The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-01 00:00:00

IMPEMAL PARLIAMEiN T. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 31. Their Lordships assembled at Five o'clock. Messengers from the Commons brought up several Bills. RUGBt AND LEAMINGTON RAILWAY BILL. The Earl of STRAFFORD moved the third reading of this Bi ll. Lord KINNAIRD objected to the motion, on the ground that the parties residing in Leamington had not been heard before the Committee, who deeided against hearing them before they had had an opportunity of opening their case against the Bill. He concluded by moving the postponement of the third reading until Monday. Lord CAMOYS defended the Committee, and detailed their proceedings. No appearance was entered upon the petition from Leamington, so that they had no right to be heard. It was true an application was made to be heard, but the Committee decided against hearing them. But the case of the petitioners was fully heard on another petition, and therefore, whether they were heard or not in their case, their opposition was virtually heard, and was fully before the Committee, who were not guilty of any injustice. The parties had, however, no right to be heard, because their petition was not pre sented to the House until the 17th. Their appearance was not entered in time. He therefore should support the Noble Lord the chairman of the Committee (Lord Strafford). The Earl of STRAFFORD said, he concurred in many of the statements which had fallen from his Noble Friend who had just sat down. Lord KINNAIRD said, after what had fallen form the two Noble Lords, who were members of the Com mittee to whom the Bill was referred, he must persevere in his motion that the third reading be postponed till Monday. Lord MONTEAGLE said the question was—a Bill was referred to a Select Committee, and the parties ap peared, and they were to be deprived of the power of being heard. If the case was as stated by his Noble Friend, and that the parties did appear before the Bill was taken into consideration, he did think it was unjust if they would an allow them to be heard. What earthly ground was thepe why this demand should be refused?—(Hear.) Except what be had heard in the House that night, he was not acquainted with the matter before their Lordships ; but, as a matter of justice, he thought the parties had a right to be heard. Earl GREY said it was very natural that the parties should appear in the first instanee, because it would decide in what order the Committee should consider the Bill. Lord BEAUMONT said he was himself chairman of a Committee when the landowners were permitted to be heed when they came in due time. He did not think that any rule existed on this subject ; but it did appear to him that parties whose land was to be taken foreiby away, had a right to be heard to the last moment.—(Bear, hear.) Let them suppose a case of a bad Bill which was to be pro posed. Before the parties opposing that Bill entered into the expense incidental on opp,,sing the Bill, they might wish to have some certainty on the question, and therefore he thought they were entitled to indulgence. The Earl of RADNOR said he thought that the rules of the Committee should be adhered .to ; and. therefore, he conceived there were no grounds whatever for these allegations. Lard BROUGHAM said he thought the rule-was to receive petitions up to the last moment. Now what he wanted was that the party should be compensated against the lehry done him. Now there was a case of an hotel, and the railway was to come within thirty-five yards of that hotel. Now it was not very pleasant to the parties stopping at that hotel to be subjected to the noise of the trains, and to have the dust which they would occasion thrust down their throats.—(Hear, hear.) Lord CAMOYS said the Noble Lord had brought forward a case quite different from that before the House. The promoters of the Bill had offered remuneration, but those terms had been refused- He Understood when the question was put, that the railway did not touch his property, therefore, he did not come within the operation of the law of compensation.—(Hear, hear.) The Marquis of AYLESBURY thought that the pe tition should have been received, and the case of the petitioner heard. Ile would support the amendment of the Noble Lord. Lord BROUGHAM again referred to the question of compensation. Instances could be shown where com pensation was given, though the property of the person who received it was not touched by the railway. The Commissioners, who lately reported on the central rail way termini, gave it as their opinion that even where there was no direct injury, such as the passing of the railway over property, compensation should be given. Lord KINNAIRD would press the amendment to a division. Lord STRAFFORD said that after what had occurred, he hid no objection to postpone his motion till Monday next, agreeably to the desire of the Noble Lord. THE CHOLERA IN LONDON. The Earl of FITZHARDINGE said he had seen an announcement in the Times newspaper of this day, on that authority of the Lord Mayor, that the cholera had broken out in London. The statement put forth did not distinctly soite the species of cholera which had so broken out, and in order to allay anxiety on the subject, he wished to ask his Noble Friend below him (the Mar quis of Lansdowne) whether the Government had received any official information on the subject. The Martinis of LANSDOWNE had seen the state ment in the Times of this day, and considered that gn at importance was attached to it on account of its ernanet ing from so high an authority as the Lord Mayor of the City of London. His Noble Friend, in using the term cholera, seemed to imply that it was of that virulent species which was denominated Asiatic cholera, which caused so much &oral throughout Europe and in this c some years ago. He did not think the opinion of tlTh Lord Mayor was tantamount to create an impression that Asiatic cholera was existing in this city ; and he was extremely happy to make a statement which could not tail to be satisfactory to his Noble Friend and the House. It was strictly true that a very confident opi nion prevailed in this city that Asiatic cholera had existed for some time in London, but especially in the lower, and consequently densely-populated districts. Imme diately on the Government being apprised of the exist ence of such an impression, they employed an officer, who had practised in the hospitals of this city, to in quire into the subject, and he was sent into all the localities which had been indicated as being affected by the cholera. He visited those houses and those lodgings, and rep',rted in the course of the I illowing day, that he could not find a single instance bearing the character or symptoms of Asiatic cholera.—(Hear, hear.) Not, however, content with this, he visited the hospitals in the immediate neighbourhood of these lo calities, and he did not find in any of these establish ments a single case of cholera.—(bear, hear.) He cer tainly did find au increase of those diseases which were frequently found at hot seasons of the year, and a species of acrid cholera which was not unfrequent in this country. Therefore he thought the House might rely, that as far as this report was concerned, no alarm need prevail on the subject. He, however, desired the efficer alluded to, and another connected with the Medical Board, to be on the look out. He had been at the council-office that day, but up to that hour no inti mation to the effect had been received. The House might prevent, in some measure, the spreading of dis ease in hot seasons of the year, by passing a measure before their Lordships for promoting cleanliness amongst the labouring classes. Lord BROUGHAM' stated that nothing could be more satisfactory than the statement of the Noble Lord, because nothing could be more prejudicial than to allow such r eports to rema i n uncontradicted if they were de void of truth. When he was in office he was informed that the cholera had prevailed for some time before the attention of the authorities was called to its existence. He apprehended, however, that the anticipated disease from the hot weather might be obviated by persons not exposing themselves to sudden chills, for at this period of the year—in the end of July and in August—what was termed " Lammas-flood," in Scotland prevailed to a great extent. In the neighbourhood of Bedford-square, in the mews behind it, English cholera prevailed, but not to a great extent. He considered the Government ought to have information from week to week ; but he con sidered that there was no ground for alarm, that the cholera existed ; and no dangerous results need be anticipated if persons did not expose themselves to chills, and did not eat raw vegetables. But there was an other kind ofcholera which he called legislative cholera. He alluded to the Bill for the Recovery of Small Debts, and the Sugar Bill, which he called the Slave-trade Bill, which he feared, from the late period of the session, would not receive the attention they required. He hoped no delay would take place, and that these im portant measures would be brought before their Lord ships at the earliest possible period. The Earl of FITZHARDINGE expressed himself satisfied with the explanation. Lord CAMPBELL, in presenting a petition from Wisbeech, in favour of the Small Debts Bill, urged the House to pass it without &lay. Tho Earl of ST. GERM NS hoped the Government would not postpone th. Da sine- of this Bill. The Marquis of LAa`lggiDgo-snWNE said scarcely a day passed without his reeeivin mutrgent entreaties to pass this Bill. Under these eiroCut tances it would be the duty of Government to proceed at once with this Bill. After a few words from Lord BROUGLIA3I and Earl GREY, the matter dropped. it'A L WAYS. The Earl of CLARENDON reported from the Soleet Committee appointed to consider what Railway Bills should be committed during the remainder of the ses sion. That the Committee were of opinion that. the follow i ng . Bill s ought to be exempted fro•n the operation tif the resolution of the 7th of May Liverpool, Orna:kirlc, and I'reson; the Glatigow and }.elrast Union; the Tail' Vale ; the Caledonian ; the Caledo nian and Govan ; the ,If oochcster and Southampton ; and the East and West -India Dock Bill. The Noble Lord, therefore, moved that the resolution of the 7th of May ba suspended in respect of those Bills.—Agreed to. BATHS AND WAS'IIIOUSES. The Marvis of LANSI)OWNE moved the second reading of thi s Bill. • E HPLOYMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND. Lord MONTEAGLE rose, pursuant to notice, to move that a humble address be — piesented to her Majesty upon the subject• of the encouragement of industry and of employment among the people of Ireland. He 111 d not bring the subject forward in opposi tion to the Government.—(liear, hear.) It was a sub .fret which deserved the attention an d support of all Noble Lords present. .It was a question involving no p)litical considerations — it was a subject affecting the well-being of the people of Ireland. He felt it his duty to bring the matter forward, and place it before the no- ticeof the Government. He was sure there was no per son who would deny that the late general distress in Ire land had been of the most alarming nature. He should be sorry if, in proving that the present machinery for conducting the legislation of Ireland was inadequate, he should be considered as casting any reflection on the late Government. The people of that country had been in the habit of depending for their supply of food upon the lowest kind of diet , wllich had entirely failed—he al luded to the failure of the potato crop : Great exertions were made by the late Government in introducing Indian meal, which bad prevented famine from reaching that country, and it had also produced the most beneficial effect in a moral point of view. It was a most difficult problem to solve, in what manner a Government could interfere with the food of the country, but that problem had been most successfully solved by her Majesty's Go vernment in the course they had taken on this subject. He was happy . to say that the four first Bills passed during this session of Parliament, were Bills for the im provement of Ireland, and for giving employment to the people of that country. He thought that the Govern ment would have to contend with similar difficulties in the ensuing year, unless they altered the present system with regard to Ireland. He was not himself an alarmist, but he really believed that the prospects of the ensuing year were more alarming than even the former year. There was a less quantity of land under culti va ti on f or th e growt h o f potatoes than in the preceding year, and the disease appeared to be likely to be far more prevalent. He thought there were symptons of an entire failure of the potato plant itself in that country. Alluding to seasons of scarcity that had previously taken place in that country, the Noble Lord said they were not to be compared to the amount of distress that was endured during the last season. Ile believed that not a less sum than 800,0001. had been ad vanced to alleviate the distress of the country ; large sums had been raised by private contributions. In the county of Clare, Colonel Wyndham had advanced 6,000/., Lord Kenmaire 3,0001., another private gentleman 2,000/., the district committees raised 100,000/., and Govern ment had come forward with large sums for the same purpose. There was also an immense amount of assist ance afforded by giving employment upon the laud. t;e believed that great praise was due to the Commissariat of Ireland. Commissariat-General Rowth and Gordon, also deserved great praise for their indefatigable exer tions. In the time of Lord Grey's Government., he (Lord Monteagle) introduced the Bill for the establish ment of the Board of Public Works, which was sub stituted for the other boards then existing ; but-the im mense variety of business which came before them pre vented them from becoming so efficient on the late occa sion of distress as they otherwise would have been, had their duties been confined to the proper and legitimate business which was their peculiar function. He men tioned this for the purpose of showing the utter inade quacy of that board to discharge with effect the business which was lately imposed upon them. He lately applied to them, in conjunction with his friends Lord Clare and Lord Kenmaire, to procure e uploymenl for the relief of the poor people who were in distress in the county of Kerry; but early as that application was made, the pre liminary surveys were not yet made of those works, on which it was designed to provide them employment. The Noble Lord then went into a variety of details, for the purpose of showing that a better system of central management fur the public works of Ireland was neces sary. By the Act of Union the treasury of the empire was as applicable to the wants of Ireland as to England and Scotland. Scotland received the sum of 400,000/., and the condition of the people of Scotland was ad vanced one hundred years by that outlay. He con tended that there was An actual gain to the kingdom by the expenditure of these grants. From 1822 to 1828, the revenue of the county Galway increased from nothing to 6,8001. yearly, which completely covered the outlay which had been made in that country, and to which alone this increased revenue could be attributed. The people of Ireland required superintendence more than money, for they were not sufficiently improved in knowledge to promote their interests in the best manner. If they had an efficient board of works, this good would be effected. In conclusion, he did not impute blame to the public works, nor to the exertions of the late Go vernment, but he hoped that some steps would be taken to have an efficient superintending board, for the pur pose of regulating the expenditure of the public grants, and providing employment for the people. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he bad listened with the greatest satisfaction to the address of the Noble Lord, and he admitted the general accuracy of the details entered upon. He hoped, however, the Noble Lord and the House would excuse him, if he did not go into a statement of the intentions of the Govern ment in regard to meeting the evils complained of. He trustei also it would not be supposed that he avoided doing so, because he was not aware of the importance of it. He could assure the House that, as far as possible, it would be the duty of the Government to do everything in its power to provide for the state of things referred to. In reference to the measures of the late Government, he must bear testimony that they had done great good, though it must be admitted that the machinery by which the relief was administered was very imperfect. He had no fault however to find with what they did, as they were called upon to act under circumstances of great emergency, and it was not to be expected they could bring into operation a perfect system of machinery. He begged to inform their Lord ships that the Government for the last week had been, and would be for some time to come, engaged on the consideration of a measure for giving greater efficacy to the works, in order the more effectually to administer relief to the people of Ireland, and for possessing full security for the application of the sums advanced, that they were used to forward the welfare and comfort of the people. He pledged himself to the general accuracy of the details of the Noble Lord. He was sorry it was not in his power to contradict him. Woull to God that he could say that the great evil which was , expected again to overtake Ireland was not such as had been represented ! He could riot say more at present. He felt thankful for the state ment made by the Noble Lord, that considering the late period of the session, and seeing that the present Go vernment had but so lately acceded to office, he trusted they would excuse him from further entering into the subject at present. In a few days a full and authentic statement would be presented to the other House of the expenditure of money which had been made under the Act which had been referred to, from which it would be seen how the funds had been applied. The Earl of DEVON hoped the House would allow him to address a few words on this subject, as it was one to which he had paid great attention. He thought there could be no dispute as to the present principle of employing the population on public works should there be a scarcity of employment. He would not therefore dispute that principle; but he would endeavour to show the difficulties and obstacles which had caused the measures adopted in relation to Ireland not being so successful as was expected. He thought the difficulties did not 'arise so much as to the employment of the people on public works, but as t ) the employment of the people on the land. In the Bill which had been passed to facilitate the employment of the people, so backward were the landed proprietors to take advantage of the clause which authorised the borrowing of money for improving the land, to be paid again with interest in ten years, that only one proprietor, the late Lord- Lieutenant, took advantage of it. The effect therefore had been that scarcely any employment was found for the people through the operation of this clause. (The Noble Lord gave some other instances of the same cha racter, to show the difficulties that were found in carrying out the intentions of the Act. While.on this subject he must complain of the proceedings of the late Govern ment as to the discretion in which they had exercised the right given them by the recent Act passed on this subject—that of fixing the rate of interest, and the pe riod at which it was to be paid when applications for loans had been forwarded them through the Board of Works. He thought the Government had not acted in this matter as they ought to have done. The giving many a means of earning an honest livelihood would be the result of the reclamation of this waste land. To say that no good would result from reclaiming waste land appeared to him a perfect absurdity. These were points to which he alluded—not for the purpose of com plaint, but merely that attention might be turned to the subject. The last report made by the society on that subject, showed that there were two thousand persons on the estate in Ireland where at one time there were not nine cabins, and not one of those individuals had been convicted of a single offence,—(Hear, hear.) It was, no doubt, of great importance that the people should be employed, and to give that employ ment was the great object they all had in view. It unfortunately happened, however, that the landlords of Ireland were not able to do this. The report of the Board of Works on this subject came too late to enable them to turn it to immediate account, and he trusted that the House would act peremptorily in this matter. Lord CLANCARTY said he thought a most im pertaht consideration had been brought before the House. His Noble Friend had likewise brought before the notice of their Lordships the advance that had been made of publie money. The officers of these public works had done, their work efficiently. He trusted that a state of improved agriculture would be introduced, that would give to the people of Ireland—as in England —permanent employment ; but he thought at the same time, that too much importance could not be given to public works.—(Hear, hear.) Lord MONTEAGLE said, after what had fallen from the Noble Lord, he would not press his motion. The motion was accordingly withdrawn, and their Lordships adjourned. The SP EAKER t oo k th e Ch a i r shortly b HOUSE OF COMMONS, o'clock. ju lli e 3 fo l r . e Four On the motion of Mr. GREENE, it was agreed, after a short discussion, that the Lords' amendments to all Bills brought from the Rouse of Lords should be con sidered without notice, provided suc h amendments should h ive b een first su ' lunitted to the Spsalcer. The report on Lord Kinnaircl's (Sir John Webb's) Estate BM was further considered, and ordered to be printed. TLI E STOCKPORT IMPROVEMENT BILL. Mr. BROTLIERTON moved th it the order of the day for the third reading of the Stockpo r t Improvement Bill be discharged, in order that a new Bill might be intro duced. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition, signed by 5,096 inhabitants of Stockport against the Bill. The petitioners stated that nine-tenths of the inhabitants of Stockport were opposed to the Bill. He would now move that the Bill should be read a third time that day ' three months, as he never would agree to the third read ing o f m yth a tyrannical measure. Mr. BROTHERTON said that the motion he had made was tantamount to reading the Bill a third time t h ree months. tha:lr. day T. DUNCOMBE said that unless the Honour able Gentleman would agree to the proposition of postponing the third reading for three months, he should feel it to be his duty to make the motion. The measure was a most atrocious and ty randeal one, and no person approved of it except those who were t benefit under it. The parties who opposed the measure had asked the mayor to call a meeting, which he refused to do, or even to lend them the Tow n ; the result was, the meeting was held in the market place, and resolutions were adopted against the measure, which he believed to be a complete job. The parties had been deceived with respect to the Bill, and did not know kr sometime who was the coneector of tl , e measure. He wished to know whether the Hon. Member for Sal ford would consent to the withdrawal of the Bill with out the condition which Tie had stated, viz., on the un derstanding that he should be allowed to reintroduce it on a future occasion. If the Honourable Gen tleman would agree to that, he (Mr. Duncombe) would abstain at present from entering at any further length into the merits of the Bill. The fourth clause proposed to give to the town council of Stockport the sum of 10,000/. out of the public funds ; and in the distribution of that sum the ratepayers would not have the slightest control. The proposition contained in that clause was one of the most disgraceful proceedings which any body of men calling themselves liberal could make. Mr. BROTHERTON said that he certainly should not consent to the withdrawal of the Bill on the terms proposed by the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. DUNCOMBE said he would then go at length into the objections which he had against this Bill. Mr.HUME trusted that the Hon. Member for Finsbury would allow him to suggest, that as the promoters of the Bill were anxious to have it withdrawn, he (Mr. T. Duncombe) would be saving the time of the House by abstaining at present from any remarks on the de merits of the Bill. Of course he would have the opportunity of making those remarks which he intended now to make, should any attempt be hereafter made to re-introduce it.—(Hear, hear.) He himself had received several letters from some of the most respectable ratepayers of Stockpnrt, in confir mation of the statement of the Hon. Member for Fins bury, and should the Bill be attempted to be re-introduced he should heartily join with that Hon. Gentleman in opposing the Bill, but he hoped that nothing would be at present said which would have the effect of inflaming the excited feelings of the people of Stockport. Mr. DUNCOMBE said he had no objection to con• sent to the withdrawal of the Bill on the terms proposed by the Hon. Member for Salford. Mr. BROTHERTON refused to alter the terms of his proposal. Mr. MARSLAND said that, as he was interested in the question, being one of the representatives of Stock ton, he might perhaps be allowed to say a few words on this question. The Honourable G.( ntleman the Member for Finsbury had accused the mayor of being personally interested in the question. He could assure the lion. Gentleman that the mayor had been represented as hostile to the measure, because he had kept aloof, as he had himself. They never were consulted as to whether the waterworks should or should not be pur chased, and they did not know that it was in contemplation to do so until ho saw the announcement in the Guardian. With respect to the observation that this was a job, it was very far from the truth, as he was positive that there was no job in it. He had with ethers objected to many of its clauses. The town council of Stockport were far more liberal than any body of the same nature to be found in Finsbury. It was composed of rate payers, and all were admitted from the highest to the lowest. It had been characterised as a gross job by one of the magistrates who was not a ratepayer, and who wished to make it a gross job. He begged to say that, having objections to some of the clauses, he had consulted as to the proper means of opposing them. - Sir It. H. INGLIS said that the Hon. Member had offered to withdraw his opposirion, provided that no other Bill were brought in. He (Sir R. H. Inglis) thought that the late period of the session would gait rantee that no other measure of the kind could be brought in. Mr. ESTCOURT said he had been drawn into this mat ter, and he had had a good deal of correspondence on the subject. He did not think that if the House were toappoint a Committee—he was satisfied that it would not, in the opinion of the Hon. Member f Montrose, he such a Committee as would be satisfactory. But he would further observe that if the Hon. Member were to bring in another Bill, as he trusted he would, he should have his support. Lord GRA.NVILLE SOMERSET was afraid that, if another Bill were to be brought in containing the same clauses it would be equally unsatisfactory. Mr. BROTHF;RTON would emphatically deny the charges that had been made against the inhabitants of Stockport on this Bill. If the motion of the Elon. Mem ber for Finsbury for the withdrawal of this Bill were acceded to by the House, he should certainly bring in another Bill to the same effect. It was only the cot ton-spinners who wished the smoke of their factories not to be stopped, and the publicans who wished to keep their houses open on Sunday, and persons in a similar position. who were petitioners against this Bill. The Bill was for making parks, improving the streets, and making other sanatory regulations. Great numbers of Bills of similar character to this had been passed this session without a words and if the Bill were thrown out he should certainly bring in another Bill of the same kind. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that one division would do, and he should, therefore, move that the Bill be read this day three months. Mr. HUMS was anxious to have for Stockport fair I lly. He thought, under the present circumstances, it would. be the best course to allow the order of the day to be discharged. That done, he hoped, before the next session of Parliament, some general measure would he introduced for the regulation of police in all towns, and also a measure for market improvement.. He hoped that at pres.ent the matter would be amicably settled without a division. Mr. B. ESCOTT wished the lion. Member for Stock port to give some information of the meeting respecting the Pill which had limn referred to. Mr. M NRSLAND could not give any information respecting the meeting. He had left the town b fore the meeting took place, and he had not had any. com. munication with the parties to it since then. Mr. BRIGHT wished to bear testimony that the pro moters of the Bill had no other object in view than the welfare of Stockport. The real difficulty ex perienced in that town was that the promoters of the Bill were desirous of having power for the levying of rates for the improvement of the town, while the small ratepayers were against it, and at pre sent refused the granting of any rates for that purpose at any meetings that might be called for that pur pose. No danger could arise from the passing of the Bill, because the power was vested in the town council, which represented the great body of the inhabitants. He had risen merely to give his testimony in favour of the promoters of the Bill. Mr. DUNCO MBE said he would withdraw his amend ment on the understanding that the Bill would be with drawn. The amendment was then withdrawn. and the order of the day for the third reading of the Bill discharged. Mr. BROTHERTON then moved for leave to bring in a fresh Bill on the subject—the Stockport Improve ment Act, No. 2. Some discussion then arose as to wheter the lion. Member was in order in giving notice of a second Bill on the subject. The SPEAKER said that it was competent for the Hon. Member to move for leave to bring in a fresh Bill. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought the House should know something, of the nature of the Bill about to be intro duePd. Mr. BROTHERTON said he did not know what the Bill would be; if he hal leave to bring in a Bill he thought it would be one of the same nature as the .pre s , nt Bill, which had been approved of by the Hon. Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, Mr. Greene Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that the Hon. Member the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means had informed him that he had nothing to do with the Bill; if, therefore, the Hon. Member for Salford proposed to bring in a Bill similar to the one approved by that Hon. Member, he did not know where it was to be found. Sir G. GREY wished to explain to the House the part he had taken in this Bill. Great objections were made to seve"al clauses of the Bill, and it was suggested by the Hon. Member the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means that it was a subject which should be brought under the consideration of the Home-office. He had accordingly examined the Bill, and had struck out several objectionable clauses. Mr. MARSLAND said that he had objected to se veral clauses of the Bill, but he thought it a very anomalous state of things that the Bury and Manchester Improvement Acts should have been passed with pre cisely the same clauses as there were in the present Bill, and yet that this Bill was not allowed to be proceeded with. Mr. GREENE said, that on a former occasion when the Bill was before the House, he stated his opinion that several of the clauses were of a highly ohjectionable nature ; he was still of the same opinion. Mr. HUME hopei the Hon. Member for Salford would not press his Bill at the present time. He was sure that the Bill would not be allowed to pass with its present objectionable clauses. It was impossible for any man to suppose that it was possible to carry such a Bill as this through the House, and he, therefore, as a peacemaker, begged of his Hon. Friend the member for Salford not to persist in his motion.—(W.ar, hear.) Mr. ESTCOURT approved of the suggestion of the lion. Member for Montrose. There could be no ne cessity for pressing this Bill forward during the present session. The Hon. Member for Finsbury, as well as the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Mean, had inspected the Bill, and pronounced it to be an unjust measure. Under these circumstances he should vote with the lion. Gentleman the Member for Fini4ury, Mr. 11'11,0THEIZTON said he had no personal interest whatever in the Bill, nor had he any strong feeling either for or against it ; but he did hope that the House would exercise its discretion in this matter. Whatever their decision might be, he should cheerfully bow to it. No tice was given of this Bill in the regular manner, and it proceeded as far as this, the last stage, without any opposition. Nu petition was presented against it, with the exception of that presented by the Hon. Ms.milier for Finsbury. He did think that the town council of Stockport had been harshly used in this matter. He felt bound to divide the House on this question. Mr. DUNCOMBE said, that one of the Hon. Mem bers for Stockport (Mr. Marsland) had presented a peti tion, s'gned by between 5,000 and 6,000 ratepayers of the borough, against the all. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, when there appeared— For the motion ... 32 Against it Against the Bill being brAught itt —8 METROPOLITAN SEWAGE MANURE BILL. The report and further consideration of this Bill was postponed to Monday next. TilE SUN, LONDON, SA.TUB,DAY EVENING, AUGUST'I, 1M& The British Guarantee Association Bill and the Sligo and Shannon Railway 8.11 were read a third time and pasted. TENANT COMPENSATION. Mr. S. CI?,AWFORD Presenttcl a petition from a Larne body of the inhabitants of Castlereagh, pm) ing the House to take steps to provide a permanent measure for providing compensation to tenants, after having regularly paid their rent, and were about to be discharged from their farms, such compensation to be adequate t, the out lay made by the tenant whilst in occupation. Mr. HUDSON presented a petition from Sunderland against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. CONSTITUTION OF TILE CHANNEL ISLANDS. - Mr. CHRISTIE presented a petition from a gentle man of the name of Duppa, residing in Jersey, praying for an extension of the British Constitution to Jersey, and the other Channel islands. IRISH LANDLORD AND TENANTS BILL. - Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that on Monday next he should put a question to the Noble Lord at the head of the Government respecting the Bills now lying on the table for the direction of the Irish tenantry, and that he should also at the same titre ask whether it was the intention of Government to issue any com mission on that subject during the recess. SURVEY OF-IRELAND. Sir DENHAM NORREYS moved for a Select Com mittee on the progress of the trigonometrical surrey in Ireland. ASSESSED TAXES. Sir DE LACY EVANS moved fora copy of the Het of defaulters in payment of assessed taxes for the year 1845, ending the sth day of November, 1846, and pay able (in order to election qualification) on or before the 20th day of July, 1846, pr two following days, furnished in compliance with the 12th section sf the Act 6 Vic. c.lB by the assessors or collectors in the city of Westminster, ,and, if any reasons for non-receipt of these taxes in each or any case can be assigned, the same to be stated; and similar copies oc the same list for the city of London and b , u•oughs of Finsbury, Brighton, and Southampton.— Ordered. THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. Dr. BOWRING inquired whether the Government would e-insent to extend the inquiries of the Channel Is lands Commission into the general state of the laws and their administration in those islands ? Sir GEORGE GREY said that he did not see why the criminal jurisdiction as well as the civil should not be extended to the Channel Islands. The subject was at present under the consideration of the Lord Chan cellor. Mr. CHARLES VILLIERS moved that the petition of Robert Maule Gillies and George Horne, respecting the duties on rye. peas, and beans, be printed. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. On the motion of Sir GEORGE GREY, it was agreed that the House at its rising adjourn till Monday, SPIRIT DUTIES. Mr. MACKINNON said ho bad a motion for the equalisation of duties on colonial and British spirits. He wished to know from the Chancellor of the Exchequer when would he the most convenient time for him to do so? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the most convenient time would be at the time that the House went into Committee on the Customs' Duties Bill, and when they proposed the amount of duty to be imposed on rum. Mr. MACKINNON—When will that be? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—AII that he could say was, that it would be as soon r.s pos sible, but he could net say exactly when. FLOGGING IN THE ARMY. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that as notice of motion hail been given by an Hon. Member respecting flo g ging in the army, he wished to inform the House that he had caused the subject to be brought under the consideration of the Commander-in Chief, the Duke of Wellington. The question was, therefore, at present under the con sideration of the Comtnander-in-Chief, not with the object of abrogating the power of inflicting corporal punish ment, lnt with the view of regulating it. He thought. therefore, it would not be advisable, till the result - was communicated to the House, that the subject of flogging in the army should be discussed. Dr. 130 W RING was willing that his motion should be postponed, so as not .to interfere with the proceedings of the Government regarding the question. He would, however, wish the Noble Lord to uncierstane that if the measure the Govet nment submitted was not satiaactory, he (Dr. Bowring) should be at liberty to bring forward the whole question. He was bound, before theend of the ses.ion, to bring the subject before the lion ;f Mr. B. OSBORNE said the intimation of the Nobh Lord was so far satisfactory that he should not, nutlet the circumstances, press the motion of which he had given notice. . . . Mr. WILLIAMS wished to know if flogging in the navy was also to be brought under consideration, and whether anything was to be done to regulate court martials in that department of the service ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the subject of the army. as he had stated, was under the consideration of the commander-in-chief; but he (Lord John Russell) had not had any communication with the Admiraly on the subject of the navy. He would, in regard to the Hon Member for Bolton, take care that, in case the Govern ment measure was not considered satisfactory, he should have an opportunity of bringing forward his motion. After a few words from Mr.-FIUME, Mr. OSBORNE said he pledged himself not to press his anaendinen! . , if the Commander-in-Chief recom mended that the number of lashes should be limitud. The Noble Lord had not given any express pledge that the Coramander•in-Chief would recommend a di minution in the number of lashes. Now, unless the Commander-in-Chief did limit the number of lashes, he should press his amendment. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER having moved the order of the day for the House resolving itsel! into a o.annittce of Ways and Means, ACCIDENTS ON EASTERN COUNTIES RAIL WAY. Mr. HUDSON said he was anxious to take that op portunity of making a few obeervatione, in reference to the statteneats made on the previous day by two Honourable Members, with respect to the Eastern Counties Railway. He wished to make this state ment, for the purpose of allaying any public excitement that might have been occasioned by the re marks of those two Hoe. Members. He had made in quiries from the secretaries of the company, and he thought that the result of those inquiries would satisfy the House that, as far as the ma nagement of that undertaking was concerned, the public had less cause to fear accidents when travel ling on that railway than on any other. Since the opening of this line, which was in 1840, 11,000,000 rn it, and, wi t h t h e except i on of eh e a r had been only d e been only one death the people la t had travelled duringte he accident,whole h time. e twenty one passengers injured since the opening, three of whom had their legs broken, and one a dislocated shoulder. 'rho remainder of the accidents were of the most trifling description. He felt confident that this state ment would be most satisfactory to the House and the public. He would not as yet say anything in reference to the recent accident on the line, but the st de ment which he he.d made he thought was but just to the proprietors and the public. There was as much if not greater security on the Eastern Counties than on any other line in the kingdom. Mr. HORSMAN wished to know what was the in tention of the Government in reference to the Com mission that had been appointed at the com mencement of the session in reference to rail roads. He wished to know from his Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government intended to do anything in order to allay the public excitement and confusion which prevailed on this subject ? Sir GEORGE GREY said he was not prepared to make any statement in reference to this question. He hoped to be able to bring forward some measure, during the present session, for the purpose of removing some of the inconveniences complained of in the report of the Committee lately presented to the House, which he hoped would come into operation before the next session. THE SUGAR DUTIES. On the motion for going into Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. SPOONER, said that he wished to state briefly to the House his reasons for giving his vote in support of the proposition of Government. He thought it the duty of a christian nation to lay aside every consideration of profit and commercial benefit or advantage, if they were to be purchased by anything tending to increase the slave trade. He (lid not think that the proposition of her Majesty's Government would give the least stimulus to the slave trade ; if he thought it would he said he would not give his sapport to the proposition. After the very able speech of the Noble Lord the Member for Liverpool (Lord Sandon), he would net have risen to enter on the subject if the Noble Lord the Member for Stamford had not risen after and made an attempt to invalidate his argu mews. That Noble Lord had characterised the speech of the Member for Liverpool as one that could not be comprehended.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Spooner was of opinion that that speech was the most concise and the most complete answer to all the argu ments on the opposite side. He said the demand for sugar had grown till it was more than the supply. If, however, they excluded slave-grown sugar from the market that only opened another market for it elsewhere im treiiately ; a greater consumption of free-labour sugar at home was the consequence, and that created a vacuum on the Continent, which was again supplied with slave-grown sugar. He begged they would observe what the effect of this had been on trade and the manufactures of this country. The trade between this country and the Brazils was an important trade ; but since the treaty had ceased the Bra zilian Government had raise.l their duties. Toe merchants there had sent over their agents tc the Continent, and there they were buying German goods in the German markets with Eiglisis capital, an,l carrying into their markets stave-labour sugar. It was a fact which could not be disputed, that their eff,rts to do away with s!avery had failed, and it was therefore c Impletely uselesss to persevere in a system which pressed so ha hjavi ls ly upon the comforts of the people. Their pdan • - givenll that their interests were wholly' ucc;leete.. he the greatest offence to th© was an advocate for protection, which believed was the foundation of the prosperity of the Brazilians,_ who felt so as a whole, as otherwise it would be the country ; but if it were to be maintained, it should be source of endl ess i n j ust i ce toY d i f f eren t partPs. The question h a d alrea d y b ee n so fully d ebated in the lieu e, that he did not hope t o give any ne w ar g ument for its considerat - on, but he felt tha t it would not be consistent with hi s duty to give a silent vote upon so important a questi on. Sir R. H. INGLIS sa id that amongst the man y de feats which, in t h e course of hi s ex perience in that House, he had had to sustain, there was none which he felt more deeply than that which be . sustained by the decision of the House on Tuesday last ; and if by any opposition of his he could hope to remove that decision, he trusted that he should not ba found wanting in what he considered to be his duty ; but that decision of the House having been pronounce d by a majority so large as to render any further attempt on his part, not m, rely hopeless, but probably irritative, and leading to a great hindrance to the discharge of public business, he did not desire to revive the dicussien of Monday and Tues duy last, and rose rather for the purpose of stating that, than of answering what lie thought might be easily answered— the opposition of his Hon. Friend the Mem ber for Birmingham—the latest convert to the doctrine of free-trade, and latest abandoner of the principles of protection. He would only state, that deeply as he re gretted the injury to be sustained by their fellow countrymen in the East as well as the West Indies, by the change which had been decided upon in the course of the last few days—deeply as he regretted the ma• jority by which that change had been produced, by such a combination of individuals and of parties as perhaps the wildest imagination of any man in that House, he was quite sure could neverexpect upor.such a subject— still more deeply f eling the change in our commercial policy, the greatest change which had been made in the course of three centuries—he meant this change in the slave trade—yet at the same time he saw the contest was hopeless, and he would not weary the House with arguments in reply, which had been used by far better and abler men than himself. He would therefore take upon himself the responsibility, on a subject of so much importance to the interests of the West Indian colonies, and the still higher interests of humanity and the world, of withdrawing all further opposition. Several. Bills were brought down from the Lords, after which, The House went into Committee. Mr. D. BARCLAY opposed the resolution, and called upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to distin guish between sugar the produce of free labour in the colonies, and sugar the produce of the unfortunate ne groes in the islands of Cuba and in the Brazils. He said this measure would destroy the little attachment between the colonies and the mother country ; for what attachment, he asked, would Jamaica have to this coun try when the duties were equalised, and Cuba and the Brazils had the same advantages ? He said they were committing an act tantamount to dissolving the connexion between the colonies and this country. The only chance for the colonies would be to give their produce every opportunity of a market. It the inhabitants of Jamaica were their fellow subjects they Here entitled to an equal treatment with the people of the country, and he did hope that there would be no obstruction thrown into the way of the consumption of free labour sugar. The simple alteration which he pro propsed was, that instead of the duty varying for the first three years, that the foreign sugar should remain stedfast for that time at 215., and after that in the fourth year it should be reduced to 33. 6d. That alteration was so simple in its character that it could hardly be objected to, and he sincerely hoped that the House would not object to it. _ _ The CHAIRMAN said that the resolution of the Hon. Member could not be put at present. Mr. MOFFATT then moved the repeal of the differential duties on white clayed sugar and Muscovado,. or other sugar not being equal to white clayed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed the motion, because it would be a great annoyance to the public if adopted. If the House was deal ing with colonial sugar only the Honourable Member would have a better ground for proposing his motion, but as they were now dealing with foreign as well, he believed that the resolution proposed would in flict great injury on those engaged in the sugar trade. He then read extracts from some documents, for the purpose of showing that the charges of oppression on the part of the custom• house officers, in the collection of the duties on sugar, were not well grounded. Believing that the reasons which existed at. the time when those duties were first proposed existed now in even greater strength, he must say that he should oppose his Hon. Friend's motion ; at the same time he might state that he did not consider the present as a final measure. Mr. MOFFATT said, that after the explanations of the Right Hon. Gentleman, he would not persist in his (notion at present.—(hear, hear.) After a few words from Mr. P. M. STEWART. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the present measure was a final one, but he did re serve to himself the power of making a - distinction on the white clayed sugar. & The item of 18s. Bd. on white clayed sugar was then agreed to. Mr. JAMES moved that the item of brown sugar, be ing Muscovado, or clayed, or any other sugar not being ~ q ual in quality, white clayed, not being refined, be ad.; nitted fur three years at a duty not exceeding 10s. the cwt. tie was against any duty being placed upon colonial sugar. He was not actuated in making this motion by Any hostility to the Government, but he considered that the House would confer a great boon upon the people if they agreed to his motion. He would not press it, how ever, if it was not the wish of the House. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the reduction would interfere too much with the revenue. Mr. BERKELEY moved that the differential duty should exist for three years at a fixed sum of 21's. per cwt., and in the fourth year there should be a further reduction to a fixed duty of 145., as proposed by her Majes'y's Government. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he could not agree to the proposition, which involved most evil consequences: He considered that the plan us proposed by her Majesty's Goverment had met very general approbation, and he, therefore, considered he would not be justified in assenting to the proposition of the Honourable Gentleman. He believed that under all the circumstances the gradual reduction of duty on the sug it was the mode best calcu lated to benefit the consumers and the trade of the country. With regard to the introduction of molasses, into diitille ries, he had promised to give the subject his fullest and fairest consideration., He thought that there would be some difficulty in introducing it this session, but at some future period it would probably occupy the attention of the Rouse. Mr. I). BARCLAY made some observations in reply which did not reach the gallery. The purport was (as we understood) to withdraw the amendment. Mr. BARFLY said, that in consequence of the variety of rates of duty in the Bill, which would in many mercantile houses cause a considerable loss of time, the West India planters would be certainly deprived of the benefit of it. The slave owner would be able to throw in a quantity of sugar at such a rate as to render th; West India planter unable to compete with them. He should certainly have felt it his duty to support the amendment of the Hon. Member for Sunderland if he had pressed it, but as it was withdrawn, he could only state that he heartily concurred in its principle. Sir JOHN RAE REID would put it to the House whether a great interest like the present one was to be sacrificed in this way. He objected to the hurried mode of its discussion, and ho thought that its effect would be both cruel and unjust upon those engaged in the sugar trade. Mr. PATRICK STEWART entirely agreed with his two Hon. Friends who had preceded him, that tne next day's packet would take out very gloomy tidings to the West Indies. He did not wish, however, that the gloomy forebodings of his Hon. Friends should be carried across the Atlantic. Much as the sugar pro ducers dreaded the competition which was to be opened upon them, they would not so much care for it if the Government would only be prompt in the execution of those measures of which they held out hopes. If they would let them have a free end uninterrupted supply of free labour from every British possession on the globe, he should say to his friends on the other side of the Atlantic, that hard and severe as the measure was, they would survive the crisis if they moved the Government to fulfil its promise to them. Mr. P. I:IOItTHWICK said that he hardly knew whether the motion of the Hon. Gentleman had been withdrawn or not. If it had been pressed to a division he should have supported it by his vote, He agreed with the lion. Gentleman who had just sat down, that look ing at the colonies, there was no such gloomy prospects as had been anticipated. He believed that in ten years from that time the colonies would be again flourishing. The question was, what was to be done with those who had property there, and who would be most' materially injured by the passing of the present measure. lie thought it was right, both in public and private policy, to look difficulties in the face, and he trusted that the Hon. Baronet, the Member for Dover (Sir John Rae Reid) would prevail on the wealthy merchants of Lon don to look at the question in this light. He hoped that these merchants would not have to send out, by to-morrow's packet, the dolorous news that it was their determination to put an end to protection as regarded the colonies. Mr. GOULBURN, who was at first inaudible in the gallery, said he was not prepared to have voted for his Hon. Friend's motion if he had pressed it to a division. He thought that the Government ought to he pressed to give those measures of compensation to which the West Indies had a claim ; that if the Government re luced the duties to perfect equality, they should assist them by a sufficient supply of labour, and also give some compensation fur the tardiness of that assistance. It was in the hope that Government would do something of this hind that he would support the measure of the Government. Dr. BOWRING confessed that the colonial claims deserved calm and reasonable consideration. The pro prietors had admitted to those on his side the House the principles of free trade, and he thought that taking up that position they were likely to establish fair claims. There were no doubt facilities that might be given and opportunities that might be opened up, preserving alwsys the integrity of the principles of free trade. The ques tion had been unnecessarily complicated by minute dis tinctions. He himself was anxious that the ruin question had been settled ; but there was this advantase that the colonies had by this measure,that the markets of the world were opened to the m, to buy in the cheapest mar ket, and sell in the dearest. Mr. BERNAL sai d he did not understand what fell from the Right lion. the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to the change he proposed on colonial spirits. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. said, what he had said in reference to the %Vest India proprie tors was, that all protection had been removed from them, and all protection had been removed again ~t them. lie only was anxious to know what they wi s h e d , and what obstacles they felt. He said the principle fi u s p e on , which the Government had acted, was, that the al burdens on British and colonial spirit s s h ou ld be .the same when they came is for consumption. Possibly the duty continued might be too much, but he did to enter on that qu es ti on j us t now. There wa:lontoidneitati; on the spirits of tne W es t I n di es, except fir fi , Jal pur poses ; an d th at B r i t i s h sp i r i ts and Jamaica rum might Come in on precisely the same terms,, ' ~ he had reduet.d he l had gone too tutation of dis tillers the duty to I s . i ns t ea d o r Is. 61. A had w a it e d on hi m , whothoug ht far. He said he would h , ar the West lndi a ns as to whether the Is. was too much, and the distillers as to whether it was not enough, and he would adjudicate bet'veen them with a view to 'doing justice. 'lie said the duty imposed was not for protection to any interests in this country, but only for the purposes of revenue. Mr. BERNAL wished to know how the Right Hon. G cndeman could justify that arrangement, by which in Scotland rum at 9s. 4d. sias let in to meet a spirit at 3s. 4d. Was not that protection ? Perhaps the Chan cellor of the Exchequer did not know that there was a spirit manufactured in Scotland, called the " Silent Spirit."—(Laughter.) It was alcohol having the appear az.ce and colour of ruin, an•l was vended there duty free to the prejudice of rum. He asked why rum should not enter into Scotland on the same footing as it did with English spirits in England ; why there was not a uniform rate for Scotland also ? Mr. HUME was pleased that this matter had been so amicably settled, but he though the Government might have male the concession asked by the West India inte • rest, without injuring the great measure now before the Committee.—(Hear, hear.) He must join with other Hon. Gentlemen who had already addressed the Com mittee, in hoping that Government would act liberally with the Colonies. No one could deny the assertion that they had not been treated fairly ; and he, for one, thought, while they were adopting five trade at home, they ought to apply it to the colonies without any reservations whatever. Place the colonies in a situation of freedom in that respect, and he was satisfied that, so far from suffering from the change about to be made, they would be able to compete with any foreign producers. Now, this freedom could not be given unless a change took place in the system pursued at the Colonial-office. Hitherto that department had acted upon nothing but a receding policy, issuing orders one day, and counter manding them another, and acting all the year round upon a vice versa system, if he might be allowed to use the term.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) An evil genius appeared to have invaded all the ranks of the Colonial office, but he hoped the Noble Lord would give them an assurance that, in this respect a change should be made, and the colonies permitted to have the management of their own fiscal affairs themselves.—(Hear. hear.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL had heard with great plea sure the statement of his Right Hon. Friend opposite. But with regard to the observations of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Bernal) he thought it was better both for the con sumer and the producer that the present distinction between rum S•cotch spirits should continue for a short while longer. These changes could not be suddenly made with advantage to either party. It required time to effect them, and if that time were allowed to Govern ment they would do their utmost to carry out the details of this change in a manner that should meet the views and wishes of most parties.—(Hear, hear.) They did not propose any variation of duties for the sake of protection, but with a view of ultimately leading to a final and satisfactory adjustment of the sugar duty question. With regard to the reduction proposed to be made in the excise duty of 6d., he relied fully upon the justice and integrity of his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who he had no doubt would settle the question impartially, and in a manner calculated to pro tect the interest of all parties. It must be remembered, however, that the West Indies had been exposed to great changes in their social as well as commercial condition. They were now thrown open to the changes of free trade, if indeed there were any ; and he felt it to be the duty of Government to attend to all these little questions and details which it was supposed would do se much benefit for the colonies.—(Cheers) He was verb sorry to hear two Honourable Gentlemen opposite speak with so much despondency of the prospect of the West Indies. He owned, although, he had carefully con sidered all that was said on former occasions upon this part of the subject, he did not believe the prospects of the West Indies were so distressing and deplorable as some Hon. Gentlemen would paint them.—(Hear, hear.) He did really believe that, with the advantages of some trifling charge, and privileges, they would be well able to compete in the sugar market with sugar the produce of slave labour.—(Hear, hear.) The difficulties in their way were only those of the price and supply of labour, and he could assure the House that Government in tended taking these steps which should reduce the diffi culties year by year till they had entirely vanished.— (Hear, hear.) It would be their study and desire to establish a free intercourse between the African and West Indian colonies. Men could be brought from Africa to the West Indies, and there thoroughly taught the arts of civilisation before they would return to their native soil. This system, managed with skill, care, and attention, he need not point out to the House, would lead to the civilisation of the barbarous population of our African colonies.—(l-fear, hear.) He had stated these opinions on former evenings, and in repeating them then his only object was to add that he hoped shortly to see them carried into practical effect. But still he must agree with a Noble Lord, a late Governor of Jamaica, that it was impossible that any system of emigration could improve the cultivation of the West Indies, unless there were some slight sacri fice made on the part of the West Indians themselves ; but upon this point he did not want to raise any contro versy. Still, however, it must be borne in mind that the efforts of that Noble Lord were in a great measure ren dered useless by the disputes which arose between the West Indians and the emigrants, relative to certain rights and privileges claimed by the one, and refused by the other ; and while he did not pretend to say who was in the right or who was in the wrong, the advisers of the emigrants, or the counsel of the West Indians, he could not conceal from himself the fact that these disputes had had the effect of retarding the progress of the colonies themselves.—(Hear, hear.) Happily, however, these disputes and di-agreements had generally sub sided, and at all events he was glad that this obstacle would not lie in the future course of the Government. Upon these grounds, therefore, he did not look with any kind of despondency to the result of this measure. It was an experiment which had already been tried with great success. They had heard this in the course of debate from the Right E-lon. Baronet, the Measlier for Tainworth, himself, and he felt confident the anticipations of those who were the most desponding would never be realised.—(Hear, hear.) He could not quite agree with his Hon. Friend, the Member for Montrose, that there was hardly a colony which was not a burden to this country; not that he intended to say that every colony was perfectly satis fied with the recent policy of the Colonial-office ; but upon this point, all he could say was, tit.,t his Noble Friend, now at the head of the Colonial Department, would pay every attention to the subject.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord, he was sure, agreed with him in the public course that ought to be pursued towards the colo • nies ; and he felt convinced every thing would be done that could protect or promote the interest of the colo nies —(Hear, hear,) Where emigrants were settling in large numbers, he thought they ought to control the ex• penditure of their own moneys without being sub jected to the dictation of any department of th e p arent state ; and, with these plenciples for their guidance, he had not the least doubt whatever Government would be able to work out a beneficial reformation in the colonies.—(Cheers.) Mr. YIIILIY HOWARD fully appreciated the liberal and patriotic spirit which had dictated the remarks of the lion. Member for Sunderland, and the Hon. Mem ber for Rochester ; and after what had fallen from the Noble Lord, who had just resumed his seat, he thought they might safely look forward to a speedy and perma nent improvement being effected in the colonies.— (Hear, hear.) There was no better way of attaining that improvement, in his opinion, than extending the contract under which emigrants were brought from Africa to labour in the West Indies. The time now, he thought, was too short to admit of the negroes ob taining a sufficient knowledge of the art of civilisation, to render his example of any value when he returned to his native home.—(Hear, hear.) Though these la bourers might at first be considered a b ur d en , they would in a short tiiae repay the trouble and expense bestowed noon them. He thought that this step would be a very great boon to the colonists, and it was one which the Government might very f air l y conce d e. I would make the labourers in the West Indies more in dustrious. The remainder of the resolutions were then agrees to the House resumed, the chairman reported progress, and the report was ordered to be brought up on Monday next. COURTS MARTIAL IN THE NAVY. On the order of the day for the House resolving itse into a Committee of Supply, Mr. WILLIAMS rose for the purpose of calling the attention of the House to the manner in which courts martial were constituted and conducted in the British navy, and in doing so he said he was very unwilling to detain the Speaker in the chair, but he considered him self called upon to entreat the House to condemn the present management of courts martial in the navy. Gentlemen connected with the navy stated that the ex isting laws inflicted the punishment of death for the most trivial offences; and with the view of making those courts more in accordance with the feelings of the time, and with the present state of criminal law in this country, he begged to call the attention of the Hou s e to the law as it at present existed with regard to the holding of courts•martial in the British navy. That law, he contended, required a most extensive alteration. The law with regard to holding, and the powers of, courts-martial was to be found in the 22d Act of Geo. 11., passed 97 years ago. The law, since that time, had undergone a mat erial alteration with re g ard to holding courts-martial in the army, and he thought it was high time that so important a branch of the public service as that of the navy should also receive a proper considera tion. The present law with regard to the holding of cour t s -martial required five officers at least t o b e present at a court, and of those it was requisite that three should be post captains. Now it happened that if a ship were out at a foreign station, and charges were brought against the officer, three post captains could not be found, and the consequence was that in many instances e l the accused. accused , uas Indeed,. m any justice months was often delayed elapsed t oth before t his trial. One case o f recent occurrence had put u la p ee o n n lieutenant entl who had h;ohtiecewo;isfconsequ y di been brought put underu nd er a r his re s t from the perfor mance o f his duty; he was kept in a state 4014 utmost enxiety for a period of twenty-two months. That gentleman was stati one d at the coast of Africa. Tne Right lion. Gentleman the Secretary of the Admi ralty, it appeared, denied the truth of the stat emen t, b ut he (Mr. Williams)ea able to t prove resp e i o t t a b u y i i t t h y e . I l e couldtestimony b of bring gentleman would of b the highest g e s many cases of a si m il ar descrip tion, but h e was not willing to trespass on the time of the House. Now, if the same withlaw prevailed in the navy as that in the army, courts-martial, there needbreespct to n e ounnec t In the army li eutenants were permitted toehses ft.to h rr3 og m, din delays.of mem bers of the courts, aril he submitted that the first lieutenants in the navy were quite as capable of deter mining on th e cases occurring in the navy as lieutenants in the army were of judging upon cases occuring in that department of the public service.--(Hear, hear.) The Admiralty were bound in common justice to have sent out a ship with an officer for the purpose of forming a court-martial to determine on the case of the gentleman to whom he had referred. The present system was based on a most erroneous and unjust principle, and it might be altered in the simplest- manner possible, by qualifying firlit lieutenants to sit upon cases that came before courts-martial, Tbey sYsr i quite es capable of discharging the duties of judges 0 young men of twenty-two who had purchased their commissions. The Hon. Gentleman then quoted some .aces in which great Injus:ice had been done to officers_ in the navy charged with non- ob:crvance of the rules of the Admiralty, in consequence of the great delay which took place in the holding of courts-martial. Colonel FOX said he did not think it quite in order for the Hon. Member to bring forward a subject which occurred fourteen years ago without notice, and when the Board of Admiralty had just entered into the per' furmanee of their duties. Admiral DUNDAS said that, if the Hon. Memb er would move fur any papers with reference to the trans' action, he would be happy to furnish them to the Heu se i ; Mr. WILLIAMS sa id t h a t lie was imputing blame to ,. n u , person whatever i n th e matter . He was merely stating Is°`' which lie called upon the Government to disprove. The 11°T Member then alluded to the case of another court-martial► which had been held contrary to the rules of the Admiraltyt upon Lieutenant Bridge ; the result of which was that the young officer was dismissed from his ship in a manner which wa s per fectly illegal. All h e wante d was, that there should be some check upo a these proceedims, and that with reference to the of courts-m art i a l, t h e navy s h ou ld b e p l ac ed upon b same footing as the army. An HON. MEMBER. here moved that the House be counted. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw. There w ere, however, 40 Members present. Upon our r e - a d m i ss i on to the gallery, we f ou nd Ai k r ; WI LLIA NIS on hi s l egs, st i ll addressing the House u pon d subject of the navy. The Hon. Member then said that be " Ls to apologise f o r t res p ass i ng so long on the attent i o n of act House. He would not h ave d one so upon any ot h er Obi" than the present. the Mr. WARD was quit e surpr i se d to hear the speec h 0f . f Hon. Member. He had quoted the cases of two abu se ' a ( s l authority, which occurred thirteen and seven years sg rl ' u ld reasons why the whol e s y s t em s h ou ld b e c h anged. He ' 11e : a only say that the s u bj ec t s h ou ld rece i ve t h e ear l y cons iderstl ° of her Majesty's Government. Captain BERKELEY said that the case referred to O r. much worse than had been referred to by the Hon. Me„. °° ,. e ks, The crew of the vessel h a d " ki c k e d up a row " w i t h t! e I° ' n d and they were taken by th e T ur ki s h au thorities. . 11 .. e d brought to the Commodore's ship, whe re th e ca se was intlgh into by the captain in presence of the heutenant. gore ' Sir G. COCKBURN said that th e s t a t em e n t of the o $ Member—that there was no appeal f ro m the sentence court-martial—was incorr e ct. A s t o cour t s - mar tial not be 7 0 competent authorities, he admitted th a t they were o ° t . learned in th e l aw as t h e b arr i sters and judges of Westmi ester hall. They were courts o f h onour, as well as courts of laieb There were a nu m b er o f qu i r k s , an d catches, and flaws, 'to t were taken advantage of in the one case, but were not allowe" 0 the other ; and with re f erence t o t h e case of L i eut. Br id g e. it w, proved that he had insulted the Vi ce -C onsu l , b ut upon bisulis turn home the Admiralty conside r ed th e case, re -i ns t a tedh e to his position, and gave him the command of a gib. Hon. Member was only incorrect in his statement that the `" to miralty had set out a ship with a post-captain, in order, 0 complete the number necessary for a court-martial, for it „ a happened that there were enough captains on the station.;_, s' - on as a proof there were enough, the captain of that ship station.; to sit upon the court-martial at all. He warned thew no meddle with the discipline of the navy.—( Hear, hear.) is Captain PECHELL reprobated the present ssteole abe pursued in the navy. Whe n a cour t mart i a l is heldbiDc present time, the parties are sent far to the captain's 1 1 .00 1 and the evidence is taken dow n by th e c l er k, but the se ° , l is not allowed to be pre se nt. S uc h was t h e course purso e ' l o , the case which was alluded to by the Right lion. Gent le the and it could not be denied b u t th a t it was th e s ource 0 greatest hardship. de r ' Sir CHARLES NAPIER said that he had alwar u sia iss stood that there existed a gre at su p er i ori t y i n courts-war,- la held in the navy to tho se i n t h e army .—( H ea r, hes i l'i the the one case the accused was k e pt i n con fi neme nt c o : l . t ad sentence was confirmed by the Commander-in-Chie f ' whether the party was condemned or acquitted, he was ~°, sa o to remain in confinement until the sentence came bae"' r der more than that, the Commander-in-Chief had a power t o o ,, bss that a revision of the sentence should take place. We',"il e art a power was that to place in the hands of any person. -- t he sr.) hear.) But such was not the case in the navy.— (Haar' COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House then went into a Committee o 7 Supply o f the On the vote of 154,938!. f or d e f ray i ng t h e ex pense' disembodied militia in Great Britain and Ireland, ev er Mr. HUME thought the militia sho u ld be put on $ t r e tlier, footing or di s b an d e d a l toget h er , an d w i s h e d to k n ow W ber oi the Bill r e f erre d t o some t i me ago b y a Ri g h t Hon. Me in ais' the late Go vernmen t was to be proceeded with for the re '' tion of the militia, or what was to be done? • Mr. FOX MAULE sa id th at t h e present Governirl e V l l l4 0 not intend to ad o pt th a t Bill , b ut t h e w h o l e quest i o n 08 10 - plet ° inquired into, and steps taken to place the militit in a C ° state of WlLLlAMS ficiency. tile ° Mr. expressed a hope that something s r° done to make the body efficient. 10 ° Captain HARRIS sa id, th a t if th e m ili t i a w ere not 's e ptet in an effective conditi on by th e present G overn ment' I n wbsC Committee of the Hou s e s h ou ld b e a pp o i n t e d to ascertai n steps should be taken for that purpose. The vote was then agreed to. neeS 80,800/. was voted to defr a y th e su p er annuation &H owl-- of persons formerly employed in the public service. o ptS• 5,500/. was voted for th e T ou l onese an d Corsican em i g The following votes were also agreed nal for ths 1,850/. for the National Vaccine Institution, 3,C , •.• { the Refuge for the Destitute, and 11,500/. for the subsistenc e Polish refugees and distressed Spaniards. vari ° On the vote of 7,051/. for the purpose of defraying small expenses chargeable upon the revenue of the Cro w for Mr. WILLIAMS objected to the grant o f 401. c harg". t ipg the purpose of granting gowns to a class of persons subsisber on charity, and called bedemen. He wished to know er e i t s ;pet the charge was a perm anen t one , an d if so he s h ou ld ow to it. The CHANCELLOR o f t h e EXCH E QUER sa id tht w th i : grant was form er ly ma d e b y Ch ar l es t h e S econ d, and it for • chargeabl e on t h e revenues o f t h e C rown . The • sum was _ 34 merly 1081., an d it was now on ly 40/., so that it was o p decline. Mr. HUME did not see why Charles 11. had a right t o mstierna n o y n p d e t r h p e e t s u u a m l g o r f a n I s t n H t e he h d a u d t y g o r n ar c t o ed a Is o a n t d h e t h Duke o ve of r vn ßi e ce p: were afterwards obliged to buy it up fur 795,0001., gi g revenue 0119,5001. to the Duke of Richmond. The vote was then agreed to, as were also The sum of 3,' , 72/., to defray the expenses of the of l b; Foundling Hospit a l ; 13,226!. to defray the expe nse : o es ° Hou.:e of Industry, Dublin ; 1,000/. to defray the exP , the Female Orphan House, Dublin. is ° I/41' 2,500/ to defray the expenses of the Westo 3ol Hospital. The following votes were next agreed to :- 1,000/. for the Lying-in Ho-pital, Dublin. 1,500/. for Dr. Stevens's Hospital, Dublin. 3,500/. for the Fever Hospital, Dublin. 5001. for the Hospital of Incurables, Dublin. 35,7301. for cert a i n P rotestant Di (the regions do num ) . ssenting 'nte d t° 3,4001. for th e expenses of the Commission appal digest the C r i m i na l S tatutes. d. 35,000/ f or th e execution of Public Works i n ' re--n 736/. for the expenses of the Shannon Comm ission' u se 1,000!. f or t h e rep t airs of the British Ambassa dor s Paris, h After a few words from Mr. WILLIAMS ug , "a ° the Ambassador was paid well enoh to pay for hi l „;,0 pairs. Ministers in Irela ed pgb t The following votes were then agreed to : Anib le 12,0001. f or comp l et i ng the building of the British D OS sador's house at Constantinole. to 50,000/ to defray the expenses of steam navigation by way of the Red Sea. 15,500/. to pay the militia and volunteers in Can ads %t 3.)4,8011. to defray the ex enses of the comlllOsar'. • ! • t partment. 32,404'. for half-pay pensions in the commissar partment. b• partment. d er to `" The House then resume d, an d th e report was °r brought up on Monday next.D IR E JOINT-STOCK BANKS (SCOTLANe- n A LAND) BILL. ree d to, The report on this Bill was brought up and 4 ,g B ILL. SPIRIT LICENSE AND DUTIE S to be This Bill went, through Committee. doted ro The House resomed, and the report Was brought up on Monday. ILL. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS 1 4 - Bill ssl i , On the motion of Sir GEORGE GREY, In' __ t pitt li e dv i read a second time, and the Bat • was ordered to be con! e The Burial Service Bill (No. 2 ) was read a third tim e passed. W. SONIS IP The following Bills were brought in . by Sir , r V e L I LL a em v e er o a n lly mo re n a d d ay afirst time, and ordered to : Bill to Es C e O c tl ao t nn i d n d U t e si an Act to amend the laws relating to 9)°gl Bill t ocieties. oo' to continue the exemption of inh a bit an t s o f par i s hes' , f ew ships, and villages, from liability to be rated as such , a libi spect of stock in trad e , or ot h er property, to t h e re lief poor. Bill to continue the Copyhold Commission. Bill to continu e cer t a i n T urnp ik e A c t s . f hig h Bill to continu e an A c t f or a uthorising the a pplication ° way rates to turnpike roads. at° The other orders of the day were then disposed o 4 a ll House adjourned at a Quarter to Twelve o'clock. Yri - C ON SECRATION OF PADDING TON CHDRCII. the ieff day morning the Bishop of London consecrat‘Wvibe church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, in the 13 1 5 „ re , in f Paddington. The church is an elegant struc'"ibe P—ar perpendicular gothic style of the period of flail"' e igbb n e o f and is a great ornament to a rapidly improving:llo°,oi hood. It has been erected at a cost of 13,000 L, - b . " - e en n oflp- n r a m t a e d m b e y n t ti emro Bishop The to % the ;n. ep - TIIE APPROACHING PARTRIDGE S EASON- to the e III counts in Surrey and Suss f rable 50°701 Susses are very twou er f proaching partridge season. The broods are s ect On the wing, and the coveys are large, and the P` r 00 it re early hat vest will enable the sportsman to en te • 5 Wit restrict the Ist of S , ptember without the usual rest:' cJu.mAblielnese,yA„...l.A., has spect to standing crops. On the 26th of , 81RT11.9. -------------------------.............."'"'"—______,____--------- th il ark , it peel lad • o f George di of On the Rooper, Esq., of a daughter. the 111 26th of Jul at Whit It Hall, Goole , - bter• Capta . ' • 11l Sir James Clark g i f a d9 ll g lb' Ross, Royal Navy, 0 f Dote r On the 2 - 4th of July, Mrs. James Johnston, ° lane, Lowe Oen/ r Thames-street. 111. On the 27th of July, at the Grove, Camberwell, 3 Goss,of the On, a daughter.ore, the 28th' R us sell-gl of July, at Koppel-street, of wife '• of Gillen , Pi ' -ISil e ' _ c Pigott, Esq., of a son. on the 28th of July, Mrs. E. Paulson, of Chancel a daughter. the MARRIED• Fields, birvick, On the 27th ult , at St. Martin's-in - th e R _.v. S. Rant:ey, Mr.. C. Webb, of Judd- street, Bruee_ f t he s i tcre, to Emily, eldest daughter of Mr. Isascsov, u Regent's-park. Dr,, ° Ou the 21st of July, at Cambridge, the Rev. Jo hn t 1;;,,, f t o o B Gibsor, .A., of Trinity College, Curate o f Ham, S., Ann.], youngest daughter of the late Swann Harrell, I, '`s Foxton, Cambridgeshire. ti are, On the 29th of July, at St. George's, Henover-sy oiee Captain Sir Richard Grant, R.N., to Lydia' widow of 4 Lambert, Esq., of Fowlers, Hawkhurst, Kent. DIED. tar e, On the 24th nit., at M Cavendish -en argaret-street , George Homer F , ,sq. 0.1 the 28th • ult., in Regent-street, T. Vick s, Esq. , liff, On the 29th ult., Emily H • infant daughter or P- George Winter, Hawley-road, d es i V e tin c e s , h.town. Lucy _ On the 29th ult., at drovoea-end-road, St. John's-Wood, Amelia eldest daughter of J R Hall, Es q• .ll t i d 71. On the 30th I .____.. LLL ~ at Deptford, Mr. G. Pear age Ilf. London: Printed and Published by AIVRDO YOUNG, of o. _,..,s Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand. in the rref; o s • of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex, 801114544 1 " - 1, 1546. r