The Sun. — London, England, 1852-12-08 00:00:00

THE SITN I LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING DECEMBER,, 8, 1852, this state of things had occurred in the time of Sir contract was precisely the same with that of the Roman John Davis, who lived in the days of James I. and law. The tenant, in both cases, was to build and im- Queen Elizabeth. The right honourable gentleman , prove, and he had the right, at th e en d o f hi s t erm, on considered that some inconvenience had arisen the landlord refusing to purchase his interest, to sell it from the system of middle men ' • and with the as- t o any so l ven t purc h aser. Wherever that custom had sistance o f hi s am i a bl e a d v i ser , he had arrived at the existed in the north of Ireland, it was impossible for any conclusion that what was required was an incaease of em- court of law or equity to disregard it ; for the custom of ployment, an increase of encouragement to industry, and a district always regulated the decisions of a court, and the removal of every description of religious distinction. where a custom was improved, it always was enforced. But all foreign writers and all English economists of au- The same was done in the English courts. Recently, in thority had ascribed the different state of things in Ire- Lincolnshire, where the customlad prevailed only 20 land and in other countries to the existence or the years ' a tenant who had marled his farm was held en absence of a, motive for industry, and f or th e exert i on titled to compensation. In like manner, in Ulster, if a which was caused by an interest in the property created landlord refused compensation to a tenant, he might be by industry. (Hear. hear.) They said, with Arthur compelled by law to give it. It was astonishing that Young, that the magic of a property was capable of such obvious rights could ever be disregarded by men converting a waste, or even an almost barren rock, into of legal acquirements. These men knew well that the a garden ; but that he who created it must have an bate- same right was established by usage in every country of rest in it. (Cheers.) The secret of the perennial misery Europe. Under the Ulster custom, an enormous amount of Ireland had been well condensed by Mr. Mill, in his of property had been accumulated—probably 12 or 13 mil " Principles of Political Economy," into a few words. lions ; and it was important to remember that, though the After comparing the state of almost every class connected tenant-right of Ulster was not once mentioned in the bill with the cultivation of the soil, from the West Indian of the right hon. gentleman, it would have the effect of slave to the free labourer of Britain, he said that the sweeping that right wholly away. (Hear, hear.) The Irish farmer or cottier was alone amongst mankind in learned serjeant proceeded to read a list of sums paid for his condition ; for to be industrious benefited nobody tenant-right. In one case a man had paid for 36 acres but his landlord ; while if he chose to be intemperate 6001. tenant-right, the rent being 421. 6s. In another, it was at his landlord's expense. If that were true, a man for 57 acres, at 275. the acre, paid for tenant-right the whole mystery was solved. (Cheers.) But could 8001., and in both cases the tenants had laid out con the evil be obviated ? He (Serjeant Shee) believed siderable sums in addition for improvements. A third it could. (Cheers.) The bill of Mr. Sharman Craw- man held 36 Cunningham acres, had expended 2001. in ford did not propose to do for the Irish farmer at building, and had paid 201, for tenant-right. In these, present what was done by the first French revolution, and several similar cases enumerated, the tenant might which cost so much blood and suffering, for the people be turned out at a moment's notice. Such were the of France. They did not propose to do for the Irish cases which the house had to provide for with respect to what the decrees of the Emperor Joseph and Maria the north, but in some parts of Ireland tenants had no Theresa had done for Austria ; what Steen had done protection for these improvements, except that system of for Prussia ; and what, by their own industry and agrarian outrage which was as disgraceful to the legisla economy, the Swiss cantons had done for themselves. ture as it was to the perpetrators. In Ulster the protec- They did not propose to create a peasant proprietary. tion was tenant-right, which until late years had never (Cheers.) But what they wished was, to legalise in been disputed. The first attempt to resist occurred Ulster what had been the cause of the prosperity of that about ten years since, and was made in a stealthy manner, province, and to extend it throughout Ireland—less not denying the principle, but declaring against the its abuses—in the absence of any contract inconsistent abuse ; but since the opening of the ports a new ques with its principles. (Cheers.) He (Serjeant Shee) tion had arisen, and a new solution of tenant-right. asked no better jury to whom to submit this cause than The landlord had now to consider whether he would Con an assembly of English gentlemen. He had known fiscate his tenants' improvements by upholding the old them in private life, as magistrates, and in his profes- rents, or would accommodate his fortunes to altered cir sional avocations, and he felt sure that if he could show cumstances and accept the reduction. In many cases the plan proposed to be preferable and more honest the temptation had proved too strong for the landlords' than that in existence, their verdict would be in hi s principles ; the tenant right, with all its real accumu favour. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The evil, then, lations of property, was in danger, and this was the that they were seeking to cure was the direct result of state of things in which the house was called to inter an exceptional law and custom in Ireland, and he could fere. As a proof how fully the tenant right had been not help observing, that in the elaborate speech of acknowledged by the northern landlords, he might the right hon. gentleman, he had carfully avoided the mention that Lord Caledon, on taking some land from very point upon which the whole question 'between a tenant a few years since to increase his park paid the ' him and Mr. Crawford turned. He did not make the man 12/. an acre tenant right. Let them see how far Slightest allusion to the maxim upon which the law re- the right hon. gentleman's bill provided justice for the lating to additions to real property rested—the maxim, past and security for the future. The right hon. gentle- Quic-quid plantatur solo, solo sedet. In the Roman man provided compensation for improvements, but laid law the landlord was bound to furnish the tenant with down as a principle that the improvements belonged to everything necessary for the cultivation of the soil— the soil, while the clause was merely a translation of the with a house in good repair, barns for his corn, and Roman civil law, and altogether altered the law as it stables for his cattle—and if in any respect the landlord existed in Ireland. The right hon. gentleman was, in fact, failed in this, his bounden duty, the tenant could be giving a right to a man to sue another man for improve reimbursed to the last farthing. (Hear, hear.) That ments effected on that man's property. He (Serjeant Shee) was also the case in Scotland. In England fixtures did not quarrel with the principle, but the right hon. gentle were irremovable ; but, for everything supplied by the man denied it, and a little further on tried to evad e it, tenant in addition, or by which the value and produc- coolly declaring that for the future the landlord might tiveness of the soil could be increased, and which re- claim buildings at a valuati on . Th e hi g h es t amoun t o f mained unexhausted, the tenant was entitled at the compensation under the bill would only amount to four end of his term to be paid according to the law and years value after deducting the ren t.' custom of the place—that custom being in almost The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that was a mis every case fair and equitable. (Cries of "Hear, hear.") take of the printer's. But in Ireland they translated this maxim literally, and Serjeant SHEE said that, for a mistake, it was remark withoutably clear and explicit, and referred for confi rma ti on t o any qualification or restriction. (Cheers.) Now, the superficial contents of Ireland were about 12,000,000 zn n o u t e hr t k o dll i i n n. vh o icn e e provision was repeated , and con acres improvements clause, ar ; and of those about 9,000,000 changed hands be- gating that o n stensible en al r l:wan i c e e n s s tween the year 1635 and 1695 by confications. (Cheers.) would in reality be found to be a delusion. he tenant About the year 1645 Ireland was what was called was not dealt with fairly in not receiving value for what " settled"—the Act of Settlement was passed—and he he had done. Any landlord who chose to say that build thought it would be difficult to prove by any certain ings had been raised more than 40 years, could refuse authority that the evils they now complained o f h a d compensation ; and the object apparently was to estop the existed anterior to that time. The Irish Parliament, Ulster tenant for ev er . (H ear , hear.) The right hon. which sat during the reigns of Charles 11., William And gentleman (Mr. Napier) might sa y that the Ulster landlords Mary, Anne, a n d th e t wo fi rs t p r i nces o f th e h ouse o f would of course acknowledge the e x i s ti ng custom ; but he maintained_enera bill th e at t g n r o es p e r h o t vi o s n i e on t to e r that r w t ere of T , : e de in te a r Brunswick, were composed almost entirely of the new proprietors ; and the laws passed by them were prompted g tenants would be entirely confiscaar Pe (H Y ear, hear.) If by the alarm which their position inspired. (Cheers.) the tenant considered the rent which he was paying too They lived in dread of a revival of the old catholic in- high and wanted to go, he would have to leave all his in terests, and they found a pretext for their legislation in provements behind him. He had no objection to the limi the religion of the people. They passed laws ostensibly to tation of the tenants' claims to compensation. But there prevent the growth of popery, but really to keep down the were numerous estates in Ireland which had for a long native inhabitants and to prevent them from rising to period been nothing but potato estates, the landlords n assert their rights. By one l aw it was enac t e d t h at no not caring what kind of buildings exi s t e d ; an d no im papist—that was no farmer—in Leinster, Munster, and go era veriie a n d ts ha weret: l b a e n A) l a o ? cr f s or e unl e t s s f s ii t o h n e tenant o. matly . Connaught, should be capable of holding land upon any ficulties were to be put in th p e way of the tenanVbefore term exceeding 30 years, or unless three-fourths of the he improved which in 99 cases out of 100 would be insu yearly improved value of the land was reserved for rent. parable. The right hon. gentleman spoke the other even (Hear.) He (Serjeant Shee) would not now inflict upon ing of the mortality which had accompanied the substi them any remarks upon the penal laws—" sufficient to tution of large farms for small ones. From his statement the day wasthe evil thereof "—(laughter)—but there was it would appear that that mortality was greateit on estates one act to which he would allude. It had been passed to where the farms were small ; whereas the reverse was the relax an act which remained in force until the 21st truth. Now what was the course to be pursued when the George 111. By the former act no papist was tenant desired to make improvements ? If he wished permitted t o h ave a h orse o f greater value than to erect a building, or a pi gs ty e , h e must prepare a plan and specifications, just as much as if he wished to con five pounds ; but this bill declared that all stallions struct a bridge or a railway •he must then serve a notice and brood mares, with their produce till it was five on his landlord of his intention tomake the impro years old, should not be considered to come within the ments ; he must lodge the plan dationsmeaning of the act. (Laughter.) Under such a state with the clerk of the peace, by whom they were to be of things the idea of improvement was quite out of published in the county paper ; and after all this had been `he questio n : and the policy which arose out of the done, the landlord was entitled to step in and say, that he fears to - which the conscious possession of plunder intended to effect the improvement himself under the gave birth, became the normal arrangement be= provisions of the Land Improvement Act. The tenant in tween the owners and the occupiers of the land. (The tr o t 7 ) a o s a e r lsad w th oul T before se , t o he Board of Wz r ks T h ODubi t in ; learned serjeant then proceeded to quote Burke, Lord would be advertised n aeain ; w a n nd a n n o l t n ni sP e7ely the lan ni dTo?d r Cathcart, and various other authors, who wrote at diffe- but any person interested in the estate—he might he a rent periods of the last century, desc r ibi ng the fatal mortgagee, or he might be a widow with a jointure— effects that had resailtccl to the industry- of Ireland from (great laughter)—any such person might raise objections. the policy pursued since the act of settlement.) Some A meeting of all interested was then to be called in Dublin 60 years ago the laws were altered, but the system had to discuss the matter, and to determine whether or not the become inveterate. The different acts were sent over improvement would be good for all parties interested; from England, and carried by force of the influence of and as it was ten to one if the man who wanted the im provement .had not voted against the landlord at the last Covernment. They were passed against the wishes of election, it s was not improbable that the result would the Irish proprietors, and they perversely adhered to the determination that t b h u th e im s se an lf d an t a i h r is f neighbours should old system. Though the laws were altered, things were be e ‘ s l e d nt ete abou i very little changed. From a statistical survey of the To say no one should have s compensated ar i m in s le e s e s ns lY went ae county he represented (Kilkenny), written by t in have all those fcrrms was as good as to say that he should father of the present Lord-Lieutenant Mr. Tighe, in have none at all. Let the house fancy a man who did not 7802, mention was made of the bad state of the agri- eat meat twice a week going up to Dublin to fight the cultural buildings and of the unimproved condi- Board of Works. (Oh, oh.) Well, if he did not do that, tion of the farms. This he ascribed to the fact that the improvements could not be made at all. This bill pro nothing was ever built or repaired by the landlords spectively gave no compensation without all that formality. these things were left to the tenants, who generally Again, the tenant was to have no compensation if he were evicted for non-payment of rent. (Hear, hear.) He had came in witho u t c apital enough to stock th e i r farms, just built a h ouse , per h aps a t an ex p e nse of 2001, t w h en stiil less to build, f enc e, or drain them. Thi s was said through some misfortune he became unable to pay his rent. in 1802. I n 1843 , the Devon Commission spoke in In such a case there was nothing to prevent the landlord much of the same language, stating that the uncertainty from turning him out without any compensation. Under of tenure was constantly referred to as a pressing griev- any other law the tenant would be allowed to sell, and the ante by all classes. They declared that legislative mea- proceeds would go towards the rent. Further, the tenant sures were necessary to give efficacy to agreements be- was never to get compensation if he chose to leave the farm tween landlords and tenants. It was admitted (they of his own accord. Was that justice ? There was one vice said) that the landlord did nothing in the way of build- in this bill which must strike every one. The tenant in ing and fencing ; all this was done by the tenant. Ireland improved bit by bit, and none of the improvements (Hear, hear.) A little later—in a work which he be-i would be paid for. The bill proceeded entirely on the sup lieved was written from notes supplied by Mr. N position that the question to be determined was one which depended on a contract between the parties ; whereas the himself—it was stated that nearly all the improvements G r. ener p al r Feel question was, what would be most likely to encourage were done by the tenant farmers themselves. speaking, that had been the state of things up to this time. no i n m o pf n otv e T t ia o n n t sic. defeat e n fe m at ak t t e g these o ed comments oetof hlh e ae 4o r v e:lly (Hear, hear.) It had originated in the unfortunate alarm s ment ; but he would suggestaL avowed ' that this bill, and of men who had possessed themselves, by means of the another bill which had been before the house several times. power of England, of the property of the inhabitants ; it should both be referred to a select committee. (Hear, hear.) was a system which had originated in the necessity of keep- It was, he hoped, the intention of all to act fairly and ho wne.s.tcl7, and not to treatin a beggarlypartyspirit a question ing the people gown ; and though the penal laws in which it He m hoped had really nothing to do with party. (Hear, hear.) had originatea were repealed, the system still prevailed so divide againstveTl(l3nt would not force 60 Irish mem- All the arrangements had been made on the understanding h ors i.l ) ". e b ll te T ii h e z h hat no at wischhto course that the landlords should have all the produce of the the just rights of property, soil, except the small part necessary for reproduction would be injurious to all parties; but g they could su ne a t assent ) Mortgages and family settlements- had been made on to the bill as it stood. The object of the Irish party was to w nis o : l l ( i i if e e a s c tr e n p V' d rl n fezi e n g ho . t t h bills to a select committee this basis ; and now the landlords were so embarrassed pss a good . bill this session, and for the purpose he trusted Il la It e had re b se eltpro i T a n by these engagements, and by judgments which they had acknowledged, that they could do nothing for the im - out. Many members (he lP ang in on vi e) i prevenient of their estates. These judgment or assign ment had been returned by the tenant farmers ) for u thearfirst rnents were another result of the penal laws, which pre- time to represent their feelings, and they were anxious to vented Papists from holding land. The effects of this do all they could to arrive at a just and satisfactory settle unhappy system existed to the present day. The people ment of a long vexed question ; and he hoped that anxiety were crushed to the earth, were reduced to living on would not be disappointed by the determination of the potatoes and milk and water, and were altogether in Government to pass their own objectionable measure, and a state which was a shame to this country. (Hear.) thus, by exciting the hostility of the Irish party, prevent For the most part, the Irish cultivator was a tenant-at- that or any other measure on the subject passing during will, in arrear with his rent, and under notice to quit. the course of the present session. (Loud cheers.) Illr (Hear, hear.) They w ere li a bl e t o be ejected at an mo- . R. MOORE, as a member representing the north of ment by their landlords, wh o , i n nine ases out Y of ten, Ireland, expressed his approval of the principle of the were as innocent as the babe unborn, the real ejectors series of Government bills on the subject which had been being the creditors of the l an dl or d s. U n d er suc h a s introduced, and had not intended to do more than offer Ys - some suggestions in committee, but felt it necessary to tern what motive, had the te nan t— suppos i ng h e came make som remarks in consequence of the line of argil into possession of any capital—for investing it in the ment taken by the hon. and learned gentleman 'who had impro vement of th e land? Looking back at the example just sat down. The hon. and learned gentleman had, dur of those few who, induced by the apparent security ing two-thirds of hit, speech, detailed to the house those 'afforded by the act of 1792, had built some decent penal laws which had been repealed years ago. His synk farm-houses and made other improvements—of which Pathies were with the tenant, but the rights of property there were some scattered instances up and down the must be maintained, and the first principle of the lion. and country—he probably found that they had died in the learned member's bill violated the law of property. The o hi . rn. h a a nd learned member, while advocating the question workhouse. (Hear, hear.) There were found none of the cheerful homes in Ireland that were spread over the was ' and rig ht, had not . condescended to explain what that it was impossible to define what . Ulster tenant Whole face of England. The condition of the best estates right was, for not only did the tenant right in Ulster differ in the best counties of Ireland was such as would bring in every part of the province, but it differed in every acoblu!ih on the face of any proprietor of stock in this estate, each having its own peculiar custom. How, then, Cu u r : t rY. (Hear, hear.) The parks, mansions, and plea- was it possible to legalise Ulster tenant right ? A variable cos _ grounds wore much the same appearance in the two custom could never become law for the whole of the land. " tr ies • but He held that where the " tenant right" existed, the right in os t strikt go beyond those and the difference was of the landlord to raise the rent or to place a veto on the landi oms Ing The cause of all this misery was that the . ncommg tenant was undoubted. How, then, consistently try_and did nothing for the improvement of the coup - i with those rights of the landlord, could such a ten an t do anythi no , l. condition was such that they could not right as that proposed exi s t? I n f ac t, suc h a d emand? families and ndithjautstice to the younger branches of their savoured rather of the communistic doctrines of which from improv e h e is tenants themselves were deterred they had heard than justice to the tenant. Finding it, Ulster, where the Bby the liability of eviction. In then, impossible to legalise " tenant right," the question system had sp ea „ P g ena l laws had not operated, a different arose, what ought to be done? Now, it appeared to him prosperity which the nowhere bad produced a degree of that what they ought to do was to look out some principle hope else in Ireland. He had been deluded into the by which the tenant should be secured compensation for gentleman the other night , hearing the right hon. improvementsmade by him during his tenancy. That was duce a good bill for givin g t the really meant to intro "antrnguhrkt to Ireland. The the true principle. (No, no.) No ! why, the hon. gen tleman who called out "no " differed from Mr. Shar right hon. gentleman had quoted out e, who also said man Crawford, the great advocate of "tenant right." that it was most injurious to shut poBt,,,hree-fourths of efficient of land, The bill of Mr. Shaman Crawford of 1848 asked for corn the inhabitants of Ireland from the pensation to the tenant, and he grounded the claim to it on and that a 30 years' tenure was not su permanent improvement, and he repeated over and over ent to induce again that that was the ground, and that there was no the occupier to build, plant, and make improvements . claim for occupancy. He (Mr. Moore) maintained that This passage revealed at once the cause of t - e ml:iery of the bill of the Attorney-General for Ireland was grounded the south and west of Ireland, and of the prosperity of on the principle of the original bill of Mr. Sharman Craw- Ulster ; it also contained the strongest arument s ford, and it started with the principle of them copensation for against the inadequate compensationhear . ) proposed,. by the improvements ; although it might not fix amount. But _ _air. Burk e ev i_ that was a question of detail, and though he (Mr. Moore) right hon. gentleman. (Hear, dently conte m plated the establishment of such a syst em agreed in the principle of the bill he by no means pledged awardin as prevailed in Ulster, the legislation and extensio n o f himself to details', but the question to be decided to nieht e , which t o th e w h o l e o f I r eland • had been a dvocat ed year of •a the " whether the house could agree to the principle . bill of the Attorney-General, and that was the after year by Mr. S. Crawford. The settlement of Ulster had been made under a Scotch prince ; and the system improvementsmpensation for permanent and unexhausted of plantation pursued was precisely that which prevailed kenny pro s owed The hon. and learned member for Ell 8t should that his bill and that of the Attorney ° Id be sent to a select committee • but that between landlord and planter under the old Roman law. Genera.' This was perfectly clear from the articles of plantation, of bills,waansdthe duy of the house to decide on the p r i n e c ip p l P could not be, for the two bills conflicted in ' • which required that the land should be let for terms of 1 Another re= t° leave the question to a select committee. riie years, or in fee at a low rent. Shortly afterwards, it ap he would press' treart from Parliamentary rules, for which gearing that these articles had been violated by the un k rs letting the was option or rejection of the bill of the land to tenants at will and at rack- Attorney-General rent, a commission from the Court of Star Chamber was and learned member for hat if the bill of the honourable issued, and the result was the forfeiture of the lands. In would excite hopes whi c h w i lennY was entertained it every respect, save the length Ulster and hopes too extravagant to° d lead to disappointment, of the terra, the er be r • ealtsed. The principle of the bill of the Attorney-General has been affirmed time f af o t r e d i, h tini ad e a b a y o t f te n ho b u e se en , while t t e h d a ; t a o n f d aMr.SthavrriansananCrotahver reason why the house should again decide between the two. He (Mr. Moore) thought that if the house was of opinion that the bill of the hon. and learned memberforKilkenny was true let A t t t h o e r n m d e y zi e d n e e r s e a ~• b The t elf honourables o , they must memberreject t t in h ha e p n tri p on r fc o ip c th e le e e ded to comment on the criticism of the hon. member for Kilkenny on the bill of the Attorney-General, and maintained that that bill contained a just principle on which the compensation to tenants was to be calculated ; and retorted the charge made by the hon. member for Kil kenny that the bill of the Attorney-General was compli cated in its machinery, by showing that the bill of the hon. member himself was far more cumbrous and compli cated, and instanced the clause which provided for arbitra tion, and which, so far from being clear and simple in, its provisions, was most complex, and began with directions to ascertain that which was the most difficult thing in the world to do, namely, what was a fair rent. In conclusion, the hon. member said that English representatives should be cautious in sanctioning that principle commonly called tenant right, which, if once adopted in respect to Ireland, English tenants would insist on being applied to themselves. Mr. J. BALL condemned the Government bill, and en tered into that examination of it in detail which usually , characterises the discussions of the house only in com mittee. If they voted to allow these bills to go into com mittee, it was on the understanding that they altogether protested to its being a settlement of the question. Mr. BROTHERTON moved that the debate be ad journed. Mr. GEORGE then rose and attempted to address the house, but was met with loud cries of Adjourn." Mr. E. B. ROCHE asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer if, as leader of the house, he could fix a day on which the adjourned discussion should come on. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had no day at command. All that he could do was to fix the discussion for this day, which he had done. Mr. M`MAHON—In rising for the first time to address the house— Mr. GEORGE—I rise to order. Mr. B. OSBORNE—And I rise to order. I believe the hon. gentleman on the other side of the house is perfectly in order in speaking to the adjournment. Mr. IVMAHON said if, in conformity with the usages of the house, he could express his opinion on the subject, he was ready to do so. The question was of extreme impor tance to the welfare of Ireland and to the welfare of England also. He did not think that the measures of the Attorney-General for Ireland provided a sufficient remedy. The two material bills, as they were told, consolidated, one of them 200 and the other 60 acts of Parliament. Those 260 acts of Parliament were 260 failures. They were failures, because the Legislature, in enacting them, looked chiefly to the interest of the landlord, and neglected the interest of the other members of the community. These 260 acts of Parliament interfered with the freedom of contract—with the freedom of action of both landlord and tenant. He begged to suggest that as Mr. Sharman Crawford's bill was supported by 50 of the Irish members, it ought, in courtesy to them, and to those whom they represented, to be sent upstairs with the Government bills. The ques tion ought to be viewed with the eye of statesmen who desired the permanent welfare and happiness of the empire, and not with the prejudices of Irish landlords or lawyers. (Hear, hear.) Mr. LUCAS wished to state what the object of the Irish members was. They found that an examination of the Government bill, which on the most plausible statement had appeared to them to have been framed for the purpose of confiscating every particle of tenant property, only showed that it was eminently calculated to promote discord and outrage. They wished, therefore, to have an explanation from the right hon,'gentleman before they went back to their constituents for the recess, in order th a t th ey m i g ht know whether they h a d b een mistaken as to the meaning of the measure. It had been said that one extraordinary passage that occurred 3 ti mes i n th e p ro p ose d bill s was a printer's error. In his opinion, the whole was a gross blunder of some one, and he should be very glad to throw the blame on the printer. (Laughter.) He was anxious to take up the question in no party spirit. (Cheers, and cries of " Oh.") He used the words as solemnly as a man could use words on any subject, when he declared that he would as soon take a good measure from the right hon. gentleman as from any party in the house. (Cheers.) He had great hopes of a Government which had cast off so many exploded prejudices and obsolete politics ; and he only trusted that they would carry the same good feeling to Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He begged to suggest that the debate be 'adjourned to this clay. (Oh.) At all events, whatever evils might result from the Government leaving the statement of the hon. and learned serjeant unanswered, and the meaning of their own bill unexplained, the responsibility would be theirs. (Cheers.) The house then divided on the question of adjournment. For the adjournment Against it On our re-admission to the gallery, Mr. WALPOLE was addressing the house. He said that, seeing the little time before the recess, he was willing to accede to a proposition that had been made, for sending two of the bills to a select committee. The other two he desired to see passed as early as possible. (Hear, hear.) He acceded to this really with a view of settling the ques tion, as he saw no chance of making further progress with the bills before the recess. Mr. KEOGH hoped the committee would be named as early as possible. Mr. WALPOLE said he should communicate with the hon. and learned gentleman (Mr. Serjeant Shee, as was un derstood,) with regard to the composition of the committee, so as to give a fair proportion of Irish members. Mr. LUCAS hoped that the bill for giving leasing powers would also be sent to a select committee, and that the com mittee would be empowered to take evidence, otherwise they would be legislating in the dark. Mr. GROGAN was opposed to one of the bills, which ho said had been rejected in previous sessions, going before a committee. Mr. O'FLAFIERTY wished all the bills to go before a committee, and have evidence taken on the whole. The SPEAKER reminded the house that they had not fixed a day for the adjourned debate. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed Tuesday next. Mr. R. M. FOX said if the bills went before a select committee they would be no more heard of this session. Mr. NAPIER said he had intended to speak just before the adjournment was moved, and was quite prepared to answer the objections of Mr. Sergeant Shoe. Mr. KEOGH said it was most extraordinary that the same mistake should have crept into all those bills. On the face of it the present bill was a complete delusion. It was first laid down that the compensating period of enjoy ment should be 31 years ; but supposing a tenant to have expended 1001. on the faith of the first clause, by a subse quent clause upon eviction he was to have only 40s. re turned to him. The right hon. gentleman told the house on the night when he introduced these bills, that the prepara tion of them had "add e d many hours of toil to a professional life not unemployed." This was a great age of appro priations, and, perhaps, the app ro p r i a ti ons w hi c h t h ey had heard of since the beginning of the session were not the mose remarkable. There now appeared reason to suspect that the labours added to the toil of professional life, had been supplied by the pigeon -holes of Dublin Castle. Why did he say that ? Because there was then in the house a pamphlet, by Mr. Tighe Hamilton, dated Nice, the 2d of last month (Mr. Tighe Hamilton was a gentleman who held the office of assistant-secretary in Dublin Castle), in which was to be found section for section, and almost line for line, all the propositions of the right hon. gentleman. It was strange that all this should have been plundered without acknowledgment. Mr. NAPIER said the house must pardon him for an swering the attack made on his character and honour as a gentleman—(cheers) —and which, if well-founded, would show that he was unfit ever to sit in that house, On his honour as a gentleman he deciared that until after the bills were introduced, he never even saw the pamphlet of Mr. Tighe Hamilton —(loud Ministerial cheers)—nor any bills like those on the table. (Renewed cheers.) In the hi po sb ortywixte industry of nee the d ; materials and he o year 1850 two friends of hi s , M essrs. Vance and Ferguson, f fo t that wrote a book whi c h was pu b lished under his (Mr. Napier's) t b a h u o o o P e k o o r l w n n t e t o r e n e n t d a f e u o n r n e f e ii h a sentencee dl large page by page, s from rh n ulmot ebebni t ai2s h drrt. e :tahhonhi pamphlet e(cesßHeaicE rmeoh)a(Hear, i—ap rcharacter t aLhen eteLdea o nbErrh f : flleh M ar spmu trustedwehidstoquestion Hamilton,hheitehoohonechrcheers.) hohaha.fda:rtug tenantbse Tteehbhpewarnuetoobbligi explanationr i s odh h d.kgt ne e hardootgtod discussion— (hear, n n ytseac uspOctober,eitnshim.edrsayiodivertednnntdhae altercations—(hear, hear)—and attributed what had just w r o eferr d cd billl as well as th occurred to some remar k s of the Solicitor -General for Ire laonnd on a previous occasion. ed sug to ges t thetoselteshcet first should lie be would Secretary of State f or th e H ome Depaitment that the e committee. Mr. WALPOLE said the usual course was t bills which rel a t e d t o t h e same subject, and orefer all that course would be followed in the present instance. Mr. B. OSBORNE thought the personal bitternes s in fused into the debate that evening, was owing to some lan guage used by th e Att orney - General for Ireland on the previous evening. It was well-known that the late Go vernment left in Dublin Castle a measure for the settle ment of this question, and the hon. and learned member for Athlone, knowing what he did, was justified in sus pecting that that measure had been made use of. (Hear.) He feared that a select committee was only another way of cushioning the question. Mr. WHITESIDE regretted deeply tha . t measures in tended for the benefit of Ireland should be made the subject of personal altercation. He affirmed that the bills had not been rummaged "out of the pigeon -holes of the castle;" but had been prepared by Mr. Ferguson, under the super vision of his right hon. friend the Attorney-General. The law officers of the Crown would have explained the bills but for the time occupied by the hon. and learned member for Kilkenny. Mr. FOX protested against the bills being hung up in a select committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER suggested that, as the reference of the bills to a select committee had been approved of by the house, this irregular discussion should be put an end to. Serjeant SHEE was willing to accede to the appoint ment of a select committee, but hoped it would have power to send for persons and papers. After some further conversation the motion was agreed to. The bills were then severally read a second time, and referred to a select committee. COMMONS INCLOSURE BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. LETTERS PATENT FOR INVENTIONS. - The house went into committee, and passed certain reso lutions connected with this subject. The house adjourned at half-past one. 57-35 FATAL PRIZE FIGHT AT WOODHEAD.—One of those disgraceful exhibitions called prize fights took place on Monday, at Woodhead, about twenty miles from 3fan,zhes thr, being on the hills near the boundaries of Lancashire, Cheshire, Yorkshire, and Derbyshire. One of the co mba tnts, named George Wilson, was taken up in a state of insensibility, after fighting for a time, and brought by the Manchester and Sheffield Railway to Manchester, where he died yesterday morning in a beerhouse in Charter-street. It was reported that the man he had fought with was in custody. An inquest on the body would be held yesterday. CI THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR LIVERPOOL. —The adjourned inquest upon the bodies of the two unfor tunate men, Banks and Hewitt, the engine -driver and stoker, in the service of the London and North-Western Railway, who were killed by the engine running off the line at the Huyton Station on Thursday, was resumed on Monday at Huyton. The jury returned the following ver dict :—" Accidental death, in consequence of the speed at which the train was going, and the bad state of the road." NATIONAL BANK OF SCOTLAND.—The directors of this company have declared a dividend of si per cent., after payment of which, and p rov idi ng for all bad debts, , there will remain a balance of undivided profits of 95,000/. I THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET Farewell Season or Mr. Benjamin We'ister as Lessee and Manager. TIES EV.ESING Will be performed the admired Petite Comedy of THE LIDIES' BATTLE. After which, the very popular and highly attractive Comedy of MASKS A>. D FACES; or, Before and Behind t Cuttain—by Messrs Benjamin Webster, Leigh Murray. Stuart, and Porsche: Mrs. Stirling, Miss Rosa Bennett, Mrs. LelLh Murray, and Miss Fanny Maskell. To be followed by the Farce of A CAPITAL MATCH. To conclude with DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestrts. THIS EVENING Will be performed (second time here) a new Comic Drama, entitled IHE JENKEN3ES. Characters by Messrs. F. Matthews, Roxby, and Antler; and Mrs. F. Matthews, Mrs. Macnamara, Miss Baker, and Miss Foote. After which, a new Farce, in two acts, entitled THOSE DEAR BLACKS. Characters by Messrs. Charles Mathews, Baker, Suter, Butler, and Miss Wyndham. To be followed by USED UP. Sir Charles Coldstream, Mr. C, Mathews. To conclude with A HOUSE OUT OF WINDOWS. Characterr, Ptul Potter and Mr. Robert Roxby. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Aileron, 15, New lionctstreet. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPIII. Open for the Season. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING. The popular new Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, Uncle Tom's Cabin—by Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Harding. Miss Collins, Miss Laura Honey, and Mrs. Keeley; Messrs. Allred Wigan, Emery, Cullenford, 0. Smith, Ike, After which, the admired Farce of A MODEL WIFE. to conclude with the Comic Opera of GOOD NIGHT, SIGNOR PA N TA LON. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET, Under the Management of Mr. C. Roan. THIS EVENING Will be performed the new and original Play, in flue acts, by West land Marston, Esq., entitled ♦NNE BLAKE. Principal characters by Messrs. C. Kean, W. Lacy, and Addison ; Mrs. Winstanley, Mrs. Lily, and Mrs. C. Kean. 1 . 0 . ba followed by THE CORSICAN BROTHERS. Principal claracter by ➢lr. C. Kean. To conclude with THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVER, in which Mr. Wright will appear. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. Great and unprecedented success of Uncle Tom's Cabin, which nightly increases in popularity and attraction. THIS EVENING, Dec. Bth, and during the week, the perfor mances will commence with the new and highly successful Eques trian Drama of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, with all its exciting and interesting Equestrian and Dramatfc effects. To be followed by Batty's Equestrian and Gymnastic Scenes in the Arena, supported by the first native and Continental talent. To conclude with the popular Farce of THE DEVIL TO PAY. Stage Illanager.,Mr. w. West. Doors open at Mall-past Six o'clock; Boxratilce open daily from Eleven to Four. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tnis DAY —Morning 14 min. after 11 f Evening 42 min.aft. 11 To - Moßßow—Morning 0 min. after 0 I Evening 10 min.aft. 12 DAILY WEATHER TABLE. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8. State of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are H ar arr a nged w order g e o n f t e a t b i t r u e e d z e e rain. SOUTHAMPTON —SW., strong breeze—rain. FOLKESTONE—W., g entle breeze—rain. TUNBRIDGE—S. gent le breeze—scud— ra i n . BASINGSTOKE—N.W., heavy. rain. LEIGHTON—S.W., calm—rain. GREENWICH—S., gentle breeze—rain. STRCOD—W., calm—overcast—rain. SWITDON—S., gentle breeze—rain. COLCHESTER—S.W., gentle breeze—overcast. YARMOUTH— W., gentle breeze—overcast. - The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on M on d a y morning at nine o'clock : LIMERICK—W., calm—cloudless. POOLE—S.W., strong breeze—overcast. HASTINGS—W ., gentle breeze—foggy. SOUTHAMPTON—S.W., strong breeze—rain. FousToNE—W. strong breeze—rain. TUNBRIDGE—S.W., strong breeze—overcast. BASINGSTOKE—W., gentle breeze—heavy rain. GREENWICH—S.W., gentle breeze—overcast, STHoon--S.W., gentle breeze—overcast. COLCHESTER—S.W., gentle breeze—overcast. CAMBRIDGE—S.W., gentle breeze—cloudy. YARMOUTH—W., gentle breeze—overcast. HOLYHEAD—W., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. LANCASTER—S., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. WHITBY—S.W. gentle breeze—principally clear. DARLINGTON—W.S.W., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. SHAP—S.W., gentle breeze—rain. THE WEATHER. Sex OFFICE, Dec. 8. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 47 highest since noon yesterday. 42—lowest this morning and during the night. 46—this day, at noon. BAROMETER, 29 . 46—A fall of nearly half an inch since yesterday. WIND S.W.—Light breeze, and dirty, muggy, rainy weather. Afternoon, fine sunshine. sure in noticing those of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL. If, indeed, it must strike every one, that Mr. NAPIER'S measures will not so fully realise their object as those of Mr. WHITESIDE, yet we are all aware, on the other hand, of the different fields in which they labour. One has only to do with a body of intelligent men, and with modes and forms of procedure,—the other has to do with the illite rate, the wayward, and the prejudiced, and with the reality of property. Both find the soil they would reclaim full of weeds and brushwood ; but one, after applying the fire and the hoe, finds a clear surface,—the other has, after this first pro cess, to accommodate his movements to the posi tion of immoveable rocks, and unmanageable bogs. Mr. NAPIER, in truth, has addressed himself to the lessening of Ireland's greatest difficulty, the miti gation of her greatest evil,—the state of landlord and tenant relations ; and proposes to repeal alto gether some 200 or 300 statutes, which have cost the ablest Irish lawyers years to condense into an intelligible form, and Mr. NAPIER months to re consider, to abolish or retain, and finally to codify. A glance at his speech will suffice to give any one an idea of the forest into which Mr. NAPIER will introduce the daylight of equity and common sense. He has neglected no source of informa tion, whether Government Commissions, Quaker Reports, laborious investigations of his legal brethren, or the abortive attempts at legislation by his predecessors. Nothing struck us with more pleasure in his speech, than the thoroughly candid manner in which he appreciated and used the labours of all who have gone before him, without respect to political party or religious creed. His Bills he classes under four heads : the first, designed to facilitate obtaining loans by owners for making improvements ; the second, to facilitate the granting of beneficial leases ; the third, to enable both landlords and tenants to enforce the performance of their respective con tracts ; the fourth, to provide, as far as possible, retrospectively, compensation for improvements made by the tenant. Mr. NAPIER assumes that, although legislation cannot make good landlords or tenants, it ought to remove every legal impedi ment to the most efficient cultivation of the land, and to watch especially over the interests of the improving occupier. "All his sympathies were with the industrious tenant, and not with the im provident landlord." Hence, having shown the successful operation of public loans for the im provement of land, his first Bill provides (what strikes us as) a very hopeful scheme for facilitating the obtaining of private loans. No one will doubt the great undesirableness, if it can be avoided, of Government undertaking the part of the private banker and money lender. The diffi culty hitherto has been, encumbered as so many Irish estates are, to obtain the adequate security. Mr. NAPIER proposes to make the loan a first charge on the land. The reality of the improve ment is to be ascertained, on a memorial from the borrower, by the officers of the Board of Works, and the improvement is to be registered through the Ordnance Survey. He secures the interests of life tenants by making " sums borrowed under the Bill payable by twenty-two yearly instal ments." Hence, as the payment would be of the nature of a rent-charge, every owner would pay in proportion to what he enjoyed. The provi sions of this Bill are intended to afford the owners of land every facility to improve the cultivation of the land. His next provides for doing it through the tenant. Adopting the suggestion of the Report of the Society of Friends, which he highly commends, " that two things are es sential to the wellbeing of Ireland— first, that there should be freedom in making contracts; secondly, that there should be facilities for en forcing those contracts :" his second Bill puts to rout some sixty scattered statutes, and reduces all leasing powers to one uniform principle ; it pro vides the means for persons having only life, or otherwise specially limited, interests granting be neficial leases ; a clause, open to discussion he admits, but of which he is himself strongly in favour, provides for agricultural rents under such leases being fixed by a valuation from the average prices of corn for the preceding four years ; a plan which he supports by cogent illustrations from facts. The great object being the improve ment of cultivation with all its direct and indirect advantages, provision is made for compensation for lasting improvements, while every inducement is furnished towards accomplishing this by spon taneous agreement between landlord and tenant. He fixes a maximum period of ten years as that in which a tenant would compensate himself for his improvements, subject to special agreements for a shorter term ; and if the tenant, while pay ing his rent, was turned out by the landlord, he is to receive compensation from the landlord pro portioned to the number of years which he loses. All is based, however, upon reducing a lease to a simple contract between landlord and tenan Hence the third Bill provides, as suggested by the Friends' Report, for the easy enforcing of the contract. Accordingly he proposes to codify all the laws regarding the relations of landlords and tenants, by which he sweeps away, not sixty merely, but two hundred statutes ! _ _ _ all of which, to make the law so far indisputable, would be enumerated in a schedule attached to the Bill. The power of distress is retained, but limited from six years' rent to one and a half— the tenant having the right to appear first before the Sheriff, whose decision is to be final as to whether the rent claimed be really due. His fourth Bill provides for the cases of tenants who have actually made improvements —in fact, for the transition state to the complete operation of the other Bills. As the Land Improvements Act has recognised the public benefit of agricultural improvements, he deems it only just that tenants who have made such improvements should be secured from loss. As to the Ulster tenant right, he denies, as we do, the possibility of its being made the subject of legislation. The sooner that right is simplified to a matter of simple contract the better. Indeed, but for the exceptional state of Ireland, we should prefer to have no compensa tion for improvements whatever, except under the conditions of a simple contract between the land lord and the tenant. We are happy to add that the propositions were well received by the House, and, for Ireland's sake, we trust that nothing will prevent them, after a careful discussion of details, from becoming the law of the land. The Encum bered Estates Commission is working great good, in simplifying titles and improving the proprietary of the land. Mr. NAPIER'S Bills, of whose excel lent provisions we could notice - but the principal, will, we trust, be the commencement of a better state of things between landlord and tenant. If Serjeant Sim had not all he wished, even he could not deny the excellence of the first three Bills ; and the whole Irish brigade plainly per ceive that the Ministerial policy towards Ireland is that of redress of grievances and conciliation. Wo would invite the public attention to the Report of the important meeting of the South Australian Copper Mining Company, which will be found in another part of this day's impression. It will be seen that an efficient Committee of Management has been elected to co-operate with Mr. ARMITAGE, who has so long and so efficiently devoted his entire energies to the management and advancement of the undertaking. They have been carefully chosen by the Committee of Inspection, and we have no doubt that they will efficiently dis charge the duties which they have undertaken. We have always felt, that the attractions of the most precious metal—even of gold itself—should not withdraw attention from the legitimate and, per haps, not less remunerative claims of "Copper." The Burra-Burra Mine, and others that have been opened in Australia, clearly show the extraordinary and almost miraculous returns that may be obtained from a well-devised and judicious system of Copper Mining—and, without venturing to assert that the min e belonging to the South Australian Company is at all equal in mineral wealth to the district above referred to, we can fully, believe the assertion of the Chairman, " that under a judicious sys tem of management, a dividend will speedily be declared that will surprise and astonish the most sanguine among the shareholders." The Company, indeed, possesses all the elements of success. It possesses property in a district .t :kro• 4,1: • • - , g r4"- LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1852, England may now be regarded as secured from the perils of invasion. Her National Defences can at length be viewed by the multitude with some degree of complacency ; and this, be it now said, under thanks to the energetic patriotism of the DERBY-DISRAELI Government. Additional sums of money have been frankly and ungrudgingly voted to defray the increased expenses of the Royal Navy, by the Lower House of the British Parliament. Besides the magnificent amount o f 100,0001. to be devoted to the necessary outlay- required in the steam ma chinery for maritim e purposes, d a ti ng f rom th e present moment to the E.th of April, 1853, the Com mons have cordially acced e d to another proposal of the Cabinet by aug men ti ng th e num b er o f our men by 5,000 sailors: and 1,100 marines—ob taining, moreover, in consequence of this supple mentary'7 enlistment a,9 11/. for additional wages, clothing, and other unavoidable expenses up to the 31st of March, :1,2001. f or a dditi on al medi ca l stores, and 37,9294. f or a ddi t i ona l v i c t ua l s . No thing could be more; creditable than the whole of these arrangements ;and it is gratifying to re member that they :h ave no t b een more p rom ptl y suggested by the A.dministration than they have been eagerly acceded. to by the Legislature. Ac cording to these new regulations the complement of our Navy will not only be sufficient for the full manning of our Meets, but will actually leave ,a reserve. For our selves we cannot but regard the circumstance of this expenditure over and above the regular total of the marine estimates, with the most unalloyed satisfaction. Yielding to no one in a r egar d for j ud i c i ous economy, we, nevertheless, exult in this application of 113,1001. additional to the purposes of manning the Naval Forces of England, and of 100,0001. additional for the expens es i ncur red i n t h e de ve l opmen t o f the powers of our steam machinery. It is pre cisely what w e h ave for many years past argued for with all ear nes t ness a: a d pert i nac it y . W e h ave long insisted upon then absolute necessity of in creasing the num b er of o ur seamen ; and now in the December of 1852 we have the gratification of seeing 5,000 more s ai:ors added to the previous complement by the decision of the popular branch of Parliament. W e have long proclaimed the imperative need of ap plyi n g to our men-of-war, more and mo re gener al l y, the indisputable and almost magical advantages secured by the employ ment of the screw propeller ; and now in this same December of 1852 we have the honourable .• _ pride of witnessinc, the recognition in the Legisla ture of the truth we have ourselves so long recog nised---)iy the dedication of 100,0001. more for the enhancement of the marine steam machinery. This is well. We exult in the occurrence with what we believe may be regarded as a very par don able exulation. Gratified as we are by the maritime develop ment resolved upon by the Administration, we must- be permitted to refer in deserved terms of comr aendation to the very lucid statement of the proposed changes submitted to the House of Corn: mons by the Secretary to the Admiralty. Thrc iughout the whole of that statement, it must have , been remarked by the more observant how _ _ sedulous were the endeavours of Mr. AUGUSTUS STAJ TFORD to conciliate the attention of the veteran member for Montrose—a remarkable and well ' merited tribute to the services of that distin guished economist. The value of those services we to the full appreciate. Yet while acknowledg ing them, as we have ever done most cordially, we quite as cordially bow to the justice of the opinion expressed the other night by the Right Hon. the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in the course of his memorable Budget, to the effect, that Efficiency and not Retrenchment is the true Parent of Economy ! Accurate in its application to all the various departments of the administration, that wise principle is especially and peculiarly judicious in its application to the ordering of our maritime armaments. Economy, true economy, we consider to be more strictly compatible in the Royal Navy of England with prodigality of ex penditure than with niggardliness. Better in that direction to be ever open-handed than close fisted in our periodical disbursements. Illustra tions almost innumerable might be adduced in testimony of the propriety of these assertions. Here is one, however, amply sufficient for our present argument, and one the force of which was not overlooked the other evening by the Sec retary to the Admiralty in the course of his WE . 'cial statement to the British Parliament. A sail ing vessel of 90 guns is estimated to cost at first somewhere about 108,300/.—thus making, with the annual expense of 44,355/., a total of just 152,6551. A 90-gun screw-steamer, furnished with engines, • say of 500-horse power, is, on the other hand, estimated to cost at first 151,800/. (merely 8551. less than the total cost of a sailing vessel of a similar magnitude), this 151,800/. added to an annual expenditure of 51,6781., making an aggregate of 203,4781., or actually 50,8231. beyond (so to speak) the same vessel un supplied with the screw propeller. Yet— enormous though the increase in the cost un doubtedly is, we regard the application of that additional 50,8231. as immeasurably more than compensated by the advantages accruing from the employment of screw-steam-machinery. Instead, therefore, of desiring to see the nation content itself with a fleet of sailing vessels of 90 guns at the cost of 152,6551., we would prefer, as econo mists, to witness the construction of the same number of 90-gun steam-ships at the cost' of 203,4781. each, because of the inestimable benefits resulting from the application of the screw pro peller. What those benefits really are we have in these columns repeatedly intimated. After all we have said, year after year, upon that subject in the midst of an otherwise unbroken silence upon the merits of the screw, we can scarcely dare to say how glad we were to find the Secretary of the Admiralty talking upon the merits of this admirable invention the other evening in the House of Commons in such fervent terms of com- mendation—eulogising it " because " he said (as we ourselves had said years ago again and again)-- " because being under water the screw was not so exposed as the paddle-wheel to the fire of the enemy, because it did not take up so much space, and, more than all, because it was impossible with paddles to place and work the guns with anything like the same advantage ; but whether it were expensive or whether it were economical, the com bined power of the screw and the sail must be regarded as the future of our navy, and indeed of our mercantile steam marine." Happily the truth has at last pierced through the fogs almost always enveloping the Admiralty. It would have enhanced the satisfactiOn with which we view these innovations in the ordering of the Royal Navy, if we had seen them accom panied by some more rational change in the mode of manning the fleets of Great Britain. Fortu nately, it is true enough that the complement of our seamen has been increased by 5,000, and that of our marines by I,loo—leaving a reserve, as we have already remarked, after all arrangements have been completed. But, unfortunately, three years still constitute inexorably the period of maritime enlistment. There may be a great deal of reason in the observations made by the SECRE TARY of the ADMIRALTY, to the effect that it is absolutely necessary to arrange matters, so that everything should be done which could be con ducive to the comfort of the sailor ; but that no thing should be left undone that can tend to make her MAJESTY'S service an attractive one for him —more particularly at a period like the pre sent, when the British sailor is, as Mr. STAFFORD observes, " the most precious article in the mar ket," and when " there is not a single nation in the world that does not gladly accept the services of the British sailor." But it was not thus, we conceive, it was not by this indifference to the method and duration of enlistment, that the re presentative of the Admiralty should have re sponded to the recommendation made on Friday night by the Right Hon. the CHANCELLOR of the ExcHE@uEß—•a recommendation implied by his regret that we should always, under the existing system, be deprived of the energies of the sailor precisely at the very time when he is most effi cient in his duty, through continuous practice and recent experience. Upon this matter we feel so strongly that we do not hesitate to aver that until the particular evil complained of be re medied, notwithstanding the admirable augmenta tion of the number of our seamen—notwithstand ing, also, the laudable increase of attention to our _ _ steam machinery—we shall remain convinced that the most advisable and necessary of all the re forms in the Royal Navy has been overlooked in .e course of our energetic efforts to secure its improved organisation.. We have no kind of sympathy with the sneer rig observations of a liberal contemporary on the Irish reforms proposed by Mr. WHITESIDE and Mr. NAPIER. As the measures themselves cannot be attacked with good grace, it is insinuated that they are merely baits for popularity. They can not possibly be fully and fairly considered during the present short supplementary Session—a Ses sion called by universal consent for a special pur pose—and hence it is asserted to be mere claptrap to bring them forward now. It is even insinuated that they may not mean to carry them after all. Now, Liberal Reformers as we profess to be and are, and with no prejudices assuredly on behalf of a Tory Ministry, sharply as we could censure their evasions (for which, after all, some allowance must be made, from the state of their own camp), we think attacks like those we have mentioned utterly unworthy of a good cause. The proposi tions of the Ministry are thoroughly liberal as far as they have gone ; the most liberal Cabinets before them have proposed nothing in the same cate gory so liberal. They are therefore popular ; and we should like to see the Minister who would not bring forward, as early as he could, measures which were deservedly popular. That a Ministry should truckle to popular opinion —that it should propose, for instance, ad captandum fixed duties , on Corn, or Reform Bills, on the eve of a dissolu tion—this may be reasonably open to sinister con struction ; but that a Ministry which has made the beginning which the present one did this spring, should offer in some respects yet more ex cellent measures of the same kind in the autumn of the same year, ought not to be traduced as mere hunting for popularity. In a word, we only wish that all our Cabinets for generations to come would court popularity, provided they sought it by measures as unexceptionable in their main features as those now before us. As to the Minis try enunciating their plans now, and leaving them till next February—seeing that they all relate to no party measures, and that no reforms need more careful examination than legal reforms, seeing, moreover, that the most candid consideration has been cordially promised to all suggestions, —we really think that they deserve credit for giv ing all hearty Law Reformers such full opportunity for contributing their aid. The very same parties who indulge their partizan , grumbling on this occasion, have been amongst 1 the foremost to grumble that not a hint could be got beforehand touching the nature of the finan cial plans now developed. Verily, they are like 'the children sitting in the market-place. If :Ministers will not disclose ther plans, 3jthey grumble,—and if they disclose them, they grumble still I We have already had occasion to commend the admirable propositions of the ►SOLICITOR-GENERAL for Ireland ; we have now, We may say, equal plea- ch affording extrao r di nary natural advantag es--ri Of in everything that can conduce to the success the undertakin g . Th e expen dit u re —the bes t at of the discretion and judgment of the man a g eill : u —has been kept withi n the narrowest P t sible; while every arrangement for the ef l i c e d, working of the c oncern h a s been wor e ' y The specifications for th e ma chinery an d t : 1 1, prepared under the direction of Mr. 13 1 0 ' s the engineer of the Comp an y, show that ncr t is wanting—we will not say "to ensure" but deserve success. A body o f well-selected ra°l); some of the most deserving of which are i ' for accompanied by their wives, are readY , with iom embarkation, and they will take to all the machinery requisite for the w erk fore , be performed. Every exigency has h eell .,,d it seen and carefully provided for ; will be strange indeed, if the full and " 3 confidence expressed by the Committee off oe tion in the sound ness o f th e u ndertaking, and air future prospects o f th e C om pany, be not icelf pletely justified. We have always held that the the Joint-Stock Mining Companies, conducted enestif cost-book principle, will, if judiciously and h°ll managed, prove very remunera tive to the bare Lo holders ; and from the s t a t eme nts that ha ve , made, on unimpeachable authority, e are c ony° no that the South A us t ra li an w ill no t only PrT; e iv ill exception to the genera l ru l e , but that eventually be found am ongs t the most en t 7 o ,o of the companies to which the almost Init . / w e. discoveries in A us t ra li a h ave g iven We heartily congratulate the Shareholde rs „i O O4 the Committee of M anagemen t , on the ansP v h - 5 0 prospects of the und er t a ki ng i n w hich they invested their capital. BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS• ding The Board of T ra d e re t urns f or t h e mon th en a g oo sth of November were issued this morning , o ur show an improvement in the declared value ° V 1 1" portations as compared with the corresponeinggi ri sS''' last year, the increase on this occasion being a ije i rob, lB , In cotton manufactures there has been a COP '7 diminution, which has been exactly counterbslan shilr an augmentation in metals, caused chiefly by 13r . g acra iri ments of bar and wr oug ht i ron. HaberdasheY ;re presents a larger increase even than usual, O il :co bably to the exp or t a ti ons to A ustral i a, a nd the 3 d i jef er ool i e o , the case with leath er manu f actures. T h e oth items on the favourabl e s id e are li nen, s ilk, and s% P 4 manufactures. • the t The aggregate value of our exports during, ~, A lll s ten months of the year has been 59,247,10 4 y ; - 'll l l ll ' 58,126,0561. in the like period of 1851, nile vi t: crease of 1,121,0481. As compared with the Bar e * e of 1850 there has been an increase of 4,208,8 98 ' fil l The The amount of imported articles taken int° c : -- 1 0, 3P. tion has been ve r y l arge. Th e totals of w h ea t, O r oce. grain of all kinds, are now aga i n assuming iraP?,b 0 31 1 Coffee shows a furthe r cons id era bl e i ncrease , , 531 e be partly attrib u t e d t o th e f act of the di sg uise_ A bet - spurious sub s tit u t es b e i ng no longer l eg alise sugar, tea, fruit s , s pi ces , wines, spirits, an d have all likewis e b een use d i n great quan tities. 0 00 The importations of other articles during th e 8 0 show a decrease i n a ll ki n d s o f dyes an d dyeing f $ ll except indigo and va l on i a ; also in hides, Ine tsls :o l} P sorts, except copper, an d glass manufactures ge 4 . - etti rc s except window an d plate. In leather rnan u l n there has been an increase, except in gloves. rec ce there has been a di m i nu ti on i n train, and an in cre oe cocoa-nut, while palm and olive show no alteration. Da so has also been a large supply of quicksilver , ;,por augmentation in B r iti s h t i m b er, both as regall tation and consumption. THE COURT OF CHANCERY. Under the recent alteration of Chancery rei brini O 4 several judges have agr ee d t o an d a d op t e d the f° ll° A i resolutions as to chamber practice. e The following are the applications to be In chambers, viz. : n oillti lest 10 1. As to guardi ans hip o f i n f ants (except the 9, 1 ) .- , of guardians ad litem.) cur 2. For the app o i n t men t o f sped i al guar di an c on 01l a special case. 3. As to maintenance or advancement of infants. 4. Under the Drainage Act. 0 4 5. Under the T rus t ee A c t o f 1 850 and 1852. of I .' K 6. For admini s t ra ti on o f estates under the se t 16 Victoria, cap. 96. •1101381 7. Under the Le gac y D u t y A c t f or payme nt 01 '" out of court. 8. For time to plead, answer, or demur. 9. For leave to amend bills or claims. 10. For enlarging publication or the time for 0 10 0 [ence. 11. For the production of documents. 12. Relating to the conduct of suits or matters. o t 13. As to matters connected with the manage ° property. tul` l, 14. For ayent into court of . purchasers' sales by or p der o m f the Court, and investing the eau°. ex-Foreign have v c e o a nva d T n le n s e c r en p t art , a y nd th Z e o lj o illb °lr in Carlton-gardens. sl PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.—We understO l e tb ° Parliament will adjourn for the Christmas recess e el ti' d 15th or 16th of th e p resen t month, and meet aga rs first or second week of February. ; :„s• o , P ie DERBY ELECTION COMM ITTEE. —Th e committee yesterday mornin g a t 11, an d proceeded wit h the tion of witnesses. Strangers were not admitted!! c osr persons present being counsel, solicitors, and wren 0 reporters being, as on th e prev i ous day, exc l u d e d. /1 1 , Mr. Ledbetter, the respected Bow-street offio ; e 1 01 . 4) was killed by a ca b falling over his p er son on Thu g night, in Pimli co , was buried this day in the •- /qr° ,, t i ! Cemetery. He w as f o ll owe d t o the grave by eorth°o surviving members of the old force, and several 0 1 , 0 perienced officers of the new police, by all of whom highly esteemed. 3 1 ' 11' DEFRAUDING EMIGRANTS.— Yesterday a t to- 440 1 sion-house, Li one l G eorge Thompson, of Ri che. "' Lime-street, was brought before the Lord Diar r " ha rge It. W. Carden, f or fi na l examination, upon the 1-pere, having conspired w ith o th ers to defraud severe', ; Ow ; who intended to emigrate to Australia of sums igie 0 ( upon the pretence th a t h e wou ld procure for th eni t (10 0 ,he to that country. Th e case h av i ng excited a grey4oB public interest, the j us ti ce - room was crow d e d investigation. The prisoner reserved his defence, was fully committed for trial. 2 1 0 St. Paul's Cath e d ra l was res t ore d on Sunwv ordinary uses, and two serm ons h av i ng refereeto , I r s solemn event' of which the ch urc h h a d lately i scene were preach e d t o l arge congregations. The o 11° morning was delivered by the Re v . M r . M% en that in the afternoon by Dean Milman. , for tU „ta WESTMINSTER SCHOOL.—Th e pl ay se l ec ted • year's performance is th e Ad e l p hi , of Terez;, Th ce e fsJ P' nights of representatio n are M on d ay, the 13th ; -Traoce the 16th ; and Monday, the 20th instant. The en 9 1/3 Dean's-yard, is by Great College-street. Ain et i ci LYCEUM THEATRE.—A pleasant bit of donle o 1 1 0 was revived at thi s h ouse on Monday ni g ht, Pleriem or e of The Jcnkinses, which some twenty years or I:e „, t t "v 1 :0 produced at D rur y -l ane Th ea t re. Pl ayed with gr-,:tale city by Mr. Roxby and Mr. and Mrs. Frank r iis e this picture of household war f are an d lodgingru° of "0, plexity went off very merrily. The squabbbiSesfij husband and wif e , an d th e i n t r i gues of the ot h er Pe,"'he o ° o are ingeniously woven in with the history bachelor, whose final accumulations of suffering. "'wit t ja a droll age crisis. Mr. Frank Matthews delta te rig, chagrin of the harassed. Carraway w ith ehal c occ' petulance ; and his gradual increase of rage at ea c . ie . sive assault upon his patience was really very .. „. o ° ll l . oCs'34 LEICESTER-SQUARE SOUP-KITCHEN AND ' 9 fri ol3 i, On Monday the annual meeting of the p a trons and• b T e lis of this valuable charity was held at the institutiel. tester-square ; the Marquis of Salisbury in the oln - c iot report of the committ ee ac k now l edged wit h grl"' i tho f support which the charity has received during,„ o o"f o r year, and congratulated its s u pp or t ers on the e' - ess o „ i i good it has been the mean s o f conferring on th e n dr' • the relief of whose sufferings it was established. 1 , 7 0 e that in the course of the past year 115,808 pere ens 4 lo 0 101 lieved at the kitchen, 150,322 at , their homes ; ' l l O4 women, and children were sheltered in the e s Y w ho c° ~e 0 provided with supper and breakfast ; and 6,26 0 ,, a5 t p ;s • not be provided with beds, had supper and brea,e - L to them. By means of the ff. ' ee registry attache , ' a d sit o • stitution, 316 males and 622 females had obtain , tions as domestic and other servants ; and in the 7;c o s el e it tories, commodes, &c., 132,483 persons have be e re 0..„1 modatod with water, soap, towels, &c., which anetereLs at all times ready for use. Last year, Christmas been provided for 22,500 destitute persons, besi des ,J)0 number from the different ragged schools in the rive its 1 , 0 WAGES OF SEMPSTRESSES.—The uniform th a t the Militia are made for fifteen pence each, and v ol i a r includes silk and twist, cutting the holes, the.., be tty,,, cuff ornaments, the turn-backs of the tail, 20 to . z? l _' og work of a coat and Ilrl i he IYS, O sowing, se and the ordinary lace fastenings, &c., and fourpencii mote . so ing ; fourpence more is paid to the loo . per a s u f o n w r ei l' i to sub-contractors, for risk, trouble, porterage, Ste r • a , ,,r the putting together each coat costs . the cont hands, to governese-e•ige4llo and it is sew - 0W 1 ,0 0 r BB d ll a h a y B : s . n 2 d .gi • ate From a pill' s 101; 0! sgl b viz 1001. a year. All kinds of clothing is very ' 3 ; 1 , 1 7 is to_ distributedMg receive etc,oenivo...c.tothNahet: j g g n u h h e Le t s p . : l e r e t e d a p ' a i r of boots from 20s. to 30s. A gu inea a, j ) ,..' s y' ol l common pay of a labourer ; our gardener has 11 "'• u S p it Tho escort from the gold diggings last week br; ' g oo three tons of gold, and we hear daily of people lb. fortune in one single transaction. Flour is 25.2._ are 10 e diggings. This (July) is our coldest month. w ing a dry winter, but I consider it quite as cold ag .r e o v st ,,ls; , , with the exception of the snow ; we have sharP, i „ es s b e not ice of any substance. There is not so much J."- the as at home. Consumption is almost unknown• or t of THE GRAND JUNCTION CANAL.—In the reP ivi ttesi r, to select committee (approved by the general coin, ... pre b e i„ the company of proprietors at the General 17 a - t ,th which took place yesterday, the committee state ' ms of_ l 4 he is an increase both in tonnages and in the ne n t c pru_ :r o t carrying department, during the half year e June, as compared with the corresponding 1 !, 1 1 .0 t r At o o _, o 1851, of 2,1531. Gs. 4d., of the last half-yeal. both thoroughfare and local, on the canaly! o hb_ . ; o f against 517,238, being an increase of 49,749 tone, V a n le the tr io the coMpany's boats conveyed 4,283 tou t s m ro „!_y thejote corresponding period of 1851. Tho ne . p in. usual rest on the Preference Stock of 3,045 1 I "• ba hoi a l c i, with the previ us departments for the half-year, after paying t h e, e ,...o(L e , I ' o l' 23,447/. 15s. 10d., which, 3,5161. 14s. 6d., makes 26,964 . • r _ men d a ve• flO dend; out of which the committee freleacook, should be paid of 21. per cent. for the.. n m _i ne xt, come-tax, on Saturday, the Bth of J a _ s A A_ lug to 22,9101., leaving a balance of 4,05 v. 1 los 4-d. available f„°rvdeecl, 4 0ArE A THE WELLINGTON SUN. ON THURSDAY THE 18TH ULTIMO, AN EXTRAORDINARY EDITION OF THE SUN WAS PUBLISHED. CONTAINING A SPLENDID PORTRAIT OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WITH HIS AUTOGRAPH, AND A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE GRAND NATIONAL FUNERAL , AND IS NOW ON SALE. ORDERS RECEIVED BY ALL NEWS AGENTS, AND AT THE SUN OFFICE, 112, STRAND, LONDON. eot! bitt