The Sun. — London, England, 1866-03-14 00:00:00

XONEY jiIARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLI GEN TWELVE O'CLOCK. The money market is very inactive in consequence of the commercial classes holding their bills in re serve upon the expectation that the rate will be re duced to-morrow. The lowest quotation for bankers' acceptances is 61 per cent., and for other hills 64 and 61- per cent. A sum of £15,000 in gold was taken to the Bank Yesterday. At a general meeting of the shareholders of the Abglo-lonian Steam Navigation held to-day, a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum for t he half-year ending the 31st December was de clared. The coupons of the British Convention Bonds of Mexico, 1851, due in Mexico on the 4th December, 186 5, together with the payments on account of the Sin king fund of 3 per cent. for the half-year, will be paid at the office of the London Bank of Mexico and South America on and after Tuesday, 20th inst. The New Zealand Government 6 per Cent. Loan of £500,000, for which subscriptions were invited by the Crown Agents for the Colonies up to 1 p.m. Yesterday, was not all disposed of. Allotments to the extent of £350,000 were made among 230 appli cants, at the upset price of 90, and the balance was Withdrawn. At the meeting held to-day of the English and Swedish Bank, the balance sheet showed that the Voss profits for the half-year ending 31st December amounted to £33,787, including £6,238 brought forward, which, after deducting expenses, &c., leaves all available balance of £21,347. The directors re coMmend a dividend of 14s. per share, which, with the dividend for - the former half-year, is equal to 6 Per cent. Sir S. Morton Peto, Bart., M.P., has become the president of the Suburban Village and General u wellings Company ; and Messrs. John Everitt, Edward Tigers, Carrington Jones, and E. Moore h ave joined the board of directors. Two o'CLocK. According to Reuter's telegram the French Three per Cent. Rentes were quoted at 69f. 80e. Inanimate. The English Stock Market has been well sup- Ported to-day, and the Funds have improved I per cent. Consols are 87f 1 for money, and 8714 for the account. In foreign stocks and shares the prin eiPal business attended to has been in connection with the settlement. The New Threes are 851 k ; a nd the Reduced, 85f ; Exchequer Bills, 6s. 2s. (1 , 18 . ; and India Stock, 208 ; and India 5 per 1021 1. Foreign Stocks were firmer in the morning, but su bsequently prices fractionally receded. Turkish , Per Cents. are 38f ; Mexican, 22k 1; do. New, 261 k ; Greek, 15k 1 ; Spanish Passive, 28k ; the C ertificates, 161 ; Italian, 61} 4 ; the Confederate 1 4 1 () an, 6f 7f ; Chilian Loan Scrip, 2i 3 / 1- prem. ; razilian Scrip, 24 4 prem. ; and Egyptian Scrip, I prem. United States 5-20 Bonds, 71* ; Erie Shares, 56} 4 ; and Illinois, 794 1. Business in the Railway Share Market has been rather more animated, and a slight improvement has taken place in prices. Great Eastern, Lanca -1(11ire and Yo r k s hi r e, North Western, Midland, and ▪ ° rth-Eastern (Berwick) have each improved ss. ; and Brighton, 10s. The Foreign and Colonial lines show little eu ,ange of importance. San Paulo are dealt in at i " 16 i ; and Grand Trunk of Canada, 35 351. • Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are in most ulstances a shade firmer. Alliance are dealt in at 27 ( .1 2 8 ; Imperial at 281 ; London and County at ,7 ; Hudson's Bay Company at 17 171 ; Joint Sto ck Discount at 101 101 dis.; National Discount Co mpany ri at 131 ; and Overend, Gurney, and at 161 174. BRITISH FUNDS—CLOSING IPRICES. . GOVERNMENT FUNDS. v ber Cent. Consols a Do. Account, April 5 ti l:er Cent. R e duced Bsk 5 4 4 4 w 3 per Cont 8 54 5 / -4 eW 2i per Cent. Jan. 1894 — i " Li o. 5 per Cent. Jan. 1873 — `Qinuities, 30 yrs, expire sth Jan., 1880 DDo. for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885— O (Red Sea Tele g raph), Aug., 1.908 — ` eu- equer Bills, £l,OOO, 3 per Cent. 6 2 Do. £5OO 6 2 6 2 El lthi p. . £lOO and £2OO --" 0 f England Stock, 5 per Cent Ix i . „ . III AN GovERNMENT SECURITIES. -- -h-wa Stock, 10/ per Cent., AprillB74 2OB -°' 6 Per Cent. Jul 1870 Do. 4 per Cent., Oct. y , 1888 ip,,,0• Certificates — "°. Enlaced Paper 4 per Cent — DO . 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 D o. 54 per Cent., May 1879 — D 0..., Deb., 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 ",0- Bonds, £l,OOO — "0- under £l,OOO FOREIGN FUNDS—CLOSING PRICES. "•,, r gentine R epu bli c, 6 per Cent., £l5 pd ll pm r l llstrian Bonds, 5 per Cent, 1859 " I ftz aim 5 per Cent uo. 44 per Cent., 1852-58-60 Do. 1863 Do. 1865 "0 Account 74 xd b "0. Scrip, £35 paid n enos Ayres 6 per Cent 13 , 0 . Account , 4 • 1 0 £ICO Bonds n i a-;° 1 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent ) -4 „ilian 3 per Cent — p ol o - '4 41 per Cent C mbian 6 per Cent. B4 bnal, 6 per Cent. C ll ' Bll 3 per Cent, 1825 alinbian Principalities 10 °0 Account 'Air,u-ador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent — t 'll°., Provisional Land Warrant — 'l)o•,gYPtian 7 per Cent hSecond Issue " 0 4100 Bonds DO Do, 1864 934 4 ,"0 £lOO Bonds "" I ,°. Government Railway Debentures 9ll G ~"°. Xl5 paid . ): 5 2 1 e _. k 5 per Cents., 1824-5, ex Coupons DO . Account -",10. Coupons (.„,-?• Account i t ,,„ , eraala 5 per Cent. D 411 s per Cent, 1865 ? Account 1 . 1 - ex • llarommana Railway — CO.lean 3 per Cent "' Account 11 Do 1864 — Ir c 7 ° 6 Per Cent. Anglo-French — -1. nte videan 6 per Cent., £3O paid s(t_o o rish I mper i a l 5 per C en t — 'W Granada — D 0„ 2 p er C ent — "0 Deferred 1: 1 1 , ?c. La nd Warrants (Hectares) D°ker Cent, 1864 — p ~, Vuaranteed, 4 per Cent ji`, vi all 5 per Cent., 1865 D l'. Account - o 3 per C en t. (U r ibarren) — A 0,,. 4 i. per Cont., 1862 - e ° iliese 3 per Cent., 1853 D 0• 'Ac -Nor C e nt.,e 1856, '7, '9, '6O, '62, '3, — 4si 6 uII 1 t 8 : 44 5 per Cent., 1822, £St — 0 3 4 er Cent. 1850 0 0 per', Cent., 1860 b o 0 pel C en t. 1859 1) 5 , per Cent. 1862 9Ol 90 tz trer u Per Cent. 1864 931 4 kl r , i n 5 per Cent - 4110D1814 llia c 3 per Cent f. count j) -Diew Deferred — °h Account u o o passive -- 4 0 Accou n t 284 1 1 . ij i ali Cert. of Coup not funded — s °Ace° t wed , , Account 16 4 4 i 4 bs" . .o 4 per Cent. — T Zio_ ;c/epouerntCent. 1864 T , sh per Cent. 1854 b u ° Per Cent. 1858 DO Account 661 Do 4100 Bonds — 1) 6 Per Cent. 1862 D ° Account 671 -3, £lO O Bond s 6Bl 8 1 0(3 0 ° A 6 Per Cent.,1863 — ] )0 r Cent., 1865, paid up Scrip — 00 P rAunt V ol e * 4 Per Cent. Guaranteed •— •d„uela 3 per Cent. -,'", 6 13er 1862 „-i- o Lto a eclaixt., — •'-'O. Account z 01864 3B • 1/ per Cent 4„54. Div idends on the above payable i n London. P46„ . F 4 n 11 i 5 per Ce n t., E x. 10 Fl or i ns .b u rtt .zA• per cent., E x . 25f. b e ,' :f 4 Per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil — Pr e , i : Per Cent. Certificates It t ui c-- Rentes 3 per Cent. — 70 b 44 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25f. .... 0 Account 611 e THREE O'CLOCK. l:41 sols f rs or mon ey u° AccOlint 87114 far h 13. ighness ;hess of Mrs• ymour, L a car- scorted Guards y Lieu carlett, lducted Ilajesty ►wn the ion and rds in- Camp, Lt half- :ve yes' obridge to -day A But- Capt• r y 28, She and 1 Red ' 1001 left 3. Pre-, r steam l, C. 8., cl to be :he ap- EL. Sun- ndrinat ►stilion, ;ron, SI at Ply_ of her !ecte to to her s towed :0 Nei' .d fitted frigate, ;apt. B. Leasured Lursd* super naland- tsinouth norning anioaZ e l )hafferS, :unk 01 1 ary lob' t, Capt. d Cap t ' -Judge and It t probe ,- )urt ad fajestY'B Le in the itenant, fury.) )5. ppeare d respoll" aied the appear' etitiooer Ike, ne ar to we re N - 1 under 11.• diJ hee P e " 117 found a aisect d nisi, 511 DaY• lescrl•bea h i t t witi l )f a gell' e auc tl° , l g ll eyio— pr A , n Ise" ato n I t hde c, the 1? - 1 11 9 ' 11 '7 3 sting t I Clalu l 7 all r d e e '' si lllll ; ted, °n/- ill'. W e l ' age' an of vas d g A (II ;Vert :ture• t o via te ae e to the c :" A Ds. , 0. 0 e , o tu , o a ) 11 1 .o.ed 11 ' 1 the Pro The pr o ; donlg io : n d t tic ° ul a the the I) , r ;o to aine a t C e li d i a l o lc• Emit it fjv t ' ialtle6l ya,4 witil e ,; 4 3 ; 011 , the, , P l io coilr i 0 131 ' 03 frolo a sl as a as .5.93 4a l •er, 13 1 " :3 ' . 3 1- "th sew I lot to 3g bco, dg' xas , 8 .r0"7 an j a il T ilig de, c barv. s 1101-owith th . 1 . 3) 0 000 .9 ) the stole e ;tare. , • WC/C1 S: ARE MbRKETS,—This Day. Share Railways. Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Cambrian. ••• •• Cork and Bandon Cornwall Dublin & Belfast June Dun„Perth, & ab.Junc. &London, scrip Certi. 90 9! '3l 32 65 70 13 15 4 8 67 70 70 72 Do.- Glasgow & S. Western Great Eastern, Ord. etk. Do. E. Angl. st. No. Great North of Scotland Great Northern DJ. A stock Do. B stock Do. New, is. at 25 prre Gt S. and W. of Irelan. Gt. Western -Origina U. S. Val. Rail gua. Do. South Wales .. Do. W. Mid. Oxtord Do. Newport Do. Hereford. Lancashire & Yorkshire Linden and lilackwall Lou., Brit., & S Coast Lon., Chat., and Dove Do. Metrop. Ex. A Lon. & North Western Lon. & South Western Man., Shet., & Lincoln sletropolitan. Do. New 118 120 394 40, 61 Ti 123 121 141 142 8) 91 59 60 60 6 40 42 35 38 .C 2 XO4 1191 12 , / 80 88 ( .5 90 36 38 1 (.8 120 122 92 43 C 3 65 132 133 21 2/!) 1 lip 97 98 Do. Extension...... Metropolitan District, Do do. do. Do. and !Lt. John'sW'd M id' and Do. £9 Share 1213 121 )3 13 92 o 1 Do, Ltirmin.. et Derby 'rid Kent No:th British Do. Ed., I'th , & Dun Nth. Eastern—Berwies Do. (.4.N •E pureham. Do. Leeds Do. York Do. Carlisle ..... CO 0! >8 30 109 110 70 72 108 109 Do. Stock. & Darling. Do. do. 1860-01 North London Do. do. 184 ... Do. do. 1865 North Staffordshire N. & S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot. N. E ~Aber. stock 00. Scot, 3lid.stxk ' Shropshire Union South Devon south E • stern 35 87 10 11 p i 122 125 1} 2p 1 2 p 74 78 10 12 148 149 63 70 112 114 51 53 71 •7 6 8 9 141 144 3 I r 102 104 'taines, Wok., & Wok Taff vale Do. C Vale oi Nealh Waterford & Kilkenn Waterloo & Whiteha West Cornwall 61 53 53 61 102 103 Id fp 61 7 10 11 76 80 96 98 65 70 100 102 101 102 105 106 34 36 ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS. ESSIONS. 89 90 65 G 7 60 63 59 61 50 55 45 49 42 45 14 36 I 83 1.5 109 I'o 1i 2 p, 16 2 p 59 i nol 20 951 6 5i 37} 8 123 j I 4 108 i 741 t 1 Paid.l C i lT i s ce ing I Budsoinneess 394 40 391 49 124 it i 401 a 122 1/ 92}1¢ 61; 133 2 3} 1 7 97} 109,1 ; BRITISH POSS. Atlantic & ST.Lawrence Bom.,Baroda, Cen.ln. . _ gu. 5 per cent........ Do. 1' shares ....... Buffalo & Lake Huron Do. Preference ...... Buff.,Brant,St Goderich , 6 p.c. 872-3- s.. • ••• • • Calcutta Jr 8. E. lim Jape Town Ar Dock, gu• Demerara, 7 p.c. per. pi East. Bengal, gu., 5 do East Indian, gu. 5 p.o. Do. J Extension Grand Trunk of Canada Do. Equip. Mort, Bonds 1 charge 6 p.c Do. Ist Pref. Bonds Do. do. deferred •• . • Do. 2d Fret. Bonds.. Do. do. deterred ..• • Do. 3d Pref. 5t00k.... Do. do. deferred ... • Do. 4th Pref. stock Do. do. deterred Gt. India Pen. gua. sp.c. Po. Gua. 5 per cent Do. New gua. 5 p. c • • Cit. South of India gua. 5 per cent Do. 4.1 per cent Do Great Wes. of Canada-1 Da. New Do. 6 p. c. Bds. pay. 1873 Do. 54 do. pay. 1877-8 Indian Branch, limited Madras, gua. 5 p.c Do. 41 do Do. 4;.th! Do. Filth Extension Irelb. Cor. 6 p. c. Bnds. Mel. & Hudson's Bay.. N. It 1.0 'da, 6pc Ist pt.bs. Scinde . • Db. Delhi d Do. do 'a 4. 1 Do. Punjaub...•l Do.lndus COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. - British Columbia, 6 per cent., Deo. 31,1972 100 1 - Can.Gov.6 p.c.Ja.& July 1877-84 - Do. 6p. 0. Feb. & Aug l.'o 93 90 - D. , . sp. c. Mar. At Sept 100 95 97 - Do. sp, c. Jan. & July 100 r 0 62 791 Do. sp. (.. Inscribed sk 100 79 31 - Cape G.Hope, 6 p.c. 1873 100 102 IC4 - Do. Apl.&Oct , 1890-1900 100 105 107 - Do. do; 1880-9, 100 105 107 - Do. Jan. &J uly, 1890-9 100 1(2 1(4 - Do. 5 per cent. 15 April and IS Oct., 1900 lOO 90 12 - Ceylon, Nov. 1888, 6p. c 100 112 104 - Do. 1878, do lOO 1(6 1 8 Mauritius,fi p. o, 1873, Jan. and July - Do. 1 , 78 - Do. 1882, May :5, Nov. 10 , 103 105 - Do. 1895, Feb. & Aug l9O 1(2 104 Natal Gov. o per cent Wu 100 102 - N. B.Gov. p.c.Ja.&.l uly 100 93 95 41 - N. S.W. Gov. 5 lye., 1860 100 - - - Do. 5 p.c. 183 to 187( , 100 92 94 - Do. 5 p.c. 1888 to 1894 100 874 - New Zealand, 6p. cent 100 100 102 - Do. 5 per cent.... 100 81 84 - Nova So Ala Gov. 6p. c sterling, 1875 l9O f 8 100 - Queensland Gov. 6p. c lOO 98 100 9) - S. Aus.Gov. 6 p,c 1868-9 100 -- Do. 1678 & upwards l, 0 104 106 - Vio,Gov. 6 p.c. Ja &July 100 - • - - Do. do, April & Oct lOO 1064 1074 1061 9 7 BRITISH MINES. 2 Cam. Consol. Gold, lim 1 - Chiverton - Clifford Amalgamated. 30 15 •17 - Devon G. Cons. (Tavist. 1 560 58) - Drakewalls 2.1.0 1 1 - East Bassett (Illogan) 291 18 20 - East Caradon 2.14.6 7 8 8) - East Carn Brea 34 34 41 - Nast Grenville 2.14.0 34 4 - East Gunnislake 8.3.6 1 - East Loved 3.0.0 7 9 74 - E. WI Russell (Tavistk 10.8.0 3 31 - (lam.& StAubyn(G wen. 66 5 7 4 Great L-acey, limited all 20 21 01 1 - Great South Tolgus 0.14.6 14 2 - Great Wheal 14.9.6 31 - G. Wheal Vor (Heist 40 28 29 - Grenville 8.18.0 34 31 - Herod's Foot .. 8.10.0 33 40 - tlingston Downs 5.10.6 41 5 - Margaret (Uny Lelant 13.17.6 b 7 - Marke Valley 4.10.6 4 44 4 Mwyndy Iron Ore, lim 2) 21 ltd - New Seton - North Roskear - Bassetta Hogan 4.4.0 4 1 North Wheal Crotty -- Prosper United....' 7.1.6 - Pr,vidence Uny Lulant 10.6.7 32 34 - 110 S. Caradon (St. Cleer) l4 390 410 - South Condurrow 3.2.0 2 24 S.Wheal Fran. (Illogan 18.18.9 18 22 -• Stray Park X5.15.6 9. 11 - Tin Croft ' 9 19 20 5 Vigra and Ciegan, lim all 4 6 -- West Bassett (Mogan - W. Caradon (Lkskeard 9 8 10 - West Chiver ton ll 75 80 79 - West Seton. 471 165 175 - Wheal Bassett 'lllogan 54 824 874 - Wheal Buller (Redruth 16 25 274 - Wheal Mary Ann (Men. 8 3 5 - Wheal Seton -. Wheal Trelawney ILis. 7 15 17 YRAFEREN Great Eastern, E. Counties Ex., No. 1, 99 Great Northern 5 per cent., irred., 106 Lancashire and Yorkshire, 6 per cent. stock, 130 North eastern, West Hartlepool Harbour and Rail., 79j :u SILL RMS. LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALb. Lancaster and Carlisle, 2.4 South Staffordshire, 84 Wlits and domerset, 83& tem-Lk:AGM RAILWAYS. Central Argentine, 61 Sambre and Meuse, 56 per cent. pf., San Paulo, lim., gua. 6 per cent., 161 16 F‘ )RE.IGN ht I N Chontales Gold and Silver Mining, q rontino and nolivia ti old, Um., II Washoe Gold, lim., 5 61 Ditto (Z 4), 5 BANK& Alliance, Um.. 28 71 Anglo Egyptian, lira.. 121 Anglo-Italian, Urn., 35 Bank of Egypt, 311 Bank of London. 27 1 1 Bank of ~tago, lira., 8/ Chartered Bank of 'num, Australia, and China, 2' 41 Consolidated Bank, lim, East London, Um., 4/ 1 Eng ish Joint Stock, I►m., 8/ 1 English, Scotch, and Australian Chartered, 20 European Bank, lira., 11/ Imperial Bank, lira.. 28/ Imperial Ottoman, Ditto, new, 11/ Land Mortgage Bank of India, lira.. 41 London Chartered Bank of Australia, 23 London and County. 7 5 i 6} London and South-Western, lit n.,18 19 London and 11 estminster. 85 Merropolitan and Provincial Bank, lira., 111 15 Midland Bank, lira., 2) oriental Banx Corporation, 521 i 3 21 Provincial Banking Corporation, lira., 61 Provincial of Ireland, 811 South Australia, 291 Standard of British South Africa, 13 Union of Australia, 524 DOCKS. London and St. Katharine, 74 MISCELLANEOUS. Atlantic Telegraph, 8 per cent. gua., 21 ; Berlin Watea NVorks. lim., 10 City Offices, lira, 6 5k Colonial, lim, 41 Commercial Union, Insurance, 61 Credit Fancier and &rob'lier of England, 8 1 Crystal Palace, 36 1 51 Discount corporation, U. Ebbw Vale, 17k Egyptian Com. and Trading, Urn., 4 1 English and Australian Copper, 11 Fairb Engineering, 64 lien. Credit and Finance of London. lim., 41 1 Home and Colonial A ssurance, lim, 4 Hudson's Bay, 171 17 International Financial Society, lim., 51 5 Italian Irrigation (Canal Cavour), 91 Ditto, 6 per cent. Bonds, redem. 1670, issued 81 Joint Stock Discount, lira., 104 1 111 104 London FinanCial:ABaociation. lim . 104 11 j 1 Millman Freehold Land and Dock, 71 4 National Discount company. 1 3 1 2 4 ,3 4 - Overend, Gurney, and Co., lim., 161 a 17 161 171 Peninsula and Oriental Steam, 72 queigada Land, Rail, and Mining, lim„ 44 99 100 91 03 16i 161 3 31' Q 6 86 e 8 1 4,1 100 IC2 92 94 88 90 62 64 8 . 82 98i 99i 98 99 te 98 99 100 st I 20 20i 10 100 1 31 3 1011 353 5 109 1 1031 11 TflE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, IE6O. THIRD EDITION. SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocK, SPORTING, INTELLIGENCE—This Day. EBY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] WARWICK RACES-THIS DAY. 'WALTON HANDICAP. Pantaloon Salisbury Maid of Usk Five ran. TWO-YEAIt-OLD STAKES. Misfortune Goodfellow Lady Rosehill Fourteen ran. WARTVICKS HIRY HANDICAP. Pelios Jezebel Cambuscan Nine ran. DEBDAL STAKES, Plover Fat Jack .. Harrington Four ran. WEETE B HANDICAP. Flying Horse Bolernock HURDLE RACE. Corsica Carnbrae Pot Pourrie UNION HUNT CUP Prior Brampton Ely Nine ran. DONCASTER RACES—THis DAY. BETTING-ROOM STAKES. Sy cee Opoponax Montagnard Four ran. CHESTERFIELD STAKES Skylark Nlza,m Duty Free Eight ran. HUNTER STAKES Marksman Lady Sykes Ostrich Ten ran. SCURRY HANDICAP. ... 3 Chessman 2 Star Cross Four ran. SELLING HANDICAP. Jacob Umballah Arbitration .. 3 • Four ran. NORTH OF ENGLAND BIENNIAL Meanwood Pigeon Three ran. The house divided, when there appeared. For the second reading B3 Against it Majority -117 The bill was consequently lost. PROSECUTION EXPENSES BILL. Mr. GOLDNEY moved the second reading of the bill, the object of which was to provide for the pay ment of expenses in cases of felonies and misde meanours in which no convictions occurred. 4r. BARING, on the part of the Government, was not inclined to 'object to the second reading of the bill, but he could not bind himself to support the whole of the clauses in committee. The bill was then read a second time. CATTLE PLAGUE BILL. Mr. num. moved that the Lords' amendments to this bill be considered. There had been some very extensive alterations made in the bill, but yet enough was left in it to make it a very valu able measure, and, therefore, he thought that the house, instead of abandoning the bill, had better accept it as it had been amended, because with a few trifling alterations it could be made highly efficient. A discussion ensued, in which Sir J. Trollope, Mr. Beech, and Mr. Pugh took ,part as to the course to be adopted with respect to this measure. Mr. BARING, on the part of the Government, said, in the event of the hon. member abandoning the bill, he was instructed to say the Government would take the matter into their hands and deal with it in the following manner : To strengthen the con stitution of the Privy Council office ; to enact that all fairs for store cattle be suspended for a limited time ; that markets for the sale of fat cattle should not be held without a licence from the Privy Council, and that no such cattle should leave the market alive, and that certain regula tions should be laid down with respect to removal of hides and manure. The Government would also take active measures to direct railway companies to effectually cleanse the railway cattle trucks. Under these circumstabces he trusted the hon. member for Northamptonshire would abandon a bill which, in its altered state, could not now be called his. Mr. HUNT said he was quite willing to withdraw the bill now that for the first time he had heard that the Government would take upon themselves the responsibility of dealing with the matter. If that course had been adopted in the first instance a great deal of valuable time would have been saved. IMPERIAL PARLIAIIENT HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tins DAY. Mr. DODSON, in the absence of the Speaker, took the chair at 12 o'clock. DISFRANCHISEMENT OF DOCKYARD LABOURERS. Mr. STONE gave notice that, on going into com mittee on the bill proposed by the Secretary for the Admiralty, he should move the rejection of the clause which disfranchised labourers employed in Government dockyards. (Hear, hear.) COUNTY INFIRMARIES (IR_____,ELAND),..IITT.L. Mr. POLLARD URQUHART moved the second read - - mg of this bill, which was to increase the utility of these infirmaries in Ireland. The authorities were empowered to raise a considerable sum for the support of these establishments, and therefore they ought to be made to meet the requirements of the present time. The bill also proposed to lower the qualification to vote, as governors and life governors respectively, from £3 to £l, and from £2O to £lO, which he had no doubt would produce a greater amount of public support than at present existed. The bill also proposed to make the presentments of grand juries compulsory. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for Ireland opposed the latter portion of the bill, and advised the hon. member not to persevere with the measure. After a short discussion the bill was negatived without a division. RAILWAY TRAVELLING (IRELAND) BILL. Sir C. O'LoGHLEN moved the second reading of this bill, the object of which was to deprive railway companies in Ireland of the power of shutting up railway communication in districts in which they may have lines, and also for making better provi sions for third class passengers. He could not but think that his last attempt had been defeated by the combination of Scotch members, who objected to railway travelling on Sundays. The people of Ire land were in favour of running trains, and he did not see why their wishes should in any way be in terfered. The Waterford and Limerick Railway had abolished Sunday trains, and the result was that every person living in the district of this line was greatly inconvenienced, as communication from Clare, for instance, was entirely shut up from four o'clock on Saturday afternoon until eight o'clock on Monday morning. The bill enacted that these railway companies should run one train each way on Sundays, which he did not think was a very serious hardship. It had been said, when he brought the matter forward last year, that the average of Sunday passengers on the Waterford ' and Limerick Railway was only about three or four, of which he (Sir C. O'Loghlen) was one. He had in his possession Parliamentary returns, which showed most incontestibly that the statement was altogether unfounded, and that in place of three or four the Sunday travellers averaged between 50 and 60, and that the fares paid were quite sufficient to amply remunerate the railway company. The opposition to the bill had been got up by the Sabbatarians, and not Irish people at large, and therefore he asked the house to read the bill a second,time. Mr. BLAKE opposed the motion, and moved the bill be read a second time that day six months. He said the object sought by his hon. and learned friend was unjust and unnecessary ; there being no demand for Sunday traffic to warrant compulsory legislation in that direction, involving, as it did, the employ ment of a large number of railway servants without an adequate purpose. Mr. APLAREN was of opinion that if the directors of a railway thought it was commercially profitable to run trains on Sundays the directors would most certainly do so, and, if not, he did not think an act of coercion should be passed to compel them to do so. Mr. MILLER opposed the bill, as he considered it both vicious and tyrannical Sir P. O'BRIEN supported the motion for the second reading. He said the people in the counties who travelled by the railway alluded to by the hon. member for Clare were greatly in want of the re quired accommodation, and he could not see the force of saying that because a few religious people in the country set their face against Sunday tra velling that they were to rule the majority. Major GAVIN also supported the bill. He had seen gentlemen who now opposed the measure sauntering in Kew Gardens on a Sunday. He had seen them at Hampton Court, and also enjoying the sea breezes at Brighton on that day, and he could not see how they could, in effect, deny the same privilege to the working people in Ireland. Mr. M. GIBSON said it had been suggested that the present bill should be reported to the com mission now sitting on railways, but that commis sion, he believed, had concluded their inquiries as far as Irish railways were concerned. The com mission could, of course, be instructed to re-open their inquiry ; but, according to his view of the matter, that would only be a postponement of a case which Parliament would have afterwards to deal with. He should feel inclined to vote for the second reading of the bill, provided his hon. and learned friend would consent to limit its operations to new companies or to old companies coming to Parliament for new powers. If, however, that_was declined, he could not give his vote in favour of the bill. There was one clause in the bill which he thought was much required, and that was with re spect to third-class passengers, and he highly ap proved of that portion of the measure which enacted that where first and second class passengers were taken through, the third-class travellers should be left behind or else in the middle of their journey. With respect to Sunday trains the hon. and learned member had not been, in his idea, sufficiently explicit in his bill as to how he proposed the Board of Trade should say these Sunday trains were to be run. He considered that the arrangement of discontinuing the Sunday trains on the IVaterforcl and Limerick Railway was not n accordance with the Act of 1854, which laid down that reasonable facilities should be given on all occasions to railway travellers. After a few words from Mr. HENLEY, Sir C. O'LOGIILEN said he accepted the sug- Bestion of the right hon. gentleman, the President of the j3oard of Trade. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS.--LAST EVENING. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Royal assent was given by commission to the fol lowing bills :—The Consolidated Fund (.£1,137,772), a Savings Banks and Post-office Savings Banks. The Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Bessborough, and Viscount Sydney. The house suspended sitting at a quartor past four and resumed at five. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed:— The Cashel Junction Railway, and Bray and Euniskerry Railway. CHILD LABOUR. Lord KINNAIRD presented a petition from certain in habitants of Sheffield, praying that there should be an in quiry into the circumstances connected with the employ ment of juvenile labourers, and that the report should be laid as soon as possible before the public, in order that this very important subject should be carefully considered. THE CATTLE PLAGUE, The Earl of CARNARVON drew tho attention of tho house to the alarming extent to which the cattle plague had extended, and impressed on the Government tho ne cessity of obtaining accurate statistics on the subject with a view of tho malady being dealt with in a scientific way, in order to prevent the progress of the disease. JAMAICA GOVERNMENT BILL. Lord RUSSELL moved tho second reading of the bill. He said that there was a large amount of misunderstanding on the part of certain portions of the public in reference to the circumstances connected with the recent events in the Island of Jamaica. In considering this subject, the cir cumstance of the relative proportion of coloared and white persons in_ the colony was to be taken into account. It was desirable that the affairs of such a place as Jamaica should be satisfactorily arranged, and to accomplish that object legislative action was necessary. The principle of the bill had already been discussed, and he believed that public opinion was in its favour. He considered that it was calculated to effect the object of placing the affairs of the colony in a satisfactory condition. Lord DUNSANY made some general observations re lative to the position of the colony. Lord TAUNTON expressed a hope that the course of legislation that would be adopted in regard to Jamaica would be of a nature calculated to develop the resources of the colony, the value of which was great to this country. Both the interests of civilisation and pecuniary incentives were involved in this question. Earl GREY supported the bill, and expressed his ap proval of the appointment of the commission. He contended that the interests of the West Indies had not been dealt with by the Legislature of this country in an enlarged and proper spirit. All the evils with which they had now to contend: grew out of this contracted legislation, and the time had arrived when there should be an alteration in the legislation with reference to the island of Jamaica. After some observations from Lord LYTTELTON and Lord LONGFORD, the bill was read a second time. The Princess Helena's Annuity Bill and Prince Alfred's Annuity Bill wore severally read a third time 'and passed. The Marine Mutiny and the National Debt Reduction Bills were respectively read a second time. The amendments to the Sale of Land by Auction Bill were agreed to. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING. Mr. DonsoN, in the absence of the Speaker, took the chair at four o'clock. PETERBOROUGH WATER BILL. On the motion for the second reading of the bill, Lord BURGHLEY opposed the motion on the ground that it was a scheme not at all required, that it was mainly promoted by a few persons, and that it would interfere with rather than promote the supply of pure water in the places mentioned in the bill. He moved that it be read a second time that day six months. The bill was, after a short discussion, rejected. NEW WRITS. On the motion of Mr. BRAND, a new writ was ordered to issue for Louth, in the room of the Hon. C. Fortescue, who, since his re-election, had accepted the office of Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. On the motion of Col. TAYLOR, a new writ was ordered to issue for Tewkesbury, in the room of Mr. Dowdeswell. ELECTION PETITIONS. The petitions against the return for Promo, the North Riding of Yorkshire, Canterbury, Kidderminster, and Lon donderry (city) were announced as withdrawn. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Earl Granville, Earl Grey and Ripon, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Ebury, Lord Chelmsford, the Earl of Romney, the Earl of Bess borough, Lord Colville, the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Stanhope, 'Lord Taunton, the Earl of Albemarle and a number of other peers occupied seats in the peers' gallery in the house. The attendance of members on both sides of the house was again very numerous. ARMY CLOTHING. Colonel SYKES asked the Secretary of State for War what reports had been made by commanding officers of regiments to whom Merritt's ventilating gussets were issued with the regimental clothing in 1864, and whether he would lay them upon the table of the house ? The Marquis of HARTINGTON said the articles had been issued to six regiments last year. The report of the commanding officers of those regiments will not be received until the end of the present month. PUEILIO SCHOOLS. Sir S. NORTHCOTE asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce any bill in the present session with reference to the public schools ? Sir G. GREY said it was the intention of the Govern ment to bring forward a measure in the other House of Parliament soon after Easter. THE SUEZ CANAL. Mr. D. GRIFFITH asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the agreement or conven tion recently entered into between the Porte and the French authorities on the subject of the Suez canal, there was any security taken against the employment in future of forced labour on those works, and whether such forced labour was in fact altogether discontinued? Mr. LAYARD said forced labour had been altogether abolished some time ago. SAVINGS BANKS. Colonel W. PAT TEN asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer whether his attention had been directed to private bills introduced during the present session, giving powers to corporate bodies to establish savings banks on the se curity of corporate funds; and if so, what were the inten tions of the Government with respect to them ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the attention of the Government had been directed to the matte; but nothing definite had yet been decided on. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had been in com munication with the authorities of the corporations referred to, viz., Bradford and Manchester, but the negotiations had not yet been completed. In a few days he would state what course the Government would adopt. Mr. ROEBUCK asked whether tho right hon. gentle man would say whether it was a public or private bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had no authority to answer such a difficult question. lie should have preferred personally to have had the bills considered as public bills. THE CATTLE DISEASE. Mr. LONG asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government was taking any steps to ascertain if the disease resembling the rinderpest, which had recently been observed amongst sheep in dif ferent parts of the United Kingdom was really the rinder pest or no ? Mr. BRUCE said in the opinion of the veterinary ad visers of the Privy Council the disease was considered to be identical with the rinderpest in cattle. There was, how ever, hope that it would not spread as rapidly as that ter rible disease. Professors Symonds and Brown were the gentlemen who had given their opinion on which he had answered the question. THE CUSTOMS CLERKS. Mr. BLAKE asked the Secretary to the Treasury whe ther it was the intention of Government to increase the salaries and alter the classification of the outdoor officers of Customs, as has been recently done in the instance of the clerks of the indoor department ? Mr. CHILDERS said there was no intention to make any alteration in the arrangements at present existing. THE BUDGET. Sir F. KELLY asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he was able to inform the house at what time he proposed to bring forward the budget? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was the intention of the Government, supposing the adjourned debate on the representation of the people was finished that evening, to take the second reading of the bill on the 12th April, which was the first Government night after the Easter holidays. The Government pro posed to go on with that bill night by night, without allowing other business to interfere with it— (hear, hear)- 1 -until the measure was completed as far as the second reading was concerned. The budget would be taken the first Government night after the second reading of the Reform Bill. THE NEW REFORM BILL.—ADJOURNED DEBATE. The 'adjourned debate on the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER for leave to introduce a bill to amend the representation of the people was resumed by Mr. LOWE, who said—Sir, in the course of a long and illustrious career thisllouse of Commons has gathered into its hands a very large proportion of the political power of the country. It has outlived the influence of the Crown ; it has shaken off the dictation of the aristocracy ; in finance and taxation it is supreme. It has a very large share in legislation, and it can control, unmake, and sometimes nearly make the Executive Government. Probably when the time shall come that the history of this country shall be written, as the history of that which has passed away, it may be thought that too much power and influence were concentrated and condensed in this great assembly, and that England put too much to hazard on the personal qua flcations of those who sit in it. But in proportion as the powers of this assembly are great and paramount, is the exploit to amend its constitution ono of the highest and noblest efforts of statesmanship—(Oppositioncheers) — and to tamper with it lightly, or to deal with it unskilfully, is one of the most signal marks of presumption and folly. When we speak of givingthe franchise to a class who have itnot, or of transferring electoral power from one district to another, we must always remember that the end weought to have in view is not the class which receives the fran chise —not the district that obtains the power of sending members to Parliament—but that Parliament itself inwhich those member s are t o s it, an d f or th e sa k e o f cons tit u ti ng which properly those powers alone ought to be exercised. (Cheers). To consider the franchise as an end in itself—to suppose that we aro to give this to ono class of persons be cause they is small deser v i ng , or t o w ithh o ld it f rom one p l ace because use it small and g i ve i t to anot h er b ecause i t i s l argo —is, in my opinion, to mistake the means for the end. (Hear, hear.) This franchise has been of enormous ad vantage to this country, and we are naturally enamoured of it—but when we treat the franchise as an end of itself, and the conferring of it as the ultimate effort of states manship in the matter of Reform, it appears to me that we fall into the same error as a man would do who, having found that money contributed much to his pleasure when young, and his power in middle life, on arriving at the close of life, when pleasure can charm no longer and power is no longer within his grasp, turns his affection from the end to the means, and ends by loving the money for its own sake. (Hear, hear.) I mention this because I have some reason to complain of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. ler the manner in which he introduced this great question to the house. The Chancellor of the Ex chequer told us in substance that he feared he had much to say to the house, and therefore he would not take up our time in,giving any arguments or reasons in favour of the revision of our electoral system, or extension of the elec toral franchises of the people. I wish to speak of this mat ter with perfect temper and good humour, but I do not think the Chancellor of the Exchequer will, on consideration, say that he dealt altogether respectfully with the house. It is not right that a great assembly like this should bo called upon to entertain propositions of the very utmost moment touching the most vital part of our constitution, effecting, if carried into law, an immense redistribution of power and an enormous alteration in the constitution of the country ; it is not right, I say, that such a proposition should be in troduced without the Minister introducing them laying be fore the house the reasons which have induced the Govern ment to make these propositions, and giving them as a guide in estimating the principles upon which he acts. I am not wedded to anything particular l y because it exists. I am quite prepared to follow experience and expediency as my guide in political matters, wherever they may lead me. I have no prejudice in favour of the existing state of things. I care not, as far as my own feelings and prejudices are con cerned, what the amount of the franchise is, or what are the places where political power exists. This is a question I am open to consider, because I profess to guide myself by experience . and inductio n , th e na t ure an d essence o f expe rience and indu c ti on b e i ng th a t th ey are a l ways open t o now light from whatever quarter it comes, and reject anything that savours in any degree of dogmatism. Therefore, if I complain of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it is not because I am unwilling to give consideration to anything the Government may propose for improving the constitu tion of this house, but it is because, although perfectly wil ling to entertain such question, I think it only fair to exist ing institutions to say that the burden of proof is in their favour—that the presumption is in favour of whatis, until argument shows that what is can be replaced by something that is better. And when the Chancellor of the Exche quer, without condescending to utter a word depreciatory of the present system, pointing out its faults or suggesting remedies, at once proceeded to state his plan so materially altering it, I think he took for granted that the burden of proof was the other way, and that those who defend the constitution are bound to answer the arguments of innova- tors, instead of waiting until the innovators make out a case. (Opposition cheers.) I hope I ara clear in this matter. I only uphold the £lO franchise or the present state of cir cumstances because it exists, and because it has a right to exist until something better is substituted ; but I deprecate the spirit of innovation which assumes that what exists is wrong, and calls upon us to pull down the noble work of our forefathers before a single word is uttered to its dispa ragement. The Chancellor of the Exchequer found plenty of time for many subjects of less importance. He discussed with exquisite felicity the difference between the annual value and the gross estimated rental —(a laugh)—ho went into distinctions, into which few of us could follow him, with regard to compound householders, tenants of flats, lodgers, and other abstruse personalities—(cheers and laughter)—but although he was able to go into all these matters with a detail which reminded us more of a speech on the Budget than a speech on Reform, he did not find time to say a single word why the constitution under which we lived so long might not last a little longer. I will state in a few words all I think necessary for the argu ment I have to address to the house with regard to the bill of the right honourable gentleman. That bill pro poses, in short, to increase the whole of the electors of the country, at present estimated at 900,000, by 400,000 ; that is to say, by nearly one-third. [An Hon. Member : Nearly one-half.] Half of the existing electors, and one third of the whole when this bill is passed. Then he pro poses to give to the counties 171,000 new electors, and to the boroughs 204,000 new electors, these being altogether derived from a single class of persons of £lO or under £lO rental. (No, no.) It will be almost entirely so. But there may be some slight difference ; 144,000 of them are abso lutely working men, and the rest of them pretty nearly so. (Hear.) Now, as to the county franchise, I have only one observation to make. It may be right, or it may be wrong, but there can be no doubt that it will very much extend the electoral districts, enormously increase the expenses of elections, and that it will create a great redistribution of political power. (Cheers.) That may be right, I say, or it may be wrong ; but before we pass it, I think we ought to have been told the reason why we did so. When we come to boroughs the case is much more serious. The right hon. gentleman opposed the one to the other. The counties, he said, had a middle-class franchise, and the boroughs had a working man's franchise. I will not trouble the house with figures, but I may sum up the result of them, which will be that, when this measure passes, there will be 330,000 working men and 362,000 who are not working men. That is the system he proposes for our adoption. Here, I think, we get to very grave considerations, because we have not only the statement of the hon. gentleman, but we have laid before us statistics from which it appears that the number of working men already admitted to the franchise is 126,000, which is about one-fifth of the electors. That is a mos grave and momentous fact. Look what it proves? In the first place, it proves that the Government were entirely mistaken upon the main ground for bringing in this bill. (Opposition cheers.) The main ground that theyproposed for bringing in the bill until they came to bring it in, when they thought it expedient to put forth no ground at all, was tho exclusion of the best of the working men from the franchise. Here is an authority that no one can dispute. We have heard it said often enough—l cite from a work, " The Constitution of England," issued by Lord Russell twice last year, once in the spring and once in the autumn. (Laughter.) This is the passage with reference to Reform: " Bet may there not be still improvements ?"—in the Re form Bill the noble lord referred to, and this is the whole answer he gives: "Each of the last four Ministries have been willing to add, as it were, a supplement to the Reform Act. For my part, I shall be glad to see the sound morals and clear intelligence of the best of the working classes more fully represented. They are kept out of the franchise which Ministers of the Crown have repeatedly asked for, partly by the jealousy of the present holders of the suffrage and partly by a vague fear that the members of this class will swallow up the other. Both these objections may be removed by a judicious modification of the proposed suf frage." What does this prove ? In the first place, this proves that in the autumn of last year, in the opinion of Lord Russell, the best of the working classes were not in cluded in that suffrage. Is that true ? Take the noble lord's own statistics, and compare them with his preface. Can you reconcile them? No, for they are absolutely irre concilable. It is true that Lord Russell would be under a delusion which is shared in by every gentleman who has used the argument, and that nearly comprehends all the gentlemen on the Treasury Bench. (Laughter.) We all more or less shared in it. I do not pretend to say we did not We all shared in the delusion that the working classes were. excluded from the franchise, and that there was a sharp line drawn at the £lO, through which the working men could not penetrate. That was the only proposal of the noble lord with regard to the Reform Bill, and that w e t it , : proved to have been founded on a mistake. I wan . know on what principle it is that the Governmtheleat,Zmvihliegr received statistics which my noble friend s. ew.n. for Haddingtonshire (Lord Elcho) movedof whomli thiey that these people, for the sake of P —1 asked for a reform bill, want to know why y Sir , that is worth explain (Opposition cheers.) friendtstatisticshesewo have a h v a e d t n o o ld t they ha l ve w gone el., on with the bill at all. uld e r e could — h right honourable been t h W e ve u S n u d r : r - s us at once that it was.to enfranchise the working man ; but, regardless of the facts, my right hon. friend assumes that this house is ready to entertain this proposition with out any weighty reason for asking the country or the con stituencies for acceding to it. Those statistics prove a little more. They prove a thing for which I have been greatly reproved, that the working classeshave already tho franchise. Sir, I have been reviled in the best and worst of English on that subject—(laughter)—and by no one more so than by the noble lord the author of that preface —for saying that the franchise lies in the power of the working man. All I can say is, if the working men have not that power how should they get there ? (Laughter.) That proves something more still which is also very well worthy of the notice of the Government, and that is this : I do not apprehend we had any statistics to tell us when it was that this great increase in the constituencies took place ; but no one who knows the history of this country can doubt that it was owing to the groat expansion of the last few years. Well, then, when we know the causes, are they permanent or transient ? The first cause was undoubtedly the discovery of gold in California and Aus tralia, and tho consequent depreciation of the precious metals gayo an apparent rise of prices. This led to higher NEW WRIT. COl. TAYLOR moved that a writ be issued for the election of a member for the Western Division of the • county of Worcester, in the place of the Hon. A. Lygon, now called to the House of Peers. After a few words from Sir G. GREY, The Lords' amendments to the Cattle Plague Bill were ordered to be taken into consideration that day six months. SUPPLY.. The house then went into committee of supply. Mr. CHILDERS moved that towards making good the supply granted to her Majesty the sum of £13,500,000 be granted out of the consolidated fund the United Kingdom. The motion was agreed to. The other orders of the day Were disposed of, and the house adjourned. The Extraordinary Charge of Forging the Countess of Bellew's Will. Mrs. Anne Casse, a lady, 80 years of age, resid ing at Winterton House, St. John's-wood, appeared at the Westminster Police-court this day in dis charge of her personal recoguisances of £l,OOO to answer the charge of feloniously forging the signa ture of the late Caroline, Countess Bellew, to her will or deed of gift; further, with forging the sig nature, " E. Simmons," as an attesting witness to the same document ; and further, with feloniously uttering the same as a genuine document, with in tent to defraud, Bte. Joseph Verlander also was surrendered by his two sureties of £lOO to answer the charge of having committed wilful and corrupt perjury in a certain judicial proceeding in the Court of Probate, before Sir J. P. Wilde, " Bellew v Bellew," relating to a will, with forging which the aforesaid Anne Casse stands charged as above. Mr. Piffard, barrister, again prosecuted, and Mr. James Lewis, of Ely-place, with whom was Mr. Jennings, proctor of Doctors' Commons, defended Mrs. Casse. Mr. W. D. Smyth, solicitor, of Ro chester-row, again appeared for Verlander. Mr. Piffard said that illness was keeping the pro secutrix, Miss Frances Bellew, from attending. Over exeitement kept her at home. Mr. Smyth asked that the case for Verlander be further adjourned, and argued that the case of per jury against Verlander must be proved by two credible witnesses, and where were those witnesses to be found. He could call Mrs. Casse to prove that the name of E. Simmons was written by E. Sim mons, and it was quite a matter of opinion as to whether the signatures were forgeries, for he could call 12 witnesses, in whose opinion the signatures were genuine. Mr. Arnold said it would be a very difficult mat ter to prove perjury against Verlander. If he committed Mrs. Casse then Verlander must be also, and vice versa. The recognizances of Verlander were extended. Oxford shire. I had a mother named Esther Simmons. Fanny Simmons—l. live at Kingwood, Oxford- She died while in Mrs. Casse's service. I received this letter from Mrs. Casse, and sent it to my bro ther. He went to see Mrs. Casse. The other let ters are to different persons. I know my mother's handwriting. This is not my mother's handwriting, and never was (looking at the signature to the will.) I know Mrs. Casse'a handwriting. I have written letters to my mother, and received answer& from her at Winterton-house, St. John's-wood, Regent's park. By Mr. Arnold—She sometimes signed her names "Hester" and " Esther," sometimes "11" and sometimes " E." Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis—That is not like my mother's handwriting. I have never seen it before to my knowledge. Mr. Lewis—Look at it—whose writing is it ? Witness—lt is my own. Mr. Lewis—Look at this. Witness—To the best of my belief that writing is my mother's (No. 1.) To the best of my belief that is my mother's (No. 2). I can't swear to my own handwriting so well as my mother's. My mother never differed in her writing, and I do sometimes. My mother` came to Reading in 1862 or 1863 and wrote to my father. I saw her write and :fold up he letter. I mean to swear that from the year '59 when my mother went to Mrs. Casse, I saw,her in'62 or '63. My mother sometimes signed in full. (The case was not concluded when we went to press.) My mother spelt her name three different ways. She lived in Grafton-place before she went to Mrs. Casse's. She was in Mrs. St. John's service and Mrs. Leslie's. These letters are very old. I think my mother lived in Grafton-place in 1859. Mr. Lewis called the magistrate's attention to the prisoner's affidavit made at the Probate Court, in which she said she only produced a sealed envelope, intrusted to her custody and care by the late coun tess, and only gave it up compulsorily when com pelled by subpoena from the Probate Court, so there was not so much publication of the document as had been said. After some further evidence the case was ad journed until Tuesday next ; bail on £l,OOO as be , fore ; Verlander's bail extended. MARKETS.---This Day. Fresh up to our market to-day the arrivals of home grown wheat were moderate. For all qualities the trade ruled quint, but without leading to any material change in prices from Monday. There was a fair supply of foreign wheat on the stands. The amount of business transacted was moderate, and prices ruled firm. Foating cargoes of grain were in but moderate request, at late rates. Barley, the supply of which on sale was but moderate, ruled firm, at full currencies. Malt was very firm, and quite as dear as on Monday. The supply of oats on sale was moderate. There was a fair demand for most descriptions, at late rates. .Beans and peas ruled firm, at full currencies. Flour moved 4 slowly, at late prices. SHIP AnnlvALs THIS wgEic. Wheat.Barloy. Malt, Oats. Flour. English and Scotch 2080 980 820 120 1190 Irish Foreign 4870 1830 - 12,560 280 sks, bli. COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND PRICES OF GRALN. For the week ending March For the corresponding week 10, 1866. last year. Qrs. Aver. Qrs. Aver. Wheat 69,669-458 4d Wheat 69,297-38s 4d Barley 46,672-35 s 7d Barley ..... ....42,655-29r4 ld Oats us , 9,631-230 11(1', Oats r nt : and higherwages. Another cause was the emigration that took place in Ireland ; a third was the extension of our - trade and commerce, which is making labour every day more and more in demand. I am not wrong in considering othreerreatae hereafter. re cause I sstillcooupledrantoint et many principlesg e , m a t n ra dwhichwillcontin fr ue o t: the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but one y m m ubt a ech j hoe in care aue causes I f is: t ils l: er e lhi ft c ,; o bv. tt mentioned,w.i fortu h e e n t nh c e y ws o ea f u t et h i hvo i this thing which he sa id was that he did not wish to see the workingl country. edid i n n ot a his weaker brethren. (Laughter.) But was not the case th a t i s % ll ' o a r k f i e n w g c y l e a u s r s se's from l a vote to £7 houses do we not hold out a temptation to .£6 houses to become £7 and so on, so that when I view the system of my right hon. friend, as at present stated, we n shall in a short time see the working classes in a majericy of the constituency. Let us see what this implies. I shall speak very frankly ; for having lost my character by saying that the working man can get the franchise if he likes, which is all true, I shall state what I mean. Lot each gentleman consider the constituency he has had the honour to be concerned with. (Laughter.) If you want venality, ignorance ; if you want drunkenness, if you want facilities for being intimidated, if you want an impulsive, unreflective, violent people, where do you go to look for them ? Is it to the top, or is it to the bottom ? It is ridi culous to raise the question. The sins of the constituencies are mainly committed between the £2O and the £lO. I may be said the £lO beer-house keeper is the man, but get the artisan and you will see something very different (Hear.) That is the sort of theory the ancients had about the north wind. The ancients observed that as they 'went further north the wind grew colder, just as the constituency , gots worse nearer £lO. " Then, if it is so cold when you get in front of the north wind," they said, " how very warm it must be if you could get behind it." (Laughter.) And, therefore, they imagined for themselves a blessed land we have all h ear d o f called the Hyperborean, where the people, were perfectly happy and virtuous because they had got on the other side of the north wind. (Laughter.) That is just what hon. gentlemen say with regard to the franchise. If you only go a little lower, you get among a virtuous class but if what I say be true the lower you get the worse it is, whetbor it be artisan or beer-shop keeper, or any other person. We well know what sort of people those who live in those small houses are. We know what the freemen. were, and that it has been the opinion that there could be no better act than to disfranchise them altogether. But no when the class it was proposed to disfranchise is dying out of itself, the Government proposes to bring it back. I ask, what good shall we get? The effect will be to add a largo number of persons to every consti tuency from the class to which, if anything is going wrong, we must look to find it. It will increase the expenses of the management of elections, and I maintain that as we go lower you may look for more bribery and corruption than hitherto. Another thing I wish to point out is that hon gentlemen on this side of the house will find out from ex perience that the main mischief will fall on themselves. The first stage will be to increase corruption, intimidation, dis order, and all the evils that often attend elections. That is the first stage. What will be the second stage, when the working men find themselves in a clear majority, which will make them conscious of their power. They will say, we can do better than continue elections. Let us set up a shop for ourselves, let us carry on for ourselves ; we have our trade unions, we have our loaders, we have all the , power of combination, and when we have power to vote we can get all this with tenfold force. (Hear, hear.) Where then is the lino to be drawn? The right hon. gentlenian said that as he did not pledge the Government to redistri bution of seats, this Parliament might have to effect that object. lam much obliged to my right hon. friend, but for my part I do not think I should be worth preserving on these terms. As long as we have not passed the bill we are masters of the situation. Let us pass the bill, and what should we be?—hewers of wood and drawers of water, with the threat hanging over us that if we did not work we should be sent about our business. (Opposition cheers.) This we are told is a voter's bill, and does not deal with the redistribution of seats. That, said the right hon. gen tleman, is the advice of the hon. member for Birmingham, and I have followed it. It is lawful for me to be taught by an enemy—how much more by a friend. (Laughter.) Well, sir, I will read the language of the hon. member for Birmingham, from which you will derive a very different impression : "Repudiate without mercy any bill that gives merely the franchise, whatever its acquisition may be, if it does not unite clauses for the extinction of small boroughs, and give them places to the great city and town population of the kingdom." Mr. BRIGHT—What is it you aro reading from ? Mr. LOWE—I am reading a speech made by the hon. member at Bradford in 1859. (Hear, hear, from Mr. Bright.) There is a little bit more. (Laughter.) " The question of redistribution is the very soul of the question ; but unless you watch it you will be deceived ; and when the bill is passed you will possibly turn back to lament yourposition.h (Laughter.) I am not reading from the speech particularly to get a latigh at the expense of the hon. member for Bir mingham, though I have no particular objection to that. (Laughter.) I have not the least doubt the hon. member for Birmingham, notwithstanding his speech at Bradford, is consistent. I believe ho had in view the redistribution. of seats, and that what he now wants is to get the workmen to make the tools, and then they will speedily construct the machinery. The object of constituencies is to return mem bers. It is quite possible that the constituencies may be so large as not to return the members best fitted for this house; and it is quite possible they may return men of moderate opinions and moderato moans ; but it is quite possible to divide tho whole representation in this house between the millionaire, to whom expense is a matter of no moment, and demagogues, who compensate for their want of money by pandering to popular passion. (Opposition cheers.) Since the revolution of 1688 it has been the practice for the seats in the Government to be approached through the House of Commons ; but if you admit such members of popular re presentatives, whatever good you may do, you will destroy that element, and will render it impossible to carry on the happy union that now exists. Again, I would ask, what reasons there can be for bringing in this bill at all. The working classes have gone to hear the hon. member for Birmingham speak—as I would go if I wore within ten miles—for the purpose of hearing him; but wherever he has been he has condemned the franchise bill. The working classes have met in St. Martin's-hall and elsewhere, but their A demand was for universal suf fra g e. [ Mr. BitIGHT—No. ] l mos t un iversally; and they have spoken in a manner equally u ncomplimentary of the hon. member for Leeds and of his proposition. They have spoken out at St. Martin's Hall, where Mr. Odgers toll the working men what he wanted. And what he wanted was to give to his own trade first and keep up wages. Mr. Odgers moved the first resolution, and he told them what he wanted was a law to keep up wages. (Hear, hear.) Another speaker asked, why not pass an Act of Parliament and make Ireland per fectly happy ? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) I conclude that there is no- pressure at present from the working classes. Is it the constituencies ? Lord John Russell says it is on account of the selfishness of the constituencies that the working mon are kept out—that is to say, that they are unfavourable to this measure. Is it the members of this house ? A deputation went to Lord Russell and held out extreme measures, and he told them that he agreed with much of what they said, but he apprehended the greatest difficulty in the House of Commons. Is it not the House of Commons ? The next matter is a delicate ques tion. Is it the Cabinet ? There was a deputation to Lord Russell on the question, and to the deputation the hon. member for Birmingham said that Lord Russell had told him that he had immense difficulties to deal with in refe ence to the question of Reform, but that his greatest diffi culty was in the Cabinet. (Opposition cheers.) Mr. BRIGHT I don't know whether the right hon. gentleman believes it or not. I have only to say that there is not a word of truth in the statement. Lord Russell t has never said one word to me that led in any way .ortion of his no in timate to me what was the opinion of which the right recollec tion of having said anything of btehquotes anything he has Cabinet. (Ministerial cheers.) Aandkilndhanayrop hon. gentleman quotes ; and s if aid it, and must have been. read, I can only say I never said hoar.) inaccurately reported n . ot ( lle ' persevere in saying it then. I read. Mr. LONE— d l o aug e)—and I quote it from memory. I take in the Star when I want infer laughter.) Let us come to the reason. tion (Rcn ewe • It is not in respect to public opinion, it is ( it t i o n ud the lau S g ta h r te — r. e r ) la d of the thing. not because th e working men are excluded, f or th at h as been pretty well disposed of. Is it, as the right hon. gentle man the Chancellor of the Exchequer says, that gentlemen are c ommitted? That is a question of high morality. (A laugh.) I would ask the house seriously to turn their mind to it. Any gentleman who enters this house, enters it not as the member for any particular borough, butfortha whole United Kingdom ; and I apprehend that he is bound by an obligation to which no promise can add, and from which no promise can take away— (cheers) —that he to the best of his knowledge, will, and ability, do his uty to the country. (Hear.) If a gentleman finds him self has a ham peredcourse by pledges which touch his honour, heinen. He has open to him. which is open to all honourablehonour, and he in in it he must can get out of it. If it is necessary greater, got into a position incompatible w a nd false honour to not propose a lesser duty to a poet says_ the true. As our great national >o et stood, "His honour rooted in dishonour.tom falsely true." And faith, unfaithful, made 'ons of hon. gentlemen, I hope Whatever may sway the op i t in heet . gentlemen are pledged that we shall not hear the and that with their eyes open. contrary to their consciences, ithto remain °believe to be a great injury. they will do what they believe 7 - I, little more to add as to the (Cheers.) Now, then, A always found that there i s no th i ng so dif reasons. I have to Reformers as to ass i g n rea s o ns for re form. (A laugh. ) ficult, apparently, Tbe plan is to assume them, as the right hon. gentleman when. p ro posing it—anthulando, by walking i n to the question. (Laughter.) I do not say that we ought n ot to hav e Reform, but I do s a y that the ar g ument o f the differentgontlemen in promoting it is remarkable. They • a the Chancellor 'of the Exchequer cells siy it is justice, it a boon. This is not a question of justice and it priori reason ; this is a question of exlierience and expediency — (hear, hear, and Opposition cheers)—and a practical con sideration of human institutions, and the test of making theM conform to the end and object you havo in view ,',Wm.. lay.