The Sun. — London, England, 1852-03-31 00:00:00

THE BOOKSELLING TRADE. A controversy, in which the public interests are very closely concerned, has just now, after some years' duration, warned a critital appearance. One of the most quiet and respectable of our national trades is seriously disturbed by nom:notions within its own body, and it is by no means clear to what result these differences may ultimately tend. The booksellers of the kingdom are at strife among themselves ; they are united in combinations and disunited by secessions, while oppression and hardship are respectively practised and endured by those who can exert power and those who are compelled to respect it. To make these proceedings intelli gible k the general reader will require a little preliminary exposition. The booleselling trade has a chaiacter peculiarly its own. It is composed of two classes, which may be termed those' of thanufastarers and retailers. The manufacturers are the publishers—that is to say, those tradesmen whose business consists in printing and producing the cosh positions of authors in the form of books. These books are subsequently distributed to the public through the agency of retailers, or booksellers proper, who obtain them from the publishers and sell them to their cus tomers at a profit. A book is a commodity which, for vary obvious reassons, always comes into the market with a fixed and definite price, and unless, therefore, the bookseller could secure an advance upon this price in his own sales, which is a very improbable supposition, it is plain that he must either go without profit or get some reduction of the original price in his particular favour. The latter system is that in use. A book has two prices —the publication price and the trade price; the former being that at which the public are expepted to purchase it, and the latter that at which the re tail tafesraan is permitted to procure it ; his own profits, of c ourse, being made out of the difference between the two. It is sir on the disposal of this difference that the controversy in question has arisen. Nominally, the trade price is constituted by a deduc tion of one-fourth, or twenty-five per cent., from the pub lication price; but, practically, even this considerable dif ference is so increased by customary allowances of reckon ing, that the actual deduction amounts to not less than one third. In other words, if a book is published at the price of 158. a copy to the general purchaser, a bookseller can procure it for the purposes of retail trade at the price of 10s., se that there remains ss. to cover his expenses and re turn him a profit on the transaction. Now, it would natu rally be concluded that the publishers having disposed of thesr commodities to the retail dealers at a price regulated by known considerations, would have no further concern in the matter. It must be understood that this trade price re presents the bones fide cost of the whole book. It includes the expenses of printing, binding, and so forth, together with the remuneration of the writer, and when this price has been paid by the retail dealer to the publishing house, both pub lisher and writer ought to have received their fair dues as assessed by themselves. The publishers, however, refuse to terminate their interest in a book with its sale to the retail dealer. They follow the retail dealer into his own shop, and insist on dictating the disposal of the profits they leave him. It is obvious that if a retailer has procured a book for 10s. which is presumptively saleable at 15s , he has a very considerable margin to ope rate upon. He may either demand the full value of 15s. and pocket his 30 per cent. gain, or he may reduce the gain upon each book with a view of obtaining either a larger sale or quicker returns. He may sell his book for Ils., 125., 135., or any sum, in short, between 10s. and 155., according to the temper of his customers or the accidental character of his Nosiness. Nothing could seem more natural or proper than that these arrangements should be left, as in all other trades, to the judgment of the retailers themselves. But here the publishers step in and say, " You shall not enjoy any such freedom. You shall not dispense with any portion of your personal profits except to such an extent as we prescribe. To attract a cash customer you may take off Is. 6d. from your 155., but no more. The rest you must put in your own pocket, or you shall get no more publications of ours." such is the language held by the publishers, and their conditions are enforced by an organized system of coercion. An'association has been constituted to which all booksellers within 12 miles of the General Post-office are invited to be • Inng. The members of this body sign a declaration to the effect that they will not sell books to any general customer, even for cash payment, at a greater discount than 10 per cent., or, in other words, at a less profit than 23 per cent. to themselves. In return for this pledge of fraternity they re ceive a ticket, and to none but the holders of this ticket will the publishers supply any books except at the full publication price ; so that any refractory retailer can:be absolutely deprived eta single blow of such portion of his business as consisted in the sale of new books. Any bookseller willing to content himself with smaller profits than those dictatorially assigned to him is described as an " under seller," and is iorthwith deprived of his trade ticket by the Executive Council of the Association, and placarded through out London as a man with whom, under pain of similar penalties, all trade dealings are interdicted. Against this imperious proscription many booksellers have rebelled, and have applied, in their straits, to the authors themselves for the works which the publishers refused to supply, till at length the system has been found insupportable, and an ap peal is made to the public. It will, no doubt, be alleged by the advocates of the existing practice that it oomminds the assent of the vast majority of the trade, as testified by their subscription to the rules. This, however, can be no valid evidence, for, in the face of such absolute powers as we have described, it is plain that the number of those venturing to dissent would be ex ceedingly few. Conditions may be obviously dictated to booksellers without much resistance by those who can debar them from obtaining any books to sell. We have attentively perused a circular, bearing date last month, in which the regulations of the Amalgamated Publishers are directly defended, but we cannot discover any valid reason for this anomalous interference with the free course of com petition and the natural operations of trade. On the other hmad, as the great publishing houses are generally retailers themselves, and as they thus take profit in a double capacity, they would seem to have an obvious in terest in exec ing their powers as publishers to enhance their remuneration as booksellers. We hardly see how the difference between the actual cost of a lnok's production and its price to the general purchaser can represent any thing but the cost of the agency by which the books are distributed; and if this agency can be performed, as is plain, up , in terms more reasonable than those assumed, it is diffi cult to imagine why the public should be excluded from the benefit of the condition. If the author and publisher of a book are both remunerated by a price of 10s. a copy, and agents can be found in abundance to undertake its distribu lien for 2s. more, why should these agents be compelled to derrtand and the public to pay a sum of 13s. 6d. instead of 125..? These considerations, on appeal to us duly made, we have felt bound to submit to the verdict of opinion. If anything can be said for the system which is not apparent on its surface, the readers of the Times will doubtless hear of it ; but in the meantime we must express our belief that the remonstrant booksellers have shown a very good case.— TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE TIMES. Sir,—Observing an article in your paper of this day on the subject of the bookselling business, we beg to inform you that the question which you discuss has been for some time under the consideration of Lord Campbell and several other eminent literary men, and we wait to be informed of their coneusions. In candour to yourself your informant should have acquainted you with this fact before precipi tating a discussion which must shortly be settled by the judgment of those to whom the question has been referred. Permit us to add the following facts:— The association is not a publi'shers' association, but an as sociation of the book-trade generally, and originated with the retail booksellers. As publishers we are no further interested in it than so far as it has been supposed So promote the sol vency of the trade and the ritosperity of literary specula tions. The sale of books by retail is so insignificant a part of a publisher's business that in supporting the association he cannot be actuated by a desire to obtain the double profit to which you allude. We are, Sir, your obedient servants, LONGMAN, BROWN, and CO. JOHN MURRAY. March 3). The commercial advices from the continent con • tieue wholly devoid of interest, except so far as they relate to the speculative proceedings of the French Government. The conversion of the Five per Cents. will be settled during the present week, Saturday being the last day for expressing dissent. Of course, up to the latest moment it will be im peeeible to form an estimate of its probable success, from the a "Ree of claims for reimbursement, since few would be grimy to th row away the chance of what each day may the ; forth by p rema t ure l y exerc i s i ng t h e i r option. From preent state of the market the result would appear ti ,% ub trel , but a ny operat i ons that may be contemplated for the purpose of inflaencing prices would naturally be delayed, so as to tell at the critical period, while, if the a n ti c ip a t e d declaration o f the Empire is also be made t o to take place to-morrow, it mi g ht app ear as a consequence of that event, From the decrees Published this morning, however, one step which must influence the market appears already to have been It e opted, in the announcement that a sun' equal to about 400,00 0% out of the proceeds of the tim ber from the confiscated eseates of the Orleans family, is to be invested ,kt Hentes as a s u b sidy for the Legion of Honour. Among the new railway arran gements it is mentioned that permission has been ive to the Lyons and Avignon and Disraelilinees Companies to combine for the AAgnon and the construction of Montpelier, which will complete the link to Cette. It is also stated that the two companies which were competing for the Bordeaux and agreed upon Cette concession havean amalgamation. Whether the , original promoters are .to receive justice ty a return o f th e i r catition-moneys is not stated, but such ie interred to be the case from the house of Roths child having consented to act " other to the new undertaking. At the various for remark, bounce there were no transactions callingbetter The letters from Berlin state an expectation of a eeeer eier „ q __ of bills on London after the op e ning of the Baltic ports,r tut the demand for the interior of G er many seems to . reude r any large shipments of grain t o this country =Pre bable. At St. P e t ers b urg h th e mar k e t s a re quiet, and the rate of exchan ge con ti nues w ith ou t th e least ria ff to varia tion. Regarding th e pro j ec t e d ra il way f rom Ch a r - o_ Theodosia, on the Black Se a , no thi ng pos iti ve h as yet bees! ascertained. The scheme originated with private parties , who are endeavouring to obtain a Government guarantee of 4 per cent., without which it is scarcely likely to be carnied out. Its length would be about 350 or 400 miles, and a line of about 450 miles from Charkoff up to Moscow would be requisite to complete the communi cation with St. Petersburgh. With regard to the working of the St. Petersburgh and Moscow line, it is stated to have suAred no interruption during the winter. There is only one train per day, and the passenger traffic is very small, while in the transport of goods a serious competition is kept up by_the sledges, which carry them at a lower rate.—Times. There was a meeting on Monday of the shareholders en the Agua Fria (Californian) Mining Company, which was very numerously attended. The object was to receive a statement from Mr. Wright, of San Francisco, relative to the prospects of the property, and also as to the title of the lame. The claims of Colonel Fremont to the Mariposa dis text were freely discussed, and it was elicited that he had Placed the whole of the questions arising out of his leases n the hands of Messrs. Lawford and Co., the legal ad iv2" of Messrs. Baring, with the view of dealing eP ar tiatiV with all the parties interested. Colonel Tremont Was not present, but this announcement, origin well as the various other explanations relative to the origin of his titlteb:erglave satisfaction. With regard to the proceedings of gue Fria Company, it was stated that the directors had endeavoured to exercise great economy in expenditnre, atel that they ow possessed 50.0001. invested in Consols and other availablei securities. They had already started a portion of their staff to California, and the re mainder would shortly of ' oceed with the necessary ma chinery. In the course of the deecussion some severe ues- Lions were put respecting ee l, of shares, &c., but these were answered in a manner that met approval. A deputation on the subject of a toll-free bridge over the Foe la at Londonderry had an interview with the Earl of Derby on Monday, at his officialreeidence in Downing -street. The deputation consisted of Sir Robert Ferguson, M.P , es, Bart., M.P , Capt. Jones, M.P., Sir Edmund Ha Humphre, M P., Governor of the y I r i sh Society,' Messrs. Beresford, y Gege, and Johnston, Trustees of the Londonderry Bridge, and Alderman M'Arthur, Alder man Gilliland, Messrs. Corsenden, Colquieutue Free kg ! and Crawford, of the corpo num of Derry,. THE LONDON GAZETTE, March 30. LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MARCH 2, 1852. Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold a Drawing-room, at St. James's Palace, on Thursday, the Ist of April next, at two o'clock. _ _ ST. JAMES'S PALACE, MARCH 24. The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon John Dorney Harding, Esq., Doctor of Civil Law, Advocate in Doctors'-commons, and of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law, and her Majesty's Advocate- General, OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, MARCH 27. Royal Regiment of Artillery—Major-General Frederick Campbell to be Colonel Commandant, vice Major-General Lacy, deceased, March 10. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Sir Thomas Whichcote, Bart., to be Deputy-Lieutenant; Christopher Tumour, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenant; James Banks Stanhope, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenantralarch 25, Commission by the Lord- Lieutenant of Norfolk. Ist or Western Regiment of Norfolk Militia—The Hon. Frederick Walpole to be Captain, vice Damant, resigned, March 18. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Stirlingshire. Stirlingshire Militia—Lieutenant Duncan Blankley Shaw to be Captain, vice Thomas Henry Burns, deceased, March 1. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant - of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Yorkshire Hussar Regiment of West Riding Yeomanry Cavalry—Robert Tennant to be Cornet, vice Bosville, re signed, March 20. Cornet Edward Clough Taylor to be Lieutenant, vice Rey nerd, resigned, March 24. Ist West York Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry—Major Richard George Lumley to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Elm sail, deceased; Captain Vincent Corbett to be Major, vice Lumley, promoted; Lieutenant John Jeffcock to be Captain, vice Corbett, promoted ; Cornet Michael John Ellison to be Lieutenant, vice Jeffcock, promoted ; Cornet Arthur Joseph Smith to be Lieutenant, vice Stanley, resigned ; John Barber to be Surgeon, vice Taylor, deceased ; Robert Thomas Cook to be Assistant-surgeon, vice Square, resigned, March 24. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. Robert M`Dowall, draper, Worthing, Sussex. BANKRUPTS. John Fraser, draper, Great Suffolk-street, Southwark, to surrender April 15, at twelve, and May 6, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman street-buildings, Moorgate-street ; Sawbridge, Wood-street, Cheapside. Charles Hudson Simeon, provision dealer, Bishopsgate street, April 8, at half-past one, and May 6, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basing hall-street; Keighley, Basinghall-street. Thomas Heard, brewer, Woodbridge, Suffolk, April 20, at half-past eleven, and May 18, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, official assignee ; Sole, Turner, and Turner, Aldermanbury; Pownall, Ipswich. Samuel Lovick Coleman, draper, Norwich, April 8, at two, and May 6, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom, official assignee, Abchurch-lane ; Sole, Turner, and Turner, Aldermanbury. Thomas Youngman, draper, Old-street-road, April 10, at one, and May 8, at half-past twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Pennell, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Jay, Bucklersbury. Frederick George Johns, fixture dealer, Great Queen street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, April 3, at twelve, and May 14, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Story, Great James-streeet, Bedford-row. Matthew Slade Hooper, tea dealer, Billiter-street, City, April 14, at half-past one, and Mg 14, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Freshileld, New Bank-buildings. Ann Puckett, lodging-house keeper, Melton-street, Eas ton-square, April 8 and May 6, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom, official assignee, Abchurch-lane, Lombard-street; Moxon, Southampton-buildings, Chancery lane. Richard Chamberlain, draper, Uttoseter, Staffordshire, April 3, and May 3, at half-past ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleson, official assignee, Nottingham; Jones, Sise-lane, London; Mottnram, Knight, and Emmett, Birmingham. Joseph Craven Reeves, paint manufacturer, Long Ashton, Somersetshire, April 14 and May 12, at twelve, at the Bris tol District Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol; Tyrer, Liverpool. Henry Hayman, apothecary, Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, April 6 and May 11, at eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hirtzel, official asssignee, Exeter; Gidley, Exeter. Henry Bates, brewer, Warley, Yorkshire, April 20 and May 24, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds ; Wavell, Philbrick, and Foster, Halifax; Courtenay and Compton, Leeds. John Barnes, commission.agent, Liverpool, April 14, and May 10, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Caze nove, official assignee, Liverpool ; Bagshaw and Sons, Manchester. Henry Martin, leather dealer, Liverpool, April 14, and May 10, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Morgan, official assignee, Liverpool ; Tyrer, Liverpool. James Lund Copeland, merchant, Liverpool, April 16 and May 6, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool; Lowndes, Robinson, and Bateson, Liverpool. Robert Johnston, silk manufacturer, Macclesfield, April 14 and May 5, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Manchester. INSOLVENT DEBTORS. J. King, hair cutter, Hanway-street, Oxford-street. J. Forge, jobbing upholsterer, Montpelier-row, Brompton. J. Watson, coach proprietor, Grove-lane, Camberwell. J. W. Procter, farmer, Plumstead, Kent. J. Rutter, omnibus proprieter, Union-street, Deptford. T. Leach, cheesemonger, Lisson-grove North. B. E. Brooshoft, extra clerk in Somerset House, Regent street, Kennington. T. R. Comyn, carpet agent, Hornsey, Middlesex. J. Glover, accountant, Crawford-street, Camberwell. W. Taylor, shopman, Upper Whitecrosa-street, St. Luke's. T. Gunner, wheelwright, Russell-street, Southwark. Rev. T. B. L. Hall, clerk, Cobourg-place, Kennington-lane. G. Smith, potato salesman, Church-street, Deptford. J. W. Oddy, Roupell-street, Lambeth. A. Eardley, licensed victualler, Blackfriars-road. G. Shatwell, clerk, Fish-street-hill, City. J. Burridge, hatter, Rupert-street, Haymarket. J. Aitken, joiner, Salford, Lancashire. J. Bramwell, farmer, Little Hucklow, Derbyshire. _ _ T. Bushell, ale and porter merchant, Salford, Lancashire. S. Coop, joiner and grocer, Manchester. J. Carroll, rope manufacturer, Salford, Lancashire. R. Howe, miner and farmer, Great Hucklow, Derbyshire. E. Lovering, grocer, Staleybridge, Cheshire. W. Millington, licensed victualler, Manchester. S. Martin, boot maker, Whalley, Lancashire. W. Norcross, plasterer, Clitheroe, Lancashire. J. Reid, joiner, Hulme, Manchester. J. Shaw, provision dealer, Heaton Norris, Lancashire. J. Traverse, joiner, Hulme, Manchester. W. Wild, fruiterer, Heaton Norris, Lancashire. J. Wilkie, jun., stone mason, Blackpool, Lancashire. J. Wood, joiner and builder, Manchester. M. Walker, licensed victualler, Kirkdale, Liverpool. W. Barker, tailor and draper, Staleybridge. E. Bennett, dress maker, Pill, Pembrbkeshire. G. Fox, farmer, Mexburgh, Yorkshire. J. Genetone, ironmonger, Cardiff, Glamorganshire. D. R. Morgan, chemist, Merthyr Tydvil, Glamorganshire. E. Beanland, engine tenter, Tong, near Bradford. M. Booth, innkeeper, Dewsbury, Yorkshire. T. Bedford, miller, Middle Shillington, Yorkshire. W. Bradley, wheelwright, Rock, Worcestershire. G. Brown, carpenter, Southampton. B. Garton, farmer, Scredington, Lincolnshire. T. Tunstall, grocer, Shelton, Staffordshire. W. Croasdale, tailor, Preston. F. Ede, cabinet maker, Worthing, Sussex. R. Gill, linendraper, Leeds. J. Ponty, clog and book clasp manufacturer, Leeds. R. Jackson, draper, Durham. B. Jackson, draper, Dnrham. R. Watson, grocer, Durham. J. Bateman, attorney, Dover. J. S. Bell, waiter, Kingston-upon-Hull. G. Corbitt, builder, Sheffield. W. Robinson, whitesmith, Burnley, W. F. Silcock, manager of an inn, Yarmouth. DIVIDENDS. At the Court, B isinghall street. C. Lamdin, Newbury, Berkshire, upholsterer, April 20, at twelve—W. Woodbridge, Mincing-lane, City, colonial brokar, April 20, at twelve—H. Shuttleworth, Saffron Wal den, ironmonger, April 20, at twelve. In the Country. 11. Thompson, Belper, Derbyshire, draper, April 16, at half.past ten, at the Court, Nottingham—H. Gladwin, Not tingham, draper, April 16, at half-past ten, at the Court, Nottingham—J. Cogle, Lymington, Somersetahire, miller, April 27, at half-past eleven, at the Court, Exeter—J. Fegan, Lincoln, draper, May 5, at twelve, at the Townhall, Kingston-upon-Hull. THE SUN, PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS. C. Watt, Southampton-street, Pentonville, baker, 6 , 1, on Thursday, April 1, and three following Thursdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Stansfeld, Basinghall street. T. Edwards Burslem, Staffordshire, manufacturer of earthenware, third and final dividend of 3 1 4 d., on any Thurs day before June 30, between eleven and three, at the office of Mr. Whitmore, Birmingham. E. T. Leeming, Manchester, hosier, 3s. 7 3 / 4 d., on Tuesday, April 6, or on any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. A. Bradford, Assembly-row, Mile-end, licensed victualler, 6s. ld., on Tuesday, April 6, or on any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Pennell, Guild hall-chambers, Basinghall-street. J. Baker, ' Cheltenham boot and shoemaker, Is., on Tues day, April 6, or any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and two at the o ffi ce of Mr. Pennell , Guildhall-chambers, Ba slaall-street. • br Tattersall, New North-road, Battle-bridge, comm on Tattersall, 1. Guildhall-d l i i day, b etw 4 ( , ) n Tnesday, April 6, or on any subsequent Tues. eleven and two, at the o ffi ce of Mr. Pennell, oyd, s t,!lnbers, Basinghall-street. I. B turday nezt,, Pt square, silk manufacturer, 2s. 2d., on Sa three subsequent Saturdays, between ele iv ve . n w an o d od t b w r i d ,:at e th ith e istz e Arle n e of Mr. Groom, Abehurch-lane. o c f ol m on r i . al Gr br oo o m ke , r ab l c s. hur ll ch d..., three subsequent SatuAlays, be towneSenateulredvain. nanezdtitwallo,laiht tehgelao ffi ncee' IERTIFICATES. lane, City. en — W. Goslin NOTICES OF C ERTIFICATES. At the Court, Edward- str asi eet a , gtall-street. ..., Portman-square, draper, Ap ß ril 2 D 3 8 , April 21, at one—ll. Woolf ti nc N l ctwich, ironmonger, b a e t n h e ar: v , buildings, City, umbrella manufacturers y9ns, Cripplegate- J. Rutty, Gerrard-street, Soho, April , .!!.pril 21, at one— Amery :Chelmsford, hotel an d livery-stable twelve —J. eeper April 26, at eleven. at twelve, at the In the Country. J. Fe an Lincoln, draper, May 5, hall, Kingston-upon-Hull--W Town.. W. Whitehouse, t rider 22, at eleven, at :the Court, Liverpool—H. p ound : tP i ril mouth, builder,zApril 22, at the Court , a t the Hall of comY merce, Plymouth— S. Bickerton, Liverp ool, but cher, April 20, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—J. Hall, RePend, Herefordshire, :farmer and lime burner, April 22, at half past ten, at :the Court, Birminghant—R. S. James, Leeds,- wholesale ironmonger, April 22, at eleven, at the Court, Leeds—H. Shaw, Houses-laill,‘Yorksbire, and Garthwaite, Mold Green, Yorkshire, fancy manufacturer, April 22, at eleven, at the Court, Leeds—T. Myring, Walsall, Stafford shire, bridle-cutter, April 26, at half.past ten, at the Court, Birmingham. CERTIFICATES GRANTED. J. Fairbrother, cowkeeper, Brighton, certificate of the se cond class—A. Markwith, Martin's-lane, Cannon-street, manufacturer, certificate of the second class—J. S. Rochat, St. Martin's-lane, briddlesex, watchmaker, certificate of the second class—G. Garrard, Saxmundham, Suffolk, ironmon ger, certificate cf the third class— F. F. Woods, Little Port land-street, Oxford-street, and Pelham-terrace, Brompton, contractor, certificate of the second class—J. J. Rayner, Manchester, Lancaster, tailor, certificate of the third dam— n. Welsh, Huddersfield, woollen cloth merchant, certificate of the third class after 21 days from March 26—J. Longbot torn and T. Fawcett, Leeds, cloth merchants, certificate of the second class after 21 days from March 25—R. Barr, Glasgow, and J. Sykes, Huddersfield, spinners, certificate of the second class after 21 days from March 26. Ys PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. C. Roads and E. H. Roads, Greek-street, Soho-square, tallow chandlers —W. Edger and W. Harris, Exeter, linendrapers—K. Wood and J. Archer, Maryport, Cumber land, and Liverpool, sail makers—H. S. Frost and G. Elphick, Poland-street—D. B. Woodward, jun., and 0. J. Crosley, Crosby-hall Chambers, Bishopsgate-street, wine merchants—R. Chantry and W. Chantry, Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, farmers—W. Stiles and J. E Stiles, Upper Marylebone-street, bakers—J, Bywater and J. Brandis, Spa-road, Bermondsey, mat manufacturers—V. Allen and H. Thomas, Newport, Monmouthshire, drapers—W. Buck land and J. B. Hawes, Walworth- place, Walworth, surveyors —H. Ogden and R. Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, brass founders—R. Stone and H. Marshall, Worcester, tailors and drapers —W. Lunn and W. J. Wright, Greenwich, engineer ing surveyors—J. Charlton and H. Charlton, Birmingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Ely-place, Holborn, merchants D. Ridgway, W. Steel, and S. Mather, Manchester, plaster and box manufacturers—R. Whinerey and T. Whinerey, Liverpool, carriers—S. Bennett and W. Lloyd, Weymouth terrance, Hackney, builders -J. Howard and E. Rayner, St. John-street-road, Clerkenwell, bakers—J. E. Ladbury and R. S. Carter, Upper Fitzroy-street, surgeons—J. Gamble and W. Cubley, Derby, painters—J. Drabble and S. Saynor, Pancras-lane, axletree manufacturers—J. Ogden and J. Mar - gatroyd, Keighley, Yorkshire, worsted spinners—W. Pugh and C. Pugh, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, linendrapers— Matilda G. Fox and Julia F. Fox, Devonport, Berlin wool dealers—J. C. Williamson, J. A. Livingston, and M. C. Davison, Kington-upon-Hull, merchants (so far as regards J. A. Livingston). INSOLVENT PETITIONERS. George Hockey, Culmstock, Devonshire, yeoman. John Weeks, Weston-super-Mare, Somersetahire. William Kennedy, Chesterfield, brazier. James Barrow, Huddersfield, commercial traveller. James Walker, Cowcliffe, Yorkshire, cordwainer. James Johnson, Bingley, Yorkshire, delver. James Teece, Dawley, Shropshire, tailor. Thomas Wadling, Devonport, rigger. Robert Pearman, Cheltenham, butcher. John Wollacott,'Uffeubn, De;'onshire, labourer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. J. R. Nicoll, Dundee, iron and steel merchant, to meet within the British Hotel, Dundee, April 8 and 29, at one. J. Gibb, Greenock, merchant, to meet within the White Hart Hotel, Greenock, April 3 and 24, at twelve. P. M. Thomson, Aberdeen, general ironmonger, to meet within the Leman-Tree Tavern, Aberdeen, April 6 and 27, at twelve. A. Cameron, Croftintygan, Perthshire, farmer, to meet within the Breadalbane Arms Inn, Aberfeldy, April 2 and 27, at twelve. \V. Jamieson, Torran, Argyllshire, farmer, to meet within the Argyll Hotel, Inverary, April 6 and 23, at four. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current, March 30.), SUGAR.—Although there was a good demand to-day for both grocery and refining sorts of West India, still merchants were sellers at the rates of Friday. The purchases were 600 hhds, &c., and there la a better assortment at market than last week. There was no public sale of West India. The public sales of Sugar at present declared for Thursday and Friday comprise 4,600 chests yellow Havannah, 760 bags Madras, and 3,700 bags Mauritius. REFINED. —To-day there was a good home trade demand for Refined Sugar, and it is difficult to obtain brown Lumps under 445. In Crushed Sugar rather more is doing for ship ping at last week's rates. iinumnus.—This afternoon Mauritius Sugar met with little attention privately, still the rates accepted were not under those of last week, a less amount being on offer. At auction 439 bags were sold, mid to good yellow at 30s 6d to 335, common 29s to 30s, and good to fine brown 27s to 29s per cwt. EAST L.:usu.—This afternoon a public sale of 2,948 bags of Penang Sugar went at full rates; low to good white realised 31s to 33s 6d, good to fine soft yellow 27s 6d to 30s, middling ditto 26s 6d to 275. Madras of soft quality re mains in good demand, and the rates obtained are equal to last week. At auction 2,719 bags were disposed of; soft brown at 22s 6d to 245, yellow ditto 24s 6d to 275, and fine 27s 6d to 28s. There was a reluctance to operate in Bengal, and Benares went rather cheaper. Other sorts sustained last week's valuations. Of 4,720 bags at auction rather more than half found buyers : fine white Benares went at 355, good middling to good 338 6d to 34s 6d, middling and ordinary 32s to 335, damp and washed 313 6d to 34s 6d, ordinary to middling grainy yellow 31s 6d to 335, good 375, good like Mauritius 31s to 325, and low to middling 26s 6d to 30s 6d per cwt. FOREIGN.—To-day there was much inquiry after Foreign Sugar for export, and last week's rates were obtained, at which there are few sellers. Some parcels of yellow Ha vannah were sold at 33s to 37s for low to very fine. None of any sort offered at auction. MOLASSES.—There are several buyers at full former rates. The value of Antigua is 13s Gd to 14s, other sorts 12s to 13s, Cuba and Porto Rico 13s to 13s Gd, Bengal and Alauritius 118 6d to 12s per cwt. Tamarinds, West India, 24s to 345, and East India 8s to 12s. Honey, Jamaica, 40s to 48s, and fine 53s to 565. COFFEE. ••• This afternoon there was a decrease in the de mand for Plantation Ceylon Coffee. Of 170 casks s and 833 bags at auction rather more than half was disposed of; good mid to good went at 54s 6d to 57a, mid 52s to 545, low mid 40s to 51s, fine to fine ord 463 to 59s 6d, triage 38s to 435, and fair pea berry 60s to 62s 6d. Of Rio 1,092. bags were sold at former rates; good to real good ordinary at 37s to 39s 6d, fair ditto 36s to 36s 61, damaged 32a to 36s 6d, and common sound washed 40s. Native Ceylon was dealt in with caution by private treaty, and rates are rather lower, ruling at 38s 6d to 393 for good ordinary. Mocha can be obtained at more reasonable prices. Costa Rica is still wanted. Cocoa.—For West India sales privately are upon a small scale, and rates rather incline downwards, fine red Trinidad selling at 30s to 425, mid to good 31s to 38s, common 33s to 33s 6d, grey from 30s to 345, and Grenada 29s to 34s per cwt. Foreign finds a more ready sale, at, 24s land 255, for Bahia and Para, and 28s to 29s for Guayaquil. All sorts of Cocoa are yet cheaper than last season. TEA.—In consequence of rather lower rates having been submitted to for Congon a good demand has been experienced, chiefly for low and best sorts. The rates accepted for very common are 7d to 7 1 ,0, good ord 7/d to 84d, rather blackish leaf to blackish leaf B%cl to 10M per lb, fine to Pekoe kinds lldtois 5d per lb. Oolong is offering at lid to Is 3d for good to fine, and inferior 8d to 103, yet few sales have been made. Of Souchongs several parcels were taken for shipping; home dealers, however, operate with reluctance; low to good can be obtained at 8d to Is 2d, and fine Is 3d to is 7d. Pouchong has been sought after at 4d to 6d. Of good and fine Scented Orange Pekoe many parcels have been sold at is 6d to is 7d, yet low to mid remain dull of sale, and can be obtained at 8d to Is. Flowery Pekoe finds a more ready sale. low to good selling at is to is 6d, fine to superior is 8d to 2s Bd. An improvement is apparent in the demand for green, true medium young Hyson and Gunpowder, from Is 2d to is 9d per lb, being most in demand. The value of Hyson low to mid is is to is 3d, good to fine is 4d to 2s, superior 2s 2d to 2s Bd, young Hyson common 9d to 10d, mid to good is to Is 6d, fine Is 7d to 2s 2d, Gunpowder Canton 8d to 11d, low to mid Hyson sort is to is 6d, good to fine is 7d to 3s 4d, Caper 8d to is 3d, Hyson akin 7d to Is, Twankay 10d to is Id, Imperial Canton 9d to Ild, and Hyson sort Is to 2s per lb. To-day at the public sale 300 chts Sago were in part sold at 163 to 17s for mid to good small pearl ; these are full rates. SVRITS.—For Leeward Island Rum a dull demand exists, and there are sellers at Is 4M to Is 5%d proof. East India can be obtained at is 4d proof; 2s to 2s 2d have been ac cepted for Demerara, 32 to 40 over proof. Jamaica is offering on lower terms. Since this day week sales have not exceeded 250 puns ; choice marks 34 to 38 over proof at 3s 6d to 4s, fine ditto 3s to 3s 4d, good mid to good 32 to 35 over 2s 4d to 2s 10d, mid 2s 2d to 2s 3d, and low 24 to 30 over proof Is 10d to 2s Id per gallon. For Brandy shippers as well as home dealers operate with caution. The value of Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1851 is 4s Id to 4s 3d, 1850 ditto 4s 4d to 4s 6d, 1849 ditto 4s 9d to 4s 11d, 1848 ditto 5s 3d to 5s 51, older 5s 6d to 6s 6d, low to mid 2s 4d to 4s, and Bourdeaux is lldto 2s 2d. British made Spirit conti nues to be dealt in with caution ; there are free sellers at 9s Ild to 10s cash. Gin at 8s 6d for 22, and 17 under proof at 9s. Geneva is held for is 9d to Is 10d, fine at 2s to 2s 4d, but less demand exists, and several parcels are e x p ec t e d. COCHINEAL.—To-day Cochineal was dull, and former rates cannot be obtained. At auction 23 bags were taken in at 3s 6d to 3s 7d for common and mid Honduras silvers, aLd Mexican 3s 6d. TALLow.—Operations in Russian, on the spot, have been upon a small scale during the last few days, and prices are depressed ; fine old yellow Candle selling at 34s 9d to 355, and new 35s 3d per cwt. Few transactions have taken place for delivery, and a desire is evinced to sell at 37s for last three months of the year. Home melted has been operated in with caution, and 35s Gd to 36s is the value, net cash, with a downward tendency. Other kinds met withe little notice. At auction 160 casks Australian mostly sold at 32s to 36s 3d ; 150 casks South American, 32s to 35s 3d ; casks East India, 39s 9d to 435; 140 casks Italian, 34s to 355; whilst 90 casks North American, and 80 casks Petersburgh Soap Tallow were taken in. ams.—This afternoon at public sale 50 cases East India Tallow sold at 34s to 41s for low to fine. PROVISIONS.—Prices have again given way for Irish Butter. The rates taken for Cork are 70s to 745, Limerick 583 to 60s, Carlow, Clonmel, and Kilkenny 62s to 765, Sligo 56s to 625, Waterford 58s to 64s per cwt. Foreign met with a slow sale ; Frieziand fine selling at 86s to 90s, surplus and inferior 63c to 80s, Holland, 'an.. 7e. eu 700, Ilcsampcu 0231 LV 545, Groningen 64s to 665, Edam and Leer 55s to 625, Hol stein and Kiel 76s to 80s, and stubble 68s to 74s per cwt. The value of English is 50s to 925, and fresh 7s to Ila per dozen lbs. For Bacon the demand -has much fallen off, and rates have given way ; Irish stubble selling at 47s to 51s, heavy 45s to 48s, and Hamburgh sizeable 47s to 495. - Middles met with a slow sale, and a desire is evinced to sell bale and tierce at 43s to 465. In barrelled provisions sales are limited. SEABORNE MAILS. [N ilgnifles that the mails are sent gore the General Pod-office by the night—and M by the morning--elispatch.] When made up is From what w nen PLACES. General Poet-office port dia. due. London: patched. America (by Brit. pkt.) N April 2 Liverpool • • April 6 America (by 'U.S. pkt.) N April 6 .. • • 'Liverpool .. April 2 America (by U.S. pkt.) M; ;Sonthampt. Africa (West coast).. N 14th of the month !Plymouth April 3 Alexandria* ..... N 1914 & 30th of mo. 'Dover .. April 18 Belginft N Daily .. Dover .. Daily Brazil .. M 9th of the month Southampt. April 16 Buenos Ayros •• M 9th of the month , Sontbampt. April 16 Callfornia(viaChaVer)M 2d & 17th of month :Southarapt. March 25 Cape of Good Hope N 14th of month 'Plymouth— April 3 Constantinople* 2 , 7 7th 17th 27th of mo (Dover .. April 10 Central America M 2d & 17th of men. Southampt. March 20 Channel Isles •• N Mon., Wed., &FrLSouthampt. Ta. Th.Sai Chili .. • • .. 31 17th of the month 'Southampt. March 20 France .. ••M & N Twice daily .. .. Dover .. Twicedaily Greece* Nl7th 17th 27th of mo Dover . • March 30 Hambnrgh N Tuesday & Friday London .. Tues. Sat. Holland .. M Wednes. & Satur,Londen Men. Thur Honduras N 17th of the month ISouthampt. March 20 Ireland .. •M & N Twice daily 'Holyhead .. Twicedally Lidia(via Southamp.) 31 20th of the monthlSoutharapt. April 21 Inelndia (aMarseilles) 1 Bth& 24th efmonth 'Dover .. April 2 Medit vi 24utilalls"tonrranean ) (via M 20th of the month Southampt. April 21 ten .assn (Vie Me Museillea) N fith&24thormonth Dover .. April 2 Madelttil xico •.: •• M2d of the month.. Southampt. April 5 • .. M 9th of the mon th S out h ampt. Apr i l 16 Malta* f 7th,17th,19th,27th Dover April 10 Naples* it 30th of month • Papal Sta., •• N sth 15th 25th o f me Dover April 2 Perurenins•ul•ar.. •.: N sth 15th 25th ef mo Dover .. April 2 •••• 71 7 th th n o lb f thnethmeofnmth° :o°tniththamamPPL •• ) 31 ( 21 .tx f Tuscany' N sth 15th 25 th of mo Dover .. April 2 •• •• M 17th of th e month SomAparrie Indies April West uthaumpt. March 2 West Indies (except rav T aßn he m ila th m o us nth mar .. k S ed on ( T ) ail ar p e t c . o A v pril oyoo s i a a &N to ms t a h n oso c ) F re nch packet via Marseilles. 4. 130 aa inttavievr with the Earl. Mr. Spooner bad an interview with the Earl of Dells*/ on Monday, at Ilia official residence in D owning -street. 01 1 ,tain Warbark4 LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 3l, 1852. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 30. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Royal Assent was given by Commission this day, at Four o'clock, to the Consolidated Fund Bill. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Lonsdale, and the Marquis of Salisbury. Their Lordships then adjourned during pleasure. At Five o'clock the LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack, and the House resumed. TREATMENT OF LUNATICS. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from the Alleged Lunatic Friends' Society, praying for improve ments in the present system of the administration of justice in cases of lunacy. THE CRYSTAL PALACE. Lord CAMPBELL rose to put a question to the Noble Earl (Derby) opposite with respect to the Crystal Palace. No man more admired that beautiful edifice, or better appreciated the talent of Sir J. Paxto❑ than ho had; but he thought that the time was arrived when, having satisfied the purposes for which it was erected, it should now dis appear. A Commission had been appointed to inquire into the subject, and he believed that its report had been unfavourable to its retention. Ho therefore wished to know what wore the intentions of her Majesty's present Government with regard to the Crystal Palace ? The Earl of DERBY said that the views of her Majesty's Government, after due consideration, were in accordance with the recommendation of the Commi::- sion, that this beautiful building, after having answered the purposes for which it was erected, should now dis appear. etanee to the Lord Chancellor, and he Mentioned the Lord Chancellor, not in his capacity as such, but as having a war rant under the sign manual giving him jurisdiction in all these matters. The commissioner made his report o❑ the petition ; after this the order was made. This was a course of proceed ing attended with great expense. In a recent case, where an estate of 501. was in question, it cost from 601. to 70/. to make an application and obtain permission to grant a lease. It was the same when repairs were in question; nothing could be done without the consent of the Lord Chancellor, and permission to effect repairs of some 301. cost upwards of 601. for application. What he recommended was, that, as in the Winding-up Acts and in the Irish Chancery Act lately passed, this circuitous course should be put an end to; and he proposed, accordingly, to make these applications, not to the Lord Chancellor, but to the officer known as the master of the lunatics, and that the order of this officer should be binding, unless an appeal was made against it within seven or ten days. This would cause an enormous saving ; and he, therefore, hoped his Noble and Learned Friend would accede to the proposition. There was another point most material as connected with the administration of the estates of lunatics. lie considered that the commission in many instances was nqt necessary to be issued at all. In cases of bankruptcy the commission was dispensed with, and the fiat of the Lord Chancellor substituted in its stead This prece dent, he proposed, should be adopted in those instances, for the purpose of saving expense to the estate. But an expense much more inconvenient was that of the grant for the cus tody of the personal estate of a lunatic. This passed under the Great Seal, and usually cost 25/. What he proposed was, that the order under which the Great Seal was affixed should be held the same as affixing the Great Seal itself, and have the same effect. This would be a consider- - „ able saving of money. He came next to inquiries into sound. ness or unsoundness of mind under a commission of lunacy. These inquiries sometimes ran to very great lengths, aris ing from the conflict of evidence. The course of proceed ing on them was the most simple imaginable. The counsel for the commission opened the case as for the Crown, and called witnesses in its support; the counsel for the lunatic answered that statement, and called witnesses also to rebut the case. It was the same as a trial at the assizes. The cost attending these inquiries arose from the number of wit nesses, especially the medical witnesses, on both sides. This could not, however, be interfer e d w ith without producing great injustice—he spoke of cases fairly conducted, of course. But what might be interfered with was the circumstance by which the inquiry was not confined to one particular day, but extended backward over a very considerable period. It always appeared to him that a very inadequate advantage accrued from this extension of the inquiry; it was his opinion, on the contrary, that little or no good resulted from entering into long past transactions. It did not compensate for the expe;seoccasioned by prolonged inves tigation ; and he should submit to his Noble and Learned Friend whether it would not be advisable to bring such in quiries within limits, either fixed by law, or left to the dis cretion of the commissioner. There was another circum stance relating to the execution of the commission. It sometimes happened that under colour of interest in the cause, and ostensibly for the protection of the lunatic, per sons carried on a defence against the commission for their own costs in the inquiry. He proposed, therefore, to give the commissioner absolute and entire discretion in such cases to award such sum in the shape of costs as in his judgment he should think met the justice of the case. An impression had gone abroad that the length of the in quiries was intolerable; he had, however, made some in quiries into the facts, and he found that for the last ten years not more than nineteen out of the groat mass of those inquiries had occupied more than one day, and not more than five had occupied two days. The cases which had been complained of, therefore, should be looked upon as ex ceptions. Length of inquiry was not confined to lunacy alone—it was caused by the conflict of evidence Not long since there was an inquiry before one of the Vice-Chancel lors which lasted fifteen days; another occupied a similar period of time. Lord BROUGHAM—" Small and Attwood." Lord LYNDHURST then referred to various cases in which commissions had been issued, and verdicts returned of unsoundness of mind, which verdicts were subsequently set aside or confirmed by other commissions. Among them was that of the late Mr. Dyce Sombre, who had been examined by himself, and whose delusion was that he would be very well if be was not exposed to overtures from certain ladies of high rank. Another case was that in which the individual had sent a challenge to the Arch bishop of Canterbury to meet him on a white charger in Hyde Park, he being mounted on a black charger. Ile made re ference to these facts to show that where there was a conflict of evidence in a case it should be heard through, and could not be abridged. With respect to another point—namely, the expense of the jury, he should offer a suggestion. Twenty , four jurymen were now summoned; the jury was, in fact, in the nature of a grand inquest or grand jury. He pro posed that, unless notice was given of the intention to require a jury, no jury should be summoned as of course, but that the master of the lunatics should decide the ques tion as of himself. He also thought that even where a jury was required less than twenty-four might be summoned. He would not state any particular number, but that would be an object of inquiry. It had been suggested that it would be better to have no jury at all, but that the decision should be left to the commission ; this, however, he had a strong objection to. The lunatic had a right to a public investiga tion if it was required, and he (Lord Lyndhurst) should be extremely sorry to see a jury dispensed with in those cases. There was, however, another and a graver ob jection to dispense with a jury. On no subject was there such a difference of opinion as on that which constituted soundness or unsoundness of mind. There was great danger, therefore, that the commis sioner might, when six medical men, for instance, were of one opinion, and six of another, lean to either side—might fancy this or that, and therefore it was far better in cases of doubt and uncertainty to submit the evidence to the decision of a jury, men commonly of plain, but practical understand ing. It had also been suggested that it would be better to do away with inquiry by commission, and refer the question of lunacy to the assizes in the country, or to analagoua juris. dictions in the metropolis ; this, however, he not think practicable; nay more, he thought it might be in jurious to the lunatic and expensive to his estate. It was absolutely necessary, for instance, that the judge and jury should see the lunatic, as in the present practice, with the purpose of putting questions to him, which ques tions very often decided the issue. How could that be done at assizes? Furthermore, the lunatic might get unduly excited, and sustain irreparable injury by such open exami nation. At present, these inquiries were carried on very often in the residence of the lunatic. Besides this, the wit nesses were usually examined on th e s p o t w h ere they carried on their ordinary avocations. But if there was to be an in quiry at assizes, all these witnesses would have to be removed to the place where the assize was held, and the expense to the estate would be enormous. He saw no advantage, therefore, in changing the tribunal ; more especially as no limit could be placed on the length of the proceedings where the case might be one of contested evidence. With respect to another point, that of a new traverse, when twelve or more jurymen expressed their opinion that a person was of unsound mind, he had a right to carry his case before another judge and jury of the same nature. This right had no doubt been celled in question by Lord Ilardwicke and Lord Thur low ; but Lord Loughborough and Lord Eldon had admitted it; and the decision of Lord Cottenham in its favour had been sanctioned by the Lords Justices. Lord Cottenham decided that there was an absolute right to traverse ; and within the last few days the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack had affirmed that right, in a case now pending. But the reasons for allowing an abso lute traverse in all cases existed no longer ; and he (Lord Lyndhurst), therefore, proposed to extinguish it as such, and leave it to the discression of the occupant of the Wool sack for the time being to grant or refuse it. If he was dissatisfied with the verdict he should have the power of exercising that discretion, either by ordering a new trial or by such other form of proceeding as he might think best for the ends of justice. He (Lord Lyndhurst) had made these observations in reference to the Act of 1842 ; in refe rence to the Act of 1845 he would say one word more, with the permission of their Lordships. Any person confined for a certain period in a licensed house for the reception of lu natics was deemed of unsound mind. The masters in lunacy had a right to examine into the estates of those persons, and to exercise a certain amount of authority over them. Their powers., however, were defective, fur they fell short of those of the Commissioners in Lunacy. What he pro posed was that their powers should correspond with those of the Commissioners in Lunacy. The Noble and Learned Lord concluded by thanking their Lordships for the patient hearing they had given bins, and stating that, knowing as he did the anxious desire of his Noble and Learned Friend on the woolsack to introduce all possible degree of perfection into the administration of justice, he confidently left the case in his hands. The Noble and Learned Lord then moved for the returns of which he had given notice.—(ilear.) The LORD CHANCELLOR was not aware of the par ticular topics to be introduced by his Noble and Learned Friend ; he could not, therefore, be expected to pledge him self to the numerous measures which he proposed. At the same time he was free to express his opinion that few of them were open to any serious objections. As far as they went they affected beneficially the great object of lunacy legislation, which was to obtain sufficient support for the lunatic, and to preserve his estate. The House was in debted to the Noble and Learned Lord for the Act which hal been passed • in 1842, and for the new tribunal in lunacy, which worked, he believed, remarkably well, and which would ultimately enable their Lordships, he hoped, to carry into effect many of the proposals of his Noble and Learned Friend. The speech of his Noble and Learned Friend opened up very serious considerations. The great thing was to discourage the vast expense which at tendees commissions in lunacy, many of which were sought and maintained for the benefit of every one but the lunatic ; in fact, the last thing thought of was generally the lunatic. Most of the propositions of his Noble and Learned Friend might be readily adopted ; some of them were of the greatest importance. But to abolish trial by jury in the case of lunatics--to take individual liberty and property without sulk a means—he did not think possible; though, at the same time, he was ready to admit that there had been cases where a great waste of money had taken place without the slightest beneficial effect. A certain time spent in an asylum was a prima facie proof of a person being under the care of the Great Seal; but that should not prevent cases being sent before a jury. The great object, however, was to provide for the proper maintenance of the lunatic, the due admi nistration of his property, and its exemption from unnerceesa sary expense. The question of traverse was one oft that difficulty. The Noble and Learned Lord proposed h_t_7._ ror agains,,, ne person holding the sign manual warrant should hove l i ' avg . feet discretion in this respect, and decide fo ied six trial himself. This was a question to be confide would take the case of Mrs. Cumming, w . IIIZ et , she Lord teen or seventeen days before a jury, ncl bad again a _ mes s with his Noble sent for a new trial. In many cases he g ach that un inquiry h which he (the Lord Chancellor in the exercise of his ownadiscretion and Learned Friend, that it was no reps ing a th o a f t h e lunatic being examined should last long ; but there was n is the trial of lunacy cases at disease. All these were nice his opinion, have a most n C i h si an p e r e i l u l s o . r) d i e l p e re e c i a rc te u d m in at o wan r before a judge and jury on r i e h n e desirous had adv ltieadn mosthe w of a st the to injurious influenr robl u e P an a Learned Friend did him no more and in estate, and to see questions- stating his anxiety for the perfection of justice; no man person than justice serve lunatics justice When in another done- d and he be Ire an fbelieved that the labour he had asylums snot thrown away. In the • • had was when ha had disposed inquiry into which he should go w of the questions of the Chancery he should Court of ._ endeavour to meet the sugges tionsiving was p:illuinical place of his Noble and Learned Friend. Lord LYNDHURST observed that applications for new trials were never entertained unless the judge who had tried the case stated that in his opinion a new g trial ought to be granted. Lord TRURO said that the Act of 1842, and the orders made under it, h a d b een attended with the greatest possible benefit. Ile thought, however, that the per-centage charged upon the estates of lunatics might be so lowered as to relieve the smaller estates considerably. With respect to the right to traverse, the ground on which a party claimed that right was that he had no trial at all. Out of 40 commissions, which was about the number issued an unly, about five were executed, and not all of these even proceeded to the extremity of contest; and yet, was it not lamentable to find that in each ct the 35 wtoonte.3ted culuthi.s:iouq the prelithiuory expenses up to the appointment of the commission was 2001., out of which about 551. went to the Suitors' Fund ? He saw no reason why this enormous expense should be permitted, or why the masters in lunacy should, on being applied to by the relatives of the alleged lunatic, not proceed with the inquiry until somebody appeared to object to it. By that means they would avoid the large expense of 2001. in each of the uncontested commissions. The trial upon traverse at nisi prius which had been described as so imperfect, and at which neither the judge nor the jury saw the lunatic, was nevertheless the only final binding act; for the investigation before the commission which was so ex pensive, and the preliminary proceedings in which cost 'LOU, was finally binding upon no one. Let, then, the proceeding on the trial upon traverse be improved, and where there had been no previous inquiry before a jury, let it be a matter of right to have the power to traverse. The motion was agreed to. FOREIGN REFUGEES. Lord BEAUMONT said that certain papers relating to foreign refugees had been laid on the table; and on next Monday, if it suited the Noble Lord's convenience, he would draw the attention of the House to the subject to which those papers related. The Earl of DERBY hoped the Noble Lord would give notice of his motion in specific form. Lord BEAUMONT said the question he intended to put to the Noble Lord, was, whether he was prepared to lay on the table of the House any further correspondence which has taken place respecting the Rev. Mr. Wingrove who was driven out of Pesth, and another clergyman (we did not catch his name) who was expelled from another part of the Austrian dominions; and also with regard to a certain courier from Constantinople who had been arrested and deprived of his dispatches. _ The Earl of MALMESBURY said he could answer the question respecting ➢lr. Wingrove at once. That gentleman was arrested by mistake, but had since been liberated and had received compensation (as we understood). Lord BEAUMONT said that the question he meant to ask was, whether the Noble Lord was prepared to lay any further correspondence on the table. The Earl of DERBY suggested that the Noble Lord should give notice in due form of the papers he meant to move for. Lord BEAUMONT would then move for the production of all further correspondence which might have taken place on the subject. Then Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 30. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before Four o'cicck. ROYAL ASSENT. The Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod appeared at the table, and summoned the House to attend in the Lords to hear her Majesty's Royal Assent given by commis sion to the Consolidated Fund Bill. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following Bills were considered and agreed to.— Barnsley Gas Bill. Bristol and Exeter Railway (Yeovil Branch) Bill. South Essex Estuary and Reclamation Bill. PETITIONS. Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from the Society of Friends in Bradford against the Militia Bill, and from the members of the Working Man's Co-opera tive Association in Bradford, praying to. be legalised. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from Preston, praying that industrial societies may be legalised Mr. V. SCULLY presented two petitions from the county of Cork, one praying for the repeal of the Ec clesiastical Titles Bill, and the other in favour of tenant right. Mr. 'LINDLEY presented a petition from Staley bridge, praying that it might be created a borough. Mr. 0. GORE presented several petitions from places in Shropshire against the Maynooth grant. Sir F. BARING presented a petition from Portsea, praying for an amendment of the Poor-law. Mr. DEEDES presented similar petitions from places in the county of Kent; also a petition from the Isle of Sheppy, praying for the right to return a Member to Parliament. Lord CASTLEREAGH presented a number of peti tions from the county of Down i❑ favour of tenant-right. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Arbroath against the Maynooth grant, and praying the House not to make grants to any religious denomination whatever; also a petition from various other places in Scotland, praying for the repeal of the Test Acts; also a petition from Admiral Dundonald, praying fur an inquiry into the state of the navy. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from a place in Scotland against the abolition of the Test Acts. Mr. G. HIGGINS presented a petition from the county of Down, praying for an alteration in the law of mortmain. _ Mr. LOCKE KING presented a petition in favour of Parliamentary reform. Mr. Cayley and other Hon. Members presented peti tions praying for the repeal of the post-horse duty. Mr. HEY WOOD presented a petition frum a place in Lancashire, praying for the repeal of all taxes on know ledge. Mr. BENNETT presented a petition from Bury St. Edmund's complaining of agricultural distress and pray ing for relief. Mr. NAPIER presented a petition from a poor-law union in Ireland in favour of tenant-right. Mr. HASTIE presented a petition from Glasgow, praying for the repeal of the Test Acts. Sir B. HALL presented a petition praying for the re peal of all taxes on knowledge. Mr. W. J. FOX presented a petition from Bolton against the Militia Bill. Mr. COBDEN presented a similar petition from Eden bridge. ADMIRALTY. In reply to Mr. HUME, Captain DUNCOHBE said negotiations were now going on between the Admiralty and the Board of Works relative to the improvements about to be made in the offices occupied by the Admiralty. Mr. HUME hoped no expense would bo incurred until the House had had an opportunity of discussing the subject. Captain DUNCOMBE said the expense would fall upon the individuals who were to enjoy the improve ments, and not the country. FOREIGN REFUGEES. Mr. M. MILNES gave notice that on Thursday next he would move a resolution to the effect that the House observed with regret the correspondence with friendly powers which had been laid on the table, with reference to foreign refugees having an asylum afforded them in this country. REDUCTION OF PUBLIC SALARIES. Mr. PIGOTT asked the Secretary of the Board of Trade whether, in conformity with a motion he sub mitted to the House in 1850, ho had any intention of proposing a reduction in the salaries and wages paid in every department of the public service? Mr. HENLEY said he had thought it his duty, as a private member of Parliament, to raise the question with reference to the reduction of public salaries in two successive Parliaments, but ho did not ob tain from the Commons that support which he thought he was entitled to, especially from Hon. Members opposite. lie was told by the Government that they considered it more desirable to regulate the services performed by public officers, and to throw somewhat more work upon them, than to propose a general reduc tion of sal.try. Ho, there.fire, thought ho was bound by the decision of the House as expressed two years ago, and it was not his intention to disturb that decision. SPIRITS IN BOND. Mr. TENNENT asked the Chancellor of the Exche quer whether he had any intention of introducing messuro to alter the existing mode of levying the duty on home-made soirits in bond; and, if so, whether he would give any intimation of the time when such measure is likely to be brought forward? Tho CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, i n answer to the Hon. Gentleman, begged to say that when be made his financial statement on the part of the Government, which he hoped to do very shortly, b e should communicate to the House how far he intended to deal at present with the taxation of the country. POSTAGE STAMPS. On the motion of Mr. COBDEN, the petition of Mr. Robert Wallace was referred to the Committee on Postage Stamps. MERCANTILE MARI . I%! AND NATIONAL DEFENCE. Mr. ANDERSON called the attention of the House to the report of the Select Committee of session 1849, a pp o i n ted " to inquire into the practicability of providing, by means of the commercial steam marine of the country, a reserve move the steam navy, available for the national defence when required," and intimated he would . Dion of this House, safety, follow ing resolution :—" That it is the opinion that in order the better to provide and to preserve peace, for tuu public to economise the public resources, navy promptly it is desirable that measures should steambe adopted with a view to render the commercialde available for the national he should submit to the House be enee in ease of emergen cy. , In submitting a subject which was scarcely this motion a few practical factsonn any matter that they could second in importaonnsideration. The violent political recently taken place on the continent 1 in France, had naturally have under their excited changes which hadjy means of national of Europe , est' ° with respect to our some s°li f n itu c d as c e of a sudden invasion, and the result was defence in sate©ment of rifle corps, proposition to and a the " militia. This en rol th° A , however, was beginning at the w rong 01 " P reparations should be made to t inv as i on, and to m eet t h e enemy on that l prevent an element whereon to we had always b oon accustomed e conquer. There was a prevalent opinion that the introduction of st eam navigation had destroyed advantages wewhich h formerly i possessed in our insular position. That s fallacious. ounery We were in a better • ' in that wa position had been in the history of the country. For every steam-ship that the French possessed we had twenty. The United Kingdom possessed 1,300 mercantile steam-vessels of all classes, amounting to about 300,000 tons, and 100,000 horse power, most of which could be made available as a defensive force on the shortest notice. Government should make an arrange ' meat with a hundred or two of the larger class of coast ing steamers, which might be simply and inexpensively armed so as to furnish a force sufficient to repel any pos sible invasion. Steamers of from 400 up to 1,000 tons might be made to carry two largo traversing guns, 32 or 68-pounders, at an expense of from 50/. to 1501. Of course he should not include the packet steamers be cause they were already fitted up to carry heavy guns, a n d Government had power to appropriate them to the public service whenever it should be deemed necessary. The owners of these steamers would nc, doubt be wil ling enough to make the alterations necessary, the out lay being returned by an annual premium. There were surely sufficient guns in our ordnance stores to supply 200 steamers, and a ship having been surveyed by the Admiralty and fitted with the sweeps for receiving the guts, the ordnance should provide the guns and car riages, them at the and place nearest ordnance depot, to the port from which the vessel usual!) sailed. As to the manning of the vessels, th . usual crews would be ready 1 enough to volunteer, and, if necessary, crews could he made up from the coast guard, half-pay t_ ffieers, and our commercial marine, When be (Mr. Anderson) moved in 1643 f a 4 Ccantuittee to luNiXe into 0313 fitibitOtt it YtitB stated that it was done with a view to promote some personal object. But he begged now distinctly to state that he had no interest in any steam navigation what ever, except one company, in e hi c h the ships were already under the same regulation that he wished to apply to many more.—(Hear, hear.) There was a pre judice among many naval men that merchant ship` could not carry guns; but the evidence of the most com petent naval authorities examined before the Committee went to show that nearly all our sett-going stea mer° were capable of carrying arms. He held in his band the report of the Committee appointed on his motion in the year 1849, to which he wished to call the attention of the House. That Committee, after going very m inutely into the question, and exam i n i ng a num b e r of w itness!e , said, " The Committee are o f o pi n i on that me rcantile steam-ships of all sizes, and th e strength n ecessary f or the reception of such guns as are used in the roll navy, would be mo s t use f u l as an aux iliary force for our national defence, and yo ur C omm ittee do not per ceive any difficulty in carrying out such a mea sure. That a prompt development of the whole available maritime resources of the coun t r y, i n the event °f sudden hostilities, is most d es i ra bl e u s a means for the preservation of peace; that the steps necessary to render such mercantile steamers available for the Pe r - pose, and the remuneration to be given by the public for taking them an d h o ldi ng t h em l i a b le for the public service, must be a matter of arrangement between the owners and the Government, on which the Committee do not think it d es i ra bl e to offer any opinion." Not withstanding that r e p ort o f the Committee, up to this time nothing had been done by the Government; but as the subject of national defence was now exciting so interest, he considered it hi s d uty aga i n to bring w.••• question before the House.—(Hear, hear.) The Galla nt Admiral near him (Admiral Berkeley) stated t h e other evening that in the course of twenty-f our hours he could line the Channel with steam-vessels. He (M r ' Anderson) should be surprised if that could not be done, seeing that thirty vessels would be sufficient merely to signal each other, and the private company with w hich he was connected could accomplish that object; but wh at was required was the collecting a large number of vessels within hail of each other, so as to operate on one point_ at a very short notice. Such a force would not be u sed . for aggressive purposes, but simply to d e f e nd the count r y against aggression, and the very knowledge of the ex istence of a force w ou ld b e one o f t h e b es t weans of guarding against any attempt at aggr ess inn.—( ll f' r ' hear.) Ho consid ere d t h e adoption of which plan nie" h he had submitted to the House would be very advanta geous, and trusted the House would agree to the resole' Lion which he had already read.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. MACKINNON thought it right to say a few words upon this subject, having had the honour of pre siding over the Committee to which the last speaker had referred.—(Hear, hear.) The report which the Ho nourable Member had read was unanimously agreed to by the Committee, and there could be no doubt that in the event of a war or threatene d invasion our mercantile marine navy might be rendered available fur the national service.—(Hear, hear.) There were ample funds at the disposal of the Government for rendering it so available and sup" plying each mercantile steam-vessel with arms and ammunition. There were no less than 1,230 steam vessels attached to the mercantile interestof this country, and if a moiety of that number were rendered fit for service in case of war, an invasion from any poiec f e the compass would be perfectly impossible. P .° therefore advocated this measure from motives of eee" fenny, and he thought it the House would only giv e the subject a moment's consideration it w ould _ see at a glance the feasibility of the scheme. The idea of blockading the enemies' ports had long been exploded, for in the event of a gale o f wind arising our ships might be forced to put to sea, and bef.ofot they could return again to their posts the enemy mig embark her troops, and our coast being left unprotected a landing would not b e so i m possible as some p eo .p l _ imagined. Now it' thi s sc h eme were edopted sace a! danger would be avoid e d, an d h e therefore hoped te" House would agree to the motion. had Mr. STAFFOR D must do the Hon. Member who brought forward this important subject the justice to say that, whatever decision tho House might come o w_ with regard to this qaestion—whether favourablbeutir. othereise—his course had been not only plain ness-like, but entirely removed from all party caonndsidenrai tions.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member had tur eu but as a n his attention to the subject, not as a partisan, Englishman, and he must say that he had never known a Committee which had paid greater attention to r i ject, or conducted an inquiry in a more fair and iro "' Wanner.—(Hear.) h a e n h ir o r u . — 5 e The oa s r ia ) teHofeFriend the that of foreign powers. His Right Hon. our would naval now f ree proceed as co t i n o p a a . r y e Pdbaef withre 4 3 he Secretary for the Home Department stated last night b i n his speech on the Militia Bill the following of the line, 5 frigates, number of vessels of war on the home station rn9dsroe_a_cy• to serve-9 sail other steamers, and 8 paddle -steamers. There were de' vessels nearly completed. The whole of our naval fence on the home station stood thus— 1 sloop, is re" Vessels. Men. 9 530 ••• 1,544 7 •• 16 • 6,642 ••• .• 11 ... 2,822 • 5 368 Total ... To these add Hecate (cruising), 160 men; r ill „ se ts Antelope, 55; Vulcan, 152; making in all 52 V bore , and 12,328 men, exclusive of 4,500 Marines on 0 . and coast guard and dockyard battalions; being gether 29,648 men. In addition he bad to mentionablet 45 ... 11,906 to, 55; Simoorn and Vulcan, large screw-steamers, each c a p be of moving a regiment, and several small steal ners is ion sides. The whole of her Majesty's ships in comral were—. Woolwich ... Sheerness ... Portsmouth Devonport ... Cork ~, East Indies and China ... ••• ''' 19 Cape of Good Hope ... ••• •'' 6 Coast of Africa ... "• h e Subsequently to the dismissal of the •Noble Lord t t _Member for Tiverton, a notion had arisen among foreign powers that England was inclined to abandono her efforts for the suppression of the slave tre" ' tether it be wise or unwise to keep Wheth might fri up the A t can squadron he would not stop to inquire, but he mus t be allowed to say, that with regard to the number ~ vessels on the coast of Africa, l ong th ey so as 'r lowed to remain there the Admiralty would feel it the' duty to keep them in an efficient state.—(Hear, beer'?, He would now proceed to state the number of foreigu e ships in commission, and wished to call the attention 01 the House to this curious document, which had been prepared with great care and attention. To begin vi t were al Russia. The number of Russian line-of-battle ship commission were—in the Baltic, 27; Black See, making together, 45. Of frigates and corvette s there , were—in the B a l t i c , 12; the Block See, 12; togethere 24. Of brigs, sloops, and schooners there wer e —in th Baltic, 15; the Black Sea, 19; together, 34; maki n g a total of 103. Th en , w i t h regard to steam - v essel ! , Russia h a d i n th e B a l t i c 8, and in the Black Sea 6 fn' gates; of s m a ll s t eamers t h ere were in the Baltic 5, and in the Black Sea 15; in all 34—the entire na val force of Russia bei ng 137. He would next take French 5110 in commission, The French had—ot line•of-battle ships, 7; frigates, 11; corvettes, 10; brigs, 11; small vessels, 12; transports, 22; in all 73. Of steam-vessels of 600' horse power and upwards they had 2; b e tween 500 and 600, 1; between 400 and bOO, 8; be tween 300 and 400, 1; between 200 and 300, 151 between 100 and 240, 31; under 100, 8; in all, 66 . The novel forces iii the three great maritime p owers of Eu lope were: Line-of-battle ships—Great _Britain, 72; France, 45; Russia, 45. F r i ga t e s —Great J 3 ritain , 83 ; Fiance, 45 ; Russia, 10. T he total Stifling force was.— Great Britain, 236; France , 257; Russia, 174. Coming Russia, 8. Of steamers under 200-horse power, Great to large steamers—Great Britain had 37; France, 61; Britain had 97; France, 57; Russia, 24. But it should be remembered that w e had also th e l arge Transat lanticand it was shown i ll a l etter from Mr. s teamers; T urn bull, our Co nsul at Mi e ars ll es 9 e thatone of thes o • steame rs, the Montezuma , carrie d tn 1848 from Oran to Port llonduras , from the 20. h to the 24th o f April, 1,818 men of the 6th Light Infantry 56th B, inie o and eg ..... of the Line, and 195 o ffi cer mak i ng 2,013 men altogether. s and crew of the ship_,_ went through th ese (The Hon. Member; Rho statistics with great rapidity, then :entered into some details showing that it is not 0 • for the purpose of Profe pared to resist possible on all occasions to be f o ll y o the transport by means. atoeinin, but he of troops are tto unable to re spoke so indistinctly that we With reference port that portion of his observations.) would b e to the st t . . a times above given he said it w seen from these figures that ' • Po wer' fro' which most one great foreign was to be feared, stood almost upon en equal footing with ourselves • and it should never be for gotten that the nee ' • in der to cell essary preparations or plete the work of invasion, which formerly would he l l t e occupied a month, could now be accomplished in a nig. he s and it therefore became of essential importance, " • 10 attack, House wished to render the coast secure from see that our navy was placed upon an efficient footinp Much had been done since the Duke of Wellington, lv.! 1847, warned us of our defenceless state; but still more remained to be done if the country desired to teach 1 1, reign nations that not only an invasion but an attack upon our coast was impracticable and impossible; 1361" r had no hesitation in confessing that before manY o f ell r be ships of war could be rendered fit for sea, the se- , v e l he of no less than three thousand additional men woni".. h necessary. The Hon. Gentleman had come forwardly:lo3% the opinions of several eminent men, showing the 1 , portanee of mercantile steamers in cases of erunrgerec_ Before the Committee' which sat upon this Obi": Captain Chads stated that ho thought it highli n eee L fiery, as an auxiliary measure, that we should have nt ra eL . cantile steamers to defend our coasts against the num ber ber of armed French steamers which would be sent , _ to annoy them in case of war, and he added that , c , u t did not think that less than 150 or 200 of the r a .„ powerful vessels would be sufficient for that pu r e t he Captain Henderson also gave it as his opinion before of same Committee, that we ought to have a number id hen light fast steamers in the Channel, in case a War 5 ; I break'both to protect our own trade and to criv ti e the enemy's vessels. He added, that in the event .. es war, the enemy would be sure to. have numberless 1031ge° and fast steamers, with a small complement Of 6eS ou r on hoard, cruising about the Channel and annoying to ej tO coasts. These opi nions were a ll o f th e m favours d) the views of the Hon. Gentlemen, and he (Mr. S' aff p er c ied had no hesitation in saying that the Admiralty cone. pot the principle.—(Hear, hear.) The Admiralty b,. 3121 , o no waited fur the motion of the Hen. Geutlemen , ne iince of the first things that they did on coming i nt 9 r one was to put themselves in CoilliDUntioll Wlth P e-s o h.. who could supply them with information upon t he the jeer,. The present Board of Admiralty acceded to his proposition Of the Hon, Member; they acquiesced in;_r, motion, and desired must sincerely to carry it intone th v 0 —(Hear, near.) But he must be permitted to renl i .bich Honourable Gentleman of the difficulty in which the Admiralty found themselves, for PS the 0 cdtimmes hid already ptiiiked, thoto w of CO"Se SECULAR EDUCATION. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Mr. Robert Owen, praying that he might have the opportu nity of explaining his views on education before a Selccl Committee. DURATION OF THE PRESENT SESSION OF PARLIAMENT. The Earl of MINTO, seeing Lord Lyndhurst in his place, asked him whether it was his intention to pro ceed with his Bill for enabling each House of Parliament to take up in an ensuing session a measure which had been passed by one of them in the preceding session? He was induced, to ask this question as he found that there was a general impression abroad that we might very shortly expect a dissolution of Parliament. It was also said, that as a very short and hurried session would follow the general election, many measures would be passed in one House which there would not be time to consider in the caller. He suggested that some of such measures might be proceeded with during the present session, as their Lordships had at present a great deal of leisure in their House. The Earl of DERBY—Before my Noble and Learned Friend answers this question, I beg to correct a misap prehension under which the Noble Earl opposite labours as to what fell from me some nights ago. Nothing has Sver fallen from my lip s w hi c h cou ld lead any man to uppose that the present would be a session of unusually Iport duration. I never said anything that could justify uch a conclusion. I say further, that the continuance ,f the session depend s on causes over w hi c h I can have n o control. As tar as I can form an opinion, the next 1 session, so far from being a short and hurried session, will commence at an early period, and will be of no ordinary duration. The Noble Earl has done me the honour to allude still further to what he supposes me to have said. What I did say was this, that I thought it advisable that the autumn should not pass over without Parliament coming to a decision on certain subjects deeply affecting the welfare and interests of the country. But I did not say anything which could lead the House, nor did I intend to lead the House, to the impression that there would be an early dissolution in the spring, to be followed up by a short and hurried session in the summer. On the part of her Majesty's Government there was no such intention. As to the object of the question now put by the Noble Earl opposite to my Noble and Learned Friend, as to the expediency of pass ing a Bill to enable us to keep a measure hanging over from one session to another, I have only to say, that whatever may have been his intention or mine as to enabling one House of Parliament to take up in a fol lowing session a measure passed by the other in a pre ceding session, I never contemplated a measure for enabling us to continue in one Parliament a Bill com menced in another. The Earl of MINTO complained that he had been misunderstood by the Noble Earl opposite, and explained what he actually had said, but in too low a tone of voice to enable us to report him. The Duke of NEWCASTLE—My Lords, my under• standing is, that the p resen t exp l anat i on of the Noble Earl (Derby) is not in accordance with that which I understood to fall from him on a former night, nor with the understanding which other Noble Lords have of the expressions which he then used, and which gained their approbation, nor with the general interpretation of the public. The Noble Earl has stated with great cor rectness the latter part of the answer which he then gave me; but the Noble Earl will not, I think, deny that he also stated that he did contemplate an early dissolution of Parliament, and that he did not think it right, considering the temper of the present House of Commons, to persevere with any measures of legislation except those which were of instant urgency. He will not, I think, deny that he also stated that which, of course, produced a great effect, and rendered his explanation more satisfac tory—that he would not pledge himself to dissolve Par liament on any definite or particular day—that he would not pledge himself to dissolve in April, May, or June— The Earl of DERBY—I never mentioned those months. The Duke of NEWCASTLE—I must then appeal to the recollection of your Lordships—for my recollection on the point is distinct. If the Noble Earl says that he made such a statement without intending it, I am ready to admit it; but from my perfect reliance on my own recollection I must say that the Noble Earl has for go VII his own statement; for I aver that he distinctly said that ho did not pledge himself to the time of the dis solution, and that he would not say whether it was to take place in the month of April, May, or June. The Earl of DERBY—The Noble Duke has evi dently misunderstood what fell from me on a former oc casion. I said that I would not pledge myself to specify the day on which I would advise her Majesty to dissolve Parliament, or the month in w hi c h a genera l e l ect i on should take place. I said that I thought that it was ex pedient for the public advantage that the autumn should not pass over without a new Parliament having an op portunity of discussing certain questions of deep general interest; and I added, almost in the same words which 1 repeated to-day, that I thought it was expedient that those questions should be di s p ose d o f b e f ore t h e ordi nary time of assembling Parliament for the session of 1853. That statement I repe a t again. Beyond that I have not bound myself, nor will I be induced, to go. Here the conversation dropped. The Personal Estates of Intestates Bill passed through Committee. The Proclamation for Agsonabling Parliament Bill was read a third time and passed. ESTATES OF LUNATICS. Lord LYNDHURST said the object he had in view, in moving for the returns contained in the paper which he had laid on the table, was to lay the foundation for ex tending the provisions of the Act of Parliament passed in the year 1842, for administering the estates of lunatics found lunatics by commission. In order that the subject might be distinctly understood, he begged to call their Lord ships' attention in a few words to the state of that depart ment of the administration of justice in lunatic cases pre viously to the passing of the Act. The commission was directed to three persons to hold the commission near the place where the lunatic resided. As these places were often remote andl9bEcure, it followed a'most asia matter of course that the commission was authorised to make inquiries under the authority of the great seal, wherein they were informed of the nature of the duties they had to discharge. The con sequence was that the returns were frequently not made, on account of irregularity, or from being defective. He had seen a list of those defective returns, extending over a period of ten years, and they amounted to no less than 60. He did not mean to say that in all these returns the commission was quashed, but a good deal of unnecessary expense was incurred. In many instances, however, the decisions were quashed, and the consequence was that a new inquiry was carried on before a new jury, at the expense of the estate of the lunatic. In addition to that the commissioners were paid, not by salary, but by fees. Each commissioner received 5/. per day during the discharge of his duties, besides other incidental fees, When he mentioned Si. per day, that ap plied to the country, but in London the commissioners re ceived double that sum. In the country the commissioners received every day while discharging their zloty a gum of about 201., and in London about 40/. per day. Their Lord ships would be surprised to hear that in Lord Portsmouth's lunacy the fees amounted to 1,070/. In the case of Mr. De vonport the fees amounted to 500/, and it was by no means unusual for the fees to amount to many hundred pounds. Besides the circnmstance of the commissioners being paid by fees, the jurors also were paid at the rate of one guinua per day; the solicitors were also remunerated in proportion to their labours; and their Lordships might come to the con clusion that none of the parties were interested in shortening the inquiry or bringing it to a speedy termination. At an early period, when abuses were more prevalent, the parties assembled at a tavern or inn, and partook each day of a din ner at the expense of the estate of the lunatic. " - sic to sapiens finire memento Tristitiam vitteque labores Moth, Plance, mero." —(Laughter.) The quotation had a peculiar application, the entertainment being at the expense of the lunatic.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Before the verdict was returned the whole of the proceedings were referred to the Master in Chancery, where all the expense and delay incident to that ancient, much-revered, but now worn-out and condemned establishment was incurred. By the Act which, in 1842, he (Lord Lyndhurst) had introduced, the whole business was transferred to three commissioners, who were named in the Act. They were gentlemen of great experience, and when the commission was issued, one proceeded to the place where the lunatic resided and summoned a jury. After the verdict was found, the proceedings were of this nature— the commissioner, being on the spot, and surrounded by the relatives and friends of the lunatic, he examined them vira roce, and obtained all the materials necessary for the administration of the affairs of the estate. When he in troduced his Bill, it was opposed by his Noble and Learned Friend (Lord Cottenham) on one ground—that it was impossible that all that load of busines could be con ducted by three commissioners. He (Lord Lyndhurst) ventured to differ from him, and the result showed that he had formed a correct estimate of the powers Every of the commis s i oners t o t ransac t the tukiness. commission was executed a few days after it was issued, and there never was an y arrear . D ur ing the first year after the appointment of th e com mi ss ion there was an arrear d out of the imme nse accumu l a ti o n of business which ba arising been but at transferred to them from the Masters in Chanceryr;e_r was the expiration of the first year the whole of that arrear He got rid of, and since then there had been would now state what alterations and extensinonoosaor made these of the Act he meant to propose. He had intended to v he had alterations at at an early period—as soon as he had had suffi cient experience of the working of the Bill; fish that, and signed the Great Seal before he could accoi . It was no the matter had remained stationary since then cessary that he should call their attention to t . hat,.p e oit 7 ye propo - )ed that all applkation.i >lliad be matte li rr.'t In" ~y s ~. ,fir_.