The Sun. — London, England, 1852-04-02 00:00:00

THE existing law of the land, and a s to whom the British asylum to refugees fleeing from the t e o ff t e i c e t t s en o d f t p h o e l i i r tic r a ig l h c t on to - Government might take steps. But it was not likeothe o r f • subsequent communications from the Governments eenfe \ a ' ff u o L r i d 'n tl B ;:t n i d iosp v i o t u a l li d ry n . ot .13)it e r t e l a i d a y t was not the whole case. den,- They were not satisfied with merely seeking an asylum Russia, Austrie, and Prussia, or the Germanic t of a E nd ng to lar d d ist a u s rb a L m h e e a t n r s an ° - f tion-an application to do more than the law would ' enablerightand here,a d r p . d r That werelya s thethe points strong which point .but t o l c os t e e t used the , t ,s h t e m p ty ret a e g c a ti i i ns i to the French Government to explain the nature and justin tent q ta u k i, e l n it i v n ) :o t f h, f , i s i e re f ig or n eig co n u p n o t w ri e e r s s . of that communication. Now, Sir, when these tions were made to me I stated that the, represents- FrenchGo- our law did not meet as regarded foreigners. But if any vernment had at different times possessed powers foreigner or Englishman were to be, guilty of similar 'sets granted by Alien Acts, but that these powers never against England, he would be guilty of treason oi• sedition, went to the object to which they wished the action of so that they were, in fact, carryi ng out se di t i on an d t reason the British Government to be directed-(Hear, hear)- aga inst their own Governments. T• is was an • anomaly of that England cook care of her own tranquillity , and B e ver which toreien Governments had a right to complain. He pretended to look after that of other countries-(Hear, hear) (SirJ. Walsh) was net prep are d to enact l aws to meet t h is -that they would look after their own interest, and that the case, but he was of opinio n th at t h ere was a stronger p r i ma power given by former Alien Acts would i he that the facie case on the part of foreign powers than Gentlemen .. - op- Government was enabled to seed out of the country any posite were ready to admire There was a gross abuse of the foreigners whose presence in the cow try was dangerous to hospitality of this country on the part of refugees, and their this country, and detrimental to its i n t ern al tranquillity - sense of propriety ought to i n du c e them to abstain from acts (Hear, hear)-and that it was in vain for them to ask us to which involved the chance of perilling friendly relations do that which not only the present law did not enable us to between their own countries and that which had given them do, but to disenable us to do that fur which no further Act shelter. He had no sympathy with most of those refugees could be asked from Parliament, P ar li a ment would who had done much by their acts to put an end to Constitu consult to give.- (Hear. ) But , took the liberty of tional monarc all ee hy aver Europe, and if this country afforded and no no pa I stating, further, that I thought there was gr eat exaggeration them an asylutheitn ' t r as not necessary p also to afford them its • of the dangers which could arise to any foreign country from sympathy the presence here of an y f oreign refugees. Sir, there is Mr. V. SMITH concurred with the Right Hon. Gentleman • nothing, it seems to roe, upon which Walpole), opinion goes so far (M r . Wal ile ' , and with the Noble Lord (Palmerston), beyond fact as in the idea that refugees can effect any con- that if an angry ) discussion on this subject had been brought siderable mischief in the country from which they h ave to a satisfactory close, it was unwise to revive it.-(Hear, fled. Why, how are they to do it- By exciting di scon t ent hear.) The motion of the lion. Member for Pontefract, through letters or other incentives to insurrection. The however, was intended to elicit a little information from the effect of a cause depends not only on the cause itself, but Government, and he (Mr. V. Smith) desired to extract a very much on the condition of the thing on which that li tt l e more. Wh at h e wante d to k now was , w h et h er cause is to operate. Sir, a slight spark may blow up a B r i t i s h su bj ects h a d b een su bj ecte d to any a ddi tiona l incon p w eer magazine; while a blazing torch will burn out ven i ence i n consequence o f non - comp li ance on th e p art o f ha o rmless on a turnpike-road.-(Cheers and laughter.) If our Government with the demands made upon them? a country be in a state of internal or suppressed discontent, With regard to the Austrian correspondence, he must say be alight indications may augment it, and produce an explo- thought it rather an unusual prectice to compliment a new sion t but if the country be well governed, and if the people Government upon its accession to office. Prince Schwer zen be satisfied and contented, little proclamations and commu- berg. however, seemed to think otherwise; and he (Mr. . nications which may be received from refugees will be as V. Smith) supposed that " Dear Derby," and nut "Ce harmless as waste paper.-(Hear, hear.) I endeavoured cher Aberdeen," would henceforward be the formal ex with great deference to impress that idea on foreign Govern- .pression of that statesman when addressing dispatches to this ments, who then represented that perhaps these refugees country.-( A laugh. ) might send money ! Why, good heavens, Sir!-the money Mr. B. COCHRANE said that it appeared that the Aus which these unhappy refugees have, who are living in trian Government had only placed British travellers under leedesings in back alleys, m an y o f th em even o f t h e l owest t h e same regulations as these of other countries. He corn class, and can mousy ray for their subsistence-(Hear, hear) plained of the tone and language adopted by several Hon. -is there any dan ger lik e l y t o ao ee to foreign Governments Members in the present debate, and contended that such a from .money sent by such persons?-=( Hear, hear, eea a manner of discussing foreign affairs was calculated to do. laugh.) Then, Sir, I was told, " See, here are notes issued serious lb j ury t o our relations with foreign powers. He.con- , by Mazzini, for 50 francs each, in return for money depo- tended that the dispatch of the Austrian Minister, which sited, and to be repaid when an Italian Unitive Republic was said to contain a "menace," was written just after a shall be established."-(Laughter.) Why, Sir, I did not speech d -livered by M. Mazzini, in which be spoke " of think that danger from this source was very imminent.- establishing an organisation, to spread through England the (Hear, hear.) Then, again, it was said that a banker had facts relating to the struggles and sufferings of Italy, and so received an application from some of those parties to open an that she might receive a moral assistance In those struggles." account with him. But, Sir, up to that time not a farthing Austria had cause to be alarmed, if she supposed such an had been paid to that account. -. (Laughter.) Then it was organisation was on foot. He thought that the conduct of said that if money could not be sent arms might go. And no ' Englishmen to General Haynau, conduct which.was atonce doubt one did hear of some 200 muskets destined for these cowardly and inhospitable, was quite parallel with the con purposes. But how are the refugees to get arms (in any duct of the Austrian troops in. Tuscany.-( Hear, hear.) .He - formidable quantity) unless they can get money ?-(Hear.) was astonished at this motion proceeding from his.. Hon. • • And Ido not think that notes payable on such an eventuality Friend, who had always been received most hospitably at the • as I have described are likely to send arms in quantities at Courts which he now took upon himself to attack. all considerable into foreign countries.-(Hear, hear, and a Sir H. VERNieY was understood to say that the whole laugh.) Besides, the arms are articles which it is ex- English nation ought to be grateful to the Noble Lord, the tremely difficult t o smuggle; and any country is, of course, Member for Tiverton, mainly in consequence of whose con ' bound to look after its own interests, and to give orders to duct it was that the cases mentioned that evening, of in prevent the arms from being imported.--( Hear, hear.) j ur i e s aid insults to British subjects abroad, were exceptions '• Well, then, if their letters will not produce revolution ; if and not the rule. The Noble Lord was competent above all their money is not forthcoming; and if their arms are next men to give advice on such a subject as this; and he (Sir to nothing, it is said they may send men. But the moment H. Verney) hoped that the Hon. Member for Pontefract '• any foreigner begins to enrol men in this country for the would act upon the suggestion which had been offered him. purpose of military occupations in another, we have a law to -(Hear, hear.) prevent those practices.--(Hear.) They cannot be concealed; Mr. HENLEY, after some preliminary observations, said • you are enabled by the law (a law which no doubt the Go- he believed that any Government existing in this country vernment would execute) to put down such proceedings must always act upon the principle that British subjects, in • against a friendly power.-( Hear, bear.) And, Sir, I felt it any part of the world, must be carefully protected. The . my duty to point ou t to t h ose fore i gn Governments that al- Noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) had referred, in humourous ,though it was not entirely unnatural, considering the dif- terms, to the Austrian dispatch, in which complimentary ferent organization of continental countries from ours, that language was used in respect to Lord Derby's Government; they shiand feel these apprehensions, that, besides our not but that dispatch must be reed in reference to the declare being able. to relieve them., there was not so much toundetion tion of the present Government as no their foreign policy, • for them as , they appeared to imagine; and that, however, and not in reference to the pre.erence ot the Austrian Go there had been granted (as was stated ia 1848) a consider- vernment of any one set of gentlemen over any other set able number of passports by the British consuls or diplomatic of Gentlemen sitting as Ministers -(Hear.) As regarded agents to persons not British subjects, I thought it was right the dispatch up, n ..hick the Hun. Member for Pontefract to do so. It was done in a time of great commotion in had laid so much stress, as c,mveying a menace, he (Mr. Euri pe; and the passports were given to persons ef all states Henley) considered that it applied nut to British eubjncts. -to Royalists of France, Republicans at,Rome, and Hunga- proper but to persons travelling abroad with English pass ,. rians in the east of Europe; to every man, in fact, who was purts and, so tar as he knew, tie believed that no iucoo flying from immi nent d anger, an d w i s hi ng to withdraw him- venience had arisen to any one British subject in cense , self from that country in which his presence might create had of the intimation ut the Austrian Government. lie • disturbance-( Hear, hear)-and they were assi s ted by the only, in conclusion, to say that the best way of dealing British Gov ernment, not only as an act of great charity to with the motion, would be as suggested by the Noble Lord, the individuals themselves, but as contributing much to the the Memoer fur Tiverton; and he therefore begged to move tranquillity of the countries in which it was done. (Hear, tue previous question. hear.)• As to Rome, for instance, a case much commented Mr. SI. MILNES replied, consenting to obey the direc 'upon, especially by continental governments, the British tion of the Noble Lord, and to comply with what appeared consul there, and the French c. nsul gave passports which to be the general wish of the House. in reply to tee re enabled two thousand men to quit Rome, who, if they had marks ot the Hon. Member for Bridport (Sir. B. Cochrane), remained there, must either have been a source of great he:had to observe that the Huh. Member was somewhat disturbance, or must have been supported by the charity of in error as to the hospitality which he (Mr. M. Milues) the city, and the authorities of Rome not only desired that it had received from foreign courts, tor on his last visit to the,. should be done, but urged the consuls to assist them in g-t- continent he had been stopped and prevented entering Ling rid of these persons, although it was afterwards the Austriau dominions. That circumstance had, of course, made a frequent subject of reproach, especially to the consul however, nothing to do with his political. conduct on this of this country. It was an act done not upon his own respon- occasion. _sibility, but on the desire of the authorities; it was perfectly The previous question was then put and agreed te, justifiable, and I felt it my duty to approve of it.-(Cheers HARWICH. . .t. d.... e from the Liberals.) At the s ame t i me, it is true that the Sir D. L. EVANS, pursuant .o notice, moved for leave to Austrian Government might think that some of the pass- introduce A Bill, with a view to the appointment of 'a Cdrike ports might get into other hands, or that some persons mission to inquire into the existence of bribery in the bo to whom they were given might seek to return under rough of Harwich. The Bill would b e wor d for word, with •• cover of them. I was not dispo se d t o fi n d f au l t with thecuange of names, with the Bill passed last s e s sion in refer ., Austrian Government for establishing, w i t h regard to passports, this genera l regu l a ti on , th a t f ore i gners wish - to show, was even a more flagitious case passports gran t e d b y t h e au th or i t i es o f t h e i r own a ence to - St. Albans. The cede of Harwich, h t e ha w h as tha p t re o p t a . prepared rag to enter into the Au s trian domi n i ons should Albans, and there was this difference that •pieiti existed in have' . countries, countersigned by some representative of the this case which had n ud tzi n et s e t d ra i t n io t g h t e h S e t. pr el ac ie ti a c u e s the Bill was passed, n e h ase bribery. w tie n Austrian Government. - (Hear, hear.) I think that ever Government is entitled to ma k e suc h regulations as to the was occul ied by any of the other suspected boroughs. 3' Harwich, indeed, was even in a oUeiti position than admission of foreigners as it may think consistent with its When he had last brought this euoject beiore the House, own security, if those regulations are liberally enforced which was imtneoiately upon the accession ot the present t wtthout vexatious severity; and I think that other coun- Government to office, the lion. Siemer for the lini nes are bound to acquiesce in them.-(Hear.) There was v e rsify of Oxford (Sir R. Inglis) had charged him an attempt made indeed to compel the British Government and his f tends with a mere factious desire to annoy to establish in regard to our passports those picturesque de- and impede the new Ministry. It was sufficient to say, ecriptions which some of the foreign passports contain-(A laugh). --.a •delineation of the features or figure which the • iu reply to the charge, that he had moved in the mat -111.. • dividual who bears a passport may boast of-(Laughter)- bu I ter last - year, avid had then sought what he was seeking now. The Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman the Judge t declined to follow that example, an d s a id that, Advocate had ii:et called attention to Harwich ; and upon . ,although it was imagined that we were fond of sitting for our the motion of that Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman for a portraits it was to painters, and not to passport-drawers; and so, Sir, I did not comply with the wishes of foreign govern- C m o o m ot tn e i x tt t e e e nd h i e ng (s t 'i h r e D in e g L oi . r.) E . an ot aamliettihde 111.wonts in this respect. But, Sir, it appears from the papers elections for Members for Harwich to the present Perlis time a n t s h ) e h c a i d r cl u in g g s t e a s u t e c cl e s .. inch have been laid before the House that there was at one merit If; therefore, there was .ny imputation in this busi . time a determined intention, on the part especially of the Austrian ' Government, to retaliate on British travellers with •b bl •• consequence of his undue . severity in regard to passports of admission into Learned Gentleman who, pro a yin ness, * it applied not ' to him, but to the Right Hun. and onerous official Austrian territories-to retaliate on the British Govern- to Harwich corruption, the evidence was went for not doing that which foreign Governments must laugh.) . regardlnn like i duties, no longer took an interest in it.-(A Wiese's hero, he euffered from an know it cannot do by law, and never could get a law to so copious, that, . enable it to do.-(Hear, bear.) Now, Sir, I think that was " embarras des ric s . In 1d42 occurred the " compro farther back than ten years. he •ses." He would, a perfectly proper thing for mention in this House.-' Hear, however, not go beer miss, which led • ) I think my Hon. Friend was right in calling the se- ed Member for Sheffield (Mr. Roe rious attention of Parliament to a menace which I think it ot the lion. and Learn to the celebrated ' Compromise Committee" Was so - unbecoming a foreign Government to make, and as and again, in in 1851 there was an election and a petition , unfitting for the British Government to receive. Sir, upon buck). In 1848 there was an election and a . petition. Early this subject, there are parts of these papers, especially the from 1831 to 1811 by 411 conclusion, on which I would make a few remarks. 1 am The population had decrea a s ‘ yel May t 1851, there was another election and another petition. the number •of the voters had alluding to that amicable and Arcadian dialogue- (Laughter ) persons; but, strange to -which has parsed, it appears, between the Austrian Go- had happened to no other borough. vernment and the present Ministry since their accession to within ten, years, which had inereased. This borough had been convicted of bribery twice Mr. Attwood, then a Mem . ofilce.-(" Hear, hear," and laughter from the Liberals.) Ire the Committee of I Sir, it is delightful and worthy of Virgil to see the beautiful ber of the House, andsaid he should want 2,00td. Mr. Curran came to him, • • compliments and amiable feelings interchanged between thethe compro was examined, - and he stated that two parties.- (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Sir, I must say I • could mice. "I thought it an extra • ordinary proposal," said . r. _ not read those dispatches without a smile.- m.--- . to carry out the arrangement entered into on . _ said 111 r. • (tiear, hear.) And there were circumstances which took say, that the petition was to be , place when the present Government was formed which did rested." He went, on to and Attwood, •' hut I gave him the 2,00 a, aed there the matter not dime . •h in is my mind the disposition to smile.-(Hear, knowledge that electors were hea rasked if he had any , and laughter.) I allude to the joy which the Austrian un being withdrawn, and that Major Beresford was to vacate; tiovernrnent expressed at the total change of men aid of money paid. He cOuncils which no knowledge of it, except through the sort . g ird .then took place.-(Hear, hear, and laughter.) bribed to vote for him and Major Berestordi he said he had le ohi t e Ids very amusing, many things considered. an d la' g li° was carried oti. Die next. eleciiun was in 1847, and le as he said these words, laughed heartily, rp m had doubt whatever, it was notorious that this or • But thtteHouse cordially participated in his merriment.] Mr. Attwood wa‘s cam ink; on similar " was another which me as to a word which was point struck . . . un at Harwich, he would observe, that at the time these chimps were going • id about Mr. opera for divi • , I think, written_ hastily; and is ithout opportunity tions atLyme 6 and their &tugs at St. Albans, Edwards and Sir. Blegg, . diving' into the depths of Rymer and consulting our an- dent treaties, Though I have great respect for Austria, andnot merely a . _do not wish to undervelue the utility of her alliance to Eng- the agent of Mr. Attwood. but they were mere pieneiestier.umroreesdwwasith Sir. Moss, • ~ land, or to detract from the antiquity of that alliance (ex- candidates. Mr. Sloss arrived . s endi ng* I think, as far back as i 68d - I cannot carry it Political. opinions, of his ._ giver of bribes to a great extent, but an exponent of the . , e i g p t vi h exi er), I think the application of the words "oldest ally" that . diateipublished Address, in which he stated rather inadvertently . --d e ar , . from the pen of the Government an at Harwich on the 15111 of June, 1847, and he imin:.- . s i ne, with e-seeing that we had a treaty, offensive and defen ho would support their trade, reduce their . Ithiuk thatrtueal as early as the year 1373.-( Bear.) And "Ida, "who would Attwo Y od ,, and another gentleman would seek their suf de, rodt laowever ancient an alliance with Austria may ttu dial can shand north of Europe." When questioned in the church-rates, and establisti an intercourse between the . early te „ od ow that hers extends so far back as that port • Cum ,, an „a mt . . and not only was there a treaty binding us to ce defensi to a few individuals the hope that their mittee, Mr. Moss said before he published the address he acted upo n h o defensive but in two years afterwards it was had held out a hope ~ _ the by with' d °wit." a force to Portugal to assist her in the although Auaatn'y that he had a list of 33 by our early and faithful am sure that we should not pass ehurch-rates would be paid for them. At page zo of " Bluebook," Mr. Curran stated more than 3,0001. for their votes. laugh)-and the Court of Portugal-(A electors, to whom he yet on many e6casions, from na haa been very valuable to us, 2/. 3 1 or 5/. each. , the Will and inclinations ot tctrcumstances, independent of Albans, • where the electors got some , .., This, therefore, was paid more monstrous case than bt. was at different times regard t the election of in thehe Austrian Government, it Here they averaged more than IUOI. each.. That was the break away e t l • polled to orn the en course of the last war corn- election of 1842. Thee, with e o .4 . t a k e n -(Sarcastic cheers, a n d tau ht. k gagementa sbe had under- 1847, the Committee reported, " That th 1. st election, so a. Friend Now then, Sir, I think that the 6 2,4_ e :r t o rom the Liberals.) far as Gentleman the Secretary for th e l na h f the Right Hon. void. Resolved, ,. that the said John Attwood, Es q., was by regarded the election of Juba Attwood, Esq., WAS setisfactory in 'regard me Department was . oot quite so 1 tion of my lion Lo the poitit to which dence went to show that about 9,000/. was spent on that oc his agents guilty ot bribery at the said election?' Tue got - especially the resolution u of G Points, as it was Cagan. Since then there had been two or three elections t distinctly (I e - rears' d fll h • but t unseatedf bribery were not gone into, • upon the disposition the overnmeutt Th my Hen. Friend poin . s . may c am _ u ion of or arwic , •thout He had shown that sively) to the intentions of foreign te overa tt say exclu- the Members being wt . reply of the Right Hon. Government, and a diff t e s Z Gentleman tells us *r a t on a groeeest corruption prevailed at St. Albans; that it had are the in- been twice convicted ot bribery within two years. He ap tentions of thd British Govern d h travellers, the other t • the first referring to English willing to int, pealed to the House to allow him to introduce this Bill, and 1 a m refugees. Still, however.° far eign he thought that every one who had the morality and good tate- throegovent of the people at heart would join in granting even more largely than ment of the Right Hon. Gentleman, believing that now there i s an him permission e asked. the words of it appear to go, • of Au • a Mr. H KER SEYMER, hoped the Hon. and Gallant i p les-(Sarcastic cheer s Government which appears, in the . opinion stria, to MemberH. would excuse him if he endeavoured to stop the • • sympathise more fully with her its further progress of his measure. Why was not r relations have from the Opposition) -than the IPartieric Administration did. •it appears that now, at least, amicable • . 1 4 :r w in the enjment of its two Members? Ha rw ich A end election of the two Members, which took place last • been restored which we were told had year, the • d ly nove because -- was di ) r u u ge-his Right Hon, Friedd the Judge Advocate ; preceding five years (I can say this more free c sted December but from practi ces, de _ with a petition, complaining not of corrupt not existed in the it appears now that it dates not from Decem nt of interference and intimidating `practices by .- • February)-as it appears that now there is such a friendly her hhiesty's late Government, and he gave notice of a mo nrimitt ot oppose. The Committee was appointed, feeling-such a .morn it confidence established betwee s n a t n h d e o tio o n ve f r o n r m a e c ontaid n ee. which he was bound to say the late , English and Austrian Governments-(Sarcastic cheers and consequence of the lateness of the • • laughter)-so that there is now no danger for British but it did nothi e practised into a - careful scrutiny, and travellers in Austrian dominions. I venture to suggest ainttee of last session, over which he had • . •to my Honourable Friend ( Mr. Milues) that he may . dlairik this discussion has sufficiently accomplished his e th es e s h io o n n . ou T r h of e p e r ° e lffi st °"7 should not have know n IV , it Was inapossible that they purposes in bringing his motion forward-(Hear, hear)- , if bribery had been s took place withou lie believed that every few . and, therefore, if the Government think it better, with a election briber an extent as to justify diatr Y occurring, but not to view to those considerations, of which the Government such he was a friend to o r t e a "cillsement. But do not must be the best judges, that this resolution should not be suppose that in brib ery. -er7 a nd there ment conservative and corruption. ere adopted, -if it would be considered by the Austrian Govern- was nothing. e derived from local toutecorruption. There ment as a rebuke for offences that have ceased to exist, and • was influent: impartial exercise of mag " m elt :inn, arid from the that it would render less satisfactory the relations between , just and but it was at the mere v du nf tie9 " . This was `the two Governments, I should suggest to my Hon. Friend legitimate influence, Club with -' any man who question w o that if the Government think it better to move the ' •sent down by the Reform previous was a b e , of . that Mr. Coppock ove td es dvereigns. question than to agree to the motion (I presume, of course, • He believed, however, In the Committee it MI 'timated his that they would not attempt to negative it, since it con- power of corruption. exercised, but there din there tains a statement which no one can deny), if they should was considerable influence ecall for rho 't not the t as to think fit to move the previous qnestion, - I should really . pear such a case of bribery have been corrupted, and recommend to my Hon. Friend not to go to a division, but ; House. One voter was proved to Id now state, as far a s de acquiesce in that mode of disposing ot the very proper and his vote was struck off. He we u present, what Sir was not useful motion be has brought forward. - (Cheers.) could, as the Hon. Member for It seemed there was a Sir J. WALK," hoped that the lion. Member for Ponte- , took place in the other Committee. fract would a d o pt th e suggestion o f the Noble Lord. He ; foolish custom at Harwich to destroy the pol 1 . irg . booths as occasion they was sorry th a t t h e mo ti on had been brought forward, as it soon as the polling was over, and on that that had only caused speeches and a discussion which would pro- i were so anxious to commence their work of destruction invalidated the duce irritation and interrupt the friendly relations existing they were five minutes too soon, and they Corn • -• between this country and foreign nations. He was not so election. That was all the case they had before the . . certain that f ore i gn countr i es h a d not some grounds for the mittee. It was • said that it was a small borough. Caine - demand s th ey h a d so persever ingly pressed with regard to was a small borough, and Caine was under influence. r ef gees, A s t h e state of thin g s abroad was- new more set- Arundel was a sma ll b oroug h, an d A run d e l wa s under in- dperh aps t h at was the reason that these demands were fluence; and there were many more. He could name not so stro ng l y pressed, and he re j o i ce d to see that a subject some that belonged to those who sat on his side of the which might have afforded reasonable grounds for a case of H o use. The Noble Lord, the late First Minister, brought in war with England had been considered by foreign powers a Bill to remedy what he considered this evil; but the Noble ••• With reference to the laws ,of England and public opinion . Lord saw no reason why Harwich should be treated differ ..-..here, and they had not pressed demands which might have ; ently from other boroughs, nor did he. Were they prepared prowl 111004 y to us,, Na Busligasall Visiiild Ivitut. ail 09 .do wwgils ogler . b9r9ughuldilt - Um yilatir i? 09 *ii ••.....,...1.1 1.. LONDON, wards Harwich? He had stated that if the Hon. and Gal lant Menth'r succeeded in hi 9 motion, he would make a similar motion respecting the borough of Leicester; but the 114. n. Member for that borough assured him that no bribery took place at the last election; and he believed him. None took place at the last election for Harwich; and if they did not bear unjustly upon Harwich, he would not make his motion respecting Leicester. • . Mr. CLAY said it mattered little to him whether the cor ruption at Harwich was promoted by the late Government, or by any individual. He hoped for the credit of all admi nistrations that they would join in putting an end to such disgraceful doings In a matter of this kind notoriety was all they required to induce them to act: He had it on the authority of a gentleman intimately acquainted with the place, that in 1841 two men, father and son, re ceived between them 1,0001. They bought large barges with the money, and were audacious enough to name one of them The Attwood. • The other he did not know the name of, but it might be The Plumper. In other cases voters were made so drunk that they never got sober again, bat died drunk. He believed that by issuing Commissions to inquire into boroughs; where it was believed that bribery had been practised, would do more good to promote purity of eleCtion than anything they had dune to effect that object during tne last century.- Mr. BA4SHAW observed that what he had said were his genuine convictions, and though the Hon. and taallant Gen tleman had raised a laugh at his expense, his words would be found to be true: Tne best course which the House could pursue would be to issue the writ for Harwich at the next general election, and let the borough be tried by its conduct then. It the constituency were wise people they would know how to act. (Loud laughter,) Mr. Secretary WALPOLE opposed the motion. What was asked for was, that the House should issue a Commis sion, with enormous and unconstitutional powers, which in many respects would supersede the law of the land.— (Hear, hear.) Such a Commission, he thought, ought never to be granted except in a clear case of corruption recently and distinctly alleged. —(Cheers.) If they agreed to the motion they would give to a majority of that Howie a power to deal with boroughs and counties that might be, opposed to their 'views, to which he could never consent.—(Cheers.) The authorities dpon which this case rested were those of .Sudbury and St, Albans, but h e b egge d t h e H ouse to bear in mind bow greatly both these precedents differed from the case before .them. In Sudbury the bribery was so great that out of the 276 electors who polled for Mr. Dyce Sombre, no fewer than 20 , 5 were proved to have been bribed; and the commissioners reported that they believed the bribery must have been carried to a much greater extent,- because, at the rate of 71. per head, that would not have. accounted for the 3,0001. which had been sent to the borough for the purpose of corrupting the voters. The casp of St. Albans was still stronger. Accord in to Mr. Coppock to bribe or to "bleed" was the general practice, and Alderman Carden said the political opinions of most of the constituent's were in their breeches' pockets.— (Laughter.) The Commissioners in this case also reported that the practice was not occasional or partial, but general and systematic., Out of 290 voters who polled for one of the 'candidate's, only 30 were supposed to have been un bribed ; and out of 276 who had voted on the other side, 186 were clearly bribed. In both cases there was thus shown to be universal corruption, and it was proved to have occurred at the election which had just taken place; but in the case of Harwich, the Honourable and Gallant Member had gone back as far as 1842, and had only come down as late as 1847 or 1848. There might have been bribery in both cases, but then there was bribery at Leicester, in the case of which the Committee reported that the system carried on had been such as to demand the attention of the House. But would it be just and fair to the Hon. Members for Lei cester, because bribery had been proved in 1847, to issue a commission with enormous and unconstitutional powers, and then to dispossess them of their seats, and disfranchise the borough? Where bribery had taken place, it ought imme diately to be inquired into; but in the case of Harwich, two elections had occurred since 18'47, on both of which peti tions had been issued, the first 'Of which alleged only a want of qualification, and the second only intimidation.—(Hear, hear) He wanted to know then on what principle they could issue a commission to inquire into this case, without also inptiring into all other places where Hon. Gentlemen could get -up and say that notorious bribery had been practised.--(Hear, hear.) The duty of the House was to protect the minority,—(Laughter) —and therefore he pro tested against a course which might lead to the results which he had already pointed out.—( Hear, hear.) Besides, there was also this anomaly. They had disfranchised one borough , (St...illbans), of which the Hon. Member still kept his seat; and.now, they were asking for a parliamentary in quiry into another, where no corrupt practices had been proved. They were keeping open that seat for more then 12 months; but surely the inhabitants of that town were as much entitled to have a representative in the House as any , other borough.—(Hear, hear.) He considered—first, that they were not entitled at all to institute an inquiry into any alleged corrupt practices, unless such corruption were recent; and, secondly, that such inquiries ought to be pro deeded with immediately, otherwise they might derive the country for one .or two years of its proper number of repre sentative-t.—(Hear, hear.) In the present case, however, as the seat had been . kept open 12 months, and as a general election was so near at hand—(Cheers)—he did not think it would be rightp move for a new writ.—(Hear, hear.) - Mr. J. BELL thouht that the case of St. Albans was bad enough, without making it any worse than it was. (Laughter.) He thought it was very severe to exaggerate the amount of 'its corruption. According to the figures of the Commissioners' report, there were 200 voters against irrhQm fhere was no allegation of bribery or corruption, and therefore the corruption was not universal. With respect to the•present motion he was in a somewhat difficult position. If he voted for the proposed Bill. he should vote in opposi tion to the argument he had used in favour of St. Albans— (Laughter)—and if he voted against it he should be appa rently voting in favour of corruption.— (Laughter. ) Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL objected to the animadversions which the Hon. Member (Mr. Clay) had cast upon the Election Committee. He (Mr. O'Connell) had sat upon two Committees, in both of which the Members w ere un seated—in one of them (the Lincoln case) upon the very smallest possible amount of evidence that could be considered sufficient. Of course they were bound to see that the case was proved according to the law of the land.—(Hear.) Mr. CLAY had certainly no intention to censure the Com mittee, but he slid think that they were not the best tribunals kir silting evidence, as he thought had been confessed by the issuing of commissions.--(Hear.) Mr. T. DUNCOMBE protested against the idea that the supposed approach of a general election was any, reason why a new writ should not be issued. The reason why it had not been moved for in this case was, because the inquiry had been pending. How would the evidence of Mr. Coppock have been obtained but for the St. Albans Commission; and if the Commission now asked for were issued, no doubt they would be able to get the evidence of Mr. Attwood, which would in duce the House to pass a Bill for the disfranchisement of Harwich. At all events, if the Commission did not issue, he (Mr. Duncombe) should certainly move for the new writ, because he thought an injustice would be done,...if they any longer suspended it, to a very immaculate and honest bo roug h. ( Laugh ter.) Mr. WALT OLE explained that under the circumstances he should not move for the writ himself.—(Hear, hear. ) Mr. BANKES explained that the petition to the House, alleging that three of the five voters who constituted the majority at' the last Harwich election had been intimidated by the late 'Government, had been placed in his bands by persons whom he believed to be respectable ; bat he had no further interest in the matter whatever. At the beginning of' the present session there had been no petition praying for a renewal of the inquiry, and therefore, although the same Government was then in Office, he had not thought it his duty to press the subject. It was quite true that he had moved for a Committee, but that was a very different thing from a Commission. - (Hear, hear.) With regard to the case of St. Albans, there had been a technical difficulty as to the adjournment of the Committee, and that had vitiated their whole proceedings. 8° far was he from wishing to stretch the power of the Constitution, that he bad voted against that Commission, thinkir,g that its powers should be intrusted to Members of that House; and he wished they had been so. The House would have stood higher bad that inquiry been con ducted by its members. That Commission had shaken their juriadietipu, , and had tended to invalidate the decisions of ' their Committees. At present he saw no ground for the pro posed Commission. Had a Committee been proposed sup , orte t by such a petition as he - had presented, he would have voted for it.. If the lion. Member for Finsbury would move the issue of the writ for Harwich, he would vote with him. . Mr. DEEDES said he had acted as chairman of the second Harwich Election Committee. No evidence as to bribery was laid before them, nor was any conclusion come to on thit subject. The Committee's decision was founded entuely on a point of law, as to whether the poll was kept open the,proper time—whether it had been interrupted by itnpropet 4 . violence—and whether the returning officer had taken the steps he ought to have .taken. The Committee thought. he had not done so, and consequently deemed it a void eleCtion._ It had been said, if the borough was so iin maculate_ why should it object to an inquiry ? That might be made an argument for a Commission in any case where there was no complaint whatever.' Fla could not help think ing that ~Harwich was rather hardly dealt with, and he saw no reason why a writ should not issue. It was altogether an unfair proceeding, Sir DE LACY EVANS, in reply,.said he. as not aware that the minority bad any such. peculiar claims to consider ation as hid been urged by the Home Secretary; he had always understood that the majority decided everything. Re justified the appointment of the Commission by reference to, the case of St. Albans, and contended that great benefit had resulted therefrom. Ur. RUEBUCK.thought the proposal for a Commission came rather too late, The inquiry at .St. Albans had been instituted merely to enable the House to arrive at the facts; and upon these facts the Bill brought in by the Noble Lord (Russell), and taken up by the present Government was founded. He could not vote• in favour of this Commission; and he thought, they ought not to allow that night to pass without issuing the writ. lie would have voted for this mo tion had it been made a year ago. Now, the best 'thing they could do was to let Harwich have another trial to save itself from condemnation. He had no doubt it was a corrupt place -a year ago; but the motion came too late. T he House then divided when there appeared—. For the motion Against it ... Majority against the motion... —4l _ _ Mr. T. DINCOMBE said, as it had been decided that no inquiry should take place, the House had no right to dis franchise the borough; either for a week, for two weeks, or a month. He therefore moved that the Speaker should issue his warrant to the clerk of the crown, directing a writ to iSSUE)- for the borough of Harwich, in the room of 'Mr. Crawford. Mr. BRIGHT said this motion seemed to follow somewhat naturally from the course taken by the Government, but there was no necessity that it should follow so immediately. A former attempt had been made to move this writ, and the ` House hid thonght that it should be suspended forsome time longer, for some cause not very clearly explained ; but there .was an understanding that notice should be given before the writ was moved. After a debate which was not supposed to have any special reference to the motion, and after the pre vious discussion and understanding, it would not be fair that that motion should be consented to. Considering the suddenness of the proposition, and that many Members had left'the House, having no idea whatever that any such mo tion would be submitted, he hoped it would be withdrawn, and notice givcn of it for a future day. It would be better to put it off till after the holidays. lie moved, as an amend ?merit, that the debate should be adjourned. o the unnecessary and S►r D L. EVANS seconded the amendment. i n p ta ir uc J e • TYRELL said that was another most unfortunate Ho n . improper interference of the mancheeGentle'rnan opposite. It appeared to him that the tion of the or loped the House would not accede to the dicta • thing. Z l SF . hool were determined to have a finger in every brimmed opposition—(" Oh, oh," and laught,r) opposition to the uncle hoped the House would not act in ar. BROTH E Zr o n: the motion just made. (Hear, that no writ was to issue the Hon. MeMber for Finsbu r n moved ie s a a r rh d zyt h odd t e t t eu a r: as i the liberal party having t s ) Ei f aorvyva declared Harwicheoevilared that was con , , j w wcue i rsrli t itn l t i e o rt t bout joinedo, t Ni d s Esuuewi issue, although D. o n t E i c u e , An — plro Ep uh that the The Hon. llein wa . s . Der to 14 1 9 1 1Viterl 491 T er s. Was mire pradeut ter 40 not tit to return a literaber.—( ear, j aw.) . FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 94, • 1852. moved that the issuing of the writ be postponed for ten days. What he should suggest was that the writ he moved for to morrow ( this day).—(" Hear, hear," and cries of " divide.") 1 Mr. BRIGHT said that his motion was that the debate be adj .. urn ed . Mr. DUNCOMBE said that he should be the last person to ask the House to break through any understanding; but the understanding was, that the writ should not be issued without inquiry. The Hon. Member for Westminster had moved, for an inquiry, and the House having decided upon that point, he towed to the opinion of the majority; but the natural consequence of that decision was, that the elec tors of Harwich should not be deprived of their rights (Hear, hear.) He believed the House was competent to de cide the question that night, but if it thought otherwise he had no objection to postpone the motion till to-morrow (this day).- (Hear.) ' Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said that it was of the greatest importance that the House should not decide upon this ques tion hastily and without deliberation. As there could be no election before the Easter recess, he thought the sugges- i tion of the Hon. Member for Manchester would meet the ne cessity of the case. Mr. WALPOLE said that when he gave his reasons for thinking that the writ ought not to be issued, he omitted one reason, for it might be suppose 1 if he moved for the writ, that he did so in order to endeavour to obtain an advantage to the Government. —( Hear, hear.) He had that opinion in his own mind, though he did not express it. But having already stated his reasons why he thought the writ should be issued, he should prefer that the motion should be made after notice given.—( Hear.) The motion and amendment was then withdrawn, and Mr. DUNCOMBE gave notice that he would move the issuing of the writ to-morrow. CHURCH-RATES. • Mr. TRELAWNY then rose to bring on the motion which he had on the paper respecting church-rates, but Sir R. INGLIS interfered, and s aid that he appealed not so much to the Hon. Gentle:nan as t o the clock.—(A laugh.) It was nowten minutes past eleven o'clock, and he asked the Hon. Member whether there was any chance of so impor tact a question as that of church.rates being satisfactorily discussed at that hour? The Hon. Member himself might be able to secure the attention of the House, but what chance w as there for those who might follow him r--( Hear, hear.) Mr. TRELAWNY said if it was the general feeling of the House he was willing to postpone the motion.—(Hear.) Motion accordingly postponed. •. POOR-LAW COMMISSION. Sir J. TROLLOPE moved for leave to bring in a Bill to continue the-Poor-law Commission for a limited time. Sir G. PECHELL complained, at som e length, of the con duct of the Poor - law Commission in its attempt to abolish the Gilbert unions throughout the country , and particularly blamed the Commissioners for the course which they had pursued with reference .to the parish of Alverstoke with Gosport. The Hon. Baronet, after having c ommented at some length on that case, concluded by expressing his belief that there was nothing to justify the conduct of the Poor law Commissioners in the matter. In reply to a question from Lord D. STUART, Sir J. TROLLOPE thought his Hon. and Gallant Friend (Sir G. Pechell) ought to have deferred his motion for copies of the report Mr. Hawley made to the Poor-law Commis sioners until he (Sir J. Trollope) had introduced his Bill for continuing the Poor-law Commission for a limited period. As for the Bill, he only sought by it to continue the Poor law Commission for two years, and he should now venture to ask the House to allow him to introduce his Bill. Leave was given to introduce the Bill. Sir J. TROLLOPE moved for leave to bring in a Bill to continue an Act of the fifteenth year of her Majesty, for charging the maintenance of certain poor persons in unions in England and Wales upon the common fund. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY inquired whether it was the intention of the Hon Member (Sir J. Trollope) to wind up the Commission at the end of two years? Sir J. TROLLOPE replied, the matter did not rest with him. He now only asked for leave to bring in his Bill. The Bill was then brought in. Sir G. PECHELL moved for copies of the report made to the' Poor-law Board by Mr. Hawley, poor-law inspector, dated the 20th day of October, 1851, relating to the parish of Alverstoke with Gosport, incorporated under Gilbert's Act, with a copy of the order issued by the Poor-law Board to the visitor and guardians of the said parish, dated the 28th day of February, 1852, with the copy of the letter that accompanied the same, dated the 9th day of March, 1852 ; together with the copies of all correspondence which has taken place since the last-mentioned date oetween the Poor law Board and the guardians of the poor of the said parish, and other parties, on t he subject of such order. And, of the several reports made on the inspection of Alverst oke workhouse, by Messrs. Campbell and Gaskell, on the 21st day of December, 1849 ; by Viscount Courtenay, on the let day of August, 1850: by Mr. Redduck, on the 9th day of April, 1851; and by Mr. Hawley, on the sth day of June, 1851. Sir J. TROLLOPE objected to the latter part of the motion. Sir G PECHELL must insist on having it. Sir J. TROLLOPE could not comply, as the papers were not in possession of the Poor-lass Board. Sir G. PECHELL withdrew the latter part of the motion, y and the amended motion was agreed to. Sir G. PECHELL moved for a return of the amount of freight-money received by the treasurer of Greenwich Hos pital,ve stating a n ce i n of what specie i s pro portionin t e h a e c hfryeiegahr,t_sminocneetyhe for year rhe 18 clo9n, divided betweeen the royal hospital, the captains and com manders of her Majesty's ships, and the admirals and commodores of the several stations where the treasure was embarked. The motion was agreed to. The O'GORMAN MAHON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Acts for lighting towns in Ireland, and for promoting trade, commerce, and public revenue by drain age and navigation, so far as relates to Ennis and the River Fergus. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ACTS AMENDMENT " With regard to a site n ear Charing-cross, we are in clined to concur in the opinion of Mr. Pennethorne, who observes, that if, with reference to the Mines of Par liament, or for any other reason, the site of the present' bridge must be moved; then it would, cas rt spews the general traffic, be most advisable to convert the present bridge in a light iron toot bridge only, and build two other bridges at a distance, as it would be more advantageous to the public generally to incur at once the greater cost; of building two bridges in conniption with the new streets contemplated for the improvenient of Southwark and Lan.ibeth, than to expend a large sum in forming approaches not so convenient as the existing, ones, and which possibly afterwards it would be neces sa►ry to exceed.' _ "Tee sites near Richmorid‘ terrace and the India Board are more favourably circumstanced; and if the block of houses which now separates Parliament-street from King-street were removed, either of these situa tions raignt be prelorable to the one which we have selected. But it is obvious that much additional time would be lost, and a large additional expense incurred, ,before either of these could be rendered tit for the con struction of a permanent bridge with its requisite ap proaches. " Property of considerable value must be acquired both on the Middlesex and Surrey sides of the river be. tore convenient accesses could be made to a now bridge at 'either of these points. The time required for these purcnases would delay the opening of the new bridge; and even when completed, although it might give au opportunity for architectural display, iG seems doubtful whether the change of site would be regarded as af fording any general convenience commensurate with its cost. "Having thus stated our objections to the above mentioned sites, AU proceed to report our opinion o❑ the advantages which would ensue it the third and last plan were carried Into effect—viz., That the new bridge should be constructed adjoining, or as near as possible, .o the present bridge, either on the north or south side.' " A new bridge on the south side of the present structure would ne objectionable on account of its proxi mity to the Houses of Parliament. This objection would be increased if the bridge were constructed wish a height of headway of twenty-five feet above Trinity datum. The erection of this bridge would, moreover, uecessitate the immediate purchase of the entire south side of Bridge-street, which consists of 27 houses, none of which ace the property of the Bridge Commissioners. The purchase of these houses, inclu ding the interests of the tenants, compensation for good w►lt, removal, &c., would very far exceed the cost of acquiring any property on the north side of Bridge street which might be required for the approaches to the new bridge, if it were placed to the north of the exist ing bridge. " The property OR the north side of Bridge -street consists of a block of nine houses, extending westward as far as Cannon-row, and one house westward of Can non-row, all of which are the property of the Bridge Commission. On the west of the last-named house is a small block extending to Parliament-street, which is not the property of the Bridge Commissioners. The leases of these houses are either expired or have but a short I time to run. " So much inconvenience and danger are at present experienced from the confined approaches and very sharp turn from Bridge - street into Parliament -street, that it will be necessary to make the acce sses to any new b r idge considerably wider than they are at the present time. ",Some information upon the comparative cost of constructing a bridge with the requisite approaches upon the sites above-mentioned will be found i n t h e Appendix, as well as in the evidence of Mr. Hardwi c k and of Mr. Pennethorne. The question of cost has no; been specially referred to our consideration, nor would it be possible to add a sat intoinquiry the value of property, which may be variously. estimated. We believe, however, that the north side o f the present structure will be the most convenient and eco nomical size for the new bridge; the most convenient, be cause the work could be immediately commenced, and its erection will therefore be attended with the least ob struction to the traffic; and the most economical, both on account of the smaller expense which would be required tor the acquisition of property necessary for the enlarge ment of the approaches, and because it avoids the neces sity of a temporary bridge. " Having thus stated the grounds of our opinion as to the most advantageous site for the new bridge, We o p e co s e t e m ed od t eo of f e p c o o n r t u t r o u e y t o io u ,L t he o r d w s d i p t h s o t u h r e v h i e e i w g s h t it s of t h o the d. way above Trinity datum, the number of arches, and the material to be used for its formation. " And, first, with respect to the width necessary in the construction of the new bridge. The opening ot the new hue ot street called Victoria-street, which forms a three; and convenient communication between Chelsea, the Borough, and the City, the formation of the South Western- Railway terminus in the vicinity ot the bridge, and the increase of the metropolis on both sides of the river, render it necessary to afford greater facilities for the traffic over 0 the new West minster-bridge, the width of the present bridge, 42 feet, being found to be totally insufficient. " We are of opinion, therefore, that 60 feet, including the footways, should be the minimum width to meet the requirements of the increasing traffice and the comfort and safety of the public. " The width or the other metropolitan bridges over the Thames is stated to be as follows, via . Feet. " London-bridge Blackfriars ridge ... 42 Waterloo- bridge ... 43 Vauxhall-bridge 36 " With respect to the height of headway of the centre arch of the new bridge, we have considered the conve nience of the navigation, the proper inclination of the road for the purposes of truffle, and the effect which the struc:ure might have on the architectural appearance of the New Palace. " In his evidence, given before the Committee of 1850, Mr. Barry stated certain conditions which he di emed indispensable if the bridge were to be retained in is present situation; these were—' That the roadway of the bridge should be level from shore to shore; this the width of the roadway should not be less than 100 fret; that the height of the roadway of the bridge above Tri nity standard should not exceed 20 feet.' " This last condition, if complied with, would leave for the purposes of navigation a headway of only 16 feet if the bridge were of iron, and of only 12 feet 6 inches if the arches were constructed of stone. Such a bridge as Mr. Barry recommends would undoubtedly improve the arebitectual appearance of the Nov Palsee, by relieving that building from the effects of the low situation in winch it is placed, and, if other considerations did not interfere, we should agree with Mr. Barry that the proposed lowness of the bridge would be an advantage, and that a width which would give it the character of a terrace, or, as Mr. Barry says, a grand promenade, would be in itself an ornament to the metropolis, and a convenience for the communica tion across the river. " A bridge of this limited height and of this ex tended width would, however, we believe, be a serious obstacle to the passage of vessels, while the increase of the metropolis to the westward renders it important that every encouragement should be given to the navigation of the river. The height of the centre arch of Westminster-bridge is 25 feet. "It has been stated that the largest vessel navigating the Thames above London-bridge is of 300 tons, and also that a vessel of that tonnage could pass under an arch of 25 feet 6 inches of Trinity datum, without any inconvenience, provided that the arch be of sufficient span. " We are informed that it would be an advantage to the coal trade and to consumers, if facilities were af forded for the passage of larger vessels, which might then possibly supersede the smaller craft now employed in the coal trade of the river. Regarding, therefore, the interests of the navigation, we are of opinion that the height of a headway should be limited only by the easy inclination required for the roadway over the bridge, and we recommend that the height of headway of the centre arch should not be less than 25 feet 6 inches above Trinity datum. " We subjoin the height of headway of the other bridges across the Thames : feet. inches. - "London-bridge Blackfriare-bridge Waterloo-bridge 27 6 Vauxhall-bridge... •" The width of the arch, for the purposes of navigation, is as important as the headway. " In an arch of a large span the extent of the headway is not confined to the exact centre of the arch, but extends over a wider space, and thereby facilitates the passage of the vessels. " The fewer the number of arches adopted, the less will be the resistance to the current of the stream, and, conse-_ . i l uently, there will be the less pressure ag ainst the piers of a the bridge. The fewer the piers the less also will be the te present bridge contributes to the for mation of eddies n" ob struction to the navigation. The number ' of p iers .in _i_',, shoals in the river. We would, there fo r e, reco m mend tha t, of more in constructing the new bridge it shou ld not cools. than five arches. . 'ded mo n e y " In our choice of materials we have been go! time an i s ace for the in the completion of the bridge, and coses of naeiga.. traffic over the bridge, as well as for the pure i in i g ht have pre. tion. Under different circumstances following consideratips i—Economy of onves d W that such a bridge ferred a bridge of stone; but considering a nd an d would re would be attended with an increased,. a Ur' d further, that its quire a third more time to conastrzt d itional rise of 3 feet adoption would necessitate a the bridge, we feel no hesi -6 inches for the roadway (wer the , ~,, , bridge should be an tation in recommending that to „ piers. An iron arch being iron structure resting " 'flstone, there will be a less pressure so much lighter than one of ei g ht' A greater span of arch from the superincumbe el than in stone. Twenty months is can be obtained in iron would be required for the completion said to be the time that tree years the period for 'd , e ae" '''' the erection of of the iron bri i, , of a stone structure.. th the views here expressed, we sub- In resolutions, which were mit t he following e unanimously ag . re f e . d.to That; the present bridge should be used as a tam o bridge until a new bridge shall have been constructed. anew bridge should be 6, 0. That constructed adjoining or as near as possible, . to the present bridge on the north side, that Is, lower down the river. ~ 1 That the new bridge should not be less than 60 feet in width, including the footways, " 4. That it be constructed of iron, with stone piers. " 5. That it consist of no more than five arches. " accordance wi . " 6. That the height of headway of the centre arch above Trinity datum be not less than 25ft. Gin. . 7. That it is desirable that no time should be lost in ma ki n g preparation for the commencement of the work. ~ Wconclusion, e beg, in with reference to the 7th reso lution the uncertai n expense o f maintaini ng it, even as a temporary structure, and the inconvenience of t hi s bridge,. both to the land and river traffic, render it highly desirable that . the p ermanen t . bridge should be , coimeaced . ituci wished with a 4 lithe. *by arposeiblc; o lu f ti th on e psuresbmenitttebdridby us, to state th a t th e dil a pidated state and we have it in evidence that. if the work were com menced early in the ensuing year, the bridg6inight be open to the public in less than two years from the period of its commencement. " The Cormuittees of 1846 and of 1850 both recommended that a Bill shou'd be brought into Parliament for transfer ring the estates and property of the Bridge Commissioners to the Commissioners of her blajesty's Woods, &c., due con sideration being bad to the claims of the officers of the bridge estates, in the event of their serv'ces being discontinued. We concur i❑ the views of the Parliamentary Committees as expressed in these reports. " SEYMOUR. " LONSDALE. SUDELEY. ." R. GROSVENOR. ROBERT HARRY INGLIS. " C. T. D'EYNCOURT. " J. HUMPHERY." PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. ---- . (From the Votes aid Proceedings of the House of Commons ) THURSDAY, APRIL 1. HARWICH. BOROLIGII. Motion made, and Question put, " That leave be given to bring in a Bill for appointing Commissioners to inquire into the existence of Bribery in the Borough of Hamich." The House divided: MI NORITY—AtES, 95. Adair, Hugh E. Greene, John Ricardo, Osman Adair, Ir. Shaft° Hall, Sir B. Romilly, Colonel AlcocK, Thomas Ilardeastle, J. A. Salwey, Colonel Anderson, Arthur Harris, Richard Scholeffeld, William Baines, M. T Hastie, Alexander Scobell, Captain Bouverie, E. P. Hervey, Lord A. Smith, Vernon Boyle, Colonel Heywood, James Smith, M. Tucker Bright, John Higgins, G. G. Staiiton, W H. Brocklehurst, T. Hindley Charles Strickland, Sir G. Brotherton, J. Hobliouse, T. B. Strutt,E. Bunbuiy, E. H. Howard, C. W. G. Stewart, Admiral Carter, J. B. Humphery, Ald. Stuart, Lord D. Cavendish, C. C. Hutt, William Talbot, C. R. Childers, J. W. Kershaw, James Tennent, It. J. Clay, Sir W. King, P. J. Thompson, Colonel Clifford, 11. M. Langston, J. IL Thornely, Thomas Cockburn, Sir A. Martin, J. Townshend, Captain Cowan, Charles Matheson, Colonel Trelawny, J. 3. Davie, Sir IL Milligan, Robert Verney Sir H. Dawes, Edwar Milner, W. M. Waitley, Thomas D'Eyncourt, C. T. Moffatt, George Walinsley, Sir J. Duff, George S. Moiesworth, Sir W. Wawn, J. T. Duff, James , Morris, David Willcox, Brodie Duke, Sir J. Mowatt, Francis Williams, John Duncan, George Norreys, Lord Williams, W. Duncombe, T. O'Fiaherty, Anthony Willyams, IL Ellis, John Ogle, S. C. Williamson, Sir H. 'Enfield, Viscount Osborne, Ralph Wilson, Matthew 'Evans, William Pechell; Sir G. Wyvill,' Marmaduke Ewart, William Peto, Samuel M. Foley, J. H. Pilkington, James TELLER(' Geach, Charles Price, Sir R. Evans, Sir De Lacy Glyn, G.C. Ricardo, John L. Clay, James MAJORITY—NOES, 137. Acland, Sir T. Dkye East, Sir J. B. Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Adderley, C. B. Edwards, Henry Miles, William Archdall, Captain Egerton, Sir P. Mitchell, T. A. Arkwright, George Estcourt, J. B. B. Morgan, 0. , Bagot, William Farrer, James Muthugs, J. R. Baillie, H. J. }gluier, Sir E. Naas, Lord Baldwin, Barry Forester, G. C. Napier, Joseph Bankes, G. Freshfield, J. W. Newdegate, C. N. Baring, Thomas Fuller, A. E. Newport, Viscount Barrow, W. 11. Gallwey, Sir W. P. Noel, Gerald J. Bennet, Philip Galway, Viscount O'Brien, Sir Lucius Bentinck, Lord H. Goulburn, Henry Ossuiston, Lord Beresford, William Gore, W. 0. Parke, C. W. Blandford, MarquiS Greene, Thomas Palmer, Robert Boldero, H. G. Grogan, Edward Portal, Melville Bowles, Admiral Gwyn, Howel Reid, General Bramston, T. W. Hale, R. B. Renton, John C. Brenaridge, Richard Raiford, Sir Henry Repton, G. W. Bridges, Sir B. Hallewell, E. G. Rushout, Captain Brooke, Sir A.B. Hamilton, G. A. St. George, Chris. Bruce, C. L. C. Hamilton, Lord C. Seynter, H. K. Buck, Lewis W. Harris, Captain Smollett, A. Buller, Sir J. Y. Heald, James Somerton, Viscount Burrell, Sir.C. Heneage, G. H. IV. Sotheron, T. li. Cabbell, B. B. Henley, J. W. Spooner, Richard Carew, W. P. Hildyard, It. C. Stafford, Augustus Chandos, Marquis Hill, Lord E. Sutton, J. 11. Child, smith Hope, Sir J. Taylor, Colonel Christopher, R. A. Hope, H. T. Teunent, Sir J. Christy, Samuel liothain, Lord Thesiger, Sir F. Clerk Sir G. Hughes, W. B. Trevor, G. R. Clive, R. R. Inglis, Sir R. IL Trollope, Sir J. Clive, H. B. Jolliffe, Sit.W. G. Tyler, Sir G. Cobbold, J. C. Jones, Captain Tyrell, Sir J. Codrington,:Sir W. Knox, W.' S. Vesey, Thomas Collins, Thomas Langton, W. li. Villiers, Viscount Compton, H. C. , Lennox, Lord A. Walpole, Spencer Cotton, W. H. Lewisham Viscount Whiteside, James Cubitt, William Lindsay, Lewisham, Wigram, Loftus Davies, D. A. Lockhart, W. Willoughby, Sir H. Decdes, W. Long, W. Wodehouse, Edmund Dick,,,Qtlilltill Lygon, General Wynn, 11. W. Dod, J. W. Manners, Lord C. Yorke, E. T. Duckworth, sir J. Manners, Lord J. .Duncombe, W. E. March. Earl of TELLEL9. Dunne, Colonel Masterman, John Bateson, Thomas Mauusell, T. P. Du Pre, C. G. Lennox, Lord R. G. -- MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) : Clause 1 (Proprietors of Newspapers not to be deemed Contractors by reason of Advertisements) Amendme n t proposed, in page 2, line 15, to add the words, ~ or in a n y Banking Company which may have had or may here a ft er have dea'ings or transactions with any such Council, Com missioners, or Trustees of such Borough: "—Questioo pat, "That those words be there added." The Committee divided: — MINORITY—AYES , 13. Anstey, Thomas C. Ilindley, C. Thompson, Colonel barrow, W. H. Hobhouse, T. B. Bell, Jacob Mullinge, J. R. TILLEIB. Carter, John B. Pilkington, James Readlam, T. B. Greene, Joha Scholelleld,_Willlam Hutt, IVO= Ballewell, E. G. Tennent, R. J. MAJORITY-NOES, 37. Arkwright, G. Gwyn, !Jewel Sinollett, A. Baillie, H. J. Hamilton, G. A. Spooner, Rickard Bankes, G. Hamilton, Lord C. Stafford, Augustus Beresford, William Henley, J. W. Tennent, Sir J. Brotherton, Joseph Hill, Lord E. Thesiger, Sir F. Bruce, C. L. C. Joiliffe, Sir W. G. Trollope, Sir J. Chandos, Ilarq. of Knox, W. S. Vyse, R. H. it. H. Chichester, Lord J. Lennox, Lord HG. Walpole, S. 11 Christy, S. MahOn, O'Gorman Willoughby, Sir E. Cotton, W. S. Naas, Lord Duckworth, Sir S. Napier, Joseph TELLERS. Dunne, Colonel Newport, Viscount Bateson, T. Edwards, Henry Packe, C. W. Banbury, Edward Grogan, Edward St. George, Chris. THEc UkiRENCY, THE QUESTION « WHAT IS A POUND ?" ANSWERED. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The recent di , co series in Calif ornia and Australia render it extremely probble that we shall have to suff,r the evils of a &pre ciated currency, if gold long continue to be the standard of value. It is, therefore, advisable to consider whether or not some substitute cannot be found which will be more perfect as a standard. In the first place, then, it may be remarked that there is no snore absolute necessity for the standard of value to possess intrinsic worth than for the standard of weight or measure; and in the next, that the experience of the last few years has shown that, however abundant may bo the amount of money at the source of issue, the active circulation of the country cannot be materially increased beyond a certain amount, however low the rate of discount, or however strenuous the efforts to force it. Money, like other commodities, is governed by supply and demand; and, like them, if supplied in too great a quantity, or if not required as the instrument of exchange, lowers in price, and becomes a drug iu the hands of the owners or possessors. If gold, then, ought not to be the standard, what ought ? and what ought to be the mode of issue? As regards the standard, instead of making the pound sterling to represent " a certain amount of gold, of a certain fineness;" that is to say, instead of making tt to represent the exact RESULT of a certain quantity of labour, I would make it the representative, or money value, or money expression of that certain quantity of labour itself, instead of the representative of the result of that labour; and thus avoid the necessity of selectirg one description of commodity from the rest, fixing Its price, arid making it the exponent of value for . 11 L laz To illustrate:—Let us suppose that the Avgoin , 'ty - value of adult male labour throughout the king d two shillings per day, twelve hours' labour to the :pta ua p, The pound sterling would then be th or money expression, of the averageve rsbeP e a eif w ten day ' ould adult male labour; and consequently tton, 5/ o s of hie days' be the representative, or money exp res sixpence, of a labour; one shilling, of half a n quarter of da ho l ur; a p an Lienny r a ' quarter of a day; twopence , o rinciple of a standard (3t r r d , half an hour; and a halfpenny, I • b n i t s c ;hat the pound sterling &c.; and, therefore, if of gold, of a certain were adopted, instead of ear ntity Veal_ quantity of ofit labour;"ropresented "the represented " a certain andE RESULT fineness," we should thee gi g exa exact average value of a certain rep " a resentin the "pound," instead of labour, would thethen represent the of a certain...Ha, v s!. of that exact amount of labour average exishanges could then be left, like se find its ow itself. and, cog neatly, gold other comnio..l _or .. r_ati t e h n e s of s n proper level in price by the naturrej, upply and demand. Now, as . .._..l eu b ` o s a nationalmode of issue. I would pro bank established; and, pose that, spare that this , b ank beofthLounely bank of issue, and that it be only, whose notes, of :one po und and upwards should be founded ' upon the principle above stated—its first issues to be issued in simple exchange for the gold coin and bul lion now in circulation and in the banks, The notes 'thus issued should form the nucleus or body , of the new circulation, or currency. All issues above these to be issued - upon approved solid security only— at a fi xe d and uniform rate of interest, or discount, and for li mited periods solely. The Bank of I„sbscuen,kinP t however, ought to have nothing at all to do with in the general acc e pt a ti on o f th e t er m. All banking Y operations, with the exception of issuing, ought to be left as at present, viz,, to individual compe tition and exertion. We should thus have a perfectly safe and legitimate system of currency—fixed and steady in its nature—and peculiarly adapted to all the , varied requirements of trade and commerce. No one commo dity would then have a preference over another, in re ference to fixing its price or making it the exponent of the rest; but all would be placed exactly alike, and upon precisely the same footing. Part of the proceeds of the gold thus liberated might be applied in pa)ing off the debt owing to the Bank of Eng. - 1 aid, and the remainder to national purposes. The yearly profits of the National Bank of Issue might also be appropriated to diminishing the national burthens. And lastly, there would be no loss from wear and tear of gold, iu coinage or circulation—nor any disturbance of existing money contracts and engagements by the , change in the standard, whilst the discoveries of Cali fornia and Australia might then go on.ad infinitum with out in the least affecting the value, steadiness, or sta bility of our currency.—l am, Sir, &c., C. E. ROC.II. This, I believe, is somewhere near the truth; but the principle above laid down would not be at all less effective Were the exact fact only assumed. Nor do I see why the same, or a similar principle, might not be, adopted by other nations, and thus a sort o f fativersat standard be established. MLSCHiII" James Graham, the expectant Premier, and his Secretirrat.War, Mr. Cobden, were ' observed last night, in the Ji.ouse of Conlmo . tis, in close and earnest confereps for Dome considerable tun.. licrakit • • LITERATURE. HISTORY OF PHYSICAL ASTRONOMY. By Robert Grant, F.R.A.S. Baldwin. A comp:chews:ire work like the present, embracing in its rdoge a complete narrattse of the most sublime of all the - seierxes, from the moment of its rise to the period of its latest duvelopment, has long been desired by the more earnest among the students of Physical Astronomy. It must be mat,ikst that the resl,zition of some such enterprise was absolutely requisite before there could be any possibility of systematising in the minds of more than: a self et iew the whole of those apparently compli- catsd;but, in reality, thost simple and symmetrical laws which theoretical philosophy, aided by the revelations of the telescope, had revealed in their beauty and their grandeur as regulating the movements of the celestial bodies, and elucidating the phenomena of their organ'. ZitiOn. Without sews assistance like that we have indicated, the generality of inquirers, -unless they. consented to dedicate their intellects almost Rxciusive)y to the consideration of astronomy, were doomed obviously enough to the acquisition of knowledge either very confused or very superficial. Thanks to the laborious compiler of the volume here submitted to our examinatien, the intelligent public will at length be enabled to appreciate the majesty of the science unfolding the mechanism of the heavens, and to comprehend without any remarkable exertion in the way of research the consecutive stages of its develop ment—from the earliest ages, extending back oven to the ' limits of the bielical records, down to the most recent discoveries made in the middle of this nineteenth century. The volume before us comprehends, indeed, according to the euegestive intimation of the very tithapege, a de detailed description of the esmblishment by Sir Isaac Neesion of the:theory of gravitation, as well as of its illus , leaden by several soccer dies philosophers, together with an teecouut of the progress made in the researches of man kind among all the other departments of the study of celestial physics. So minute is the exposition of the theory of gravitation by Mr. Grant in the very outset of ' his • highly meritorious en erprise, that be has (not by any means iejudiciously) - xtended it from the commence ' meet of the 'first chapter to the close of the thirteenth. Atimeg the prefouodly inter, sting subjects treated of in this pertamlar division of his History of the Celestial Mechanism, Mr. Greet enumerates - prominently and explains with considerable lucidity —the law of the areas, the motion of a body in an elliptic orbit, its motion in an orbit . of variable curvature, the attraction of a spherical Mass of particles, the general effecta of pertur bation, the computation of the moon's inequalities, the aid afforded by the infinitesimal calculus, the attraction of spheroids, the precession of the Ecriincotes—and all the other marvellous and suggestive themes pointed out to the scrutiny of man by the immortal " Principle." It were difficult to decide upon this matter whether our author has suc ceeded best in his exquisite account of Newton's inductive ascent to the principle of gravitation, or in his masterly record of the development of its almost innumerable consequences. Having specified the reasons impeding the early acceptance of the Newtonian theory, he goes on to show the precise nature of its reception, first in England and subsequently on the continent, enumera ting in addition to the foregoing facts those researches in analysis and mechanics which subsequently exercised such a remarkable influence on physical astronomy. Thereupon are particularized the problem of three bo dies, the motion of the lunar apogee, the secular varia tions of the planets, the invariability of their mean distances, the oscillations of their eccen tricities and inclinations, and the sublime de monstration of the stability of the whole planetary system—a demonstration begun by the hypo thesis of Lagrange, but triumphantly completed and es tablished by the elegant and ingenious theorem of La place. By such advances as these does the compiler of the present history adventure upon the revelation of the loftier and abstruser mysteries of physical astronomy. Setting out with the divine researches of Newton he estimates the extent to which the world of science is indebted to the prior, the contemporaneous, or subse quent labours of Huygens, Leibnitz, Clairaut, Mayer, Ruler, Lagrange, Laplace, Lambert, Halley, Dunthorne, Maclaurin, D'Alembert, Legendre, Bradley, Galileo, Hevelius, Caysini, Hodierna, Borelli, Walmaley, Bailly, Delambre, Lfirfel, Poisson, Burcbardt, Binet, Damoiseau, Airy, Carlini, Lubbock, Hansen, Herschel, Bouvard, Bessel, and a multiplicity of others, going as far back as Tycho Braise and Kepler, and coming as tar foiwards as Adams and Leverrier, • beginning with the Chaldeans and ending with the Astronomer Royal. A variety of enthralling problems, as might be felt certain, before turning over a single page of the volume are considered in the course of its investigations, and that with a caution which inspires confidence, and a clearness that of hl s rs uuuabnbslal eiemttr 0 re vealedoo- - attention. Nut the least interesting among these curious topics is the one having reference to the solution of the great problem of the longitude. Fasci nating as all these very accurate accounts necessarily must be, furnishing us with the actual results of the re searches, many by various geometers, perhaps among the most fascinating will be found that chapter in which Mr. Grant describes the manner in which the sagacity of Laplace led to the detection of the physical cause of the gradual acceleration perceived in the moon's ,ngular velceity round the earth—an accelera tion first hinted at by the comparison of the records of certain eclipses seen at Babylon nearly 700 B. c., with others, observed about the tenth century by the drabiau astronomers. Especial mention is made by the author of the present history of the luminous powers and the premature death of Horrocks, who is gracefully spoken of by him as the morning star of that galsxy of nom of genius who continued for nearly a century to adoru the annals of these blends by their contribudons to the sciences, . both physical and mathe mstical—sech testi as Gascoigne , Brouneker, Barrow, Wallis, Wren, Gregory, Hooke, Teyler, Bradley, Simp son, Macl a urin ; ton. The narrative gi v es, in the tweelietb chapter of the volume, the curliest intilietion made of the knowledge of the principle of the telcseope, as revealed in Roger Becen'e Opus ITIU/US, in Digges' Fantometria, in D-e's edition of luclid in Porta's Magia Natu ralil, and in ;he posthumous work Be fladiis Visas .of detente de Domini!. This portion of the work describes the improvements made in the most wonderful of optical instruments, trout the first rude tube in t r io bands of Galileo to the colossal reflsctive telescope of Lord H :see, with a focal length of 54 feet and a blii feet ap e rture . Due reference is made before the clo t se h o e t en s extraordinary production, of the solution o_ a t ta eieni of the nebulae, and of all the m y: o ml r ha e autaheri r ttau e .tu m pro a N eptune, nrls _ b tic's connected with the discovery of by M. Leverrier. Throughout the whole undertaking, w ta e k i i e n e g— e o a g n at have deterred . the ener giesanyo.caltdaear,iintgorddiittinacuryltiest,f him a t . s ro aa m ain a sa t ststetremornpyotiotrinfecishr:i.stsasour,..ebia_.el e i a z t. i sia t: t on l il —a, the x f t r i ' t Grant h ,-1 calculated rely materially th H i ereby g l; e u _has ar s on con department of -Pillic"PbY' rests of e advance the information of a ot n® celes•ial mechanism trived to forward the iat u t' a, P.P ler . education by contributing to the see! . ~, , of a dornieg the national literatere. a work capable BILL. The Home having gone into Committee on the Bill, Mr. IIEADLAM. moved, as an amendment, the addition of the following words at the end of section 1:—•" or in any banking company which may have had, or may hereafter have, dealings or transactions with any such councillors, commissioners, or trustees of such borough." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL having objected to the amendment, The C mrnittee divided, when there appeared -, For the amendment ... ... 13 Majority against ... ••• —24 The clause wai then agreed to. After some observations from Mr. H. EDWARDS, The remaining clauses of the Bill were then agreed to, and the House resumed. The Mutiny Bill and the Marine Mutiny Bill were se verally read a third time, and passed; and The House adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock. Rear-Admiral Berkeley, C. 8., paired off for, with Mr. Colville, against, Mr. Berkeley's motion on the ballot. Mr. George Thompson paired in favour of Mr. Tre lawny's motion on church -rates, with Mr. H. C. Lacy. TVESTIIIINS7'ER- BRIDGE. The following is the report of the Westminster. bridge Commission of 1851: " To TELE I.ORDS COMMISSIONERS OF HER MAJESTY'S TREASURY. " We, the Commissioners appointed under the directions Contained in a letter from your Lord ships dated the 20th of May, 1851, nominating us to b). :Coranaissioner, .for the purpose of con sidering the be s t an d most conven i e nt sit e f or " s new bridge at Westminster, and, at the same time, what will b e t h e b est mode of construct i on w i t h re ference both t o the tinffic over it and to the purposes of navigation,' h av i ng examined witnesses, and taken the opinion of s evera l most eminent engineers an d arch i tects on these points, beg to submit the following report:— " The subject of the rebuilding of Westminster-bridge has already occupied the attention of three Committees of the House of Commons in the years 1844, 1846, and 1850. " In the report of the first of these Committees, made in the year 1 844, it is stated to bo their opinion that a new bridge would not be required; but they recom mended certain alterations for the purpose of improving and strengthening the present structure. "The committee of 1846 took a different view of the subject, and resolved unanimously that the present bridge should be t a k en d own a nd that a new bridge bo co nstructed. "The Com m i ttee of 1850, concurring in t hi s op i n i on, advised that a power should be taken by Act of Parlia ment to erect a temporary bridge adjoining the present structure, in case such a work should be rendered ne cessary; and they further recommended than an inquiry should be made fur the purpose both of ascertaining the most economical mode of building another bridge on or the present site, and also ot deciding the height of head way above Trinity d atum wh i ch woul d b e necessar y f or the convenience o f the navigation. " This temporary bridge not having been commenced, the expediency of Parliament in th e session ot 1850 is open for reconside ration.acting under the power conterred by " The subject of our inquiries divides intself into two portions—one having refere tor the new bridge, and the other as to its mode of con struction.' suggested for our consideration:— bridge should be l. That the new " In she evide nce we ha ve t a ken several sites were present bridge. " 2. That in should be built at some distance from the present bridge, lower down the river ; and "3. That it should b e erected adjoining, or as near as possible to, the present structure. " The advantage of the first of these plane, ' that the new bridge should be o n the site of the present bridge,' is, that the approaches would be provided without addi t ihesel x pne are the other hand we consider that t approaches inadequate to the requirements of the present daily incre a sing tr a ffi c , an d occasion b o th inconvenience This plan would necessarily involve the erection of onaee s a ; n but, U d t :t on ugr. . adequate a temporary bridge ; and we ar e ' informed that the site of the old piers would present difficulties in constructing the foundation of new piers. This course would, moreover also necessitate the entire bridge before the new one could be consequently occasion delay and increase the cost of this removal. " In considering this plan, the period of time which would necessarily be occupied in the cJinpletion: of o re o ni m o m v e a n l e o c f d, th a e nd ol i t uld these successive structures should not be overlooked. A temporary bridge could not be brought into use in less mertphesrmfraonmenitts commencement, could not be com menced er nmeucement, and the works that the p ermanent bridge could not fort h e a n n 18 t c also e i esdo nniltibrftled be constructed in two years. Tho temporary bridge would delay the permanent struct ure f or w hi c h it wou ld in the meantime be an inconveni en t su b st i tute . F or these reasons we cannot recomm en d t h e a d opt i on o f t h e present siie as the best suited f or th e new b r id ge , end we deem it desirable to select a site which may ena ble : ti the opening of the te m p orar y b r id ge . W e era US to avoid the expense and the d e l ay o f a tem porary bridge. . " With respect to the second plan-4 That the new bridge should be built at some distance from the present bridge, lower down the river,' we have renewed the in quiry into the sites • which have at various times been proposed for a bridge in li eu of the ex i s ting Westmin ster-bridge, and which are referred to in the reports of the Parliamentary Committees on this subject. The following s i tes have more particularly attracted our attention: —Charing - cres s, Richmond -terrace, the India Board. All these are more or less liable to the .same, ,obj , ctions, namely, an increase of exp ense an d a dditional delay .in securing ts perausue4t communmstiou siQFQ*3 the river, NA VAL INTELLIGENCE. The Duke of Northumberland has desired a notice to be put up at the Admiralty, at Whitehall, that he will see flag °wars 0 , 2 Wedoesdays, from hal,-past twelve to two o'clock r . ; i f, b . , e above In stead antie rof `Williamt ,li.,eregulararrangement il leveewill allow The longer interviews of thesanks junior to flag officers with the First Lord at his levees, which are held on Tuesdays. to Commander Neptune,mvice.Mathia Vixen steam-sloopW commanderor sf ol d ( 1804f1) Portsmouth has been appointed ordinary, ,as the angle dock at Portsmouth Mathias, 'who has resigned on account of ill-health. bottom scrubbed Commanderdown.mout 1 l yes yesterday rßarnard,day morningvvas to taken have into her Hecate, 6, steam-sloop, Commander Hand, returned to the moorings in Barnpool on Tuesday afternoon, from a cruise in the chops of the Channel to relieve the homeward bound vessels detained by the easterly winds. Poierssro UV!, THURSDAY. — The Antelope steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Young, has been got off the Ledge of Bembi idge. She had the assistance of the large boats of the whole of the squadron at Spithead, as well as the Sprightly steam-vessel, Mr. George Allen Acting-Master commanding, and the Drake lighter. The Antelope was lightened of all her dead weight—a gun, anchors, and such like, but which the Sprightly afterwards recovered. The lat ter vessel also lightened her of her coals, &c. She went ashore at a quarter past 6 o'clock yesterday morning. All hands set to work to try their utmost to get her off, which appearing to fail, assistance was sent for. The Sprightly lightened her about 18 inches. She found her on the inner part of Bembridge-ledge, with her head lying west, with not above 15 inches of water under her fore foot. Mr. Davy, Assistant-Master Attendant of this dockyard, and Mr. Luke, foreman of shipwrights, with a party of the latter corps, went out to render assistance, and th e boat of the latter gentleman, with five men in her, was swamped in the service, but we are happy to add no lives were lost. About 25 minutes past 6 o'clock last evening the Antelope floated off the ledge, and came into this harbour without assistance, under steam. She is reported not bilged or hurt. The Sprightly came into harbour after her, at about half-past 10 o'clock last night, with the gun the Antelope threw overboard, the anchors, chain cable, and heavy gear. The latter has been docked to-day, and found to have sustained no injury. Simoom iron screw-frigate, Captain Kingcome, haying bad her engines put to rights by taking something from the air-pump of the Sanspareil, she took on board supernume raries for the eastward on Wednesday afternoon, and then got up her steam and went outside the Breakwater, where she steamed about some little time to prove the new work in her engine; meanwhile the Avon tender, which took the supernumeraries to the Simoom , too k the Vuloul iron-screw frigate, Master-Commander Penn, in tow, g! ,, t . at 5 r.u., was going out to the west en d of the Breatko±q3t where she will give her in charge to th e Simoonl a" her to Portsmouth. ill order that The Pluto steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Corni nan . Spitheae. been paid advance to-day, and went out to C. 8., flag of All, The Victory, 104, Captain G. B. Martin,o der Wit, hoe nuna nder-in-C b ier, miral Sir Thomas Briggs, G.0.M.G., ~,, 9 s o i , mo ß oro od i ney a , , 92 has been transferred to the west shore to-daY, her moorings may be examined.e tuat, At' Spithead—The Prince j t% g , Superb, 80, Hogue, 56, Retribu 1 11 7 , 0 16 and Pluto, 4. Major-General Simpson, r 0 lITSMO UTI I GA IthISCT'- t higgarrisor, as Li eut.-Governor pointed to the columned and r -, 'n o ni snd er- in- C ' aief of Portsmouth -- • this -of the South- Westernarrived here day, anal relieved District, B , wholl . Lieut.- General D ' A g uil n ie C u . tenant-G N.• " been doing the duty of the post as Aotrg• o •ernor since the departure se F l tzelaree ' of Lord Frederic k ' ece, APPOINTMENTS. smanNssa , APRIL l.—Captain — G. R. Mundy to the Londou,-90.- Captain the llon. Montague Stopford to the Waterloo,'l2o as Flag-Captain to Vice-Admiral the lion. Josceline Percy. Commander-in-Chiet at the Nore. Commander J. 13. Marh (1841), late of the Heroine , to the Waterloo, 120, f or general serv i ce. Her Maje s ty' s sh i p London, 90, Captain the Hon . Monta gue Stopford, sent down her jury topgallant masts y esterda y , preparatory to their being replaced by her sea-going ones. G. R. Mundy, EN , at present .F lag -C ap t a in of the Waterloo, succeeds Captain the Hon. Montague Stopford to-day in the Command of the London. The wardroom officers of her Majesty's ship Waterloo 1 2 0 , gave a farewell dinner yestadeY on board this 0,113,; S