The Sun. — London, England, 1846-05-25 00:00:00

i gnitt t 4, tori SUN OFFICE, Sert•t o'Clock. ACCOUCHEMENT HER MAJESTY. BIRTH OF A PBINCESS. (From the London Gazette Extraordinary of this day.) BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Mir 23, 1346. At fire minutes before three o'clock this afternoon the Queen was happily delivered of a Princess. Ills Royal Highness Prince Albert, several Lords of her Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, and the Ladies of her Majesty's Bedchamber were present. This great and important news was immediately made known to the town by the firing of the Park and Tower guns ; and the Privy Council being assembled as soon as possible thereupon, at the Council- Chamber, Whitehall, it was ordered that a Form of Thanksgiving for the Queen's safe delivery of a Princess be prepared by his Grace the Archbishop of Canter bury, to be used in all churches and chapels throughout England and Wales, and the town of Berwick-upon- Tweed, on Sunday the 31st of May, or the Sunday after the respective ministers shall receive the same. Her Majesty and the infant Princess are, God be praised, both doing well. QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in %nee, at Westminster HOUSTON V. NORRIS. _ _ . In this case it appeared that the parties stood in the respec tive position towards each other of landlord and tenant ; that an understanding had been entered into between them by which the plaintiff (the tenant) was bound to pay his rent at a certain time, the landlord paying the taxes, and if not paid within 28 days after that day, the tenant should cease to occupy. The tenant had not complied with the terms of the agreement, and the landlord took possession, which the tenant conceived was an illegal act and took an action, but the jury found for the defendant. Counsel for plaintiff now s oug ht f or a rule for a new trial upon the grounds that he occupied under a lease. The COURT was of opinion that the agreement between the parties included any other title, and refused the rale. BEALE v. 310 LES AND OTHERS. In this case the plaintiff had agreed to build a steam boiler for a certain sum, of which 4901. was the balance, for the defendants, who called themselves " The Common Road Steam Carriage Company." The action was for goods bar gained and sold, and an account stated, and the jury found for the plaintiff. Counsel now applied for a rule to show cause why that verdict should not be set aside and a new trial granted, upon various grounds, all of which involved points of legal technicality.—Judgment deferred. BAIL COURT-(THIS DAY.) This Court was occupied for the greater part of the day in disposing of undefended causes, and in hearing cases in which the claims of the plaintiffs were for services rendered ag engineers' assistants in different railway schemes. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. . (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF LORDS. GIZOUP I. LONDON AND YORK_ (EASTERN COUN- TIES): (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) FREE TRADE. ' Several witnesses were called to speak to the great advantage which the Eastern Counties extensions would confer upon the traders affected. . _ . _ At the dose of the examination of a witness named Mr. Robert Mawly, a farmer at Bourne, near Lincoln, the following opinion on free trade was elicited. Lord VIVIAN—Do you think you will continue to send as much corn by railway after the repeal of the corn-laws as you do now ? Witnes3—l am of opinion, my Lord, that we shall not only con tinue and-maintain our trade in corn after the repeal of the eorn laws, but Mat we shall also pay your Lordships as high rents as we do at this present mornent.—(Laughter.) Lord VIVIAN—That is an argument for free trade, certainly. The Committee then adjourned to eleien o'clock to-morrow. HOUSE 1)F COMMONS. GROUP X. The Committee on this group met to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room No. I (House of Commons). Present, Mr. Denies (chairman), Mr. Arkwright, Mr. Farnham, Mr. Vivian, and Mr. Stanley. Thep resumed the consideration of the CALEDONIAN (I)UNDYVA.N BRANCH). Mr. WurntoaE, who was with Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Gordon, far the promoters, called witnesses in support of their Bill, the evidence being, at first, chiefly devoted to prove that at the present moment the east part of Glasgow was abundantly and cheaply supplied with coal, and that, so far the alleged necessity for the competing line (the Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monklands Junction) did not exist, and, there fore, that the anticipated advantages would not arise. The CHAIRMAN interrupted this course of evidence, and said that the Committee had already had enough of proof respecting the supply of coal to Glasgow and especially as to the east part. Mr. FORSYTH said that it was the object of himself and the other counsel for this Bill to set up their own line by destroying the pre tenitons of their competitors; for he took it for granted that the Colltmittee would pass either of the Bills, and if he could show that to Glasgow, Airdrie and Monckland Junction was not an advisable line, he presumed he would have done much to establish the claims of his own mea sure. He did not, of course, venture to assume with certainty that the Committee had resolved to adopt either one of the Bills. He assumed it only for supposition sake to explain the pur pose of the course which he was taking. He would not, after what fell from the Committee, go further into the supply of coals, but would call witnesses to the inferiority of the opposing line. . _ Mr. King, manager of the Glasgow, Gairikirk and Coatbridge Railway, was examined at some length for the purpose of establish ing that the connexion of the Dundyvan branch with the Glasgow and Garnkirk, atCoatbridge,would be much more advantageous than the connexion of the Glasgow and Airtlile with the same point, by the medium of the Monkland and Kirkintolloeh. Other evidence of this witness was strongly in favour of the present Bill in comparison with its competitor. The witness was cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS appeared on behalf of Mr. Sligo, a land oww', and also for the Monkland and Kirkintillock Railway. In the 'Etter capacity he claimed to cross-examine the witnesses, be cause his clients had a power secured to theta to purchase that por tion of the Glasgow and Garnkirk line which would be affected and partially injured by the junction with the Dundyvan branch of the Caledonian Railway. Mr. FORSYTH considered any opposition of the part of his Learned Friend quite suicidal; and he denied the latter's right to appear in the capacity he affected, inasmuch as the Monkland and Kirkintilloch bad only a contingent power to purchase by value of a private arrangement, which had not yet the sanction of Parliament. After some discussion The CHAIRMA x said that the Learned Sergeant did not show a good ground for appearing in this case, as the Act of Parliament en which he relied had not yet passed. So far as the agreement between his clients and the Garnkirk:Company was concerned, it did not place him before the Committee. If the Monkland and Kirkintilloch om pany should suffer by a breach of agreement they would hare their remedy by action. After further discussion the room was cleared, and on the re-ad assion of strangers, Mr. Sergeant BELtssis was allowed to be heard, and cross-ex amined the witness, but he did not seem to elicit anything material disadvantageous to the proposed junction of the Dundyvan branch with the iianikirk. - Further evidence of the suns character having been given, Mr. JOHNSTONE, who was with M.. Sergeant Bellasis, for Mr. Sligo, and the Monklands and Kirkintulloch, in opposition to the Bil, aaled witnesses who gave evidence favouring the competing line in preference to this. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till twelve to-morrow. GROUP XIII. This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Sir William Clay in the chair; other Members present, Earl Jermyn, Mr. P. Ainsworth, and Mr. Carteis. NORTE( BILITISR (CARLISLE EXTENSION). The case on behalf of this line was resumed Mr. Blythe was recalled, and put in the abstract in reference to the cdst of the works which counsel on behalf of the Caledonian re quested on Friday. He had had considerable experience of con structing railways, and he believed the estimates quite correct. He had made borings along the line to ascertain the strata. Mr. Miller, ivil engineer, deposed that the line had been laid down by Mr. Blythe from his instructions. These instructions were given.after consulting the feeling, of the proprietors along the line. lie fir had several interviews with the Duke of Buccleuch and Sir Jamei Graham: He believed the line as now laid down a good and practicable one. The present line was different from what it had been when originally laid down,but it had been altered to meet the ob lections of the proprietors. Had the line from Canobie to Netherby been run along the west bank of the EA, it would have been very ,injurious to Netherby-p ar k . It was the best line in an engineering paint of view that could be formed without seriously injuring private property. It was thrint o e f ntion to run into the central station in Carlisle, the ground by the Lancaster The land h a d and Carlisle 7P l iclhw had been scheduled been scheduled not for th a t Company paartlaccom modatearly, but to accom modate all Vas lines conveyin g th ere. The people of Carlisle were, he bel i eve d, v ery anxio us f or such a central station. The Cal 9 an li n e from Eden Wafer , about half a mile from C ar li s l e to tbeetlani latter place. was nearly the same as the Present line; but they could he eas ily run along the same ground by laying down two extra lines of rails. There would be no difficulty in constructing the tw o li nes i n the manner he described. With reference to the Canobie the line was so laid that locomotiv es could go colliery, lie h a d gone over the esti mates of up to the works. Mr. Blythe and he thought them quite enough. The prices of the - vrks in the , estimates of Mr. Blyth N of ire h i gher t were Britishhihansimilisteriwlwo,,rkys. bffi been tendered for o n other partorth He knew the district well, and he t hong onght it was important to have an outlet to the south. Ehdr ur be g e h n and let Cross-examined—He made the estimate s of Havvick last year. He believed t he works on that the line at prices as low as he there gave. lie was n ot Dalhousie viaduct was let at a higher price th a n haewga aware e l i f n his tha which estimatesthe vbi ; ut aduct was longer. if so, it must be The owinprice of the change g ty to of cubical quas i situation, by he was sure was not increased. The viaduct was changed from the Parliamentary One, but within the limits of deviation. About twenty apPes of the Edinburgh and Hawick had been let. At the present able, he believed, that wages were less than they were two months ago. If the works of the Bills, which Parliament has sanctioned, were pressed, then wages would possibly rise ; but he did not think that engineers would so push the works. The steepest gradient was 1 is 75 going from Carlisle to Hawick, but he did not think there would be any heavy lands going that way, •. They would come the other way. He thought this line would be worked cheaper than the Edinburgh and Hawick, for the reason that on the Edinburgh line, the heavy loads would go up kill, and occasion greater expense in working. He had calculated the Edinburgh and Hawick line at 40 pevent, but 37 per cent. he thought enough for the present line. An arrangement had been made about the crossing of Borough-street, in Carlisle. The street was to be crossed by a bridge 15 or 1,3 tint h gil. According to the deposited plans and sections, the street was to be lowered 3 feet, and to be, crossed by an arch 12 feet high with twenty feet span. This had been altered by arrange ment with the authorities by which the arch was to be raised and yip street lowerzd a little more. He was n aware that the agree nt swilled that the street should not pressed more; should there be no such depres s io n th ee th e alters n could not be done in agreement with the Parliamentary rules unless they coald deviate the road. Another street was to be crossed by an arch instead of by a level crossing according to arrangement, but that could be done in conformity with the Parliamentary deviation. He, believed there were ne o bj ect i ng parties to the present limilgOing into the Carlisle central station but the Caledonian Corn pgay, The Lancaster and Carlisle Company opposed them, because they ivereialiv. I t o do so on account of the Caledonian Company t Mr. Berrow,l and valuer, deposed to the value of th e land, which he set lawn at 32,052/. 17s. sd. Mr. J. Nelson, builder, of Carlisle, said that he had valued the iltproperty to be taken in Carlisle at 21,400/. was the case for the promoters. CALZDONZAN (LANGHOLM DRANCU.) ----- The case on ihalf of this line, and in opposition to the North Eritish (Carlisle Extension) was then gone into. The formal proofs, in compliance with Mr. Duncombe's resolutions, wars put In and received. Mr. Elpot, late of Roxburghshire, and now of Dumfries, ex amined—His brother was a manufacturer In Hawick, and he had often assisted him. He now lived about six miles from Annan, and had baelthere for about nine years, He knew the country between Annan and Hawlek well. It was a very hilly district, and the popu lation very thin—a sheplterd population. He was now often In the habit of going into Rcgburgh, The. road he went Wiato Langtoimp and from • thence to, _4=l4._ Aetween Langholm and Hawick the farms were mainly grazing, there being but little under cultivation. The priacipal outlet of the hosiery trade of Hawick was Edinburgh and Glasgow. But a small proportion went southwards. The same applied to the other branches. He believed the total trade was not morn than 800 or 1,000 tons, and if half of that went south, it would not be very much. They were generally coarse goods that could not find a market in England, The population between Hawick and Lang holm. In the parishes of Hews, Westerkirk and Eskdale Muir, through which the lirie passed the popidation was in the proportion of 9%, 16%, and 93 to the square mile, for these parishes there were but 10, 11, and 10 houses respectively paid window-tax. In Hoberton and Cavers, the proportion was somewhat similar. In the whole town of Hawick but 72 houses paid the window•tax. (The witness then went through the whole route of the line reading from a table in his hand the respective populations of each parish to the square mile and the houses in each assessed to the window -tax. A number of places for which the traffic-tables of the m e British took credit, would be but little accommodated Throughout the firth i e. The population of Langholm was but 2,000, and the m b a Y nnf eturers were trifling. There were two distilleries there. I l i s r a ° tio g n on the extent of the country he referred to, the principal m e e w e s o t u i r lan pas d s a w lo a n s g ra th is e i raising e lean s t h o e c kre, fat stock e h k e a d s not t mainlyhln r m a t o a sd y u e o e f t t h h em Havriek, and Newcastle and th he thought Rut little went by Carlisle. Newcastle and Morpe Morpeth were the principal markets. would still continue .the best markets. Though he y re e s e i re ded , but six miles from the port o his fat sheep to Newcastle. Of the grain that came from Roxburgh towards Langholm the quantity might be 2,000 tons. He thought the quantity of slates taken from the port of Langholm would be abaut 1,200 tons, of which 800 tons went to Hawick. The principal traffic of the district was coal ; of which from 7,000 to 8,0000 tons. For the wants of the district the Caledonian Langholm Branch would serve the town of Langholm and the places below it, but Hawick would be greatly benefitted by the North British Branch. That benefit, however, would be got at the expense of the Caledo nian, as it would take away the Edinburgh through traffic of that line. The locsl traffic of the North British (Hawick line) Railway could not support the railway, and it must depend on taking the through traffic from the Caledonian Railway. He was per suaded two through lines could not be supported by the traffic. The witness then went over the calculation of the number of parties that were estimated by the North British to use the railway—a quantity which he considered greatly exaggerated. Cross-examined—At the time he was in Hawick, Cheviot wool was alone used, but now there was a great deal of foreign wool used. He knew Messrs. Long and Nixon well, and they were well qualified to speak as to the trade of Hawick. The trade of Hawick u. fight have been increased one-third since 1839 He did not think that a great quantity of grain came into Dumfrieshire from Rossburghshire. Ile thought that if lean stock were taken cheaper by railway than by driving, the former method would be preferred. The witness was strictly cross-examined by Mr. Liddell, who ap peared for the Duke of Buccleugh and Sir James Graham, but no point of material importance was elicited. Mr. Adam Black, Lord Provost, of Edinburgh, examined, said, that when the Caledonian was brought before Parliament last year, there was a strong feeling in Edinburgh in its favour, and a numerously signed petition in its favour was sent up. The inhabitants of Edinburgh supported the Caledonian line, because it gave them a good outlet to the south, opened up the Wilsonstown coal-fields, be the means of bringing a supply of water into Edin burgh, and be a check on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company. It would bo a great injury, he considered, if anything should happen to cripple the proper working of the Caledonian line. He did not think the extension (from Hawick to Carlisle would benefit Edinburgh much. while it would take a large proportion of the through traffic from the Caledonian line. Cross-examined—At the time the feeling was so strong in favour of the Caledonian, the choice was between the latter and the line by Dumfries through the Hawick and Carlisle line was talked of, that had no doubt the Hawick line wou d take a considerable deal 01 the through traffic, but he could not say how much. He did not think llawick should be benefited at the expense of larger and more important interests. Mr. Dunlop, merchant, of Glasgow, said he dealt largely in tweeds and purchased at Hawick and Galashields. Very little stock was kept in either place, but the goods were stored in Glasgow. The ordinary course was for the Eoglish mer chants to come to Glasgow. Similar goods were made in the north of Scotland that were also sent to Glasgow. A por tion of the goods went to Edinburgh. The whole value of the goods manufactured in Hawick might be 236,0001. The greater proportion of the hosiery and blankets were consumed in Scotland. The.Dods for the English market went by the east by steam from Berwick and Leith. The English and foreign wool was brought from London to Berwick at 12s. 6d. a ton. It was of no importance that the transit should be quick, and the steamers were the most eligible conveyance. The dye stuffs were principally brought from Glasgow, and time was not of much importance in the conveyance of these groceries for Hawick were mainly purchased at Edinburgh. The whale of the general merchandise brought into Hawick was 1,768 tons, and the gross traffic that went f. om that town was, to Edin burgh 832 tons, towards Carlisle 88 tons, and towards Newcastle 234 tons. He was assisted by Mr. Thomson, of Glasgow, a hosiery merchant, in making out his calculations. The traffic in goods be tween Edinburgh and Carlisle was not such as to warrant the con struction of two lines. Cross-examined—He got the traffic to Carlisle, to Newcastle, and to Edinburgh from the carriers on the roads. He had only been in Hawick two or three times, but they had communication with Hawick weekly. Re-examined—Though he did not often go to Hawick himself, his partner went there monthly, and they knew the trade well. Mr. Thompson corroborated the evidence of the previous speaker respecting the hosiery trade, which he represented to be principally for the Scotch market. The whole weight of the hosiery was 200 tons, of which about one-third might go south. Re-examined—He knew Mr. Nixon and Mr. Lang, of Hawick, and they were well qualified to speak of the trade of Hawick. Mr. Sanderson, who was well acquainted with the carrying trade, supported the evidence of the previous witnesses as to the traffic of Hawick and Galashiels. About one-sixth of the goods manufactured went to England, the remainder went to Edinburgh and Glasgow. The freight from Leith to London for manufactured gcods was about Is. per foat, or 40s a ton by measurement. He did not think th,rc was sufficient to support two lines of railway from Edinburgh to Carlisle. He applied the same principle to Galashiels he did to Hawick. . . . . . . Cross-examined—He had been at Galashiel., but he never had carried between Edinburgh and that towu. He had not been at Hawick. _ . The Custawr said there was a discrepancy between the present evidence and that of the witnesses,called by the North British re specting the traffic south. The witness said he had some memoranda which be took down at the time he visited Galashiels, detailing the information given by the manufacturers. (The witness here read several of the items he took down at the time, in support of the estimate he had given in.) Mr. Syree, the witness who had deposed that the most of his goods went south, would not give him any information. 31r. Railton, manager of Mr. Mitchell, carrier, of Carlisle, said that the whole through traffic from ( arlisle to Edinburgh was 742 tons each way. The Galashiels and Carlisle traffic was about 40 tons each way. The traffic irom Carlisle to Hawick and back was 335 tons. The traffic from Hawick to Edinburgh and Glasgow was 800, and from these cities to Hawick about 2,000 tons. He hail seen the goods tables of the Hawick and Carlisle line, and he thought them very much overcharged. They were more likely to be 3001. than 3,0001. He thought especially the estimate for parcels most exorbitant. Mr. Hargreaves was the only other through carrier. Cross-examined—He estimated the traffic ou the road from the number of horses employed by the other carrier and the carriers be tween llawick and Galashiels and Edinburgh and Glasgow. With regard to the parcels, he merely thought from his knowledge of the present trade, that no such traffic could be had. He did not, how ever, know how many parcels were carried by other lines. Mr. Carruthers generally deposed that there was but little traffic from Hawick, by way of the Annan, and Carlisle, and Liverpool steamers. He generally agreed with the evidence of Mr. liailton. Cross-examined—He only spoke of his own vessel, the Newcastle. There was another, the Victoria, but he could not precisely speak of the traffic of that vessel. He thought the present communication sufficient for the wants of the traffic of the district, except it might for the coal traffic. Mr. Piper, proprietor of the coaches between Carlisle and Edin burgh, through Hawick and Galashiels, examined—Said the pas senger traffic to Hawick was inconsiderable. There were two coaches, the mail, and the Engineer. From Hawick, by the mail, the passengers yearly were, to Langholm 34 ; to Langton, 40 ; to Carlisle, 76. From Hawich, by the Engineer, the passengers were, to Langholm, 162 ; to Langton, 10 ; and to Carlisle, 212. The En gin er went through to Lancaster, and the through traffic made up for the small Hawich traffic. The country from Hawack was vet v thinly populated. He thought the estimate of 3,0001. for parcels per fectly fictitious. Mr. Tither, coach proprietor, of Carlisle, generally concurred in the evidence of Mr. Piper. Last year the passengers fren Carlisle by the mail to Langholm were 282, to Hawick 388, and to Galashiels and Selkirk 132. The traffic on that road was not great, either in passengers or posting. The passengers taken by the other coach were about 30 per cent. more than by the mail, the number of which he had given. Mr. AusTIN called tke attention of the Committee to the figures in the table of the North British, which did not materially differ in the results to which the last witness had deposed. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. GROUP Iv. The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morn ing; Mr. Protheroe in the chair. RENT ATMOSPHERIC. The business of the day was commenced with the general evidence in favour of the Kent Atmospheric scheme. Lord Stanhope was the first witness called.—He said he had at tended the meetings at Sevenoaks, ealled to consider the merits of the two schemes. The meetings were numerously attended, and by most of the influential gentlemen of the county. At both meetings the Kent Atmospheric line was unanimously adopted, in preference ,to the South-Eastern scheme. For himself he decidedly thought the Atmosphesic line was the best line for Sevenoaks, and the best for ac commodat ng the county generally. He was interested in neither line, nor would either prove of much benefit to his own property. Be preferred the Atmospheric line because it afforded the most ac commodation to the county and to his neighbours. Mr. S. Pierce, carrier of Tunbridge, Mr. B. Baker, brewer of Tunbridge, Mr. J. Chapman, of Southborough, and Mr. James M. Richards, surveyor of Tunbridge, gave general evidence in favour of the Atmospheric line. Mr. Sherrad, the engineer of the line, was then called, but his examination was interrupted by Mr. KEATING, who contended on behalf of the South-Eastern Company, that as the Atmospheric Company proposed a deviating line which would affect the Medway navigation, they were bound to show that the consent of the commissions of the navigation had been obtained to the deviation. The standing orders provided for this, and he submitted that such consent right to be proved before they could proceed with evidence in favour of the deviation line. Mr. Sergeant TALeaa V, on the other side, urged that the consent of the owners, lessees, a id occupiers of the land near to the Medway, which was proposed to 9e taken for the purposes of the line, had long ago been obtained for the present case, however the commis sioners seemed to claim a vested right in the bed of the river, and complained that their consent had not been obtained to the deviation line Interfering with it. But the truth was, they had no right to the bed of the river, for all property of this nature, namely, the beds of navigable rivers was vested in the Crown, and unless the Commissieners could show that the Crown had transferred its pro perty in the bed of the Medway to them, they had no right to main tain this objection. Mr. KEATING replied that if the Medway Commissioners had not a right to prevent the line interfering with their navigation, they had a right to complain that their towing path in which they had the fee simple, was unjustly interfered with, and that before the deviation line was gone into, it should be proved that their consent had been given to it, in accordance with the standing orders. The room was then cleared, and after a short consultation, The Committee decided that the consent of the Commissioners must be before the deviation line could be proceeded with. had ithuiene. d t a n d a el t u adduced to t as provei satisfactory , that ,e e the Medway Commis sioners,et-ect, enattteear consent to , 1 dline, but that the Committ ' ee " de consideration of the point was postponed. deviation o a n nd te further Mr. Sherrod's examination was then proceeded with—lie said the works on his own line were, or at least might: be if not better, than the South Eastetn. Ilia ownline betwaealade good, as Lon don Maidstone was nearly one mile shorter than th e S outh Eastern between London and Tunbridge four miles and 'fifteen chains ' between London and Seven Oaks, two miles and 76 chain s ; between Seven Oaks and London, nine miles and eight chains; showing a saving of new line, in favour of the Kent atmospheric line, of 19 miles and 40 chains. The distance upon his line as between London and Dover would be 88 yards longer than the South-Eastern line, while it would save the making of many miles of additional railway. On the Maidstone line there would be a tunnel 2 , 376 yards in length, and on the Tunbridge line two t unne l s of 342 and 2,717 yards in length. On the whole line there were only 88 yards of viaduct. into ill th b e efo d r e e ta t i h is e Mr. Cocitatice objected to the w_itn e... ess e go t i h n e g of the line, as it approached Maidstone, e. Coin to be taken for it. The ta ut was the line before mittee did not relate to it, nor did the schedule of the Bill contain rtantospherie the Committee was osed only part of the original on a branch to Roche ster , scheme, the line entered Mai dsto n e which was arid the lands prop not included in this 'pl. Committee adjourned at four o' The CoMnal clock till to-morrow, at twelve. GROUP XVII LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN (HOMSEY AND REDBRIDGE JUNCTION), MANCHES TEIIit AND SOUTHANPTON, MANCHES TER. AND POOLE. The Committee to whom these Bills had been referr ed met this Tile afternoon at one o'clock, in No. 8 Commi ttee-room. lion. E. Yorke, in the chair. Appearances against the first Bill were entered from the Commissioners for improving the port of Southampton, landowners &c., of Redbridge, the Corporation of Southampton, Mr. Perkins, Sir J. B. Mill, Burt., Corporation and inhabitants of Ramsey and Andover; Andover and Redbridge Canal; ratepayers and inhabitants of Southampton; Trustees of Knowles' Charity; and against the Manchester and Southampton (for which Sergeant Wratigham, Mr. Alexander, Mr. James, Mr. Cripps, and Mr. R. Gurney appear as counsel), trustees of Cheltenham Turnpike-roads (for clauses) ; Great Western Railway, London and South-Western, Southampton and Dorchester (for clauses), landowners on the lino, farmers and flock masters in Dorset and Somerset ; scholars of King's College, Cambridge ; Southampton Dock Company; Commissioners of Beck hampton Roads ; and the Commissioners for Paving and Improving the Port of Southampton; the Corporation of Southampton (simply by the insertion of clauses) ; Manchester and Salisbur" and Yeovil Junctioon Railway. a few unimportant amendments, were passed, and the report or dered to be carried up to the House. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP XXXI. SOUTH WALES. The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, Mr. Round in the chair. _ Mr. AUSTIN then proceeded to reply en behalf of the promoters of the Bill. He said during the whole of the evidence that had been adduced, and throughout the addresses of his Learned Friends, they had lost sight of the real object of the line sought to be constricted. The Board of Trade reported favourably on the entire project, com mencing at Gloucester and terminating at Fishguard. As they stated that the " necessity of the railway was too evident to require comment," and went on to say that the important district which it proposed to traverse would be removed from comparative isolation, inasmuch as the railway would afford direct communication with the metropolis of England and the whole of the English counties. And the Committee to whom the Bill was referred virtually passed it in its original form, includ ing the passage of the Severn by a bridge; but as it was subsequently found that the Admiralty objected to the crossing of the Severn by means of a brate, and as they had the power to negative that portion of the Bill, by refusing their consent to it, the Committee amended the preamble they had passed, by erasing the portion relating to the passage of the Severn, hut assenting to the other portion of the line,namely from Chepstow to Pembroke and Fishguard. They at the same time intimated that the promoters might apply in the next ses sion of Parlia , nent for the peftvers they had been thus compelled to refuse. The point, therefore, to be decided was a narrow one. A gap had been left in their line, which they proposed to fill up by crossing the Severn by a tunnel, and completing their line to Chep stow. The line of the South Wales Company would, to all intents and purposes, be just as perfect as it was before. The present opposition was worse than a case of competition. It was the case of ' the dog in the manger. The opponents would not allow the S ° utli Wales Company to improve the Forest of Dean Railway, because they said it would tend eventually to injure the traffic; neither would they themselves improve it, because they considered the outlay of expcnse would not repay them. It had been agreed that by the 52d Geo. 111., the Crown was foreclosed from in terfering with the rights of the Forest of Dean Railway. It had not been denied that the Dean I , orest Company had an inchoate right to improve their railway ; but it was contended that an independent company could have no right to interfere. The Learned Gentlem. , n then reviewed the opposition that had been offered to the con struction of the line, with a view to show the weakness of the gallons of the opponents, and concluded a long and eloquent address by calling on the Committee to pass the preamble. The room was then cleared. On our re-admission the Committee stated, that their opinion was against the preamble of the Bill as it stood ; and the Committee were further of opinion, that the preamble of that part of the line from Chepstow to Gloucester had net been proved. The Committee were not inclined to allow the connexion of the Great Western with Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean Railway. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 25, 1846. MANCHESTER AND P007._.:. Mr. ELLCOMBE, the ogent for this Bill, said its AV1,114 shad agreed to withdraw it for the present session. RAMSEY AND REDBRIDGE JUNCTION. The Committee intimated their intention of proceeding with this lino first. The usual formal proofs having been banded in, Mr. HILL, Q. C., proceeded to open the case. He said the line would be 5 miles and 4 farlongs in length, and the estimated cost 60,000 r., or about 11,000 per mile, and was intended to form a junction between two lines belon;ing to the South Western, namely, the Blshor - stoke and Salisbury, and Southampton, and Dorchester Railways, and would run from Romney on the first to Redbridge on the second mentioned line. At the present moment, a person going from South amptone.Bintlo p g r o op r o o s u e n d d t b o y a, B o ish id, o b p y sto m k s e et in in e g r t d h e e r tore ac h to th a ß t a p r: i s n i t e Barnsley communication between Salisbury and Southampton as short as possible. The line would be as direct as the crow flied. as ich a th li e g would save a distance of four miles, and would accommodate a dis trict now suffering from circuitous railway communication. There was a canal from Redbridge which he understood had been purchased by the Manchester and Southampton Railway, and which ran along a portion of the proposed line, but he need hardly tell the Committee that a more expeditious mode of communication was required. Mr. Alexander Fletcher, a timber merchant and estate agent, at t i t o e h f co t h n e v li ey n i e n gw timber d be c r o n w f o e r ui d o n be the d d u l s e t ed r i e t t w s o rt . th w i o r ul d s d , Malbrtrok, close to Southampton, for the last hirty years, terrified to e e s c w os l t t h ra e v a e d Th v e a . ntri n g and other articles would also be reduced in proportion. Vessels going to Redbridge would save greatly in doles, which would be charge at Southampton. Cross-examined by Mr. JAMES. —This line was started about two months after the projection of the Manchester &id Southampton. Was in favour of a railway communicating with the north. The Manchester and Southampton ran along the river.frontage, where several wharfs were situated, and where a greater number might be constructed. A river frontage would be of equal advantage to either of these lines. The Kennet and Avon Canal crossed the Manchester and Southampton, and would perhaps if connected with a railway, convey timber from Devizes and its neighbourhood to that railway, and which would carry it on to Southampton ; but it was more probable that timber cut at Devizes and south of that town, would go to Salisbury by land carriage, and so cn by railway, to Sow hampton. By Mr. RewuNsoN, who appeared for Sir J. B. Mill and other landowners—A' vessel going to Redbridge paid twopence a ton for dues at Southampton, but paid nothing at Redbridge, except six pence per ton for wharfage. Was not aware that the dues at South ampton were threepence per ton, and consequently less than at Red bridge. Could not say whether the dues for corn at Redbridge were one penny per ton, and only a halfpenny at Southampton. Mr. Bum objected to his Learned Friend examining the witness with reference to parts of the line which would not affect the pro perty of those for whom ke appeared, Sir J. B. Mill, the chairman of the Manchester and Southampton Company, for instance. Mr. RAWLINSON maintained that as those for whom he appeared urged ir their petitions that the line was a bad one and that a better line could be made entitled him to examine witnesses with respect to any portion of it. The CHAIRMAN intimated that the Committee did not consider the cross-examination irrelevant and approved of the course of cross examination. Mr. Mu., however, contended thhat It was necessary, at the com mencement of an enquiry which proalsed to be a protracted one, to lay down rules for the gdidance of counsel, and that a landowner whose property was affected had only a right to examine witnesses with respect to that portion. The CHAIMAN (after referring to the petition of Sir John Parker Mill) said Mr. Rawlinson might proceed, as the petition alleged that a better line could be made, and that Counsel were entitled to support such allegations by evidence. Mr. RAWLINSON continued—The Manchester and Southampton Railway, from Re II ridge to Romsey, except for a very short dis tance which ran along the Andover Canal. The Manchester and Southampt n would not offer the same facilities between Romsey and Southampton as the other. The Romsey line ran through a tunnel — that certainly was an objection. Did not think wharfs could be con structed on the banks of the water along the course of the Man chester and Southampton, because the water was deep and muddy. By the CHAIRMAM—The further railways are extended to the latter. If the Manchester and southampton had a station a Red bridge it would afford the same facilities as the other line; Imr, if it carried timber and other aticles on to Southampton without stopping at Redbrid e it would not. By Mr. Davis, a solicitor who appeared for the corporation of Southampton—Never knew a tunnel with a curve in which a piece of timber 80 feet long could not pass. Large quantities of timber were grown in the neighbourhood of Chalburgh which principally found an outlet by the Severn. Mr. M. G. Gregory, a miller at Fisherton, joining Salisbury, shipped goods at Redbridge for Cornwall. If the proposed line from Salis bury were made, he should send those goods by it. Imported gyp sum and bones at Ealing, and not at Wolverhampton. Shipped 2,600 bags of flour, and imported 100 tons of bones and 100 tens of gypsum at Ealing last year. Sends flour to Southampton to be ahipded to .London. The Co pniittee then adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow. The Committee will not meet on Wednesday. GROUP XVIII. IPSWICH, NORWICH, AND YARIVIOUTn. This Committee met at the usual hour ; Sir G. Grey, chairman. Mr. G. Leeston, iron founder , of Ipswich, gave evidence in favour of the line. He considered that the proposed railway would afford him great accommodation, Mr. J. Smith, of Peesinghalt, a manufacturer, also gave similar evidence. Mr. Stead, monster, of Ipswich, gave evidence of a similar nature. Mr. Cooper, Mr. Button, Mr. Crabtree, owners of property along the line, also gave evidence of a favourable nature. The Committee then adjourned, GROUP XX. This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Sotheron i; the chair, when the case of the LONDON, _HOUNSLOW, AND WESTERN was resumed. . Captain Moorsom, civil engineer, was re-called and cross-examined at some length in reference to the evidence given on Friday on the engineering peculiarities of the line, but no point of material im portance was elicited. The examination of Captain Moorsom continued up till four o'clocl; when the Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. GROUP XXI f This Committee sat at the usual hour, Mr. B. Denison, chairman. EXIITER, YEOVIL ATZIO DoncEzsTmn, AND LONDON, SAL sircrity AND YEOVIL. The cress-examination of Mr. Locke was resumed this morning by Mr. MINCE. The cross-examinatea was confined exclusively to the opposition of landowners along the line. The landowners along the line, whose opposition was gone into, were the Earl of Digby and Mr. Bridges, represented by Mr. Butt; Mr. Frampton, represented by Mr. Sergeant Kinglake ; the trustees of the Wardour estate, for whom Mr. Murphy appeared, and Mr. Gordon, who appeared personally, and examined Mr. Locke at some length himself. . . Mr. Cockburn and Mr. 'Merrewether having re-examined Mr. Locke at considerable length, Mr. Vignoles, C.E., was then examined. He considered that the line proposed by Mr. Locke between Exeter and Yeovil was better in every respect than the line as laid out by Mr. Brunel, on the part of the Great Western Company. The Committee having intimated at this stage of the examina tion, that it would be useless to examine other engineers, who would merely corroborate the evidence of Mr. Locke, Mr. MEREEWETLIER offered, on the part of the promoters, to with draw his witness provided that the promoters of the Great Western Company waned their engineering evidence to one witness also. This proposition not having been acceded to by Mr. DENISON, on the part of the Great Western Company, the examination was pro ceeded with, but in consequence of the lateness of the hour was brought to a close very shortly afterwards by the Committee ad , j ourning. GROUP XXV I . SOUTH ESSEX. The Committee assembled this morning at twelve o'clock, ➢lr. M. O'Connell in the chair, when evidence was resumed on the part of the .North Gravesend Railway in opposition to the South Essex line, and Mr. Meeson, a large proprietor of chalk-pits at Grays, and seve sal other witnesses, were adduced to show that the proposed advan tages would not be nearly so great as they were supposed to be at present. . This closed the case of the South Essex Company ; after which Mr. RonwELL opened the case en behalf of the River Lea Naviga tion trustees, by reminding the Committee that even in these times of railway mania, as he termed it, the benefits of canal communication had been entirely overlooked, although at the present time the trustees were successfully competing with the Eastern Cou ties Railway. It was well known that many of the places within a short distance of the proposed line were already in the neighbourheod of railway communication ; so that the necessity for any change in the means of communication was quite evident. The Learned Counsel then went into a detail of the plans for crossing the river Lea which Mr. Locke had submitted, and endeavoured to show that, in consequence of the Lea being a tidal river, these plans were very injurious, and intimated that he should call Mr. Walker, the eminent engineer, as well as the engineer of the Lea Company, to show that they were objectionable, net only on account of the influx of the tide, but because also of the opposition that would be offered to the egress of the waters collected in the marshes of Essex. On the part of the River Lea Company, he proposedlthat there should either be a bridge of 100 feet, or at least one of 85 feet, with a towing path under, and a lay-to, by which the boats could be launched. Considering all the circumstances he trusted that the Committee weuld sea that there was no necessity for the rail way at all, or if they allowed the preamble of the Bill, that they would at least preserve the rights of the River Lea Company as they were, and as they had been secured, by several Acts of Parliament for two or three hundred years. The trustees bad no private ends to serve, and were persons of the highest respectability, and had only the public interests to serve. He might add that the Eastern Counties and the Northern and Eastern Counties Companies had acceded to the terms of the company. Mr. Rodwell then called Mr. Marchant, clerk to the trustees for twenty years, stated that the parties were of the highest respectability. That the tonnage carried under the proposed bridge was 300,000 tons, the tolls for which were expended in the improvement of the river. The naviga tion extended from Hertford to the Thames. besides the branches to Hogstone. The site of the proposed bridge would pass in precisely the very worst part of the navigation, and the Company had already expended between 16,0001. and 18,0001. on its improvement. Mr. MARSH cross-examined the witness, to whom ho replied that the bridge to which allusion had been made had fenders under it, which restricted the water way, but that difficulty was likely to be obviated by the substitution of a swing bridge, which would allow a greater water way. A proposition bad been made to settle this matter by the arbitration of two celebrated engineers, but it was refused by the Company on the ground that they were the best judges of the necessities of the navigation, however succinct the engineers might be. Bridges had beeu obtained from other compa nies of 94 feet and of 61 feet span, but none of I'o feet span. To Mr. RODWELL'S re-examination Mr. Marchant replied that ti ey had got from other companies all that they required, and they only came to the Committee because this Company proposed to restrict their water way. Mr. Griggs, surveyor of the Lea Company, desCribed the course of the navigation, and stated that this was the worst part of the navi gation, and he believed that the plan proposed by Mr. Locke would amount to annihilation of the navigation. In the course of the exa mination an endeavour was made to show that the objection was futile, but it failed. Mr. Walker, engineer, was then called to show that the bridge would impede the navigation, unless the arches were of sufficient width. The witness then went into the principles of tile several bridges proposed for crossing the Lea, and showed that the bridge proposed by him would be cheaper as well as better titan that proposed by Mr. Locke. The bridge to be constructed over the Tamar for the Cornwall Railway was to be 250 feet span, and that over the Drogheda Railway, supported by iron work, was to be of the same span. The effect of contracting the stream would be to increase the velocity of the stream, and to break the banks below the bridge. He thought, upon the whole, that the Company had better give the 100 feet at once. Mr. Warner and several other practical navigators -bore testimony to the difficulty of the navigation at the particular spot, the tide running sometimes as much as nine or ten miles an hour, and acci dents had frequently occurred. The chance of accident would, of course, be increased by the erection of the proposed bridge. On the cross-examination of Mr. ADAMS the witness described the course of the navigation and the impediments which were presented to it by the set of the stream and tide. The ordinary length of the craft on the river were about eighty feet long, exclusive of the rudder, which was nine feet. Ti ere were other bridges as narrow, but there was no place so narrow with so strong a tide as this. Nor is there any portion of the river so tortuous as this. The principal difficulty, cmr however, eaas:er tse w a en o hd u ne d cof experienced . chiefly by the London lighters which were rt Worked by one man only. He spoke from an experience of ce ti I y-tive years, and he believed that the bridge would largely in- Mr. RODWELL was if this pier were erectepreparedespeci all y theaccident. Mr.wouldt o andodtu venture adduce i f t o w u r e or to s live end o t t h h e e ry valuable u a o r barge masters, cargoes up the Lea which he had hitherto dispatched, but The Committee declared th a t t h ey were satisfied, and adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow. GROUP XXVIII. This Committee assembled to-day at one o'clock; present, Lord Dalmeny (chairman), and the other members. The following Bills are comprised in this group, viz.:— London and Birmingham (Newport Pagnall Branch). Hertford and Hatfield. London and Birmingham (St. Alban's and Lnton Branch). London and York (St. Alban's, Luton, and Dunstable Branch). Northern and Southern Connecting. St. Alban's, Hatfield, and Hertford Junction. LON DON AND BIRMINGHAM (ST. AI. Q t in h e C M o r n . Il l ti V i e t te l Is e .. a n A d ft T e o r rk some m o p p e p t i o , s i s i t i l o i li n e rr , DAN'S AND I . I7TuN BRANCH.) a o g n re th et e t t p o a p rt ro o ce f t ed he w L i o th nd t o h n e Bill. Mr. TALBOT, on the part of the promoters, said he would detain the Committee with but very few observations. The object of this line was to make a communication between the London and Bir mingham Railway and several important towns, which were at pre sent destitute of any efficient communication of this nature. The line from Oxford to Cambridge, which had been recently sanctioned in Committee, embraced Luton, and that would render anneces. sari a branch to that town ; but they prop ose d to make such, should the Oxford sad Cambridge not be carried out. The l eng th of the line with branches, was 26 % miles, and the estimated cost of the works 400,0001. From St. Alban's to Du ns t a bl e there was a trade in s t ra w plait carried on as well as a trad e i n whit, t he would be able to tat the hug. H e believed that be would able to show that the on the pa rt of the London and York, show mid h of the oppos ition on t Inhabitants of St. Al b au, 's who complained of the crossi ng near the town, was not sufficiently just to entitle them to have this Bill re jected.doubt, too, that it would cle arly appear that there was no reshittn tia lle had no injury Inflicted which could not be compen sated which was of any great ext e nt. The Learned sated by money, -- , i Counsel concluded by calling evidence. w as examined, and stated that this of Red bourne, us to Redbourne and the Mr. Hawkins, ly advantageous railway would be extremely t brought to that district by canals. vicinity. Coals were at prese n The Committee, after hearing some f ur ther evidence, adjourned at four o'clock. ------. GROUP XXX. MIDLAND AND EASTEAN COUNTIES :CAMBRIDGE AND 17.775ED0N BRANCH). Ih Co:nmittee resumed at three o'clock, when the clauses, with GROUP 3C.X.X11. The Committee met this moruh;g at twelve o'clock ; Mr. J. De nison in the chair. BUCILZNGIIAVISHIRE (WRING TO BANBURY). After some evidence had been called corroborative of what was put in as to traffic on the line, the promoters of the line examined Mr. Robert Stevenson, the engineer of the line, who stated that this project arose out of a local requisition for better accommodation to the district through which it is intended to proceed. Several other routes were originally proposed, but the one before Parliament, from Trigg north west to Banbury, was fixed on as affording the best accommodation to the whole district, and as the most favourable for laying down a line of rail. pa.ssing,l as 1: does, along . the bottom of a valley, through a very rough and uneven country. Starting from Thug station, about half-a-mile from Tring, where it forms a junction with the London and Birmingham on the level, it passes through part of the town of Aylesbury, through the neighbourhood of Quainton to near Winslow and Claydon, where it Meets the Oxford and Bletchley line, and from this it passes through Buckingham and by hrackley up to Banbury. The steepest gradient on it would be 1 in 157. There would be two tunnels, one near Claydon 1,100 yards .ong. and one neat Farthingho of sso yards in length. The estimate for the whole line was 900,000?., averaging 22,50 W. per mile. The London and Birmingham Company have leased it, guaranteeing to the promoters 4 per cent, and half the profits. it was contemplated to carry the coals, a hich are a great impediment on the main Birmingham line from Rugby, by the Great Western to Banbury, and thence along this rail, and by side rails from Tring to London, by which arrange ment it was expected they could be carried at a reduced price, perhaps three farthings a ton, or less. Mr. Stephenson added that if the traffic were great, say 700,060 or 800,000 tons annually, coal could be carried at a halfpenny a ton, and at a speed of twelve miles, with a profit to the company ; but he did not mean this to apply to the project before the Committee which was rather expensive, for expense and length entered as imp dlant elements into the calculation of charge. A line, costing 20,0001. a mile, and running upwards of 60 miles, where also the speed he mentioned could be adopted, he had no doubt could pass coals at a halfpenny a ton. The formal evidence required by the standing orders of the House completed the case for the promoters. Dir. COCKBURN, for the Great Western Railway, and Mr. RICKARDS, for Lord Carrington, then severally addressed the Committee. The room was ordered to be cleared, and parties on being re admitted were told that the Committee had decided that the pre amble of the Bill was proved. The dames were then severally read and passed. The Committe adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow. GROUP XLIV The Committee (Lord Palmerston in the chair) met at 12 o'clock, to go through the Bills of the Y01:3 AND CA.R.LISLE, A.ND YonnsnrizE AND GLASGOW UNION (AIVIALGADIA- TION), but the Committee were engaged for two hours with a question of coot pensation to Mr. James Pullen, a landowner on the route. After the room had been cleared, the Committee decided that the Company should take the tol,s on Mr. Pullen's property at 641., and thirty years purchase, and pay Mr. Pullen the taxed costs of his opposition. Tqc clauses of the Bill for the Amalgamated Company were then gone through and passed. The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow, GROUP LIII. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) The Committee decided that the Bills should be taken according to the order in which they were read a sewnd time, and accordingly took, in the first instance, the SHROPSHIran UNION irtArLwAY AND CANAL (CHESTER and W0LV.E13.71 IVIPTON.) Mr. AUSTIN (with whom were Mr. Hope and Mr. Lang) appeared as counsel, and said that the length was 45 miles, the cost 730,0001., and as it was a canal proposed to be converted into a railway, the Committee would, of course, suppose that the gradients were not bad. The line had a great deal of local support, and very little opposition. The principal opposition would be on the part of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Com pany. Some opposition would also be offered on the part of certain iron-masters in the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton; but the great majority of the iron-masters were in favour of the line. The traffic did not support the present canal. but he should be able to show that it would nevertheless pay the proprietors when con verted into a railway. Mr. George Skee, carrying agent to the Canal Company in ques tion, was then called and examined by Mr. LANG—This witness proved that the present traffic on the canal was between 1,600 and 2,000 tons per week, the goods prin-ipally consisting of heavy iron castings, which were taken northwards. The Grand Junction Railway had deprived the Company of almost all their other traffic. If a line were made direct to Birkenhead, the cost and trouble of transhipnlent of goods passing along the canal to the neighbaurhood of Liverpool would be obviated. Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant KiNotarcE—..l large sum of money had lately been expended in the improvement of the river Severn for the purpose of making S;ourport a convenient place for bringing up merchandise, and that sum of money would be rendered useless if this line were constructed. C ros s-examined by Mr. JAMES (who appeared on behalf of the Ha berdashe: s' Company) — The tolls on the canal in question were re duced in February last a f arthin g , per mile on iron goods, and a hal:- penny on others. The arrangement for the cnaversion of the canal into a railway was made some time last year. The next witness not being in attendance, the Committee ad journed until twelve o'clock to-morrow. GROUP LIV. MIDLAND, 337JIZTON-ON-TIVENT TO NUN EAToIsif AND BRANCH. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) The examination of the engineer having been corroborated the case for the promoters wa s concluded. withdrawn, an arran gement hav i ng been come to between the parties. The opposition on behalf of the landow ners on the l i ne and the Canal Company was i have been proved, and various ar to rangement of tens were cl. T . l;e preamble s p f r o e rco b ni le p intro duced into the Bill. The Committee then adjour n e d . a d n e d d t a h r e e d ewnassa then oh n GROUP LV. This Committee re-assembled to-day at 3 o'clock. Present, the Right Hon. FREDERICK SHAW, Chairman, and the other members. ASWITON — UNDEn—LYNN, AND CHE STrIz, (WILALLY DRIDGE AND E 1 YFBELD DitATZCIIES.) The preonable of this Bill was proved on Friday, and the clauses were read through seriatim. This was the last Bill on the list, and the Committee accordingly separated. GROUP LVI, The Select Committee appointed to consider the merit! of the Bills comprised in ties group reassembled at the usual hour this morning, Mr. Stuart in the chair. LONDON AND exaomorr (THAMES XUNC , - - TION' CANAL). The clauses in this ltill were settled, amended, and passed by the Committee. LONDON AND BIRIVIINGIZAIVIC STATIONS. The next case taken was that of the London and Birmingham Company, who were the promoters of a Bill for improving and en larging their stations at Camden-town and Eustonequare. '1 he Bill was opposed by several holders of land an houses, whose property it was proposed to take for the purposes of the improvement. Mr. It. STEPHENSON, the engineer-in -chief of the London and Bir mingham Company, stated to the Committee the inconvenience which was felt at present from the platforms of the Euston-square being so restricted that very often some of the arrival trains were longer than the platform itself. The Bill was for power to remedy the defeat, as well as to enable the Company to erect new offices and a new departure station for the northern passenger traffic. The im provement of the Camden-town station was a couple of slips for accommodating the goods traffic. The Committee declared the preamble to be proved, but the con sideration of the clauses was deferred till to-morrow. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. LONDON AND CROYDON RAIL WAY COMPANY.-(THIS DAY.) A special meeting of the proprietors, shareholders, and scripholders of this Company took place this day, at the London-bridge terminus, in compliance with the vessional orders of the House of Commons. The chair was taken by W. A. Wilkinson, Esq. The SECRETARY read the a dvertisement convening the meeting. The CHAIRMAN said that they were assembled in consequence of the resolutions of the Houses of Parlia ment. The meeting was merely a formal one, as at a former meeting the proprietary bad decided that the measures proposed by the Directors were most desirable. He would therefore propose the three following Bills for their adoption:— " A Bill to consolidate and unite the London and Brighton, and the London and Croydon Railway Com panies, and the undertakings belonging to them :" " A Bill to enable the London and Croydon Railway Company to construct a Branch to Deptford, and a Wet Dock and other works connected therewith :" "A Bill to enable the London and Croydon Railway Company to make a Railway in extension of the Croy don and Epsom R a il wa y to Dorking, in the county of Surrey :" The Bills were carried unanimously. • An HON.I PROPRIETOR wished to know whether the Duke of Richmond would oppose them? The CHAIRMAN said, he was not in the Duke of Richmond's counsel. He had opposed them last year, but be did not get much by it; so he considered that ha had enough of it. Besides, he considered he had already as much as he could do on his hands in another quarter.—(Laughter.) The CHAIRMAN said that with respect to the third Bill before Parliament they had been opposed by the Grand Surrey Canal, and by certain road trastees, the consequence of which was they were obliged to omit that part relating to the wet docks. How ever it was a matter of no consequence, as they had made private arrangements with the dock proprietors which would fully effectuate their objects.--(Hear.) Mr. SAISIUDA then made a statement to the pro prietors respecting the atmospheric line. He said, that since he had last the honour of appearing before the proprietary, th 9 Company had increased r fa c ls s ofth c en o u m in na b o e number s o t f h tr a a t i t n h e e f i r o m o ti.hakr: wtya sonly-two to thirty - nine. The present e x p enses of the Compana.wereaelmt it os d b t w 4 o l. u 4 l a. am e ile By the ar rangements he waswascying u re deced much f ur th er. The statements made inthe House 2s. 10d. a mile was quite a fraction, and i n the colume gess of the line 110 been . w orkin g li was nineperce and it would be re d uced to al,: of a few months pence. The pro most satisfactory. In the first fortnight of the year 1843 they had carried 8,500 passengers ; in the first fortnight of the present . month they had carried 42,000. A vote of thanks having been given to the directors and chairman, the meeting separated. TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING. Six O'CLOCK. DERBY. 6 to 1 agst Tom Tullock 7 to 1 agst Fancy Boy 8 to 1 agst Peri colt 10 to 1 agst Humdrum 12 to 1 agst Pyrrhus the First 14 to 1 agst Sir Tatton Sykes 16 to 1 agst Crown Prince 20 to 1 agst Sting 25 to 1 agst The Conjuror—taken 25 to 1 agst lago 50 to 1 agst Malcolm 50 to 1 agst Sotades OAKS. 5 to 1 agst Mendicant 7 to 1 agst Vanish 12 to 1 agst Osprey 12 to 1 agst Princess Alice Shortly after five o'clock this evening Lord Melbourne entered the Howe of Lords, and took hi s - seat in his usual place on the Opposition benches. His Lordship had not been in the House two minutes before the Duke of Wellington crossed over and shook hands with him. The Duke and Lord Melbourne were in conversation a short time. IMP ERIA L PA RL I A 3IENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. BRISTOL AND GLOUCESTER RAILWAY BILL. Mr. GREENE moved that the minutes of the evidence of the proceedings of the Committee to which the Bristol and Gloucester hallway Bill (No. 2) was referred in the last session of Parliament be referred to the Committee on Group No. 31 of Railway Bills.—The motion was agreed to. CURTIS'S DIVORCE BILL. This Bill was read a second time, a , d ordered to be committed. VJDGEN'S ESTATE BILL. This Bill was also read a second time, and ordered to be committed. VIDEAN'S ESTATE BILL was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. SIR GEORGE DUNBAR'S ESTATE BILL. This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com witted. REPORTS. The following reports were brought up, the amendments and alterations agreed to, and the Bills were to be engrosarl, viz.:—Plymouth Cemetery, Portsmouth Harbour Pier, Birkenhead Small Debts, South Leith Church, Gorbals Gravi tation Waterworks, Liverpool and Harrington Waterworks, Salford Hundred Court, Liverpool Improvement, Midland Railway (Leicester and Swannington Railway Alteration and Branches ), Edinburgh Paving, Sion College, Inverness and Elgin Junction Rai!way, Perth and Inverness Railway, Worcester New Gas, Derby and Crewe Junction Railway, Sittingbourne Improvement, Rondon and South-Western Railway ( Farnham and Alton Branch), Lancashire and York shire North-Eastern Railway, Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, Railway and Harbour, Staines and Richmond Railway, Man chester, Buxton, Mattock, and Midland Junction Railway, Great Grimsby Gas, North Kent Railway, Manchester, Sheffield, and Midland Junction Railway, Morecambe Harbour and Railway, Aberdeen, Banff, and Elgin Railway, School•. masters' Widews' Fund, Thames Haven Dock arid Railway ( No. 2), Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway (Chapel Hall Branch), Leicester and Bedford Railway, Bristol and Exeter Railway (Crewkerne Branch ), Harrogate Gas. GREAT GRIMSBY AND SHEFFIELD JUNCTION EXTENSION (Nos. 1,2, and 3). These Bills were read a third time and passed: SLAMANNAN AND BORROWSTONNESS RAIL WAY. This Bill was read a third time and passed. BOSTON, STAMFORD, AND BiRMINGHAM RAIL WAY (STANIFORD TO WISBEACH). This Bill, with amendments, was read a third time and passed. NORTHUMBERLAND DOCKS. This Bill was also read a third time and passed. MANCHESTER MARKETS. This Bill was read a third time and passed. GREAT WESTERN AND WYCOMBE RAILWAY, This Bill was read a third time and passed. GREAT GRIMSBY AND SHEFFIED EXTENSION RAILWAY. This Bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Mr. WARBURTON, the Kendal Uni , n Gas and Water Bill was read a third time, as were the Warrington Waterworks and the Great North of England Bills. Mr. DILLON BROWNE presented a petition from Kil common, in the county of Mayo, praying for the discharge of Mr. Smith O'Brien from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. J. M. M'DONALD presented a petition from the barony of Costello, county of Mayo, to the same effect. Mr. D. O'CONNELL presented 17 petitions from various places in Ireland against the Coercion Bill, and also one from the town council of Cork, praying for the release of Mr. Smith O'Brien from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. h. ESTCOTT presented a petition from inhabitants of the city of Winchester, in favour of the Catholic Relief Bill. Sir G. SINCLAIR presented a petition from the Peace Society of Preston against the enrolment of the militia. DUTY UPON FOREIGN SUGAR. Lord JOHN RUSSELL presented a petition from Glas gow, praying for the abolition of the distinction between free labour and other foreign sugar. He said that the petitioners complained of the inefficient supply of sugar at present in the market, and that the West India sugar imported into this country this year was 30,000 tons less than it was last year: The petitioners further prayed that sugar, the produce ut foreign countries, be admitted on the same terms as sugar the produce of free-labour in foreign countries. ROCHDALE POLICE. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD begged leave to ask Sir James Graham (with reference to the return containing the correspondence on the Rochdale borough memorial, Parlia mentary paper, No. 313, May 14th) whether inqu ry was made by Captain Woodford, chief constable, into the charges against the police, referred to in that memcrial, as stated to have been made in the reply of the Rochdale magistrates ; and, if so, what was the result of that inquiry ; and, whether Sir James Graham has any objection to lay before the House the proceedings thereon. Sir J. GRAHAM said he had ordered the inquiry to be made and when he had received it it should be laid upon the table of the House. FOREIGN SUGAR DUTIES. Lord JOHN RUSSELL begged leave to give notice that he would, upon an early day after the Whitsuntide holidays, move in Committee on the Sugar Duties Bill for a reduction on foreign sugars, the produce of slave labour, to the .ame amount ai that now levied upon sugar the produce of free labour ; and that if that should not he acceded to he would move for the removal of differential &dies upon all foreign sugars. IRISH LAND CO\IMISSION REPORT. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD begged leave to ask Sir Robert Peel, whether B►ll or Bills on subjects referred to and recommended for consideration in the Irish Land Commission Report will be proposed by her Majesty's Government this session ; and if so, when it may be expected they will be sub mitted to Parliament, and to what points of such recommen dation they will relate. ? Sir ROBERT PEEL said he was so well aware of the excellent example which the Honourable Member set in Ire land as a landlord, that he conceived be was fully entitled to ask that question, and he could assure the Honourable Member and the House that this was a sub ject which had occupied the most earnest attention of the Go vernment, but the House was aware that a change had recently taken place in the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, and that since the appointment of his Noble Friend to that office, he had been totally disabled by illness from paying any at tention to public business, and that was the sole reason of legislation upon this subject having been delayed so long; hut when his Noble Friend should be able to attend he would be enabled to furnish an outline of the general plan contetn plated by her Majesty's Government. In the meantime he ( Sir Robert Peel) must say that these measures were about being brought forward into a detail of which it would be premature in him now to enter, but he would just say that one of them was to he a Bill for giving compensation to tenants —(Cheers)—the second, a Bill to amend the law regarding the ejectment of tenants in Ireland—(Cheers)--and the third would contain a short outline for a general form of lease— ACCOUCHEAIENT OF HER MAJESTY. Sir R. PEEL sa:d the House was probably aware that an to her Majesty's loyal subjects. He had to inform the House that her Majesty had that day given birth to a Princess, and ho was happy to state that her most gracious Majesty was doing well. He was sure that the House would allow him to propose at once, without notice of a motion on the event had taken place that day which would give great pleasure subject. He was sure that every Member of the House would bear out the universal opinion with regard to the manner in which her Majesty discharged her domestic duties.— ( Hear, hear.) He would without further observation move, " That the House do present an address of congratulation to her Majesty on the addition to her domestic happiness by the birth of a Princess." Lord J. RUSSELL was sure that every Member of the House would concur in the sentiments expressed, and every re mark which had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet with re gard to het Most Gracious Majesty. He would content himself with simply seconding the motion. The motion was then put and agreed to. MR. SMITH O'BRIEN. Mr. SHAW said that he rose, pursuant to a notice which he had given, to move the discharge from the custody of the Sergeant-at. Arms of Mr. Smith O'Brien. He begged to state in deference to the Hon. and Learned Member for the county of Cork, who had also a motion to the same effect, that he would have given way to the Hon. and Learned Member on this matter, but that he (Mr. Shaw) felt his motion to be better calculated to the discharge of the Hon. Member now in custody. It was that feeling alone, ,nd not a spirit of rivalry which prompted him to press his motion.—( Hear, hear.) The Committee which the Hon. Member had refused to attend had new concluded its labours, and therefore he was satisfied that there was nothing now to keep the Hon. Member longer in confinement. The Committee had not yet made their report, but all their labours had concluded, and he would be borne out in that statement b y the Hon. Chairman of that Committee. He would move that William Smith O'Brien, Esq., in custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms at tending this House be discharged out of custody, paying his fees. Mr. HENLEY said that the Committee had concluded its labours, and it now only remained for them to report to the House ; and he could assure the House, when supporting the motion of the Hon. Member for the University of Dublin, that the public business had not suffered by the absence of the Hon. Member, Mr. O'Brien, from the Committee.—( A laugh- ) Mr. P. BUTLER was glad to find that the motion now before the House bad emanated from the Honourable Member for the University of Dublin. He. . c d i td had think it necessary to read the letter hi been written by Mr. Smith O'Brien. The_osuubses. He could ti7nce of that letter was already suf f iciently before t oe H not in any way find fault with conductdo of if thei he r efol x- cellent Sergeant-at - Arm s, as he ought to lowed the subject of h tha letter.. But on the present that some course auspicious occasion, e did concieve might be pursued alike consistent with the dignity of the House, and with t in e honour of that Member whose dis charge he and to ob a . co nmoNs SUMMARY. The SPEAKER took the chair at Four o'clock. The private business having been disposed of Sir R. PEEL moved an address of congratulation to her MAJESTY, on the birth of a Princess, an event that had taken place this day. Mr. SHAW then moved, pursuant to notice, that Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN be discharged from custody, the Com mittee for which he had been selected having concluded its duties. Mr. STANLEY, the Chairman of the Committee, seconded the motion, and could assure the House that no los had been entertained to the public service by the loss of the at tendance of Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN. After some objections from Mr. P. SOMERSET BUTLER, Sir R. PEEL cordially supported the motion. The House had vindicated its authority, and that was an that was re- quired. The question was then put, and it ws unanimously agreed that Mr. S. O'BRIEN . be discharged, on the payment of his fees. Several of the Irish Members then left the House to con gratulate tke Hon. Member for Limerizli on his escape from further durance vile. After some observations from Lord J. IlussELL, Sir R. PEEL said that he proposed to name Friday next :he day for the second reading of the Irish Cuercion (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF LORDS Their Lordships met at Ten minutes before Five o'clock. The House was crowded to excess in every part, and the greatest excitement appeared to prevail with respect to the all-absorbing topic—the repeal of the corn-laws. The Duke of BUCKINGHAM presented a petition from several occupiers of land in the county of Berks, in favour of the Ministerial measure. The same Noble Duke also presented five petitions from landowners in the county of York, and one from Orkney to the same effect. The Duke or RICHMOND presented a petition from the landowners, farmers, tradesmen, and others, in the county of Norfolk, against the- measure that stood for a second reading. Also a petition from the society for the protection of agriculture, signed by the chairman, and two petitions from the county of Stafford to the same effect. The Earl of ERROL (as we were informed) appeared and took his; eaths and hig seat. The Earl of RADNOR presented a petitien signed by 90,000 of the inhabitants of Yorkshire, and another from Aberdeen, praying their Lordships to pass the Ministerial measure without delay. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition signed by 26,000 of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, praying that their Lordships would pass the Corn.law Abolition Bill, but at the same time ex pressing to their Lordships a wish that they would alter their Bill, because they said that that the postponement of that mea sure for three years would he extremely dangerous to all classes of the community. Now he (Lord Campbell) presented that petition with the greatest pleasure, and further, he might say that he concurred in the opinion which they expressed, that it would be better to have the immediate abolition of the bread tax than to wait until the expiration of three years; but he must at the same time express his humble opinion that it would be much better to take the Bill wilt all its imperfections as they had received it in the Hou‘e of Commons, than to have no such measure at all passed by their Lordships. Earl GB EY presented petitions in favour of the Bill from Shields, signed by 4 ‘,011) persans ; nine petitions from Sun derland ; also a large number from Stockport, Bury, and other towns in Lancashire. The Earl of HADDINGTO.N also presented petitions in favour of the Bill, from Stockport, and from several towns in Cheshire. The Marquis of BREADALBANE presented petitions also in favour of the Bill from Glasgow, Kinrose, and other places in !-eotland. The Duke of RICHMOND presented forty-four petitions from the county of Wiltshire against the Bill. Lord LITTLETON presented a petition from the Rey. W. Alailett, of the parish of Yardley, in Herefordshire, com plaining of the distress brought upon that parish by the measure which had lately passed their Lordship's House in reference to tithes. CORN-LAWS. Lord CHARLEVILLE presented a petition from a place, the name of which we did not catch, against any alteration in the corn-laws. Lord LONDONDERRY presented a petition in favour of the measure now belore the House with reference to corn. The inhabitants of Stockton-upon-Tees stated that they would not support any candidate fur the county unless he was pledged to free trade principles.—( A laugh.) With respect to their petition, which had been presented by the Noble Duke on the cross benches, he would be glad to say a few words on it, but as he believed that their Lordships were not willing to have any observations made on petitions, he would in the course of the evening take an opportunity of stating very shortly his opinions upon the subject. BIRTH OF A PRINCESS. The Duke of WELLINGTON then rose, and said—My Lords, I have to announce to your Lordships that her Majesty was safely delivered of a Price, ss this day at three o'clock in the afternoon, and, according to usual practice, I now, my Lords, move that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, cougratulating her _Majesty on the birth of another Princess, and assuring her Majesty that every addition to her Majesty's domestic happiness affords the highest satisfaction to the House of Lords. Lord MELBOURNE seconded the motion. It was then put and carried nenzi,e emtradicente. RAILWAY LEGISLA'IIUN. Earl FITZ Vtr ILLIAM said they were now very close upon the recess, and he was desirous of inquiring of Her Majesty's Ministers what course they intended to take with respect to railway legislation. Their Lordships would recollect that some weeks ago resolutions were passed and an Act of Parliameht was ?reposed, with a view of what might be called thinning the railways. As far as he had been enabled to observe, these measures had produced very little effect. He was, therefore, very desirous of knowing whether her Majesty's Ministers were prepared to brirg in any measure which should be more efficient. If they should fail to do so, he should feel it his duty, after the recess, to propose to their Lordships some measure which he thought would be more effective. 'I he measure which- he should suggest to their Lordships would be---he was not quite determined upon it at present— but what he thought he should recommend, would be, for their Lordships to postpone the third reading of every rail- way Bill, which might be in their Lordship,' House, until the whole number of railway Bills which might come up from the other House of Parliament should be waiting for a third reading, in order ihat their Lordships might take into their consideration the whole mass of those measures and select such as they might deem desirable to sanction. The Duke of WELLINGTON—My Lords, my Noble Friend the President of the Bea-d of Trade not having had any notice of the question is not at present in the Home, and lam unable to give any answer myself. I will let my Noble Friend know of the no , tee which the Noble Lord has given. CORN IMPORTATION BILL. The Earl of RIPON, in moving the order of the day for the second reading of the Corn Importation Bill, said,—My Lords, I am desirous, as much as possible, to compress within the smallest compass the observations which it will be my duty to address to the House upon this important question. But, my Lords, I fear that the very importance of the question as well as some circumstances of a personal character connected with it, and applying in some measure to myself, will compel me, however reluctantly, to trespass longer upon your Lordships' patience than is usual for me to do. For that pa tience 1 ask your Lordships. I do not, however, ask for your Lordships' indulgence, because it might have the appear ance of fault, or might indicate that I was about to do something for which I was bound to make excuses and apologies. But, me Lords, I am happy to say such is not the case. I have a public duty to perform, and one of which I am deeply conscious of iss policy. I have, therefore, no apologias to make, but I think I know enough of this House, and have experienced upon many occasions too much of its kindness to doubt that the patience which I ask will be denied.—( Hear. ) My Lords, I have stated the importance of this question. I have always considered it the tar most important question which could come out of our consideration, affecting as it slid so much of the social condition and happinese of the country in general. —( Hear, hear.) Important, inasmuch as it affects one way or in another, all classes of the connnunity—important, as it ie unfortunately calculated at all times when brought under ths cussion to excite warm, if not angry feelings—important be cause whilst one party considers it of great injury to the coun try, another absolutely insists upon the measure r f the law for their own advantage and interest.—( Hear, hear.) These feelings have prevailed and do prevail on both sides of the question, but it is nevertheless perfectly true that the interests of both these parties to which I allude are in reality substantially identical, considering the nature of the . question itself,—considering that it refers to the absolute supply of a sufficiency of food to the peeple.---(Hear, hear.) My Lords, I need not say then that the question is an extremely difficult one,—difficult the more because of the identy, and because of the difference of opinion to which 1 have referred. I say, therefore, my Lords, that it is a question most important, inasmuch as it re lates to the supply of food for the people, while the course which Parliament has pursued upon it sufficiently indicates its difficulty.—(l-fear, hear.) At one time we have had laws producing great. fluctuations and great scarcity in the supply of food, and while one party has considered them of the greatest injury to the country, another has contended that they were ab solutely necessary for protecting the best interests of thenation. I think, my Lords, that those are the circumstances—the ex treme difficulty in which this question has been placed. My Lords, I have never been insensible to those feelings, and it is true that 1 have taken an active part in the discussion of this subject. It was my lot many years ago, when I held a subordi nate situation in the Government of that day, to propose in my place in Parliament a very important measure for the purpose of regulating the trade in corn ; but, say Lords, I am anxious for my own vindication with respect to the course I have pursued, not only upon that, but upon many subsequent occasions, and comparing that course which I feel it to be my duty to pursue on the present occasion, I think it is but fit that I should explain to your Lordships what the principles were on which I supported those measures, and, above all, to show what were not the princi ples upon which I recommended them to Parliament. My Lords, when I introduced, in 1815, the Corn Bill of that day I did it. I may say this, for it is fair; and it is now so long since that I can hardly recollect the inferences that were drawn from the course that I then adopted; but I did introduce the measure with the greatest reluctance. I was not a member of the Government, for I held only a subordinate situation, and when Lord Liverpool sent to me his desire that I would introduce the measute, I certainly did feel this reluctance, and took the liberty of expressing that I had a great objection to any corn-law whatever. I thought then—l have thought so ever since—that a corn-law is in itself an evil—( Hear, hear)— to be justified solely by the establishment of some paramount necessityhave sufficient in magnittu'e to overcome our scruples, ly be justified by the necessity of the times. said, the imposition of such an evil upon the co,uintnifroyr;coaLusulrdd so,n A ' to the other the address which I took the liberty House of Parliament, in reference t . o ee tt u f i f s I thought a corn-law was but a countrychoi laboured at the time makingps u u s b i l v et e , evils a meetttend that the difficulties under which this eed riding ertook that atobj e - ed to show the grounds on which have mentioned. And I p propose. tion, and adopting thtehmoewaes vet', rounds that law ; I never su I thought Parliament wourld7:: My lords, I did not, which just e l d t n en v u e n r u orted by the house. 1 f • forted any corn law up any grounds upon which that syste p rn " of policy has been s never, or supported the Corn-law, or thought it wise stance, s or even justifiable. I never supported the Corn-laws upon the ground of any charge being mrde on the owners of land, or their mortgages, or settlements and incumbrantea' thata which they are certainly of thaehature. I cons i t:er that nonend I never theseof puta any g matters wouldweight hton justify . am perfectly kind, thatargument. aware my Loris that that species of argument in support of the corn-laws is now pretty generally a b an d one d. at least I think it i s a b andoned by Parliament. It was ne t be abandoned e l sew h ere, b ut I do think that it is not an argument upon which any one is now prepared in either House of Parliament to vindicate the maintenance . of any r e so l u ti on upon the imp or t a t ion of the first article of nece=sity in the w a y o f f oo d . M y Lords, I never supported the corn-bill upon the ground of its being the part of a great system of protection to national industry. I never supported it on that ground. On the contrary, my Lords, I always have supported the corn-law upon its own especial grounds, as entirely contradistinguished from, and every article of corn merce, and as standing upon grounds peculiar to itself. Indeed it would be utterly impossible for me to support the Corn Law as a part of a great system of national policy with a view to the uniform and universal protection of native industry, because I have over and over again laid down an opposite principle with regard to the principle of protection, and have shared, year after year, in the earliest measures of impottsueo of orliioh the ejeot ofel to brisk in upon that principle of what is called protection to British in dustry, and to get rid as completely as circumstances will ad mit, of the system, first of prohibition, and then of restriction, which I have always held to be dangerous, not only to the country of itself in genera!, but to the very interest which that system professes to protect. And, my Lords, lam not prepared to admit the truth of the arguments in favour of that system, because I find that the maintenance of the corn-law is sup ported and insisted upon because it is a part of that system. I therefore cannot support it on the ground on which we are to support the corn-laws, not only at the present moment, but permanently—as the part of a permanent system, from which you cannot depart, according to the views of thnse who support it, without exposing the inte rests of the country to very great danger. but I find it advanced in the most positive manner—much more positively than I ever heard before, and I therefore immediately answer and state that that principle I never did support, and therefore I am liable to no reproach if Ido not support that principle now. Now, my Lords, I have denied, aad I now deny, that that is a national principle— That it is a principle of national policy at all times and under all circumstances to do what is called protect native in dustry. I cannot think it, because when I come to consider what the law and policy of this country has been from time to time been found to be the principle : the Legislature of this country has never laid it down on the contrary, the Legislature of the country has over and over again been in direct defiance of that principle. and the instances brought forward had no reference whatever to it. I had occasion once to state to your Lord ships, when we were about to submit for your considera tion a meosure affecting the tariff in the year 1844, I had occasion then to point out what the circumstances which gave rise to that which was taken to be the original establish ment of that principle of protection, It is quite true that there were high duties imposed upon articles similar to those produced in this country. , The imposition of these duties had the effect in their operation of being protecting duties. But when we are called upon to look at the question as a principle, we must see the mo tive for imposing those duties. Looking at the case in that point of view, you will find that in an immense number of instances all these duties were im ' posed as the result of fiscal necessity. The duty of 25 per cent. additional on the customs duties was placed solely for the purpose of revenue without any considera tion to any particular mode in which the impo sition of these duties would effect the general trade or commerce of the country. The duty on timber for instance, which is supposed to be part of this great system of protection to native industry. Why, my Lords, whatever it may have become at the present period, it cer ainly was not so forty years ago. For The first time that these duties were imposed upon foreign timber, was in the year 1809. Till that time, the duty was next to nothing. There was no idea at that time of protecting the timber either of our own countries or of the colonies, by any system of duties of that description. The imposition of these duties arose entirely from accidental circumstances— from our being engaged in hosilities with Bonaparte in the north of Europe. That was the cause, and no other, and the best proof that it was no other—that it was not a principle to be interwoven with the commercial constitution of the country—if I may use such a phrase- that the Act which imposed these hsgh duties was passed fur a period of only the duration of the war.—( Hear.) They might have been dispensed with immediately after the expiration of the war, they were not, however, suffered to do so. lam therefore en titled to say that this not ion of a large duty being part of a system formed for the purpose of protecting native industry is a proposition not founded on nor m-intainable by fact, and so, my Lords, was it with agriculture, —the wool trade, for instance. You are awares my Lords, that there was no duty at all on foreign wool up to the year 1819—and what was it imposed for then ? Why, for the sole purpose of the revenue to be raised from it. I must certainly know something of that circumstance. because I moved in the House of Commons at that period a resolution, from which resolution the imposi tion of this duty sprang. The result, I say, of those resolutions was, in order that the Government might have a surplus revenue. It was necessary that a sinking hied should be raised at 5 I per cent. in order to meet this circumstance. This duty upon foreign wool wail imposed, and not with any view to form a part of a protee , tive system, it was solely for the purpose of revenue. There were several objectionable restrictions on British wool such as preventing it from being removed from one place; another, which were quite inconsistent with free trade of any kind, but which were imposed upon that important article with the notion that it was entitled to have a share in a great universal protective system, upon which so much stress has been laid. Again with respect to the minor articles, such as cheese, butter, &c., they were net i originally liable to any duty more than nominal, and it was not until the year 1816 that they were prgposed, perhaps it was a wise measure, perhaps it might be otherwise, but it was no part of a general system. (LEFT SPEAKING.) DREADFUL COAL-PIT EXPLO- LION. SWANSEA, TH uRsDAY.-Ticdreadful explosion took place on Tuesd,ty last at Alyreydduewidd Colliery. On Tuesday morning the men were told that " all was righ . t, except one portion, which they had barricaded up with timber so that it should be known; but ere an hour had clapsal a tremendous explosion shocked the entire pit, causing the instant death of five men, and several others. much burnt. The first t , ody found was that of David Jones. It presented an awful aspect, the whole of his intestines having fallen out, showing the violence with which he had been driven against parts of the colliery by the violent concussion. The remainder were also shock ingly disfigured, and were blown some 200 yards from wnere the explosion happened. At the Coroner's in quest on . the bodies, it wa s c l ear l y prove d to h av e resulted from the imprudence of one of the miners, who, notwithstanding the caution he had received, went into the dangerous part before spoken of with a naked candle. The jury, after a very lengthened investigation, returned a verdict of Accidental Death. We also regret to mention two other fatal explosions, one at Pwllgraig, neer Merthyr, and the other at the Mountain Pitts, Pennydarren. Four persons lost their lives at them, which appeared to have resulted from the same circumstances. The greater portion of the unfor tunate sufferers have left large families utterly destitute. FEATHERED QUADRUPED.—An egg was hatched last Saturday, under a hen, the property of Mr. William Barsby, Bunker's-hill, , the produce of which was a chicken with four two of which are in the usual place, while the supernumeraries, as if ashamed of their own ridiculous selves, endeavour to conceal themselves under the tail—we are forced to add with very indifferent success. And yet they are not a bad pair of legs, complete in every particular -- claws, legs, and thighs to match ; and certainly, if it had . only these, no chicken need be ashamed of its locomotive en dowment. Nor do these constitute the only singularity at tached to this winged quadruped ; we are assured by its owner that it has actually managed to return froin 4 , that bourne" wherefrom, according to Will Shakspere, "no tra veller returns." But then tue poet never calculated on such extraordinary pedestrian facilities; with four legs it would be a pity if a chicken could not accomplish a little more than its relations can, who are compelled to put up with two. The fact is, that on Sunday last, Mr. Barsby locked up the pro digy with its mother, room, in an upper during his temporary absence from home; but on his return found it, to his great concern and disappointment, lying apart from its maternal pa rent and the rest of the feathered fatnily on the cold plaster floor. If ever a chicken appeared dead, that did; it was handled by numerous visitants, whom curiosity impelled to the place, and tivir unanimous verdict was, that it was as dead as a door nail. Its owner, deeply lamenting its untimely end, threw it upon a shelf, where it lay for some time, until fetched down again by female curiosity. Mrs. Barsby. not having previously inspected the phenomenon to her entire satisfac tion, repaired to the chamber of death, and proceeded to com plete the examination ; but had not held the deceased in her hand long, before `it all at once exhibited undoubted symptoms of vitality, at which surprising circumstance the good woman declares she felt " as if she should sink through the floor." This latter event, however, did not ensue, as it happened ; the chicken progressed rapidly in its course to full animation, and was so far advanced towards perfect convalescence by Sunday night, as to feel itself quite ade quate to the performance of numerous small chirps. W e car. assure our readers the illustrious bird is now in very likely circumstances; we have been favoured with a Per' sonal inspection of it, and can cheerfully bear witness in a court of justice, if required, to the fact that the surprising creature, legs and all, is alive, and kicking.—Nottingher ° Review, THE BATTLES OF ALIWAL AND SODRAON.— T" paintings, in illustration of these recent events, are now on Rooms, exhibition at the Cosmorama Regent-street, a nd have, we believe, in consequence of the interest felt in the event, already attracted a considerable number of visiter s In the first painting the time chosen is that of the charge of u the 16th Lancers upon a square of Seikh infantry, whic h by the determined onset of her Majesty's troops, is broken and thrown into disorder. The Sutlej is seen in the distance! and the general character of the surrounding country is wet! described. The second picture, pourtraying the battle 0 ' Sobraon, is by far the best of the two. We here see the rushingfialetno death of Sir Henry Dick, who is r l e d p ie re r s s en w t h e o d amongst a crowd of the brave so a murderous dis charging up to the cannon's mouth, an s ci to have swept a storm the batteries of the enemy. The 10th Regiment is charge of grape and round shot ere more truly before the se t' the attacking party. lane through the unyielding mass ° the smooth waters of the aret Lave c , ye r l e o c o t d by an a d wr s i l t a t u e g n h ( t i e e r scr a ir re The horrors of this field Itubr w e' ith it, like the Simoere' brought, by means of this P ofts o f such c the mans vanquished. a sa are the plain, to be al'omlonsghortly tinged with t spectator ioihi thante rear it t tahre possible r3,ea. Sutlej wind across Seikli blood, and to c fret of Sobraon is one which our confirms The deadly 1- hand 't shouldsh shields! a d: ,a avail and himself e s power ov er the Selk s, is nothing more than right that every his reach to enable him within with which our brave troops had to contend, and to teach the7Emnegrioisu s tu b: bodies, blurt to set a proper value upon their services. BIRTHS cfna rt, -- On the 4th ult., at Mallabuleshrar, the wife of Charles J. F. '-'-` Esq., of the Oriental Bank, of toy al ofth e E l d l y, e , v a . lo,d E f v i a l lii:iaaerst,ll,4Eilitsl:trs.o.,le of On the 13th inst., at the Royal hospital, Greenwich, the wife o a r s:l: aught". lad/ On the 18th inst., at Wyool's-court, Swallowfteld, Berks, the • On the 20th inst., at Handlton-place, St. John's-wood, Mrs. Samu el Phillips, On the 20th inst., at Eddins House, Dorset, Mrs. Edmund Wrig ht " of a daughter. On the 21st inst., the wife of the Rev. Archer Thompson, Recto r or Hotham, of a daughter. TidsW elh On the 21st ilist., at Champion-hill, Surrey, Mrs. Robert of a son. Wood, of a son. On the 21st inst., at the Rectory, Littleton, the lady w ife Of fr. On the 21st lust , at John's-terrace, Hackney-road, the tree_, 4 Wallace, surgeon, of a son. Albion -0/ ,---- On the 21st inst., the wife of R. G. Stevens, Esq., of - ........ Hyde-park, of a son. ____..--- --- 7 of the Bev. P. MARRIED. . L , of On the 20th Inst., at St. Pancras Church, T. M. Phillipson, - ,, ..-.l '; 0 Adelaide, South Australia, to .latilda Constance, eldest (Mug"' Sampson son G 2ls olds t., minst. id, Esq. t , t ofGeorge's, Meeklenbllanover quare, James urg,h-square. JoseP l, On , a :-s u ~,, Otter Power, Esq., M.D., of Makistune, Kent, to Eliza, youngeS t " of Iloratio Pope, Esq., of Fant, in the same pitlt DIE On the 20th inst., at Winchester, J ohn Mecdermeit, second Son °f Andrew Crawford, M.D., aged 13. On the 20th inst., Mr. William Perkins, of elvedere-road, Lan' beth, aged 70. On the 20th inst., at Battersea, Charlotte , the relict of WilliV 3 Cruiltshank, Esq., aged 03. On the 21st inst., at East Acton, Charles James, second son of . 1 C. Weir, Esq., aged 12. e E st ' On the 21st inst., at Croom's-hill, Greenwic h, George Brown John , On the 21st inst., at Clapton, Emily Augusta, the Loxley, Esq wife of 2 London: Printed and Published by &ORD° YOUNG, of 4. 0 .. • - Strand, Printer, at The Sun Oilice N 0.112, Strand, in th e Pfeeit le ' of the Sayoy, in the County' of laiddlooeit Monday, 26, Is 4 I I I 4.