The Sun. — London, England, 1848-02-23 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE , COURT OF QUEELVS BENCH, Feb. 22. (Sitting a before Mr. Justice ERLE and a Special Jury.) BUNN v. LIND. In this case Mr. Cockburn, Mr. Peacock, and Mr. Phipson were fur the plaintiff ; the Attorney-General, Sir F. Thesiger, and Mr. Noggins appeared for the de fendant. The plaintiff in the action was formerly the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, the defendant being the celebrated v.calist, Mdlle. Jenny Lind. The action was brought to recover compensation in damages for an alleged breach of contract on the part of the defendant. Mr. COCKBURN, in opening the case to the jury, stated the facts of the case to be as follow:—The defendant having obtained great celebrity on the continent, the plaintiff was anxious to secure her services at Drury lane Theatre, and accordingly went over to Berlin, and entered into an engagement by which the defendant engaged to sing for twenty nights at Drur ' y-lane Theatre in the character of Vielka Meyerbeer s opera of the Camp of Silesia, and in the character of Amine, in the Sonnambula, the plaintiff engaging to pay her 50 Louis-el'ors for each performance, and to find the neces sary dresses and decorations. Shortly before the time appointed for Mdlle. Lind's appearance the plaintiff received a letter from the defendant, stating that in con sequence of the difficulty attendant upon obtaining; a sufficient knowledge of the English language to enable her to appear before an English audience, and the delicate state of her health, she was advised by her guardians at Stockholm not to undertake the journey to England, begging to be released from the engage ment into which she had entered, and telling the defendant not to believe any report which might be in circulation with respect to her being aboitt to make her appearance at the Italian Opera, as she had not the least intention of ever appearing either in London or in Paris. The plaintiff refused to allow her to withdraw from the agreement, and subsequently another letter was written by the defendant, stating that she could not fulfil the terms of the agreement, and that she would be willing to pay the compensation which the English law might award to him for her breach of the contract. The signatures to the contract and the letters having been proved to be in the handwriting of the defendants, the letters and contract were put in and read. Mr. Dunn, secretary to the Committee of Drury lane Theatre, and formerly treasurer to Mr. Bunn, stated in evidence that the expenses attending the bringing out of the Camp of Silesia with Mdlle. Lind would have been about 2001. less than if Madame Malibran were the prima donna. The net profits to the theatre by the engagements of Madlle. Malibran were for thirty nights between 4,0001. and 6,00 a; upon a subsequent engagement the:profits were much higher. Mr. Eitzball stated that he had been employed by Mr. Bunn to translate and arrange the opera of the Camp of Silesia, and had received for so doing the sum of 1801. Mr. Mitchell gave evidence as to the great success of Madlle. Lind at the Italian Opera, and the very crowded houses which she drew. Mr. J. Allan said that he had seen Mdlle. Lind at Berlin, in the year 1846, performing at the Theatre Royal. Berlin, in the operas of Norma, in the Son nambula, and in the Camp of Silesia. She then ap peared to be in perfect health, and her voice was in excellent order. In the course of a conversation which he had with her, she informed him that it was not her intention to sing either in France or in England. Mrs. Almond, better known by the name of Miss Romer, said, that but a few days would be required for a first-rate performer to obtain a knowledge of a different version of the words which might be adapted to music, a knowledge of which was botore possessed. This close the case on the part of the plaintiff. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then addressed his Lord ship, contending that there was nothing whatever that was binding in the contract between the parties, it being merely conditional and not absolute, and that the plaintiff ought to be nonsuited. Ilis LORDSHIP overruled the objections. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then proceeded to address the jury, contending that the plaintiff was not in a posi tion to keep the terms of his agreement, as he had not the music of the opera; neither had he had it translated in sufficient time for the defendant had she come over to England to obtain a sufficient knowledge of her part. •• Ilia LORDSHIP then summed up to the jury, leaving it for them to decido whether in their opinion the• plaintiff would have been prepared with the necessary parts for the defendant had she intimated within the prescribed time her intention of keeping the terms of her engage ment. The jury, after having retired for some time, returned into court and gave a verdict for the plaintiff, with 2,5004 damages. ELECTION COMMITTEES. LYNIE REGIS. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. Waring, the solicitor and agent of Mr. Abdy, the sitting Member, was then called on to prove that he did not authorise Cannon to make any overtures to Upjohn, nor did he promise Clyde a situation to induce him to vote for Mr. Abdy. The 101. Farand received he said was advanced to him as a loan, and not given to him as a gift. The Committee,then adjourned till to morrow. KINSALE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday ) Mr. Michael Cadogan, a fisherman residing at Kin sale, and employing upwards of fifty people, stated that shortly after the last election he was told by one of his workmen that the Roman Catholics who had supported - I.lr. Guinness had been cursed and excommunioated by the priest of the parish, Dr. Murphy. He, however, did not believe it till he was told on Sunday morning that a list of the parties who had been cursed was posted upon the chapel of the parish. He immediately went to the chapel and found that the information was correct. There was a long list of names of parties residing in Kinsale, who were stigmatised as Pagans and traitors, and opposite to each name was placed a sum which the paper set forth had !seen received by the party named for voting or refraining from voting. Opposite to his own name was placed the sum of 1001., but although he was canvassed by both sides he did not vote either way. He went and complained to the priest about this paper, but his reverence received him very austerely, and talked vaguely of the eye of God being upon their works. Shortly afterwards the paper was removed, but it had been up quite long enough to make all the parties acquainted with its contents. He was one of the three parties, named by the woman Ryan; but so far as he was concerned her evidence was false. He never was in Sisk's public-house in his life. Mr. Timothy Flym, a house-carpenter, carrying on Lusiness at Kinsale, stated that he was proposed as a candidate at the last election; but he retired Irom the field in favour of Mr. Guinness, because ho had no chance of success. He supported Mr. Guinness on the principle that an open enemy was better than a false friend. He saw the list alluded to by the but witness, and afterwards hoard the priest, Murphy, denounce some of the voters from the altar. He told the people that tho Bishop had refused to listen to the complaints of some of his parishioners, and was determined to support him in the course he was pursuing, adding, " I will pursue them through life to death. I will refuse them Christian burial when they die, and their ashes shall not rest in their graves." - After this several poor creatures were dreadfully persecuted, and, although he had no vote, he could not pass through the streets' without being insulted by some of the lower order of Father Murphy's flock. Mr. Gamble,.a solicitor, of Cork, proved that he paid tile rates alluded to in the petitioner's case, as the agent of the parties from whom they were due. Some other evidence of a similar stature was after wards put in, and the Committee then adjourned till eleven o'clock to-morrow. MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS. 1:111113ER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN TLIE WEEK ENDI3U4 SATURDAY, FEB. 19, 1848. pidernic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 302 Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... ••• 47 TurberVar 165 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... 120 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... ..• 28 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration ... ••• ••• *•' 213 Diseases of th e S tomac h , Li ver, and other •Organs of Digestion... -.• Diseases of th e Kid ne3s Childbirth, Di seases of ••• the ••• Diseases of the Joints Bones, and Muscles" Diseases of the Skin, & c , Malformations— ••• •• Premature Birth ••• •••„• .• ••• Atrophy ..• ••• Old Age ••• Violence, Privation, Celd, or Intemperance Causes not specified ... 32 ... 32 DRATIIS FROM ALL CAUSES roDulatton Enumerated► Average Weekly heaths, 1845-7, Five NViriters. 161 209 203 235 299 1841. Wont Districts... 300,711 North Districts.. 375,971 Central Districts 373,653 East Districts ... 392,444 South Districts.. 501,190 T0ta15........ 1,948,425 Males ... k'emalcs ... ... I,loi I3IRTIIS IN THE "WEEK. Males Femalei Total . 1,134 Deaths hi the 'Week. 173 229 234 288 348 590 ..• •.• 544 592 .. CONKICT AT SNIG'S-END.—An unpleasant ren ecntre, which threa'ened the most serious consuquenoes, occurred lately at the " People's Estate," at Snig's end, between Mr. D ew h urst and Mr. F. O ' Connor. Mr. i Dewhur s t, t seems, who was formerly a schoolmaster at Leicester, had such confidence in Mr. O'Connor's allotment system, that ho gave up his academy, and placed 400/. in his h an d f or the purchase of the old farm-house, which he (Mr. Dewlaurst) now h o ld s , to gether with a quantity of cider, Sce. Thinking that Zir. O'Connor meant to " do" hire out of the purchase, Mr. Dewhurst ono day entered the room where he was sitting. with a hatchet, and under violent excitement was about to commit a murderous assault, when Mr. O'Connor knocked him down, and the intruder was borne off amidst the reprobation of the other inmates, without having iogieted any injury,—Rereford Jsurnul. _E. 6 (.1 N, l. N 1 - ) O,N, WEDNESDAY .E VEN_IN Cr, Pll Mit VARY NORTH WALES RAILWAY. An ordinary half yearly general meeting, and also an extraordinary special meeting of the shareholders of this company,w s held yesterday morning at the Guildhall Coffee-house; Mr. Chadwick presided. The report stated that since the last meeting, in October, the funds in the hands of the directors had been invested at interest, and the Bill for the dissolution of the company, which had been sanctioned by the shareholders, had been introduced into Parliament. The balance-sheet stated that the receipts amounted to 45,597/. Os. 11d., and the payments and liabilities to 22,1931 18s. 4d., leaving a balance of 23,4041. 25. 7d. The CHAIRMAN stated that the solicitors' bill, which had been under taxation, was reduced 7571. 103. leaving an amount now duo to them of 1,0861. Bs. 6d. There were only about four shareholders who re• fused to sign in favour of a dissolution, and they only had about 90 shares. Several protests were then read from the dissentient shareholders, some of whom threatened to enter proceed. ings in Chancery against the directors if they persisted in bringing a Bill before Parliament for a dissolution. Mr. BUTTS said he understood that the Vice-Presi dent of the Board of Trade had brought a Bill into Parliament for the purpose of simplifying the winding up of companies in which the majority of the share holders were in favour of a dissolution, and he wished to know whether they could not take advantage of that Bill, instead of going to Parliament for a separate Act? The CHAIRMAN said he had good grounds for be lieving that it was intended only to apply to joint-stock companies, not being railway companies, for when he had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, some time ago, he told him that the Government had no intention whatever to bring in a new Bill applicable to the dissolution of railway companies. Mr. BUTTS wished to know what expense would be incurred in proceeding to Parliament for a Bill ? The CHAIRMAN said he considered that it would amount to about 4001., but that was wholly independent of the expense they might be put to if they were opposed in Committee. The Chairman and directors were then unanimously re• elected. Mr. STEPHEN GEARY recommended the directors to instruct the solicitor to push the Bill in Parliament as fast as possible, in order to put a stop to any proceedings that might be instituted in Chancery. After some discussion the proprietors formed them solve3 into a special meeting, and the draft of the Bill in Parliament having been read, it was unanimously agreed to. A resolution was then passed, appointing three shareholders to wait upon these who dissented from the Bill with the view of inducing them by conciliatory mea sures to withdraw their opposition. A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman and directors, and the meeting separated. LONDON AND BLACKWALL RAIL- WAY. The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of this company was held yesterday at the London Tavern; J. N. Daniell, Esq., the chairman of the company, presiding. After the usual preliminaries, The SECRETARY read the report, from which it appeared that the receipts from the ordinary traffic on the line, and from the wharfage amounted during the past half-year to 33,0231. 10s. 4d., and the total expenditure to 25,5271. 3s. 6d. There was, consequently, a balance of 7,4961. 6s. 10d. available for a dividend of 3s. per share, clear of income-tax, to the 48,000 original shares. The CHAIRMAN said he could have wished that the report bad becia more satisfactory with respect to a dividend. The circumstances of the diminution of the receipts were explained in the report, and he thought that the diminution in the traffic, at their station lines was accountable for by the sad state of the monetary concerns that prevailed all over Great Britain during the past year. The directors had not held out any hope of any great in crease in their traffic as long as they were dependent upon rope traction ; but as there was a Bill before Par liament to enable them to substitute locomotive power, they might reasonably look forward to an increase in the traffic. In their connexion with the Eastern Coun ties line they were not to bo at any expense.—(Hear, hear.) There had also been an agreement entered into with the directors of the West India Docks and Birmingham Junction Company for bringing on their line from the district through which this railway was to pass, and though the company in question had not adopted the junction which they (the directors of the London and Blackwall Company) had recommended, yet they were to make that junction entirely at their own expense, and " beggars could not be choosers."— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Chairman concluded by moving the adoption of the report and the audited accounts. Mr. Reiter seconded the resolution. After some discussion the resolution was unanimously adopted. The CHAIRMAN then proposed a dividend of 3s. per share, which was seconded by Mr. Haigh, and carried unanimously. Messrs. Oglevey and Tulson were re-elected audi tors, and the Chairman and Dr. Bowring directors. The meeting was then made special, for the purpose of having submitted to them the draft of a proposed Bill to, enable the company to connect their railway with:the:East and West India Docks and Birmingham Junction Railway, with power to use the same as well as the Eastera Counties Hallway. •A motion, approving of the Bill, was then carried unanimously, and the meeting separated. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New !'rice Current of Feb. 22.) St:G.-tn.—To-day no advance was apparent in the value of Raw Sugar, but the home dealers operated with greater freedom, and the market was but moderately supplied. No improvement is, however, observable in the export demand. West India Muscovado was in excellent request, and the rates obtained were fully equal to those of Friday. The refiners were the chief buyers paying from 36s to 39s per cwt. The total pur chases amounted to 840 hhds, &c., including a public sale of 115 hilds and 1 trc of Barbadoes, which went off briskly at a rise on the rates of the last auction of Gd to Is per cwt, fine yellow realized 43s to 43s 6d, good 41s 6 , 1 to 42s 6d, middling 40s to 41s, and low 39s to 39s Gd per cwt. The market for Raw Sugar closed with a firm appearance. REFINED.—TO day Refined Sugar was in gJod de mand by the home trade, but there was a desire shown to sell brown grocery lumps at 53s 6d, and standard lumps at 54s 6d. Bonded Crushed Sugar is wanted, best quality at 29s to 30s per cwt. MAURITIUS.—This afternoon there was an increased demand, by private treaty several parcels were sold, both to the grocers and refiners. At auction 1,488 bags were disposed of at the former value, good yellow fetched 39s to 40s 6d, middling 37s 6d to 38s, fine brown 365, washed and syrupy 34s Gd to 39s per cwt. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon there was not much de sire shown to operate in Bengal Sugar, but holders were firm, and insisted upon full rates; at a public sale of 4.444 bags, but a small part only sold. Of Manilla 1,044 bags realised 36s Gd to 37s for low greyish yellow washed. FOREIGN.—To-day there was no public sale of Foreign Sugar, and the purchases made privately were of little moment by exporters or the home trade, still holders would not take lower rates. COPPEE.—This afternoon Plantation Ceylon was pur chased with caution, and the parcels offered at public sale, amounting to 1,225 bags and 43 casks, were only in part sold at rather lower rates; good bold colory realised 63s 6d to 655, good middling 585 to 61s, middling 543 to 565, low middling 48s to 525, fine tine ordinary 45s to 47s 6d, fine ordinary 40s to 425, good ordinary brown 34s to 365, triage 28s to 325, damaged 27s 6d to 55s 6d. Native is little required, and the tendency of prices is to decline. For Foreign Coffee tho market has assumed a quiet ap pearance. Of Costa Rica 1,114 bags were offered at public sale, but a small part only sold: RICE.—To-day little inclination was shown to make purchases in East India privately, and of 2,660 bags Madras at public sale a small part only sold at barely the former value—very fine cargo fetched 9s to 9s 6d, good and fine 83 to 8s 6d, middling 7s 6d, and damaged Cs 6d to 7s 6d per cwt. MOLASSES.— An extensive demand has sprung up for all descriptions of West India, still there is no general advance to notice in the value. The sales are 1,500 puns. Cuba at 16s, old Demerara 16s to 17s, and Antigua of fine quality at 19s to 203. The operations in Bengal Treacle are upon a more extended scale, and the best realises 17s to 17s 6d. SPIRITS.—The market is quiet for Brandy, still holders are firm, and insist upon full rates, whilst the deliveries are yet exceeding the arrivals. Geneva is dull of sale at 2s 3d to 2s 4d for common export sort, and fine for duty 3s to 3s 6d. The value of British Corn Spirit is still lOs per gallon, cash. To-day the market for Rum had a dull appearance, and prices are looking down for all sorts. We quote proof Leewards at is 7d to is Bd, East India at is 5d to is 7d, and ordinary to good Jamaica 3s 7d to 4s 2d, and fine 4s 3d to 4s 6d per gallon. SALTPETRE.—To-day, at public sale, 20 bags of Ma dras were sold at 28s for good damp grey not refracted, which is cheaper. INDIGO.—To-day several purchases were made in East India, and in some cases stiffer rates were paid. The markets look very firm for all sorts. TALLow.—Although there are sellers of Russian on the spot upon further reduced terms, still the home de mand has been limited, the trade not buying more than their immediate wants require, and 52s 3d to 52s 6d are the rates taken for fine P.Y. Candle. The purchases made for delivery have been trifling, and there are sellers for the last three months of the year at 45s to 45s 3d per cwt. For home made the demand has fallen oil, and p r i ces have declined to 52s to 52s 6 d net cas h , a anotos u nd the re i s a larger quantity on offer. Other sorts are not ls T an i iis abundant much r equ i red, and must again be quoted cheaper, as thereOlLS.—This n te d r n n pply. O there was less demand fir Linseed Oil, and th o pr i ce declined to 24s 3d per cart on the spot. INCENDIARY FIRES.—The destruction of farm pro perty by fire is reviving in the northern part of Essex. Five or six fires of this description have t occurred in that a district within a sho r t p erio d; and the early part of last week a labou r e r, named Ta y lo r , was apprehended on two charges of inc endiarism ; on one of which iPrime t i • Q eia s kd since been examine d before the ma g istrates, a nd com mitted. It was suppo sed that the author of all these acts of destruction was thus secured, but on the very evening of his committal an other fire took p lace on the. farm premises of Mr. Clark, at Manuden, in the same neighbourhood, by which a barn and outbuildings were destroyed; and on Thursday night the alarm was re newed by an extensive conflagration on the farm of Mr. Thorogood, of Arkesden. Every effort was made to a mb r uoi re rd st .n the flames, and the labourers exerted t hemselves ajuabil theatr cl enuously, but two barns with the oth er out go were levelled with the ground, and a cupol a quantity of c orn d es t r oy e d. There CAM bo no d a re was wilfully caused. LATEST PRICES OF SHARES, N BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM PANIES' STOCK. Frain the Official List, PUBLISHED EVERY TUEADAY AND FRIDAY EVENING. LONDON. TUESDAY, ILBRUARY 22. 3 OINT-STOCS. BANKS. 1 Dividend j Amou nt lame of Company. , per cf Paid. Price ! AnnLm. , Share. - --_ ____,......_ 1 .€ I. 0. 1 e. a. lastralasia .......... 40 0 0 40 0 0 22 Sritsh North American , 51. per cent. .50 0 0 50 0 0 43Y 2 Ceylon • ......• ...... 1 61. p r cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - 2umnsercial of London 1 6/. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 - -. .010nia1.. .... • ..• •• • i 51. per cont. 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Gloucetershirc • . • • • • I 15/ per cent. - - - lonian •• .. -..•• • • • • 1 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - Londit and Westminstr I 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 25 - 13 0 0 - E,ondon Joint-Stock ... 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 u - Provincial of Ireland • • 81. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Ditto, New.. ••• .... B/. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 - National of Ireland •• 1 Si. per cent. 50 0 0 22 10 0 - Nat. Provncial of Eng. , 6/. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 - Ditto. New... ••- - ' 51. per cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 - South Australia •.• • . • - - 22 10 0 - U.no , ) of Australia.... 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - Ditto •• • • .... ••• • • • - - 210 0 - I,lni.n of Loudon... - 61. per cent. 50 0010 0 it - Union of 3ladrid - 40 () 0 40 0 0 - , - INSURANCE COMPANIES. Name of Company. 1 Div ie d r end Amount Annum. Sh o a f re. Paid. Price .€ s. ti. '.£ s. d. Albion ...... •••• • • • • 3/. 109. 500 0 0 50 0 0 75 .1 ihance trit. and For. 6 per cent. 100 0 0 11 0 0 174 Vitt) ......61.• • 6/. per cent, 100 0 0 5 0 0 - Ulm . 138.6d.prsh. 50 0 0 5 6 8 - Britian. Commercial - 7s.per share 50 0 0 5 0 0 57i, Cleriel,Med.&Gen.Life 5/. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 20 Cmuty •.••..•• • • • • • • 31. 100 0 0 II 0 5 - C''JWII .. •...••• • • • • • 13s. 50 0 0 5 0 0 11 Eagle .. • ..... ...... • • Os. 50 0 0 5 0 0 6% Eng.& Scot. Law •• •• 5/. per cent. 50 0 0 212 6 - European Life ••• • • • 5 1 , , .‘, per cent. 20 0 0 All paid. - Family Endowtne t Soc. 41. & be. 4 0 0 4 0 0 - Freemasons' ... • ..... Si. per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 - G;oLe - 119 Guardian .......... • • 51. per cent. 100 0 0 36 10 5 45 !inperial Fire ••.• - • • 12 per cent. 500 0 0 50 0 11 214 imperial Life •••• • • • • 12s. 100 0 0 10 0 0 14% Indemnity Marine•• •• 11. sh. & be. 100 0 0 513 1 - Law Fire - ...... •• • • - 100 0 0 2 10 0 - L J.IY I.lfe ••.•••• • • • .. 11. ss. 100 0 0 10 0 0 45 Legal and General Life - 50 0 0 2 0 0 - •.,-ndcn Fire •••• • • • • 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 13% London Skip .•••• • • • • 101. 25 0 I 12 10 0 1.33, - 100 I 0 lb 0 0 - Med. InvIld& Gen. Life 4141. per et. 50 0 0 2 0 0 *,', National Lean Fund.. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 2 10 0 S ational Life - Palladium Life 5l. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2/. 11 Pelican • - - - 33 t•nocLux ...... ...... - 31. p. et. k be. - - 165 'loteetor Life - ... 51. par cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 - rovident Life •••• • . - 11. ss. 100 I 0 10 0 0 - Rock L1fe............ 4s. 5 0 0 010 0 4i.',, Royal Exchange 5l. per cant. Stock. - 180 gun Fire • - - - Liao Life . 11. 61. - - - Universal Life........ 1010. pr cnt. 100 0 0 $lO 0 - Vi,:toria Life .. - - 4 0 0 - DOCILS. '.... 4 i Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of I Paid. Price. Annum. Share. £ s. d. £ s. d. C Aurnerelal . - 70 East and West India...l 6!. pr cent. Stock. - 119 East Country - 21 1 andon ............. 5/. pr cant. stock. - 100 I,ltto Bonds.. -- -4/. per cent. - - - St. Katharine ........ 5 per cent. Stock. - - Ditto 80nd5........ 13,, 1. pr cent. - - 1 - S nithampton • • ...... 21. per cent. , 50 0 0 50 0 0 22 C.6...P441.1.33. i .; i Dividend' Names of l e. Dividend Price. Names of . c . per Price. Companies. 4 1 per 4 Companies. Annum. Annum., .4 - - , .£ £ Aaitn& 01,111 57 71. pc j 110 Macclesfield. 100 21. 10s. - ;tamale . / •••• 160 121. i 180 Neath ••• • • • 100 201. 210 'trknk&Abrg 150 51. 85 Oxford.. •• • • 100 201. 200 Birmingham 35 41. 73k, Peak Forest. 78 31. les 64 Coventry .... 100 251. 1 270 Regent's •• • • 33 11. 4s. 18 34 ~..r!,,, .• . - 100 6/. 163 Rochdale ..• •85 4/. 54 Ells vre&Chs 133 41. 1 48 Sornrset Coal 1501 71. 10s. 130 ..;:e.. ash ... 100 32e. 1 - Do.Lk F 0 St 121 61. p. c. - 'rand.) uncto 100 51. 80 Stift - a &Wore 140,' 281. 275 Grand Surrey 100 - I 40 Shrewsbury.. 125 i 151. - ..rand Union 100 11. 10.9. 1 2N Stourbridge.. 1451 201. 285 ;ranthatn .. 150 121. - Severn and ienut & Avn 39 7s. 6d. 54 Wye Rail. j 26 11. 85. 30 Lec.is&Livrp ICO 341. 430 WarwickBtl , Leicester .... 140 101. 75 Binning. i ' OO Si. 66 Leicstr &Nth! 83 41. 36 Warwick&, 1 1 1 46 r.oughborogli l 142 701. 530 Napton.. - Nionmoutlish 100 81. - Worcstr &} 78 21. 39 Mittgantrysli 100 51. - Binning. Mel tit AI w bry' 100 101. - Wilts & Brks ,67 IL 11 GAS-LIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES. Dividend Amount I Name of Company. per 1 of Paid. i Price Annum. ; Share. I X. a. U. X. a. d. British .. - .... •• • • l/. ;40 0 0 18 0 0 , 17 Ditto Provincial.. •• I/. Ss. 20 0 0 19 0 $ ' 23 Bristol .. ICI. per cent. 20 I 0 - - Brighton 5l. per cent. , 20 I 0 - IS City of London 10!. 100 0 • 100 0 0 290 Continental Consolidat. 935. pr share 50 0 11 39 5 0 - Ditto, New .t154. pr share :13 0 0 37 10 0 - Equitable 15s. pr share 50 0 0 50 0 0 i 38%, Imperial 6l. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 75 Independent 6l. per cent. ,40 0 0 40 0 0 64 L0mi0n........ -- • • 2 41. pr cent. 50 5 0 50 0 0 10 Ditto • ... 6l. percent. '5O 0 0 50 0 0 35 Phcenix ....... .. 5/. per cent. 1 50 0 0 45 0 0 31% Itatcliff •• .. • 5/. and tins. 100 0 0 'A 0 11 1 80 United General .• •• • 4!•,',1. pr cent.' 50 0 0 SO 0 0 t 17 Westminster Chartered 31, 150 0 0 - I 56N Ditto, New • ... • l2s. 150 II 0 10 0 0 i 114 BRIDGES Dividend Amount I Name of Company. per of Paid. Prize. Annum. I Share. X. s. d. X. s. d. Hungerford • • • ... • • •• - 45 Soutliwrk, Nw Sub.iv. -- 632 - 12 8 - lb Ditto Nw of 734 p.c. 355. per cent., 50 • 0 - 16 Waterloo - 100 0 0 - 5 Ditto Old Ann. of 81 17. ss. 43. - CO 0 0 27 Ditto Nw ditto of 71 11. 2s. 2d. - 40 0 0 25 Vauxhall .... .•. Av I/. 16s. 70 10 0 - 26 WATER-WORKS Dividend I Amount Nam 1 e of Company. per I of Paid. Price. Annum. ' Share. X a. 3. £ s. .1. Ilirailii.h.ati .-•. • • • • 18s. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - EAlit London..• •••• • • • 81. 100 0 0 - 175 Grand Junction .• • • 2/. 10s. 41 13 4 - 82 31. 100 I • - 84 .few Blur Lndu Itrdge 21.108. - - 55 rauxhall .• •. • ....• • • 100 0 0 - 104 West Middlesex . . . 51.15s.prent.1 63 12 9 - 118 r.,IST OP SCOTTISII COMPANIES' PRICES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. X s. d. £ I. Bank of Scotland British Linen Company 81. par cent. 100 0 0 100 0 197 Caledonian Bank City of Glasgow Bank . 61. per cent. 10 I I 10 0 123 Clydesdale Bank.... • • 6/. per cent. 20 0 0 IS 0 12 Commercial Bank • Eastern Bank 6l. per cent. 25 0 II • 10 5 .1. Edinb.l.7. Glasgow Bank 61. per cent. 5 0 9 0 It is Exchange Bnk of Scot 6l. per cent. 100 0 50 0 473‘, fsle,cf 51an. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 7 0 8 4 4, National Bank 6/. per cent. 50 0 10 0 13.\ North of Sootland Bank 71. per cent. 20 0 b 0 6 North British Bank • • - 50 0 10 0 i Royal Bank of Scotland 61. per cent. 100 0 100 • 143 union Bank of Scotland 8/. per cent. 100 • 50 • 83 Western Bank • Aber teen Fire and Life 121. per cent. 12 1 0 2 0 80‘..J. B. Accord. Life and Fire - 20 11 I 11 Is. British Guar/nteo Ins. - 10 0 1 0 les. Caledonian Fire Insur. 101. per cent. 100 0 10 0 21 Church of Enirland Ina. - 50 II 2 0 2 City of Glasgow Life 5l. per cent. 25 0 2 I 21. 9! tr.dinlitirgh Lite Insur 5l. per cent. 100 0 12 10 171. 4 East of Sc , tland Life - 10 0 11 Ii 1 Is. Gd. Eng. Sr Scot, Law Life 51. per cent. 50 I 217 2 Hercules Insurance Co. 71. per cent. 100 0 10 0 1134 Incur. Co. of Seethid•• 5/. per cent. 100 0 10 0 7 Life Assoc. of Scotland 51. per cent. 10 0 1 I 11 5. Mercantile Life - 10 11 0 10 Os. National Fire and Life 5/. per cent. 10 0 1 0 245. North British Insur s%l.pr cent. 200 0 20 I 23 North & West of Soot. - 10 0 1 I 11. Is Scottish Life and guar. - 20 0 0 11 Scot. Mai. and Gen. Life 51. per cent. 1 0 015 10s. 03 Scottish Union Insrnca. 6MI. pr cent. 21 0 1 0 11. Is Stan laud Life ...... • . 51. per cent. 50 • 4 5 93( Ualted Dep. Assurance 51. per cent. 10 0 1 • 12s. MISCELLANEOUS. Dividend Amount i Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. X. s. d. , C. a. Q. Australian A:rieulturl - 100 0 I; 30 0 $ - Anglo-Mexican Mint., 11. 4s. 10 0 0 I 15 0 0 16 Ditto, Half Shares.. - - 210 0 -- Canada ......... •• .. 6/. per cent. 100 0 0 32 10 0 31 Uppr Canada Bonds N. per cent. - - - City 80nd5.......... 3341. pr cent. - - 89 Comp. Cppr Mara Eng. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 70 0 0 -- Gen. Revers. & Invest. sp.c. &c ba, 21 100 II 0 100 0 0 - Equitable Iteversienry 434 '. pr cent. 100 0 0I 95 0 0 - Gee. Steam Navigation 11. fis. 15 0 0 14 0 0 24 1 4 London Institution ." - - I - 11 Peninslr & Orient.Stm. 2!. per cent. 50 0 •j 50 0 I 593 Reversionary Int. Soc. 33,11. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 95 Royal Mail Steam.... 3.41. pr eent. 100 0 0 60 0 0 South Australian ... .. 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 Van Diemen's Land.. - 100 0 I 23 0 0 Universal Salvage.... - 25 0 1 j 5 0 0- MURDJR AT Sze.—ln accordance with an Ad miralty order on Saturday, a mariner, named M. Fitz patrick, was delivered into the custody of the Governor of Nowgate, for trial at the next sittings of the Central Criminal Court, for the wilful murder of a fellow sea• man, of the name of Walter Jenkins, on the high seas. According to the depositions returned by the solicitor to the Lords of the Treasury, who will prosecute, the following are the brief facts connected with the affair:— The unfortunate deceased mad the prisoner were fellow apprentices on h , ard the brig Sibson, of the port of Bl)th. On the 24th of last December the vessel was in the Mediterranean, making a voyage from Ketsch, in Russia, and about eight o'clock us the morning of that day both parties were in the forecastle, with several other seamen. Tho prisoner, it appeared. had been using a pannakin belonging to the deceased, and had left a quantity of slops in it. Deceased complained to him of his neglect ; and seeing that his caution had but little t fleet, the unfortunate man threatened to strike the prisoner with a piece of rope as ho was leaving the fore castle with the utensil to clean. The prisoner was then heard to say, "I will have your life if you touch me again," upon which deceased remarked, "You will, will you?" at the same time attempting to strike him. The prisoner had a knife in his hand, and in pushing Fitz patrick along, plunged it into his abdomen on the right side. The poor fellow immediately fell, and cried, " I am killed !" Ile was conveyed to a berth, and treated a t 1 3 1 ewmailliatasrty sphhos o eo i n tal, board could prescribe, and the priso ner was pl ace d i n i rons . O n th e f o ll ow ing day the vessel arrived i n T un i s, an d t h e woun d e d man was remove d t o where he died in dreadful suffering. The English Consul advised the conveying the prisoner to England, and on the brig entering the Channel the prisoner was taken ashore, and examined before the Mayor and magistrates at Falmouth, by whom he was fully committed to the Central Criminal Court for trial. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 22. The LORD CIIANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. Lord KENYON presented sixteen petitions against the removal of Jewish disabilities. _ . . The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions praying for the extension of scriptural schools in Ireland ; also petitions against denunciations from the altar. wand of the squadron on the coast of Africa, and whose arrangements for the efficiency and health of the aqua (lion were beyond every praise, In the last letter he received from Sir Charles Adam, that gallant officer stated that he had now finished the first year of his command, and he should be enabled to show more prizes and fewer deaths than during any preceding similar pe riod. The per ceutage of deaths had been reduced during the last year from 5 per cent. in 1845, to 2 per cent. in 1847; and the number of invalids had been re duced in proportion. The Islard of Ascension had been made a place of sanitary resort, and no vessel was now allowed to remain more than two years on the station.— (Hear, hear.) With respect to the general question, he must say that he thought it would be a great blow to civilization if they withdrew their squadron from the coast, and allowed that system to be revived which so much was now done to check and put an end to. Lord STANLEY ihouid not have said a word had it not been for a misapprehension on the part of the Noble Earl as to the opinions he had expressed upon this sub ject on a former occasion. He thought it right to say, that the sentiments he had expressed on that former occasion were curiously identical with the opinions ex pressed to-night by the Noble Lord. He had then said, that if he had to choose as a means of putting down the slave trade between the admission of slave-grown sugar and the continuance of the squadron on the coast of Africa, he should, as least likely to prove effective, pre fer a measure of financial prohibition to the continuance of the squadron. What he intended to say was, that he very much feared that the legislation of 1846 would be calculated to destroy all that the fleets could effect; and this was the point which the Noble Earl appeared to him to have misunderstood. With respect to the returns, he was not prepared to arrive at the conclusion that the number of captures was a test of the efficiency of the squadron. On the contrary, the more captures that were made, the stronger proof there was that the trade ' was flourishing and increasing. Into that part of the subject, however, he would not go any further at pre sent, as he only rose to correct a misapprehension. • The Bishop of EXETER wished to express his hope that if it was the decided system of this country to promote the admission of slave-grown sugar, all checks would be taken off the free importation of slaves from Africa. It was obvious that such checks only caused additional suffering to the unhappy slaves. Earl GREY emphatically denied that it was the policy of her Majesty's Government to encourage the growth or admission of slave-grown sugar. They maintained the argnment, that if the sugars of other countries were adwitted at all, it was practically im possible to exclude slave-grown sugar. It was proved to demonstration that Cuba sugar came in as the pro. duce of other countries, and that we could not avoid that ,consequence. It was proved also that the treaties of this country wholly precluded our checking such im portation; and, indeed, the only occasion on which he had ever known a British Minister act in diplomacy like a pettifogging attorney was when a Noble Lord tried to get over that difficulty, The general subject, however, was ove of too great importance to be discus. sed on this occasion. Lord DENMAN was not sure that he entirely under stood the Right Rev. Prelate in the same sense as the Noble Earl appeared to understand him; but certainly if the effect of the admission of slave-grown sugars was such as had been depicted, he should be inclined to agree with the Right Rer. Prelate that it would be more de sirable to the cause of humanity to withdraw the squa dron. Upon that point, however, he was not convinced; but he was most desirous to give his thanks to the Noble Earl for bringing forward this important subject. lie thought the thanks of the whole country were due to the Noble Earl, and he earntstly hoped his speech would weigh with the country. When he (Lord Denman) re collected what had been done in that House on the sugar question two years ago, he earnestly wished this state • ment had then been made. The question had been brought forward for discussion in that House on a Sa turday-, and that Saturday the 9th of August. It had never been properly considered. Noble Lords were required in Scotland the day after—(Great laughter) —and no one attended to discuss the question. The Bishops of London and Oxford had absolutely been un aware that the subject was coming forward. lle trusted, however, that the matter would now be revived uud re opened. Free trade was not implicated. Free trade had no relation to the slave trade ; it aimed at opening a field for fair competition, but not a field for competi tion by the (slave-owner against those paying for free labour. With regard to the slave trade his :opinion was a strong one that that abominable traffic was piracy. Brazil and England agreed by treaty in 1820 so to treat it. In 1823 the United States offered Mr. Canning to deal with it on that basis, and it was a serious oversight on the part of that great statesman that he did not see the advantage to be derived from that arrangement. In the Acts abolishing the slave trade we described it as " piracy, robbery, and felony," and surely it was so de scribed because it was intended to be so considered. lie must say that he felt great distress at the thought that a subji ct of a country which had abolished the slave trade should be allowed to pursue a suit in a British court of justice on account of acts done in the abolition of the traffic. That seemed to him to be an anomaly in our law deserving consideration, and he hoped attention would be directed to it. At that hour, however, he would not pursue the subject further. Lord ASHBURTON wished to remark that the offer of America. through Mr. Rush, wag, that the slave trade should be declared piracy by the law of nations— (Hear, hear)—and that the answer of Mr. Canning was, "We have already made it piracy as affects our own subjects; do you so likewise; but we have no right to impose laws upon other nations." That argument, as it seemed to him, was founded on good reasons.—([fear.) With respect to what had been said by the Noble Lord about the admission of slave-grown sugar, he wished him to bear in mind that the mischief was done, and that without au immediate review of the law of 1846 our colonies must be inevitably ruined. If their Lord ships would go into inquiry upon the subject, they would find that our colonies, even with a partial protection, could not compete with slave-holding countries. There was no denying the fact—no shirking the question— that after the millions laid out upon the slave trade, we were absolutely at this time stimulating and promoting it by our legislative measures. Lord DENMAN was aware of the fact the Noble Earl had stated respecting Mr. Cunning; but what he felt was, that Mr. Canning had lost a great opportunity in not accepting the proposal. The Earl of ABERDEEN wished only to say a word as to an allusion which the Noble Earl the Secretary of the Colonies had made to an act in which he took part, and which he had strangely chosen to stigmatise as "pettifogging," He (Lord Aberdeen) would only say that the act alluded to received the sanction of the House, and that his own conscience had been entirely satisfied respecting it. Subsequent reflection convinced him that the course he then pur , usel was entirely correct. Earl GREY expressed his regret that he had used the word complained of. He had no doubt that the Noble Lord had acted on this, as on all other occasions, with that high sense of honour which always influenced him. At the same time, he had been sorry to see this country placed in the position in which tho Government of which the Noble Lord was a member had placed her. After a few words from the Earl of LIARROWBY, which were almost entirely inaudible, the motion was agreed to. Their Lordships adjourned at llaif•past Seven. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 22. The SI•EAHEIt took the Chair at Four o'clock. The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed :—Aberavon Market Bill ; Morley Gas Light Company Bill ; New Grand Canal Company (Ireland) (No. 1) Bill; Newry Navigation (Amendment of Acts) Bill ; Thorne Moor Drainage and Improvement Bill, and Walsall Improvement and Cemetery Bill. Lord R. GROSVENOR said he had consented to put his name on the Bill because he had been led to believe that it would promote the sanitary condition of the metropolis. The parties with whom the Bill originated surely had a right to be heard before they %ere condemned. The improvement proposed appeared to him one well worthy of the consideration of the House. He thought the House should have before it the report of the Commissioners, in order to guide its before it came to a decision, and therefore he thoUght it advisable to accede to the motion of the Hon. Mem ber for Salford (Mr. Brotherton), because before the time mentionel the, report would be in the hands of Hon. Members. Mr. HEATHCOTE said the House had laid down rules for the second reading of Bills of this nature, and he thought that they could not be departed from without causing considerable inconvenience. Ile thought the second reading should be at once agreed to, and that the merits of the Bill should be left for future consideration. Sir DE LACY EVANS said he should at all times feel great reluctance in opposing any Bill brought in by his Noble Friend, but the provisions of this measure were so monstrous, that he should feel it his duty to give it all the opposition in his power. The Bill proposed to destroy Smithfield Mar ket altogether, without giving the parties interested in it any compensation whatever. Railway companies did not seek powers to stop coaches or post horses, but the promoters of this Bill sought powers to close Smithfield, and to monopolise the supply of animal food to the metropolis. He trusted the House would express its indignation at such a proposition on the part of a private company, whereby they would be enabled to enhance the price of meat as they thought proper.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill was full of exaggerations such as this that the refuse and offal at Smithfield were utterly lost, as they were carried away into the Thames, whereas the fact was, that the refuse and offal were made available for manure and other purposes — nothing was lost. The proposition was one of the most monstrous he had ever heard, and if acceded to would destroy the advantages now enjoyed by the butch?', of the metropolis. He hoped the House *ould prevent such an attempt on the part of a few private individuals.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") TURNPIKE TRUSTS. The Earl of RADNOR presented a petition pray ing for the consolidation of turnpike trusts, and for the introduction of a measure regulating parish highways. The Marquis of LANSDO\VNE said the subject was undsr the consideration of the Government, and that a measure would be introduced for the regula tion of parish highways. PETITIONS. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from the Odd Fellows of Manchester, praying for the legalisation of their society. Earl ST. GERMANS presented a petition against the publication of the bull in ccena Domini, and also against denunciations from the altar. The Bishop of EXETER presented several peti tions from clergymen in the diocese of Exeter against the removal of the Jewish disabilities ; also a petition from some clergymen in Cheshire, complaining of the conduct of the Tithe Commissioners. CRIME AND OUTRAGES (IRELAND) ACT. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, in moving for a return of all arms delivered up or seized under the provisions of the recent Act in Ireland, stated that the operation of the Act had been satisfactory, and that a great number of arms had been delivered up to the authorities. REGISTRATION OF MORTGAGES (IRELAND). The Nonuu MARQUIS then moved for certain returns of the incumbrances registered on landed property in Ireland. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII thought it would be desirable to have an accurate return of the various sums advanced on the security of landei pro perty in Ireland, and of the amounts at present remaining unpaid of such advances. Earl 1' ITZ WILLIAM complained of the expenses incurred by these encumbered estates getting into the Court of Chancery. The LORD CHANCELLOR reminded the Noble Earl that it was in consequence of the faults of the landlords of Ireland that the estates got into Chancery.. They burdened their estates, neglected to pay up the interest, and got their properties into such a state that they could not manage them themselves, and that the incumbrancers were, in self-defence, obliged to apply to the Court of Chancery. After a few words from the Marquis of Clanricar&, Earl Fitawilliam, and Lord Campbell, the motion was agreed to. COMMITTEE ON COMMERCIAL DISTRESS. The Marquis of LANSDOIV NE moved that a message be sent to the House of Commons, requesting the House to permit certain Members to be examined before the Committee on Commercial Distress. HEALTH OF THE AFRICAN SQUADRON. The Earl of ABERDEEN, in allusion to the re turns of deaths in the squadron stationed on the coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade, com plained that that squadron had been much misrepre sented. He regretted to see that, in consequence of the recent commercial changes, a partial change had taken place in the public mind on the subject of the slave trade. He regretted to find that suggestions were made by persons supposed to be in the confidence of the Government which would not some years since have been listened to, and therefore he thought it most advisable that some declaration should be elicited from the Government. His Noble Fri, nd below him had on the first night of the session been represented to have said that so great were the horrors of the mid dle passage, and so numerous the deaths in our squadron, that he would willingly see that squadron withdrawn from the African coast. There could be no doubt that the sufferings of the staves were augmented in consequence of the necessity of concealment, but they might, he thought, hope that in a short time the trade would be put an end to. The mortality in the squadron had been greatly ex aggerated. With these precautions, the climate of the coast of Africa was not more injurious than any other tropical climate. Its unhealthiness had been greatly exaggerated. No doubt there was a very lamentable loss of life in that squadron, but it was not such as to induce us to give up our efforts and to withdraw our squadron from the west coast of Africa. The injurious effects of the climate might be diminished . by due pre caution, and they had a right to expect that those precautions should be used rather than that the squadron should be withdrawn. In 1842 he had indulged in sanguine hopes of the suppression of the slave-trade. At that time General Valdez was Governor of Cuba, and, in consequence of his exertions, the importation of slaves had been diminished from 13,000 to 3,000 per annum. General Valdez was removed, and succeeded by General O'Donnell, under whose go vernment the import increased to 8,000 in 1843, and to 10,000 in 1844. At the same time the im port of slaves into the Brazils was increased. At that time Captain Denman proposed a plan for the destruction of the slave trade which he had, when in office, adopted, and which consisted in maintaining such a blockade as should stop all exportation of slaves from the coast of Africa. This plan had been acted on in 1845, and the consequence was that not more than six cargoes of slaves, amounting to 1,300 in number, had arrived in Cuba. This proved the benefit that had been derived from the employment of the squadron on the coast of Africa. In 1846, the Commissioners of the Havannah wrote on October 7, after having in their monthly reports stated that no ship had art ived from the coast of Africa with slaves, that they did not hear of any slave dealers enter ing into engagements, and were much surprised at it, considering the profit to be derived from the trade. In another letter they said there were no signs of continuing the traffic, and added, " the trade, therefore, seems sup pressed;" arid there appeared not to have been a single case of importation into Cuba in 1846, it having been reduced to a low amount in 1845, The Commissioners went on to suggest reasons why there might be a renewal of the trade, but our own legislation had tended to dimi nish it. With respect to Porto Rico, there had been no dealing in slaves in 1846, and that was owing in a great measure to the praiseworthy conduct of the Governor. The British Consul there wrote to him in June, 1846, and said there had been no slave transactions since his arrival there. In July, 1846, ho wrote again, and said he trusted • he (Lord Aberdeen) would be satisfied that there would be no longer any dealings in slaves whilst the present Governor remained there. In Brazil, in 1845, the number of slaves imported was 16,000, but from 1836 to 1840 the average number amounted to nearly 100,000 a year; and he was much inclined to think that a considerable number of the 16,000 were imported from the east coast of Africa, where the squadron had not been effectually employed; but, perhaps, one or two more vessels on the Mozambique coast would suppress that traffic. He had stated enough to show that our efforts had been attended with gratify ing results in 11845 and 1846: what might be stated during the last year he trembled to think of. Of course the Government were in possession of information on the subject before now. Independent:of our exertions, there were other circumstances of the most promising nature; for after years of remonstrance, the Portuguese Go vernment had changed its policy and discouraged the slave trade. They had employed, under the late treaty, a squadron to co-operate with ours; and in 1845 they had taken 11 or 12 slave vessels. He did not know what they had done in 1846, but he intended moving for a return applying to that year. The chief officers employed in that squadron were entitled to our respect for the zeal they had manifested. So again, the United States squadron captured six vessels in 1845. He should also move for a more correct return of what they had done since. And during the last few years we had had French squadron of equal amount with our own acting with us. He considered this a most valuable and im portant change. Instead of that system of search which had led to so much dissatisfaction we had now a squa dron aiding our efforts to suppress the trade. Altogether it presented :an example of a most encouraging cha racter.—(Hear, hear.) A valuable 'part of the French convention was the condition which enabled us to destroy the slave factories on the coast, for, by making treaties with the chiefs we were able to destroy these settle ments, and he believed forty-three were already done away with.—(Hear, hear.) The French had a black corps in Senegal, seasoned to the climate, who were em. ployed in this work. He had been a little disappointed since he left office, a year and a half ago, at not knowing any further results of this co-operation of the French; and he should also move for returns of what had been done by the French squadron. He did not think our intentions, or the measures we adopted on the coast, had had fair Play.--(Hear, hear.) We were now encouraging the slave-trade in one hemisphere while we were endeavouring to suppress it in another.—(Hear, hear.) In 1814, when, at the treaty of Paris, we proposed the abolition of the slave-trade, ho remembered M. Talleyrand saying that he fully believed in our sincerity. But what would he, or any one of common sense, say now? Why, either that we were the greatest hypocrites, or, if sincere, we must be mad. It was, he understood, to be proposed that an application should be made to the French to release us from the obligation we were under with them to suppress the slave-trade. He did not envy the Minister who might propose such an application. If such a determination were adopted, they must give up all hope of suppressing the slave-trade. After years of noble exertion it would be a disgrace and shame to this country; and what could be expected from every part of the civilised world but a dismal hiss of scorn and indig nation?—(Hear, hear.) Ile had only further to move for the returns which be had mentioned, and which would show the number of vessels captured by the dif ferent squadrons of different nations during recent years. The Earl of AUCKLAND commenced by saying. that there could bo no difficulty in giving the returns. He was anxious, however, to say a few words in corro boration of what bad fallen from the Noble Lord; and he was the more desirous to do this, as it enabled him to pay a deserved tribute to the gallant officer is coal- CITY OF LONDON SEWERS BILL. On the motion of Mr. PATTISON, this Bill was ordered to be read a second time on Friday next. MACCLESFIELD WATERWORKS AND IMPROVEMENT BILL. Captain EGERTON moved that the second reading of this Bill should be postponed until Monday next. Sir W. HEATIICOTE thought that some suffi cient grounds for the postponement of the Bill ought to be made out before the House acquiesced in the motion. Captain EGERTON said that he had understood that the Bill was to be opposed, and he was araious to obtain further information on the subject. Mr. WILLIAMS said that the Bill would impose a heavy burden on the inhabitants of the town who were already taxed to the highest point possible, and the whole of the ratepayers were unanimous in their opposition to the Bill. The Bill about to be intro dnced by the Noble Lord at the head of the Woods and Forests would answer all the purposes of the Bill. lie should therefore move that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. After a short discussion strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House divided when there ap peared— For the second reading .. 3O Against it Majority NEW SMITHFIELD MARKET. On the motion for the second reading of this Bill, Mr. BROTHERTON moved that it be read a second time on the 2d •f March. Mr. B. OSBORNE moved that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. The promoters of this Bill held out as an inducement for parties to be come shareholders in the concern that the under taking would yield a return of twenty-one per cent., and that he thought was a sufficient reason why the House should look with some jealousy at this Bill. The Bill proposed to give the company to be established by it an unfair control over the supply of animal food to the metropolis, and he had reason to suppose the Bill would have the effect of raising the price of meat in the metropolis at least a half-penny per pound. It was asserted by the promoters that the existing Smithfield Market was inconveniently situated, but so far from this being the ease he happened to know that lately at least 100,0001. had been expended in improving the market and its site. The chief cause, how ever, of the prejudice against the exist ing market was a prevailing impression that it rendered the neighbourhood unhealthy; but in the early part of his life he resided near to the Charter House, and he could state from personal experience that the air of the district, instead of being unhealthy, was particularly s alubrious.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) The parties had very satisfactory reasons for opposing the Bill. Mr. WYLD seconded the motion. ELECTION COMMITTEES. The Lancashire and Peebleshire Election Com mittees were called to the table and sworn. In answer to a question put by Lord Mallow, . . Lord R. GRUSVENOR .sa,'d that he was not responsible for the merits of the Bill. Lord MAHON wished to know whether any Hon. Member present was responsible for the Bill? It was a most monstrous'thing that the House should be called upon to dispose of a Bill of this nature, when not one Hon. Member avowed himself responsible for its merits. Mr. STAFFORD knew as much about the Bill as any one in the House, and he considered it a most impudent endeavour, on the part of a public company, to set at nought the decision of a Committee of this House, to the effect that the subject ought again to be inquired into. Mr. LUSHINGTON quite agreed with what had fallen from his Gallant Colleague (Sir D. L. Evans) on the subject of this Bill. The Bill was opposed by four hundred butchers who were constituents of his, and he should most certainly give to the Bill his most decided opposition. Mr. G. THOMPSON said, that as the tendency of this Bill was to increase the price of provisions, by placing an extra amount of difficulties in the way of the 5,000 journeymen butchers of London, he should most decidedly oppose the further progress of the measure. Mr. BROTHERTCIN said that he should take upon himself the responsibility of dividing the House upon the question.—(Cries of " Withdraw.") Sir B. HALL said that he did not believe there was a single metropolitan Member who would be found to give his support to the Bill, and he trusted that the Hon Member would withdraw it. After a few words from Sir Wax. lIEATRCOTE and Lord R. GROSVENOR, the amendment was agreed to without a division, and the Bill was consequently lost. EJECTED TENANTS (IRELAND). Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that he would, on Tuesday, the 7th of March, move for leave to bring in a Bill to secure the rights of ejected tenants. CUSTOMS. Mr. MACGREGOR gave notice, that on Tuesday the 2d of March, he should move for th• appoint ment of a Select Committee to inquire into the management and regulation of the Customs. DOCK YARDS. Mr. MACGREGOR gave notice that on Monday the 7th of March he should move for a Select Com mittee to inquire into the management and expen diture of the naval dockyards of the United Kingdom. YOUG HALL HARBOUR. Mr. C. ANSTEY inquired of the Secretary to the Admiralty whether any and what steps have been taken in fulfilment of the undertaking given by the Lords of the Admiralty, two years ago, to cause a survey to be made of the port of Youghal. Mr. - WARD replied that the survey would be made as soon as the Waterford Harbour was completed. THE MONSTER MOTION. Sir R. li. INGLIS wished to asl: the lion. Member for Youghal whether it was his intention to proceed first to-morrow with his Roman Catholic Relief Bill, or with his motion on foreign affairs ? Mr. C. ANSTEY replied that if there should be no other order of the day besides that of the Catholic Relief Bill to-morrow, he should postpone it to enab!e him to proceed with his motion on foreign affairs first, if the other Hon. Members who had motions on the paper for to-morrow would consent to that course, RAILWAYS. Mr. BROTHERTON wished to ask the Chairman of the Select Committee on Railways whether the Committee intend to receive statements or hear evi. dente in support of, and in opposition to, the several Railway Bills now pending in Parliament; or other wise, whether the Committee has come to any deter mination as to the course of proceeding in reference to such Bills, and when it is probable that the Com mittee will proceed to the consideration of such Bills. Mr. STRUTT said, the Committee met before Christmas; but adjourned till after the holidays what Bills would come before Parliament this session. The Examiners and Standing Orders' Committees having now disposed of their business, the Committee 'was now in a position to obtain the information it required before the holidays, and the Committee intended to proceed with its labours forthwith. In answer to the other portion of the question, he apprehended the Committee would not go into a minute inquiry on every Bill ; but the report of the Committee would not of course be final—it would come before the house simply in the shape of a representation. COPYHOLDS. Mr. AGLIONBY wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he would propose the measure recommended by the Commissioners, for the compulsory enfranchisement of copy-holds. Sir G. GREY said a Bill had been prepared, and would shortly be brought before the House. SLAVE TRADE. Mr. HUTT postponed his motion on this subject, in order to enable the Right Hon. Baronet (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) to proceed with his motion. _ _ Mr. W. FAGAN also postponed a motion which he had on the paper with the same view. IRISH POOR RELIEF EXTENSION ACT. Mr. CRAWFORD, after a great deal of persua sion by several Hon. Members and loud cries of " Withdraw" from the House, consented to withdraw his motion for leave to introduce a Bill to amend this Bill. SECRET COMMITTEES OF INQUIRY INTO THE ARMY AND NAVY AND REVENUE EXPENDITURE OF THE COUNTRY. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose to propose the appointment of two Committees ; the first to inquire into the expenditure on account of the army, navy, and ordnance ; and the second into the micellaneous expenditure of the country, and to report their observations thereon to the House. He said he had deemed it advisable to make both of the motions together, and to preface all the observations he had to make:with respect to them into one address— the one he now rose to make. It had been usual on the part of the House to appoint Committees of inquiry into the income and expenditure of the company, with a view to amendment. In the present circumstances of the country the Go vernment had deemed it expedient to pro pose these inquiries. Jlle confessed that he had not seen the increased expenditure of the country without much uneasines?, and as blame might be attribpted to the Government, it was due he thought to them and to the country to institute such an in quiry. The Hon. Gentleman the Member for .Mon trose, who had always taken an active part in the discussions on these subjects, had expressed himself in favour of the appointment of these Committees, adding that the circumstances required such an inves tigation. The expenditure of the country, from 183 a to 1847, had increased from 11,700,000 1 . to 17,300,0001. The increase in the army during that time had been small; in the navy it had been nearly 3,500,0001., and in the ordnance snore than double th e cost of that department in 1835. These facts formed, he thought, a fit subject f or inquiry. He had no doubt but this increased expen diture had been called for by . the wants of the country, and it should be borne in mind that the ex p en dit ure that had taken place had received the sa nc ti on o f th e House. The expenditure that had taken place had re received the sanction of the various sessions of Parlia ment. No division, he believed, h a d t a k en - piace on any material vote propos e d by the, Movernment ; nay, more, a very considerable portion of the increased expenditure had been pressed upon the different Governments by individual and inde pendent Members of the House. He recollected when he was Secretary to the Admiralty that the insuffi ciency of the armaments was complained of, and augmentations strongly recommended. He did not consider either the past or present Govern ments were to blame for the increased ex penditure that had taken place.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Montrose suggested that it would be more important to appoint a Finance Com mittee to go into the whole question of the expendi ture. The Government, however, thought that in so wide an inquiry, no such beneficial result could be obtained as could be obtained by limiting the inquiry. It was also suggested that a Committee should be appointed to inquire into the collection of the revenue and the whole financial condition of the country. The Government, at the commencement of the session, thought that it would be better to postpone an inquiry of this extent as there were some very imporiant Committees to be appointed to in quire into other matters. Her Majesty's Minis• tern were now of opinion that the time had arrived for the appointment of the Committees of which he had given notice, and to refer to those Committees the estimates which had been laid upon the table of the House by her Ma jesty's Government. It was desirable that the House should know that the increase in the estimates did not arise from an actual increase in the Lumbers of the army or navy, but arose from the increased pay to the petty officers and seamen, end for providing better accommodation for the men themselves. The distribution of the forces had alsobeen commented upon by some Hon. Members, and it was not desir able that this subject should also be considered by the Committee to be appointed. He did not think it would be wise to follow too closely the precedents of former times with respect to the appointment of these Committees. ,He did not think that the ap pointment of there Committees would show any thing like a desire, on the part of her Majesty's Govt rament, to throw the responsibility of the estimates upon the Committee. The appointment of similar Committees upon previous occasions by ( then Governments did not show in them any desire to shrink from responsibility; nether was, it so in the present case. Her Majesty's Ministers had proposed such estimates as they thought proper, and by them they were prepared to stand. The Com ini!tee in 1817 reported upon the disposition of the forces in the colonies and other parts of the empire, and made several valuable suggestions upon the sub ject. He believed that only one witness was exit• mined before the Committee upon that occasion. That Committee thought it proper to commence their labours with the consideration of the estimates for the army and the navy, and Government wished to do no more than appoint a Committee that should pursue a similar course of inquiry now. It could not be said, then, that there was no precedent for the motion he was proposing to the House, and he could not see what possible objection the House could have upon that score against adopting it. He did not know that he need detain the House further except to make one or two remarks upon what he meant the other night, in speaking of a Secret Committee. At that time he laboured under the impression that the Committees to which he had already referred were of a secret charae• ter, but he had since ascertained that this impression was an erroneous one. True, these Committees had the power of excluding parties from the room in which they met, and of occasionally .oppressing evidence if they thought it expedient to do so, and he proposed that the Committee he WWI now asking for should be appointed with instructions to carry on its inquiries upon the same principle; and therefore without any longer detaining the House, he would move the appointment of the Select Committee of which he bad already given notice. -------- Lord G. BENTINCK was glad that her Majesty' Government had felt the expediency of changing the nature of this Committee, by making it a Select instead of a Secret Committee, and assured Government and the House that, bad the Right Hon. Baronet persevered in the intention which he announced last night, of moving for Secret Committee, he should have continued his oppo• sition to such a proposal, because be thought that nothing could be more injurious than that questions con' neeted with the national defences, and with the regula• tion of the army and navy should be submitted to • Committee of that House, and above all, to a Secret Committee. He presumed that the questions submitted to the Committee would be connected with the possible diminution of our expenditure, but he trusted that his Noble Friend did not mean to relieve himself from the responsibility of coming down to the House with what he thought necessary for the defences of the country. and standing by his recommendation. Former Cosa' mittees had been Finance Committees, and bad been appointed with a view of retrenchment, but he believed there was no precedent for a Committee to inquire whether the national defences should be increased, or additions made to the army, navy, or ordnance. lie believed that in 1786 the question of the fortification of Portsmouth came under the consideration of Mr. Pitt's Government, but that was not referred to a Select Committee, but to a commission comprising, in the words of Mr. Pitt, all that was respectable in both services. Making his protest against the appointment of the Committee as an encroachment on the privileges of the Crown, and the functions of the Executive, be should not further object to the proposition of his Noble Friend. Mr. DISR AELI laid he had on the previous evening asserted that no precedent could be found for the pro ceeding of the Government, but he had not laid it down that Government ought always to be hampered by s trict attention to precedent. But, when a Minister came for ward to recommend a particular course, and wished to establish the propriety of that course by elaborate and almot pedantic references to precedent, and when he (Mr. Disraeli) found that those precedents did not pre cede that course, he thought he was fully justified in commenting as he had done.—(Hear, hear.) They hall been told on a previous night by a high authority (Sir R. Peel) that Committees like the present had been de cennially appointed from 1785 to 1828. If the Ministers felt bound by precedents they would find many to sup• port them; and, on the other hand, it' they despised pre cedents, they would also be well supported. But if thel came forward as the respecters of precedents one night, and on the next disclaimed them when they did not suit their case, claiming credit for their creative faculty in striking out new courses, be thought that that was not a course worthy the approbation of the House. He entirely disagreed with the Government on the question of precedents which, in most cases, might bo defined as a custom em balming a principle. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had that night told the House that he referred the cede mates to a Committee in the hope that a considerable reduction might be effected. But in the message frees the Throne, on the commencement of the session, these words were addressed to the House of Commons: ---4, Her Majesty has directed that the estimates for the next year shall be prepared for the purpose of being laid before you. They will be prepared with a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service."—(Hear, hear.) Bill these estimates had been framed a fortnight, and yet the Chancellor of the Exchequer could not take upon him' ,elf to say that considerable reductions might not be made in them.—(Hear, hear.) He found that all the Finance Committees which had been mentioned had been appointed to inquire into the revenue and expendi ture of the country generally. The naval and militia,' establishments were merely mentioned inter ilia, snd there was not one of them which had not been pre , viously announced in the speech from the Throne.--• (Hear, hear.) In the case of the Committee of 1828 the speech from the Throne bad previously recommended "early attention to the state of the revenue and expel' diture of the country." Tie asked, was there any anis' logy in those instances and the one before the House A sacrifice was required from the general body of Mem bers of their right to criticise and examine the estimatee• and they had had no fair warning of what was to be re' quired from them. A motion was made for a Com. inittee of Supply, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer suddenly rose up to stop all criticisms, by stating that ho was going to send the estimates toss Committee upstairs* What reasons had he given ? None ; but he had given precedents, and now he acknowledged that those pre', cedents did not apply.—(Hear.) The C omm ittee of 18281 had been prop'sed for the purpose of effecting re form, but the present was suggested for a totally dif' ferent purpose, to get increased establishments, and, con' sequently, increased taxation.—(Hear, hear.) Well then, if precedent did not bear out the Government. let the House look to the principle involved. It was neither more nor less than shifting the responsibility of tks, the Government on a Committee of the House of Commons.—(Cries of "Hear, hear.") If they wore 1 0 have a Committee to prepare the estimates, why not also have one to ascertain the means by which those estimates were to be paid for ?—(Hear, hear.) As far, as ho could judge of the temper of the House, it woul d 'De very convenient if, in addition,:the income-tax could be referred to a Committee up stairs. —(A laugh.) ge thought that the Government had made a great ails' take; but they were happy men —even their blunder; only proved the anxiety of their opponents to soi l ! them.—(Laughter.) The Noble Lord at their keg" had made a warlike speech, which showed that if war should occur we were wholly unprepared to meet il• lie believed that a great majority of the countrL buted the deficien c y t o t h e new f or tifi cat i ons . a l l this might have p asse d off quietly if the Noble Lo r d had announced in the first instance that he was not going to i ncrease t h e m ili tary or nava l votes . And with reference to the militia, too, he (Mr. Disraeli) found that th ere was a Militi a Co m mitt ee appoint ed every year ; and, surely, that Committee might have tak en a portion of the labours , of the Noble Lord. He (gri Disraeli) should follow the example of the Noble Lor, the Member for Lynn, and not oppose the Government proposition proposition ; but still he could not allow it to pass wi k L ga out entering his protest against the course which 1 4 10 bean taken ; it was in his mind unauthorised by practice of Parliament, and would prove but little co; f ducive to the dignity of her Majesty's Government. .2;: it had been regularly introduced in the speech iron? _luaus Throne, the Llouse :might have accepted it as (I n s . vindice nodus ; but to be brought forward withou t P rr t , corvine ration in Committee of Supply, Governmen t down one night to do one thing and the next nig h u_ another, was a course not calculated to elevate the character either of public men or of Parliament.' Air. NEWDEOATE concurred with the Hon. xesii