The Sun. — London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

PRUSSIA. THE RIOTS AT BERLIN-TAKING OF THE ARSENAL. We continue our narrative of the occurrences at Berlin, on the 14th and 15 th, from our edition of y es . terday. It appears the Burgher G uard, in attem p tin g to disperse the crowds in the streets, wounded five men. There was an immediate cry of "To arms ! " and at ten o'clock the people attacked the arsenal, from which two muskets shots were fired, and two persons wounded, and one killed. The cry of " Barricades" was raised, and the people retreated for reinforcements. Alarmed at what had occurred, the Burgher Guard deposed Major Benda, who had given the order to fire, from his command, and deserted the arsenal, which was also evacuated by the troops, and at eleven o'clock the people collected round it again, and it was resolved to storm it. The windows of the ground floor are closed inside with heavy shatters. A large beam of timber was procured, and having been slung between a party of 30 or 40 men, was applied to doors and windows in the manner of a battering-ram. Four windows defied all the attacks; glass and woodwork were split and shat tered, but the iron held out ; a fifth gave way, and through it the crowd entered and in a few minutes were masters of all the military stores and ammunition the building contained. The search on the ground-floor discovered no weapons ; but several pigs of lead, provided for casting bullets, were carried away in various directions ; there were also some cannon there, but they were left, as too heavy for removal. In the upper story the depot of muskets was found, seized, and forthwith di vided among the invading party ; the stock was not so - great as expected; for since the former distribu tion the Government has not placed any others there. From 700 to 800 is reported to be about the number. The crowd held possession of the building till one o'clock, and then retired. But quiet was not perfectly restored the whole night. Numerous patrol parties crossed the city in every direction. The troops, too, were called into requisition, and at day break the apparition of a troop of Lancers created an alarm, and the tocsin was sounded from all the churches. When the arsenal was stormed the mili tary were called out. They only arrived in time to see the last of the storming party departing ; but they succeeded in rescuing a few muskets from the hands of those who had stayed in the building a little too long. The arsenal—now it is gutted of its contents—is leld by a strong military force. Up to eight o'clock the city appeared pretty quiet. The following speech, made in the Chamber by M. Camphausen, shadows forth the difficulties the Go vernment has had and has still to contend with : "I will onlyobserve that the excesseswhich have becoti:_e, the subject of just complaint must be much liberty of because they endanger the safety and ery to this Assembly, and might lead the pro vince s believe that what springs from our deliberstion o s_ and e debates is not the true and free expression f which have opinion of the Assembly. The measures ,been taken to prevent similar occurrences as the ences will be stated by the Minister of the Interior re proach might be made to the Govern but Government of having neglected measures which would prevent lis ten the repet a ition ou . to to ion of these occurrences, I beg y words explaining and justifying its conduct. Wh en I was called to my present office the country was in turbulent commotion. Two courses could then have been adopted for the pu r p ose of restoring order. The one was to act quickly, vigorously, and boldly, to obtain all the results which might have been derived from the past events, and to govern, as it were, in the spirit of the revolution; the other was to continue to govern by those historical means which the old consti tution had left us, until the day when the representatives of the people should take their position at our side. The first course, the course of revolutionary dictatorship, the „Ministry would not adopt. The second it has followed, and this was not easily done. We had to govern in accordance with public opinion, which at all times it is so difficult to ascertain, and which often proves to be changed after a fact has been accomplished. Often we had to seek strength in a passive resistance, often to omit vigorous measures for the purpose of not appear ing as reactionary. We had to seek support through the B argher Guard, and often our decrees were dependent on their opinion and consent. We have succeeded in over coming these difficulties. The time is come in which this Ron. Assembly takes its position at our side. What it decrees conjointly with the Government must be ac knowledged as law by the country and by Berlin. As regards the subject just alluded to that this Asssembly should be removed from Berlin, I am of opinion that this would be impolitic and incompatible with the wel fare of the country." _ At the sitting of the Chamber on the 15th, the President vead a communication from Major Blesson which created the utmost astonishment. He in formed the Chamber that he had ordered the number of men required to take their posts round the hall, but after the events of yesterday he could not guarantee the safety of the Assembly. The guard had the proper orders, but he could not promise they would obey them ; just as little could he say they would do their duty if they did! A second letter from him, apparently latter written, stated that the 4th, sth, and 7th battalions had volunteered for the duty, and on them he thought he could rely. M. Camphausen then stated the measures the Government was prepared to take for the protection of the Assembly. As it appeared the existing force could not be depended on, it proposed to call out the 3d battalion of the Berlin Landwehr (consisting of men who have served their time in the regular army, but are still liable for extraordinary service) to mount guard along with the citizens. A new organization of the Civic Guard itself is resolved on, and the for mation of a special protective force for the Chamber is contemplated. . _ A stormy debate ensued ; the left, the Opposition, declared such extraordinary measures were unworthy of a popular representative Assembly ; it would end by every member being obligea t 'to walk home under an armed escort. Their best protection was a perfect confidence in the people ; but it was no wonder, considering the nature of their discussions and votes, that the suspicions of the people had been excited. A deputy, named Uhlich, formally moved that the Assembly should declare that it did not require any armed guard, but that it placed itself under the :protection el the people of Berlin. The ,motion of M. Uhlich was carrird by a great majo r.;ty ; it is, of course, equivalent to a defeat of the Government, Neither of the :Ministers made any observation as to what may be the result of the vote. The Assembly then entered on a . discussion as to the best means (X hastening the progress of the debate on: the constitution. It was then proposed to form a commission of 24 ; three members to be named from cacti of the eignt bureaux, to take the draught into consideration, to make alter a t ions i n i t , or t o draw up an entirely new one; the constitution thus amended and developed to be submitted to the whole Chanfber. The Ministry, through M. Hanseman, opposed the motion, as much more likely to cause delay than progress; but on the division the Govern ment was again defeated, the numbers being, for the motion, 188 ; against it, 142. In the Chamber, as well as out of doors, the power of the Govern ment is gone ; political and social disorder are deepen ing every day ; and, with them, distress. The smaller traders, who have to pay rents and taxes as usual, with no returns from their business, are sinking gra dually into pauperism ; and sturdy mendicancy i s turning to theft. RUSSIA, DE NMARK, AND S WEDEN. Facia Malmo it is reported ;hat the shipment of Swedish tr oo p s h as b een suspen d e d, Swed e n being anxious to a vo id war if poss ibl e . A portion of t he .Swedish fl ee t, cons i st i ng of fr i gates, b r i gs, schoone rs, and steamers, is lying off Malmo. A report from Copenhagen m en ti ons t h at a considerable b o d y o f troops is on board the Russian fleet; as many as 11,000 men is named. On the other hand it is reported that a reinforce ment of 40,000 men will join the Schleswig army in a few days. It appears that at the conference which took place at Malmo, between the Kings of Sweden and Den wark, the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia, and the British Minister at Copenhagen, nothing definitely cou ld b e arranged with regard to any truce, the Russian demands, on behalf of Denmark, being, that both the duchies should be cleared of all foreign troops before any negotiations were en tered into, and that, in the event of Denmark being forced to give up Schleswig, or any part of it, which had been guaranteed by England, rr anee, Swede n , an d R uss i a to that power, the Rus eian Emperor would make a similar claim (with re spect to a formal breach of treaty) to the possession of the Duchy of Holstei n , which h a d b een g i ven up to favou r the Danish Paul I.Monarchy by th e E mperor It was further stated that a marriage was on the tapir between the daughter of the Kin of Sweden and the Grand D u k e Constantine, which g was as good as settled. Such an alliance Would of course con siderably strengthen the unio n of thes e t wo P owers, and become ultimately o e importance t o th e balance of power of the n or th . The alliance S with Rissiwedes in general are o p posed to any such a. LOMBARDY. The Italia del Popolo of the . 13th conveys the disagreeable ne ws of the capitulation of 'Vicenza, overpowered by the overwhelming for ce of the Austrians. It appears that the enemy was (at the date referred to) moving towards Padua, and that the latter city would no doubt experience a simil ar fate unless succour were sent. This intelligence is confirmed by letters from Milan, w hi c h A t ate that the garrison of Vicenza capitulated on th e 11th. Th e troops compos i ng t h e garrison marched out with the honours of war, and were permitted to retain their arms on condition that they should not serve against the Austrians for three months. Bassano is occupied by 1,500 Austrians. The Osservatore Triestino of the 10th announces the per fect tranquillity of Trieste. No further aggressions had been attempted by the fleet. That city, accord. ing to the Osservatore, is determined to remain Austrian. THE SUN, LONDON, NAPLES. Letters from Naples, addressed to the Piedmontese Gazette, announce the landing of 1,500 Sicilians at Reggio, and the entire defeat of the Royal troops. Almost all the provinces of the kingdom refuse to make fresh elections, protesting in favour of the legality of those already made, and the illegality of the decree by which they have been annulled. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) HOUSE 01? LORDS. NO. I.—YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK (Main Line Improvement).—Preamble proved, clauses agreed to, and Bill ordered to be reported. NORTH WESTERN (Deviation to Skipton, Casterton, Znd Sedburg).—Preamble proved, clauses agreed to, and Bill ordered to be reported. HOUSE OF COMMONS. GROUP No. 3.— MANCHESTER, BUXTON, MATLOCK, AND MIDLANDS JUNCTION (Deviation and Branches). — Opposition of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln shire Company further considered. GROUP No. 7. ROYSTON AND HITCHIN (Eaten" SIM?. to Cambridge and Branches). —Case closed, but de cision postponed. GROUP No. B.—LONDON AND CREDITON (TAW Vale Railway and Dock, and Bodmin and Wadebridge Com panies' Arrangements.) Opposition of Bristol and Exeter Company further considered. EXETER AND COWLEY JUNCTION. —Evidence for promoters. GROUP No. 11.---MONICLAND AND KIRKIN:tsLeLO; 11, IR BALLO C HNEY, AND SLAANNAN (Amalgamation or Sale, or Lease, and Amen dment or R epeal of Case closed, and decision postponed till to-morrow. ELECTION OMITTEES. DUB ON _ _ _ The scrutiny into the validity of Mr. Reynolds's majo rity w as resumed yesterday, and although the counsel for the petitioners took objections to several votes, they did not succeed in any one instance. m r .APHY intimated that the petitioners would abandon the remaining objections to voters who had not paid the borough rate. He could not, however, state what course the petitioners would now pursue, and he must pray for adjournment to give him time to consult with them on the subject. Adjourned accordingly. SLIGO. The poll- books having been put in, and the return of Mr. Towneley proved, Mr. CLARKE, on the part of the petitioners, took a preliminary objection to the return, on the ground that the notice of the election, published by the Mayor of Sligo, was defective, inasmuch as it was not signed by the returning-officer. Mr. IV . Kelly was called to prove the defect, and on his cross-examination he stated that be prepared the pe tition against the sitting Member, and after it was pre sented he received 1,5001. from Mr. Coppock, the agent of the sitting Member, to consent to its withdrawal. He received the money for the purpose of ascertaining how far Mr. Coppock would go, and never oontemplated re taining it. During the entire negotiation he communicated with Mr. Somers and Mr. Walker, his attorney. He did not make the first overture, but Mr. Coppock called upon him, and said it was most absurd thinking of going on with the petition, for the sitting Member was a very rich man, while Mr. Somers was a very poor one. Sub sequently at his own house Mr. Coppock told him if he would consent to settle the matter Mr. Soiners would get him a good Government situation, but he preferred the 1,500 t., which he afterwards received in bank-notes at Fendall's Hotel, and in return he handed Mr. Cop pock a letter, consenting to the withdrawal of the peti tion. Mr. Coppock then retired, but returned in a few minutes, and demanded the money back again, stating that he had discovered that the petition could not be withdrawn. He of course refunded the money, as he never contemplated retaining possession of it. Mr. Robert M'Bridge, the Mayor of Sligo, proved that his assessor put his own initials to the original notice, whereupon The Committee, without calling for a reply, over ruled the objection. The case of bribery and treating was then proceeded with. THE BOWYER GALLERY. The dealing out of the shares of Mrs. Parkes' last grand subscription for the purchase of the Bowyer Collection of Works of Art, amounting to the value of 80,000 L, took place yesterday morning at Exeter Hall in the presence of a very numerous company. The agents appointed for the occasion were accomodated with tables in the body of the hall, and the whole of the proceedings were conducted with every possible fairness and im partiality, ur.der the superintendence of Mrs. Parkes. The highest portion is valued at 3,100 guineas, and consists of the celebrated Bowyer Bible ; and the value of the lowest portion is one guinea and a half. It will be some days before the names of the lucky individuals who have been fortunante enough to obtain the highest prizes will be known. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. EMBEZZLENENT.—Joseph Pickering, a middle aged man, very respectably connected, was convicted of em bezzling various sums of money belonging to his em ployers, Messrs. Pilcher and Co., of Tooley-street, and was sentenced to twelve months' bard labour. THE CHARTIST PRISONERS. Joseph Tilliams, who looked somewhat paler and more downcast than he did before his incarceration, having been placed at the bar, Mr. BALLANTINE said— With respect to the case of Joseph Williams, a prisoner now in Newgate, I have to apply to the Court to reduce the bail from two sureties of 1001. each to 501. each, which latter sum the prisoner, who is one of the humbler classes, will be able to ob tain. The RECORDER—What is his offence? Mr. BALLANTINE—He is charged with having uttered seditious words, and with hating disturbed the public peace. The RECORDER—Why was not this application made before the magistrate who committed the prisoner ? Mr. BALLANTINE—Because since his committal ho has nut been able to procure bail in the required amount; he is therefore compelled now he is in Newgate to make this application to the Court. A similar application has been made to your Lordship with respect to the other defendants. The RECORDER—Have you given notice? Mr. BODKIN said a similar application had been made to the Court with respect to a person named Vernon who was charged with the same offence as the prisoner at the bar. He did not wish to impugn the decision of the magistrate with respect to the amount of the bail he felt it his duty under the circumstances to require, but having looked at the affidavit of the prisoner, he con fessed it raised a reasonable probability that the prisoner was not able to find th e b a il already specified. On the part of the Crown, therefore, he was not instructed to oppose the application, provided a reasonable time were allowed for inquiring into the va lidity of the sureties. The RECORDER — I wish to be understood, in yielding to the application, that I do so the more readily since it has received the consent of the prosecution ; but in doing so I have no wish to impugn the decision of the magistrate in the course which he felt it his duty to take. It is only necessary that the amount of bail should be sufficient to render it certain custody, that the p erson f or w h om i t i s g i ven w ill b e produced at the trial ; b ut , on t h e ot h er h an d , i t ought not to b e so eic as to operate as no bail a t all, b e i ng o f it: y. a mount which will v i r t ua lly k eep th e p ersons c h arge d But if the persons sought to become bail I became apprehensive of the consequences, and declined becoming bail, they had no one save themselves to blame. The magistrate, in a matter of this description, consi dering its serious nature to the public feeling at the time, was quite justifi e d i n requiring the bail he did. I shall therefore accede to the application. with respect to the case of Alexa n d er Sh T ar h p e e, R e E n c th ß e D a E p it Plicati oa of Mr. ROBINSON acceded to the same amount of bail. John Fussell having been placed at the bar, Mr. ROBINSON made a similar application on behalf of this defendant, and in support of it re a d au affidavit, stating that the defendant was a working jeweller, whose average wages did not exceed 503. a week, and that from his station in life he was unable to find two par ties competent to become bail for him in 1501. each, and that if it was reduced to 50/. each he could procure bail to that amount. His case did not differ from the others. Mr. BODKIN said the case differed from the others. His wages were high, and therefore there were not the same grounds for supposing that the defendant could not obtain the required bail ; the affidavit did not besides state that the defendant was unemployed. He was bound to say, after reading the depositions, that his offence differed from the others, and therefore he could not on the part of the Crown consent to the application. The RECORDER said if a person could find responsible bail, that was a reason for its reduction. Those who now found that they could not obtain the required bail should have considered what they were doing before they placed themselves in the position they now stood; but there was another mode of meeting this—taking the same amount of bail, but in smaller sums; secured by a greater number of persons.—(The Recorder here devoted some time to a perusal of the depositions.) Mr. ROBINSON said he was not aware that the de fendant was in a condition to obtain greater bail than two persons in 751. each. The only thing in which his case differed from the others was this—that he did not swear he had been out of employment for some time. The RECORDER suggested that four sureties in 501. each might be acceptable. Mr. ROBINSON siiid, two in 75/. or three in 501. would be nearer the defendant's means. The RECORDER said, he should require bail in 2001. altogether ; that was four in 501. each. Ido not, he said, wish to prejudice the future inquiry which will take place into this case, but I may say this—(looking sternly at the prisoner, an intelligent, gentlemanly-looking young man, who stood perfectly unmoved in the dock, and whose de meanour was most respectful to the Court)—that if the offence charged against the prisoner is proved it looks to me like something else—a far higher crime. Ido not know for what he is indicted, but this is my improseiop from the depositions. Mr. ROBINSON—I believe a true bill has been found against him for uttering sedition. The RECORDER—I know nothing about that. It is right the parties should know that any deviation from their recognizance 3 will cause them to be entreated. I will accept the bail I have named with 24 hours' notice to the prosecutor. The prisoner then retired. NEW COURT. THE CHARTISTS IN BONNER'S-FIELDS. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Richard Yatten and Henry Payne were also convicted of assaulting the police on the 4th of June.—Sent ence deferred. Samuel Strapps, a respectable-looking young man, was indicted with assaulting the police on the 4th of June, by throwing a ginger-beer bottle at them. Several police swore positively to the prisoner, and their evidence was corroborated by a person of the name of Andrews, who stated himself to be a com positor, a reporter, and special constable, but upon being pressed by Mr. Payne, who was counsel for the prisoner, he declined to state for what paper he reported, and the Common Sergeant, after consulting with the Recorder, decided he was justified in doing so. Mr. PAYNE addressed the jury for the prisoner, and called three witnesses, who positively denied that the prisoner was the man who threw the ginger -beer bottle. The COMMON-SERGEANT summed up, and The jury, after considering for some time, found the prisonerßicaoecD,:butliiNtt ford was then i n di c t e d w i t h assaulting estra Gorge Guilty. e t , e o d n . Johnprto the part of the pro secu ti on , d ec li ne d evidence h u M e nl y l offering any evidence ag a i ns t hi m , an d h e was conse quently beingge,lB,vewrayseienedeiclutesdivefo,r thea jnausrsyaurlet,tubreued but the verdict of Not Guilty. The prisoners Cooling, Callaghan, Jones, Moston, Whitehead, Blackburn, Kingston, Page, Bingley, and Inman, who were convicted on Saturday of the offences of rioting and assaulting the police, were thou brought up for judgment. The COMMON-SERGEANT, addressing the prisoners, said they had been convicted, after a very long and patient inquiry, occupying more than nine hours, of the offence of riotously assembling together, and assaulting the police in the execution of their duty. An attempt had been made to show that the police had exceeded their duty, but it bad failed entirely, for the evidence clearly proved that they had used no more violence than was necessary for the preservation of the public peace. They might with perfect propriety have prevented the meetings in question from taking place on the Sunday, but they did not do so, and remained perfectly quiet, and com mitted no act of aggression until Shaekell, the inspector, was attacked and severely injured. If men would commit these acts of violence they must take the consequences, and it was impossible to measure with nicety the amount of force that might be used to repel them. It was laid down by Lord Hale, that officers were justified at common law in resisting even to the last extremity for their own protection and the preservation of the public peace; and it seemed to him that in the present instance the police had done no more than their duty. He saw no mitigating circumstances in the case. The prisoners all appeared to be in work and to have ample means of subsistence, and they had no excuse for mixing themselves up with such lawless proceedings. If there was to be a Government, and if men were to live as heretofore in peace and quietness, such acts as these must be repressed, and, but for the recommendation to mercy of the jury, he should certainly have inflicted the full punishment fixed by the law for the offence of which they had been convicted. He bad most carefully con sidered all the circumstances of the case, and the sen tence that ought to be passed, and the result was, that the Court adjudged Cowling, Callaghan, Jones, Moston, Whitehead, Blackburn, and Page, to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour one year, and such of them as were of full ag e, in addition, to enter into a recognizance in 1001. to kep the peace for two years; and those who were not of age to do the same, upon pain of imprison ment. The prisoner Kingston was sentenced to six months' hard labour, Bingley to three, and Illman, who, it will be recollected, struck one of the constables with an iron bar, was sentenced to two years' hard labour. These three prisoners were also ordered to enter into their own recognizances in 100/. to keep the peace for two years. . . . _ _ The prisoners who had been convicted in the course of this morning were then brought up, and Mallandine was sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour, Payne to one year, Strapps to nine months', and Connolly and Yatton to six months' hard labour, and, in addition, to enter into recognizances to keep the peace for two years. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. Thomas Wooding was charged by Mr. Ring, proprietor of the Britannia Tavern, Fish-street-hill, with robbery. Mr. Ring went on Thursday last into his cellar, and found that seven or eight bottles of wine bad disappeared. He searched and found four bottles of wine in the dust hole. He then fastened the door and went to the station house, and procured the assistance of a constable. On Saturday the prisoner, a customer to the house, and a person in whose integrity the complainant had the ut most reliance, went down to the cellar and was detected. Within the last six months Mr. Ring had lost about five dozen of wine, as well as a quantity of brandy, so that, notwithstanding strict attention to business and rigid economy, he found that he was going back in the world. When the prisoner came up from the cellar he went out of the house. The complainant followed and called after the prisoner, who would not answer, but was soon ap prehended and lodged in prison. A City policeman said, that in consequence of informa tion which he had received he wentson Friday last to the Britannia tavern, and watched the door until half-past eleven o'clock at night. On Saturday morning he again visited the house at an early hour and watched, and saw the prisoner go to the dusthole, feel about it, and pull out a bottle of wine. From the yard the prisoner pro ceeded to the water-closet, when he wiped the dust from the bottle and pocketed the wine, after which he turned into the street, when he was apprehended. The prisoner said, he never had a thought of commit ting robbery, but having left a bag and a knot in the dusthole he found a bottle of wine upon going to search for them, and considered it so much good luck. Fully committed for trial. MAR YLEBONE. Mr. Alexander Lamond, who described himself as a stockbroker in the City, and residing in Mornington place, Hampstead-road, was charged before Mr. Broughton with the following disgraceful conduct:— Roberts, 107 D, deposed, that on the previous evening he was sent for to 50, Manchester -street, Manchester square, where he saw the defendant, who was very drunk, and refused to leave, alleging that ho should not do so until he had seen his friend, Mr. Terry, who was from home at the time, and he (the defendant) was told that it was uncertain when he would return. The only persons on the premises were some women, who were very much alarmed at his conduct, and after some per suasion witness prevailed upon him to leave. He (de fendant) then walked off, followed by witness, who in South-street saw him go up to a girl about twelve years old, with a baby in her arms, and lay hold of her per son in a most indelicate manner, after which he kissed her several times. Witness desired him to desist from such behaviour and go quietly on, upon which he put his hands up, and placing his fingers in a peculiar way, ex claimed, " Take it out of that." In other streets wit ness (who had kept close to him) saw him pursue a course of similar disgusting behaviour towards a woman and a young child, and at length felt it to be his duty to take him into custody. He resisted violently, but, with assistance, witness succeeded in conveying him to the station-house. Michael Smith, residing in East -street, corroborated the greater portion of the constable's evidence as to the gross indecency complained of.: Mr. BROUGHTON asked, if the woman alluded to was in attendance, and he was replied to in the negative. The defendant, on being asked what he had tO say in answer to so very serious a charge, expressed his deep regret at what he had been guilty of, according to the representations of the witnesses. He felt thoroughly ashamed of himself, and had he been in his right senses such a thing would not have happened ; his prospects, owing to this affair, would probably be ruined through life, and he begged that the magistrate would be merci ful ; he had not been in trouble before, and could bring witnesses forward as to his respectability in society. Mr. BROUGHTON gave him to understand that his plea of respectability was an aggravation rather than an extenuation of the offences which had been so fully proved against him, and he (the magistrate) was some what in doubt as to whether he ought not to send the defendant at once to prison or not. He, however, had expressed great contrition for the acts of which he acknowledged himself to be guilty ; and, under all the circumstances (none of the women being present), he (Mr. Broughton) should fine him in the penalty of 51.; in default of payment, one month in the House of Cor rection. The money was paid. WESTMINSTER. OUTRAGE ON BOARD A STEAM-BOAT.—J. Green and J. Robinson, two of the crew of the Era steam-boat, were charg e d w i t h th e following outrageous conduct:— Mr. G. Waugh, of 5, Great James-street, Bedford row, stated that he engaged the Era steamer for Satur day last, to convey a party of his friends to Hampton Court and back, the boat, of course, to be exclusively provisions,to hampers, the r e s a g n e d l a w f t h e e r r a e visit th ey theirs for the d ay. The ' party took a great quantity of champagne and other wines, on b oar d i n t4palirtaomokP to o n f a C o et u ld t re t collationurn e d which had been prepared during their absence, and then, the deck havin g b een cleared, dancing comm e nced. The first disagreeable thi ng that o c curred was that al though he (Mn Waugh) h a d pa id the captain ' (brother of the defendant Green) for the hire of tho vessel, and every other contingent expense, he again demanded the pier dues, and, having been 'reminded that they had been paid,. set up a claim of 15s. extra for servants, which, to prevent an y di spute, witness paid. The next thing wa s, that M r . W augh ordered some bottled beer to be given to the musicians, when the defendant Robinson came and demanded payment. Mr. Waugh, who had ordered his servant to pay for the beer, called him, and the latter informed Robinson that he had paid for it. Shortly after tßobinson,this Mr. Waugh went to the captain, and po i nting ou t who had been extremely abusive, told him that he was drunk, a n d finding both the defendants in a few minutes afterwards lying among the wine bottles and hampers, again called the captain's attention to the circumstance, when the latter went towards the men. In the course of two or three minutes Mr. Waugh saw that there was something the matter at one end of the boat, and on going there he founnd the two defendants attacking the captain in a . most ferocious manner, at the same time making use of most disgusting langnage. Mr. Waugh and other gentlemen interfered, observing that they could not allow such gross misconduct, and endeavoured to separate the parties. At that moment the man left the helm, and came to the assistance of the two de- fendants, and the greatest confusion prevailed. Mr. Waugh received a blow on his chin; at the next moment Green struck him a violent blow in the eye. Some of Mr. Waugh's friends came up, and insisted upon his going to the other end of the b oat , w hi c h h e did. During the confusion, which lasted some minutes, the party were left to the mercy of th e stream, t h e capta i n and helmsman both being engaged upon deck. The vessel was at the time a little above Battersea-bridge ; and, but for the good conduct of the persons in the engine -room, who speedily shut the steam off, the con sequences must have been most frightful. As it wa s o gentleman, went to, the wheel eolf endtheir renderedfriends, considerable ns., de nautical le ser v i ce . Def e nda n ts,rab after the most desperate conduct, were confined below until the arrival of the vessel by the side of the Investi gator police-ship, off Somerset-house, whither the cap tain, by orders of the many gentlemen who had been assaulted, had consigned them. It then required at least four constables to secur e G reen , an d i t was found necessary to pinion . him b y ty i ng hi s h an d s an d legs. The party then discovered that the whole of their provisions and wino had disappeared; and, upon its being demanded joints and delicacies, champagne, port, sherry, and brandy were produced from different hiding places; but, on there arrival at Hungerford, three bottles of champagne, and another of brandy, had g carried d of port ,off. Mr. Waugh, who exhibited a black eye, said that the party con s i s t e d o f sevent y per sons, the greater number of whom were ladies. Their alarm was extreme: one, the wife of a barrister, was so overcome by fright that her h us b and was o b liged to convey her on shore in a small boat; and the consterna tion of another, who was encei n t e, was such as to cause serious apprehensions for her safety. When the captain was informed . that no person was to be allowed t o l eave the vessel until the police were brought on board he readily acquiesced. Mr. E. Stanley, Mr. C. J. Nealds, and Mr. J. D. Sadler, who were of the party, gave confirmatory testi mony of the outrageous conduct of the prisoners. The whole of them had been assailed, and some of them bore marks of the violence with which they had been at tacked. Mr. Stanley, after parrying some of the blows dealt at him, was thrown down and beat as he lay on the deck by two persons, one of whom he believed to be Robinson. Mr. Neald, who acted for a time as helms man, proved that Green struck him twice in the face. Mr. Sadler also received a violent blow from one of the parties, and the two servants were also beaten. The defendants said "Here goes," as they ranged themselves for the attack; and it was the impression of the witness that they intended to have swept the deck, if possible; at any rate the fellows appeared to have indiscriminately attacked all who came in their way. Mr. BRODERIP observed that the case was of by far too serious a nature for him to dispose of summarily. He therefore felt it his duty to send the defendants for trial at the Middlesex Sessions. He would accept bail, themselves in 1001. each„ and two sureties in 501. each, for their appearance to answer the charge. Defendants were locked up. SOUTHWARK. Mary Doyle the woman charged on suspicion with having thrown a child over London-bridge into the river, was brought up for re-examination. On the last examination a boy came forward, who said that on the night in question he observed the pri soner place a bundle on the parapet of the bridge previ ously to throwing it over into the river, and that he saw something move in it, which led to the supposition that there was an infant wrapped up in it. Subsequently to that boy's statement having been made, another had come forward, who, while playing near Blackfriars bridge' found the body of an infant floating un d er t h e second arch on the City side, and having taken it out of the water, an inquest was subsequently held upon it, and the surgeon, in giving his evidence after a post mortem examination, was of opinion that it was still born. Mr. COTTINCHANI, on being acquainted with the re sult of the inquest, had the prisoner brought before him, and in the course of his remarks said, that her conduct was sufficient to excite a very strong degree of suspicion in the minds of those witnesses who had come forward to give evidence against her. The very circumstance of her having selected such a spot as Lon don-bridge in order to get rid of (as she described) a bundle of filthy rags, throwing it over with both her hands, which showed that it must have been of a weighty nature, although she declared she had only used one hand for the purpose, her subsequent attempt to make her escape from the recess of the bridge after it was done, and her contradictions and conduct altoge ther, were so pregnant with suspicion, that it justified the letter-carrier in giving her into custody on the spot. Since her apprehension he (the Magistrate) had felt it his duty to have inquiries made in the locality where she lived, in order to ascertain whether any of her chil ren were missing, or whether she had been attending upon any wotn di who had recently given birth to an infant ; and the result of those inquiries was favourable to the accused, therefore he should now discharge her, at the same time informing her that her detention was attributable to the necessity, for the ends of public justice, of making those inquiries before she was per mitted to go at large. The accused, who still adhered to the truth of her statement respecting the transaction, was then dis charged, and on quitting the bar ejaculated that it would be a lesson for her the remainder of her life. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, JUNE 19. STOCK EXCHANGE. —The market has been very flat to day, and scarcely any business has been doing ; indeed, the only transactions have been in Great Western Stock, of which the Quarter Shares were done at 2%. LIVERPOOL, JUNE 19. STocx ExcHmium.—There is very little business doing at this market. Prices are not lower. The sales are Great Northern, 9 LA I dis.—Great Western, Quarter Shares. dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire (late Manchester and Birmingham), Fifth Shares, 1-K4 dis.—London and North- Western, 122 c.—Ditto, New Quarters, %p.—Midland Stock, 100% c. — Ditto, New Halves, 6% c. dis.—Ditto (Birmingham and Derby, 75 —North Staffordshire, 2% c. dis.—Shrewsbury and Hereford, 2/. Is. 3d. dis.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham, 91. 12s. 3d. Shares, (B), 3 1 4 dis.—South- Eastern and Dover, N 0.4, Thirds, 2 7 / 8 c. dis.—York, New castle, and Berwick (N. and B. Extension), No. 2,1% p.- Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), p. MANCLIESTER, JUNE 19. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Birkenhead, Lan cashire, Ridi ng. Union;, 334 c. dis.—Ditto, Pref. cashire, and Cheshire Junction 7% dis.—Lancashire and London and N ort h-W estern New Quar• 6 Yo p r e k r s c h e i n re t., 1.% ters, p.—Ditto, M. and B. Qua r t ers (A and 8 ),3 1 11-16 p. —Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Quarter Shares, No. 1,4% dis.—Ditto, Preference, par—Ditto (Grimsby), 201. Shares, 8 1 ,4 dis.—Ditto (Sheffieldand Lincolnshire), Vi 4 dis.—North British , Thirds, 2% c. dis.—North Staffordshire, 2% n. dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 2 13-16 c. dis. BIRMINGHAM, JUNE 19. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The only sales were—North Stafford shires, at 2% dis.—and Shrewsbury and Birmingham B's, 4/.135. 6d. dis. YORK, j raz 17 . STOCK Excitawax.—The business transacted to-day was Ber wick Extension, ,17 York, Newcastle, and (East and West Riding Extension), 31%. ,6— ork and North Midland as follows: —Great Norther&--Y E- :NARY F- .XTRAORDI- _ _RESERVATION OF LlFE.—Dur ing the last two or three days the respectable inhabi tants of Camden-town have been actively engaged in preparing and procuring signatures to a memorial to the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police and to the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, on behalf of William Trafford, police constable, 344 S, on account of the extraordinary and praiseworthy acts of intrepidity he performed on the morning of the 9th instant, in saving the lives of nine persons, who but for his single-handed exertion must have perished in the destructive fire which occurred at 61, College-place. It appears from the memorials that the fire broke out shortly after two o clock in the first floor front room, and that on Trafford's arrival he found the flames coming through the first and second floor windows, and two men in their night clothes were observed clinging from the tills of the second floor windows. Regardless of the consequences to himself, the constable called upon the poor creatures to drop into his arms and he would break their fall. They did so almost sin:mita- alightn e Trafford o usl y b in , betweensa u f t e t t y h e t in he te m rpo s without e na i tn t h i d o e nof the t ns slightest gptyeesn : e i in m ntj ; e : a a r n yu : (1 da b n o od i n Y et ht o oe f s o t t a h n e d r in w g i th t h e b u s t n o a ck sl s ig us h t t injury ainedny to the back. N T raffor dny . t he otwh falling it of the two men upon him, he having been informed that there were some women and children in the upper apartments, he burst open the street door, and, at the risk of his own life (the flames at this time having frightfully increased), he rushed three times through a dense and suffocating smoke, and brought down four children and one woman from the first, and two women (the wives of the men allude u dtedo ) ,and although from the second allndthe floor. This was all accomplished be fore an y en g i ne arrived. The house was completely gutted, above circumstances were known to the Fire Bri ga d e , the generous fe e lings of that body did not extend suffi ciently far to give an i n timation . of the facts to the re porter who reported the fire , lest it might tend to throw their exertions into the shade. It is stated that the policeman Trafford received some slight injury, and there is but one feeling on the part of the inhabitants, and that is that such a praiseworthy example to the po lice generally ought not to go unpublished and unre warded. t n he a was G r a s matter s _ NEW CORN ExcuANGE AT EDINDURGII.---The Corn-market is held weekly , . and is both a stock and sample market. The great increase. of tr ade . in this market since the opening of the various railways, has of f n u d r e g r e e n d t an necessity. enlargement Aboutin t he . a emmapdoewtoerPinagrltihaemmenttobpyutrlrnacuituy. of Edinburgh for an Act properties yaecacormgm oo app licationali market—a large open square in the ancient part of the city—and to erect a new corn exchange of such dimen sions as to meet the increased wants of the trade. The new edifice is to be in the Italian style of architecture, with a clock and bell tower at one end. Contracts have been entered into for tLa erection of the building, th e estimated expense of which is about 7,60 . 0/. The de s i gn has been suppli e d by Mr. David Cousin, architect, su perintendent of public works for t he cit y of Edinb urgh. —Builder. MEETING IN POPLAR.—On—On Friday evening, a numerously att en d e d meeting of the inhabitants of the pariah of All S a i nts, P o plar, was held in the Town-hall, for the purpose of taking into consideration the necessity of Passing resolutions in support of Mr. Hume's motion, and presenting a petition to the House of Commons in its favour. The Town-hall was crowded on the occa sion. Mr. Jeves, Churchwarden, was voted in the chair by acclamation. A series of resolutions , a ffi rming the necessity of further reform, was then proposed and car ried unanimously, and the meeting separated. A NOBLE FEMALE PEDESTRIAN.—In 1776 the Duchess of Charteris beat her husband in a foot race of 200 yards for 200 guineas. The Duchess was allowed to secure her petticoats above the knees of her drawers.. TU. SDA Y EVENING, JUNE 20 , 1848. EVIPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, June 19. Their Lordships met at F►ve o'clock. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented several petitions against any alteration in the navigation-laws. The Earl of GALLOWAY presented a petition from some place in Ireland against the Scottish Registration Bill. RAILWAY GAUGES. Lord REDESDALE asked whether it was the inten tion of the Railway Commissioners to oppose the intro duction into any private Bill of any provisions for alter ing the gauge of any railway, authorised to be con structed by any Act which had passed prior to the passing of the Gauge Act in 1846; whether they propose to bring in a Bill to alter and amend the Gaugo Act ; whether any report has been prepared by them upon the subject ; or whether they intend to recommend that the consideration of the same shall be postponed to the next session of Parliament. Earl GRANVILLE was understood to say that there were several Bills before Parliament containing clauses authorising the companies to alter the gauges, which clauses the Commissioners would feel bound to oppose. An experiment was now going on as to a mixed gauge, and the Railway Commissioners would not come to any determination on the subject until that experiment had been fairly tried. Under present circumstances, they were not disposed to introduce any Bill on the subject. In reply to a question from a NOBLE LORD, whose name we could not learn, Earl GRANVILLE said that the attention of the Railway Commissioners had been directed to the subject of the necessity of increasing the number of guards on passenger trains, in consequence of the late serious ac cident at Wolverton; and Mr. Simmons, one of the rail way inspectors, was now in communication with Mr. Hewett on the subject. The Commissioners had no power to enforce such regulations; but he must do the companies the justice to say that they had attended most readily to any suggestions which had been made to them by the Railway Board. IRELAND. Lord FARNHAM, in putting a question of which he had given notice, on the subject of the discontinuance of the drainage of certain works in the county of Cavan, and the dismissal by the Board of Works of the labourers employed thereon, said that 4,500 persons had been dis missed at a moment's notice, and this at a time of the year—between the sowing season and the hay harvest— when employment was very difficult to obtain. Since the 20th of December last no less than Bs. 4d. in the pound, by two rates, one of ss. and the other of 3s. 4d., had been levied on the parish, which was in a most im poverished district. Another rate, therefore, for the re lief of those unhappy people could not be made, and he did not see how it was possible that they could be sup ported. He had that day received a memorial from 600 of these poor men, accompanied by a certificate from the Archbishop of the diocese and the magistrates of the lo cality, setting forth their lamentable condition. And ho might himself state, as a constant resident in the district, that during the whole of the time in which the men had been employed on the public works, not one of them had been charged with theft, and their conduct had been most exemplary since their dismissal. He hoped, there fore, the Government would raise the money to continue the works. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE (who was all but inaudible in the gallery) was understood to say that the Government had received information of the stoppage of the drainage. The subject was most interesting to the Government, and not the less so on account of the good conduct of the men who had been dismissed. The works in question were not, however, carried on by the Government grants, but by the Board of Works on the application of particular individuals--either public bodies or private individuals; and there had been in this case, unfortunately, a default of payment on the part of those persons. Out of 52,0001., which the works were to cost, only 4,500/. had been raised by private loans, and, therefore, it had become necessary to stop the works. It was much to be regretted that they should have been stopped at this particular season; but the board could not have proceeded with these particular works without abstracting the funds from other works in other parts of the country.—(Hear.) Earl FITZ WILLIAM read the terms of the motion of which he had given notice for Friday next, expres sing the thanks of the House to the Executive in Ireland for past measures of relief, and calling on the Govern ment for further legislation for that country. Lord BROUGHAM doubted the propriety of a vote of panegyric before the Earl of Clarendon's adminis tration had terminated; but he did not wish to be con sidered adverse to any such vote when it could with pro priety be brought on. IRISH POOR-LAW. Lord MONTEAGLE moved resolutions to the fol lowing effect:—That the circular letters of the Irish provisions of the Ist and 2d Vict., c. 56, sect. 53 , 54, and ( P li o r e ee r a a w change Cmm i s p i roancetriscedaattedvatrhiaen2e3ed withof M th ay e , d l i B r 4 e B ci the 10th Vict., c. 81, sect. 8, 10; that such a change in the administration of the law, if shown to be necessary and expedient, can only be carried into effect by the authority of the Legislature; that any orders issued, or authority claimed or exercised by any administrative department, to alter or set aside the law of the land, is of dangerous precedent, and demands the immediate at tention of the House, more especially when such orders are issued during the session, when the sense of Parlia ment might have been taken on the question." The quarter-acre clause introduced into the last poor-law was not a peculiar hardship on Ireland, for it was nothing more than what had been the practice in England for a long time past. Even the owner of a cottage in this country; was not entitled to relief. The quarter-acre clause, combined with that clause which prohibited relief to the families of per sons not entitled, completely prohibited relief to the families of persons holding more than a quarter of an acre of land. But the Commissioners, by their circular of the 23d of May, had absolutely done away with this restriction, thereby offering a bounty on the retention of land, and placing those who persisted in holding it in a better position than those who had given up their holdings. It was a direct inducement to the poor to neglect their natural duties and set the law at defiance. If the quarter-acre clause was wrong, let it be repealed, but not set aside by the authority of the Commissioners. There was the case of a man who held twelve acres of land, and who, nevertheless, sought parochial relief, and had been declared entitled to it by the Commissioners. While the relief works were going on, the strongest ground of complaint was that occupiers of land were so employed, and an order was made to strike such par ties off the lists. How was this principle to be re conciled with the recent acts of the Poor-law Com missioners ? It seemed their first circular bad been construed as a general order applicable to all cases ; but in a second circular they explained that it referred only to particular cases ; and this was equally an in fraction of the principle of the law. If the circular was equally applicable to all unions it was in the character of a general order, and ought only to have been issued by the authority of the Irish Government, counter signed by the chief secretary. By assuming the power of granting relief to persons holding any quantity of land the Commissioners had struck the most fatal blow at the administration of the poor-law in Ireland ; and the communications he had received from that country con firmed the worst anticipations that had been entertained as to the effect of this circular. In some unions the applications for relief had doubled. Lord Carew, Lord- Lieutenant of the county of Wexford—a county which was least burdened by poor-rate—in a letter which be had addressed to the Commissioners, expressed his be lief that all the abuses of the relief works would be re-introduced, and the occupiers of land might eontinue on their holdings, after sending their wives and familes to the workhouse. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he was not at n r i s n e f d h that a N t e t b h es Friend,sub subject' s a h n o d u dr shavelandlordsattract e g d e n t h e Et_ a r t a h a ti lt l e e l s y n N u . tri n op b le Agreeing Lord, e a n s dh in e did t n e i n i w m p u n c r h t that had n f the fallen su subject, hehopedtobeabletoindu it wcethneurd be ob forleL hotrdatt House owith draw his motion. To adopt to pronounce an opinion that the Commissioners, who were acting under the direction of the law officers of the Crown, had acted illegally. The only explanation he had to give of the circular, which had been hastily is• sued, and applied generally instead of being made to apply to particular cases, was, that it was done on an emergency, and with the humane view of preventing a great amount of suffering, and perhaps loss of life. He admitted, as fully as his Noble Friend, that no order of the Commissioners ought to contravene or set aside a principle of law; also that every occupier of land ought to bo made responsible for the support of his family. It was the intention of the Commissioners to issue an other order, guarding against the possibility of the cir cular referred to being drawn into any kind of abuse', by limiting its application to the very extremecases. Where a person holding land refused to give it up, and allowed his family to starve, he ought to be punished, and it was the duty of the Commissioners to see that he was pu nished; but all they were enabled to do by law was to take possession of any property he might have, either on the land or in his house. No time whatever would be lost in issuing a general order stating that relief was not to be given except in particular cases, the circumstances of which were to be speedily considered; and this being so, he hoped his Noble Friend would suspend his motion for the present. Lord BROUGHAM had not fully orieen ndseet af heoaoar r.family hear.) thecould nialmost os tEtb consideredmntyvoosoe throwing ot ns t mht supportecei breakr ft e yh ff e he ggpe t l e a th w ada , but was inclined to think that the Irish law re, officers whetherut,cstshteereabswere borne out in the view they had taken. But otnneeewvt ever r l aw e break xi w st e e t r d h:r through the very framework of society—that of a man holding 12, or, it might be, 1,200 acres of land, releasing himself differedfrom t he m uthpwen with ht obligation the e rairs parish.—(Hear, h o l. a— s w u c p oa p ffie o ca r er t the first resolution of his Noble Friend ; for any reso lution of that House, professing to declare what was the law, was absolutely worthless ; for the other House might pass a resolution directly contrary. He was glad the attention of the House had been called to the matter on account of the explanation it had elicited from the Noble Marquis. The Duke of RICHMOND thought it would be bet ter to introduce a short declaratory Act, making the receipt of parochial relief by any member of the family of a person holding land tantamount to the forfeiture of his occupation. Such persons could not be too severely punished. Lord REDESDALE said if the principle was once ad mitted of giving relief to occupiers of land, it was im possible to say to what it might lead. Lord CAMPBELL said that a person neglecting to maintain his family was clearly punishable, whether in England or Ireland; and the refusal to give up land was prima facie evidence that a man was not destitute. The circular of the Commissioners certainly led to the infer ence that relief might be generally given in such cases, and, in so far, went to set aside the quarter-acre clause. But that clause was not a positive prohibition of relief to the wife or family; it was never the intention of the Legislature that any persons should perish of hunger. Had the circular been a little more explicit the objection to it would not have arisen. In Ireland the clause bad been construed as a positive prohibition. Cases of great hardship had arisen in consequence, and hence the issuing of the circular. He hoped the motion would bo withdrawn, as its effect would, doubtless, be attained. The Earl of ST. GERMANS was glad to hear that an amended order was about to be issued, authorising relief in extreme cases without compelling a man to give up his land. Lord BEAUMONT considered that the assistance of Parliament was necessary to relieve those who had the administration of the law from the difficulty in which the law placed them, and carry out the original intention of the Legislature to assimilate the law in Ireland to that of England. Lord STANLEY observed that the Noble Lord (Monteagle) had assumed throughout his statement that the Poor-law Commissioners, first by their notice, and subsequently by their order, had taken upon themselves to set aside the law, and act in direct defiance of the Act of Parliament, whereas it appeared that they had acted according to the best interpretation the legal advisers of the Crown had given of that Act. The Noble Lord's resolution, therefore, would not be in accordance with the fact. With regard to the interpretation of the law officers of the Crown he was not competent to give an opinion, but with regard to the intention of the Legis lature, he did not see how it was possible that it could be more clearly expressed than it was in the Act itself. But he looked with great alarm at the opinion given by Mr. Henn, and sanctioned by the Attorney-General, that the possession of land should not exclude the plea of destitution, but that the possessor might, notwith standing, actually go before the board of guardians and claim relief. It was for the express purpose of exclud ing such persons that the enactment was passed, and if Mr. Ilenn's and the Attorney-General's interpretation of the law be sound, that enactment was entirely set aside and superseded. If they did not adhere to the " test" against the dictum of the Poor-law Commissioners, they would destroy the whole Bill, and :et in a flood of pauperism, by enabling persons to hold land which it was impossible they could cultivate, and thus involve landlord and tenant, and the paupers themselves, in one common ruin, and subject the country to one common state of destitution, misery, and death, from which even the resources of this great empire would not suffice to rescue Ireland. Lord MONTEAGLE made a few remarks in reply, and concluded by withdrawing the motion. Their Lordships (at Eight o'clock) adjourned to Thursday next. HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 19. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'Clock. Mr. CORNWALL LEIGH took the oaths and his seat for North Cheshire, in the room of Mr. E. J. Stanley, who has been elevated to the Peerage. LORDS' AMENDMENTS. The Lords' amendments to the following Bills were agreed to:— Battle-bridge and Holloway-road Act Repeal Bill. Liverpool Gas Light Company and Liverpool New Gas and Coke Company Amalgamation Bill. Patent Galvanizd Iron Company Bill. THIRD REAbINGS. The following Bills were read a third time:— Caledonian Railway (Branches connecting the Clydes dale Junction and Wishaw and Coltness Railways, &c.) Dundee and Arbroath Railway (Dundee Junction). Dundee and Perth Railway (Dundee Junction). Dundee and Perth Railway (Lease of the Dundee and Arbroath Railway). Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monklands Junction Railway (Amendment of Acts). Whitehaven Junction Railway (Extension, Alteration, and Branches, &c.) Windsor, Staines, and South-Western Railway Act (No. 1) 1847 (Slough Extension and Deviations) (No. 2). Wishaw and Coltness Railway (Deviation Connecting Branch and Improvement). York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Great North of England, Clarence and Hartlepool Junction Railway, and Hartlepool Dock and Railway Leasing). ABERDEEN RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL CAPI TAL) BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a third time, Mr. HINDLEY opposed the motion on the ground that although the company had been authorised to raise an immense sum of money from which the original shareholders could never expect to derive any adequate return, they now sought by this Bill to raise an addi tional sum by the creation of new shares, seeking power at the same time to guarantee interest at the rate of ten per cent. to those who should take up the new shares thus to be created. Why, Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds had been drained by railway com panies, and it was monstrous for this company to endea your to obtain powers like those they sought, which would have the effect of draining the resources of the country, if similar powers were granted to other com panies, to an extent which would be most injurious to its commerce. He wished to know if it was competent for him to move that the clause in the Bill be altered from 10 to 6 per cent. The SPEAKER said it was not competent for the Hon. Gentleman to do so as he had not given notice of his intention, in which case his amendment should have been printed in the votes. Mr. BERNAL said as the Bill had emanated from his small tribunal up stairs, it was incumbent upon him to explain the grounds upon which he had passed it. The Hon. Gentleman then stated that the Bill was abso lutely necessary to enable the company to proceed with its undertaking, and that if it was not acceded to the original shareholders, whom the Lion. Gentleman seemed to commiserate, would be unfairly dealt with. The Bill was then read a third titne and passed. ESDAILE'S CHARITY ESTATE BILL. This Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. REPORTS. The following reports were considered and agreed to:— Burntislaad Harbour Improvement Bill. Dover Harbour Bill. PARLIAMENTARX REFORM. Mr. M'GREGOR presented a petition agreed to at a meeting held at Glasgow on the 6th of June, stating that the taxation of the country was oppressive, and praying for an extension of the suffrage, vote by ballot, electoral districts, and triennial Parliaments. He also presented a number of similar petitions from workmen and others at Glasgow, and from other places in Scotland. Mr. G. DUNCAN presented several petitions from places in Scotland to the same effect. An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition to the same effect from Oldham. LUNATICS ASYLUM BILL. Mr. GEORGE DUNCAN presented a petition from Scotland against the Lunatics Asylum Bill. SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS. The HON. MEMBER also presented a petition against the system now adopted throughout the country in granting licenses for the sale of spirituous liquors. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented petitions from Westminster in favour of Parliamentary reform. Petitions to the same effect were presented by Mr. Glyn, Mr. G. Thompson (one of which was in favour of the Charter) ; Dr. Bowring, from Saffron Walden ; Mr. Mowatt, from a place in Cornwall ; and Col. Thomp son, from Manchester and Preston. TIIE EXCISE. Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition from St. Ives in favour of the reduction of the duty upon tea coffee, windows, and paper. STAI.EYBRIDGE. Mr. HINDLEI presented a petition from Staley bridge, setting forth the value of the property of the town, and the capital invested in its trade; and praying that the town might be permitted to return a Member to represent its interests in Parliament. MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND. Mr. BAINES presented a petition from Hull against this Bill, and complained that the central management was placed in the Trinity House. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Colonel SALWEY presented petitions from Ludlow and Shropshire in favour of Parliamentary reform. Captain BERKELEY presented a petition from the inhabitants of Chelsea, and 111 from Bristol to the same effect. Colonel REID presented 22 petitions in favour of the extension of the franchise. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented 51 petitions, pray ing for a reduction in the national expenditure. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir mingham in favour of Parliamentary reform. Mr. BANNERMAN presented a petition from the merchants and shipowners of Hartlepool against any al teration in the navigation laws. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented a petition from Rochdale in favour of Parliamentary reform. Mr. HODGES and Mr. JOHN Everts presented petitions to the same effect. M . r. HUDSON presented a petition from Sunderland against the sale of intoxicating liquors on the Sabbath. Mr. FORBES presented a petition in favour of vote by ballot. Mr. COBDEN presented a large number of numer ously signed petitions praying for Parliamentary reform. Mr. HUME presented a still more extensive batch of petitions, all praying for Parliamentary reform; one of them was from the city of Edinburgh, signed by 14,600 persons, all of whom gave their addresses. SUSPENDED WRITS. Sir J. PAKINGTON said, as it was desirable to bring on the question of the sugar duties at as early a period of the evening as possible, i t was not his inten tion to bring forward the mo tion which stood in his 'name on the paper, with regard to the issuing of new writs for Derby and , other places. SUGAR DITTIES. —WEST INDIES. The Hort. Ma sit said he would also avail himself of Mutt opportunity of stating th a t it was not his inten tion to bring forward the motion of which he had given notice respecting the sugar duties. Upon turther consideration he had found t h at the plan proposed by her Majesty's Government had creat e d so much dissatisfaction that it was his intention to sub stitute a resolution amounng to a direct neg a ti ve t o t h a t proposed by the Goee ti rnment. Mr. CARDWELL. said, con s id er i ng t h at the plan of the Government involved an alteration of the Bill of 1846, and made changes n o t on l y i n t h e rate of the duties, but also in the mo d e o f l evy i ng t h em , and a ff ected t he law with respect to the position in which this country stood as regarded the slave trade, and also the magnitude of the interests involved, he thought that the time for the consideration of this question by the H ouse oug ht t o b e ex t en d e d. I The question he wished to put was, whether it was not due to the House and the country that more time should be given for the consideration of this question, which was one of so complicated a nature, and whether the Govern ment did not think they ought to follow the precdent of 1846, when temporary Bills were passed continuing for a month the existing duties. Mr. E. ELLICE was satisfied that nothing would do so much injury to the West India interest as allow in g the matter to remain in suspense. In his opinion the people in the colonies ought to know what they had to depend on. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER t' 011 " curred with the observations that had just been made by the Right Hon. Gentleman. He thought it would be much more satisfactory to all parties that some det sion should be come to upon the subject. Tbe.r eel and substantial question for the decision of the House was stated on Friday night, and he thought the sooner the House came to a decision upon •the question whether further protection should be e'e n than was proposed by the Government, the better. Sir J. PAKINGTON presented a petition from the bankers and citizens of London, agreed to at a meeting held that morning, convened for the purpose of cowl: tiering the proposal of her Majesty's Government with respect to the %Vest Indies, and praying the House to reject the proposal. The Hon. Baronet moved that th petition be read at length by the clerk at the tabl e ' On coming to a passage which referred to a recent ststr talent by the Noble Lord in the matter, The SPEAKER interrupted the Clerk, and state d that the reference to the recent debate in that House. and the statement of the Noble Lord, the first Minister of the Crown, was informal. res ohi; Mr. GLAI)STONE said the parties, as the tions had not been laid on the table, were driven to t_ D ie alternative of referring to the observations of the Nopi Lord.—(hear.) They had no doubt committed en gularity, but he could not see how they could bare ob viated it. Sir R. H. INGLIS said the resolutions were printer. that morning, and might have been purchased for be l i e penny, so that the parties, as the meeting WAS not he '" until mid-day, might have easily procured copies. e , Sir J. PAKINGTON then presented a petition 1: 1 '2 . 1 the Mauritius Association, stating that they had Tr [ e; the proposition of the Government with great disa b ui that it would provide no remedy to the colonies; e n praying the House to reject it. Mr. CARDWELL presented a p e titi o n front , - th e West India Association of Li ver p oo l, stat i n g that proposition of the Governm en t wou ld b e tota lly inn— quate to meet the great distress in the colony. IRELAND. Sir B. HALL moved for a return similar to t,! which had been presented to the H ouse o f Lords; v r i d which a Member of the other House of Parliament l ' 0 d de Freyne, and three other gentlemen re s id e nt in Irels 0 ; were charged with misappropriating the a dvances e lk trusted to them under the Land Improvement Aew should call the attention of the House and the Goe e '; ment to the matter on Friday next, as the perso o . o question had violated the 29th section of the Act, W hi th e provided that the wages of persons employed ou public works should be paid in the coin of the rettlg'„ o The return will, therefore, be procur e d from the 1300 of Lords. DISMISSAL OF JUDGES IN VAN DIEMEiI LAND. In reply to Mr. C. ANSTEY, Mr. HAWES stated that th e C o l on i a l-office be ceived no further information on this subject. 0 11 Mr. ANSTEY gave notic e th a t on t h e first SO., night he should bring the whole subject under the CO sideration of the House. t o Mr. HUME wished to kno w w h e th er a ny pro to had been made for the administration of justice in colony ? the Mr. HAWES said he was not abl e to envier question. WEST INDIA QUESTION. „ te Mr. HAWES then proceed e d to address the 1 3 °Z,,bie the West India question. H e un d ers t oo d that the l'"; e 1 Lord the Member for King's Lynn on Friday se c° 1 , 0 his Noble Friend the Secretary for th e C o lonies of he.o ing withheld from the West India Committee is ce the dispatch, and he had taken the trouble to bring doWn fot original dispatch to show the Noble L or d the Meffi ber dis- King's Lynn that he was mistaken. Now on this patch there was a memorandum in his Noble Kr ie fr li t he handwriting, representing it to b e hi s o pinion tha n be dispatch ought to be laid before the Committee, el ) T flo s was not aware until Saturd a y th a t the diree fi t l y or of his Noble Friend to forw ar d th e di s p a t c h to the '.. ° be ' mittee had been neglected. The o m i ss i o n, bows/ I 'W had ascertained occurred in th e h urr y o f b u siness/ when the House considered th e i mmen se ansoe ll. o re s business carried on at the Colonial- o ffi ce , be we' s 00; that the House would admit that the omission witb e s so highly reprehensible as the Noble Lord the M e :oot fur Kings' Lynn represented it to be. It wa s soli stlf the intention of his Noble Friend or I— i bi to withold any information of any importance Iron House or the Committee. MR. HUME'S MOTION. 1 , t the Mr. FREWEN said, as it had been reported t"e-tbot debate on the West India colonies would not elL e° , - ber evening, he wished to know whether the Hon. Dl ° : io od (Mr. Hume) intended to press his motion whi ch - on Mr. the H pa U per for to-morrow. eti eri ME replied that it was certainly hishitie, dee , to proceed with the motion of whi c h h e h a d giVe n ;oo . and that nothing on his part would lead to apY pon ement. WEST INDIAN DISTRESS. tha t the On the motion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL' ~ sop° Speaker do now leave the Chair and the Hou se k - i e e b b e itself into a Committee upon the resolutions w" - ,. - „ tee proposed on Friday last, with respect to distress "- West Indies, , ne vi/ Mr. E. ELLICE rose and said, the deeply m e ' s , - jadis interest with which the affairs of the We s "„ k i be colonies was viewed throughout the country w ° _" A T e ele some apology for his opposing the motion of b" ts is Friend, in order that they might endeavour to o we • from her Majesty's Gover n m ent some further ex P__ l ee tion of the views they entert a i ne d with respect to present state of those colonies. Sir J. PAKINGTON interrupted the for the purpose of asking him whether or not h f e r c :ket• give him permission, before he proceeded any o u . ce , to move the amendment of which he had given n tl re . Mr. ELLICE skid his particular object wa s to pia lion. Biel vent the 1-lon. Gentleman moving his arnen d t nent; , h . his (Mr. Mice's) opinion the question now befo r de p House had been too much narrowed, and he 00051 Ae rs• that there were graver and more serious cons'', to. tions which must yet be brought under th e I of: lic view before the question could be dispose di. There could be no doubt of the ruinous °t i le. tion and distressed state of the West India ',jig. nies at the present moment. An extent of t he tress and ruin existed in them unparalleled in e ly history of any country. Now, what was the rep r o. proposed by the Noble Lord at the head of the Go Ye at. m ent? The Noble Lord's remedy was an experite-es He proposed to lend 500,0001. to the colonies. I v ol/ , ' wouldsttd able b d l e v sn e et : tufururiret security.—(Hear, — o m s o( a Hr y e e that aurs:l he s es O sa C 500,0001. ryas purpose, u w t a so rnever b re e w l I l e s ?: them to regard was, the probable temper in project of Indies.of' th e What t er i n e m eli e n n g t s would would i b t e n - o r t ec e e x i c r w e it d e l c icillh ii _v, • ! roe ° blishments in Jamaica, in British Guiana, and else could, of course, no longer be maintained after thi s 2,ol4 arrived. They would be throw n u Th e owners 7,0' be engulphed in a common ruin. p Under such nircne- se stances, let him ask wh a t did t h e G overn ment P r 7ost to do? It such were the effect of these resolutions, dl did his Noble Friend propose to do? As things 51r e e o r stood, what was the position of public affairs 4 1 9 0 0 1 rara?' The Council there had appealed to the ti e o ls' Government for a reduction of 25 per cent. in the ries of the officials of the colony, on the '",„ s sitr able plea that with reduced means they could IWt tain their former expenditure. Earl Grey reflr e oei listen to this appeal. What was the consequenosti t heir the colony had refused any further supplies, e r i kloql grievances were redressed.—(Hear, hear.) la' s w ow Friend might rely upon it that a similar aspect t fedis very speedily be presented by all our other %Ve s tio colonies.—(Hear, he a r.) For the last two years " o f 0 0 ; penses of Jamaica had come out of the pockets bes t./ merchants, but this could not continue.— He ar ' it sri The total expense of the government of Janielei . peered, was 300,001. per annum, of which 36,0 0 v ~s,/ in the collection of the revenue alone—(h ear' Net l e while 55,0001. was spent in civil salaries , 23, ileel judicial, and 30,0001. in ecclesiastical. Did his woe' a Friend imagine that this enormous expenditurne_.„ve be much longer borne by the impoverished c ole y : s ,7d e t (Hear, hear)—and if he did not suppose this, 110._pe,,, intend to keep up the establishments of the Of , 1 401 did he intend to keep the colony at all?—(Hef, o, oo ol. ' He wholly objected to the proposed gra nt of. n e ° we eeP . even supposing the colonists would take the O. which he did not believe they would, he regalrt 'list principle involved as altogether unsound. l' ito stef, moment, numbers of the less favourablY 'wed/ es tates in our West India colonies were ors abandoned, and the cultivation of a great Inan g tes s i was on the point of being given up.—(Hear') „lo g . just possible that by the application without th° some judicious remedy, by the better a djustineln o l o telf demand and supply of labour, the estates not ab s d th e . given up might yet be retained in cultivati on, e,O tes t c oloured population be saved from involvement ' s t eei ruin which had fallen upon the white, but do wil e s! , might, the present proprietors were almost to a °Frier retrievably ruined.—(Hear, hear.) His N0b1e.,,,. th e in the course of his speech on Friday had, adoetli7 theory prevalent at th e C o lonial-office, where t: 01 4 pression seemed to be that the West India Pisel er f tbl if a reckless improvident race, who knew nothing ° c oca; business, which the Colonial-office itself was el , ? e ll_ e d potent to conduct—(Hear, hear)—his Noble Frl.tiogb, echoed the cry that the West India planters bad hr_ le ce• ruin upon upon their own heads by their extra!leeeft The investigations of the recent Committee, 1 2,°_ iov isr had at once shown that the nostrums of the . t. , ,; st fo' office were wholly inapplicable, and that the vv_ e oe ste; dians, so far from being chargeable with reckless t?; fulness, had applied the utmost care, and e t R; et . management to the attempted preservation property.—(Hear, hear.) Every new inV e r7..„ e sti_ in cultivation, every new machine had bee s n bo wed t e n t adopted, but to no effect, and the evidence "I,ir omuarn own w o n f otohleosoeieuzfhoardtuntraatensfmererne,d dtrhiveeirn skill, and their machines, to Cuba and other of 01, colonies, which held out to them some prospen.,t_ret existence.—(Hear, hear.) Already we were t o _r_.' is tio in our West India colonies had been reduced to do ff o the proportion of the white to the coloured p per e t n e rdeeltrlieglar despair, ' 3 ' ken cent., and this small number was bec.ou3l°,go,glisi,, smaller, by the withdrawal, in utter „„ families. Unless some very decided steps w w his; no ..„ 0 the way of relief, there would, ere long, r ev bear) -'41-m population at all left in the colonies—(Het! _ ra pe; the whole of the little trade that would 1 .2 e1 ; r eeel" there, falling into its natural chum', wow"