed Sugar is firm 33s 6d for first quality. AIAURITIUS.—This afternoon there was no public sale, but privately a fair business was done, and at prices showing a small advance on those of the last auction. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon Bengal Sugar was in good request, and at public sale 2248 bags were all sold at full rates. • FOREIGN.—YeIIow illavannah has been sought after, but holders insisting on an advance on former rates of Is to 2s per cwt, business of moment has been prevented, and the only sale is that of 800 chests of low yellow quality at 21s per cwt; had there been sellers at a slight advance on previous prices, it would have led to large trans ictions. For white st Hier rates are insisted upon, but there are few buyers at present to be met with. There has been a good desire evinced to operate in brown Brazil, but the stiff rates asked prevented much business from being done; the few parcels of white dis posed of were at rather higher rates. There are not sellers of Porto Rico excepting at improved prices. MoLassEs.—All kinds of West India are in demand, and would command even further improved rates; but business of moment has been prevented by the scanty supply at market. COFFEE.—This afternoon there was no public sale of Coffee, and privately little business was transacted in any kind, the value of good ordinary native pale Ceylon is 42s to 43s per cwt. Cocoa.—With West India the market has been much bet ter supplied this week, and the demand having been limited, prices have slightly given way. Foreign is ROI offered upon lower terms, but there has been little business transacted at present. There is, however, a less quantity offered for sale. Tna.—The demand for black and green Tea has been con siderably checked by the announcement of the large quantity of 40,000 pkgs for public sale on Tuesday, and former rates are with difficulty to be obtained. There has been little business transacted in any kind, as the trade seem to think that if merchants are sellers at the approaching sales, that a decline in prices will take place, as the stock of black and green in the banded warehouses is large. RICE.—To-day Bengal Rice was wanted, but rather higher rates being asked, operated against business. SPICES.—With Cassia Lignea the market has been abun dantly supplied this week, but merchants submitting to a decline on late nominal rates of is to to 3s per cwt caused the demand to be active. Cassia Buds have nearly sustained the former value. Black Pepper is still purchased with caution by exporters and the home trade, notwithstanding the low rates. Of African and East India Ginger several parcels have been disposed of privately, and at somewhat better prices; the supply is still falling off. Jamaica has been in fair demand at the previous currency—the middling kinds have been the most in request privately. Pimento is wanted, and the par cels sold privately were at firm rates. Nutmegs have suf fered no further depression, and privately several parcels have been sold at 2s 8d to 4s 2d for brown, and at Is 6d to 3s forlimed. The supply is less than it was, especially of the better kinds. Mace is wanted, but we have no further ad vance to notice in prices. In Cinnamon little business has been transacted, low as quotations are. Cloves are heavy of disposal, notwithstanding the low rates that prevail. FRUIT.-.ln Currants lately there has been a large busi ness doing, and the deliveries for home consumption great ; Cephalonia and Morea Fruit 465, Patras 46s to 47s per cwt ; a large parcel of the former taken on speculation, and an offer for a cargo to arrive at the same price refused; the low priced common descriptions of Raisins have been in more request—old Chesme Raisins, cases, 295, Valentias from 26s to 30s, new Cliesme Raisins, barrels 335, cases 355. Rum, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.—There has been a better demand for all descriptions of Jamaica Rum this week, and the rates paid have been fully equal to those of last Friday ; the quantity sold has been 150 puns. This afternoon at public sale 38 casks of Madras Rum were sold at is Ild to 2s ld for proof to 11 per cent over-proof. COCHINEAL.—This afternoon Cochineal was in better re quest, and 116 bags of Honduras were offered at auction, and Chiefly sold at full rates, viz., at 5s 7d to 6s Id per lb for low to sale, n descriptions. silvers, s t o ' fish East afstt mart hle k d e l ia h aans d a if v p e a ry rce d l t s il i l ve a r p e p t e o a b ra e n p e r e ess fo e r d f( a ) l r l sust ained. In Spanish astquarterly au c ti ons would not be there has been little passing, low as prices arc. S rrtz.—.To-dav the market was better supplied at a public sale amounting; to 3 w , s i with Rough the Calcutta,theltshoerireerweda seitter demand, and the whole sold at full rates for the muchow abmathmaintledel.ing sorts whilst the better kinds brought 6d per cwt paatr2tBis'oldSpaetrnl7; 7bl i u s tot cheaper, atot 7470 i tosa s n 4 d f 00 s 4 r 5 6 d brightpune per Oars.—This afternoon Southern Oil went at lower rates, but at auction one hundred tuns were nearly all sold. Fine es y been very good, and this is quality. a F t o p re u ig bl n ic w s as ai e takenonly in n n ALtow.—For home made tallow prices continue to go a d e l m a r a g n e d s u h p a p s l than Russian. For Australian the demand has cheaper arcels, and holders experience d' been for small P Acuity in to 11 for owline qua ity. American is little getting 37; to 42s cwt down , n nett t er ca e s b h ein th g e on the spot has been purchased with much wanted. Russian caution, but in the va lue little variation at pre sent has taken place. For forward delivery there are few buyers -t o b e met with. . INTERESTING DISCOVEAY.—In the ball which crowned the spire of the old market-place, at Breslau, just taken down, have been found a plate of copper, highly gilt, aw bearing inscriptions of the date 1574—a large quantity of coins, gold, silver, and copper, of ISSI —and a box enclosing receipts for the price of all the materials furaighed for the construction of the toe cr, and the salaries of the workmen employed —as well as a record on parchment, stating that the tower was built by a furrier of Breslau, named Gladwisch, in conformity to a judgment of 1570, which condemned Win to erect it as the expiation of a murder by WM COLOOlitted.