The Sun. — London, England, 1848-06-02 00:00:00

...... ..._ .. . larg e 'latched t o on such_ a question as that under considera elaw' tic a? He entreated the Government to pause before tweeh othee.nal step was taken. I n t h e wor d s o f the p ream bl e Log- `he Act of Charle s If. h e entreate d Mi n i s t ers not to , n t he r epeal an A ct , the object of which was to increase the Bel' : sathriepnp4ing and science o f nav i ga ti on o f th e coun t r y, on iO/. -- ' eh, unde r t h e protection of God, the wealth, the if th e th , and the safety of the empire were so much de isures Pendent.--(Cheers.) .. ) 1e 50 ; Mr • :1i• GIBSON sa id t h at the Noble Marquis who had o die' .1 1 14 t sat down had uttered loud lamentations at what he f ibis ' seensed to think was the reckless course which the House t ibis Was Pur suing He had referred to the successive steps :er ° f ' W hich had bee • nadopted—first,the blow given to the agri is p ot „ 01114141 interests; next, that inflicted on the colonies; .as If -" *nd now he deprecated the ruinous policy by which, ' h t, w ou ld " l'' l i 6 had observed, " perhaps the mercantile Hemarine ie of Great Britain would be swept from the seas.. tel "', W ould lief 1 ' L venture to tell the Noble Marquis that if .e it na h e a a n_ ' e f°rB 11"efteen'uhtlaitwvins t hat tunes• would embark iu the policy of free-trade i o ioni tercets to th be still more unwise to stand still, a . nd . Cop t ' exposed the agricultural and olonial in 130 i unrestricted competition of foreign pro sril'e 1 4 0 uc t e h lis, to refuse to adopt the . same course with respect of .. Oh.") It was ne be ; navi gation-laws.—(Cries oer e to ess y o call upon Parliament to go forw t rd. ad not tdlow itself to be stopped by the importunities urged bd ° p etal h iltl e ar be d .,aif of a mistaken self-interest. He had often Od e ' • 4 asserted, when free-trade principles were first 1100' e a dll t e n u n ss t e,d, that if the Legislature carried those principles fllteirne's d th e r a e i s u t g l ; more than equal justice ought to he done to se& . that the agricultural i tio ,gCe n n d ot it to w b s e s su a b r fe n c e t d ed alone to the competi- . ,; the at ° s f t f . B o tciTiSglihat producers. He recollected a phrase used ~ th e time by the Hon. Member for Essex, who said, ihel rito e r l en d . , ° ,n't ns. Object to free trade, only hold the dish 9N Y doi ng. T was what the Government was now , f ete g• The Noble Marquis had dwelt very urgently ., °6 the a 0 0 he r,,, aogers resulting from com H p e e a ti s t e ion a tritiZ r • M. Gibson) talked to the 0 s o he didahhi;b about t t the do°Powners being able to compete with foreigners, Ira ictlizrtshan to vindicate the principles 0 more with a view to i calm the fears of that free trade, for if t he of doubt that il th e I , 0 f ,British shipowner could not co y mpete with the or e' _ er IP hr gner, that tact would only render him the more . i gent i n his desire to use the foreigner's ships if it ship . 440 k . ket —(" Oh," and ill° halt) n i-, 16 . convenience and his Poe. change mean irlo t o ....nd the opponents of the proposed the ~, toY that the weaker the British ships were the stronger - al th e th at ~, necessity for driving the foreign ships away ; or ohe t Min i' t a b idle r British ship was no better calculated for navi -1)0 ehw e e seas than the Chinese junk she ought to be pipe 411 4 ./ e d in preference to the finest vessels in the world? in ;Vies it that the Hon. Member for Poole h e a l d se u r rg a e n d it o the 4 r nce .of the navigation-laws ? Nothing h ,art its tCposSibility of building ships in England as cheaply t he ree ° * Gr p? Would be constructed in other parts of the of to rde u , . And what was the answer which he found . yrea ,9lo ti l e to the blue-book on the navigation laws b ,se' 14 . 113 , 4 _n _who was Lloyd's surveyor at Sunderland? o t, Mr. ftvidlNSON—The surveyor of registers. 'lli 40 a. dii• G IBSON—The surveyor of registers, as the ' l de._• 'leather had stated. That gentleman, in ' . his might evi- ,ti ' ber,,hefore th e Committee,asserted that a ship . t ' cheaperu" at Sunderland of oak imported from Dantzic idi, Lus(3 than she could be built at Dantzic. And the esi' io oth er _ u was r easonable and well foun d e d , f or a ll t h e eft a ahi Materials which entered into the construction . of ;ill pl, ce ll. Were far cheaper in England than in an • other 0 ne, the the world. The iron knees, the copper any ' . 14.041",%cab1e5, the rigging, and all the accessories . were , thei r ' . L e '' frona England even by Americans, .who sent_ illt' , -to h a "Ps to this country when half finished, in order i n . i . qu s - "Je them completed. He could not dwell on the IP! e lete -- e l h 4 l l cf cornp . etition, which was no more an essential P e th e d , ' of the discussion than the price of corn was to of ° 1 e hn "eotte ea ,We li , esetisfaeti the repeal of the corn-laws. There was 0/ tines t i o _ on which he had in considering the present te' h ot „, e, and that was, that the Navigation Act could ,0$ ill 2.`" 13 ,d as it was. But then he might be told that to , IbirweEttafiikeitlyg the necessary changes in the navigation lid ought to be careful not to surrender those oriprinciples by which were . guaranteed the su da .. had ,Y for which the mercantile navy of England Now, what was the l is . INitr a li j. w aYs been renowned. ell bap„utee for the superiority of England's commercial be lthc r el t i It was based on the Act of 8 and 9 Victoria, PoN ° ply applies to the imports into the kingdom. Ex io, 111 tia tn , ,lght be sent in shis of any nation, and ships of ig N ils " , ns might also import goods, provided those teai._ wer e not consumed inEngland, but merely re be b otto geo here in transuti. If goods o imported in foreign of 14 1 au! were to be exported, then co e hey were outside the for home consul:up tion,teti-laws. But if they . r ii' w itti I L. en those goods must b!.imwpe?rrwtes,!inNthneww, he ay wouldwhich h y k a l i d down by the prohibition- . la 0 ~ sif, mildly, that let a ship come from whatsoever . place t i , ah ip lea, laden with produce, h h e e would not ,drive that 0 afraid of receiving im tf is. pos te a f w itY• Was England to ? Were they to fear an ,p,pierfrom foreign countries d ue ease in her revenue? If n v ot, s why exclude the pro not that exclusion 4 o r Fe of foreign countries? 10 (6 1 , 1 1 14 serious injury to the manufacturing Na interests— 1, ,_ niters and " Oh,") — era and ? It couldanndot.could such a course of policy for instance, that 4 shi p laden with food Suppose, presented hersel f f ood at w a a n s agligh ne t . port. She was refused entry because t I t raised in the country to which the ship , belonged. 0 t ;1 , 4 the Legislature pretty plainly showed, when it f itril,?_ended.the navigation-laws in favour of this class of I that those laws were a great evil.—(No, no.) )),, e ll why did every one of them clamour for the sus s.a "ion of those laws? Was a law good in principle wl t i , ,f N e e : was to be suspended by force or clamour? At the r- Wa t t moment how could the House judge of the future y i tC t3 of the manufacturing or the labouring population? l' os e ~,, t kid 4 ants must be left to the course of free trade, e k no l° pursue any other policy than that of a . ff . ording a , t elvs l u 'ited means of supply would be a gross injustice 5e„,. 4 "3 the people. The navigation-lavve had been e litt l e ,t Lo Fended during the famine crisis. Could those who te i , tiUlPPosed their abolition give the country aran -9 a gu tle hart a A t they would not again require to be suspended? 0 e to al they that the navigation-laws were confined ti th e Policy o f e prohibition; but they were n?t exclu knvel,„calculated for the protection of the British ship s ,b ;,'„ s * There was another and a distinct feature to be 0 , :4 : GI - .V, hai ii• the operations of those laws. The Noble - 1 5 pf il- d quoted Mr. Huskisson, and in doing so had h ' th le d itti a , , 4 1:1 04 ~ naportant omission which had been s e_"nee•• a tember for Stamford on a former evenin g g :Ir. tiugllt(!ting the same authority. The omission was, 4 ' e mli klit htissons declaration that, whilst foreign countries i . -„ot, in z pertaitted to , carry for themselves, they were 9 2t ot-he'r":tt statesman & opinion, to be permitted to carry 1 that a N ''. ft; ')re kilt; N ow, he must be permitted to r dee quitted or obsolete maxim never yet w y a , s cited th t e nee n e P hn a : c ould I, a bad cause. For the only meaning r ,,,- la --4: attached II Iv s , / go o d,. a were concerned, one country the was to 4 4 Whi ch ' f or all other countries; and question 10 iit eolati, e,Nlatry ? Was America to be the c,arryas i ~ t t r il le obi ee Y t 7 the rest of the world? It would scon i l he "erY co lt t he British Parliament was to nurse navies b.' he to ri try in the world. But the point to which real el b j e u e t iyal c h 0., e 4 11 the attention of the House, was the I 4; 4 ', was t c ,'"eter of the Government proposals. The I pre e ric an le, . r ekal at the same time the English and 1 ' 6Bll l - ' 6l gatio 1 tip o , „ I f „ ne aws. Would the House reject that of `ante ' 44 ey did, what would they be calling down a ll th 6e lyes ' r Ni t , e Ul t ., ir• another direction? The . fulfilment it hi 6„contitti:ts which they had been receiving from it . Co a i, t . frc al . 8 ' from Prussia, from the Hanse Towns -1 . ht, ;,_" they , : ve rY town in the German Confederation. iitrktwee,:t7 c onsidering the British shipping, hesi , 14%4 Veen free'ese alternatives? • On the one hand they f k , t ,, , t. o f the .access to the United States from every O i ltie 9liie rebl I g ° be, and in addition they would acquire ?Slue table the Portion of the trade of the Baltic. The " 13 1.1 . " 0 00 e inlports into the United States was ~, tish: , doll ee . ~ lithei uo /0h .,. a, of which 36,000,000 came from the ~.1t hI vo rld. " 1 °„ 1 13, and 3 9,000,000 from all other parts m 'scl e . "l e n • "Ider the operation of the navigation l;l/ ' hht •-.l°Yed but one-half of the American import eery if th tits, Prost, the repealed these laws there would . be 1. 111 .. 4 fr rec t °f the* • • I 4 great k i the their enjoying the whole.—(lronical • ▪ NCleat OPposition.) They would certainly have k i p t l °tie alare of the whole, while they now only l i Ntit t?°r t ha :111611.--(flear hear.) The Hon. Member for tie l 'oee „ f " celled the ;ttention of the House to the all ow i tlid 4,:et.ft of the combined influence of the Eng itiha.4 tharrMan laws on English shipping, and had th, - t o bt utider th ose laws English shipping must Con' , s °ll le P i t t °f L° ofE. The evidence of the collector of l'ret_"l4l tiri4°lldon was strong on this point. That or ki ne (.4 Asia at the effect of confining the import of the ' Prori t eas 1: Af • -• • • British ships, I 14 -. 11 , 4,s c ame .rica, anu rimerica to AO e ere. u , n g'ng to the countries from which the , - ' l 4 e r •,*tYi e „ - ' had been to confine almost the whole of . ; 14 c -e ,,, 41 . shi n t s t ade , between America and . England and t f o t • Niel `ainler • All the liners were American, 1 41 i1. 3 iltil ad s' a retuarkable fact that hardly one of those 4t, s i 4 fro% English port. It was, however, I Li e Y the operatjoji oftwo the navigation ,, e . ll l co:7' obli ged e ountries, beca use the English lin o er . ' 1 4 4 4 ntry to confine himself to the roduce t . 1' 4 1)„ele e t l e I f 'awllhZels the American could tak e . back the t h. ta ft . the Project urope._( Hear, hear.) If then they th i Ppi o t etie g 0 of the Government they would r th eft , of that 46 c 'f . the greatest blows on our to 2 lot _,eoUld be inflicted and depriving ftes‘alasae.intntage which was almost within 4 6 , 5 *11 r ) ' wliQ?:eitr-) With regard to the colonial „ te m ! ih, ~_,ult.d been alluded to as being pressed (4 - as 04yriociples of free trade, he certainly felt Of tis "$1 )04 c wh o h , 014 Fort ed th e . e .,, la! advocated those principles, and If ni d i to ytonies to the unrestricted competition oken th e D'odu ee g, L o ve them that freedom of transmission ti ero _ fell de,_; this country which was consistent t ' il l i at wh i c e l! opp os r,“Vosent of those principles. How could shYht b e n * a , list the justice of such an appeal as t 4i Nk tit r per ua r t. a.a . on behalf of the colonists, that they hi:ed qi ,Ite to %e t ? to transmit their produce at the r a , 4 lil, o tit riak the borne market ? Hon. Gentlemen ji74lc tt ,',3' to he a losing our colonies. Were the colo ttely ismus tuttieru°4le. discontented if we removed the ei l Ntei c' t ki kke i t „ hi discontented they laboured? Were they . N es t %q t . ~‘;.- grievance that we permitted them to t ' 1 4 411 . possity educe to the home market at the (IN trap ° ." rate? t, kll • nin e ~,,.... to Why not put the w,. therei;Portio„`"Zrchant on as good a footing as the ti tt eer t & o m . ,t , it ZnoLf.!trichant? Under the present law, tp t , t 44 11 44 0 t o ( 4 - e i , ,i_g from Canada to this country ei led tis h is et ; • s h i p , while the United States mer (let.i.! et3,4l.t,HoZieV,t,wo, English and American. He Virl pti , Olt e d Gentlemen opposite, who on all occa th'(;i, tli eth ' tiao ol 0 7 re , ueh li t4 4 . 4,i icti the ,„i ve a ta i a ootin g sympe thy for our colonists, with the foreigner,. by . giv 4. tl otto ts. Th Re arising from a competition for s,' ells ia ws • " l l(Mse h ld 11 th t the not to et or first sou reco ect a . - 11 - Nt ' l4 thei r ki Y li t ik .s to r tell° .berrefiatal-,6fitha imposition bore something of : t e rn o e lo n n ts ces b , el'ng imposed not so en te al ov!141311 'certain or the parent coun- P 4 q thPl,,,nions. That portions of our colonies for their to p LY b y ethunited states'Flat being the case, the indepeud , which had been brought about kte4l'eato% Upon eaeOverY laws, should b , us not tst , pe 4 lir eOloni I a w a • .egi 4 1 ) 4 4 4, .ets that which theyall consi- Plmt er g grievance. Suppose the case of a "ing to the United States, which 1 • , 41 THX; S VN ) AIGND ON, wasAlos9 . at sand, and: there purchasing British mane factures, ivttltthe deli n of:stmdingthetU to Jamaica. If there happened to be infirkitish ship at . New York at the time. our navigation-laws would prevent his employing any other ship which might be in port at the time.— (Hear.) Was there justice or expediency in such an enact ment? —He ealled. upon them in justice to these colo nte to-free them from such odious restrictions, and to give them liberty to ship their goods in any bottoms they might think fit—in fact, a share in the privileges which had been accorded to the parent country. With regard . to the. manufacturing . iaterest with which the town he had the honour to represent was intimately con nected,.he should best explain their feelings by calling attention to a petition which he had on that evening presented from the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. (The Right Hon. Gentleman read an extract from the petition in question, from which it appeared that the petitioners, having themselves received the benefits of commercial freedom, were anxious to have them ex tended to our colonists by the abolition of the naviga tion-laws.) It wais conceded on all hands that the navi gation-laws were not to remain in their present state. The worthy Alderman opposite (Mr. Alderman Thomp son) was prepared to concede an important change, and thus to infringe on those fundamental principles which the Right Hon. Member for Stamford was so unwilling to surrender. He (Mr. Gibson) very much doubted whether any of the changes offered could be eff ctecl without touching a fundamental principle. One great fundamental principle of the navigation-laws was that the produce of Asia, Africa, and America should be altogether inadmissible from the continent of Europe. The worthy Alderman was willing to relax on that point, while the Right Hon. Member for Stamford refused to touch a fundamental principle. If there were such dif ferences amongst the supporters of the navigation-laws, how could they reconcile it to themselves to oppose even the going into Committee? Why, the changes which they themselves advocated could not be effected without first going into Committee.—(Hear, hear.) There was one point to which he must make some allusion. He had been charged by the Noble Lord the Member for King's Lynn with having assisted in framing returns which were calculated to mislead the public on the sub ject of the navigation-laws. He must say that a more unfounded charge, or unfounded insinuation, had never been made against any man. Ho was prepared to assert, and to prove, that the returns in question were strictly correct.' Lord G. BENTINCK—I have not made such a charge yet. Mr. M. GIBSON had read the charge in the Noble Lord's speech. The charge was that returns had been got up for the purpose of deceiving the Committee, and inducing them to draw erroneous inferences. He repeated that a more unfounded statement had never been made; the figures in those returns were correct in all their parts. The only object for which those returns had been compiled was that of comparing the increase in those trades which were exposed to competition with the increase in those which were protected. That was the object, and the returns distinctly showed that in those trados which were protected the increase was not so great as in those trades which were exposed to com petition. The heading of the returns had also been ob. jetted to, but that had been adopted from Mr. Young, who stated that shipping had declined in consequence of protection being withdrawn by reciprocity treaties, and that the repeal of the navigation-laws would com plete their ruin. The tables proved that instead of the reciprocity treaties having produced any such evil effects, the very trades on which they operated had increased in a much greater ratio than the trades which remained a close monopoly. —(Hear, hear.) The returns, therefore, which had been complained of were perfectly to the point, and gave a complete answer to the statement of the witnesses. He could not conceive the possibility of any human being being misled by them who had any knowledge of the subject, or who was not entirely ignorant of the whole bearing of the navigation-laws question. He wanted to ask another question of the House. Were they pre pared to assert, if they rejected the proposal of the Go vernment, our existing relations with foreign countries would allow us to return to the navigation-laws ? (Hear, hear.) He spoke of the indirect foreign trade. How could they hope, with the concessions they had already made, the departures that had already taken place from the principle of the Navigation Act, and with the existing treaties of reciprocity which contained the favoured-nation clause, to maintain the navigation laws, or any great portion of them ? You have (said the Honourable Gentleman) already permitted fo reign countries to use ports for shipping goods to this country, which ports are not in those countries—you have permitted Austria to use the port of Galata ; yoti have permitted Hanover to use Alemel, and the ports at the mouth of the Meuse; you have permitted the duchies of Oldenburgh and Mecklenburgh, and the states of the Zollverein, to depart from the principle you have laid down in your navigation-laws, of making every country confine itself to carrying its own produce from its own ports. Then what will those countries which have in the treaties by which we are bound t o th em t h e most favoured-nation-clause say ? What does Holland say now ? Holland says you allow Hanover to carry her produce to England from Memel. Is Memel in Hanover? we always supposed it to be in Prussia. If you allow Hanover to come to the Meuse, and carry her produce from Holland to England, you must allow Holland to carry from Memel to England, and give to Holland, as you are bound to do by the favoured-nation clause, the same advantages you give to other nations.—(Hear, hear.) What then becomes of your principle that you will not allow one country to carry for another to this ? It you allow Holland to become the carriers from the countries of the north of Europe, you break down the very ground on which your navigation-laws were established—viz., fear of the Dutch. —(Hear.) And if you concede the privilege to Holland how can you refuse it to Sweden, Denmark, and Nor way? Then what will Prussia say when she sees that you allow those countries to go to Memel and carry Prussian produce to England? Will not she demand that her ships shall go to those countries and carry her produce to England? With this difficulty staring us in the face I do not wonder at the shrewdness of the Hon. Member for Westmoreland, for he knows well that the consequence of the concessions already made to foreign powers is that that part of the Navigation Act which relates to the admissibility of African, Asiatic, and American produce is gone—the foundations of it are sapped, and do what you will, with your existing rela tions and your treaties with foreign countries, you are not in a condition to maintain it. I doubt, whether, if the United States were to call upon you to carry out your treaty with them, whether you could prevent American produce being brought through Europe to this country—(Hear, hear)—for what says your American treaty? It says that you shall not impose any prohibi tion on American produce which you do not impose on the produce of other countries; and if you allow Euro pean produce, the produce of one country to be brought through the ports of another European country to Eng land, by what right can you deny the claim of America to admit ber produce in the same way? In fact, I be lieve it is only the idea that you are about immediately to deal with the Navigation Act yourselves that has pre- vented foreign countries pressing on you for the per formance of the stipulations of the treaties into which you have entered with them. With regard to the Dutch treaty, I believe I am right in saying that the Dutch have already—some years ago—made their claim to this carrying trade which your Navigation Act was framed specially to take from them, and that the justice of that claim was not denied, and whether you repeal the navigation-laws or not, you must shortly make conces sions to that and other continental countries to which you are bound by the most favoured-nation clause. —(Hear, hear.) I have stated these arguments in the hope that they may induce the house not to take thu course of saying that they will not stir a step in the consideration of this navigation-law. It would be monstrous, when we consider how Parliament has sane- tioned the principle of free trade, that we should now be deterred from taking this initiatory step on the ground that it invades the principle of protection, while there are many who oppose the present motion who are prepared to suggest alterations in the law. I may be accused of omitting the general argument as to the bearing of this question on our national defences—(Hear hear)—and I will therefore say a word or two on that point. The Hon. Gentleman opposite talks as if every man in the British navy was a sailor, whereas, after all, it is only a small part of the British navy that are sea men. Sir J. Sterling, in his evidence before the Com mittee of the House of Commons, tells us that not more than one-fourth of the navy on the average are seamen, and the proportion of the mercantile marine is so small that it would be possible, Sir J. Sterling thinks, so to constitute the navy as to render it entirely independent of the merchant service. If you reduce the officers to the lowest possible limit, and put down all useless offices, it might I think be possible to increase the number of seamen in the navy without adding to the expense. And this evidently is what Sir J. Sterling (who is a man of experience in the profession, and whose opinion is entitled to be taken as an authority)—this is evidently what he means, though he does not assert it in words. He says, " You have no mode of procuring men from the mercantile marine except by impressment ; they will not volunteer. Honourable Gentlemen opposite say the mercantile marine must be protected as a means of support to our naval power, and, at the same time, they object to the system of impressment ; but not one of them has told us bow the transfer of the men from one service to the other, when wanted, is to be effected. —(Hear, hear.) I believe the only mode by which you can effect it is by force.—(Hear, hear.) They do net volunteer now freely in time of peace, and I doubt whether they would do so at all were war ap prehended. Sir J. Stirling told the Committee before which he was examined that Parliament was trusting to a broken reed in the mercantile marine as a means of supplying the navy, except by impress ment, and he pressed on them the importance of making the naval power independent altogether of the merchant service ; and be added that he believed it might be so made oven in the event of a war. His opinion was that the best means of promoting the interests of both services, and of the country, was to let each stand upon its own resources.—(Hear, hear.) Gentlemen opposite plume themselves upon being the shipowners' and the sailors' friends. Can anything be more unjust or tyrannical to the shipowner than to invite him to incur heavy expenses in ships and in procuring pabreleteseetaiema, while enathigh wages on the faith of maintaining you do nothing to guarantee him a larger amount of profit th an can b e o b taine d i n an y othe r trade; themfor the as profits yoara in all trades will be the same, pro tectc hand you tak e cre di t for navy may?—(H ear hear.) On the one n protectingered credit for h the i s a h g i p inventedo wners, while on the ot h er you la a plan for man n i ng the n this unfortunate i nterest. (o l t heer trades entirely a e t a t n h e o b e ticapei n s ) e , o o u f ar.) And w ith o ut giving them greater profit s t h an claim the right to pounce down knockup on them at any mo ment, to take away th e i r men, up their trade, and perhaps bring them to ruin. —(Hear,) If it be possible for _ . any man to conceive o ne plan which is more tyrannical than any other in reference to British sailors, or an ar rangement more destructive to British shipping, it is that plan, which, without benefiting the shipowner or the men he employs, exposes him at some uncertain moment to alt these inflictions.—(llear.) I have referred to the opinion of Sir J. Stirling :—another authority whom we often hear quoted in this House, Mr. M'Cullocb, says that he believes it would cost less if the navy were made altoge ther independent of the merchant service, and he adds he believes there are many naval men who consider that the time is coming when you must, for your own safety, free the navy from the obligation to press men out of the merchant service; and that, under proper ar rangements, this might be done with economy to the State. I believe there :are many unnecessary expenses attached to the naval department which ought to be put down. It is also my opinion that the worst-treated and worst dealt with class of the Queen's subjects are the seamen. -(Hear, he a r.) Wh at d o y ou rea lly do for them ? ou profess to protect them: but you have not prevented the prevalence of great distress from time to time among both sailors and shipowners. Though the country professes to have at heart the interest of the sailor, and claims the right to take him from the service in which he obtains the highest amount of wages at any moment, what have you ever done for his advan tage? Should the sailor fall into poverty and want in consequence of the uncertain state of employment, what have you done for him more than for other paupers ? If you take the practical operations of the statutes you have passed—as the Merchant Seamen's Fund—are they worth a fig to him? If employment fail, and he fall into distress, perhaps, if he is lucky, he may get a pauper allowance.—(Hear, hear.) This is all you have done for him, and yet you claim the right to call your selves the sailors' friends and the shipowners' friends, while you expose them to the evils I have alluded to. I will not say a word in disparagement of the shipowners, or of the masters or mates, in the course they have taken on this question—l can forgive men for being uneasy when they think it possible that their pecuniary inte rests may be affected—(Hear)---but I will not consent to allow in Parliament the voice of justice, reason, and good policy, to be drowned by the clamour of any class what ever.—(Cheers, and " Oh, oh.") We must discuss this question with a view to the general interests of the British empire, and must not be deterred from doing what is right by the fears and apprehensions of any party.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord asked where was the clamour and where the petition in favour of the proposed change. I should much regret if it was to be understood that Parliament was never to carry any measure except forced to it by clamour.—(Opposition cheers, and Ministerial counter cheers.) It must be a subject of great regret to every friend of his country to think that we have a Parliament—if it be as the Noble Lord says—which it is in vain to appeal to unless the appeal be backed by clamour and threats.--(Hear, hear.) But this at least is a subject in which we are not backed by clamour. Here we want reason and dispassionate consideration, not clamour.—(Hear, hear.) And when gentlemen lay such stress on power, glory, and such things, I must tell them that they are not acting in ac cordance with the spirit of the times.—(Hear and laugh ter.) The spirit of the times is commerce—the spirit of the times is industry—(Hear, hear)—it is internal im provement—(Hear, bear)---it is mechanical invention— (Hear, hear)—it is, if you will, political economy.-- (Opposition cheers, met by counter cheers from the Mi nisterial benches.) It is not war—(Hear, hear)—it is not clamour—(Hear, hear)—it is peaceful relations, peaceful progress, and amicable feeling among all the nations of the earth.—(Cheering.) If you wish to act in conformity with the spirit of the times, you must abo lish those antiquated notions by which you have been so long influenced. Let the ships of all the nations of the world bring the produce of the world from every place —(Hear, hear)—exclude none.--(Hear, hear.) Do this, and you will carry out a policy beneficial to your in dustry, beneficial to your manufactures, beneficial to your shipping interest, and to all classes of your fellow countrymen; do this, and you will add strength to your peaceful relations with foreign powers, and, by setting the example of a vast, generous, and enlightened com mercial policy, you will be raising the character of England amongst the nations of the world.—(Cheers.) Mr. HENLEY said that if he could gather anything from the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman who spoke last, it was that the general interests of the country ought to be made subservient to a sordid spirit of gain —( Hear, hear)—that, in fact, for the gain of half a farthing additional every relation of honour, of inde pendence, and of national security, should give way.— (Hear, hear.) It was easy to clothe a bad sentiment in good language, and to talk of general advantage, when the advantage of a particular class only was intended.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman spoke of the ener vating influence of the navigation-laws depressing the raw material ; by which he (Mr. Henley) supposed the Right Hon. Gentleman meant lowering the price.— (Hear, hear.) If the Right Hon. Gentleman had not withdrawn from the Government, he would not have attempted what no Minister ever yet attempted to do —to separate the commercial marine from the naval force of the country. Our mercantile marine had i advanced almost progressively in an extraordinary degree, and had supplied us with seamen when ever they were wanted. He could not understand, therefore, why the Right Hon. Gentleman looked upon them as injurious in their effect upon our navy. He complained, too, of their being a great clamour raised in favour of seamen. Now, of all the interests in the country, he believed there was none, considering its ex tent and consequences, that was now, or bad at any time been so weakly represented as the shipping interest, which, in some sense, was part of the commercial inte rest. He was not disposed to rest this question upon the ground of competition ; for, after all, it was a matter of opinion. We had vast possessions in every part of the world, and he considered it necessary not only that we should be on an equal footing with the rest of the world, but that we should have a naval supremacy.— (Hear, hear.) Once lose that supremacy, and the strength of the British empire was gone. The great mass of our empire was composed of scattered parts ; and if we were to have them knit together by the ocean, we must maintain the supremacy of the ocean. Com petition would not do all that was required. The Right Ron. Gentleman said we must become one nation by means of free trade. If so, why did he not begin with his own constituents and remove protection from Manchester, cottons? And here ho must take leave to defend a most deserving class of men, the merchant seamen, from the groundless attacks that had been got up against them in true Chadwick style by various officials, and made be hind their backs. A paid servant of the Brish crown, holding a high position in the Foreign-office, writes to 70, out of 215 British consuls, saying he "is particu larly desirous of gaining information of the incompe tency of British shipmasters." That was certainly a• very fishing question, to say the least of it. He also demanded to be informed "of their want of sobriety." It was very easy to see what influence a letter, such as that coming from the Foreign-office, would have upon a consul. But the evidence as reported by the Committee on the navigation-laws was so full of contradictions, even by the same men, that he would not hang a dog on it. The first witness was the consul of St. Petersburgh, and he spoke favourably of those men. But Mr. Crow, another consul, said that they were the most ignorant, illiterate, and brutal set he had ever seen in a civilised nation. That was pretty well for a man speaking of his own countrymen. Then Mr. Consul Baker, at Riga, in answer to the same circular letter of Mr. Murray of the Foreign-office, had written very much in the same strain; but he had taken a most extraordinary course. The House would observe that in this debate almost every Hon. Member who had , t , ak f f e h n e part eap t a i n i s t e h m a d spoken p loyed in h t a h f e i highest s called possiblethe long ter trade.ms Now Mr. Baker, being consul at Riga, spoke most dis paragingly of the merchant captains, but relied not on h he observations, a and mo stth interesting enclosed ing do e document, in e n h t i , his rep l y refer ring to the character and conduct of the British ship his that o w w h n ic masters. And what was that interesting document so enclosed? Why, it was a paper emanating from the Bombay Chamber of Commerce. Now, that body had only to do with shipmasters engaged in the long trade, whereas Mr. Baker had only to deal with the east coast traders, and yet he sends a document which ap plied to a totally different class. There was an other remarkable piece of evidence in the letters of Mr. Cumberbatch, the consul at Constantinople, for that gentleman had written two letters. In his first, dated the 30th November, 1843, he declared that the masters and men of the ships coming there from London and Liverpool were of a superior class, and that acts of misconduct were less frequent among them than they were on board other vessels. But, in a subsequent let. ter, dated 3d November, 1847, Mr. Cumberbatch states, that " he finds the vessels from the outports better com manded and manned than those from the larger ports." Thus he directly contradicted himself in a matter of fact, and, therefore, he (Mr. Henley) asked what confidence could be placed in such evidence, from men who thus took away the character of others behind their backs ? But it was stated that the ships insured in clubs were north country ships, and were commanded by illiterate, ignorant, and brutal men. Now the fact was, that the ships insured in clubs were commanded by men of supe rior character and respectability, because the clubs, be ing constituted of mutual assurers, every member was careful of the sort of men he employed. Again, all that had been stated in the correspondence from Rio Janeiro about the want of skill and activity alleged on anonymous authority against the English captains fell to the ground, because that duty was regulated not by the captains, but by the brokers and agents there. Mr. Goodwin, the consul at Palermo, and the gentleman who was consul at St. Michael's, had made similar statements, wholly at variance with each other. And it was on such evidence that the House was asked to revise the navigation-laws. In short, all these gentlemen, in cluding Mr. Liddel, the consul at Norway, and others had furnished evidence of so contradictory a character, that, he repeated, it was not fit to hang a dog upon. If the protection to the commercial marine was withdrawn he maintained that the nation would suffer an irrepa rable injury. He reminded the House, that if they re pealed the navigation laws they would not be able to re trace their steps, and he conceived that not merely the interests, but the honour, the greatness, and the inde pendence of this country could only be secured by the maintenance of her naval supremacy.—(Hear, hear.) On the motion of Lord INGESTRE, the debate was then adjourned until to-morrow (this day). PUBLIC HEALTH BILL. Lord MORPETH proposed to proceed with the further consideration of the report on the Public Health Bill, but The Earl of LINCOLN objected not only on account of the lateness of the hour (half-past twelve o'clock), but also on the ground that the amended Bill had only reached the hands of Members that day; so that it was impossible to enter upon the discussion of the amend ments. Lord MORPETH consented to postpone the further proceeding with the Bill until Monday next. METROPOLIS POLICE BILL. Sir C. LEWIS moved the second reading of this Bill, 11A V • which provides fora re -assessment of the parishes in London for the purposes of the police-rate. After a few words from Mr. Hudson, Sir G. Grey, Mr. Henley, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sir W. Joni& (who objected to the constitution of the Me tropolitan Police Force), Mr. HUDSON moved that the debate should be ad journed; but on an appeal from Sir G. GREY withdrew his motion, and the Bill was read a second time. HIGHWAYS BILL. Sir G. GREY moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws relating to highways in England and Wales. He d escr ib e d i t as supplementary to an Act passed in the last session. In answer to a question from Sir W. JOLLIFFE, Sir G. GREY said the provisions of the Bill did not extend to turnpike trusts, but might be made applicable to them by a subsequent Act. It was not the intention of the Government to bring in any general measure this session relating to turnpike trusts. Colonel SIBTHORP complained of the hardship which railways had inflicted on those interested in turn pike trusts, whose capital, to the extent of thirteen mil lions, had been destroyed. Mr. FREWEN recommended Government to take the management of highways in Ireland as the basis of their legislation. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. The House adjourned at a Quarter past One. IRISH POOR-LAW ACTS. DIVISION ON LORD LUCAN'S MOTION FOR A COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY• HOUSE OF LORDS.—MAY 30. CONTENT. Lonsdale Charleville Powys Cathcart Enniskillen Eglinton Egmont DUKES. Richmond Cleveland maaQuisEs. Sligo Drogheda EARLS. St. Germans Fltzwilharn Lucan Glengall Stradbroke Stanhope NMI. Leinster YARQUISIS. Clanricarde Lansdowne Northampton EARLS. Auckland • VISCOUNT. Hawartlen BARONS. Wharncliffe Monteagle Blayney 13AIONS. Colchester Bolton Churchill Stanley Farnham • Beytesbury Sondes Castlemaine Forester Crofton Be Ros Abinger NON-CONTENT. Fortescue BISHOP. Gray Granville Huntingdon Minto Scarborough Sefton, Stafford CuCCArwiroaletmmttteelli:dnYbb::::allirlmiu°g_Nhs ltesborough BISHOPS. Devon Hereford Fingall Manchester Saye and Sele Stuart de Deetae Sudeley PAIRS. FOR. AGAIIST. Viscount Combermere Duke of Roalaurghe Marquis of Ormonde Lord Byron Lord Rossmore Bishop of Worcester Earl of Pomfret Archbishop of York Duke of Buccicuch Earl of Zetland Earl of Bandon Earl of Morley Earl of Sandwich Bishop of Ripon Earl of Kinnoul Bishop of Norwich Lord De Freyne Bishop of Durham Duke of Montrose Earl Waldegrave Lord De L'lsle Lord Crewe Lord Southampton Lord Portman Marquis of Allesbury Marquis of Anglesea Earl of Ellenborough Lord Colborne Earl of Ranfurly Lord Montfort Lord Kenyon Lord Dinorben Marquis of Downshire Earl Bruce Earl of Orkney Lord Kinnaird Earl of Clare Lord Bateman Earl of Selkirk Lord Elphinstone Lord Clonbrook Duke of Bedford Lord Feversham Earl of Effingham Lord Gray Lord Milford Lord Templemoro Marquis of Donegal Earl Desert Earl Fitzhardinge Viscount Strangford Earl of Camperdown Earl of Rossiya Lord Stafford Earl of Malmesbury Earl Spencer Earl of Wilton Marquis of Westminster Earl Digby Archbishep of Canterbury Lord Redesdale Lord Foley Lord Beaumont Duke of Norfolk Lord Rolle Lord Polthnore TJ N . NAVAL, INTELLIGENCE. DEATH OF ADMIRAL SIR W. HOTHAM. G C.B. We regret to states that Admiral of the Red Sir Wi liam Hotham, G.C.8., died yesterday. This gallant officer was the second son of General Hotham. and grandson of the first Sir Beaumont Hotham. He was the nephew of the celebrated Admiral of the Blue Lord Hotham, was cousin to the late Vice-Admiral Henry Hotham, G.C.8., G.C.H.G., who died in 1833 in com mand of the Mediterranean fleet, and was also cousin to the present Baron Hotham. Sir William Hotham en tered the navy in 1779, became a lieutenant in 1790, Commander, August, 1794; Captain, October, 1794; Rear - Admiral, 1812; Vice-Admiral, 1821; and Ad miral, 1837. In the New Navy List he is stated to have been Lieutenant of the Victory, and served on shore under Nelson, at the siege of Bustle, in 1795; was Cap tain of the Adamant, in Duncan's action of the 11th of October, 1797; and assisted at the destruction of the French frigate Prenieuse, off the Isle of France, in 1799. The Gallant Admiral married, firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir Edward Jeynes, lint., and secondly, in 1835, the widow of Roger rettiward, Esq. Of his sur viving family, one son, Lieutenant John William, be longs to t he navy. The deceased, we believe, was about 76 years of age. Sir Willi am H otham was fifth in seniority on the flag list, and by his decease the following promotions will take place: — Admiral of the White John Giffard, to be Admiral of the Red ; Ad miral of the Blue Sir E. W. It Owen, G.C.8., to be Admiral of the White. Vice-Admiral of the Red Sir Francis William Austen, K.C.8., Commander-in -Chief in the West Indies, to be Admiral of the Blue, leaving Vice-Admiral Maling senior of that grade ; Vice-Admiral of the White Sir John Wentworth Loring, Bart., , K.C.H ,to be Vice-Admi ra l o f the Red ; Vice-Admi ra l of the Blue Robert Jackson to be Vice-Admiral of the White' obe Rear-Admiral . o f t h e Red John Sykes t V Admiral of th e Bl ue, l eaving Rear-Admiral ImPe " l o s ne i nci G. of that grade ; R ear -A dmiral of the White the L. Proby to be R ear - Admiral of the Red ; Rear-Ad miral of the Blue John B. Purvis to be Rear-Admiral of the White. Captain Alexander Renton Sharpe, C.B. (1813), be comes Rear-Admiral of the Blue. leaving Captain Gordon Falcon (181.3), Superintendent of Pembroke Dockyard, senior captain on the list ; Captain the Earl of Hardwicke (1825) succeeds to the 14s. 6d., and Captain Samuel price (1831) succeed s to the 12s. 6d., half-pay lists. Sir William Hotbam was the possessor of an honorary gold medal for the Camperdown action ; was created a G.C.B. in 1840. and was in the receipt of an Admiral's good service pension, which now reverts to the Ad miralty, as also a captain's good service pension, from the promotion of Commodore Sharpe. Two other naval officers have died during the past week, viz., Captain Charles Conrad Grey, aged 31, pro moted from the command of the Columbine, 16, and recently returned from the East Indies, son of the late Colonel Grey; and Commander Edward Potts (1830), the fifth out of six sons of the late John Potts, Esq., who have died either in the naval or military service. Commander Henry D. Chads, it is said, will receive his promotion on paying off the Styx steam-sloop, at Woolwich, for his services in capturing so many slavers on the coast of Africa. The Howe, 120, Captain Sir James Stirling, Knight, bent sails yesterday morning, and shortly afterwards crossed topgallant and royal yards. At 10h. 40m. A.M., she got under canvass and sailed majestically out of the harbour under her double-reefed topsails, foresail, and jib. The tide of flood being rather strong, she set top gallant sails soon after passing the Platform, but took them in again after rounding the Spit buoy, the wind freshening she made one tack under the island shore, which brought her, there being a strong weather tide, to the westernmost part of Spithead, when she bore up. and having run along the line, dropped her anchor as the easternmost ship. She was attended, as a measure of precaution only, by the Echo steam-tug. She is going to the Mediterranean, and has taken in a large quantity of stores for the use of the squadron and the supply of Malta Dockyard. Among other items she has five tons of paint and 400 gallons of linseed oil. She is to be paid wages up to six months prior to sailing, having been more than thirteen months in commission. Five minutes after the Howe started from her moorings, the Bellerophon 78, Captain Richard L. Baynes, C. 8., which bad been held in like a greyhound in the slips for some time to give the Howe the start., loosed sails and followed her example, so that the good people of Ports mouth beheld a spectacle not often seen, of two ships of the line sailing out of the harbour at the same time. She worked farther to the westward than the Howe, and ultimately anchored as the westernmost ship. The Light ning steam-vessel attended her out. The Rolla, exercise brig, went to Spithead also to-day, where she remains at anchor. Wind N.N.W., fresh breezes and hazy, with rain. MALTA, MAY 26.—The India mails, per Ariel, ar rived this morning. Last night her Majesty's steamer Flamer left port, for England, touching at Algiers. Yesterday her Majesty's criminal judges and a jury condemned Michael Malony, the private of her Majes ty's 69th Foot who shot at and wounded a Maltese calash driver on the 24th of April last, to ten years' im prisonment, with a chain. The second count (charging him with committing the act maliciously) not being proved unanimously, saved the man from imprisonment for life, if not from the gallows. To-day, in honour of the birthday of our most Gra cious Sovereign, the customary honours were paid, and salutes fired at noon from the forts and ships. The sol diers fired a feu de joie. The General and Vice-Admiral gave large dinners, and the Governor a ball in the even ing. There was no levee, as is customary. A slight disturbance occurred on Monday night be tween some soldiers of the 44th and the people. Itended in a few broken heads, and is not worth mentioning but for the purpose of preventing garbled reports gaining credit in part of the London press; there are men here who at all risks will make a serious matter of nothing—a mountain of a molehill. His Highness, the Pope's Nuncio to the Sublime Porte, the Archbishop Ferrieri, has arrived in Malta by the French steam-packet Rhamses, and will go to Rome by the first opportunity, after finishing his quarantine. General Tombs is here, suffering severely from bronchitis. Although he has purged his quarantine his medical man will not allow him to leave the Lazaretto till his condition better enables him to bear the change. A French frigate a eapeur, the Pluton, arrived here yesterday, from Naples, with important dispatches for the Governor and Admiral. Martial law has been pro claimed at Naples. The Lazzaroni have insulted several of the English, and gone so far, it is reported here, as to attack the British Embassy. It is reported here that the Republican Neapolitans have demanded the aid of England against the King. This cannot be granted without orders from home. The Ad miral will not sanction the meeting of the English and French fleets if he can avoid it. Four Deputies of the Chamber and four officers of the Civic Guard arrived here by the steamer. DISTRIBUTION OF TALE MEDITERRANEAN SQUADRON. MALTA, MAY 24.—1 n Malta Harbour —The Hibernia, 120, Captain P. Richards, CB., bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, G.C.8., the Commander in-Chief; the Ceylon, receiving-ship, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Edward Harvey; the Queen, 120, Captain H. W. Bruce; the Superb, 80, Captain Corry; the Vengeance, 84, Captain S. Lushington; the Rodney, 90, Captain E. Collier; the Vanguard, 80, Captain G. F. Rich; the Bulldog, Commander A. C. Key; the Odin, Captain the lion. F. F. Pelham; the Triton, Lieutenant C. J. P. Glinn; the Porcupine, Lieutenant E. F. Roberts; the Wee Pet, steam-tug. On a Cruise --The Thetis, 36, Captain H. Codring ton; the Harlequin, Commander Moore; the Gladiator, Captain Robb ; t h e H ecate, Commander R. Moorman; the Terrible, Captain W. Ramsay; the Sidon, Captain W. H. Henderson; and the Spitfire, Lieutenant J. A. Macdonald. On Surveying Duty—The Volage, 22, Captain T. Graves; the Research, Lieut. Lord J. Browne. At Gibraltar—Tbe Polyphemus. At the Pincus of Athens —The Meteor, Commander Butler, and the Spartan, Captain Symonds. At Beyrout—The Mutine, 12, Commander Palmer. At Constantinople —The Antelope, Lieut. F. Smyth; the Tartarus, Commander Sir G. Webster. MAIL STEAM PACKETS. At Malta —The Ardent, Lieut.-Commander W. Nowel; the Flamer, Commander Lavie. En route to Marseille —from Malta—The Oberon, Lieut. Gardner. En route from the lonian Islands and Greece to Malta —The Volcano, Lieut. J. H. Crang. 12 En ro u t e f rom Malta to England—The Trafalgar, GU. o Lowe. , Captain Hope; and the Resistance troop-ship, Capt. En route from Malta to Messina—The Locust, Lieut. E. R. Power. THE A. THE 9TII REGIMENT—RE RMY STORATION OF THE BAND. —About a month back, in consequence of some alleged misconduct of two or three individuals composing a part of the' band of this regiment, while at Cowes, and in at tendance on the Court, by an order from the Horse Guards the band was reduced, and the men turned to the ranks. We are most happy to state that an order arrived from head-quarters, yesterday that the band should be restored, and the pleasing intelligence was conveyed by Major-General Lord Frederick Fitsclarence to Major Thomas, the officer in command, this morning, when the band again appeared at the head of the regiment, on the occasion of its being officially inspected, in heavy march ing order, in the governor's field near the Grand Parade by Lord F. Fitzclarence. The restoration of the band to this remarkably fine and loyal regiment is no more than an act of justice; but it has afforded much satisfac tion to the officers and mon, who could in no manner or way be implicated in the misconduct of two or three drunken and excited men. The Blenheim, transport, with the 82d Regiment, is ordered to Plymouth, where it will be landed. Miss Burdett Coutts e n t er t a i ne d hi s S erene High ness Pr ince Frederick William of Hesse, the Duke of Devonshire, the Duchess of Norfolk, his Excellency the Prussian Minister and Madame Bunsen, the Earl and Countess Howe, the Earl of Falmouth, Viscount Mor peth, Viscou n t an d Vi scountess Neville, V i scount and Viscountess Combermere and the Hon. Miss Cotton, Lord De Lisle and Hon. Miss Sidney, Lady Ashley, Lady Peel, Lady Davy, Sir Loftus and Lady Otway, the Rev. Dr. Jelf, Mr. Samuel Rogers, Mr. and Miss Stanley, Mr. Babbage, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, and Mrs. C. Mal colm, at dinner last evening, in Stratton street. WEST INDIA PINE APPLES.—Yesterday the first consignment of West India pine apples this season, ex Royal Mail Steam-packet Avon, from Nassau, New Pro vidence, were sold by Keeling and Hunt, Monument yard ; they were of the description termed Bird's Eye _Pine, and very inferior, none selling for wore than 2s. 3d. sack. ctda: PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House et Commons.) THURSDAY, JUNE 1. DERBY WRIT. Motion mad e , and Qeestion put, " That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warra n t to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a New Writ for the electing of two Burgesses to serve in this present Parliament for the Borough of Derby, in the room of the Right Honourable Edward Strutt and the Honourable Edward Frederick Leveson Gower, whose Election has been determined to be void.." The House divided : MINORITY—AYES, 136. Adderley, C. B. Godson, Richard Oswald, A. Anstey, T. C. Goring, C. Palmerston, Viscount Arkwright, G. Goulburn, Henry Patten, J. W. Bailey, Joseph Grace, 0. 1). J. Reid. Colonel Baillie, H. J. Greene, Thomas Rendlesham, Lord Baldock, E. 11. Grenfell, Charles W. Rice, E. IL Bankes, G. Grey, Sir G. Rich, Henry Baring, H. IL Hall, Colonel Robinson. George Barrington, Lord Hamilton, Lord C. Rufford, Francis Barron, Sir H. Harris, Hon. Capt. Russell, Lord John Bellew, R. M. Hay, Lord John Russell, F. C. Benbow, John 'ferries, J. C. Rutherford, A. Bontinck, Lord H. Hildyard, H. C. Sandars, George Beresford, William Ilildyari, T. B. Seaharn, Viscount Berkeley, Captain Hodgson, W. N. Seymer, Henry YE* Blandlord, Marquis Hope, Sir J. Shelburne, Earl of Boldero, H. G. llouldsworth, T. Sibthorp, Colonel Bolling, William Hudson, George Slaney, R. A. Bourke, Richard S. Ingestre, Visct. Smith, M. Tucker Bowles, Admiral Inglis, Sir R. H. Smyth, J. G. Boyd, John Jocelyn, Viscount Somerset, Captain Bramston, T. W. Johnstone, Sir J. Sotheron, T. Breinridge, Richard Keppel, George T. Spooner. Richard Brooke, Lord Kerrison, Sir E. Stanley, E. Buller, Sir Y. Knox, Colonel Stuart, J. Buller, Charles Labouchere, Henry Start, Henry G. Carew, W. P. Lascelles, E. T e nison, E. K. Chaplin, W. J. Lascelles, W. S. Thompson, Alderman Childers, J. W. Lewis, George C. Thornhill, G. Christy, Samuel Lowther, lion. Col. Tollemacke, F. J. Clive. Henry H. Lygon, General Townsliend,Taptain cobbold, J. C. Mackenzie, W. F. Trollope, Sir J. Coke, Edward K. Mackinnon, W. A. Urquhart, David Conolly, Colonel 3lation, Lord Verner, Sir W. Cotton, W. H. Maitland, T. Vyse, R. 11. Dalrymple,:captain M astorman, John Waddington, David Davies, D. A. S. Melgund, discount Walsh, Sir J. Denison, J. e,E. Miles, William Watkins, Colonel Dick, Quinton Mull:rave, Earl Willoughby, Sir H. Hod, J. W. Mullings, J. It . Wilson, James Dodd, G. Neeld, John Wodehouse,E. Dunne, F. P. Dreeld, Joseph Wynn, Sir W. 1)u Pre, C. G. Newdegate, N. Euston, Earl Newport, Viscount TILLIE'. Forbes, William Noel, G. J. Colvlle, C. R.:. Fuller, A. E. O'Connell, M. J. Gaiway, Viscoint O'Connor, Feargus Stafford, AligLltill MAJORITY—NOES, 153. Abdy, Thomas N. Fox, W. J. Norreys, Lord Adair, It. Shafts, Frewen, C. 11. Nugent, Sir Pere) . Aglionby, H. A. Haskell, J. M. O'Brien, J. Anderson, Arthur Gibson, T. M. O'Flaherty, Anthony Armstrong, R. B. Gladstone, W. R . Packs, C. W. Baines, M. T. Gly n , G eerge Carr Patt!eon. James Barkly, Henry G ra h am, Sir J. Peel,:Slr Robert Barnard, E. G. Gr a tt en. H enry Pendarves, E. W. Berkeley, Grantley 11 reene11, Gilbe r t Perfect, Ro b er t Bernal, Ralph Gr en f e ll , C . Pascoe Pigott, Francis Birch, Sir Thomas Gu es t, Si r J. raking Wit, James Blackstone, W. S. Gwyn, !towel Plowden, W. H. Blake, M. J. Hallyburton, Lord Powlett, Lord W. llowring, Dr. nestle, Alexander Rawdou, Colonel Brotherton, J. Hustle, Archibald Ricardo, Osman Brown, W. Hayter, W. G. Richards, Richard lituibury, E. H. Heald, James Roche, E. B. Busfeild, W. Ileneage, E. Hominy, Sir John Buxton, Sir E. Henry, Alexander Salwey, Colonel Callaghan, D. Herbert, Sidney Scholefleld, William Ch:trteris, Francis Heywood, James Sheridan, It. B. Clay, Sir W. Hill, Lord Marcus Simeon, John Clay, James Hood, Sir A. Stansfleld, W. R. Clements, Charles Howard, C. W. Stanton, W. H. Clerk Sir George Howard, P. IL Clifford, Henry M. Jackson, William Strickland, Sir G. Cobden, R. Keogh, William Stuart, Lord D. Cockburn, Alex. Kershaw, James Sullivan, Michael Colebrooke,tSir T. King, Peter John Sutton, Henry Crawford, IV. S. • Langston, J. H. Talbot. J. H. Davie, Sir Henry Lemon, Sir C. Talfourd, Sergeant Devereux, J. T. Lincoln, Earl.of Tancred, H. W. D'Eyncourt, T. Lindsay, Colonel Thicknesse, R. A. Divett, Edward Loch, James Thompson, Colonel Duncan, George Lushington, C. Thornely, T. buncombe, A. W.Naghten, Sir E. Trelavrny, J. S. Staunton, Sir G. Duncuft, John M'Cullagh, W. T. Turner,.Edinund Dundas; Admiral Megan, W. H. Tynte, Colonel Egerton, W. T. Mangles, R. D. Villiers, Charles Ellice, Edward blarsh,,ll, J. G. Vivian, J . H. Elliot, John E. Marshall, William w awn , J. T. Esteourt, J. B. B. Martin, J. Westhead, J. r. Evans, Sir De Lacy Matheson, Colo ne l Whitmore, T. C. Evans, John Milner, W. M. Williams,, John Evans, William Mitchell, A. T. Will i amson , Sir H. Ewart, William Moffatt, George W oo d, W. P. Fagan, William Molesworth, Si r W. Wr i g h tson , W.B. Fellevres, E. Monsell, William Wyrill, Marmaduke Fergus, John Morgan, H. K. Young, Sir John Ferguson. Col. Morris, David TILLICIII. Foley, John H. 3lestyn, E. M. L. Hume, Joseph Fortescue, J. W. Muntz, LO F. Hanmer,,,Sir J. I DIVISION ON THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIES BILL •N WEDNESDAY.--On the second division on the Roman Catholic Relief Bill, Mr. Newdegate voted with the " Ayes," and not with the " Noes," as stated in the lists published. CHARING-CROSS BRIDGIL---Yesterday a special ge neral meeting of the proprietors of Charing-cross Bridge was held at the company's office, for the pur pose of receiving and considering the report of a com mittee appointed at a general meeting held on the 29th of February last ; Mr. Hawes, the deputy chairman, presided. The clerk of the company read the reports, which were adopted. Mr. G. Brown ros e to propose a resolution to the following effect:—" That in cea se _ queue of the peculiar position this company is in with reference to the !sure of 10,0001., said to be mi xe d up with the affairs of the company, a committee should be formed of five persons to see and arrange the affair." The chairman said that he could not receive that reso lution, as it had 'nothing to do with the reports. The meeting was called solely to receive and consider the reports. Mr. Elkins said that if their chairman re fused to put the resolution, they could order him to leave the chair, and if he refused to go, they could turn him out and elect another in his stead.—(Loud cries of " Order, order," and great confusion.) A fter a. noisy discussion of nearly three hours' duration, Mr. Brown proposed a resolution to the effect that the re tirement of Mr. Hawes, the deputy chairman, would tend to the future prosperity of the company's affairs. The Chairman said that when the next half-yearly meeting took place, he should present himself before the share holders, and unless they distinctly assured him that they were satis fi ed with his conduct, no longer would he a ll o W himself to be their deputy-chairman. He refused to en tertain the resolutions, and declared the meeting at e n end. After the chair was vacated, Dr. Moore was called upon to preside, and the two resolutions were duly car ried by about forteen parties who remained behind. " HOLY THllHSDAT."—Yesterday, in accordance with ancient usage, the boys belonging to the several parish schools assembled, and, marshalled by the various local authorities, proceeded to " beat the bounds" of their respective districts, in order, it is said, to preserve a knowledge of their limits. The scene at the Rolls- gar _ den, Chancer-lane, was particularly animating, several g- basketof b read being distributed among 3 the crowd, from whi c h act the place derived its name. W e under stood it was formerly the practice to whip one of the boys on arriving at the boundaries, "tempera mutantur et 7508 mutants:l. in illis." J 1848. THE CHARTISTDISTURBANCES. CLERKENWELL- GREEN. Last night another disgraceful exhibition was at tempted upon Clerkenwell-green. The police having received information thot several meetings were to take place in various parts of the metropolis to sympathise with Mr. Mitchel, and to demand of the Government his immediate liberty, and that at the termination of these meetings the parties intended to march off to Clerken well-green, induced the Commissioners to make such ar rangements as would effectually have broken up such a procession if attempted. At an early part of the evening a number of mounted police were sent off, not merely to Clerkenwell, but to Arbour-square, Stepney,King-street, Westminster, and Lambeth. The soldiery were also under arms, and were quartered in different parts of London. The Honourable Artillery Company received notice yesterday morning to assemble in the evening, and hold themselves in readiness in case their services should be required. Accordingly, the whole of that force met last night at the Armoury, in the Artillery ground, and were immediately placed under arms. At six o'clock the people began to assemble at Clerken well-green, in the expectation that some of their " brave patriots" would have been present to address them according to promise. In that they were disap pointed, and the only party who attempted to make a speech was a man nobody appeared to know, who was dressed in a brown holland blouse. Having taken his stand on the kerb opposite the churchyard, he began his harangue by upbraiding the people for their cowardice in not resisting the police the previous night.—(Cries of "We did.") Yes, but bow did you do it? continued the orator; you suffered them to knock down your friends in the same manner the horses are slaughtered In Sharp's-alley. You are not fit to be called Chartists or Repealers. He was absolutely ashamed of them.— (Cries of "Oh dear!") Yes, he would not own one of them any longer.—(Cries of " What do you want us to do?") Why, go to work at once, and pull up the _pavement; they could do that before the police got there, if they liked. They had done no thing yet. Where were their broken bottles and their old mantel-pieces that Mitchel recom mended?—(Criss of " You are a pretty leader. Where would you go?") He would go by the side of the man who had just interrupted him, if he would take the front rank.—(Cries of " Walker!") This remark seemed to provoke the speaker to` such an extent, that he was de termined at once to resort to physical force, and with out further ceremony he left off his discourse and gave his opponent a violent blow in the face. Being imme diately surrounded by some of his partisans, the fellow succeeded i n gett i ng off; but the man having found out his residence, he intends to take out an assault warrant this morning (Friday), e At a quarter past eight o'clock Mr. Superintendent wis, wan abouloo men, marched on to the green, at which time the snob was creating a most hideous noise, throwing stones aboutt,it that rushing to and fro with stick! againin their to bands,ela their so s h y o t i police came up from A s u_i ati tcl t i . t a io a n d a , pe t : h .b. e u i rA n y habitant s were compelle( instructions from the uperintendent, they m lac a nc r ou c r h md e bi d leigr in ‘‘' body amongst the crowd, and in the course of half a hour they succeeded in driving back the rabble, and b placing a reserve at the end of the courts and stree rabblepeople. back from ti e difficulty, but r :g a it s t i a n ury to an was accomplished without much personala thousand b ag y a e i - n st c re o e n t g s one, and by ten o'clock there were not sons to be seen near the green. At that eri randpije' was well guarded by a strong muster of P the ° G th d e iii s la i c c of police, under Superintendent Evans and Inspecto! Penny and Julian. At half-past ten o'clock the meetings in the Farrini don Hall, John-street, Tottenham -court-road, and oth, places, broke up, but owing to the admirable arrano ments of the police, no processions were allowed to tat place. FARRINGDON HALL, SNOW-HILL. Frustrated in their attempts to create a sensation out of doors, the Confederates and Chartists assembled at their various clubs yesterday morning, and resolved that meetings should be held in the several districts of the metropolis last evening, in order that they might have an opportunity of expressing their unfettered opi nions with respect to Mr. Mitchel and his recent convic tion. At the meeting held at the Farringdon Hall, Snow hill, Mr. James White presided, and, in opening the proceedings, remarked that the meeting was held for the purpose of expressing their disgust at the way in which Mr. Mitchel had been tried and convicted. The large meeting which he beheld at once intimated that a strong feeling prevailed in this country in favour of Mr. John Mitchel. They felt, he had no doubt, as he (the chair man) did, that John Mitchel had only endeavoured to free his country from that oppression under which it had for so many years laboured.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) At some meetings which had been recently held, recommendations of a very grave nature had been made—he did not expect that such recommendations would be made there, not that they were too timid-- (Cries of "No, no")—but he was quite certain that whatever recommendations were proposed would be car ried out, for the people were quite ready to act, and were not afraid of losing their own lives. If they were driven to acts of violence they must not be blamed, for it would be the fault of Government who had driven them to it.—(Cheers ) Mr. W. COOPER moved the following resolution:— " That this meeting views it as the inalienable right of man to think, that it would look upon that man as less than a man, who would be induced to hold back in speaking what he thinks; that therefore John Mitchel has only filled the purpose which his Maker bad in view in furnishing him with mind and tongue, that therefore any physical demonstration of poser made for the pur. pose of gagging human beings is a violation of God's law and man's rights, and is viewed by this meeting with the execration it deserves, but the meeting would also express 'their utter disgust at the means by which a verdict of guilty' had been secured to a Whiggish Go vernment against John Mitchel, by poisoning the foun tain of justice—' trial by jury,' and by making the profession of particular forms of religion the means by which a gag-loving Government is to be strength eeed in its purposes, and a fellow -creature convicted and doomed for thinking and speaking, to fourteen years' transportation in a penal settlement." The question for their consideration was, not what doc trines Mr. Mitchel had taught. The question was not whether Roman Catholics would or would not have con. victed John Mitchel. The question was, whether any Government were justified in packing the jury with men who were known to be opposed to John Mitchel in every sentiment he expressed? If such a right were to be conceded to the Crown, what became of Magna Charts —where was your Reform Bill—where your boasted liberty? Why it was all miserable cant and humbug, and there was no truth in any of them, and trial by jury became a mockery, a delusion, and a snare. He felt it his duty to come to that meeting for the purpose of washing his hands from the damnable stain which had been put upon every man, and which would remain until they raised their voice against such a bloody pro ceeding. The Government knew that if John Mitchel went on a little longer they would not be able to main tain their position; but he thanked God that he had gone on long enough to do sufficient damage, as they would very soon perceive. British power, he considered was maintained in Ireland at the present time by the point of the bayonet.—(Groans.) Much had been said on the subject of the apprehended rise in Ireland, that there was no fear of any disturbance on account of Mitchel's transportation. All he should say on that point was, that they were waiting their opportunity. —(Hear, hear, and cheers.) They were preserving their strength until the proper period arrived.—(Loud cheers.) The terrible cloud had not yet burst. After lavishing a profusion of abuse upon the press, the speaker continued to say—All Ireland's miseries have been brought on by English misrule—the Government had forced upon that country a distasteful Church, had compelled them to support it, they had refused to Ire • land a measure of tenant right; in fact, every injustice which could be thrust upon the country. It had been said that if Mr. Mitchel had wished a repeal of the union. that he should have petitioned Parliament.— (Cries of " We have done with petitions; pikes are the things for us now.") But he might have petitioned long enough before any notice would have been taken of him. When Mr. Mitchell saw during the last winter that hundreds of thousands were dying of starvation, he swore by God that he would never rest night nor day until he obtained redress for his country, for doing which the Government had now trans ported him.—(A Voice—" Yes, the b—y villians ar e murdering the peopl e .") He warned the Government not to suppose that they had p u t d own agitation by trans porting Mitchel. The only way to do that, was to give the country a right to self-government. All legitimate power was derived from the people, and therefore the people had a right to select what government they would have. If he considered republicanism better than royalty ho had a right to say so. A republican was the only just government, and the country would never prosper under any other.—(Cheers.) He could assure the Go vernment that it was the determination of the people to break the chains which John Mitchel had shaken. Mr. E. YOUEL seconded the resolution. He said there were men ready to join in any movement which might take place for the release of Mitchel.—(Cheers.) They had only one common object in view, that was to hurl the Government of this country from its resting place. The resolution was then put, and carried by accla mation. Several other persons addressed the meeting, and an address to Mrs. Mitchel was agreed to. MEETING IN JOIN-STREET, TOTTENIIAM- COURT /1.0.W.-A meeting of persons professing sympathy with Mr. Mitchel was held last night at the Literary Institu tion, John-street, Tottenham-court-road, which was densely crowded long before the hour appointed for the commencement of the proceedings. After several in flammatory speeches, resolutions denunciatory of the Government, and expressive of sympathy with Mr. Mitchel, were agreed to. STEPNEY-GREEN. iisitohns to of police, e M e a w r q h u i l e e r d, engageth e d s u i p a e rin rt e o g t r t e h t e t o K state dy t e n l tl V e e n persing a disorderly mob on Stepney-green, on Wednes day night, was stabbed by some cowardly miscreant. It appears that a Chartist meeting was announced to be held on Stepney-green on that evening, and precautions were taken to prevent any outbreak. The whole of the fi division, both horse and foot, were m ustered in the vicinity of the Green; a squadron o f cava l ry in readiness to act if necessary, were drawn up in the grounds at tached to the King Harry Tavern, in tho Mile-end road; a numerous body of special constables were also at hand. Towards eight o'clock a few stragglers mad. their appearance on the G reen, and their numbers continued to increase until h a lf- past e i ght, when the road became impassable, and the horse patrol of the K division received orders from Mr. 'Mtrquard to tclear if, and - lee/5 - 111e thoroughfare open f or carr i ages find horses. This was effected, but n o t w i thout 1 some difficulty, and there was a good deal of yelling and shouting on the part of the mob, which at half-past eight o'clock consisted of about eight hundred p ersons, ' principally youths, thieves, and disorderly persons, from th e ne i g hb our h oo d of Rosemary-lane, Whitechapel, and Ratcliffe-highway, with. a sprinkling of Chartists from Bethnal-green and the vicinity. No speakers pre sented themselves, although the Chartist leaders pro mised to be there. After the superintendent had repeatedly remonstrated with the people, who appeared bent on mischief, and commenced groaning and hissing, the whole of. the li division advanced from five different points, under the direction of Inspectors Home, Fraser, - Holmes, Waller, and Smith, the horse police charging in front. The green was soon cleared, but the mob I rallied again i n t h e s id e streets, which Mr. Marquard gave order s to c l ear. The police, who acted with exem plary forbearance, soon effected a clearance; but up wards of two hundred traversed a very circuitous route, and made their appearunce on the Green, near the Royal Oak, once more. The mounted police were drawn across the road, and intercepted them. A few stones were thrown at the police, and the rabble groaned. Mr. Marquard then gave orders for the ground to be again cleared, and the police charged the mob, arid inflicted some hard knocks with their truncheons on the most re fractory, and in less than two minutes the Green and surrounding thoroughfares were free. The mob did not re -assemble. When the last charge was made, Mr. Marquard was in a narrow street within a few yards of the Green, driving the people before him, and calling out to them to get out of harm's way, but not using his truncheon, when he received what he supposed was a kick on the left leg, and of which he took no notice; but a few minutes afterwards, feeling the limb very stiff and painful, he was induced to examine it, and found his S toe I: in g and boot covered with blood, which was flowing copiously from a deep wound in the top of the leg. Mr. Marquard was carried to his home in - ; a state of great suffeiing, and was immediately attended by Mr. Falconer, a surgeon, whe, on examining the wound, stated that he received a stab from some double-edged and very sharp instrument. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Court yesterday afternoon at Buckingham Palace, for the reception of an address from the Corporation of the City of Dublin. At three o'clock the deputation arrived at tlaa Palace. It was composed of the LSrd Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Keshan, Alderman O'Brien, M.P., Alderman M'Kenna, Alderman C. P. Gawen, Mr. Maurice O'Connell, M.P., D.L., Town Councillor; Mr. Richard Keating, Town Councillor; Mr. Fer guson, Town Councillor ; Mr. Thomas Reynolds, Marshal of Dublin ; Mr. Thomas L. Lynnott, High Constable of the City of Dublin ; and Mr. James Curran, mace-bearer. The deputation were conducted from the library, where they had assembled, by Sir Wm. Martins and Mr. Heneage, the Gentlemen Ushers in Waiting to the door of the Throne-room. The Lord Chamber lain here received the deputation, and conducted them to the presence of the Queen. Her Majesty was seated on the Throne, Prince Albert being by her side. In attendance on the Queen was Sir George Grey,_ her Majesty's pri nc ip a l Secretary of State for the Home Department. The Mistress of the Robes and Lady Portman, Lady in Waiting, were behind the Throne, and the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, and the Mas ter of the Horse, stood in their usual stations near her Majesty. The room was lined by her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, commanded by their Captain, Lord Foley. The deputation having approached the royal pre sence, the Lord Mayor read the address from the Corporation, and kneeling, presented it to his Sove reign. Town Th e Queen received the address, and returned a most gr ac i ous answer. I F . P e r . , g u t s h o e n , m t h o e v s r of o o f n d t e h r e address, and a had the hon our o f b eing introduced to the Queen to , kiss hand s . T he senior Alderman, Mr. Kesh n had also the h onour of being presented • • a ' and kissing hands. The deputation then retired. The Queen gave audience to Sir George Grey. The Court was attended by the Captain of the Yeomen Guard, Viscount Combermere, Gold Stick in Waiting ; the Treasurer of the Household ; the Vice-Chamberlain, the Comptroller of the Household ; Lord George Lennox, Lord in Waiting to Prince Albert; Sir Matthew Wyatt, Lieutenant of her Ma jesty; Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms; Col. Wylde, Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert ; Mr. D. J. Harmer, Standard-bearer of the Honour able Corps of Gentlemen at Arms ; Colonel Buckl e y, Equerry in Waiti ng ; Colonel Parker, Ist Life Guards, Silver Stick in Waiting ; Mr. James Bunco Curling, Adjutant of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms ; Messrs. Crofton and Forbes, Pages of Honour in Waiting; Sir Benjamin Smith, C. S., and the Field Officer in Waiting. The Yeomen Guard lined the Grand Hall, com manded by the Exon in Waiting, Captain Sailer. Some handsome papier macho articles and speci mens of patent pearl glass, from Birmingham, were submitted to his Royal Highness Prince Albert yes terday, by Mr. T. Lane, at Buckingham Palace. The Duchess Bernhard, and the Princesses Anne and Amelia of Saxe Weimar, visited her Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent yesterday, at her residence Clarence House, St. J ames ' s . , A deputation from the Shipowners and Ship builders of Sunderland, consisting of Mr. George lludson, M.P., Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bart., M.P., Messrs. William Ord, Robert Brown, C. Richardson, L. Gales, G. W. Hall, and R. Hutchin. son, had an interview with the Right Hon. H. Labouchere yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. The Chief Justice of Jamaica had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office. Mr. F. Mowatt had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. A deputation on the subject of the Health of Towns Bill, consisting of Sir W. Clay, M.P., Mr. Richard Spooner, M.P., Mr. W. Jackson, M.P., Mr. J. Pil kington, M.P., Mr. J. Duncan, M.P., Messrs. W. Roberts, J. F. Bateman, C. Cowley, and G. Emmott, and representing the following Waterworks Com panies —Birmingham, Birkenhead, Blackburn, Bury, Heywood, Kendal, Rochdale, and Warrington—had an interview with Viscount Morpeth yesterday, at the office of her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests, in Whitehall-place. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office, from the Governors of New South Wales, South Australia, Van Diemen's Land, New Zealand, and the Mauritius. Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening, at the Colonial-office, for the Governors of the West India Colonies. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. The notion of an inherent sanctity in the person of royalty, which was illustrated by Ne toucher paa a le Reine—played at this house as Dying for a Kiss —has served for the foundation of another drama, entitled in English Spanish Marriages. A young gentleman, who is in love with a great heiress, has saved the life of the Queen of Spain, and thus has earned the Royal favour, while he has put his neck in jeopardy. The deed of heroism was performed in the dark, and a foppish personage, hoping to obtain the hand of the heiress, who has resolved to marry the Queen's preserver, takes advantage of this cir cumstance, and pretends to be the real hero. A con demnation to the scaffold of the man who has dared to touch the Royal person, even for the purpose of preservation, induces th e impostor to abandon the dangerous honour, while the genuine man of valour glady accepts the peril. The Queen has merely devised the condemnation to discover the truth, and bestows the hand of the heiress on her preserver. The fopperies of the im postor (played by Vining) cause some amusement, but, altogether, the piece is a weak one, with little to distinguish it from other ephemeral productions of the kind, The principal female characters are made as effective as they can be made by Mrs. Stirling, Miss Cooper, stud Miss Emma Stanley. A ballet divertisse ment called llfenorclla is without novelty of idea, but is rendering pleasing by the talents of Mademoiselle Aurioli and Mr. Flexmore. The lady displays great vigour and power of execution in her dancing, and Flexmore, who is one of the best clowns of the day, shows much fantastic invention as a comic mime. The Crown Diamonds is played at the Princess's on alternate nights, and Madame Thillon is supported by Mr. Allen. The re-engagement of this gentleman is highly advantageous to the company. THE JEWISH DISIBILITIES — BILL.--A special meet i n g of the Ancient and Honourable Lumber Troop was held on Wednesday night, at the Troop Hall, Fetter lane, to take into consid e r a ti on the rejection of the above Bill by the House of Lords. The colonel of the troop, upon taking the chair, briefly explained the progress of the Bill until its rejection by the House of Lords ; and some excellent speeches were delivered on the subject by Mr. Marsh and Mr. Fitzwalter. The latter gentleman ob served that the constituency of the city of London was not likely to submit tamely to the implied dietation of the House of Peers. Baron Rothschild should present himself at the table of the House, and as he of course would not take the oath "on the true faith of a Chris tian," a new writ would issue, and then it would be seen whether lordly bigotry was to bear down_ public opinion, THE NATIONAL GA.LLERYO-.IIIL. VERNONS PlC TURES.—Yesterday the trustees of the National Gallery issued the following regulations to the public for view ing the pictures recently given by Mr. Vernon to the nation, at that gentleman's mansion in Pall-mall:— "Regulations for viewing Mr. Vernon's pictures.—The public to be admitted by tickets on the Tuesday and Thursday of each week from the Ist of May to the 9th of September, 1848, between the hours of ten and three o'clock. Tickets to be obtained on application at the National Gallery on the first four days of each week. Not more than three hundered tickets to be issued for each day." Lord John Russell will find his most formidable antagonists in that overwhelming body of the middle and working classes, who are equally determined to keep the peace and to have extensive reform.—Patriot,'ce'