The Sun. — London, England, 1846-08-07 00:00:00

)I t ,, k °tlld be enabled to discover the inaccuracies of its whieitin e 4 g , and th us h ave the benefit of the experience Th tbbey would obtain by nex t y ear . bE e 11 was then read a secon d ti me , an d or d ere d to oslmu • ted this day week. cu rd CLARENDON, in the absence of the Kam taoricarde, moved the second readings of the Irish k 46 B ill, the G ran d J ury A ssessments (I re l an d) and Bill, Shannon Navigation Bill. post,?rie th e Sh annon Navigation Bill, as objections MO NTEAGLE desired the Noble lord . to h k ? t T h ueel? made to it. tti N e i NI was then withdrawn, and the two others re- T hee Rouse then adjourned. Th eQ .°l7 SE OF COMMONS, August 6. "I'Esame. took the Chair shortly before Four. IY.!le repo rts REPORTS. %ait on the Bishop of Norwich's (North Lynn ) b ate t Bill, Borthwick Estate Bill, and Lowe Th - ar Y Estate Bill, were agreed to. THIRD READIN GS. , zeithtttraz a ti n eltr ai a n n s g oro L u in g ce& n L a tliol l, Rail ay Bill Bill, and the New Pt sea, Company Bill were read a third time and POST-OFFICE. '; 13 1 • tr ; h u IINCOMBE presented a petition from Tho ,loifib-:".4133, a leWr-carrier, complaining . of . the har,d kt4e ,; I Pg dismissed from the Post-ofhce come ""e'teo hating given evidence before Mr. Peacock, the l e i % to that establishment, and praying for inquiry. LOe AND WATERFORD RAILWAY. nektfe !n otion of Mr. WYSE, the Bill was ordered to Cap t j sec T , ond time on Friday next lk l I ' ECRELL presented, pursuant to notice, a .I '° lll the Rev. Edward Duncombe, rector of tho m.%kyr', e, in the county of York, complaining of tt 4 4C 4 Ppropri at i on, b y the Y ork C entral Di o ce s an ' tt . of the sum of 3,5001., granted by the Committee Pti: T eil of. Education for the purpose of building t ith, e le: r aining Schools for the benefit of the children p' B _ 4 !l! i - n ruring classes. The Hon. Member gave notice " 4 4. -en tion to-morrow to move that the petition be VAN MEMEN'S LAND. ,` 4 ,tt r. o rellt presented a petition from the free colo ,71,1)1 Diemen's Land, setting forth the hard "PreE,;''er which they laboured, and praying for a t , dlatative form of government. tp • notion !notion of Sir GEORGE GREY, a Select till 4Zd as appointed for the revision of the stand -4ft relating to Private Bills, consisting of Mr. 14 4114 11, Mr. Strutt, C a ptain Jones , Mr. Gibson Craig, • Gree ne. ene. Sir J • PLUGGING IN THE ARMY. ettinkh C. HOBIiOUSE p resen t e d a p e tition from am comaining. of the practice of fl ogging in 44 341 and Pr aying the House to take the subject into k r. er ation. I tgih moved for a return -of the number of kti e t • that had taken place in the army (luring the ti l. ' l lll k MORTALITY IN THE ARMY. mr. also moved for returns of the mortal 4 pa s ri tish army in different parts of the world durin g Year. r „.,„ DEBT AND PRIZE MONEY. i' - "NRY WINSTON BARRON rose, pursuant tt t ,' e f e, to put the following questions to the Presi the Board of Control:—What was the amount '44, 1 b1e of he debt and prize money since the last dis i?„,,liti°4 in 1832 of the Deccan Prize Money ?—Had the ti 4 'eure jewels, in the custody of the East India Com ttio Deflates, b een a dj u d ic ated, as se t f ort h i n • the k;tlPaper of the House of Commons, as printed in Fear 1838 ?—Wh e n w ill th e distribution of the debt 114 t ize money take place ; and has the dispute which kt4ted the distribution of the said prize money been Vhtr lC.nf ot what is the nature of the disute ? u• HOBHOUSE said that the last distribution 1 44 /o eccan prize money too k p l ace i n 1842, an d not "ed by the Hon. Memb er i n 1832. Wi t h re f erence lot e tttrher questions, he thought th e Hon. Member bad Ith,,,g' p eve for a conti nua ti on o f t h e re t urns move d f or 41 11 1 4' 40 n. Member for Montrose on a former occasion subject. si r. QUARANTINE LAWS. t`g LA.YARD wished to ask the Secretar for .°lll6 Department, whether Sir Witham Pym, wie4talltendent General of Quarantine, had within ttW o t 'd tai t he jeers been employed by Government . to .spr.o -()lament for the purpose of obtaining in '44lollllml the subject of quarantines from the au- I ttl ia rl to different places, or for some other purpose . ; . iskad e °I ? if he made a report on his return ; and,. it a r ePort, whether there be any objection to its I.l4;i tlia l: t li fi tit ed• and laid on the table of the House ; tp„"ernment may institute an inquiry, by com eta,. , - ,', 84 4, as to the nature of the fever which pre ,,,ear on board her Majesty's ship Eclair; and t‘,Z l r , tli tt i" have been the true yellow or black-vomit it) t t ,, ail tqol lie ,, inquiry should then extend to the ques otheins4t-iersi.a, tether it has been proved .. that such a disease if 414 11, 0 110 from persons labouring under it to io ogh. Litre o th 'IISON said Sir W. Pym was employed to s t— IQ: I '? subject, and the report had been laid on ; I lesti • ° I the House; with regard to the second 14 0 I) ; h e lb the , said that there had been an inquiry q - u l Lt vir su °,:leet of the fever, and the result was e ilarto..th7ll; 9ue of the persons appointed to in k'saa inf • subject, came to the conclusion that it .`keoutraetrytl°44indikosnease and Sir W. Barnett had arrived on the subject. kraiTT B I4 II ,, C °NDA.RY PUNISHMENTS. gave notice that, on Monday next, he he kb - - Bottle questions of the Government relative to k r ret of secondary punishments. pO o riIEROE moved for copies of any corre n s ( i th"ree between the First Lord of the Treasury the b l t t er of the Rolls, in the year 1845, respecting -14a ng of a Public Record Office.—Agreed to. RELIGIOUS OPINIONS BILL.. The order of the day for the second reading of the I tilss E l r :-)Pinions Bill, on the motion of Lord J. f ake N n „ , "'as then read. '‘lte a sr te Lt n Lo ßD wished, on this order being read, to I 'Vealed a --ent respecting the nature of the Bills to Irt o r and he might first observe that the greater 444ned t hese Act s were a l toget h er unwor thy o f being S t i m t en the statute-book. These Bills might be " It o various cl as ses, and among the first might t j ls ll - ; t f eci a n ordinanc e w hich prevented any Roman Ca libt T ra holding lands in this country. There was no o : 1 ' the general desire to gat rid of this nuisance. , 114 1;, 91t ill this class was that which required thi!t ,111 0 „1 8 should wear a badge of degradation. This PuAwer which he thought no one would wish to re- L f/f tli e 7, 11 Jews were admitted to all the privileges `eep., „'anstitution and it would therefore be absurd to We t s a d istinction' which had been practically abolished b, (11 11V 3' ,. r , ; The next class of Acts which he was desirous c „.7ttl e rv'nit from the statute book was that which lan k 'td . n DenaltieS for not attending public worship ft ,,,k0 l Ito the rites of the Established Church. By the 14 -44 11 1 " t l Award VI any offender was liable for the first Pr e eP,Vta r Prisoism ” entfor six months, for the second ti 4 7 l 4 oa4 e l 4 , _and fo r r t, th w e a t s hird to the penalties of high r.,‘ . .3 not to b.. in conn . ece 11 1 10. th vli tit th e 3 ' E n siaul a ish y ed Ch p urch. d By the 29 Eliza - 5 7,talli l TrY person not attending public worship in the_ :ued Church was liable to a penalty h f i' l kit lt ti for i a second offence was liable to a (11 411 et all his goods. The next class of Acts 11 40 t was desirable to repeal were those which 411 11411 cd prosecution for religious opinions % Ito es Pecill The io Y thhi instituted punishment for, i 4 6 th e supremacy of the Pope i . n this country. I, ill 4D t i tself was one of the reign of Elizabeth directed ti‘ '' th e ~.opish recusants. It was subsequently enlarged t . 4 4 414 ' of J and imposed for the first offence 'la ; i fur the a s m ec e o s n , second , loss of all the goods and chat !stii,. t ile offender. and for the third, the punishment t'4 He (Lord John Russell) thought there little to fear from the Pope's supremacy in 41 1., i khf clilt itrY in the present day, and that the Act ge• Lwith saf t be erased from the statute-book. Lord Denman e and several eminent judges had opin)nagainst these enactments, and there ilkthte; Government was convinced that there was no sup remacy of the Crown Whatever of the kt ' lB country. He S . id not think there th at t a LY advantage in keeping up these penalties ; - et mere assertion that . the Pope ought to have is. ~ r lricacy in this realm, if it were the person's 4 :1 1 : 11 , ought not to . be punished. If any ,Ne v il made his assertion of the Pope's supre- t 'e t cin suc h a shape as to . bring it before sli tt o;" of law, he would be dealt with according to the 'llz - . °ll law of the country. These Acts, the 13th of b 'ia, - 4 1 for example, were enacted in times of n _th p e p r e e , ,1 1 c1 - , 111-1 3' was an assertion of the authority the .r P a. , e. 5 ',a,„ 41 attempt was made to free men from thei 11 0 i\ the to the throne of this country by authority t .44 °Pe , and after that time all persons who introducedhigh tre e: the country were pronounced guilty of t t ' l 41 ; Now the q estion was, whether it was desirable 4 the penalty for this. He said it was not in 4 s, of any one to prevent the introduction k th e i nto this country. These were necessary r ,‘Ppeintment of bishops and priests in think o f Pr 4,,`Atholi community, and it was folly to da k e te h , v-tlti g their being introduced. Supposing such 7,P,,t n to b:Made as they they had read of in former t ,:ria 's P t it ; - :, Yet , it was extravagant to suppose that any `I% , Ig4 ""ltin be made by the Pope to interfere with the b e l l y authority of this country ; he did " en b —e „tbat any Roman Catholic would be affected 11 : 0 , s tl s, Y to - t 0. !..p that - effect—still if any one acted under it the common law of the country, he N la w indicted on a charge of high treason, s'p w ould Id deal with the offence. If there if Uld teg treasonable in these bulls, they ‘Nis4re Was by the law the country, and th e _as . nothing in them of a treefsonable character e 't it was unnecessary to maintain those . laws. t , N R11 11 ,,„ 1 . 4 saY that after the Bill had passed, it certainly tiglltieetrtitdirteioTe tF. r s h o e m re e confusion in the law, though no in the Bill t o alt alter the oath which was now taken, and which 41411.0reatictstinue to be taken, namel . • that the Pope ti st leat. nor ought to have, any namely, eccle.. oi t ai , , the : spiritual, in these realms, while, at the same 4( 14n could be no doubt that he actually exer i_°telt w - , e .' l , a, nthority. Such was the at present, and spr'hal remain after the Bill had p assedp. He always e D Z 4 Al e t t al l i th e, oath to . be, that in the opinion of the tits y hg it no jurisdiction of the Popes' in this i ) (' e l bat L at )4l , (l , be enforced by law, and ought not to be take the same time he thought it was not to nt e4 _, n without proper consideration. He , did not .ne I t 'On th it 4 1:4 fro e pa,,sing of the present Bill, to relieve tn w aa des :n the necessit.y of that oath. He thought thht it l tetir,, ,2rable to introduce this Bill alone, as its intro ben,ivt'th any others of a similar nature might impair the t h at ; The l ate Government came to the conchs thaght t e c h a 13ill was necessary, and Lord Lyndhurst Ettaotin at, it Weald be wore desirable to fotrodifee k lit ~a te 'Re than to encounter the difficulties • v ia the protracted consideration of it which would inevitably ensue if it remodelled the whole ques tion of religious opinions. He did not wish to give any opinion on the other parts of the subject, but he thought the House would do, right •to remove many of the ab surd penalties which could now be inflicted by the pre sent system of legislation ; and, with that impression, he should move that the Bill be read a second time. Col. SIBTHORP said that he had always pursued one course of conduct in that House, and he always would do so. He did not bear any unchristian feeling towards those who differed from him in opinion, but he certainly was attached to the national form of worship, and he could not subscribe, and never would subscribe, to any omission of a departure from the rules necessary to establish its supremacy in this empire. He knew the Bill had been prepared in another place by the Lord Chancellor, but the high position of the authority from whom it proceeded would not preclude him from offering it his most determined opposition, for he considered it might be both too passive and too active. He knew his opposition would be futile, but, nevertheless, he should not hesitate to enter his pro test against it now, and reserve a more detailed state ment of the nature of his opposition until the future stages of the Bill. He regretted the absence of the Hon. Baronet the Member for the University of Oxford (Sir It. H. Inglis), because he was satisfied he also would have opposed the measure. The Noble Lord (J. Rus sell) had endeavoured to console the House on the subject. This was a happy knack on the part of the Ministers, in order to enable them to get comfortably over the ses sion. They should not, however, forget that they had got in because the others were an extremely bad set. — (A laugh.) They promised well, as they had not yet de ceived the House—(Hear)—and he should not entertain a bad opinion of them until they did deceive the House. He objected particularly to that portion of the Bill re lating to oaths, and considered that the Bill, as it stood, would have the effect of undermining the national Church. Sir H. W. BARRON entertained great respect for the National Church of this country. If the Gallant Colonel had such great veneration for our ancestors, he might have recollected that they established the Roman Catholic religion, and had handed down every great principle which was worth contending for in that House; and that a Roman Catholic Archbishop forced the tyrant King John to sign the Magna Charta. He was not going then to enter at large into this ques tion, but he believed no man could contradict this simple fact, that the acts of their ancestors, which the Gallant Colonel so much admired and so much eulogised, were the acts of Roman Catholics.—(Hear, hear.) Now, with regard to the principles of the Bill itself, he would only say one word. One of the oaths prescribed to be taken by Members on entering that House was, he would not tolerate the spiritual jurisdiction of any foreign Prince in this country, and yet it was notorious that the Pope of Rome had an established and acknowledged jurisdic tion over the Roman Catholic Church in this country. Mr. ESTCOURT complained of the time at which this Bill was introduced, when the greater proportion of Members had left town.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill had only been in the hands of Hon. Members for a few hours, and he could not be supposed to be acquainted with the provisions of the Bill. The Noble Lord who introduced the measure had said that bulls were per fectly necessary to enable the professors of the Roman Catholic religion to act in a proper manner. He (Mr. Estcourt) did not know how correct that statement was, but he found that there had existed for a great number of years a law prohibiting their introduction into this kingdom, and he thought it too much that at so short a notice the House should be called upon to repeal that law, and consent to the importation of bulls. He thought that the provisions in the Bill regarding oaths should be postponed until the subject could be considered in connexion with a Bill of a more general nature. He hoped that the Bill would not be pressed forward this session. He considered this was not the way in which the House should be treated. The Hon. Member concluded by moving that the Bill be read a second time that day three months. Mr B. ESCOTT supported the Bill, but complained that the previous Bill contained clauses which the pre sent did not, while the present Bill had important clauses not in the other Bill. It was his desire, at a future stage of the Bill, to submit some clauses to give greater effect to the measure, and he trusted the Noble Lord would have no objection to his doing se, or to their introduction. Mr. SPOONER entirely concurred in what had fallen from the Honourable Member for the University of Oxford, and if he pressed his amendment to a divi sion he would vote with him against the Bill. He considered it was improper to press the Bill forward at the present period of the session. He certainly thought that this Bill ought to be post poned, for he conceived that the discussion should not be taken now, at so late a period of the session, when many of the Members had left London without any ex pectation that the Bill would at all be brought on at the present moment, still less that it would be brought on at all at this period of the session. On these grounds he hoped that the Noble Lord would assent to the postponement of the Bill till next session. Then, with regard to the penalties to be imposed for the spread of sedition in this country, he would beg to ask the Attorney-General how, when under the oath of supremacy, they were bound to resist the exercise of any supreme authority in this country, whether ecclesiastical or civil, they were to meet the influence of a bull quasi, a bull which was purely an ecclesiastical docament emanating from ecclesiastical authority ? No action at common law could meet it, and these was therefore clearly a fallacy in the assertion that sedition, spread by means of a bull of the Pope, could be stopped by any such means. Mr. HENLEY said he rose merely to give his rea sons for the vote he intended to give on this Bill. He said the Hon. Member for the University of Oxford complained of being called on to vote on this Bill, which had been circulated only to-day, and the more that it was at this period of the session. If this had been a new matter, upon which they were entering, he (Mr. :Henley) would have agreed with the Hon. Member; but this Bill had been all but substantially introduced by an Honourable Member at a previous period of the session. The Ministers of the then Government advised the withdrawal of his Bill, because another was in the Upper House virtually Including all the principles contended for in it. That Bill recited, he believed, all the Acts which the present Bill recited. This was the way he got over the question of time. What, then, was there in the Bill itself which any one could object to? He could not, for the life of him, see anything to object to in the substance of the Bill. It did harm to no one, and if it did no more good to any one, the Bill ought to be passed out of -con sideration of the prejudices of their Roman Catholic fellow-subjects. Indeed, it was happily becoming the policy of the times, and, for his parr, he said, if there was a mark against any man, in God's name let it be removed. As for the Act of Supremacy, which had been introduced on that occasion ' he did not see that the Bill at all interfered with that Act ; for it was his opinion that all who at present took the oath of supremacy would continue to have to take it, if this Bill passed. With regard to many parts of the Bill, he believed that every Member in that House was in some way or other subject to some of the penalties which it abolished. He could see no harm or danger to any one institution in the Bill, and therefore he should vote for a measure which would in many respects be a very useful one. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the second reading 79 For the amendment Majority The Bill was then iead a second time, and ordered to be committed. SUGAR DUTIES BILL. On the mot ion being put for going into Committee on this Bill, Mr. V. SMITH rose to put a question of which he had given notice, to the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies. He wished to know if any alteration had been made in Mr. Secretary Gladstone's arrangement for the appointment of Under Secretary to the Colonial Department? Mr. Gladstone had deter mined upon a gentleman for the office who had not been previously connected with the department, and this system was considered to be unjust to the gentlemen connected with the Colonial-office. Mr. Gladstone proposed to sweep away not only the head clerkship, but also the probationary clerks of the office, and he thought such a course of conduct was highly objectionable, and caused a great amount of in jury to a very valuable class of persons, he alluded to the clerks in the Colonial-office. The more manly course to have adopted, would have been tocome down to the House and state that there was a necessity for an Assistant-Se cretary. He would have gladly supported such a propo sition, but he objected to any insinuation to create a new office. He had made this short statement in order to call the Hon. Gentleman to the consideration of the question. Mr. HAWES declined at the present moment enter ing into the subject involved in the question of the Hon. Member. Until he had had more experience of the office, and had consulted with the Right Ho nourable Gentleman the previous Secretary of the colonies, he did not think he would be in a proper position to give the answer required. The officer, how ever, who had been referred to had proved a most effi cient officer. With regard to the clerks in the office, he would bear witness to their general efficiency, and he fully and cheerfully gave his testimony to that effect. Mr. HUME thought, if the clerks were so efficient, they ought to be better treated than they were, and should not have parties placed over their heads in the way referred to. Lord J. RUSSELL said, that in reference to the office of Assistant-Secretary, the duty was a very pe culiar one, the party filling it having the examination of all colonial matters. The appointment was, therefore, a very important one, and should be carefully made. H . e was quite ready to agree to the proposition that the important business of legislation could not be carried on without the services of gentlemen, who were acquainted with the principles and the practice of the law, and especially in the important office of an Under-Secretary of State. But it seemed to him that in this case the interests of the senior clerks ought not to be neglected. The duties of these gentlemen were sufficiently onerous, and there were not too many persons to perform them. The appointment of Mr. Rogers appeared to be a very proper one, and he did not think that any want of judgment had been made, or any erroneous feeling exhibited, in putting a gentleman into that position who was intimate wiih the routine of its duties. The Earl of LINCOLN thought that as reference had been made to the conduct of a Right lion. Friend of his, he might be allowed to say a few words to the House. He had held a conversation with his Right Hon. Friends at the time on this very subject, though not an official correspondence, and he could assure the Hun. Member for Montrose, that the gentleman who had been appointed to the Assistant -Secretaryship was selected, not because he was a stranger, bu t because he was 'a lawyer, gud acquainted with the dut ies of the oaco, THE SUN, LONDON, _FRIDAY MORNING, A, TT G T.T ST 7, 1846. After a few words from Mr. WOOD, The House went into Committee on' the Bill, and the several clauses were read, and agreed to. The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. . Toe reports of the Copyhold Bill, the Turnpike Act Bill, the Stock-in-Trade Bill, . the Highway Rates Bill, and the Loan Societies Bill were read and received, and the Bills were ordered to be read a third time to morrow. The Forms (Assessed Taxes) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. THE SPIRIT LICENSE BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a third time, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he had lately received a deputation from the chemists in London, and he had desired them to go to the chair man of the Board of Excise. Ile had understood that all objections were removed, and came into the House with that impression; but since he came into the House he found that they were not entirely so. He was ready to make such alterations as might be considered necessary. Mr. WAKLEY was by no means satisfied with this Bill. It would be supported by the wholesale dealers because it would throw a monopoly into their hands. It would render it necessary for 3,000 more druggists to take out licenses under this Bill, or they would not be safe in having a still or even a retort upon the premises; besides, the Bill had only been in the House eight days. He, therefore, wished to ask whether it was just or equitable that a Bill, affecting in such an extensive way a large class of persons, ought to be pushed hastily through the House, without time being allowed for dis cussing it? What the persons who would be affected wanted was, more time, to enable them to become ac quainted with its provisions, as the chemists and drug gists, whom it would most materially affect, knew no thing of its nature.—(Hear, hear.) They considered that the principle sought to be introduced was altogether unnecessary with respect to them, as the object of the Government might he obtained by less objectionable means; as it required them to take out an annnal license, at the cost of 2/. 2s. a year. The feeling against the excise laws was sufficiently strong already, but they would render those laws more objectionable by placing 3,000 persons under the surveillance of a supervisor. If a measure was necessary to prevent fraud, it ought not to be hastily passed, He would not move any amend ment, but would press the Right Hon. Gentleman to postpone the measure until Monday week, in order to afford time for deliberation. He was authorised to state that no factious opposition would be offered : on the contrary, the parties would do their best to promote the object the Government had in view. Mr. HUME wished to know if any report had been presented to the House, relative to the evils which existed under the existing law? If such a report had not been presented, and he did not think that it had, he thought the House ought not to pass a measure which would affect 3,000 persons. Some case ought to be made out, yet he had heard nothing of the subject ; nothing of the frauds on the revenue. No reason had been assigned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the measure ought to be postponed until they had in formation on the subject. He agreed with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wakley) that the excise-laws were objec tionable enough. Sir DE LACY EVANS also advocated the postpone ment of the measure, on the ground that the Bill had only been printed since Friday last. Even many Hon. Members had only been able to obtain copies within the last hour. He trusted, under all the circumstances, the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would see the necessity of postponing the third reading for a week or ten days. After a few words from Mr. DUNCAN, which did not reach the gallery, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Bill was prepared by the late Government in conse quence of great frauds which had been committed on the Excise, and the real object of the Bill was to provide against a recommittal of such frauds.—(Hear, hear.) He had, however, no objection to take the third reading then, and defer its passing till that day week. He had some amendments to make to the Bill, and these amendments should be added and the Bill after wards reprinted. Mr. B. ESCOTT presumed that they were to take the consideration of the Bill on the question that the Bill do pass.—(Yes, yes.) He thought that some time should be given for the consideration of the measure. Mr. WILLIAMS said it was strange, at the close of the session, for the Government to push forward the present Bill. He complained that the Excise laws, already so stringent, should be further extended, and that new parties were to be brought under their opera tion. There was no necessity, in his opinion, for the measure. Mr. HENLEY thought the Bill should be recommitted and printed with the amendments, so that the country might be aware of the nature of the measure. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER con sidered that the course he proposed was a fair one. It could not be recommitted at that stage. His proposal would enable the Bill with the amendments to be printed, and time would be given for their provisions to be fully considered. The Bill would not bring fresh parties under the operation of the Excise laws, but simply under the operation of the officers of the Excise to the extent proposed in the measure. Mr.-ESCOTT—What he wished to say was, that he saw no difference between putting parties not hitherto subject to them under the Excise laws and under the Excise, inasmuch as the officers could only act through the law. Mr. WAKLEY wished, for the way in which this Bill would affect London, that the clauses to which he had formerly alluded should be postponed or amended. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would think of it. The Bill was then read a third time, and ordered to be engrossed. Several Bills, brought down from the Lords, were or det ed to lie on the table. GAUGE OF RAILWAY BILL. On the order of the day being read for going into committee on this Bill, Mr. P. M. STEWART opposed the Bill as being of a very unsatisfactory nature, and did not tend to settle the point in a proper manner. Uniformity of gauge was perfectly desirable, and this Bill would only multiply the evil by adding 500 miles more of the broad gauge than was at present existing. There were 2,700 miles of the narrow, and only 300 miles of the broad gauge. Mr. M. GIBSON said that Parliament was responsi ble for this Bill, and it was brought forward simply for the purpose of carrying out the recommendations of the Commissioners appointed by both Houses of Parliament. He did not think the proposed Bill would at all multiply the evil of the break of gauge. It would have the effect of preventing an increase in the number of those breaks by amending certain Bills which had received the sanction of the Legislature without containing any provision as to the gauge of the railways. Uniformity was certainly very desirable, but that uniformity would not be obtained without the outlay of very large sums of money. Mr. PROTHEROE said that the broad was much the best gauge in existence, and the carriages moving upon the broad gauge lines were much more commodious and much better ventilated than any others ; and they were able to travel at a much greater speed. He thought the inconvenience of the break of gauge was not so much to be deprecated as the break of management which there had been in certain cases. The House then went into Committee on the Bill. Upon clause 1 being read, a short discussion arose, in which Mr. Ewart, Mr. Russell, and another Hon. Mem ber took part, upon the subject of locking the doors of the Great Western Railway, which ended in Mr. RUSSELL saying that the directors of the Great Western Railway were anxious to afford every possible convenience for the public ; but he was sure that every arrangement made would be always attended with some partial inconvenience. Mr. P. M. STEWART thought the country . must soon come to the decision of obtaining uniformity of gauge, and he thought it would be better to grapple with the difficulty when there were only 300 miles to be altered, instead of having, as they shortly would if this ill were passed, to alter 800 miles. Clause 1 was then agreed to. Clauses 2 to 4 were also agreed to. Upon clause 5 being read, Mr. SPOONER made some remarks on the necessity of giving to Birmingham a competing line, on the broad gauge, to London. This could not be effected by the provisions of the present Bill, as there would be three inconvenient breaks of gauge. After a few words from Mr. M. Gibson, Sir J. Pak ington, Mr. Williams, and Sir R. Ferguson, clause 5 was agreed to. The remaining clauses of the Bill were agreed to. The Home resumed, and the report was ordered to be received en Monday next. NAVAL MEDICAL SUPPLEMENTAL FUND SOCIETY BILL. This Bill went through Committee, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. The Steam Navigation Bill and the Rateable Property Bill were postponed till Monday. • DUBLIN WIDE STREETS BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day for going into Committee on this Bill, Captain JONES expressed his dissatisfaction with the Bill, and after referring to the law relating to the fisheries, contended that the evidence taken before the Commission, a report of which he held in his hand. was entirely opposed to the provision of this Bill. The whole, of the North and Ireland were opposed to it, and he was surprised that, under such circumstances, the measure was proposed to the House. Mr. LABOUCHERE said the subject was a very com plicated one, but having looked carefully into it in all its bearings he bad come to the conclusion which his pre decessor had arrived at, namely, that the Bill was the one best calculated to do the greatest amount of good.— (Hear.) It was supported by the majority of the influ ential people of Ireland, and he did not think the oppo sition of the Hon. and Gallant Member opposite was well founded.—(Hear.) Sir R. FERGUSON protested against the system which the Board of Works pursued towards the fishing interest of the north of Ireland. Mr. PIGOTT said the Bill had been introduced at the suggestion of a number of highly respectable individuals interested in the trade, and based on their suggestions, with the recommendation of the Board of Public Works. Unless the Bill passed this present session, the season of salmon fishing would expire on the 20th of August, and the benefit of the extension of the period sought would thus be lost for the present year. Mr. P. M. STEWART thought the Government ought to pause ere they passed such a Bill. A similar measure had been tried in Scotland and had failed in t producing any beneficial results. After a few words from Captain JONES, to the effect that uniformity of season could not be obtained in the manner sought. _ . _ Mr. PIGOTT explained that, according to the 3d clause of the Bill, the Board of Public Works were bound to exercise their powers, and to say yea or nay whenever it was called to their attention that the season was such as to render its extension expedient. The several clauses were then read and agreed to, itnd the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. The House resumed. BATHS AND WASIIHOITSF,S (IRELAND) BILL. This Bill was read a tbird time and passed. Mr. HAWES intimated, in answer to an Hon. Mem• ber, that it was intended to extend the provisions of the Bill to Scotland. STEAM NAVIGATION BILL. The House went into Committee on this Bill. Mr. P. M. STEWART wished to know whether the Bill had been altered from its original form. Mr. M. GIBSON said it remaine.l almost as it stood at first. It was intended, however, to compel paddle wheel steamers to carry paddle-box boats, unless in par ticular circumstances, in which case the Board of Trade, if it thought proper, might license them to sail with only the common description of boat. As to the mail steamers, they would be subjected to another super vision than that appoiot..ll by the present Bill. Mr. P. M. STEWART said the Oriental Steam Com pany had bet-a in correspondence with the Admiralty ; trial had been made of the paddle box boats, and it ended in the Admiralty being of the Company's opinion that the attempt was a failure, and the expense was useless. The whole of the clauses having been agreed to, the House resumed, and the Bill was ordered to be reported to-morrow, (this day.) Mr. BROTHERTON, in the absence of Mr. Hutt, who had previously given notice of the motion, moved for a return of all the appointments made by the Se cretary of State for the Colonies, since the Ist day of September, 1841, to public offices in any of the colonies or dependencies of the British Crown ; stating the name and previous employment (as far as it is known) of each individual so appointed, the date and nature of his appointment, and the salary attached to it. Mr. LABOUCHERE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide for removing the charge of the consta bulary force in Ireland from the counties, and enlarg ing the reserve force ; and to make further provision for the regulation and disposition of the said constabu lary force. _ The Bill was brought in and read a first time. The remaining orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter to Ten o'clock. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY) HOUSE OF LORDS. Room C. HUDDERSFIELD AND MANCHESTER. RAILWAY AND CANAL (OLDHAM BRANCH). OLDHAM, IVIANCnESTER, LIVERPOOL, AND 11Iii:MENHEAD 3UNCTXON. The Committee on these Bills, consisting of the Earl of Radnor (chairman), the Earl of Wicklow, Lord Lyttelton, ,Lord Montfort, and Lord Strangford, met to-day at eleven o'clock. HUDDERSFIELD AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY AND CANAL (OLDHAM BRANCH). This Bill was opposed by several petitioners, and, amongst the rest, by the Manchester and Leeds Company. r. Sergeant WRANGOAM, who opened the case for the promoters, said that the Bill in support of which he appeared was for obtain• inn• a railway which branched off from the Huddersfield and Manchester line, which Bill had been sanctioned last session. The line proposed to be constructed would branch off at a point on the Manchester and Huddersfield line near Lidgate, and then proposed to proceed to Oldham. The length of the proposed line was between three and four miles. The object was to afford a shorter route between the eastern and western parts of Yorkshire. The town of Oldham was important, and the chief manufactures were the spinning and the weaving of cot ton, and the making of machinery. The neighbourhood was rich in minerals and there was a large coal trade carried on in the neigh bourhood. The preamble of this Bill had been proved before the other House without_any evidence being heard, the Committee, from their local knowledge, being satisfied of its importance. There was no injury inflicted by the railway which could not come under the head of compensation. The Learned Counsel then called evidence. Mr. Fielding, corn dealer, was examined, and stated that the greater portion of the provisions of the town of Oldham were imported, the land about that town being very sterile. The proposed railway would, in his opinion, be very desirable to Oldham, in consequence of the increase it would occasion in the import of corn, and at a considerably cheaper cost than it was brought there at present. The proposed line was shorter by sixteen miles to Wakefield than the line of the Manchester and Leeds Railway, and Wakefield was the chief corn-market. Great delay occurred at the station of the latter railway at Leeds, owing to its over-crowded state. This de lay seriously affected the transit of corn. Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—The value of this branch was, in his opinion, dependent on the main line being opened. Several other witnesses were called in support of the Bill from the neighbourhood of Oldham, and the Committee were of opinion that they had heard sufficient evidence as to traffic, being of opinion that the receipts of the line were proved, and that the only question.lor the Committee to decide upon was, as to which company shoull be permitted to construct it. Mr. Gee, engineer of the line, was then called, and deposed that the gradients and curves were favourable, the gradients being 1 in 100, and that the whole expense, according to the estimate, was 158,000/. The time required for completing the branch was two years. There was one tunnel on the line of 1,320 yards in length. The saving of distance by this line would be about 19 miles between Oldham and Leeds, and between Oldham and Hud dersfield 21 miles. This closed the case for the Bill. Mr. Hawkshaw was then called, and stated that he considered that the Mumps line would meet all the requirements of the neighbour hood, and that the present branch was uncalled tor. Mr. Vignoles corroborated this testimony. The Committee then adjourned. where the officers and crew of a large vessel bad all signed the pledge. - - • Some discusion ensued on the question of spirits as a medicine, which ended in the reservation with regard to the " medicine chest" being excluded from the resolution, which was then carried. The meeting adjourned until ten o'clock on Thursday. DUTCH AND FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, Arm 3. WeTlav e been able this morning to give our readers the first example of the rapidity with which news will henceforth be transmitted between Belgium and France. Yesterday evening, August 2, we received, at nine o'clock, a letter written at Paris on the morning of the same day. This lettvr, which was brought us by the railway, gave us news not only from Paris but from Nismes, Bordeaux, and Toulouse, all dated the Ist. The news from these last cities had come to Paris by the Telegraph. This morning, the 3d of August, our subscribers at Brussels. and the provincial towns in the country, received a sup plement which acquainted them with the result of the first day of the election in some of the principal towns of France. On the Ist of August, while the eentrigade ther mometer at the Royal Observatory at Brussels was at 33 deg. 7-16ths, that at Paris was at 36 deg. 15-16ths in the shade ; in the sun, 44 deg. 3-19ths at the Louvre. This is probably the highest degree of temperature at Paris, as well as Brussels. The heat has lost some of its intensity ; from the Ist to the 2nd of August, a• noon, the maximum at the Royal Obierratory was 30 deg. 9-16ths, and the minimum 18 deg. 8-10ths ; from the 2nd to the 3rd of August, at noon, the maximum was only 27 deg. 8 10ths, the minimum, 16 deg. 8 Bths. _ Mr. P. J. Tyens, at Brussels, requests us to inform the public that he has obtained a patent for an invention which is intended to prevent accidents on the railways. This invention consists in a means to stop a train al most instantaneously at any part of its course. He also affirms that by Vie facility of arriving at the stations without the slackening of the speed, now necessary, by this invention much time would be saved ; for instance between Paris and Brussels to the amount of two hours. THE HAGUE, AUG. 4.—We are assured that her Majesty the Queen will set out about the middle of this month for Italy, that she will remain abroad for some months, and return to the Hague about the month of November. UTRECHT, Atm 4.—The mint of Utrecht has coined, from the Ist of July, 1845, to the middle of June, 1846, 11,790,0001. in new silver coin ; the mint is now able to furnish 500,0001. of large silver coin in a week. AMSTERDAM, MTG. 4.—Yesterday afternoon the King set out on his journey to Luxemburg. He arrived here by special train from the Hague, at a quarter past five o'clock, and immediately proceeded with his suite by a special train on the Rhenish Railway to Arnheim, and thence to Luxemburg. The thermometer, which at nine o'clock this morning was 75 deg., had risen at three o'clock in the afternoon to 85 deg. THE MAGAZINES. THE NEW NAVY LIST and General Record of the Services of Ofters of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Conducted by Joseph Allen, Esq., R.N., Greenwich Hospital. The New Navy List, as edited by Mr. Allen, is not a mere dry list of names ; it is a readable, and, in many instances, most amusing book. At the end of each list it gives a complete record of the services of every officer in the list, and thus furnishes us with a resume of our naval annals during the last three-quarters of a century—the most glorious three-quarters cf a century in British naval history. As a specimen of the manner in which Mr. Allen has performed this portion of his task, we extract the following record of the services of Sir Charles Napier:— " Sir C. Napier, Lieutenant of Courageux, at capture of Marengo and Belle Poule, 1806. Commander of Recruit, 18 gun brig, in action with Fr. 20 gun corvette Diligente, in 1808 ; and in same brig at the capture of Martinique, 1869, and at capture of Fr. 74 gun-ship Hautpolt, which ship he closely engaged. Captain of Thames, and in conjunction with Cephalus, destroyed a convoy on the coast of Italy, 1811; and assisted at the capture of another, in company with Imperieuse, in 1812. In company with Pilot took the port of Sapri ; and in 1813 commanded the naval forces at the capture of Ponza, and assisted at the capture of a convoy in Calvacie Roads. Captain of Euryalus in the Potomac, at the capture of Alexandria, and attack on Baltimore. Commopore on the coast of Syria in Powerful, in N arious operations, including the bombardment cf St. Jean D'Acre, 1840. Gaz. 1799, 1809, 11, 11, 12, 13, three times, 1814." Mr. Allen's New Navy List is the most complete record of the services of our naval and marine officers extant. The improvements introduced into the first number of the revised series have been perfected in the present, and the editor proposes to extend them in his January number, by introducing distinguishing marks against the names of those officers who have received medals from the Royal Humane Society, or other public bodies, for saving the lives of their fellow-creatures. • NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.- The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Johnson, returned from Devonport this afternoon, whither she had conveyed arms for the In flexible to take out to the Cape, and left again at 6 o'clock for the eastward with supernumeraries. _ _ _ . The following extract of a private letter received this afternoon describes the passage of the Constance and Eury dice from Spithead to Plymouth sound : " On leaving Spithead all ashore must have seen how beautifully Eurydice took the lead, and maintained it for two hours, when she was 5.5.E.4E., near two miles. The wind on starting was near S.W., but just before tacking it changed to W.S.W., which gave the Constance the advan tage of two points, yet they crossed each other within 300 yards, the Eurydice to leeward; but at 4 P.M. (Sunday) the Constance was to leeward, and at 8 P.M. she bore S.S E. five miles, wind variable from S.W. to W. by S. After mid night they had a leading wind until daylight, when the Con stance was seen S.S.E., courses down from deck. At 9 A.M. (Monday), wind from W.N.W., the Constance bore E. S. 13 miles, and by noon the Eurydice lost sight of her, bearing E. The Eurydice continued to make the best of her way, and shortened sail this morning (Tuesday) at 2 .at., Eddy stone Light W. three miles, and at break of day bore up, anchoring in the SJund shortly after 6 A.M. At 11 A.M. the Constance made her number, but has not yet (1.45 r.m.) ar rived. This shows the Eurydice to advantage, as she must have left her competitor fast. Of course the variable winds precluded a fair trial, and renders it impossible to enter more fully into detail as to distance." A gunner's mate, belonging to the Excellent, named John Porter, lately serving in the Warspite, 50, fell, in descending the side, into the Liberty boat, on Monday evening, and his head striking the boat's gunwale, he died instantly. He was interred to- day, the ships, as the procession passed, tolling their bells. . The Athol troop-ship did not sail yesterday, according to Admiralty order, and remains at Spithead. The Aid, naval lighter, Smailman master, arrived this morning with stores from the eastern yards. The following ships have served the usual term of commis sion (three years); some of them nearly double that time, and may shortly be expected home to be paid off. Many of them, having been relieved, are on their passage:— BY whom When 614'8 Names. 5 commanded. On what station commis c:s taloned. -- -- Agincourt, flag-ship 72 Capt. Johnston East Indies .. Feb., 1842 Acheron, steam vessel .. .. 2 Lieut. Aplin •• Mediterranean Dec., 1849 Alert .. .. 16 Corn. Ellis • • Coast of Africa July, 1843 Castor .. .. 2G Capt. Graham East Indies .. Apr 11,1843 Cleopatra .. .. :26 Capt. Wyvil • • Cape of Good I Hope • • Apr 11,1842 Conway .. .. ,26 Capt. Kelley . • Cape of Good Cormorant, steam- Hope .. May, 1843 sloop .. .. , 6 Com. Gordon • Pacific • • • . April,lB43 Curocoa .. .. 24 Capt. Broughton, Brazils • • .. Feb., 1843 Cyclops, steam-sloop 1 8 Capt. Lapidge Chan. Squadron Mar., 1843 Daphne • • . I 8 Capt. Onsiow .. Pacific • • .. July, 1842 Driver, steam-sloop 6 Com. Hayes .. East Indies .. Sept.,lB4l Espoir .. .. 110 Corn. Hand • • Coast of Africa May, 1843 1 Fisgard .. .. 42 Capt. Dulitze• • pacific .. .. May, 1843 Frolic .• .. 16 Com. ILinilton Pacific .. • • Nov., 1842 Gorgon, steam-sloop 6 Corn. Crouch • - Brazils • • .. Nov., 1842 Hazard .. .. 18 Cons. Egerton East Indies .. Oct., 1841 Heels, steam sloop 4 Corn. SW - trier Mediterranean Jan., 1843 Hermes, steam-sloop 4 Lieut. Carr - • West Indies • • May, 1843 Hydra, steam-sloop 4 Corn. Young .. Coast of Africa A ug ., 1543 Lark .. .. 2 Lieut. Lawrence West Indies .. July, 1842 Modesto .. .. 18 Corn. Watkins Pacific • • • • June, 1843 North Star . , 126 Ct. Sir J. Home East Indies .. Aug., 1841 Orestes .. • • 118 Corn. Cannon • . Medi* erranean Aug., 1842 Pilot ~ .. ,16 Com. Wilson .. East Indies • • July, 1843 Racer • • .. 16 Com. Reed • . Brazils .. • • April,lB43 Rose .. .. 18 Corn. Pelley • • West Indies • • Mar., 1843 Royalist .. .. 10 Com. Ogle .. East Indies .. Oct., 1841 Salamander, steam sloop .. .. 4 Capt. Hamond Pacific • • • • June,lB42 Sappho •. .. 16 Com. Gambier Cape of Good Hope • • .. Feb , 1843 Sealark .. .. 10 Corn. Gooch • • Coast of Africa Oct., 1843 Spider • • .. 6 Lieut. Pym • • Brazils .. • • Apr 11,1842 Spiteful, steam-sloop 6 Com. Maitland East Indies • . Dec., 1842 Talbot • • .. 26 Captain Sir T. Thompson • • Pacific .• • • Apr 11,1842 Thunderbolt, steam- Cape of Good sloop .. .. 6 Corn. Boyle • • Hope • • .. Dec., 1843 Tyne .. .. 26 I Capt. Glasscock Mediterranean April,lB43 Vestal .. .. 26 1 Capt. Talbot • • East Indies .. N0v.,1843 Virago, steam-sloop 61Com. Lunn .. Mediterranean May, 1843 Wasp .. 16 Com. Ussher .. Coast of Africa Oct., 1842 Wolf .. .. 161 Com. Gordon • • East Indies • • June,lB42 Wolverine .. 16'Com. Clifford.. East Indies • • Jan., 1842 PUBLIC-HOUSES (SCOTLAND) Report from the Select Committee appointed to take into consideration the system of granting certificates for public-houses in Scotland, and to whom a petition of the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland (Mode rator), for the better observance of the Lord's Day, was referred (just laid upon the table of the House cf Com mons):- 1. That the number of the houses in which spirits are sold for consumption on the premises is excessive, and ought to be restricted ; and in particular, that the num ber of such houses of inferior class is excessive, and pro ductive of evil, and that it would be expedient to repress the evil arising therefrom. • 2. That the facility with which licenses for the sale of spirits to be consumed on the premises are obtained, is one main cause of the excessive number of such houses, and of their indiscriminate character. _ 3. That the combination of the trade of grocers and vendors of other commodities with the trade of vendors of spirits to be consumed on the premises, is, especially in towns, productive of evil consequences to the working classes. 4. That great inconvenience arises from the circum stance that the Excise licences are in force from October to October annually, while the occupation of houses and shops in Scotland is almost universally from Whit-Sun day to Whit Sunday, and certificates are commonly granted in May. 5. That with the view of diminishing the number, and improving the character of houses for the sale of spirits to be consumed on the premises, and with the view of securing a better apportionment of the number of such houses to the wants of each particular district, it is expe dient that the system of granting certificates should be altered and amended. 6. That at their meeting on the 30th of April, the Justices of the Peace of each county should appoint a committee of their own number for the purpose of ascer taining and fixing the number of public-houses neces sary for the wants of each locality or district. That this committee, after full inquiry, should fix the num ber for each district for a certain number of years pro spectively, and that such decision of the committee should be final 7. That at the same meeting the Justices of the Peace should appoint local committees to act in the several localities or districts, in granting or renewing certifi cates, and that the decision of every such local committee should be final. _ 8. That no certificate to any new party should be granted until the number of public houses in the district or locality shall have heel' reduced to the number fixed by the general committee first mentioned, without a special reference to and approval by the said committee, and in no case should more than one such new certificate be granted in any one district in any year. 9. That each local committee should fix the minimum rent of houses to the occupants of which new licenses may be granted, and the minimum rent having been so fixed, the same should not be altered without the con sent of the general committee. 10. That there should be one certificate for keeping a common inn, alehouse, or victualling house, in which, beer, cider, or perry shall be sold to be drank or con sumed on the premises, and a separate certificate for keeping a common inn, alehouse, or victualling house, in which spirits, &c. shall be sold to be drunk or consumed on the premises ; and that there should be separate li censes to correspond with the separate certificates. 11. That no certificate for keeping a common inn, alehouse, or victualling house, where beeror spirits are sold to be consumed on the premises, and no license for such sale of beer or spirits should be granted to any person who sells groceries or such like commodities, un less special permission to tl at effect shall be annexed to the certificate, and subscribed in like manner as the cer tificate. 12. That in no case should a certificate for license be granted to any person whose character is not satisfac torily attested on the personal knowledge of the at- Lstators, each of whom should add to his signature a statement that the attestation is made on his personal knowledge. 13. That there should be a license for the sale of spirits to be consumed on the premises, distinct and separate from the retail license. 14. That no certificate should be necessary to entitle any person to a license to retail spirits not to be con sumed on the premises. 15. That it is very expedient that the period of the currency of excise licenses should be made to corre spond, as nearly as po3sible with the period of the occu pation of the premises, viz., Whitsunday to Whitsunday. 16. That no certificate should be granted for a license to the occupant of a toll-house, in any case in which there is a licensed public-house within two or three miles of such toll-house on the same road; nor unless the aforesaid general committee shall have resolved that a license for such toll-house is necessary for the conveni ence of the district in which it is situate. 17. That the remuneration to the clerks in respect of the matter of certificates shall be by a fixed annual sum, and not by fees on each certificate. VAUXIIALL-GARDENS. — Thefite of St. George, which was celebrated here on Wednesday, was attended by more than the usual number of visitors. The weather was propitious, and though up till a late hour in the day the clouds were lowering, the night cleared up, and patronised the patron saint. The attractions of the evening were increased by the ascent of the coronation balloon, which took place at t_n o'clock, in the presence of several thousand spectators', from the firework-ground. It took a direction towards Richmond, a light wind blowing at that moment from the east. When at a tolerably lofty elevation, Mr. Green, who was alone in the car, discharged the fireworks, suspended at a cmisider able distance beneath him. The effect of thi s p 3 ro t ec h n ie display was splendid beyond what is usually exhibited. The remainder of the entertainments, consisting of equestrian performances, the songs of the Ethiopian harmonista, the fireworks, and the dancing, kept the company on a perpetual qui vine for many hours, nor was it till long past midnight that the gay throng thought of going home, and left the gardens to peace and quietude. The above list does not include surveying or other vessels employed on " particular service," whose terms of commis sion are not defined, as a:e the other ships in the Royal Navy. We may add to the above the America, 50, Captain the Hon. J. Gordon, hourly expected from the Pacific with valuable freight, but whose term of service will not expire until February next. A terrific thunder-storm visited this place this morning be tween the hours of three and five o'clock, creating the most alarming consternation among the inhabitants, none of whom had ever experienced anything like it before. The lightning continued to flash as if in one uninterrupted blaze of various hues during the whole time, and long after day light the storm continued. Peal after peal of thunder, more like the cannonade of a fleet or army, each succeeding one louder than the last, shook the place and all in it, during the time the terrific strife of the elements lasted. A mass of water, accompanied by huge hailstones (for it surely could not be called rain), fell during the storm, de luging the streets, and choking up such few drains as the locality is blessed with, beating down standing crops, smashing windows and skylights, conservatories, &c. The electric fluid entered a house in Mount Pleasant, Landport, by the chimney, smashed the looking-glass, and set fire to the tenement; happily an elderly woman and a child who were in the house at the time were not injured, and the fire was immediately subdued by the neighbours. At another part of Portsea, a woman was so shocked by the thunder and lightning as to fall into a state of catalepsy, from which it is feared she will never be roused to life. Further inwards, Portsea has received considerable damage from the floods which have rushed down Portsdown-hill and deluged the meadows and roads below to a most destructive extent, which, following so closely upon the awful storm of Friday night last and Sunday night, will, it is feared, form a sad item in the harvest accounts of many small farmers and others whose crops were exposed to the ravages of the floods. The electric telegraph is, of course, hors de combat. Such shocks as it has met with in the late storms will take some time to adjust. It is conjectured that the attraction it ap pears to present to the electric fluid will be an insurmount able bar to its safe and effectual working in the dockyard, where so much attractive and combustible matter is at pre sent stored. Much fear was entertained for the safety of powder in magazines at this port. The houses situate low in Portsmouth, Portsea, Southsea, and the adjacent villages were all inundated to some depth with water, which, owing to the very inefficient drainage, will be some time in sub siding. SHEERNESS, AUGUST s.—The Mutine, 12, Commander Crawford, discharged her powder at the Little Nore on Sun day, and was towed up to Chatham on Monday, where she is to be taken into the dock at present occupied by the Trident steam-sloop, nearly ready for sea. The Columbine, 16, Commander Booth, arrived from Chatham yesterday morning, and is now having her com passes adjusted in this harbour. She will undergo the usual inspection by the Commander-in-Chief, and afterwards sail for Portsmouth, where she is to be paid advance wages and receive her final orders. An accident which might have terminated in the destruc- tion of that fine vessel the Dragon steam-frigate occurred here on Sunday evening. It appears that an old canvas jacket had been left behind a bull's eye of one of the paddle.. box cabins, which by the convergence of the rays of the sun had ignited and was smoking away at a furious rate when it was happily discovered by the policeman on duty, who gave the alarm. The fire was soon afterwards subdued without having done the slightest injury to the vessel. FUNERAL tf the BABOO DWAR- AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE DV RAILWAY. The following is an extract from Captain Laws' evi dence before the Commons' Select Committee on Rail ways, the report and the evidence taken before whinh rj have just been printed : . Do you think that the advantages of railtv4yajtaiet f , been developed in the conveyance of agricu,l4- 2 1 duce ?—No ; I do not think the conveyance tural produce has been largely affected b In fact, with the exception of cattle and agricultural produce that is carried by : comparatively small. Green groceries fro. garden market into the north is considerable, would be surprised to hear of the immense qui7iNlell" that are conveyed from Covent-garden to Manchester, and from Manchester, ramified by the lines, to the north. One of the great carriers has shown to me his account with parties for this description of traffic; as much as 13 and 14 tons, at this season of the year, of water. cresses, come into Manchester from London per day, and they are sent a considerable distance on the lines in the neighbourhood : from Berkhamsptead quantities are brought by carriers, and one or two of the large greengrocers in Manchester pay more for the carriage of garden produce than the largest manufacturers in Lancashire. On the Manchesttr and Leeds Railway next month, when the new potatoes come in from the south, we shall carry up as much as 200 tons of pota toes, onions, and other garden produce, and other things, in a day; a very populous district all the way, and we drop at each station along the line a waggon cor.taining 4 tons, 3 tons, and so on; these are all brought to the Manchester market in the same way as to Covent-garden market, and are bought up by the greengrocers and taken out and retailed in the distr.ct. Though you say the amount of agricultural produce carrit d on railways has hardly yet been developed, are there not a very considerable number of cattle and sheep conveyed upon railways?—Yes, but nothing like what there will be. The fact was, that railway companies, not considering well the nature of that traffic, at first put a high price upon it ; the consequence was, that as long as drovers could pursuade graziers t hat they could drive them up as cheaply by the road, and the turnpike trust would make a little reduction in conse quence of the railway competition, they continued to send them along the road from distant places to Smith • field, or to the markets in the north, even when they had the convenienee of railways; and I believe that our railway was the first to demonstrate that, as long as an animal has locomotion in itself, the owner will use that locomotion to carry it to market, and therefore we reduced our rates so low as to knock those drovers up ; and all the rates that have been lately introduced into railway Bills for the conveyance of cattle are about a third of what they started with. And you consider that there is that progress going on now, and that there are an increased number of cattle and sheep conveyed by railway 7—Yes; it is growing every day ; and now, so far from the graziers having anything to do with driving cattle 100 or 150 miles, they will not do it at all, but they will get them upon the railway, and convey them to market, and come back again. We allow a man to go in charge of two waggons for the safety of the cattle themselves, and to return free; we Live him a pass back again. The increase on all the lines in cattle and sheep has been very large, but still I think the majority are driven by road. Pigs always come to us, as they are bad travellers; the Irishman always puts his pigs upon a railway as soon as he can. COMMUTATION OF TITHES. The following is an outline of the Lord Chancellor's Bill (just laid on the table of the House of Lords), and intituled "An Act further to amend the Acts for the Commutation of Tithes in England and %Vales." The preamble recites the Acts 6 and 7 William IV., e. 71, 1 Vict.. C. 69, 2 and 3 Vict., c. 62, 3 Vict., c. 15, 5 and 6 Vict., c. 54, 1 and 2 Vict., c. 64 ; and the first clause proposes to give power to landowners to redeem a rent charge not apportioned, where the amount does not exceed fifteen pounds. 2. Upon payment of the consideration money, com missioners to certify that the parish is discharged of tithes. 3. Gives power to redeem rent charge erroneously ap portioned on lands not chargeable therewith. - 4. After redemption of the rent charge erroneously apportioned, the appointment of the remainder to be valid. 5. Separate rent charges, not exceeding twenty shil lings in amount, may be redeemed after apportionment. Extraordinary charge not to be affected. 6. Commissioners to certify the amount of considera tion money for redemption. 7. Consideration money for redemption, how payable. 8. Consideration for redemption of rent charges pay able to spiritual owners to be paid to governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, to be applied in augmentation of the be nefices to which the rent charges belonged. 9. Consideration-money in case of owners under dis ability, how payable. 10. Relates to consideration•money under 201, 11, Gives power to persons entitled for limited inter ests to charge expenses of redemption. 12. Commissioners' certificates of redemption to be under the hands and seal of the Commissioners, and show the amount of the consideration-mo ne y for the redemp tion thereof, and to whom or in what manner the same shall have been paid, &c. 13. Alteratioi of apportionment may be made after inclosure. 14. Expenses of alteration of apportionment after inclosure shall be borne by the owners of the lands to which such altered apportionment shall relate, and shell be recovered in the same manner as expenses chargeable on the same owners in or about the making of an origi nal apportionment of the sum of the rent charges charged on the same lands respectively would bare been, recoverable. 15. Supplemental apportionment of a rent charge as made payable to one owner in respect of tithes of several owners or held in separate rights. 16. Gives power to declare land as to which doubt. arise which delay the apportionment as a separate district. 17. Place of deposit of copy of confirmed apportion-. meant may be altered by quarter sessions. 18. Tithes, or rent charge in lieu thereof, may be merged after agreement or award, but before apportion ment. 19. Powers relating to the merger, &c., of any tithes, may be executed by a person entitled in equity. 20. 1 and 2 Vict. c. 64, to be construed as part of the Tithe Commutation Acts. 21. Decisions concerning boundary not appealed against to be valid, notwithstanding intormality. 22. Glebe lands may be exchanged although no com mutation be pending. 23. Act to be construed as part of 6 and 7 Wil liam IV. c. 71. THE LATE EXPLOSION OF FIREWORKS IN LAM RITIL—CORONER'S INQUEST.—On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Wm. Payne, the City Coroner, held, at the Crown Tavern, Lambeth-road, an inquiry into the c i rcums t ances connected with the fire and explosion that occurred upon the premises of Mr. S. Drove'', firework-maker, of No. 6, Hatfield-place, Westminster-road, some particulars of which appeared in our columns on Monday last. Several witnesses were examined, and the jury returned a verdict, " That the fire was the result of accident." . * SWIMMING MATCH.—A swimming match came off on Tuesday evening at the splendid Swimming Baths in the Westminster- road, for two very handsome chased silver medals. There werel6 competitors, divided into fourheats and four swim mers in each, all members of the Surrey Swimming Club. The first four were Messrs. Cooper, Gilbert, Smith and Harrington; they had to swim the whole length of the bath, which is 1,5 feet, and back • on the return the contest was between Gilbert and Smith, and the latter won by about two yards. The second heat was between Messrs. Barton, Green, Emmett, and James The third was between Messrs. Fisher, Mills, Hood. and Bartlet. Won by Hood, Bartlet coming in second. The fourth was contested by Messrs. Winter, Parker, and Bavin, which was won by Winter. Then came the fifth and last heat, in which the competitors were those who were first in the others, and they were Smith, Winter, Hood, and Emmet. Hood took the lead at starting, and kept it through out, and won, Emmet coming in a good second. There were one or two other matches between the above, in one of which three boys, under ten years of age, were the compe titors, in which a lad named Stevens was the winner. A diving match also took place between Mrssre._Smi andth .edn , Parker, in which the former remained thirty-fi ve . s f sovereigns e r e it lgnwasscanme neck came otrandneck, between and must be again contested. The medals were given to the Messrs under Walker a r n a d c e successful candidates, amidst much cheering. G f r o a r h a t 1 n wo , b PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE. —As the half-past eleven o'clock Bristol train, comprising first, second, and third class carriages, neared the Box station on NV ednesday, it stopped for a few minutes before it came close to the platform. During its temporary stoppage, an old tar, named Hannigan, who had been discharged from the Hibernia, 100 guns, Cap tain Williams, at Cork, got out, but as soon as he ob served the train moving on, he attempted to re-ascend the third class carriage, although a hundred voices cau tioned him against so doing. In his attempt to reach the step, he failed, and again made another effort for it, but while in the act of so doing the train got parallel with the platform, dragging the unfortunate man along with it, so that three-fourths of his body was under the train while his head and shoulders rested on the platform. At this moment the scene was terrific, for every one imagined that he was crushed to atoms, and the screams from the spectators were awful. Fortunately, one of the office clerks and a constable had sufficient presence of mind to rush to the man's rescue, and grasping him by the jacket held him, and as the train moved on so held him that his body was kept in motion similar to that of the train, until the engine driver was enabled to shut off the steam. As soon as he was released from his perilous situation, instead of ex pressing his gratitude for his miraculous escape, he exclaimed. with perfect nonchalance, " Oh, I knew there was no danger. for I held on and was determined not to let go my hold." One of the guards having explained to him the great danger he had escaped, he very coolly replied, " Oh, well, if I was killed there would be an end to me." A passenger then asked him what would have become of his soul had he been killed ? " Well, I declare to God," said the old tar, " I never thought of that ; lam very mueh obliged to you for reminding me of it, and for so doing you must take a drop of the ' creature' (holding out a bottle of Irish whiskey) with me." We understand dist Messrs. Willmer and Smith, of Church-street, received an order from Buckingham Palace, yesterday, to supply her Majesty with a copy of all the Liverpool papers containing the account of Prince Albert's visit to Liverpool. Their own paper, the European Times. of the 4th, they printed on beautiful white satin, bound with blue, and tied with silver tassels, which presented a very unique appearance.—Liverpool Courier. GAUGE OF RAlLWAYS.—Wednesday the Bill which has passed the House of Lords, entitled " An Act for regulating the Gauge of Railways," was printed. There are nine clauses in the measure following the preamble, "Whereas it is eis pedient to define the gauge on which railways shall be con structed." After the passing of the Act it is not to be lawful, except in cases mentioned, to wnstruct any railway for the conveyance of passengrs on any gauge other than 4 feet 8 inches and half an inch in Great Britain, and 5 feet 3 inches in Ir , „'l'end. The exceptions are set forth, and on certain ;ailways the broad gauge is to be used. By the 4th provision it is declared that after the passing of the Act t he : gauge of any railway used for the conveyance of passenk,_ ' is not to be altered. Railways constructed contrary to : ery w. Act may be abated. There is a provision for th e reco 1 of penalties. 1 '7 ,—, •':.; ;.;,.,s,', - t_r,;;; - , -, . ~\ ) IN % 4 &,‘-',--;', . i, :•,,,---' 7, 4. , -4 --' , ...;,\--‘ ''' .-- -;'-'. - --•,:*:74 , 0 -;,& D 111....----" KANAUTII TAGORE. The mortal remains of this highly esteemed and dis tinguished foreigner was on Wednesday consigned to a vault at Kensal-green. In accordance with the wish of the son of the deceased, the funeral was conducted in a strictly private manner. The cortege left the late residence of the Baboo (St. George's Hotel, Albemarle-street), at half-past ten o'clock yesterday morning. The hearse was succeeded by Major Henderson's private carriage, in which rode the son of the deceased, Nogendra nath Tagore, Mohun Lal, and Nobin Chundro Mookiyse, a young Indian of distinction, related to the Baboo. A mourn ing coach followed, in which rode Sir Edward Ryan (the appointed guardian to deceased's son), Major Henderson (the deceased's partner), Dr. Raleigh, and Mr. D. J. Mac killon. A second mourning coach contained the Hon. Captain R. Gore, Captain Henderson, Mr. C. Plowden, and Dr. Goodeve. A third contained Mr. Mordaunt Ricketts, Mr. Prinsep, General Ventura, and Mr. Roberts, all intimate personal friends of the Baboo. The mourning coaches were succeeded by the private carriage of Mohun Lal, which con veyed three native students. The courier and domestic establishment in the service of the Baboo closed the pro cession, these latter riding in the deceased's private carriage. On arriving at the cemetery the cavalcade fled off into the unconsecrated portion of the ground, where, nearly opposite the entrance gate, a large brick vault had been prepared. Every portion of the ceremony was conducted in solemn silence, broken only by the peals of thunder and tempest of rain which burst over the cemetery just at the period of its performance. The cfficiating chaplain to the cemetery, the Rev. Mr. Twigger, was in attendance in his private capacity, but no religious service of any kind was performed over the body. As the mourners were about to retire they were requested by Nogendranath Tagore to remain until the vault was closed, a desire which they of course at occe complied with. This occupied some time. At length a huge stone having been placed over ther cavity the parties retired to their car riages and left the ground. The son of the deceased was attired in an Indian costume composed wholly of black cloth. Mohun Lal and the other Indians present wore the ordinary brilliant costume of their country. The coffin containing the deceased's remains had a very magnificent appearance. It was covered with puce silk velvet, and studded with silver ornaments. On the lid were two silver plates—the one bearing the style and titles of the deceased Baboo in the Hindostanee language, and the second a translation of the same in English, as follows : " BABOO DWARKANAVTII NAGORE, ZUMINDAR, DIED IST AUGUST, 1846, AGM M TEARS." It is stated that the tine face and features of the deceased were so little changed by death, that the parties called on to perform the usual offices on similar mournfa l occasions were with some difficulty persuaded that the spirit had fled. While in this state a cast of the Baboo's face was taken. The heart was subsequently removed from the body for transmission to India, there to be dealt with in accordance with the tenets of the sect to which the Baboo belonged. GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER RAILWAY.—The fol lowing are the traffic returns for the week ending Aug 1, 1846 : —Passengers 14,269 ; amount received 346/. Is. 7d. FIRST PERFORMANCE OF BALFE'S OPERA. " THE BOHEMIAN GINE." 4T VlENNA.—Balfe's opera of The Bohe mian Girl was produced at Vienna, on the 24th of July; the overture and six pieces of music, were rapturously encored; and as the public of Vienna are not so much inclined to encore as in England, this must be considered an extraor dinary success. Balfe may now be considered the most oplar composer in Vienna, as, independently of his success, his opera, The Castle of Aymon, is nightly per formed at two theatres. THP: LATE ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. —Since the recent accident on the Eastern Counties Railway, a set of signals have been put at all the stations, con,isting of upright posts, from twenty to thirty feet in height, having two arms, which on the passing of a train are rai-ed. The a!ms are painted red, and at night a red light is affixed to them. Near the ;itrattbrd station the signal is placed on the opposite side of the line to the old signal, so that it can be seen at a much greater distance. With respect to the sufferers by the accident, the majority are progressing' favourably, but we regret to state that Mr. W. Cotton, the Chairman of tie Ilford Board of Magistrates, is still unable to resume bis magis terial duties, in consequence of the injuries he received on Vie 18th ult. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Commons.) WEDNESDAY, AUG 5. MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS ad a n g e re L e o d rd t s o b :_ rought up the following Bills, which No. 2) Bill—Argyll Canal Bill —Taw Yale their s e v isn a is4 y b°e nur l drg : as x eihr E st e P i fl i sr s :a i l i 1 Sligo Ship Canal —C am pbe It own Har bour, Waterworks, and Paving Bill — Amendments to Lord Kin naird's (Sir John Webb's) Estate Bill — Wisbech, St. Ives, and Cam bridge Junction Railway Bill, without amendment—Rugby and Leamington and Warwick Railway Bill—Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway Bill—Airdrie and Bathgate Junction Railway Bill —London and South-Western Railway (Basingstoke and Salisbury Extension) Bill —West London Railway Improvement and Extension Bill, with Amendments. THE TWENTY-FIFTH REPORT FROM THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON RAIL WAY BILLS CLASSIFICATION. The Select Committee appointed for the Classification of Railway Bills, according to the Resolutions adopted by the House, have considered the several matters referred to them, and agreed to report as follows : Your Committee recommend that the Cork and Waterford Railway Bill be referred to a distinct Committee, Group No. 72. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. The following Members were in the House when counted out on Tuesday evening:-- Mr. Strutt Dr. Bowring Sir W. Feilden Mr. Bouverie Mr. Maitland Mr. H. Berkeley Mr. Parker Mr. B. Escott Mr. Tufnell Mr. D. Morris Mr. Brown (Lan.) Mr. Wawn Lord J. Russell Lord M. Hill Mr. Ewart Chancellor of Exchequer Mr. Warburton Sir E. Colebrooke Mr. Fox Maule Mr. Pattison • Mr. Duncan Mr. Dickinson Lord Courtanay Mr. Langston Mr. Christie Sir T. Esmonde Mr. Hawes Sir G. Grey. Mr. Hume Mr. Thorn-qy Mr. Mitcalfe Mr. Baine Mr. Barnard. THE WORLD'S TEMPERANCE CONVENTION. TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT. The Convention resumed its sittings en Wednesday morn ing. Mr. Samuel Bowly took the chair. The SECIETARY read a paper containing a statistical ac• count of the state and progress of temperance principles throughout the country. Among the statements contained therein may be mentioned the following :—That in the town of Bury alone no leas a sum than 21. 3s. 4d. was annually spent by each man, woman, and child, in strong drinks ; the Poor-law Commissioners' circular stating the sum expended in that manner to be 24,000,0001., which is more than four times the amount of poor-rates throughout the kingdom. The amount of spirits annually consumed by each person in the United Kingdom was—in England 7 1-9 pints, in Ireland 13 pints, and in Scotland 23 pints. The CH/LEEMAN then proposed a resolution, by which it was agreed to refer the large number of statistical documents which the business committee had received, and wbich it was impossible to arrange, to a statistical committee, to draft from them such information as they deemed desirable, whidb Was to be hereafter printed and published. Mr. HorwooD, Dr. BEECHER, and other gentlemen, spoke in support of the resolution. The Rev. T. SPENCER followed, and stated the following details, which bad been calculated by a gentleman, well known as the author of " Mammom"—that in this metro polis there are at present 12,0 00 children training in vice : 3,0110 persons receivers of stolen goods ; 4,000 annually com mitted to prison for crime ; 10,000 living by gambling; 20,0i0 by beggary; and 30,00 practising theft and fraud. To feed all this depravity, three million's worth of spirituous liquor was employed, producing in one year 23,000 drunkards reeling about the streets, 150,000 drinkers of spirits, 5,000 temples of debauchery, and innumerable sabbath-breakers. The whole of this vice be attributed in a greater or less de gree, and more or less dire ctl y , to the us e of spirituous liquors. The reformation w hich o lo t w h e e r u c o la u s s s e e s s, of b p n a t ri t i o arn ev e e n ry t, a c n la d ss as ; cer.. lie urged h e i nten d e d to he a eren ly p n ro o p t o t tain how many of the Mem bers were teetot allers , and how o endl only o t go i h at e many were not. He would even go to the Bishops with the same inquiry.—(" Oh, oh!" and laughter.) The meeting was then addressed by Dr. CAMPBELL, upon some of whose sentiments an irregular discussion ensued. Mr. BUCKE made some remarks impugning the accuracy of the Rev Mr. Spencer's statistics. Mr. DuwL•r followed, comparing the present state of crime in England and in France. The total of his conclu sions were that the annual offences against the person were— in London, 8,333 ; i n Paris, 3, 416 . Offences against pro perty—London, 17,794 ; Paris, 4,076, being three to two of the first, and three to one of the latter class, against London. Mr. Chrimes, Mr. Miatt, and Mr. Joseph Sturge, delivered further addresses in support of the principle, after which the meeting adjourned. - paraodposseecdon by Mr. Inwards. Mr. Hewson having also spoken in its s upport, the bded Mr. Henry Clapp, At the commencement of the afternoon sitting a resolution, expressing generally the opinion of the meeting on the sub ject of strong drinks, and whic h had bee n postponed from the the previous Washingtonian da) i was novf delegate, resolu tion was carried, after a slight amendment, the fruit of a lenthened discussion. The SECRETARY then read a letter from the committee of the South Indian Union on the subject of temperance, and congratulated the society on their progress ; after which a resolution was proposed by Mr. JOSFI'II SPLNcER, of York, expressing the satisfaction of the meeting at the progress of the temperance cause among se amen, and at the additional premiums offered by several assurance companies on ship:; where the use of spirituous liquors was confined to the medi cine chest. Mr. THORPE, of Halifax, seconded, and the Rev. Mr. MARSH supported the resolution, alluding t o the progress of temperance in the American vessels, in none of which that sailed from New York were any spirits in use . Th e same i results were to be hoped forill the navy of that country,