The Sun. — London, England, 1837-04-08 00:00:00

Government. Every gentleman in the House was capable of deciding upon the evidence which would be given in such ease, and therefore he hoped he would not be refused his Committee of Inquiry.—(Hear.) He had only to thank the House for its kind attention to him while discussing a subject svh..ich had been so often before them.— (Hear.) would not abuse that patience, but would contealt himself with moving for a Committee to inquire into thq practicability of abolishing flogging in the Army. captain BOLDER() seconded the motion. Mr. C. FERGUSON, in reply to the observations of the Hon. and Gallant Member, said he had not adduced any new grounds in favour of the opinion which only Ile, and another Gallant Officer in that House, entertained, that corporeal punishment in the army might be abolished. The Hon. and Gallant Member had stated that he had no confidence in the Report of the Commis or..—(Cries o f " H ear. ") Th e gentlemen composing that Commission were men of great judgment and respec tability. Every man of that House who had taken a part in favour of the abolition of flogging in the army was in the first instance examined by the Commissioners—not only that, but they were invited to bring before the Com mission every gentleman who was conversant with the subject, and whose opinions were similar to those of the Honourable and Gallant Gentleman. There was not one of the officers examined before that Com mission who had not stated that it was impossible to con duct the discipline of the army - without corporeal punish- Ment. If i t were a b o li s h e d a t h ome, i t would inevitably follow that the system must be abolished abroad. He tlenied that any general officer of the army was favourable to corporeal punishment ; they had done all they could to reduce its frequency, and only resorted to it when absolutely necessary.—(Hear.) If the government of the army were not impeded by motions like the present, he believed in his conscience that in a few years it would Only be known by name. The returns which he held in his hand showed that the number of cases of corporeal punish ment were rapidly diminishing, and the extent to which that punishment was inflicted was diminished in an equal ratio. He really did not know what evidence a Committee could obtain, that had not already been laid before the House by the Commission which hat already sat upon the subject. They had had before them persons of every grade—from the Duke of Wellington down to the private soldier. The Commissioners issued circulars to each commander of a regi tient, directing them to send one non-commissioned officer arid one or more private soldiers to be examined, without in forming them what was to be the nature of their examination, and they gave their evidence freely, and without fear or bias. Now, if after such inquiry, and the examination of so many witnesses, and such anxious and patient investigations, the Commissioners come to the conclusion that military punish- Inents could not be safely abolished, what were a Select Com mittee of the House of Commons to inquire into ? He (Mr. Pergusson) was perfectly unfettered. He had never voted I lion the quest i on, but he felt the evidence given before the Co mmission ers , and on which their report was founded, per fectly overwhelming. On the grounds on which he resisted the appointment of this Committee he would be equally pre mPared to resist the appointment of a new Commission. He ould not consent to:abolish corporeal punishments, at the same the that he would do all in his power to limit its infliction, ,stOort of putting it down altogether. with respect to _."3 subject, he did not think since the report of the Commis lotters was before the public and circulated, public feeling j tts not so stroug as it had been. He did not believe the :' Oh l• Member f or Barnstaple would ventu re t o say t h at h e h a d -n Y new evidence to bri ng forward, and for hi s p art h e be -Ilieved the thing to be impossible. Th e B r i t i s h army was t h e I )l "Avest and the b es t di sc ipli ne d i n t h e wor ld, an d t h ey should cautious how they interfered with that discipline. It should be recollected that the infliction of corporal punishment had recently been very much restricted. It was now limited to the t ?ilowin g o ff ences :—Mutiny, insubordination, striking a supe rior officer, d run k enness when on duty, and making away with n eat -.eerie& The number of punishments was daily diminish as far as was consistent with the preservation of the dis- C ipline of th e army. In conclusion, he felt bound to give the Motion his decided negative. :1• Major FA N C O U fur thought the Report of the Commis ,4ll"s would b e more satisfactory, if there had b een amongst s member s some individuals known to be favourable to the abolition of corporal punish men t. th LENNA RD concurred in one opinion expressed by for e Ron. Member below Wm, that there was no necessity ft fresh inquiry, for they had sufficient evidence to en able the m to have their minds made up on the subject. The keallant Officer had stated that, according to the opinion 15 f Mil Guthri e , a f ter t h e i nfliction of the first fifty lashes human suffering could not be increased ; but he (Mr. Len tard) did not think that even that amount of punishment ought to be inflicted, for they were not arrived at a time when it became their"duty to determine whether or not the British army could be governed without this horrible pu nis'enent. In foreign countries the discipline of their armies was kept up without any infliction of this kind, and in every British regiment where a prudent and judicious officer had at tampted to do away with the use o f th e cat h e h ad been inva riah.y successful. He would refer to the police force, and also to the preventive coast-guard, in both which corps the best dis eipline was preserved without recourse to corporal punish ment. There was danger in maintaining this system of punish ment, for a case might arise, as did some years ago in India, where troops refused to permit the infliction of this punish 141eht, on th e groun d that no such punishment was inflicted on "e native troops of India. He would support the present motion, but would much rather that the Hon. Member for r nslaPle had alone moved for the total abolition of the pu aishrnent. Captain BOL DERO considered the appointment of a Corn- Vtee of I nqu i ry nothing more than an act of justice to those neto sough t for the abolition of corporal punishment. Now, ;Itve the Commission of Inquiry had been appointed, extensive erations had taken place in the discipline of the army, both as te)B,l).!eted corporal punishments as well as punishments generally. , ; ,...!_be effect of those alterations they were in complete . igno er"ee, and was not that a subject for inquiry ? The Commission it.s_ioas a boon to the army, had restricted the stripe to 100 lashes. , v l . tiler alteration had taken place by which greater facilities were given to the soldier of good character in procurine his dis lea_rge. When a soldier applied to his commanding officer for Yo to purchase his discharge, if his character was found to gon e he bi„ he , was enabled to purchase his discharge at a dimi in. price. There was another practice adopted of mulct ah'''t, tee soldier s ' pay , an d more attention was now paid as to ti d i!risons in which soldiers were sentenced to confinement, ne ttee twele all t h ese f orme d subject 3 for rn inquiry bef ore a C o • ill est • Now, he wou ld as k, wou ld anything more strikingly teetirsto.the t ota l i ne ffi c i ency of flogging as a means of pro the ,".g discipline or i m p rov i ng the efficiency of troops than taker gracef u l and ever-to-be-regretted event that had lately of e k ,' Vac° in Sp a i n ?—( H ear , h ear .) H e had no knowledge %to ed ' ` s ets, except f rom h earsay ; b ut i t was generally under ef eor that i n the army serving under General Evans the use tortetral Punishment had been very freely liberally re tneo, t • In addition to the punishments inflicted by sen ,°,l. Co urts -Martial the provost system was in full force. Peei sh " l eo, what was the result of all this system of corporal ea recut? The moment these men came in face of the W e h r° Y , they retreated.—(" No," from some Hon. Member.) we Id 4se, u any one attempt to say that it was not the slt 'en the fact was admitted, and notoriously, that to Yof five h un d red B rit i sh mar i nes was fully able th,teTer In the retreat of these troops, and he believed ca,„ that marine corps one stripe was not inflicted to l'ea ti * 411 in flicted on th e troops that retreated. Now, here tleeiotin instance where less stripes had the effect of pro- Ou b ei4 better discipline. Another reason why this Committee ° panted was this : —The Noble Loi d the SC'. A rir • N4:ilee the Home Department had obtained leave to intro -1 for the mitigation of the criminal code. He pro tend to trdo taway with the punishment of death in m a ny cases, t hy 0 , 11 t te n e eff ect of secondary punishments, and hereby aath t et to allow the army to remain behind in the dis- P4oislta,e,°,l im provements and the mitigation of systemso f Lo n t i sp " e L e • He would refer to a passage in the Noble . Peaking o e f ." t in moving for leave to bring in that 8 . 111. entlntries Ine punishment of the galley, as used in foreign ue min aulend,escribed it as " corrupting and degrading to fhe Gan and shocking and brutalizing to the spectators." obj e - e r Officer proceeded to contend that no valid ground ,0111,1 ,: . to the total abolition of corporal punishment . th e soil:rived from any difference in the circumstances . of that if th _ whilst on foreign service. He was quite su e eoasiderz Secretary at War would take the matter into his Mr, G ( 1 ) ., e; he would be l oo k e d upon as a f r i en d to h uman it y . ''ON preferred the motion for a Committee of Poia ta ,• He thought, however, that such a Committee, if ap tio„ "i t ought to °' the army go into the whole nature of the Constitu !Red eh my where there prevailed a system of a most erecter. the THOMP re' Punishme nt of {1 SON said that the motion of limiting e4ll ed to -ogging, in certain instances, to 100 lashes, e his recollection that some one-and-thirty years ago Pri,, ste erop osed at a Court AI rti 1 that the punishment of a tired lastioleas.par,t.icular instance should be confined to one bun ,;t:er had . been asked gruffly by his commanding to le ? 1[4 14 _ he wished to make a joke of his Majesty's ser eVerfed hriemenbered, too, that another subaltern officer had Ontab, , vbl .1 1 _"---ne being a W estminster boy and himself a th at aeeo them.e e be e was th e occas i on o f t h e sympat h y h e _ 8 . next day was i ssued a regimental order Should neith er of them fur the future sit at ;lav e do Mal- His friend came to him, and exclaimed, "We 4 11 t t hat •" _ He had b een behindhand with him, then; leleettarutodoadwoilling to be beforehand with him now ; for he ne of the finest regiments in the service ; t o thorn fore denounced floggingand has Y officer who wished as a bane and nuisance_ on air.rfeetly convinced that .to do his duty ; and he wits n cipline without corporal ilitnisTlßS vastly easier to carry P ment than with it. There ittlie•emegidreoaffit Power in imprisonment, and he had gone round as , the garrison in Dublin, and seen the pale Leor.as.tot she oew men thrust . out through the holes of their dun thatlife was still in them. This alone, as a tQ pi eces u . e thought would be sufficient without cutting the theefreethie, who LI- e remembered a queer story of the late Mr. has atter b had said of a gentleman that the less he ate Its e grove. s o he • th ere • gged t h e , said of the soldier—the less lie thequir herd, ne oetter . he would be.—( A laugh.) He thought y be nin particular why the Committee of In fal/he4_,le, PrObgabrlnted. He was in the habit of going among C onl on, growin y.m9re.than some others in that House, and t htr e " tt ees beion-: was tot se irritation among them at their perceiving A s, e a ifs,poi.nted and Commissions issued, in which ij o a n i • NV, E w u lu rs i nt impartiality. 41 mere ,attT objected to the argument that profes vvere best qualified to decide upon this question, and be considered that no professional man should legislate upon it. It was an increasing opinion among the soldiery and among the people that the punishment should be done away with. It was by enlightening the soldier's mind and raising him by a better education to aspire to military honours that discipline would be best maintained. Mr. HUME said they had been told to be quiet and they should go on better. Th e y h a d b een t o ld so f or th ese twenty years. Nothing had done more good than the order issued by the Horse Guards, that there should be no corporal punish ment inflicted but for mutiny and drunkenness, and that good had been effected by a resolution which two days before had passed the House to the same effect, when 140 voted for it and 151 against it. Of the 151 there were thirty-five paid ser vants of the Crown, so that the real majority was on the po pular side of the question. This, he thought, was a convincing proof of the use of interference. It had been said that the number of punishments had been very much reduced, but he believed that the number stated was three times the amount. There was no act of the Noble Lord the Governor General of India (Lord W. Bentinck), whom he was glad to see in his place, which redounded more to his credit than the abolition of corporal punishment in the native Indian army. It had been dreaded that a want of discipline might have been the result, and he himself had entertained his fears. It had, how ever, turned out successful, and he should vote for a Com mittee, hoping to hear the evidence of the Govenor-General as to the practical operation of this successful experiment. He regretted to see the motion opposed by his Majesty's Go vernment. Lord SANDON did not intend to go into the question which had been already so well treated. He thought it was scarcely possible to do more than what had been done already, namely, to take the opinion of every commander of a regiment in the army, and be guided by it. He agreed that in the Prussian army there was a different system of corporal punish ments. They divided their punishments into two classes. The first was that of degradation, and the second was that of corporal punishment. It was not clear but that such a plan might be good here, and he believed his Right Hon. and Gal lant Friend (Sir H. Hardinge) had expressed a similar opi nion, and that in the merchant navy it was adopted. Let that be as it might, be was sure the best guarantee for the disci pline of an army was their being imbued with the same feelings of civil life as their fellow-subjects. The Noble Lord then read the recommendation of the Military Commission, con tained in the report on the subject of corporal punishment in the army, and wished to know what the Government had done towards carrying them into effect. He concluded by ex pressing a hope that some means would be adopted by which, without prejudice to the service, flogging would be altogether abolished. Mr. E. L. BUL WE R said that the question had been set tled by the decision of the Noble Lord the Member for Glas gow, when he was Governor-General of India; so that it was not now a question as between the British soldier and the French or Prussian soldier, but as between him and the Hits doo or Mussulman. The Noble Lord had abolished flogging in the native troops, while it was still continued. in the Eng lish regiments of the line in India. It had been said by the Noble Lord opposite that the distribution of military rank and command was not too much in the hands of the aristocracy ; that he ( Mr. Bulwer) did not agree to. If the exclusive sys tem at present acted on were put an end to there would be a change for the better effected in the troops. Now it was al most impossible to rise from the ranks, and the soldiery had no other honourable ambition for that reason, then it would be otherwise, and a far better class of men would be created. It was the objeet of those who advocated the abolition of corporal punishment to create that class of men and thus improve the army at large. As long as the disgusting and degrading sys tem of flogging was continued no such change could be hoped for. He (Mr. Bulwer) thought a Committee of the House would be far better than a commission to inquire into all the bearings on the subject. The question was, lie admitted, be set with difficulties, but that in itself was an additional reason why a Committee should be granted. He admitted, however, that if corporal punishment were abolished in the army the pu nishment of death should be inflicted oftener than it was under the present system. Lord HO WICK wished that the Hon. and Gallant Mem ber had been more explicit in his motion, and that he had stated distinctly what his object was—whether by a side wind to abolish the punishment altogether, or to obtain more in formation—rather than leave it in the uncertainty and obscu rity it was then involved in. If his object was to obtain more information lie ( Lord Howick) felt much surprise that no complaint of its paucity had been made in the last session's debate on the subject. If it was to abolish the punishment al together, it would have been a more straightforward course to avow it at once. The report of the Commission appointed to investigate the subject was adverted to by the Hon. and Gal lant Member, and it was objected to by bins that it could not be a fair report, inasmuch as the seven Members who com posed it were known to be all averse to the abolition of flog ging as a punishment in the army; but why did not the lion. and Gallant Member take that objection on the formation of the Commission? His own friends were then in office, and any suggestion from him would no doubt be attended to. The Commission received the evidence of the Hon. and Gallant Member himself, of the Hon. Member for Middlesex, and of every other Hon. Member in the House opposed to the present system. It also invited them to suggest others who is ere like wise acquainted with the subject for examination. Did the Hon. and Gallant Member, or did he not, in that examination, state the whole grounds of his opposition ? Dd the Commis sioners, or did they not, act upon the information received b) them in the framing of that report ? No man could say that all the facts of the case were not collected by the Commission, or elicited by the discussion of the subject in the public press. The real object of the Hon. and Gallant Member's motion was, not whether there was to be a new inquiry into the subject or not; but whether cr not the present system of corporal punish ment in the army was to be abolished. The motion for a Com mittee was a piece of Parliamentary tactique to reconcile the clashing opinions of Hon. Members who supported various views leading to the same result. There was no form in which the question could be m Joted that was more objectionable than the one before the House, as the Hon. arid Gallant Officer had put it. He could not help feeling greatly astonished that an Hon. Member opposite had quoted the evidence of Sir Oc' a vins Carey as a proof that a regiment could be kept in a high state of disci'. line without flogging. What was the fact ? During four months that officer held the command of the regiment, there was inflicted corporal punishment to the extent of 3,725 lashes. If Sir Octavius Carey could be quoted for anything, it was for a contrary practice to that ad vocated by the Hon. Gentleman. That, at least, was the fault he (Lord Howick) would he inclined to find with him. In the whole course of the debate no one had said that the disci pline of the army could be kept up with a less amount of pain and degradation. All punishments had pain and degradation for their essence. What, then, would Hon. Members sub stitute in the place of that inflicted at present ? The Hon. Member for Lincoln had said that the punishment of death should be substituted in a greater number of cases than it was inflicted now ; but, on the ground of economy—(Laughter)— he begged pardon —on the ground of humanity he meant, he did not sac how the substitution could be made, as he was fully convinced a great increase of deaths would be the conse quence. It was not anticipation but experience which led him to that conclusion ; for it had been proved that soldiers com mitted capital offences with a view to having the punishment commuted from death to transportation. In one case which occurred not long since in the West Indies a soldier had struck his officer and behaved most outrageously also be fore the Court-martial by which he was tried. He was convicted and sentenced to execution. The commanding officer of the station felt that en example was necessary ; he determined to make it of the man. He was exe cuted accordingly ; but in the time between his sentence end his last moments he told the chaplain that he had com mitted the crime for which he was to suffer in conse quence of several cases having occurred in which transportation had been substituted for corporal punishment—a commutation of his sentence which he also calculated on. Dismissal from the service was no punishment to a soldier, although it was to a coast guardman or a policeman. The pay of a policeman was 3s. a day, and he had no doubt in the world that if a sol dier had the same inducement of pay, he would be sorry to be dismissed too, and flogging might then be done without.— ( Cheers.) He was convinced, however that upon active ser vice flogging could not be done away with under any circum stances, as otherwise it would be impossible to prevent plun der. With respect to the argument raised as to the promotion of soldiers, lie could state that the system of promotion was followed at present in the army as far as in a state of peace it could be. The system of military rewards which the House bad sanctioned in the last session had worked well, as it ap peared from the returns that since August last year warrants had been issued for rewards to 9,134 soldiers. The establish ment of libraries also in many regiments had been attended with the best effects. There was for instance an admirable library established in the Scotch Fusileer Guards, which pro dcced the greatest advantage, and of which the men anxiously availed themselves. The establishment of penal corps on the western coast of Africa he looked upon as a bad system, because it appeared by the reports of those corps that the mortality was frightful among the white soldiers. In the year 1835, out of 571 white men four hundred and forty-one died in that year on that coast, and in th e following year there were 342 deaths out of 473 men. He did not believe that in any case undue severity had been exercised or sanctioned by British officers in flogging men. The Hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. T. Duncombe) alluded, in the last Session, during the debate on this subject, to a case, which he stated, of a gunner, named Samuel Ingram, of the Royal Artillery, who it was alleged had been flogged at Honduras by order of Colonel George Arthur, not according to the ordinary mode, but by tap of drum, or quarter-minute time. Colonel Arthur had recently arrived in this country from Van Diemen's Land, and he distinctly states that he never in his life saw punish ment inflicted in such a manner on any soldier, but always according to the usual mode. But, in addition to this denial —and all who knew Colonel Arthur would believe the truth of his assertion—he (Lord Howick) had letters from persons who were present at the punishment of Ingram at Honduras, and all of them denied that any such mode of punishment had been practised as had been charged against Colonel Arthur. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE—Read, read. Lord HOWICK—Yes, be would read. The Noble Lord then read a letter addressed to Sir A. Dickson, from Captain Willis, of the Royal Artillery, at Woolwich, which stated that he commanded the Royal Artillery at Honduras from 1818 to 1824, and that during the whole of that time no soldier had ever been flogged by tap of drum ; that he per fectly recollected the punishments of Gunner Ingram, at which ho was present on many occasions, the man having been frequently tried and found guilty by court-martial, and on no occasion had he ever been flogged except in the ordi nary way. He also read two statements, made and signed by other Artillery gunners, who served with Ingram at the time, and who fully confirmed the letter of Captain Willis. With respect to Colonel Arther, he (Lord Howick) had not bad the least communication with him, but he thought it only justice to that officer to state these facts. He trusted the House would not sanction the motion of the Hon. Gentle man. Mr. DUNCOMBE could not complain of the course the Noble Lord had pursued, because he had apprized him of his intention to read the letters which had been produced to con tradiction to what he (Mr. Duncombe) had said respecting Colonel Arthur in the last Session. What he had then stated he told the House at the time he stated on the authority of Colonel Bradley, and this year he had presented a petition from the same officer, which was now on the table, and on which he intended to move for a Committee on the Ist June. He did not think it exactly fair in the Noble Lord to forestal the debate on that motion by the defence he had that night put forth for Colonel Arthur. The moment Colonel Bradley heard of the arrival of Col. Arthur in this country lie presented another petition to the House offering to prove all the charges he had made against Colonel Arthur ; and he, for one, thought the word of Colonel Bradley as good as that of Colonel Arthur. Both parties were now in this country, and it was clear that one of them must go to the wall. If Colonel Bradley had made false accusations let him go to the wall ; but let not the Government throw their shield over Colonel Arthur.—( Hear.) The Noble Lord had described Colonel Arthur as a very humane man, but he (Mr. Dun combe) could prove that he was not a humane man. If Co lonel Arthur was so good a man, why was it that at Hobart Town the whole colony was illuminated on his departure ? As to the subject before the House, he had not intend, d to speak upon it, but be could not avoid saying that he placed no con fi Te ice in the Commission that had been appointed to inquire into the matter any more than he did the Poor Law Commis sion. A case of most cruel military flogging in the 15th Hus sars had been stated to him that day. A man of that regi ment had been flogged who was an excellent soldier.—( Hear) Yes, an excellent soldier, who had committed no crime ( Hear)—except getting intoxicated—( A laugh)—when he re ceived his pay. Hon. Members might laugh, but lie should like to know if there was an individual in that House who did not get intoxicated occasionally.—(Great laughter.) This man was flogged and taken to the hospital, and before his back was healed he was flogged again with a new cat, prepared for the purpose, with l arger k nots , b ecause t h e man did not cry out at the first flogging, and after the last flogging the man became insane. —( Cries of " Name.") Let a Committee be granted to him, and he would prove the facts. He admitted that the occurrence took place twenty years ago.--(0b, oh.) The length of time surely did not diminish crime. —( Hear, hear.) He was prepared to prove the facts by an officer now in Lordon. Lord HO\VICK said a few words in explanation. Mr. BRIDGEM AN had been seven years in a militia re giment, and he always discountenaeced flogging. He assured the men of his Company that not one of them should ever be flogged if he did not deserve it.—(Laughter.) He volun teered into the 88th, and a crack man of his regiment who volunteered with him cut his throat afterwards, in Spain, because he was flogged. Sir G. GRE Y complained that the Member for Finsbury had taken this occasion to anticipate the discussion of a sub j,!ct of which he had given a notice of motion. He ventured to say that if a Committee should be appointed to inquire into the character and conduct of Colonel Arthur, the charges now made against him would not be borne out. Ninety-nine out of a hundred of the inhabitants of Van Diemen's Land were ready to bear testimony to the conduct of that-gallant officer. No man had ever done more to benefit that colony and to pro mote its interests. The Hon. Member said that on his de parture there was a general illumination to mark the joy of the inhabitants. He could not speak as to illuminations ; he had heard nothing about them ; but this he knew, that there was a subscription on foot among the inhabitants of the colony and persons in London deeply interested in its welfare, for the purpose of presenting him with a piece of plate, in testi mony of their approbation of his conduct. Mr. T. D UNCOMBE said that the discussion had not ori ginated with him, but with the Noble Lord (Howick), who had, he thought, very unfairly read letters, the tendency of which was to prejudge a question of which he had given no tice of motion • Sir H. HARDING E entirely differed from the Hon. Mem ber for Finsbury. So far from considering it unfair on the l part of the Noble LOrd to read those letters he thought it was no more than an act of duty to do so. The statements of the . Han. Gentleman with respect to Colonel Arthur were not characterized by that candour which he should have expected from him. The Hon. Member found fault with the 'Noble ; Lord for entering into any defence of Colonel Arthur's con . duct, and complained of it as unfair. The Hon. Member did. not seem to remember that the petition presented by him con tained six whole pages of attack upon that gallant officer, having reference not merely to the subject of flogging, but embracing all the circumstances of a dispute of twenty years' standing between Colonel Arthur and Colonel Bradley, which originated at Honduras. That dispute had been four or five times the subject of discussion in that House. The petition • presented by the Hon. Member for Finsbury merely stated that, in Colonel Bradley's opinion, Colonel Arthur, in the infliction of punishment at Honduras, acted with cruelty and inhumanity ; but lie mentioned no names, he stated no iac:s, he went into no detail of circumstances, he did not even say in what year it occurred. The officer in command of the ar tillery at the time the puniAinent was inflicted at Honduras, and the gunners who witnessed the transaction, stated dis tinctly in their communications to the Noble Lord (Lord flowick) that the punishment was inflicted in the usual way, without any circumstance of aggravation or of peculiar se verity. From all he knew and heard of Colonel Arthur it was his thorough conviction that no case could be made out against him. With regard to the subject immediately before the House, he had heard no sufficient reason stated for the appointment of a Committee. The Report of the Commis sioners upon the subject was as full as it could be, and he did not see how any further information of the least importance could be obtained by further inquiry. Seventy-one individuals had given their evidence before the Commission, besides 60 or 70 military officers-130 altogether were ex.-mined. He did not see after this, how cry further information was to be obtained. The lion. Member for Barnstable and the Hon. Member for Hull (Colonel Thompson) were the only two witnesses who were of opicion th• t flogging in the army might be done away with altogether. Even the Honourable Member for Middlesex himself (Mr. Hume) gave it as his opinion that corporal punishment must be retained in the field. Was he right or not in this interpietation of the Hon. Member's evidence? (Mr. Hume nodded assent.) Well, the Hon. Member admitted the necessity of it in the field, but still in the last session the Hon. Member voted for a total abo lition. lie did not see how the Hon. Member for Middlesex could reconcile his evidence and his vote. As far as he could collect from the discussion there were only three substitutes proposed for corporal punishment—dismissal, penal compa nies, and shooting. It had been said that dismissal from the service was found to answer in the police force, and it was very properly observed that there is might answer well enough, as the superior pay rendered dismissal a punishment of considerable severity. But even in the police force with such a check as this it had been found necessary to dismiss four thousand men. With respect to penal companies, they were found totally inefficient as a substitute for corporal punishment, and this was fully proved from experience at Sierra Leone. Marshal Soult did not approve of penal com panies. The only remaining substitute was death, and it was admitted by the Member for Lincoln (Mr. Bulwer) that the punishment of shooting must be considerably increased in the army if corporal punishment was done away with. For his part lie must confess that however painful, however revolting, to the feelings flogging might be. he much preferred it as a punishment to that of death. The distinguished poet, Mr. Campbell, in his " Letters from the South," recently pub lished, made some observations upon this subject, which he would recommend,to the attention of gentlemen who spoke so lightly of the punishment of shooting. Mr. Campbell said he found upon inquiry that there was more drunkenness in the French than in the English army, and from what he ob served he came to the conclusion that, to avoid the neces sity of a more severe punishment, flogging might occa sionally be necessary. lle found that in the French army at Algiers one man a month was shot. However l&nful to his feelings he was inclined to sec one instance of the punishment of death inflicted in this way. He had a.a op portunity of witnessing it in the case of a man who was to be shot for desertion. Before the punishment was in flicted, his comrades being drawn up round him, he declared that, in deserting, his object was not to go over to the enemy, bet to go to Italy to see his father and mother. Mr. Campbell described the horror of the scene in terms which he could not now call to mind, and exclaimed against the hardship of giving to men the power of depriving their fellow-man of life. He conversed with the French General upon the subject, and ob served to him, that, however terrible it might appear to him, perhaps it was riot more revolting to French soldiers than flog ging might be. " Alt I' said the distinguished officer whom he addressed, " do not think so ; this man would very willingly have his punishment commuted for the infliction of 300 lashes." From this anecdote, he must conclude that the Gallant Officer alluded to preferred the English system of corporal punishment to that of shooting. He felt convinced that it would be im possible to preserve discipline in the army, if the power was abolished. Sir C. D A LBIAC was decidedly opposed to the motion. as no good could possibly arise from it. The question was one of the deepest interest to the empire, for upon the disci pline of the army depended its success in time of war. During the Peninsular war, the British army afforded proof of the highest state of discipline, and this he felt was mainly owing to the power of corporal punishment. The most distinguished officers in the service, examined by the Commission, were una nimous in opinion upon the subject. It was remarkable that, in the discussion of this subject, the navy was excluded, and it was confined solely to the army. Now, were not sailors composed of the same flesh and blood--were they not equally their countrymen as soldiers—were they less brave, less loyal, less obedient? If the arguments put forward on the subject of corporal punishment were good as regarded the army, were they not equally good as regarded the navy ? The Hon. and Gallant Member concluded by observing, that he had commanded the 4th Dragoons, as gallant a regiment as any in the service, and he challenged the Horse Guards as to the general good conduct of that corps. At the same time he must say, and he felt it to be a duty he owed to himself as a soldier, and to the army, to state that he should ever have trembled for the efficiency and discipline of the army, if com manding officers had not the power of inflicting that punish ment, to the abolition of which he trusted -the House would pause before it gave its consent. Captain PO L 1 - 1 IL L said that if corporal punishment were abandoned, they would have to resort to a punishment of a far severer nature, and one which would be found to be a bad and cruel substitute. Much was said against corpral punish ment, but he was satisfied that a good soldier necd ' , ever fear the lash. Sir John Elley was then called on by several Members on the Opposition benches, but the House evincing im,ktience for the division, strangers were ordered to withdraw. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1837 The House then divided, when the numbers were-- For the motion Against it Majority against the motion -95 The Bill, as well as the Marine Mutiny Bill, then passed through the Committee. NAVY ESTIMATES On the motion of Mr. CHARLES WOOD, the House iTtolved itself into a Committee of Supply on the Navy Es timates, when the following votes were agreed to. 109,195/. for the salaries of officers and the contingent ex penses of the Admiralty-office. 2,365/. for the salaries of officers and the incidental ex penses of registering merchant seamen. 33,270/. for the salaries of the officers of the scientific de partment of the Navy. 118,503/. for the salaries of officers, and the contingent ex penses of the naval establishments at home. And 19,6841. for naval establishments abroad. On the motion that the sum of 359,827/. be granted to de fray the expenses of naval stores, for the building, repair, and outfit of the fleet, &e. Mr. G. F. YOUNG protested against this grant. He complained of the wanton and lavish expenditure of the pub lic money in building new ships which were not wanted, and which in fact were wholly unnecessary. He referred to the case of the Scarborough, of 74 guns, which cost in building and repairs the sum of 76,000/., and was sold for 6,000/., and `yet he could state from his own knowledge that that ship was at this moment perfectly sound. Mr. C. WOOD denied that the Scarborough was in a sound state when she was sold. He held in his hand the report of the survey that had been made on that vessel. The vessel had certainly cost a very large sum, but that was be cause it had been built on that plan which was so much a fa vourite with the Hon. Member for Tynemouth, namely, by contract. The surveyor stated that the ship was rotten, that there were twenty-two rotten timbers in the hold, and several in other parts of the ship ; but it was stated that it would be impossible to send her to sea without her undergoing repairs the cost of which would be more than that of building a new ship. Mr. G. F. YOUNG would take upon himself to assert, hat he had seen the ship within the last fortnight from stem 'o stern, for she was cut down so that every timber might be seen, and he could state that there was not an unsound timber in her. Mr. C. WOOD said that the survey had been made by an able and scientific shipwright. Admiral ADAM said that the upper part of the ship might be in a sound state, but he could state that the bottom of the vessel was in the state described by his Hon. Friend (Mr. C. Wood). Captain PEC HE LL thought that in this particular case the surveyor had certainly done his duty. The ship (the Scarborough) was to all intents and purposes unfit for service. He wished to know whether a certain document which he had seen in the public prints was to be considered official ? It re lated to the Vernon, and was signed by several of the officers of that vessel. Now, such statements as those contained in that document were very unusual, and certainly officers ought to be allowed to express their opinions in disapprobation as well as in approbation of the sailing qualities of this vessel. It appear e d th a t th e o ffi cers o f t h e Vernon made the following amongst other statements :—" In respect to expense, we as sert, without fear of contradiction, that the Vernon during her commission has cost less than any other ship on the Mediter ranean station." This was signed by the lieutenants, two masters, and six midshipmen. He assumed that it was an of ficial document; and he hoped, if he should ever again com mand such a ship as he once commanded, that he would be authorised to signify his disapprobation of that class of ships called donkeys' or jackasses' frigates.—( A laugh.) Mr. C. WOOD had just as much knowledge of the docu ment as the Hon. and Gallant Member himself. Mr. G. F. YOUNG said that it was quite clear that the officers of the Barham could have given just the same opinion of their ship if they had not been more discreet than the offi cers of the Vernon. Captain GORDON hoped that the Government, without further trial, would not adopt either the one plan of building or the other. He should like to see a return of the trials that had taken place between the two vessels. Captain D UNDAS, adverting to the ships built in mer chants' yards, which had been eulogised by an Hon. Mem ber, observed that they were called in the navy " the forty thieves." Mr. HUME wished for more particular returns with respect to the ships building in the dock-yards. He thought that the measure which had been adopted by the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Cumberland, of doing away with the Naval School of Architecture, most unwise. The school had ex isted for twenty-eight years, and had been productive of much benefit. Those who came after us would blame the act of its destruction, and would in all probability be compelled to re provide some similar means of instruction. Sir J. GRAHAM defended the policy of abolishing the Naval School of Architecture. If that were as unwise a step as the Honourable Member for Middlesex apprehended, at least the mischief vas distant , for there were at present in our dock-yards many professional men of great ability and attain ments.. With respect to the number of ships at present in or dinary, it was smaller than it had been for many years, and he trusted that it would not appear that -the number had been in juriously reduced. He wished to put a question to his Hon. Friend opposite with respect to the suppression of the Naval School—an institution calculated to produce those who, in fu ture times, would maintain the honour of the British flag, and secure the safety of British seamen. If that college were suppressed, it was of primary importance that some scheme of naval education should be substituted for it. It ought to be a se:7.mm that would unite theory with practice. In his opinion the best place for the education of young naval officers was the cockpit of a man-of-war. There ought to be on board of every man-of-war, except small craft, a schoolmaster, paid liberally, and liable to examination, in order that the system of instruction might be uniform. Had the subject been taken into consideration by his Majesty's Government ? He was persuaded that his Honourable Friend's answer would be sa tisfactory. Mr. C. WOOD said that there were at present building in his Majesty's dock-yards seven sail of the line, seven fri gates, nine smaller vessels, and three armed steam vessels. In answer to the question put to him by his Right Hon. Friend, the Member for Oumberland, he had to state that his Ma jesty's Government had under consideration a plan for a better mode of educating young gentlemen who entered the naval service, by blending practical with scientific instruction. The first step would be to provide for ships-of-tsar adequate schoolmasters, with adequate salaries. Inquiries had been made at the Universities for persons properly qualified ; and there were at present twenty perfectly ready to take the office. It was intended to raise the pay of all the schoolmasters to the amount of the pay of the schoolmaster of a first-rate. It was intended that five pounds a-year should be paid to the schoolmaster by every young gentleman receiving instruction. Tak:.ng the average, no schoolmaster would have a less annual emolument than from one hundred and fifty pounds to three hundred pounds a-year. The best mode of examining these schoolmasters was alto under consideration ; and he hoped in a short time to be able to make a satisfactory statement on that point. Sir J. GRAHAM observed, that upon the whole, his Hon. Friend's statement was satisfactory. The scheme of educa tion ought to be uniform in its character ; and an additional al lowance of fifty pounds or sixty pounds a-year to a schoolmas ter was a consideration of no importance compared with the benefit of obtaining a good instructor. Admiral ADAM said that it was intended that the school masters should have separate cabins, and should mess with the officers Sir E. CODRINGTON observed, that during the eight or nine years that he had been a midshipman, there had been no schoolmaster in the ship. It had at a subsequent period cost him about a hundred a-year to provide a schoolmaster for his young gentlemen. It appeared to be highly important for the future honour of the navy that respectable and well-qualified schoolmasters should he provided. Mr. G. F. YOUNG strongly recommended the Admiralty to pay more attention to the building of armed steam-vessels, as it could not be• known now soon they might be wanted. At present, the Government steam-vessels were much inferior to the private ones. It was also to be lamented that our naval architects were in general so inferior to those of other coun tries. Sir William Symonds had printed a book upon the sub ject, of which he was now in all probability ashamed, as the merest tyro in - hydrodynamics must see that he violated in it every principle of that science. Mr. HUME considered that they ought to have more steam vessels and less men-of-war. The vote was agreed to. Sir E. CODRINGTON replied that steam-vessels could not carry coals and men. The following votes were then agreed to :- 108,048/. for new works and repairs in the naval yards. 18,1601. for medicines,and medical stores, and 29,366/. for miscellaneous services. Upon the vote of 810,7711. for half-pay of the officers of the navy being proposed, Sir E. CODRINGTON observed that there were no offi cers so badly paid as those in the navy. The full pay of an admiral was 1,8251., which was by no means sufficient to de fray the expenses to which his high rank and station neces sarily exposed him. When he held the situation on a foreign station, his table never cost him less than a thousand a year. In case of a battle it was to be remembered that whatever damage the admiral suffered he was never repaid. After a battle he always found that he had lost a great deal of pro. perty. The half -pay of an admiral was but 7661. a year, and lie had none of the advantages which officers enjoyed in the army: an admiral could not have a regiment. He con sidered that officers in the army were not as well treated as they deserved, but still they had advan tages beyond those in the navy. Persons who held civil situation s had greater advantages than either. Officers in the navy had formerly been subjected to a deduction of threepence in the pound for a fund for the provision of widows of naval officers. In the year 1830, this impost was taken off; but why it had been levied, or why it had been abolished, no man knew. Again, an officer who might have served forty years, if he accepted a civil situation, all his previous services at sea went for nothing, though he became entitled to a pen sion. Captains in the navy were placed in a most unfair posi tion, inasmuch as their scale of pay was most inadequate. A captain in the navy had to keep up an expens►ve table, for which no allowance was made; neither was any remuncratio:: made in cases where, during a battle, all his furniture, &e., might be broken to pieces. Having adverted to the pay of lieutenants as being most inadequate, the Honourable and Gallant Admiral observed, that a lieutenant on board ship, who received 6s. 6d. a day only, wa:z the senior officer to a ca tai: in the marines, who nevertheless received 10s. Both services were ill paid. Another class of officers, namely, the masters, were dealt most unfairly by. The expense of their outfit was very great; and the only assistance which t hey received from the Admiralty was a Lan of 231. Five shillings was their pay, or ss. sd. at sea. The Hon. and Gallant Admiral net referred to the case of pursers, and contended that in all the departments the Navy was under paid; and in all savings or reductions made, the naval service was always prejudiced. The Gallant Mem!), r quoted a great number of cases of individual hardshir, espee:allv with refe rence to the withholding of small pensions, &c. Again, there was a great inequality in the pay and arrangements connecled with the surgeons of the army and those of the. navy. The vote was then agreed to, as were also the foll.)win,9::- 528,649/., for military pensions and allowances; 208,7651. for civil pensions and allowances; 98,1881. for conveying convicts to New South Wales. The House then resumed, and the Report was ordered to be received cri Monday. The other Orders of the Day having been dispose:l of, the House adjourned at a quarter past one o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. S UPPLY-COMMI TTEE. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5 Motion made, and Question proposed,—' ceding '2,611,652/. is. led., instead of 3, granted to his Majesty, for defraying the cl Land Forces:"—The Committee divided:— Aglionby, H. A. Bridgman, Hewitt Brotnerton, J. Browne, It. D. Ewart, W. Bagshaw, John BalfOur, Thomas Barnard, E. G. Bolder°, H. G. Bulwer, E. L Butler, Hon. I'. Chalmers, P. Chapman, A. Chet wynd, W Cowper, W. F D'Albiac, Sir C. Dalmeny, Lord Dick, Q. Dundai J. D. Efey, Sir J. Etwall, R. Fergusion, R. C :NORITY-AYES, Leader, John Temple Ruthven, E. 1 hompson, Colonel Tull:, Charles A. Warburton, 11. , JORITY—NOES, Forster, C. Goring, H. D. Goulburn, H. Grey . Sir G. Hall, B. Hay, Sir A. L. Hobhouse, Sir J. C. Howard, P. H. Howlett. Lord Hoy, J. B. Johnstone, A. Lambton, H. Ntorpeth, Vis Count Murray, J. A. O'Connor Don 0' - .errall, More Palmerston, Viscount, '• That a sum not ex ,111,6521. Is. 10d., be harge of his Majesty's Wood, Alderman TELLERS. Hamc, Joseph Williams, W. Parker, J. Philips, G. R. Rice, T. S. Richards, Richard Sharpe, General Robinson, G. It. Russell,, Charles Stanley, E. Strangways, J. Thorneley, Thomas Trouhridge. S',r T. Ward, H. G. \Vood, C. Young, G. F. TELLERS. Gordon, IL Stanley, E. J. FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE. At the Ccurt at St. James's, the sth c'ay of April, 1837, PRESENT, The King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. This day the Right Hon. James Alexander Stewart Mackenzie was, by his Majesty's command, sworn of his Majesty's Most Hon. Privy Council, and took his place at the Board accordingly. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, APRIL 5. The King was this day pleased t o con f er th e h onour o f K n i g h t hood upon James Duke, - Esq., Sheriff of London and Middlesex. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, Aratx..s. The King was this day pleased to confer the honour of Knight hood upon Francis Forbes, Esq., Chief Justice of New South Wahl, WHITEHALL, Arnir, 1. The King has been pleased to constitute and appoint Major- General Sir James Douglas, K.C.13., to be Lieutenant-Governor of the Island of Guernsey, in the room of Major- General John Ross, WAR-OFFICE, Aenir. 7. Scots Fusilier Guards—Colour-Sergeant G. Copeland to be Quartermaster, vice W. Thompson, who retires upon half -Fay, April 7. 4th Regiment of Foot—Lieut. T. M. Chambers to be Captain, by purchase, vice Faunce, who retires; Ensign G. King to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Chambers ; J. Cross, Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase, vice King, April 7. 6th Foot—Lieutenant J. Wilson to be Captain, without pur chase, vice Drury, deceased, April 7 ; Lieutenant J. Lumley to be Captain, by purchase, vice Nolan, who retires, April 8 • Ensign H. C. English to be Lie u t enan t, v i ce Wil son, A pr i l 7 ; Ensign G. M. Atkins to be Lieutenant., by purchase, vice Lumley, April 8 ; Gentleman Cadet E. Montagu, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, vice English, April 7 ; J. E. Robertson, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase vice Atkins, April 8. 7th Foot—Second Lieutenant T. Butler, from the 60th Regt. of Foot, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Mildmay, promoted, A pril y._ 16th Foot--W. S. Carter, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Abbott, April 18th Foot—G. F. Call, Gent. to be Ension,, by purchase, v i ce Tongue, appointed to the 30th Regt. Ensign,. of Foot, April 7. 22d Foot—Surgeon J. Chambers, from the 64th Regiment, to be Sur^ ' eon, vice Fogerty, who exchanges, Ap r il 7. 30thFoot--Ensign J. Tongue, from the 18th Regiment of Foot, to be Ensign, vice Fitzgerald, promoted in the 2d West India Re giment, April 7. 39th Foot—Ensign A. R. Marshall to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Harding, deceased ; Gentlemen Cadet C. J. Walker, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, vice Marshall, April 7. 48th Foot—Captain IL Ward, from the half-pay of the sth Dra goon Guards, to be Captain, vice V. Alenlen, promoted, April 7. 60th Foot—W. L. Grant, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Butler, promoted in the 7th Regiment of Foot, April 7. _ _ 64th Foot—Surgeon M. Fogerty, from the 22d Regiment of Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Chambers, who exchanges, April 7. :76th Foot—Lieut. H. Trevelyan to be Captain, by purchase, vice Hilton, who retires ; E. Collinwood Fenwick to be Lieut., by purchase, vice Trevelyan ; W. Wood Stenhouse, Gentleman, to be Ensign, by purchase, vice, Fenwick, April 7 ; Staff-Assistant Sur geon W. birrel, M.D. to be Surgeon, vice Smith, appointed to the Staff, April 7. 77th Foot—Sergeant Major T. Smedley to be Quartermaster, vice John Powell, who retires upon half-pay, April 7. 89th Foot—Captain F. Moore, from the half-pay Unattached, to be Captiin, vice R. T. Healey, who exchanger, April 7. 95th Foot—Captain H. St. John Mildrray, from the half-pay Unattached, to be . - :aptain, vice W. Newhouse, who exchanges, receiving the difference, April 8. 2d West India Regiment—Ensign L. C. W. Fitzgerald, from the 30th Regiment of Foot. to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Parnther, who retires, April 7. UNATTACHED, Captain C. J. V. Mettlen, from the 48th Regiment of Foot, to be Major, without purchase; Lieut. W. D. Deverell, from the 47th Regiment of Foot, to be Captain, without purchase; Lieut. 11. St. John Mildmay, from the 7th Regiment of Foot, to be Cap tain, by purchase, April 7. HOSPITAL STAFF. Surgeon P. Smith, from the 76th Regiment of Foot, to be Sur geon to the Forces, vice Kidd, promoted, April 7. MEMORANDUM. Capt. G. S. Cotter, upon half-pad• of the 69th Regiment of Foot, has been allowed to retire from the Service by the sale of an Unattached Commission, he being about to become a settler in the colonies, April 7. OFFICE . OF ORDNANCE, APRIL 6. Royal Regiment of 'Artillery—First Lieut. J. M. Savage to be Second Captain, vice Runnacles, retired on half-pay ; Second Lieut. G. A. Maude to be First Lieutenant, vice Savage, March 27. Corps of Royal Engineers—Second Lieut. C. Fanshawe, to be First Lieutenant, vice Allen, deceased, Feb. 23 Second Captain A. Henderson to be Captain, vice L ann y, p l ace d on the Retired List ; First Lieut. W. B. Marlow, to be Second Captain, vice Henderson; Second Lieut. F. E. Chapman, to be first Lieute nant-, vice Marlow, March 23. BANK OF ENGLAND. Quarterly Average of the Weekly Liabilities and Assets of the Bank of England, from the 10th of January to the 4th of April, 1337, inclusive, published ppsuant to the Act 3 and 4 Will. 4, cap. 98. LIABILITIES. Circulation £18,432,0001 Securities £28,843,000 Deposits 11,192,000 Bullion ASSETS. £29,624,000 I Downing-street, April 6, 1837 £32,914,000 DECLARATIONS OF INSOLVENCY. THOMAS DIXON, innkeeper, A,skern, York , hire. JOSEPH HULFORD, victualler, George-street, Lisson-grove. THOMAS RANKIN, draper, Epping. JOHN GREEN, cattle-dealer, Bushey, Hertfordshire. BANKRUPTCY ENLARGED. JOHN CLARKE, painter, Liverpool, from April 4 to May 16, at one, at the Clarendon Rooms, Liverpool. BANKRUPTS. RICHARD SMART, victualler, Southampton-street, Islington, to surrender April 19 and May 19, at twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Gibson, Basinghall-street, official assignee ; Brundrett, Randall, Simmons, and Brown, Inner Temple. HENRY POTTS, builder, Valentine-terrace, Blackheath road, Kent, April 19 and May 19, at eleven, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Green, Aldermanbury, official assignee; Newbon, Great Carter-lane, Doctors'-commons. ANTHONY WILDEBOER and JOHN KUCK, merchants, London-street, Fenchurch-street, April 21, at twelve, and May 19, at eleven, at the Cant of Bankruptcy. Alsager, Birchin-lane, official assignee ; VanSandau, Old Jewry._ _ SAMUEL NORMAN, silversmith, Princes-street, Leicester square, April 18, and May 19, at one, at the Court. of Bankruptcy. Green, Aldermanbury, official assignee ; Harrison and Dobrec, Hart-street, Bloomsbury ; Richardson and Pike, Golden-square. JOHN FRASER, merchant, Liverpool, April 28 and May 19, at one, at the Clarendon-Rooms, Liverpool. Adlington, Gregory, Faulkner, and Follett, Bedford-row, London; Frodsham, Liverpool. WILLIAM DUCKET, farmer, Whaplode, Lincoln, April 15 and May 19, at ten, at the White Hart Inn, Spalding. Ayliff, Holbeach ; Wing, South-square, Gray's-inn, London. RICHARD JENNIA GS, builder, Leamington Priors, April 17 and May 19, at one, at the George Hotel, Warwick. Wimburn, Collett, and Collett, Chancery-lane, London ; Smallbone, Lea mington-priors, Warwick. CHARLES HENRY GRAY, provision -merchant, Bath, April 18 and May 19, at. eleven, at the Castle and Ball Inn, Bath. Frankhan• and Dixon, Basinghall-street, London ; Physick, jun., New King-street, Bath. WILLIAM SIMPSON, victualler, Hatton-garden, April 14, at No, and May 19, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Abbott, official assig nee • Van Sandau, Old Jewry. JOHN P API'S and DANIEL SITLINGTON, woollen cloth manufacturers, Stroud, Gloucester, April 21, at one, and May 19, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, Pancras-lane, official assignee, Yenning and Naylor, fokenhouse• yard. SAMUEL CAKEBREAD, stonemason, Warwick, April 17, and May 19, at two, at the George Hotel, Warwick. Taylor, Tur ner, Sharpe, and Field, Bedford-row, London ; Haynes and Moore, Warwick; Smallbone, Leamington. THOMAS HOPKINS, carpet manufacturer, Kidderminster, April 24 and May 19, at eleven, at the Black Horse Inn, Kidder minster. Ilolme and Loftus, New Inn, London ; Talbot, Kidder minster. JEDIDIAH DEVONPORT, colour manufacturer, Derby, April 14, at two, and May 19, at six, at the Office of Mr. Smith , Derby. Scargill, Hatton-court, Threadneedle-s`reet, _London ; Smith, Derby. THOMAS WILCOX, victualler, Deptford, April 14, at twelve, and May 19, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, Basingball-street, official assignee • Turner, Whitechapel-road. ROBERT GILLETT, flour-factor, Princes-road, Lambeth, April 22, at two, and May 19, at one, at te Court of Bankruptcy. Alsager, Birchin-lane, official assignee ; Young, Botwood, and Young, Mark-lane. WILLIAM JAMES COCKERILL, music -seller, Poultry, April 21 and May 19, at.two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom, Abehurch. lane, official assignee ; Fry, Cheapside. ADAM BAILEY, grocer, St. Neots, April 18 and May 19, at ; two, at the Court cf Bankruptcy. Gibson, official assignee, Da— -1 singhall-street ; Neal, Threadneedle -street. THOMAS HIND and CHARLES CLAYTON, lace-manu facturers, Nottingham, April 18, and May 19, at eleven, at the George the Fourth Inn, Nottingham. Pations and Sons, Not tingham ; Yallop, Basinghall-street, London. MILES ELLISON GILLESPIE and WILLIAM JOHN. HALL, brewers; Chester-le-street, Durham, May 1, .:t eleven, and May 19, at one, at the Bankrupt Commission-room, Newcastle upon-Tyne. Shaw, Ely-place, Holborn, London Walters, New castle-upon-Tyne. WILLIAM FRASER, bookseller, Wilton-crc3eclit, Pimlico, April 17, at half-past ten, and May 19, at; eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, Basinghall-street, official assignee ; Roy, Blunt, Roy, and Duncan, Liverpool-street, Bishopsgate-street. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. J. Jowett and J." lliitchell, linen drapers, Regent-street, April 29, at twelve—M. Last and I. W. Casey, silk wrc.mnts, Great Winchester-street, April 29, at one—.J. Reynolds, wine nierohp.nt, Idol-lane, Tower-street, April 28, at half-past one—G. Topham, coal merchant, Richmond. Surrey, Arm it 28, at twdve. In the Country. J. Smith, corn merchant, Spalding. Lincolnshire, May 2, at eleven, at the Peacock Inn, Boston—J. Wallis, miller. Fordington. Dorsetshire, April 29, at eleven, at the Antelope Inn, Dorchester— W. Fuller, sen., T. Fuller, jun., and W. Fuller, Lewes, Sussex, April 29, at twelve, at the Bear Inn, Lewes—S. Maguire, Liver pool, merchant, May 6, at one, at the Clarendon Rooms, Liverpool. CERTIFICATES.—A F . n T. Taylor and T. Taylor, jun., merchants, Holderness, York shire—W. J. Brereton, seed n.erehant, Brinton, Norfolk—F. D. Rose, builder, Hounslow—J. F. Pickering, tallow chandl er , W at h, Yorkshire—R. J. Adams, cabinet maker, Ci/elmsford, Essex—W. Blurton, dealer, Field Hail. Staffordshire—T. E. Grind on , til er , Bristol—R. S. Pretyman, linen draper, Regent -street. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. W. Boosey and J. Hills, millers, Milton, Gravesend—J. Cun ningham and D. B. Sorley, cotton brokers, Liverpool —I. Thomp son and T. Thompson, japarners, Bilston, Staffordshire—J. Bnnn and H. Powel; ; drapers, Basingstoke—F. Carte r an d T. D ewey, attorneys, Perry Hill, Shropshire—F. Roaghton a n d T. R enw i c k , merchants, Brabant-court, Philpot - lane — M. and J. P err y, build ers, Laurence-greet, Chelsea—G. Palmer and J. Watkins, pearl button makers, Birmingham—W. and . 1 . Davidson, millers, Gates hezd, Durham—S. Dawson and E. Melling, optician's, Liverpool— J. Clark, sen., and J. W. and S. Clark, brush manufacturers, Southampton—J. Bally and Co., lead merchants, Liverpool—S. and J. Leach, patten makers, Great 3301t0n, Lancashire—J. and S. Wightwick, innkeepers, Tenterden, Kent—R. Watts and J. Jar dine, schoolmasters, Whitehead's-gr ove, Chelsea—W. and S. Bayley, Wood-street, Cheapside—F. I.4irlin and J. J. Hallett, sur geons, Hemel Hempsted, Hertford—T.M. and J. Jones, Coleman street, Citv—J. Scofield and J. Piddington, warehousemen, Cheap side—J. Ashworth and Co., cotton waste manufacturers, Waterfoot, Forest of Rossendale—J. Lesse and J. Diggle, engineers, Bury, Lancashire—E. W. and C. Oldacre, attorneys, Pershore, Worces . tershire—W. H. Woodall and J. Worley, SuWcy-place, Newington Butts—J. and J. B. Win Ole, ship agents, London—J. W. Lea and Co., druggists Cheltenham, Gloucestershire—J. and T. Buck, printers, Manchester—W. La; ?don and .1. and H. J. Paddon, auctioneers, Devonshire—J. ant. J. ?Taylor, wire workers, Man chester—R. 'Patterson and J. Watson, innkeepers, Princes -street, Hanover-square—J. and E. Windleo and R.. Parkinson, grocers, Pickering, Yorkshire. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION. JAMES EDINGTON, ironfoundcr, Eagle Foundry, Glasgow, April 12 and 27, at two, at the Black Butt . Inn, Glasgow. PRICE OF SUGAR. The Average Price of Brown or bluscovatLY ICti gar, computed from the Returns made in the week ending the 4th ,r I AY ot April, 1:37, at :33!. Oid. per Hundred Weight, exclusive of the L +ales of Customs paid or payable thereon on the Importation thereof Wt.' Great Britain. ASSIZE IN TELL IGENCE. OXFORD CIRCUIT.-GLOUCESTER, APRIL 6 MURDER.—Cliarles &IMP/ Bartlett was indicted for the wilful murder of his mother-in.law, Mary Lewis, on the 10th ( 4 f September last. On being called upon to plead, the pri soner, who is a very respectatJe-looking )oung, man, said; " With the word of God upon my heart and lips I can firmly and truly say, not guilty." Mr. GREAVES having stated th e cas e for the prosecuti on , called a great number of witnes ses , who es,:ablislied a strong circumstantial evidence against the prisoner. Mr. Baron BCLLAND then summed up the evide.:lce, and the Jury retired to consult. At this awful moment the 3ell Pos session of the prisoner did not forsake him. On their retCrn into Court they pronounced a verdict of Guilty. at which hc. seemed to express something like a feeling of scorn. On being asked why judgment of death should not be passed upon him, the wretched man threw himself into a theatrical atti tude, and delivered a set speech of some length, which was distinguished by great force and vehemence both of style and manner, and produced an extremely strong and painful sensa tion in all parts of the Court. The Learned JUDGE then exhorted the prisoner in the most pathetic and impressive manner to prepare for that speedy death to which he was most righteously doomed by the laws both of God and man. NORFOLK CIRCUI7'.-IVonivwx, APRIL 6 THE DENVER MURDER. John Smith alias Day, John Var;ha, and George Timms (all of whom are about the age of 26), were-indicted for the wilfel murder of Hannah Maafield, at Denver, in this county, on the night of Monday, the Ist of January last. Mr. PRENDERGAST proceeded to detail the case. The un fortunate object of this violence was a wmean of about forty years of age, who resided alone in a house at Denver, adjoin ing a common, across which there led a path from the high road to the residence of the deceased, and of a Mrs. Dungay, which was under 'the same roof. Being possessed of a small property, of what nature did not appear, this woma r had eked out her subsistence by professing the mysterious trade and oe- , cupation of a conjuror and fortune-teller, in which she bad gained much reputation among her neighbours ; and such was her success that she had become, unfortunately for herself, the possessor of a considerable quantity of silver plate, consisting of cram-jugs, tankards, table and tea spoons, sugar-tongs, and four salt cellars. These articles she was wont to keep in a eoruer cupboard ; and she had been :enown on many occasions boastfully to have displayed what, for persons in her class of life, was esteemed wondrous wealth, in addition to which her more intimate friends had fre quently seen her take out her curious old leathern purse, and empty its precious contents in her lap while she counted out her treasures. These latter consisted of various coins current in England of a date long past. The prisoner, Smith, had about fifteen months since, called late one cvming at Mrs. Dungay's house, when he asked " for advice on some losses," but being advised of his mistake, he was conducted by Mrs. Dungay to the conjurer. There he held a conversation at the door of the house, while tao men, by whom he was accom panied, stood aloof. Satisfied with the result of his visit, he went away, and nothing more was seen of him till about eight o'clock of the evening p rece di ng t h e n i g h t on which the mur der took place, when he was seen with two other men, de scribed in a manner corresponding to the ether two pri soners, by a bey on the high read leading to Denver, at a spot about three miles from that place. Thence they pro ceeded to a public house at Hilg‘ay, where they remitted till nearly eleven o'clock, drinking, and spending the evening in the public room. This was the last time they were seen that day. During the night, however, a - noise was heard to proceed from the fortune-teller's door, by Mr. Dungay, about two o'clock, when he got up, and, opening his window, listened. Nothing more being heat el, no farther notice was taken of the circumstance till the next morning, when it was discovered about ten o'clock that the poor creature had been most foully murdered. The alarm was instantly raised, and on the door Icing opened, she was found weltering in her blood on the floor, with h er f ace next t h e ground, and so close to the door that it could with difficulty be opened. On enter. ing the room it was seen that the murderers had effected their cruel deed in the most butcherlike manner. The body was stiff and quite cold, and on being turned on its hack the throat was found to have been cut from car to ear, es if with a sharp knife, and with much violence, as the wound was uneven, and apparently effected by overcoming resistance. Ilav;ng slain their victim, who had thus struggled ineffectually for her life and property, the house was ransacked of all the articles which the villains could lay their hands on in the dark, there being nothing to be seen of all her boasted treasure save one jug, and one salt-cellar, and a small purse,. with a few bright guineas, half-guineas; and some silver. Suspicion fell at once upon Smith and his associates, who had beet' seen last to leave a public-house just before midnight. On inquiry, it was found that three men, exactly corresponding with those three, were met at three o'clock on the Tuesday morning, about half a mile from Hannah Manfield's house, on the road to Downham, along which they were proceeding at the rate of four miles an hour. Following this clue, they were next found at a place called Leverington at half-past eight the same morning, where they took forcible possession of a cart, saying that they were tired, and giving evident tokens of hav ing been exposed to the frost the greater part of tee night at least, while the pockets of one of them appeared to be stuffed with something bulky. This was fourteen miles from Denver; zed at Sutton St. Edmund's, which is twenty-one miles from Denver, they were again found. They would be next found at Witticsea, where they bargained with a gun. maker for the purchase or sale on commission of a large mass of molten silver, which they alleged to have consisted of very " elegant plate, quite fit for a gentleman's table"---a descrip tion exactly corresponding to that of the foretunceteller's, as it appeared to have been collected by her on account of its antique shape and elegant workmanship. Mr. Valentine Wright, the as siduous officer of Lynn, proceeded, in the company of Mr. Timms, another constable, to Doncaster, and there, acting upon their previous information, they found out the three prisoners, whom they apprehended on this charge. On being searched it was found that various portions of their clothes were spotted with blood. On being taken into custody they were very closely questioned by Mr. Wright, who would depose to their having given very contradictory accounts for each other and of themselves, while they all denied ever being at Hilgay, Den ver, or Downham. Ills Lonnsnin, after hearing evidence at length, summed up, and the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against all the pri soners. His LORDSHIP deferred passing sentence till to-morrow. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Lrrr•nrooL, APRIL 6. HENSMAN V. KING. The plaintiff is a surgeon, and the actioa was brought to re cover the amount of his bill for attendance and medicines sup plied to the defendant's son. The defence was, that the patient had derived no benefit from the plaintiff's services in consequence of his unskilfulness. The - Jur) returned a verdict for the plaintiff for 49/. The record wes withdrawn in a cross action for negligence. CRIMINAL COURT.-FRIDAY. OLD COURT. MURDER AT SEA.—Richard Edwards and John Wtod cock were indicted for the wilful murder of Alexander Nance, upon the high seas. In this case, which was not concluded yestcrday when we went to press, the Jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter.