The Sun. — London, England, 1852-05-07 00:00:00

NS7ITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS? On Tuesday, James M. Rendle, Esq., President, in the Chair, the discussion was renewed on the papers by Mr. BraithwOe Poole (Assoc. Inst. C.E.), and Capt. Huish, (Assoc. lost. C.E.), on the " Economy of Railways" and on " Railway Accidents," and was continued throughout the evening. The principal points in the working of railway traffic were carefully discussed, and the modifications, which had been by degrees introduced, were noticed. The necessity for a certain amount of uniformity of con struction of the rolling stock, as far as accordance be tween the centres of the buffers of all carriages likely to be brought together to make up the trains, was ad mitted; but any attempt to enforce complete uniformity was strongly deprecated. The proposition for dividing the railway kingdom into four parts, and amalgamating the rolling stcck for each division, was contended to be impracticable and impolitic. The question as to she prudence of railway companies becoming manufecnarers of engines and carriages, and even as was once contemplated by the London and North-Western Railway, rolling their own rails was also strongly argued; and it was contended that such an application of the funds of a railway company was not prudent or advantageous ; as repeated instances had been sltewn that companies could not com pete with individuals in economy of manufacture. Still, however, there were many good authorities who contended that a 3 long 43 a railway company did execute its own repairs it would be found economical to fill up the time of the men and employ the tools in making a few engines ; and only purchasing the stock required for the new lines, or branches. The greater care exercised in the purchase of mate rials, and in the manufacture of certain parts, such as axles and wheels, was shewn to have produced excellent results; only four iron wheels and two wooden wheels, had broken under passenger carriages in four years on the London and North-Western Railway, where the wooden were rapidly superseding the iron wheels. Some curious results of manufacturing locomotive en gines were given, and it was shewn, that one great firm, the goodness of whose productions was generally ad mitted, had actually incurred a heavy loss in building engines since 1848; having, however, previously to that time manufactured with profit. How much more likely would a railway company be to make he av y l osses than a manufacturer who could devote his whole atten tion and energy to the economical conducting of his establishment. It was admitted that the maintenance of way, making gas for the stations and shops, and a few other matters might be legitimately retained in the hands of the railway companies ; b u t it was con tended that the main objects to be attained would eventually be, the leasing tne working, as well as the maintenance of stock, of all lines by individual con tractors, and then, that ca2ital accounts would be closed, and the shareholders would ascertain their actual po sition. The discussion, which had taken a commercial turn instead et entering, into the question of railway eco nomy, or of railway accidents, occupied the whole time of the meeting, to the exclusion of any other subject. Mr. Ebenezer Goddard, Assoc. Inst. C.E. (of Ipswich) exhibited in the library, a small portable asbestos gas stove, for heating apartments, of great sim plicity and portability, the apparatus being contained in a box 12 inches, ! 9 inches, and 3i inches deep; also a protected gas burner of novel construction, for gas cook ing stoves, in which the holes were not liable to be choked up by any means. At the monthly ballot the following candidates were duly elected:—Major-General W. M`Neill, U.S., and J. Sims, as members; Colonel Colt, U.S., Capt. R. Fitz- Roy, RN., and Messrs. Brogden, jun., J. Forrest, 11. O'llagen, and R. A. Robinson, as Associates. It was announced from the chair, that the President's Annual Conversizione would be held on Tuesday even ing, May 25, for which the co-operation of the members and others was requested, so that an interesting collec tion of models of engineering constructions and machi nery, and of specimens of works of art, might be made; and the meeting was adjourned until Tuesday, May 11, when the following paper would be read, " Observations on Artificial Hydraulic, or Portland Cement; with an account of the testing of the brick beam erected at the Great Exhibition," by M. G. F. White, Assoc. Inst. C.E. PARIS AND STRASBURG RAILWAY. A general meeting, ordinary and extraordinary, of the shanuolders of this company was held on April 29, at Paris, in Herf.i. Great Roots, Rue do 13 Victoire; Count Eugene do ::-.4gur, the President, occupied the chair, and near lina were seated the following direc ters:—Baron J. de Rothschild, Baron d'Harvey, M. Jayr, M. Perdonnet. M. Bagnieres, M. Roux, M. Da bochet, 21. A. do Rothschild, jun., M. Touchard, M. Rainguerlot, M. E. Chevandier, M. Blaque-Belair, M. Fol, and M. Marcuard. The meeting being declared duly constituted, M. Bossange, the seq. 2Lary, proceeded to read the report:— This document ,fives a most satisfactory ac cou nt of the state of the tindertakiny. It commences by pointing out the favourable nature of the concession, as out of the 258,000,000 which the Strasburg Railway will have cost, when completely terminated, the State will have contri buted not le,s that 120,000,000, which the company can never be called on to repay. The main line and the branch line of Saarbruck will both ba opened to the public during the present year. On Juno 15, the trains from Paris will arrive at Forbach, on the Prussian fron tier, without quitting the rail, and on the 15th of August following the whole line from Paris to Strasburg will be open to the public. To arrive at that result, the greatest exertions had been required on the part of the company, and it had even made an offer to the Government to in terfere, and aid it in urging on the works more rapidly. The offer had been ;accepted, and it was owing to the active co-operation thus afforded that all the main line and the branch line to Saarbruck would be at work during part of the fine season of the present year—a result which must lead to a material augmen- , tation in the receipts. The report then enters at length into the state of the works, and mentions that all the stations and goods' yards are terminated, with the exception of the station at Nancy and the terminus at Strasburg. This last-named and most important work, which had been undertaken by the company for the account of the State, would not be terminated before the spring of 1853; but the works would be sufficiently advanced on August 15 to allow a portion of it to be used for the goods' service, whilst a temporary construc tion would suffice fr passengers. The Nancy station would be also finished in the spring of 1853, the build ing which had been prepared for the service of the branch line to Saarbruck being sufficient for the ge neral service until that period. The report next touches on the branch-lines of Rheims and Saar- Bruck; the former, which was of most difficult exe cution, on account of its including a tunnel of 2 , 9 00 metres in length, would be terminated about the end of next year, additional surveys having reduced the incline from 9 to 6 millimetres per metre. As to the branch line of Saarbruck, the section from Metz to St. Avoid had been opened in July last, as pro mised, and that from St. Avoid to Furbach in tho No vember following, although only promised for the spring of the present year. The results of the working of this latter section had been exceedingly striking, particularly in its effects on the other parts of the line. Thus, during the first seven months of 1851, the transport of goods on the section from Neeey a a le!z was only 1,800 tons per month; from August to November, it had risen to 7,300 tons per month, and since November, notwithstanding the bad season, had reached 10,300 tons per month. The b gross receipts of this branch line, notwithstanding the unfavourable, condition in w hi ch it was worked for the h e avy trains service wee net y et organiz'd, would not be l e ss than 14,400 f. per Kilometre and per annum, for all the period comprised betwee n the opening of the For bach section and its junction with the main line. now in progress, Th e station of Metz would b e fi nished somewhat be fore the end of 1852; and the layi n down of the second rail between -- anNcy and Met z , wou ld he terminatedabout the end o f August. The report tam entersinto details to show the increase in the traffic during the past year, and next states what augm entation had been effected in the w or ki ng and sta tionary stock, to meet the requirements of th e serv i ce. . Company, It also mentions t hat the treaty into last year with the Strasburg to Bale Company, for worki ng the section between Sarrebourg `Ollll Strasburg, had turned out most populations being accustomed favourably, not only tbe . communications —the greatobject • which by it to railway corn __,. c havin g accrues financial bad been in view—but a slight P,' oti' resatts of th to both companies. The iven as follow: working of the line at the end of 1851 are g Receipts, comprising those o f the pre - F. c. 121,476,657 54 ceding years ... "• 108,193,301 85 Expenses of the same period ••• " 13,283,355 69 Surplus of recei)ta ••• 3 Deduct caution mon e y o f 50,000 f. Of 773,333 34 per cent. rente at 36f. 40c.... • Stem disposable on Dec. 31 •-• ••• 12,5 10 , 022 35 Amongst the conditions of the concession was one which interdicted any distribution of dividend until the whole of the interest served on the portion of the capital paid-np had been reimbursed. That restitution was no w nearly effected. The sum paid since 1845 t o December, 1852, for interest had been 15,168,500 f., an d the profits of t he waking and the funds arising from interest on sums in vested, 13,477,146 f., so that there remained to be re paid only 1,285,354 f. The report then touches on the question of the junction line round Paris, th e railway discount bank, and the line uniting the Northern and Strasburg Railways; and then proceeds at considerable length to treat the question of the treaty lately passed with the Government, by which, on certain conditions, the length of the concession of the Strasburg Company has been prolonged to 99 years, from November, 1855. As the principal points of this treaty have been already published, it is unnecessary to enter into the subject here !*, any length. It may suffice to say that bhe Strasburg C ompany_ ( ngkages to pay 10,000,000 f. to the company t ut° execute a line from Blesmes to Gray, and, in addi n:toexeoute a branch-line at its own expense, estimated a,_tu a b o ut. 6 ,800,000 f. from Metz to Thionville, and to pro le g that breach-line afterwards to the French fron tier, shoal lined ea their the neighbouring Governments establish obtains the proinut° communicate with it. In return it and sation to make gitn of the concession, the divid en ds authori before the termination of the main railway ing down only one thebranchliae lines; and the faculty of lay- Forbad], as long as ,_°f rails between Metz and t ne gross section did not reach 18 receipts of that The Strasburg Company, 4,0 s 00fr. per kilometre. a matter of pm- N Eves i).\ 1 *nbsi, in order to p re „ retit undue ------knelVanged that the tlray li ne ahouicti, _ epmpetition, 11 f ~, ' ,Y)'.Dy a ixed board, 0120-ii , ;„: composed be of directorsadministered .... - EtrAburg line. The report also allude of the ... t \' ''.occasi ()lie ci by the heavier s to the expenses rails employed by th - I - 7' 4 *mg Company, the lighter ones specified o Stras- Lthe Cahier .. , 4 ' d e- b "-rt. found insufficient, a n d ~.... es sitrge., el- 6 then applies for leave to contract a loan to meet that and the other xi a g THE expenses now imposed on _ i t) : and which aro thus enu meratedF. To the St. Gray Company ... ...; Expenses for the line from Metz to 'A I lion - - 800,000 vine ... ... ... ... •• • 6, 'l,OOO 10,000, 000 f. 7 .) Expense if that line should be prolon,ged 5,00,, Sum for the line round Paris ... ••• 1,000,0 t, For the additional weight of rails .... 7,000,000 29,800,0001. or, in round numbers, 30,000,000 fr. Of that sum 5,000,000 f. would not be required at present. The report proposes to raise the sum required by an emission of de bentures of 500 f. each, at 5 per cent. interest, to be repaid by annual drawings in 99 years, at' the rate of 650 f. The holder of five shares of the Strasburgh line will have a right to one debenture, 125 f. to be paid on subscribing, 1251. on Decemoer 1, 1852, 1251. on June 1, 1853, and 1251. on December 1, 1853. The whole number of debentures is to be 60,000, of which 10,000 will be held in reserve, as not at present requi ring to be issued. The report concludes by summing up the principal points mentioned in the course of the statement, and declaring that the 'working of 240 kilom. (150 miles) of the main-line had given a return of 9f per cent. on the capital expended on that length of line. This report was received with loud applause by the meeting. The report of the committee appointed to examine the accounts of 1851 was then read, and the accounts ap proved of. The treaty between the State and the company was next carried by acclamation. The convention made with the State for the execution of the junction railway round Paris was also agreed to. On the question of authorising the loan of 30 millions, of which 25 millions would only be required at once, A shareholder proposed that this latter sum should be 20 millions. This proposition was negatived, and the authorisation to issue the debentures, as proposed by the Board, car ried by acclamation. The Chairman then stated that the subscription to the loan would be open at the office of the company from the sth to the 15th of May. A shareholder inquired when the first drawing would take place? The Chairman replied in August 1554. The interest at five per cent. would run from the Ist of June next. A Shareholder inquired whether there would be a dividend next year? The Chairman replied that there v,as every proba bility that their receipts would warrant that course. At the next general meeting, the shareholders would decide if the surplus receipts should be divides! or not. The business of the day being over, the meeting was about to terminate, when The Chairman stated that the Board of Directors in tended, for the 15th of August next, when the whole line to Strasburg would be opened, to send a free ticket to that place and back to every shareholder who attended the present meeting. This announcement was received with loud cheering. The proceedings then terminated. MEXICO. (From the New York Weekly Herald.) A recent steamer brought four royal letters to Pre. sident Arista. The first and second are from Queen Victoria, and relate to the removal of Mr. Bankhead and the appointment of Mr. Doyle as Minister to M ex i co . Th e third is dated at the palace of Madrid, January 15, 1852, and is signed by Isabella 11., Queen of Spain. It informs President Arista of the interesting fact that the young Princess whom Isabel has lately been th e means of usher ing into the world, has received the name of Maria Isabel Francisca Asia Cristina et Francisca de Paula. The fourth letter is dated at the Tuileries, January 12, 1852, is signed by Louis Napoleon, said countersigned by Targot. It is as follows.— THE PRINCE LOUIS NAPOLEON, PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, TO TILE PRESIDENT OF THE MEXICAN REPUBLIC, GREETING Great and Good Friend,—The unjust and con stantly increasing hostility of the Legislative Assem bly, its repeated attempts at usurpation against my authority, and the intrigues of the ancient parties, menaced France with an anarchy which might perhaps soon have extended over the whole of Europe. I have already brought to your knowledge the resolution which I thought it proper to adopt of causing justice and the public safety to prevail against an impuissant legality. The nation, when con sulted, responded spontaneously. The vote cast, with almost entire unanimity, ratified the appeal which I made to the people on the 2d of December, and while empowering me to form a new constitution, conferred upon me the Presidency for ten years. Such is the event which, in establishing political unity, gives to power the necessary strength to preserve social order and secure stability. The exceptional measures demanded by circumstances will not prevent the country from receiving as speedily as possible insti tutions conformable to its political habits and its new necessities. The government, moreover, will consider it a point of honour to preserve peace, and to make still more intimate the relations which it now enjoys with Mexico. I take pleasure in hoping that you will partake of the sentiments which animate me, and I willingly seize this opportunity for renewing to you 'the expression of my wishes for the prosperity of Mexico. I pray God, my,great and good friend, to preserve you in his holy guardianship. Written at the Palace of the Tuileries, on the 12th of January, in the year of Grace, 1852. Your sincere friend, Turgot. Lours NAPOLEON. c a...... ...... ............." S i,--- __ 1 . - ,t- - -,.- ,- • A i c t:ll ,l -0 ,i,-• . 0'- - - ,--, _ AMERICAN THEATRICAL INTELLIGENCE (From the New York Herald, April 21 ) Signor Biscaccianti was to make his first appearsnce in California, at the American Theatre, San Francisco, on the 22d. The concert was to be under the direction of Mr. George Loder. The prices of admission were advertised as follows :—Private boxes and stalls, 5 dollars ; dress circle and parquet, 3 dollars; pit, 2 dol lar:;; gallery, 1 dollar. Messrs. Chanfrau, Anderson, and Seymour, and Miss Albertine, had gone to Placerville, with the intention of opening the theatre at that place on Saturday evening, the 24th ult. Catherine Hayes is approaching New York. She has just closed a series of concerts at Cincinnatti with bril liant success, and produced quite an enthusiasm among the denizens of the " Queen of the West." Madame Goldachimdt (Jenny Lind) is announced to give three final concerts in this city before her departure for Europe—the first on the 18th of May. BOWERY THEATRE.—This evening Mr. Hamblin pro duces, for the first time, the dramatic romance entitled The Corsican Brothers, the new and startling eff4cts of which have produced, both in Paris.and London a revival in theatricals. BROADWAY THEATRE.—The great American trage than, Mr. Forrest, appears this evening for the sixty first time, a circumstance unparalleled in the engagement of any star, and still the houses are respectable. To night he plays the character of Rolla, in the tragedy of Pizarro. The last time he appeared in it he received throughout every scene the most enthusiastic applause. Conway will sustain the part of Alonzo, Mad. Ponisi as Cora, and Mrs. Ab bott as Elyira. This cast, apart front the other clever artists attached to this theatre, will be certain to crowd the house. Forrest is a great actor in many cha racters; Conway inherits many of the fine qualities of his father; Mad. Ponisi is the best stock actress that has ever appeared in the Broadway, and Mrs. Abbott is always correct in her part, and dresses more tastefully and appropriately than any other actress we have ever seen. The entertainments conclude with the Guardian Angel, with Davidge, Reynolds, Miss Crocker, and Kate Horn, in the principal characters. NIBLO'S GARDEN.—The beautiful theatre, which has always been ably conducted by Niblo, in having the best artists that money can purchase, as also in pre senting the various novelties he offers for the amuse ment of his patrons in the most costly and superb style, is nightly crowded by the most respectable class. Monday evening, although it rained heavily, the re ceipts amounted to 600 dollars. This speaks well for Niblo's character as a dramatic manager. To-night Madame Anna Thillon appeared again as Marie, in the opera of the Child of the Regiment, Hudson as Tonio, and Leach as Sulpice. The entertainments will con clude with the farce of the Captain of the Watch, Mr. Hudson appearing as Captain O'Donnell and Mrs. Con over as Isabella. Those who delight in good singing, excellent acting, and the greatest possible attention being paid to the comfort of visitors, would do well to call at the Garden. We are informed that one of the best artists in the States will be the next feature after the present engagement. LYCEUM THEATRE.—Although the weather has been dveryi e attractive taiti eelinclement the attendance at this theatre was very re spectable, and Miss Jaya Bennett greeted by the most enthusiastic t c h heers. This evening the progamme is very tars in which wil E c l ommencing feature being the come a Soldier's Courtship, the principal claarac ganza called the Following filled by Mr. Walcott and Miss Julia Bennett. e o F o a w ir ing one th w is it r t l h l e b G e o t l h de e n fa L ir u y ch e s x . extra vaganza this very s h te a em n t hdmbelrasg. celebrated Mr. V el p c iece, Miss' Julia Bennett, Miss piece w ot li t l w h i e ll A fil G l h th us e t, le in ad sp in i g te c o ha ll ra im ct s e e r lf, s. citi F ilhaaa i extni s wr h taah e u(as r ilsdca ,. The concluding o e h x a cite O t w h e e n r s isi a ble co f m ac e u d l i t a ie n s of of great IvSitliel'eaasau ta sti .. 4- - li: La h s l t le e d ve t n h i e ng a large and bril liant iCe u. ue . N. of Howard Mrs. C. H N a . l i s , i u t o . 8 F ) The audience on the occasion Forrest). Th e listen to the " Dramatic Readings" wa s composed of the learning and respectability of our citizens, and the manifestation s of their just apprecia tion of decided talent and ability was enthusiastic and evidences of their gratificationsurueunedsesfrueld. repeated. When we consider the very disagreeable state of the weather, we must say the numbers present, and g es of d de but Iviincrocuhrunctity completely of Venice was excellent, her deserved the appla:nsgelawnidt I t m l the e rtab. d e e sr c i i el d ed e i d iani was her Lady Teazle was complete. Mr. Vendenhoff a discriminating audience greeted hi,...... Baltimore , h h w av h i i n c g h also well received, Clipper, April 13. Farodi, male an engagement . with Mr. Lumley, the celebrated on on. L d it is said, is about to visit P English manager, to sing in . Madame Celeste appears i n Providence, on M onday evening next. ___----------e,—. POST-OFFICE NOTICE.--NEWSPAPERS FOR BEL GIUM, FORWARDED VIA FRA.scs.--Henceforward no Postage will be chargeable in this country upon newspapers addressed to Belgium " via France," and a postage of one halfpen ny only will be chargeable on the delivery of newspapers from Belgium, arriving by the'same route. Newspapers for Belgiu m intended to be torwarded in the closed mails through France, must be specially addressed " via France," or " vac Calais." SUN, LONDON, COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN THE ROYALCO COWES MAY H , T FL S E . ET IN COWES HARBOUR.—About ten o'clock last evening the schooner yacht Titania, of 100 tons, the property of G. R. Stephenson, Esq., was discovered to be on fire, and as she was in the midst of the fleet hauled up on e mud, great fears were entertained that many of finest vessels in Engl an d m i g ht b e d estroye d . Th e large town fire-engine was got into a h orse b oa t an d towed u to the burning yacht, bat on its b e i ng stated that she had a quantity of gu n p ow d er i n h er magazines, the _men were cautioned not to go ne a r h e r ; but for this unfortt: nate circumstance, there wa s suc h a such powerful engines, that th e fir e must number soon of haveme men, , n been a go,! - under. Their exertions were now principally directed to the saving of the Talisman cotter yacht, belonging to Captain Smith, and a schooner yacht belonging to Mr. O'Shea, in which they were successful; but the Titania, the competitor of the celebrated America, was completely burnt out. Her masts went by the board soon after midnight, but she kept burning till nearly daylight, when the sailors finding that the maga zine did not blow up, they would no longer believe that she had 2 cwt. of gunpowder in her, and boarded her aft, playing the engines with such effect that, although her iron sides were red hot, they soon put the fire out. The gunpowder was found to have been protected by the magazine from both fire and water. Her valuables are all detroyed; even the plate is all melted down. She has her bowsprit alone standing. There was con stant shouting from East Cowes shore that the Talisman was on fire, but it was only the reflection of the red-hot sides of the Titania on her, that gave her the appear ance of being on fire also. The paint is much blistered, and the pitch has run out of her seams; but she has received little other damage. The fire is stated to have been occasioned by the over-heating of the flue in airing the cabins and furniture, the owner being ex pected on board to-day. Had the wind been from the south instead of the east, it would have been a fatal affair for the other yachts (about twenty) that were near her. No powder should be allowed to be kept on board the yachts when laid up. The Japara Dutch ship has been pumped out, and her cargo is discharging; she has still two tons of to bacco and two ditto of flour in casks in her lower hold. LOUIS NAPOLEON. The Paris correspondent of an American paper writes, " Louis Napoleon rises at seven in the summer and eight in the winter ; examines immediately letters a documents of importance; arranges the business 3f the day with his aids and orderlies; sees his physician at nine o'clock; takes a turn in the garden of the Elys6e; looks over the newspapers, particularly the English; gives special audiences from ten to eleven ; then breakfasts ; he eats little. After breakfast he takes his seat at the Council of the Ministers, who asually assemble about noon. He rides as often as possible, and for about an hour and a half a day, on horseback or in a tilbury; on his return he transacts business until the dinner hour, six o'clock. He entertains at dinner, several times during the week, a large number of French and foreigners. His evenings are allotted to the theatres or the balls. He often labours in his cabinet or private study a considerable part of the night. His physician has mentioned to me that he never saw him out of humour but once or twice, and then his dissatisfaction was scarcely manifested. The English stories of flying into a rage in dialogues with,Ministers are ludicrously contrasted with his cha racteristic self-control. His habitual discretion and reserve in speech are such that there is no political Hobbs could unlock him when his purpose is to be close. From time to time he talks over with the most intelli gent men about him what he intends to write; he digests his subject, and prepares his topics and composition before he uses his pen at all. Suffer me to scribble here an anecdote which I have not seen in print. It has been related to me by a distinguished French gentleman, as from the officer in command on the Place de la Concorde. On the 2d of December, before daylight, two persons, muffled in cloaks, one a tall man, the other of middle stature, appeared on that place or square, and approaching one of the sentinels near the obelisk, asked whether he had heard the sound of a bugle ?—the answer was in the negative; but soon there came three distinct notes of a bugle from the direction of the Tuileries. The smaller man said to the other, 'Mon cher, it is done; let us go.' They retreated towards the Palace Elyiee. The event was the arrest of General Changarnier; the speaker, Louis Napoleon, who had come forth the better to hear the concerted signl BROMPTON HOSPITAL FOR CON SUMPTION. A festival in celebration of the commencement of the east wing of this rising charitable institution was held on Wednesday, at the Albion Tavern, Aldersgate street, and was presided over by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. Among the company present were —Lord W. Paulet, the Earl of Donoughmore, Lord Bateman, the Hon. O. Duncombe, the Hon. Captain Fitzmaurice, Sir Thomas Gladstone, Sir James Lush ington, Sir Peter Pole, the Rev. Sir H. Foulia, and the Rev. R. Montgomery. A report was read by the honorary secretary, Mr. P. Rose, from which it appeared that after a season of comparative adversity and gloom the institution, during the past year, has been rapidly recovering its ground and establishing itself in public favour. The number of indoor patients has been 474, of whom 316 have been dis charged cured or greatly benefited, 68 have died, and 90 still remain under treatment. The number of out door patients daring the year has been 3,199, show ing an increase of 136. In advocating the claims of the institution to public support, which he did with commendable earnestness, his Royal Highness the Chairman stated that the contemplated extension of the hospital would afford accommodation for 230 patients, and to demonstrate the necessity for this he stated that there were at present 133 applicants on the list waiting for admission. His Royal Highness made so successful an appeal to the benevolent feelings of the assemblage, that the secretary was enabled, during the evening, to announce a list of subscriptions amounting altogether to 3,3181. The Messrs. Staples supplied an excellent dinner on the occasion, and the musical arrangements, which were under the di rection of Mr. Grattan Cooke, assisted by Miss Ransford and other vocalists, were unexceptionable. 11r. Toole was toastmaster. Of all the hospi tals in London those devoted to the relief of con sumption are at present the most entitled to public sup port. That disease is the peculiar scourge of this coun try, yet, singularly enough, it is the least to which the means of alleviation and the resources of benevolence have been applied. A FEW GOOD THINGS. " You look," said an Irishman to a pale, haggard smoker, " as if you had got out of your grave to light your cigar, and couldn't find your way back again." Mr. Barnum, in a recent temperance address, said that he would give more for a drunkard who succeeded in business, as a public curiosity, than for anything he ever exhibited. The less wit a man has, the less be knows he wants it. Said one gentleman cf honour to another, "If you don't accept my challenge, I shall post you in the papers." " Go a head," said the other, " I had rather fill a dozen papers than one coffin. " Philosophers say that shutting the eyes makes the sense cf hearing more acute. A wag suggests that this accounts for the many closed eyes that are seen in our churches every Sunday. A man who married Mi3s Take, after having courted Miss Lloyd, was told by a friend that it was reported he was married to Miss Lloyd. "It was a Miss Take, I assure you," he replied. A young gentleman being pressed very hard in com pany to sing, even after he had solemnly assured them ho could not, observed they intended to make a butt of him. " No, my good sir," said Colman, "we only want to get astave out of you." The IVeto York Herald says it don't believe in the water-cure, and gives as a reason: " There is Mr. (naming a noted political editor), he has been lying in his damp sheet for twenty years, and he's worse now than ever." A friend in South America writes that he is now spending a month with a farmer who owns a thousand miles of pasture, and a patch of corn larger than Scot land, while he has got so many cattle, that he has to boil the fodder for them in a volcano. The Romans placed the hearth next in sacredness to the altar. They were always ready to do battle pro orris et focis; "but imagine yourself, says Dr. 0. W. Holmes, " rushing to battle for a hot air furnace, or making a desperate stand with your back against a stove piper There have been various definitions of" a gentleman," but the prettiest and most poetic is that given recently by a fair American. " A gentleman," says she, " is a human being, combining a woman's tenderness with a man's courage." A gentleman, it is said, had a board put up on a part of his land, on which was written, " I will give this field to any one who is really contented ;" and when an ap plicant came, he always said—" Are you contented ?" the gentleman, " what do you want with my field?" The general reply was, " I a m ." " Then," rejoined HEALTHOF LONDON DURING THE WEEK. (From the Registrar-General's Report.) In the week that ended last Saturday the number of deaths registered in London was 1,026, which is nearly the same as in the previous week. In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1842-51 tho average was 903, which, if raised in proportion to increase of population, becomes 993. Compared with the calcu lated amount, the mortality of last week exhibits an excess of 33; and hence it appears that though, as was shown in last return, the public health has improved since March, it is not yet in so favourable a state as might be expected at this period of the year. In comparing the results of the last two weeks it will be seen that there is again a slight increase in the deaths referred to the principal pulmonary complaints, except consumption, those caused by bronchitis having risen from 71 to 86, those by pneumonia from 61 to 67, and the total of this class from 172 to 187, while the corrected average of th e t en wee k s co rresponding to last is 14 5 . The zymetic class has also increased in the two weeks from 204 . deaths to 232 (while the corrected average is 1 a ari sing in t he p artly previous from week scarlatina. t o3B Th s disease,children, last week 45 ca ses, an d preva il s cons id era bly a t present; beeping cough rose f rom 35 to 42. :which numbered was STATE OF THE WEATHER DURING THE PAST WEEK. SUNDAY.—The sky was generally one-half covered with cloud till near noon, and clear during the remainder of the day ; eumulostratus and cirrostratus. MONDAY.—The sky was clear throughout the day. TUESDAY.—The sky was overcast throughout th e day. WEDNESDAY.—The sky was the day; cinotratue.. begs to fall at 1;1. r.m. covered with cloud throughout PRI DAY THURSDAY.—The sky was overcast throughout the day. Rain fell frequently. FRIDAY.—The clouds were broken during the afternoon, otherwise the sky was overcast; cumulus, cirrocumulus, and cirrostratus. Rain fell during the evening. SATURDAY.—The Sky was for the most part covered with clouds till the evening, when at times it was cloudless. The day was cold. ELECTRICITY.—On April 28, at about noon, and on May 1, at about 9h. P.M, weak positive electricity was shown. The mean reading of a thermometer placed on the main mast, and read each day at 9h. A.M. was 53.0 g ; and the mean reading at 9h. P.M. was 48.3 Q; the mean readings at the Royal Observatory for the same times were 51.6 8 and 47.7 4 respectively. The reading of the barometer at the beginning of the week was 2918 in., at which reading it continued till the 26th; then increased to 30'03 in. by 9h. A.M. on the 2t7h ; continued at about this val ue till the 28th ; began to decrease a little before noon on this day ; was 29.38 in. by 3h. P. M. on the 30th ; and increased to 2913 in. by the end of the week. THE CO UN TRY MARKETS. LOUGHBRO', MAY 6.—This market was well attended to day. Wheat is lower; barley Is higher; oats and beans firm. DERBY SMITHFIELD .MARKET, MAY 4. The supply of fat beasts to-day was again large, the quality generally good, with a fair attendance of purchasers, without any quotable alteration in price. The show of sheep was also large (most of which were out of their wool) ; the demand was brisk, and a good clearance was effected. There were several lots of lambs penned, which were readily sold. Fat and store calves were again plentiful; fat pigs about the average. Beef, 41d to 5d ; mutton, 5d to 6d ; veal, 4d to 41-d per lb ; pigs, 7s 3d to 7s 6d per score. Rough fat, 3s 6d per stone of 141bs. Hides, 11d to Od per lb; calf skins, 2d to 3d per lb. UPEINGHAM, MAY s . —Wheat 38s to 41s; barley 25s to 27s Od ; oats 19s to 245; beans 30s to 33s per qr. Butter 7id to 8d per lb ; eggs 26 for ls. Lotrx, MAY s.—Wheat 35s to 395; barley 25s to 28s; oats 168 to 19s ; beans 26s to 30s per qr. NEWARK, MAY 5 . --Wheat, white 44s to 455, red 38s to 40s ; barley, malting 28s to 308, grinding 23s to 243 ; oats, 245 t., 22s to 235, 225 t., 20s to 21s; beans, 32s Od to 335; malt, OUs to 00s ; tares, 35s to 40s per qr. BosToN, MAY s —Wheat, red 34s to 39s Od, white 40s to 425, superfine 44s to OOs ; barley 00s to COs ; oats, 17s to 21s; beans 29s to 335; peas 25s to 27s per qr. LYNN, MAY 4 . —Wheat 30s Od to 36s Od, fine 38s to 41s; barley 24s to 265, fine 28s to 30s; oats OOs to OOs; beans Os to Os, fine Os to Os per qr. MILTON MOWBRAY, MAY 4.—Wheat, 37s Od to 41a; barley, 24s to 2Ss; oats, 18s to 225; beans, 28s to 33s per qr. Butter 8d to 9d per lb ; eggs 24 for is. EDINBURGH GRAIN MARKET, MAY s.—We had in the market a good supply of grain to-day. Sales for wheat and oats ready, but barley and beans rather dull. The top of wheat was Is and the average 3d d own . B ar l ey on t h e top 6d up, and the average the same as last week. Oats on the top same as last week and the average Id down. Beans on the top ls, and the average 7d down. Unsold, 127 qrs wheat, 53 qrs barley, 101 qrs oats, and 20 qrs beans. Top of Wheat 65ilb. 45s Od „ Barley • 5511 b. 33s Od Oats ▪ 4411 b. 23s 6d Beans 66ilb. 35s Od EDINBURGH CATTLI MARK/T, MAY s.—The number of cattle was 702, or 46 more than last week. Top price, 6s 9d to Os Od ; current, 6s 6d ; secondary and inferior, from 58 6d to 6s Od per Dutch stone. A clearance was effeeted. The number of sheep at market this morning was 2,028, being 629 less than last week. Best wedder mutton, top price, sid per lb ; current, 51d to Od ; ewes, 4d to 44d. Lambs, top, 22s ; current, from 20s to 21s a head. At the close a clearance was not effected. CORK, May 5. Barrels. Currency. 0 White wheat 00s Od to 00s Od 00s Od-20 stone 9 Red wheat ..21s 01 to 00e Od 0 Ditto ~..00s Od to 00s Od 00s Od-20 do 0 Ditto ......... 00s Od to 00s Od 55 Barley ......... 12s Od to 12s 10d 0 Ditto ........ 00s Od to 00s Od 00s Od-00 do 0 Ditto ........,00s Od to 00. Od 0 Bere. ........ ...00s Od to 00s Od Os Od 104 Oats ......... ...10s 6d to 11s 4d 0 Ditto ...... 00s Od to 00s Od 10s 10d-0 do 0 Ditto ..... 00s Od to 00s Od 10 Pigs .......... 28s Od to 32s Od 00s Od per old Quantity sold at the Highest Prices:- 0 barrels white wheat ; 0 red ; 25 barley; 0 bere; 2 oats, 5 pigs. Quantity of Grain and Number of Pigs sold last week Wheat, 80. Barley, 1582. Oats, 1264. Pigs, 11. PRICES OF BUTTER. CANT. CURRINCT. First quality Second quality Third quality . 70s Third quality 6ll Fourth quality Fifth quality Sixth quality 3os Sixth quality Return of Cattle sold for week ending May 1. Pigs, 267. Sheep, 347. Cows, 80. Coss.—Flour—First 121 6d to 13s 6d; extra 141 6d; econds, lOs Od to 12s Od; households 9s to 108 Od; thirds, 7s to 9s per cwt. Oatmeal 10s 6d to 111; Indian meal 7s 6d to 830 d; wheat. meal, 9a 6d to lOs 6d per cwt. Indian corn 715 s to 7115 s per ton. Bran 87s 6d to 929 6d per ton. Hay—Farmers 26s to 00s; average 00s; dealers 30s to 40, Od; average 00s per ton. Straw—Farmers 161 Od to 24s Od ; average 00s ; dealers 31s 05 to 001 Od ; average 009 Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf bid to Od; household loaf Sid to Od per 41b. Fresh butter, 8d to 10d per lb. Eggs-4s 4d to 41 6d per hundred. Coals— Newport 15s Od ; Lydney 15s ; Landore 00s ; Culm, 123 6d per ton. Tallow 37. Od to 38s per cw t. Whisky, 25 o. p., bar 9d per imperial gallon. Moat —Beef 4id to 7d; mutton 5d to 6}d; veal 5d to 7d ; pork 4d to Od ; bacon 6d to 7d ; sausages 5d per lb. Hops 8181 to 910 s per cwt. Bangor slates 2117 s 6d to 3/ Os per ton. Bark, red 71to 8110. per ton. Fleece wool 141 to 15s per gene. Hemp 291 to 341 per ton. Fish—Scotch herrings 19s to 003; red ditto, 24s to 001 per barrel ; Newfoundland, 10/ Os to 111 per ton. Timber—Memel, 703 per ton ; red pine, 31 53 ' - yellow ditto, 21 15s per ton; deals, 151 to 181 per 100. Hides— Market 18s to 255; salted 20s to 26s per owt ; calf skins Sid to Od per lb. Potatoes, white tad to 9d ; pinks 10d to 125. Guano—Peruvian, 101 lOs to ill; Ichaboe, 81 to 9l Os per ton. Tar—Archangel, 19s per barrel. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, UAY 6. STOCK ExcuaNGE.—There was an improved feeling ex hibited in the . share market to-day, and a g ood b us i ness has been done at improved prices. The sa l es reported were — Midlands, 70 —Ditto, Six per Cent s ., 142 —London and North-Western, 123%—South-Eastern and Dover, 21T ; — Taff Yale, Quarters, 34. LIVERPOOL, MAY G. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The share market opened well this morning, but soon became fi a t , and closed heavily. The transactions were as,follow :—Caledonian, 205/s—Eastern Counties, 9y s c.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 7:3 - t —Ditto, 201. F Shares, dis.—London and North-Western, 124% —Ditto, New Quarters, 5 ,(2 p.—Ditto, Fifths, 4;6 p.— Manchester, Sheffield. and Lincol ns hi re, 34% —Midland, 70% —York and North Midland, 25%. MANCHESTER, MAY 6. STOCX EXCIIANGE. — There has been a fair amoant of busine s s transacted to day, with out material alteration in prices.—The sales reported w ere—Caledonian, 20%—East Anglian, 6 per cent, 3,5--Eastern Counties, 9 5 %s—Manchester Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, New Preference, p.—Shrews bury and Chester , Preference , - 157 / B —Midlands, 70 1 4—South- Eastern and Dover, 21 11-16—Bl ackburn, Preference, 20 —East Lancashire, Fifths (second issue), 53—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 7 % — Leeds, 20/., 3 / 4 dis.—Warrington and Altrinchani, 1-16 dis.—London and North-Western, 123%. BIRMINGHAM, MAY 6. STOCK EXCIIANGE. — The share market was more than usually buoyant to-day, and there was a good demand for Midland and Shrewsbury and Birmingham shares. The transactions were as follow :—Leed s an d B radford, 102% Midland, 70% —Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 7 1 / i Ditto (B), 5%. SEABORNE MALLS. slgnities that the mails aro sent from the General Post-office the morning --dispatch.) by the night—and M by When made up in From what :LACES, General Post-office port din- When London: I patched. due. -----------.1—.....--„.. —. America (by Brit. pkt.)N May 7 . .. ...Liverpool .• May 10 America (by U.S. Pict) N; 3l aY 18 .. •• 'Liverpool .. I I May 12 America (by U.S. pkt.)M May 14 .. Southampt. May 7 Africa (West coast)" N 14th of the month Plymouth May 3 Alexandr i a * ........ N 1941 a & 30th of mo. Dover .. May 18 .. .. .. N Daily . Beim Dover .. Daily .. .. M 9th of the month Sonthampt. May 16 razil B ue nos Ayres .. .. 31 9th of th e month Southampt. May 16 California(viaChagrer)M 2d & 17th of month Southampt. May 5 Cape of Good Hope N 14th of month Plymouth.. May 3 Constantinople .... 2117th 17th 27th of mo Dover .. 51ay 10 * Central America .. NI 2el & 17th of num. Southampt. ;May 5 Channel Isles • • .. N Mon., Wed., &Fri. Seuthampt. Tu. Th. Sat Chili .. .. .. . M 17th of the month Sonthampt. May 5 France .. .. &I & N Twice daily .. .. Dover .. Twicedally Greece* • • • • .. Nlthl7 th27thormo Dover ..'May I° Hamburgh .• .. N,Tuesday & Friday London .. Taos. Sat. .. .. MWednes. Rolland .. & Satin'. London .. Mou.Thur Honduras .. .. . N 17th of the mouth Southampt. May 20 Ireland .. •• M& N Twice daily .. .. Holyhead • • Twlcoda ll Y India (via Southamp.) M 20th of the month Southampt. May 20 India (viamarsoillea) N B th& 24th ef month Dover .. May 16 I' Mediterranean (via 1 , Bout/um-A.0•• M2 oth of the m on th Southampt . I' I May 20 Mediten m I mean (via Marseilles) • • •• N Bth& 24th ofmonthl Dover • • !Ma,' 16 Mexico • • ••M2d of the month.. Soathampt. 'May 5 Madeira • • • • .. II 9th of the month 'SouthanaPt•lMay 16 Malta* .. .. 1 1t11,17th,19th,27th , } Dover May 10 I &30th of month i Naples* .. . ' " N s th 15th 25th ofme Dover •• May 2 Papal States* .. .. Ni s llllsth2sthefmo'Dover •• 'May 2 Peninsular.. .. .. M 7th 17th 27th of molSouthampt. May 16 Per l in " . ' .."' •• M 17th o f th e mont h I S o uthampt. 'May 5 Ths iVest Indies — :: .. 1 i 5 . .. t hlsth 25th ofmoiDover • • Ma y 2 West les ndi ( except Ax. ~. i rth of the month I Southampt. May 20 Havanna & Nassau) 51 id of the month .., Southampt., May 5 * The mails to those eountri thus marked (*) are convoyed by French packet Vi a M I's arselll., BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.—The an nual meeting of this society was held on Wednesday at Exeter Hall ; Lord Sh a f tesbury in the chair. The meeting was nu merously and influentially attended. The report stated that the entire receipts of the year, ending March 31, 1852, amount to 108,449/. Os. 10d., being an increase of 5 ,1184 18s. 2d. on th ose of last year. The receipts applicable to the general purposes of the society have amounted to 56,683 L Bs. ld., including 34,100?. 19s. free contributions from auxi liary societies. The amount received for Bibles and Testa ments is 51,765/. 125. 9d. The issues of the society for the year are as follows :—From the depOt at home, 805,181; from depots abroad, 349,461; total, 1 , 154 , 642 ; being an increase of 17,02 5 over those of last year. The total issues of the society now amount to 25,402,309 copies. The ex penditure during the past year has amounted to 103,9301. 9e. 10d. The society is under engagements to the ex tent of 52,341/. 2s. 7d." On the motion of the Bishop of Winchester, and seconded by the Chevalier Bunsen, the report was unanimously received. Other resolutions having been passed in connexion with the objects of the so ciety, the meeting separated, after a vote of thanks to the Noble Chairman. MONEY MARKET. —The quotation of gold at Paris is about 4 per mills prem. (according to the new tariff ), which, at the English 151 int price of 31. 17s. 101,d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.27 ; and the ex change at Paris on London at short being 25.421, it follows that gold i 4 about 0.61 per cent. dearer in London tha n in Paris. B Y advices from llamburgh the price Of gold is 430 per mark, which, at the English Mint pr i ce o f 31. 17s. 101 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13 . 7 i ; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short being 13.81, it follows that gold is 0.46 per cent. dearer in London than in Ilamburgh. The course of ex change at Ne w Y ork on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1091 per cent., and the par of exchange between England and America being 109 23-40 per cent., it follows that the exchange is nom i nally 0.33 per cen t. against England. Th e present rate d oes not adm i t o f the shipment of gold either to Or Irvin the United state& EVENING, MAY 7, 1852. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 6. Lord BEDESDALE took his seat on the Woolsack a Five o'clock. PETITIONS. The Earl of CARLISLE presented petitions from Kingston -upon-Hull and from Wellington, in Somerset shire, against any militia force. Lord REDESDALE presented petitions from places in Worcestershire in favour of the Copyholds Enfran chisement Bill. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented eighteen petitions from Du n d ee , R ea di ng , an d o th er pl aces , against the Maynooth grant. ECCLESIASTICAL MUNIMENT BILL. On the motion of the Bishop of OXFORD, this Bill was read a second time. LINEN MANUFACTURES (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion of Lord COLCHESTER, this Bill passed through Committee. POOR-LAW RELIEF ACT CONTINUANCE BILL. After a few observations from Lord BERNERS, this Bill passed through Committee. LOAN SOCIETIES BILL. This Bill also passed through Committee. COLONIAL BISHOPS BILL. After a short discussion, this Bill passed through Committee. DRAINAGE (IRELAND). On the motion of the Earl of ROSSE, the Seleot Com mittee to take into consideration the operation of the Board of Works in Ireland was nominated. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 6. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Mr. HAYTER, a new writ was ordered for Perth, in the room of Mr. Fox Maule, who had succeeded to the title of Lord Panmure. PRIVATE BILLS. The Lords' amendments to the Stockton Extension and Improvement Bill were considered and agreed to. The following Bills.were read a third time and passed: Bedford and Kimbolton Road. Romsey, Broughton, Stockbridge, and Wallop Roads. Ipswich Dock. London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway. The following Bills were considered and agreed to:— Eastern Counties Railway (powe e the East An glian Railways, &c.) Shillingford, Wallingford, and Re g Road, and Shil lingford Bridge. simple and intelligible to the most ignorant man in the country. Upon this clause he would take the sense of the House in respect to his proposition. The lion. Member concluded by moving the omission of certain words from th e c l ause, w i t h t h e v i ew o f carrying out his object. The CHAIRMAN having put the question, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he believed that the Hon. Member for Montrose was not in the House when a question upon the subject was asked by the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Northampton. His Right Hon. Friend the Secretary for the Home Depart ment gave such an answer at the time as seemed to satisfy the Right Hon. Member for Northampton. He (the Attorney-General) believed that some of those Acts to which the Hon. Member for Montrose referred were passed prior to the 42d George 111., c. 90, and that the others related to Ireland and Scotland. Now if the Hon. Gentleman would take up the 42d George HI., he would find that the first section repealed all the prior Acts re lating to the militia, so far as they related to England; and, therefore, in point of fact, the 42d George 111. was the existing and prevailing law upon the subject at pre sent. With regard to the Acts passed subsequently, there really was little alteration made, and none of the slightest importance as regarded the present question. He was satisfied that if the Honourable Gentleman would turn his attention to the particular statute to which he referred he would find that there was no obligation whatever to revert to any other Act in the present Bill than the 42d George 111., which was intended by this Bill to be the governing law in respect to the militia. He agreed with the Hon Gen tleman that it was most desirable that the law on the subject should be rendered intelligible to those particu larly who were to administer it. He was, however, afraid that many of the class of persons to whom his Hon Friend referred could not read the law—and if they even could, they would not understand it. It was, however, most desirable that the law should be clear and definite. The Hon. Gentleman proposes to repeal all the Militia Acts in regard to England, Ireland, and Scotland. He said that he was desirous of consolidating them, and including them in the one Act. Well, inas much as the only Act which could apply was the 42d George 111., all that he could accomplish would be this —that he would take the 42d George 111. and repeat it clause by clause in the provisions of this Bill. Now, he asked, how could they make the matter more clear and intelligible by taking such a course? Everybody was presumed to know the law. He, however, confessed he did not believe that after this Bill passed into a law the people would be better acquainted with the state of the law than they were before. It appeared to him, then, that it would be perfectly unnecessary, and but a waste of time, for them to consider the provisions of the 42d George 111. He submitted that the course taken by the Government was the better one. There was no want of clearness and intelligibility in the measure before the House. Mr. HUME reminded the Hon. and Learned Gentle man that the late Sir R. Peel, when Prime Minister, had in one of his greatest and most important measures, consolidated seventy or eighty Acts connected with Cus toms, and he frequently took pains to lay it down as his principle that the old laws should be repealed, consoli dated, or brought into one Act. He did not think that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had made out a case for departing from that principle on the present occa sion. The course he proposed might no doubt entail some trouble upon the Government; but he hoped it would not be considered offensive if he told them that they were well paid for their trouble. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that, in the case referred to by the Hon. Member, there were seventy or eighty Acts to be considered, but in the present there was virtually only one. Lord PALMERSTON said he perfectly agreed in prin ciple with the Hun. Member for Montrose, thinking it most desirable that the several Acts passed upon this sub ject should bo consolidated into one. It was entirely in accordance with this view that he took the liberty of suggesting when the Bill was first brought in that it should consolidate all the previous Acts passed; they were, however, on the occasion referred to in the month of February, when the House had ample time to act upon the suggestion which he threw out. He would re mind the Hon. Member, after the changes which had taken place, and under the peculiar position of Parlia ment at the present time, fleet it was d eeme d a d v i sa bl e and it was the general understanding that nothing would be done during this session bat what was absolutely ne cessary. Now, although the proposal was a good one, he did not think it so necessary to occupy the time of the House in discussing so extensive a subject. It might be equally well done in the next year. All the main provisions of the law were to be found in the 42d George 111., c. 90. He hoped that the Hon. Gentleman would not consider that he was altering his opinion upon the principle of his amendment if he thought, in the present state of the session, it was not necessary to press it, as there was a general expectation that the business would be finished early, and that Parliament would be dissolved. Mr. V. SMITH regretted that the supporters of this amendment were not to have the assistance of his Noble Friend the Member for Tiverton. The law was on all sides admitted to be unpopular in its working. It was, therefore, the more desirable that it should be clearly known, and that there could be no mistake about it. lie certainly did not under stand the Right Honourable Gentleman the Secre tary for the Home Departm en t to assent to the propos ition when he urged it upon him, on a previous evening ; but it would appear from the Hon. and Learned Attorney- General, that he must have assented to it, as he (Mr. Smith) appeared at the time to be perfectly satisfied with his reply to his interrogatory. He, however, hoped that the House would support the amendment of his Hon. Friend, who had greatly the advantage of him (Mr. Smith), inasmuch as he was evidently in the con fidence of the Government.—(« No, no," from Mr. Hume.) Why the fa c t o f t h e Hon. Member for Mon trose having that evening read a Ministerial paper which had not been produced on the table of tjle House, was tolerably good evidence that he was in the confidence of the Government.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Now he should like to inspect that paper that had passed be ween the Right Honourable Gentleman the Home Se cretary and the Hon. Member for Montrose. He be lieved that:the supporters of the present measure did not wish that the obnoxious character of their Bill should be generally known to the public. He did not know whether his Hon. F r i end the Member for Manchester (Mr. Bright) was aware that there were some stringent clauses in it which especially related to the order to which he belonged. If any member of that order was unable or unwilling to provide a substitute he was sub ject to the penalty of a heavy fine, which it not paid left him subject to im prisonment.—(Hear, bear.) He did not think that the lion. and Learned Gentleman was acting respectfully to the House in the course he was taking. Mr. RICH objected that, as the Bill stood, if a man deserted—say from the Dorsetshire militia, and was found in Northumberland, he would then have to. be handed over to th e co l onel of the Cumberland militia, and so from county to county, until be arrived in the county from whose militia he had deserted. Such a provision as that, he granted, might have been very de sipable when there w ere n o railways in existence; but he put it to the Committee whether it was not alto gether inexpedient and unnecessary in the present state of locomotion in this country? By another clause it appeared that the 61. bounty was to be paid to the militiaman free of all charges; but he did not under stand how that could be when 4d. a day was to be de ducted. Such provisions us these rendered it necessary, in his opinion, that the measure should be considered and amended by the Government before they pressed it further through the Committee. Mr. WALPOLE said it was from no disrespect to the House that the Bill bad been introduced in its present shape. The Government had considered the matter maturely, and, seeing that it was in fact a Bill for carry ing out a voluntary enlistment, they thought it would b . e much clearer an d b etter understood if it were passed in that shape. At the same time, he agreed with Mr. Hume that it was advisable, wherever it could he done, to consolidate laws, and if this Bill were passed, that it would be extremely desirable, in another session of Par liament, to co nso lid ate the old Militia Acts with this, so that the whole body of militia law might be included in one measure. Mr. BRIGHT was astonished at the course which Ministers had taken. He could only account for it by the fact that they were a new Government, in difficulties, in a Parliament in extremis, and that therefore they were anxious to shuffle through the Bill, without sufficient consideration of the gravity and importance of the sub. ject upon which they were legislating.—(oh, oh, and hear.) As to the Noble Lord the Member for Tiverton (Lord Palmerston), he appeared to have fallen into lamentable inconsistency upon the question. It was but recently that he expressed himself most strongly in fa vour of consolidation; but he seemed to be so wedded to the idea of getting through something in the s h ape o f a Militia Bill, and of introd uc i ng the thin end of the wedge this session, that he cared not to sacrifice his con sistency upon that part of the question. Let the Com mittee bear in mind that th e Act of 1802 w as p asse d a t punishments, not only of the fro m the present, when the were brutal and sanguinar military, but the civil co d e , not now be tolerated; and yto a degr ee , w hi c h wou ld even civil rights were not for one moment held in the balance where the necessities of the military service were concerned. He contended then that it was an imp r oper thing fo r th e P ar li ament o f 1 852 hastily, and without any cause of urgency being shown, to re-enact and incorporate in this Bill a measure such as that. On that account he agreed with his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) that it would be better to delay pro ceeding further with the, measure in the present session. Sir G. GREY was surprised to hear that Government had resolved upon the course they now took, after any deliber at i on upon the subject. The House would re member that an amendment was moved by Lord Pal merston upon the motion of the late Government for leave to bring in their Bill, and that part of the Noble Viscount's amendment was to insert the word " consoli dated."—(Hear, hear.) The House adopted that amend ment—a change of Government followed—and yet the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Home Secretary) came down to the House, and without giving it the slightest reason to suppose the Government were mot of the same opinion with the House that the militia-laws ought to be conso lidated, introduced a Bill which was merely to amend those laws. -; iIici — CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—It was qu ite true that the course taken by her Maj es ty' s Ministers with regard to the Militia Bill was the result of the deliberation due to so important a subject; but deliberation was exercised, not merely as to that subject, but as to the circumstanc;es under which the question had devolved upon them. Th ey had before them two modes of consolidation —one was the plan now proposed by his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose; the other, by reference. And as it Was their opinion that, if they adopted the former, they would not succeed in carrying a Militia Bill through the present Parliament, under the peculiar circumstances in which the new Government PETITIONS. Several petitions were presented against the Militia Bill. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from the graduates of the University of London, praying for the right to return Members to Parliament. Mr. MULLINGS presented a petition against th• Suitors in Chancery Bill. Mr. SPOONER presented several petitions from various places in Warwickshire against the Maynooth grant. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from the Catholics of Burnley against the Charitable Trusts Bill. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from Oxford shire against the Maynooth grant. Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition praying for the repeal of all taxes on knowledge. ADMISSION OF JEWS INTO PARLIAMENT. Mr. REYNOLDS wished to ask the Chancellor of th© Exchequer if it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce a Bill, during the present session of Parliament, to alter or modify the oaths now required by law to bo taken by Members of that House, in such a manner as to allow persons of all religious persuasions, elected Members of that House, to be sworn at the table of the House in the manner and form most binding on their consciences? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was not the intention of the Government to introduce, during the present session, any Bill to alter the oaths alluded to. THE DIVISION YESTERDAY. Captain ARCLIDALL complained of the manner in which a number of Hon. Members had been shut out from the division yesterday. He and other Hon. Mem bers were in the library when the division bell rang, but when they got near the immediate approach to the House the way was so blocked up with strangers that they could not get to the door until after it had been closed for the division.—(Hear, hear.) They might have put their shoulders to the door, but such a course would have been a breach of order and decorum.—(A laugh.) Mr. GRATTAN said he went into the wrong lobby by mistake, but when he found his mistake out he was not so nice as the Hon. and Gallant Member, for he did put his shoulder to the door, and ultimately succeeded in getting into the right lobby. The SPEAKER said less time was taken up yester day in putting the question than usual, owing to the near approach of six o'clock, when the House must of neces sity have adjourned. The subject then dropped. MILITIA BILL. On the question " that the orders of the day be read," Mr, HUME asked whether it was not possible to consolidate all the militia laws by introducing a clause to that effect into this Bill? Mr. WALPOLE said it could not possibly be done, but when this Bill passed it would be open to the Go vernment, next session, to consolidate the whole of the laws. Mr. LABOUCHERE suggested that under those cir , eumstances it would be better, when they came to coesi. der th© title, to omit the word consolidate. Mr. WALPOLE said it was his intention to move an amendment to that effect. Mr. M. GIBSON again insisted, that in order that Members mightunderstand the whole bearings of the ques tion, they ought to be furnished with copies of the existing Act, as was done in 1842, when the re-imposition of the income-tax was under consideration. By an order of the Speaker 658 copies of the old Income-tax Act were delivered at the Vote-office for the use of Members, and he insisted that that precedent ought to be followed now.—(Hear, hear.) The order of the day was then read, and the Com mittee on the Bill was resumed, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. On the first clause being proposed, Mr. J. BELL said he would take that opportunity of expressing his opinion to the House on the subject of the measure. He did not wish to offer any factious opposition, but objected on principle to a militia under any circum stances. He was not one of those visionary individuals who believed that universal peace would be established in our time, but we ought to e n d eavour to e ncourage the good, and not to excite the e vil p assions of men. Neither was he going to argue that defensive war was not justi fifralle.oulr'hneerieghwbeoruerns.o groundsa had in r fearingt, any committe aggression d an aggression upon them by using every kind of word and epithet which was calculated to arouse their p ass i ons . The insults heaped on the French President and French people in that House would do more than any thing else to invite an invasion on our shores. Th e principles of the P eace Societ y would one day prevail , e so i in the same way that ob j ections to duelling ono prevalent and almost n ecessar y , had succeeded n putting e t u e nts, Tiverton,that who declared e mbodied ba o y p o in n i e o t n s d ow n the practice. He was surpris e d t h at the Noble i L n o r a d s p t e h e e M c h wou ld become more powerful than th e to e h m i b s e c r ons fo ti of infantry, the fire of artillery, and the charges of cavalry, should have quoted the other night the pamphlet of ridiculing peace an anonymo us idiot, for the purpose peace doctrines. Seeing no necessity whatever for the every Bill, he should oppo se i t i n every stage and by const i tu tional meaus permitted by th e forms of th r- House. 0 The first clause was then agreed to. On the second clause being put, Colonel SIBTHORP moved the insertion of the following clause — " That it is inexp e di ent to p l m a mu ch or any part of the Act 42 George 111., c. 90, e50 or a ny other subsequent Act, as relates to th e qualification o f officers appointed to serve in any o f the regiments of militia in Great Britain ; also, th a t i t is essenti al lto the constitution, as by l aw es t a bli s h ed, that th respective appointments of all o ffi cers possessing the g re quired qualification by the af oresa id A ct, G I eo. 11., c, 90, or any subsequent Act relating to the militia, shall be made by the lieutenants o f counties or by colonels commanding regiment s i n w hi c h each regiment is raised or to be raised from time to time, as de mand, by and with the approbationoccasions may of her Majesty.—That the e and sanction appointments of all persons to serve in the respective situations of adjutants, surgeons, assistant surgeons, paymasters, madeb or quartermasters, s h a ll be .the lord-lieute nants of countie s , or b y the colonels Y or commanding officers of each r • egiment of militia; and this shall also include all other ap • pomtments of inferior rank, as may appear necessary f or carrying into effect the duties of the same from time to ti • me• and this power shall con tinue in forc e until I'ed repea ,or otherwise amended by Act of Parliament." The Hon. and Gallant Member said his object was to restore the old l aw respect i ng t h e appo i n t men t and quali fication of officers, in order to secure persons of respect ability and position in the county. Mr. WA.LPOLE said the old law respecting appoint ments of officers was not altered by the Bill. They would still be made by the lord-lieu tenant, subject, however, to the consent of the Crown. As to the other point, the qualification of the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and major, would be continued with this exception (as we understood), that persons who had held similar posts in her Majesty's army, or the forces of the East India Company, should be eligible for ap pointment without the old qualification. After some discussion the amendment fell to the ground, not having found a seconder. The clause was then agreed to. On clause 3 being proposed, Mr. HUME said that he had given notice o f • his in tention to amend the preamble of the Bill by the inser tion of such words as shall recite all the Acts of Parliament, in any way relating to the militia, local or gen eral, or disembodied ; an d that repeal al l those Acts, wi t h t h e vie it is exp e di ent to law to be in force for th e future regulation of consolidating the e ment of the militia i n E ngland. regulation or govern- I importance that th e present t was of th o u t mos t measure, if passed, should be recognised as th e whole law every individ ua l to b e affected of the land, and that ascertain exactly what his •by it should be able to the risk of the penalties duties were, without incurring Ile held in his hand to which he might be subject. an index he had procured from the library, in which there were three folio pages taken up by the titles of at Acts ~ passed different times upon the subject of the • militia. There were eight of those appli cable to England alone. Nowßurn'sJustice allude to more than five. Under these circumstances he submitted that they ought to have no doubt upon the Elbjeel, 11l It law ao imperative oyerythiug oug ht to be came in, they resolved on adopting the other course of consolidating by reference. He did not mean to say that consolidation by reference was superior, or even equal, to absolute consolidation; but to say that the word con solidation was used merely for the sake of form, and that the Bill did not really consolidate, was a statement which no Hon. Gentleman was justified in making. Lord J. RUSSELL had heard the Right Hon. Gen tleman speak of consolidation by reference before, but it was quite impossible to gather a meaning from it. If they brought in a Bill that did not repeal the former laws, it was obvious that all the parts of those laws which were not inconsistent with the new Bill remained in full force ; but it was clear that that was not consoli dation. If, after deliberation, the Government had de termined that it was not advisable to consolidate, their proper course would have been to discharge the order as it stood, have brought in another Bill simply to " amend" the militia laws, and then to have followed the course adopted by Sir Robert Peel in 1842, and al lowed every Member of the House to have a copy of the Act which they intended should remain in force. True, that would not have answered the purpose of consolidation, but it would have afforded an explana tion of the actual nature of their measure. Mr. WALPOLE believed that, in considering the measure now under discussion, Hon. Members had nothing further to do in order to understand its provi sions than to take the Act 42 George 111. as its basis, and the Bill itself as the basis of the voluntary principle. Mr. COBDEN said the question which had been raised, on that side of the H ouse was , w h y H on. M em b ers had not the details of the laws they were going to re-enac t laid before them. These Acts of Parliament were vir tually expired Acts.—(oh, oh, and no.) Why for 20 years they had been inoperative.—(No.) At all even" they had been suspended during that period, and now the proposition was to revive them. What he wanted, therefore, was, that the House should see the provisions which they were now called upon to re-enact. Th e Noble Lord the Member for Tiverton (Lord Palmerston) had certainly shown a degree of inconsistency upon thi s question, which he (Mr. Cobden) had scarcely ever seen exceeded in that House, and he had seen a great deal of it there; but the Noble Lord might rest assured that he should not be p erm i tted to smuggle the Pratall"' sions of the Act of 1802 t h rough the House w discussion, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in allusion to Mr . Cobden's statement that the Act 42d George HI. Wa s inoperative, and th ere f ore t h e same as if it did not exist, reminded the Hon. Member that from time to tim e Acts of Parliament had been passed suspending the bal lot under that Act, thus showing that it was an existing law, and that the very last Act which did this was th e , 14th and 15th of h e r M a j esty ' s re i gn.—(Hear, hear.) He contended that thi s was a very i nconvenient mo de of raising the question submitted to the Committee, and, moreover that it was not th e p ro p er stage o f the 1 3 ' 1 : upon which it ought to be raised. As to the statement made by the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) that this was not a consolidation Bill, he begged to say that long before it came to the second reading, which involved the question of principle, th e H ouse was f u ll y i n formed with regard to the charact er an d d ecr i pt i on o f the Bill. And he apprehended that, if it were the intention of the House to admit a Bill which did not consolidate, a gau d would be taken against the measure then. The ques tion now raised was virtually thi s , w h et h er t h e y were to have a militia Bill or not. The objections of the Noble Lord (J. Russell) were clearly intended to defea t the Bill, notwithstanding the pledge he had given ono former night. He (th e A t t orney -G enera l) d ou b te d if a Bill which could emanate from the present Govern mentc woul satisfy the N o bl e L or d ; i n d ee d , if they had taken up his own Bill, he questioned if the Noble Lord a ingenuity would not have discovered some reason o r other for opposing it.—(Hear.) He hoped the Com mittee would not adopt the amendment of the Hon. MI; her for Montrose. for it wou ld v i rtua ll y d epr i ve t h e m °` ; Militia Bill, and lea ve th e country " without that defe nce which a majority b o th i n this House and out of deemed to be absolutely nee( ssary.—(Cheers,) Sir W. P. WOOD could not sit silent whilst the atten' tion of the House was diverted, and purposely divert ed, from the details of the Bill, which ought now to be the subject of their deliberations, to the consideration of the personal conduct of hi s N o bl e F r i en d late at the h e ad of d her Majesty's Govern men t. Th at course was a dopted first by the Noble Lord th e M em b er for Tiverton (Lord Palmerston), who, upon the introduction of his Noble, Friend's Bill, and whil s t pro f ess i ng to throw as ide considerations of party, directed the whole of his ad dress to prove th a t hi s N o b le Friend had acted with inconsistency upon the question. The attack of l" e Noble Viscou n t was then followed up by a Lord of the Admiralty breaking, as be told the House, a twenty years' silence—for what? Not to discuss the Militia Bill , but, in his turn, to tell the Noble Lord again that he was inconsistent. And to-night the attack on the Noble Lord was continued by the Learned Attorney; General. His main objection to bringing forward this 1311 1 at all was, that having waited now for two months sincethe resolution of the House on the subject was passe d, they had come to a period of the session when in reality no practical results under the Bill could he obtained Pre vious to their assembling again in the autumn. It, then! her Majesty's Government found they could not does!: sufficient leisure to consolidate the laws relating A over militia, let them permit th e w h o l e Bill t o atop" But, until they could undertake that necessary task independently o f th e conso l i d at i on of the other i A 8 S t ; they ought not to r e - enact, ono l atu, in the Yearele all the provision s o f an A ct ( the 42d of George .1-q 90) which was p asse d i n 1802. For when the y were re - minded by the Noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) tha t th . had alterations by s t eam i n nav i gat i on, an d inllr l es. merits in other matters peculiar to modern °P ug they should also remember that they had had v arlet improvements in the laws relating to soldiers. Lord PAL IVIERSTON said that hi s Hon. and Lea rn e d _ Friend (Sir P. Wood) had ma d e suc h po i nte d allusion !° him that he must make one or two observat i o ns. - 11 0 1 Hon. and Learned Friend complained that he had not comprehended any argument which be (Lord Pahne_. ston) had used in favour of a militia force. H e bad no addressed himself to his Hon. and Learned Friend. .o ed never preached to the converted ; he took for grah l ea that his Hon. and Learned Friend, having supported tu Noble Lord at the head of her Majesty's late Govern o ment in bringing in a Militi a B i ll at the beginning the the session, was fully and d ee ply i m pressed with t absolute necessity—(Loud ch ee r s )— o f the imesedl c t it e e , organization of a militia force to provide for the ,r fence of the kingdom, and therefore he was who lle out of his (Lord Peimerston's) view in any argume nt f he had used for the purpose of showing the necessity °, such a measure. But when his Hon. and Leaned Tries a found fault with him for having taxed with inconsis tency those who, like him, having supported a ,M i : litia Bill in the beginning of th e sess i on, h a d, w'u e wh en i out of office, and when other part i es ha d brought n a Bill similar to their own, turned round upon those parties, opposed their measure —and when his Hon. and Learned Friend found fault with him on account of his re marks being insufficient and inadequate to convey hie views, his only r e pl y must be, humbly to refer his 11 0 ' and Learned Friend to the Noble Lord the Chief C° 111 ; missioner of the Board of Works (Lord Seymour) all ': to the Right H on. G entleman the late First L or d oft b.; Admiralty (Sir F. T. Baring), as the one by his ePeeF ee and the oth er b y hi s vote had condemned t h e i n ceeet tency of his H on . an d L earne d F r i en d ; an d be had no a doubt that a pri va t e conference—(L aug ht er ) —with th9 e d two Right Hon. Gentlemen would convey to his lol a those impressions which his (Lord Palmerston's) spee ch had failed to do.—(Cheers and laughter.) Sir P. WOOD did not complain of the Noble Lord not having converted him by his argum ents on the Di" „, but what he complained of was, that not w ithstandi n g the Noble Lord's (Lord John Russell) Bill was a dmitte d to be almost identical with that b roug h t i n b y her Ma- jesty's present Ministers, which the Noble Lord Bar ported, the Noble Lord would not allow the Bill of the late Prime Minister e ven t o b e brow ht in on the gr ound ' that it required a t o t a l alteration before it was possibil to obtain from it an efficient def ence o f t h e co untry, an' yet the Noble Lord now assured them that he really meant nothing at all. Lord PALMERSTON h a d not said that t h e two Bills wereidentical. But whether the Bills were identical or not, his conduct would not be identical with that of the late Government—he should not throw over a Bill which ho thought to bo a necessary measure on account of a mere verbal difference. Mr. M'CULLAGU supported the amendment. Mr. EWART rose amidst impatient and long•ea a • tinned cries of "Divide, divide." Mr. HUME rose, as his Hon. Friend could not obtain a hearing, and moved that the Chaireeten report P"geos; in order that he might appeal to the Speaker whether _ not the business of the House could not be conducted its a manner more satisfactory to the country? Mr. EWART (amidst renewed cries of " Divide again rose to support his Hon. Friend's motion, and tap pealed to the Chairman if it was not possible to prose!' order in the House. Hon. Gentlemen who were so 1 0 , 1 , 1 patient might apply to themselves the wor d s of theballad— c' _ _ _ "I see a hand thou can'st not see, Which beckons me away; I hear a voice thou can'st not hear, Which will not let me stay." —(Oh, oh). The CHAIRMAN put the question that he re 1 3,51 p rog ress, and the gallery wa3 c l eared for a division, 03: n one took place. On ou r return to the gallery, lv" found --; The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER address" ing the Committee. He hoped they would not divid e ' urethteliezin a Gentleman must see that it Wt impossible, w ass at times, a rigid discipline , or re p r popular e a s i s n e d m i s b e l r y e t t i o o n n:a o i n t. t t a h l moment which occasionally broke forth when the temp er of the House was ruffi,d. He was sure the lacusar always pleased t o h ear the sensible remarks of the „- Member for Dumfries (Mr. Ewart), from which 50 much informatio n cou ld b e derived; and he had n° doubt they would now hear the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. HUME (amidst much noise and interruption)'' said if there was wanting any further reason whY should press his motion, in order to report the state 0, f the Hou se t o t h e S peaker, i t was that the leader n! the House (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) 135° had no more attention paid to him than any other Hon. Member. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sai d that was a very sigular observation of the lion. Gentle: man. If, was difficult for one person to ascertain what degree of attention was paid to what was going on bf another. He remembered the Noble Lord (Lord • Russell) had been charged with being asleep upon na ° occasion, when ho subsequently rose and replied up on every point that had bee n rai s ed during the tim e be ba d been charged with being asleep. Some indulged in r mood of abstraction, and very often appeared inattentii when they were most attentive. He did not wish to speak of himself, but after what had been just said to must say that he really did attend to what was sairli lion. Gentlemen. ,~,; 1. .'J -_.~ -