The Sun. — London, England, 1848-09-06 00:00:00

ALARMING ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. Another very. serious accident, resulting in severe in jury to several persons and in an immense destruction of property, took place at an early hour yesterday morning, near the Leighton Buzzard station on this line of railway. The circumstances, as ascertained from careful in quiries made -upon the spot, may be briefly described as follows :—The Leighton station is distant from London 40i miles; within about 500 yards north of the station the Linslade tunnel, a quarter of a mile in length, is en tered, and about 300 yards north of this tunnel is the Linslade ballast pit, whence a large portion of the gravel used in keeping up the southern division of the line is obtained, Shortly after two o'clock yesterday morning a train of ballast carriages, belonging to Mr. Madigan, the contractor of the permanent way, left Wolverton, and proceeded up the line as far as the Leighton station. Having taken water here, the driver, Martin Cole, crossed from the up to the down line, and returned through the tunnel to the ballast pit, for the purpose of taking i in a load of gravel for conveyance to Berkhampstead. There are two sidings running into this pit, and in consequence of neither one of them being sufficiently long to contain the whole train, Cole detached some portion of the waggons, and placed them in the siding, and then returned for the other portion of the train, left meantime on the main down line. He had just got back on to the main line, and was about to couple his engine to the remaining waggons, when the 12 30 A.M. luggage train, from Cam den station, came through the Linsdale tunnel at a great speed, and the next instant ran into his train of empty waggons, crushing the break van into a thousand pieces, and strewing the waggons about the line in every direc tion. The engine and tender of the goods train were thrown off the rails and driven nearly on to the up line, while several of the goods waggons were entirely de stroyed, and their contents strewed about the railway. At the same moment, scarcely allowing time for those few persons present to recover themselves from the shock occasioned by the accident, the York mail came up at its usual speed, and no signal of the obstruction being dis played, the driver, Daniel Ross, ran headlong into the dibris occasioned by the previous collision. The effect of this second collision was to throw the engine and tender of the mail train completely across the down line, and crush, more or less, several of the succeeding carriages. The escape of the driver and stoker was perfectly miraculous. The former was, however, severely injured, and is now lying at Leighton, but the stoker appears to have been thrown by the force of the concussion completely over the ruins of the broken carriages and waggons—described by an eye--witness to have been between twenty and thirty feet high—on to the embankment on the down line, where he alighted comparatively unhurt. The first carriage behind the tender in the York train was a Midland Company's break or parcel van, which consists of a compartment at either end for the conveyance of luggage, and a small box in the centre in which the guard sits. This break, as well as the parcels van succeeding it, was crushed to pieces, and Tucker, the under guard, remained buried in the ruins of the former for more than two hours in spite of every effort made to extricate him. His head and chest were fortunately at liberty, and therefore, although suffering great pain, his strength was kept up by administering stimulants until his extrication was at length accomplished. The first compartment of the second class carriage which followed the parcels van was entirely destroyed. A man and woman, with two children, who were riding in it, were miraculously pre served. The passengers on the train of course all suf fered more or less, but no injaries beyond a few slight cuts and bruises appear to have been sustained by any of them ; a fact which, when all the circumstances of the accident are taken into consideration, may fairly be considered miraculous. The first, in fact both, collisions took place at about five minutes past three o'clock, As soon as the fearful extent of the catastrophe was ascertained, Cole pro ceeded with the ballast engine, the only one uninjured, to Wolverton to procure assistance, and before five o'clock Mr. M. Connell, the chief of the locomotive de partment, Mr. Bedford, the chief of the police of the Wolverton division, and several other officers of the com pany, returned to the spot with engines carriages aed labourers, to assist in clearing the line. Assistance had previously arrived from Leighton, and all those persons most shaken had received the best attention which could be afforded them et that station. The necessary precau tions were taken to stop both the up and down trains, and the tra ffi c on the lin e was a l toget h er sus p en d e d for several hours. So complete was the wreck, that the most active exertions of the multitude of labourers em ployed had failed to clear the line when the 6 15 A. et. train from London arrived at the spot ; and, as the only means of keeping up the communication the passengers in that train were conducted over the scene of the acci dent to the York mail; those who travelled by the latter coming on to town by the 6 15 A.M., which returned to the Euston station. The following is the statement of Sharon Biggs, the guard of the ballast train, in reference to the accident. ,lle says—" We left Weedon station, where we had been to unload some rails, about one A.m., and arrived at Leighton about forty minutes past two A.M. At this station we crossed over, in order to load a ttip of bal last' for Berkhampstead relaying. On arriving at the Linslade ballast pit our driver found it necessary to un couple his engine and fetch out some waggons which stood in our road. When we passed the policeman on duty at the north end of the tunnel I saw him proceed back with the danger signal with a view of protecting our train. Not feeling that confidence in another, how• ever, that I do in myself; and thinking that more time was being occupied than on other similar occasion, I went back, and found the policeman with the red signal on, at a distance of about 300 yards in the rear of our train. On reaching him he immediately observed that he heard a goods train approaching in the distance. He then directed me to go back to within sight of my own train, and give him the All right' signal when the line was clear, while he proceeded for ward to meet and stop the coming train. I did so ; but before the line was clear the 12.30 A.m. down goods train came at great speed through the tunnel. I immediately saw every prospect of a collision, and my fears were more than realised, for the engine ran into our train, smashed the break and one waggon, threw their own engine off the rails, and obstructed the up-line; while at the same moment the up York mail came up, and ran into the goods train with a tremendous crash. I immediately ran to Leighton, stopped the ap proaching coal train, got her waggons shunted, and sent her back to Tiring, in order to give telegraphic informa tion to Wolverton and London." Martin Cole, it may be stated, is one of the oldest engine -drivers on the line; indeed, the drivers of ballast trains are invariably selected for their ability and good conduct, and in consequence of their responsible duties they receive an increased rate of wages. All these drivers are supplied with a printed time bill of the lug gage trains, it being most important they should under stand the arrivals and departures during the night, when the ballast work is chiefly carried on. Core, when ques tioned yesterday, produced his time-bill, and upon its face the writer observed the departure of two luggage trains from the Camden station —one at midnight, and another at thirty minutes pasttwelve o'clock. The former had already passed, as seen above, when the ballastwag gons were shunted, and the latter was timed to stop at the Leighton station at 3 A.M. This train, for some understood cause, did not stop at Leighton, and the white light having been shown by the policeman on duty, the driver admits that he passed the station at full speed, and had entered the tunnel before he ob served the danger signal of the second policeman, whose post of duty is at the northern extremity. He imme diately reversed his engine, but the train consisting of forty loaded waggons, its speed was perceptibly dimi nished before he egressed from the tunnel, when he im mediately saw the red lamp at the rear of the empty ballast waggons. At this moment he had great hope, of being able to avoid the collision, when most unfortu nately the engine, already reversed, flew into forward gear, and carried the train directly into the waggons. Captain Huish and Captain Buyeres were both on the spot at an early hour in the morning, and having made a minute examination into the circumstances of ,the acci dent, they returned to town. Ross, the driver of the York train, was not so well last evening, and fears are entertained that he has suf fered some internal injury. Tucker, the under guard, who is brother of the guard of the same name who was injured so seriously a week or two since, is better than could have been expected, considering the awful position in which he was so long placed. A valuable pointer dog, belonging to a gentleman in the train, which was under Tucker's care in the break, had its hind leg com pletely cut off by the collision. Among the ruins of the luggage there was discovered, shortly after the accident, a barrel of gunpowder, the top of the cask having given way and disclosed its dan gerous contents. It was described by the direction as full of butter. The company have a clue to the party by whom it was sent, and it is to be hoped they will visit him with the severest penalty the law allows. The bare contemplation of what might have been the consequences of this breach of the law is dreadful. TUE DIORAMA, REGENT'S PARK.—This splendid troperty was brought to the hammer yesterday, by Mr. iefehild, at Garraway's Coffee-house. The sale was pcattended by a large and influential company. The pro- Dveerrtl Co nsisted of the buildings of th e Di orama (whi c h the ..stated t o h ave cost upwards of 10,0001. ), held for "` un ! e niired term of the lease, for 74 years ; the power , by M. p and costly machinery; the two grand pi c tures the Interiors' f nr exhibiting with unusual success, viz , /Etna; the thirtete Mark's Chur c h, V en i ce; an d M oun t exhibited i n f orm : valuable pict ures w hi c h h ave b een the rear of th e prera .Years, and th e b u ildi ng - groun d i n 3,5001.; and after : es ' The p ro p e rty was :put up at down at 6,7501. SPirited competition was knocked As the train from Brus 1 to Ant werp was pro ceeding on its way, on Frid se s , staalldesorning, a child of about two years and a half old carriages. suddenly near the window of one of i ng on its mother's knees sprang forward and fell out tht, j he m rails. out after it, immediately opened the door and The father The train whilst the mother uttered piereing-ushrpieet. was stopped, and after a few minutes the father was Even hurt, not comi hav ing ng up w even a ith the s cr o'i atch. ild in his arms, perketay on- RACING SWEEPS.—An ingenious method has al ready been adopted and , put into practice by pu b licans holding " racing sweeps ' in their houses, for defeating the intentions of the Law Officers of the Crown to pro ceed against such newspapers as inserted advertisements of their lotteries. They know that without the publicity which a portion of the press gave, their " sweeps" would have very few subscribers, and in order to make their advertisements legal have premed their insertion in a form something like this :—.-" Mr. , of -- will have a merry meeting on —_," o r " Mr.---, of ---, will r i ng a merry pea l on ---.” Th e blanks we have given , of course, being filled up with names and dates. , NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—SIR CHARLES NAPIER'S SQUADRON.—This squadron left Cork on the 24th ult., as we announced at the time. The Amphion was nearly on shore, working out; the Stromboli went to her as sistance, when she proceeded to join the squadron, con sisting of the St. Vincent, Prince Regent, Bellerophon, Tweed, Frolic, Pilot, Helena, Dragon, and Stromboli. A trial, under single reefed topsails, topgallant sails, jib, and courses, was made the same day between the 'Tweed, Pilot, Helena, and Frolic, which ended by the Pilot beating the Tweed about two miles, Frolic beating the Tweed one mile and a quarter, and Helena beating the Tweed about o ne m il e . The weed did not sail so well as when she first went out. There can be no doubt that the Pilot is the most weatherly of the sailing brigs in strong breezes. The Reynard joined the squadron on the 25th, when there was a strong westerly wind. The Tweed, Pilot, Frolic, and Helena, made another trial to day, which ended in similar results to those of yesterday. The Prince Regent, Bellerophon, and Amphion com menced a trial, but a fog came on which separated the whole squadron. The line-of-battle ships picked up the Admiral the same evening, but the fog continued very thick the following day, generally blowing a hard gale from the west-south-west, until the 2ith, when the vessels that had parted company joined off Cape Clear, viz., the Stromboli, the Pilot, and the Frolic, also the Blenheim and the Dragon. The Helena was still miss ing, but had been seen the same day by the Pilot. , On the 29th the wind was strong from the W.S.W., and a good deal of sea. The trials recommenced by sending the Frolic to windward about two miles, when the Pilot was ordered to chase her. The result, after eight hours, was very little, and the trial was not de cided, in consequence of a change of wind. The same results took place with the Prince Regent and Bellerophon. If an opinion may be given, however, the Prince Regent was the winner. But nothing could be more satisfactory than the Blenheim, which vessel, under sail, got her steam up, and, although started a considerable time after the other vessels, going six knots, weathered the whole (not excepting the brigs) in a most extraordinary manner, which shows the superiority of the screw to assist in going to windward. The Amphion did not do so well, from not being able to carry her mainsail, the funnel being before the mainmast, whilst the Blenheim's is abaft the mainmast, Tho Reynard showed the superiority of her sailing qualities to-day in a strong breeze, being equal to the brigs. The Dragon and Stromboli, as heretofore, kept their stations well to windward under sail. The Helena joined company to-day. On the 30th, wind N.W., a little swell, but very fine weather, several trials took place, the results of which were, that after five hours' trial on a wind, carrying all sail, the Frolic beat the Pilot nearly half a mile, and the Helena upwards of a mile. The Prince Regent, after four hours' trial on a wind just enough to take in royals, beat the Bellerophon about 500 yards. They are very equal ships in sailing—the Bellerophon, however, ap pears the stiffest. The Pilot, Frolic, and Helena, made a trial with the wind nearly right aft, carrying all possible sail (that is Pilot and Frolic, as Helena did not make sail until the trial was nearly over) for about an hour, going eight knots, a beautiful race—Pilot and Frolic neck and neck, the Helena astern. Nothing has been so interesting as the trial between the Blenheim, Amphion, and Reynard screw-vessels under all sail on a wind, assisted by steam with the auxiliary screw, going six to seven knots for two hours, which ended in the Reynard beating the Blenheim about a quarter of a mile, and the Amphion by upwards of a mile. There was very little swell, which gives an ad vantage to the Reynard, otherwise, with a stronger breezo ' the Blenheim wou ld b ea t. The Amphion has either lost her sailing qualities, or the loss of the main sail when the steam is up makes a considerable difference; but the advantage that the Blenheim possesses with steam and sail in going to windward of everything under sail is the admiration of everybody. On the 31st the squadron was employed the whole of the day, which was much wanted, for seine of the ships were very long in pet forming the common manceavres, more particularly the Amphion and Helena. On the lit inst. trials of sailing, with the wind on the quarter, going five knots, and the wind. aft, running towards Cork; the Frolic and Helena were the head most, the Bellerophon, Tweed, Pilot, Prince Regent, and Reynard next, and nearly equal; the St. Vincent, Blen heim, and Aniphion last. On the 2d inst., it being calm; near Kinsale, the signal was made at day light for all the steamers to THE PUBLIC BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. seats rising as 'in an amphitheatre. The vote is taken by each party rising in turn ; but, in case of its being demanded, the ayes and noes may :be called. The Speaker attains to great accuracy in estimating the respective numbers, and to great quickness in counting them. Members of the Executive Government have no seats in the House. Twenty-eight standing Committees are appointed at the commencement of a session, and all Bills originate in these Committees. No question of order is debated ; all such questions are decided by the Speaker, and if his decision be appealed from to the House, it is decided by vote, without debate. In this way questions of order, questions of adjournment, and ' the previous question,' to bring a debate to a close, are de• cided by vote, without debate. Besides this, a rule has been adopted to limit speeches to one hour ; this rule, called the One-hour Rule, was adopted in the year 1841." Mr. Curtis, speaking of this one-hour rule, says, " It has greatly facilitated business. It has improved the quality of the speeches ; public opinion is decidedly in its favour. The best proof of this is, that as these rules are adopted only from session to session, and there have been changes of parties since they were adopted, both parties have in turn adopted these rules and acted upon them. The most intelligent and experienced gentlemen of the country approve of them, :both the previous question' and the one-hour rule. The present Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Winthrop, has lately, in a letter, expressed his opinion in favour of the one-hour rule." The Select Committee, appointed to consider the best means of promoting the dispatch of public business in the House of Commons, and to whom the Parliamentary Proceedings Adjournment Bill was referred, have agreed to the following report : Your Committee proceeded to consider the question referred to them "of the best means of promoting the dispatch of public business." They instituted an inquiry, in the first instance, into the amount of business, private and public, which the House has this session been called upon to discharge; and they caused comparisons to be made between the present and some past years, in such particulars as the records permit. A summary of the Committees which have been sit ting this session, Public and Election Committees, and Committees on Private and Railway Groups, is given in the appendix, with the names of the Members who have been serving on them, and the number of days of their sittings. This will show:- 44 Public Committees, some of them of more than usual importance, with an average number of 15 Mem bers serving on each Committee. 28 Election Committees, with five Members serving on each Committee. 14 Groups on Railway Bills, with five Members serv ing on each group. 17 Groups on Private Bills, with five Members serving on each group. 112 other Committees on Private Bills. Of the Public Committees that on Commerdial Distress, sat ... 39 days. Sugar and Coffee Planting, sat ,„ ... 39 days. Navy, Army, and Ordnance Expenditure, sat 40 days. Miscellaneous Expenditure, sat ... ... 37 days. The average number of petitions presented during the five years ending 1837 was 7,436 ; during the five years ending 1842 the average rose to 14,014, being an in crease of 6,578 over that of the preceding five years; during the five years ending 1847 the average rose to 16,397, being an increase of 2,383 over that of the pre ceding five years. The number of petitions presented 4uring the present session is upwards of 18,450. This great amount of Committee business, and the heavy demand it makes on the time of Members, must be borne,in mind in considering the course of public business in the House itself. The thin attendance in the House from the hours of seven to ten o'clock, necessary in some degree from the exhaustion of the morning labours, in terferes in an important manner with the progress of debates. The leaders of parties and the chief speakers corn mealy decline to address the House during those hours, and the debates are consequently spread by adjourn ments over more nights than they would otherwise re quire. The business of the House seems to be continually on the increase. The characteristic of the present session has been the number of important subjects under discus sion at the same time, and adjourned debates on all of them. This intermingling of debates, adjourned one over the head of the other, has led to confusion, deaden. ing the interest in every subject, and prejudicing the quality of the debates on all. Motions to adjourn the House for the purpose of speaking on matters not rele vant to the prescribed business of the day are made more often than formerly; and motions to adjourn the debate have become of late years much more frequent. But it must be observed, that under the regulation moved this year by Mr. Hume, the orders of the day are now read without debate, or opportunity permitted of addressing the House; a rule which the Speaker, in his evidence, says "has worked admirably." To assist their inquiries, your Committee sought counsel of the Speaker, and they had the advantage of hav ing the opinion of Mr. Speaker both as to the evils und , r which the Hon: o labours, and as to the remedies which it may be possible to apply. Mr. Speaker said : " That the present state of public business, and the slow progress of measures through the House, bad been with him the subject of serious consideration. " That of late years the progress of public business had been impeded partly by the greater number of Members who now spoke in debate, and consequently by the frequency of adjourned debates, and partly by the virtual abuse and evasion of the rules of the House. " The attention of the Committee should be specially directed to motions to' adjourn the House,' and to ad journ the debate.'" These motions Mr. Speaker consi dered as the great interruptions to the course of business; and he suggested that "all questions of adjournment of the House, and adjournment of debate, should be decided without debate. Under this rule a Member would no longer have any inducement to move the adjournment for the purpose of making a speech on some extraneous matter (as is now so often the case), as the question must be decided without debate. Great advantage would result from this change ; it would, in truth, only carry into effect the intentions of the House. The rules of the House provide that on days called order days' certain orders shall be considered ; and on days called notice days' notices of motions shall be consi dered. If Members can move the adjournment of the House without any notice of any sort, and upon that question may debate any other question, it is evident that all the regulations adopted for the conduct of the business of the House may be rendered quite in effectual." The Speaker made other suggestions to the Com mittee, ono especially, to the effect that the House should not insist on its privileges in certain classes of Bills originating in the House of Lords, and of amendments of Bills sent up to the Lords from the House of Com mons, by which the Speaker considers that the labours of the session might be more equally distributed ; time saved which is now necessarily lost, when, owing to in terference with privilege, the Lords' amendments are put off, and a new Bill introduced ; and increased facilities be afforded to the passing of measures through Parlia ment. The Committee thought it would be of advantage to learn the practice pursued in the conduct of business in the Chamber of Deputies of France and in the House of Representatives of the United States of America. They were so fortunate as to obtain information on the first head from M. Guisot, and on the second from Mr. Curtis, of New York, who had been for four years a member of Congress. In answer to a question, whether the rules and orders of the French Chamber were not originally nearly the same as those of the House of Commons? M. Guisot said:—" In the beginning of our Consti tuent Assembly at the revolution, Mirabeau asked Eti enne Dumont to give him a sketch of the proceedings of the English House of Commons, and Etienne Dumont gave to Mirabeau such a sketch; it became the model of the first rules of our National Assembly. So that in the beginning of our revolution the proceedings of your House of Commons became the source of ours. In 1814, when the charter was granted by the King, the same rules were adopted with some changes. I think it was at that time that the cloture, as a means of closing the debate, was introduced. Before it was introduced the debates were protracted indefinitely, and not only were the debates protracted, but at the end, when the majority wished to put an end to the debate, and the minority would not, the debate became very violent; and out of the House, among the public, it became the source of ridicule, and then a measure for demanding the closing of the debate was introduced. "The proceeding is this:—a Member or two Members call La clotture.' The President puts it to the vote. If any Member objects he can speak against the cloture. One only can speak, and no reply is allowed; and then the President puts the question—' Must the debate be closed?' Mr. J. Randall, a counsel practising in the federal courts of the United States, in the city of Philadelphia, confirmed Mr. Curtis's statements I expressed an opinion that " the previous question" and the one• hour rule have worked well. "At first the one-hour rule was much opposed, but it has worked well ; it has fought its way into public favour, and has the support not only of the members of the House but of the people at large.". Your Committee, i in weighin g t h e va l ue o f t hi s evi dence, had to take into account how materially the con stitution and the mode of transacting business in the House of Commons differed from those of the two Legis lative. Assemblies referred to. In France the cloture has been found available with out any restriction on the length of s p eec h es . I n th e United States a limitation of the l eng th o f speec h es h as been found necessary in addition to the power of closing the debate. In France important motions are considered in the bureaux before they are discussed in the House. The House meets in the morning, and the attendance is con tinuous. The cloture, in the form in which it is used in France, could not be applied to our debates without the risk of unjust surprises, and without other incon veniences. In Washington a majority of the - House constitutes a quorum; a majority, therefore, is always present, and often a large portion of the whole number, which leaves the power of demanding the " previous question" free from many embarrassments with which it would be attended here. It is also of importance to recollect that the circum stance of her Majesty's Ministers having seats in th'e House of Commons renders the subjects of discussion more various and comprehensive than in legislative as semblies in which members of the Executive Govern ment are not permitted to be present, and where the de bates are of a less administrative character. A great part of the legislation of the United States is conducted by the Legislatures of the respective states. The Parliament of the United Kingdom conducts the whole work of public and private legislation, and to it all parties have recourse for the redress of real or sup posed grievances. The extent, also, of the colonial em pire of Great Britain imposes very heavy additional duties on the Imperial Legislature. It is certain that a far greater amount of business is transacted by the Eng lish House of Commons than by the Chamber of Depu ties of France, or by the Legislative Assembly of the United States. Your Committee, appointed towards the close of the session, and with a very limited time allowed for their deliberations, felt that it would have been impossible, with duo attention and with care fitting the occasion, to have introduced material changes in our existing system. They felt that any change recommended should be in itself complete, and surely sufficient for its purpose. They thought that any recommendation, to carry with it due weight, should have had the general, if not the unanimous approval of the Committee. After as full a deliberation as the pressure of other business and the limited time would allow, your Com mittee have agreed unanimously to recommend the fol lowing alterations in the orders and practice of the house:-- get up stgarn, when the Dragon took the St. Vincent in tow, the Stromboli took the Prince Regent, the Blenheim took the Bellerophon, the Reynard took tho Tweed, and the Amphion, after upwards of an hour's delay, took the Helena, the Frolic and Pilot being or dered to Cork under sail, when one of the most interest ing sights ever seen at sea took place. The St. Vincent was towed by the Dragon 7 knots per hour; the Strom boli towed the Prince Regent 5} knots; the Blenheim towed the Bellerophon 4i knots; the Reynard towed the Tweed 5 knots; and the Amphion towed the Helena 3 knots. When the result of this trial is con .. RECOMMENDATIONS. That when leave shall have been given to bring in a Bill, the questions of the first reading and printing shall be decided without debate, or amendment moved. That when an order of the day shall have been read for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House upon a Bill which has already been con sidered in Committee, Mr. Speaker shall forthwith leave the chair without any question put, unless a Mem ber shall have given notice of an instruction to such Committee; but such resolution shall not apply to the case where the Bill shall have passed through Com mittee pro forma for the purpose of being printed. That when after due notice it shall have been ordered by the House that orders of the day have precedence of notices of motions, the House may resolve itself into a Committee of Supply, or Ways and Means. That when any Committee of ,the whole House shall have gone through a Bill, and made amendments thereto, the Chairman of such Committee shall report the same forthwith; and that a day be appointed for the further consideration of such report. That on the consideration of the report of a Bill any new clauses proposed to be added be first offered; and the House shall then proceed to consider the Bill, and the amendments made by the Committee. That, in the case of en adjourned debate, it would be of advantage that the debate should be resumed on the next sitting day, and should have precedence over all other business. Your Committee is at the same time aware that there might be public inconvenience in laying down any strict rule on the subject, fettering the discre tion of the House, and compelling the resumption of the adjourned debate in preference to other business as a matter of course. They content themselves with ex pressing a strong opinion that it would be advisable, both with reference to the satisfactory discussion of the sub ject under consideration and to the general progress of public business, that debates should, as far as possible, be continued from day to day; and that there should be such a relaxation of the rul es o f t h e H ouse i n respect o f the precedence of notices and or d ers o f th e d ay as t o leave the House entire liberty to give precedence on the following day to an adjourned debate. That with respect to any Bill brought to this House from the House of Lords, or returned by the House of Lords to this House with amendments, whereby any pe cuniary penalty, forfeiture, or fee, shall be authorised, imposed, appropriated, regulated, varied, or extinguished, this House will not insist on its ancient and undoubted privileges in the following cas es : Ist. When the object of such pecuniary penalty or for feiture is to secure the execution of the Act, or the, pu nishment or prevention of offences. 2d. Where such fees are imposed in respect of benefit taken, or services rendered under the Act, and in order to the execution of the Act, and are not made payable into the Treasury or Exchequer, or in aid of the public revenue, and do not form the ground of public account ing by the parties receiving the same, either in respect of deficit or surplus. 3d. When such Bill shall be a private Bill for a local or personal Act. Your Committee, having considered the provisions of the Parliamentary Proceedings Adjournment Bill, do not think it advisable to recommend it for adoption by the House. sidered, —that of a squadron of ships, for instance, off an enemy's port in a calm, being towed in by their own vessels, this is a most important point to be desired, more especially when effected by those vessels which have the auxiliary screw only, such us the Blenheim, Reynard, and Amphion, of whose especial performances see more below. At Six P.m. the squadron, except the Pilot and Frolic, were all anchored in the Cove of Cork. With regard to the screw-vessels, the Reynard, GO horse power, Commander P. Craeroft, has certainly rea lised more than the expectations of the service respecting her. She has encountered terrific weather, and on one occasion lost a fore trysail, which was blown to ribands; two nights after she was obliged to put into Waterford roads, the weather was so bad. No vessel could have behaved better, or indeed so well, under the circum stances. The first day's trial, above given, was brought to a premature close as far as the Reynard was concerned, by her fore-topmast and main topgallant-mast going over the side, the result of the wire rigging with which she is supplied; the mast head look-out went overboard with the spars, but was happily saved from death. Wire roping is not to be depended on. The Reynard and Prince Regent were the only vessels which did not part company with the Admiral. In the trial with the Prince Regent, Bellerophon, Fro lic, and Pilot above given, the Reynard gives the result as follows:—The Frolic weathered the Rey nerd in three hours 3,065 yards; Pilot • ditto, 1,416 yards; Reynard weathered on Bellerophon 2,936 yards, and on Prince Regent, twd . miles. A fresh single reef topsail breeze and very heavy swell. Unfortunately the wind was very unsteady, veering 4-} points during the trial; " but the above result may be considered correct," as ascertained by the angles. On the following day the Reynard had a trial with the Blenheim screw guard ship, of 450-horse power, and the Amphion, of 300-horse power, under steam and sail, beating the former 1,520 yards to windward, and the latter nearly three miles. This trialionly lasted two hours, as the Blenheim had to atop her screw for a hot bearing; but it was a very sa tisfactory one. The Reynard had two trials of sailing on the Ist instant, of about two hours' duration each, wind abeam and right aft. In the first she beat the whole squadron, except the Helena and the Frolic. In our extract yesterday from the letter of the Brazi lian Consul-General at Liverpool, expressing his high opinion of th© efficacy of Captain Smith's paddle-box boats, and especially as regards the aid they afforded in saving life at the late awful burning of the Ocean Mo narch, we denominated the gallant writer of that letter " Mr. John Pasco Grenfell." The proper title of that gentleman is Admiral Grenfell, a veteran of the Brazilian Imperial Government, in whose service he has lost en arm. We should have stated also that the " When there have been any very great party conflicts in the Chamber, has this power of clOture been used in a way that has beenoppressive to the minority ?—I think not. Upon some special occasions the minority have complained that the debate was closed, but generally, when the question h as b een d ec id e d i n the affirmative, the minority have submitted without difficulty. I think the majority never abused that power. The debates lasted very long; even with the power of clature we have had a debate of more than a fortnight. " When the clOture is demanded, if a Member rises to speak against it, is he allowed to speak on the main question?—No, he speaks only on the question, Is the chi:tire proper and just?' If he speaks upon the main question, the President tolls him, Sir, you cannot speak upon the main question; speak upon the question of cleiture: " With the existence of the power of clOture, is it your opinion that all subjects have been amply and fairly de bated ?—Yes, it is quite my opinion. I never knew in the Chamber of Deputies a debate which did not last sufficiently long. " Do you think that without some power of closing debates, the public business in your Chamber could have been conducted satisfactorily?—l think not. I think the clOture in our Chamber was an indispensable power; calling to mind what has passed of late years, I do not recollect any serious and honest complaint against the clOture. _ Your Committee trust that these alterations will be in themselves useful improvements. But is not so much on any new rules, especially re strictive rules, that your Committee would desire to rely for the prompt and efficient dispatch of business by the House. The increasing business calls for in creased consideration on the part of Members in the ex ercise of their individual privileges. Your Committee would desire to rely on the good feeling of the House, and on the forbearance of its Mem bers, and on a general acquiescence in the enforcement by the Speaker of that established rule of the House which reqnires that Members should strictly confine themselves to matters immediately pertinent to the sub ject of debate. French war•stearner Cuvier was fitted with the boats, which was the means of saving the lives of all on board. The Adelaide steam-tug, Master-Commanding Forbes (Acting), was taken out of the basin this morning about two hours before daylight. The Adelaide is decidedly improved in appearance by what has been done to her, having had the unsightly skeletons of paddle-boxes removed from her bulwarks, and a large portion of her machinery taken out, which is to be carried out in a merchant vessel,' the space gained thereby being filled up with water and prOvisions. The main objections to her, however, still remain; she is too small for so long a voyage and for the purpose intended, and she could have been built, or a better vessel than her, in the coun try at less than half of what she wily cost by the time of her arrival out. She is to sail to-morrow, barring casualties. - Your Committee, however, venture to express an opinion that the satisfactory conduct and progress of the business of the Reuse must mainly depend upon her Ma jesty's Government, holding, as they do, the chief control over its management. They believe that by the careful preparation of mea sures, their early introduction, the judicious distribution of business between the two Houses, and the order and method with which measures are conducted, the Govern ment can contribute in an essential degree to the easy and convenient conduct of business. They trust the ef forts of the Government would be seconded by those of independent Members, and that a general determination would prevail to carry on the public business with regu larity and dispatch. Aug. 14. The masts of the Neptune, 120, advanced ship, were ;aken out to-day, and, if sound, will be placed in store. Wind, S.W., light airs and ham.% with rain at times. VAUXHALL -GARDENS.—The favourable state of the weather during the last ten days, and the attractions of lions, tigers, lion kings, Lucy Longs, and an endless variety of horsemanship and horsewomanship, have co operated to fill this, the most ancient resort of the in habitants of London for amusement and recreation, with some thousands of visitors nightly. The entertainments are unusually numerous, indeed, there is a continuous routine of all manner of strange exhibitions —something, for every taste, and much to please all. The arrange ments have been made on a more than usual scale of "Have you any limit put to the length of speeches by any order of the House?—None at all. There is no limit to the length of speeches, either on the main ques tion or on amendments." Mr. E. Curtis, of New York—" Can you state to the Committee whether the rules and orders of the House of Representatives in Congress were the same as those of the English House of Commons?—The rules and orders changes?—The the hfi t t ,anh h HGtge e eeaaH l svv l r:eoe o_ ru u nt sh s tmTe e he ieleoour:f utComm. IRepresentatives,ienosmim 1789, were nearly a t t h e t establishment he a e as those opnrso.cess of time been varied, and na r a u i n l escau haves es which h o n a v s i e d e l r e a d b y t o variethdse, a these changes?__T ru l es have b een c on s iderab l y v aried, chiefly from the necessity of facilitating the dispatch of business. protracted l t,h h e ey d w eb er a e te p s retraeted, as was toan the in u c g o h nze t n u ie a n n t Werei _ l u e n n r ‘g easonable length. There was felt to be a necessity of finding some mode of closing the debate. The diffi culty the y ear r. w c a u s r n t i o s t p b r e e i e n e g e d a s h l t e e t s o t a c t l e o s t e h a a t d a e s b e a a t e r . l ' y ' 1794 it had been settled that a question of adjournm ent was was not debateable, and the practi ce h as from that continued and now exists, that a m o ti on to adjourn sh allime be decided without debate. ,‘ Will you be so good as to describe in what way a debate is brought to a clese?—lt is by the operation of what we call the previous question. The previous qu, stion with u; is not the same as that known in the British Parliament. By Rule 50 of the House of Repre sentatives, the previous question shall be in this form, • S,hall the main question be now put?' It appears, that On'the previous question being demanded, it must be l b c y e r a announc e s majori t y; and, urutetdh,isorh,eainsigthaespeehrrtazeids,, steheeondel Speaker by t th u e ud H e o r u d s Hous e.' If Itislheourlrdevpia°sussielnutehsetiloiengiastidvee : 13 th e e n d e d subject bbj and,bate is th r e e a s r e n e e if n i t n s t h h a e v i a n tli g rbmeae been v c e o , ri t! i i d e ere d debate th e e e mainase s; quetion is put to the vote without debate. " The number of the House of Representatives is 229. They sit round the Speaker in a half circle, the BARNET CATTLE FAIR—SECOND DAY.—Yester day the buyers at this fair were fully as numerous as on the former day, as many of the salesmen, graziers, and jobbers in cattle had to attend Smithfield market on Monday. By ten o'clock business became very brisk among the store beasts of all kinds, particularly the Scots and Herefords, which maintained the high prices of Monday, the best Scots making 15Z per head, Here fords and Devons from 141. to 18/. per head, prime Welsh beasts from 8/. to 12/. per bead. Mulch cows and in calvers were nearly all disposed of by four o'clock. The Irish beasts rather hung on hand, several lots remaining unsold, and these are sent off to Harlow fair. The horse fair was well attend e d by b u yers, the best cart horses making from 40 to 50 gu i neas each; cart colts, two years guineas old, wer e e a e n h e a . rly vv a e l l l s h ponies sold, the and very best or horses s were selling for 35 thinned making from 6/. to 151. each; best ho rses from 25 to 30 out the first day, not more than 200 being left, ponies guineas each. Very little stock remains of any kind for ' the third day's fair. BAIL OF A CHARTIST LEADER. —At the Judges chambers yesterday, before the Lord Chief Justice Wilde, John Shaw, a Chirtist leader, charged with sedition, and who h a s carriel on an extensive business in t h e Commer cial-road E ast, as an underta k er , wa s admitted t o b a il . The bail gi ven was his own reco gnizance of 100/., and two sureties of 5 0 1 . each. A company i s projected for establishing the omni bus system in Dublin, where, owing to some imperfec tions in the Police Acts, now at length remedied, the omnibus has hitherto been a prohibited article. FATAL ACCIDENT TO F. GOOLD, ESQ.—We regret to state that F. Gould, Esq., barrister, eldest son of the late Master Gould, was drowned yesterday off the Sligo coast by the upsetting of a sail boat.—lrish Paper. liberality, and it is to be hoped the proprietor will not be a loser by his expensive outlay for the gratification of the public. SEA-LIONS AT CREMORNE-GARDENS.-A vast number of persons have been attracted to Cremorne gardens to see what aro called nine " Sea-lions and lionesses." These nine animals are exhibited in a large basin on the esplanade of the grounds near the river, and devour eels and other fish, to the astonishment of the visitors. The " lions" and " lionesses" are of the seal genus, and are as harmless as the usual race of London lions by whom the cockneys are occasionally delighted and amazed. They differ in the formation of the head from the animal exhibited in Regent-street, and are of a smaller size, As] a novelty to sight-seers they will be very attractive, their gambols and antics in the water being at least as good as most aquatic shows and diver sions. Thos e w h o h ave never seen what are termed "the monsters of the deep" will be amuscd with these animals. TRADE. —O n T ues d ay morn i ng a d eputat i on o f the ART-UNION OF L ONDON AND THE B OARD Or council of the London Art-Union, consistitg of Mr. Auldjo, F R.S., M r. B r i tton, F . S .A., L or d C ompton, Mr. Donaldson, Mr. Gaskoi n , Mr. G o d w i n , F.R.S., M r . Morri s , M r. L. Pocock, F.S.A., and Mr. Troughton,- attended Lord Granville, at the office of the Board of Trade, to urge the objections which exist against the proposal of the Lords of the Privy Council, that prize holders should not be limited to the purchase of works of art from the public exhibitions of the year, but be be ipermn the itted to buy them anywh ere, prov i ded only that they possession of an artist, acid even to give com missions. Sir Denis Le Merchant, Mr. Porter, and Mr. Nerthcote were also present. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 6, 1848. THE STATE OF SIEGE IN PARIS. The following speech, delivered by General Ca vaignac in the National Assembly on Saturday last, on the question of the state of siege, will repay perusal : Before I examine the question itself I deem it necessary to plane it on its real ground, but it appears to me that a few words, pronounced at this tribune might tend to place -it elsewhere. It is hot an executive power constituted by you which comes forward to request you to close your eyes, to make a sacrifice to it, to silence your convictions in order to listen to, follow, and gratify its own. If such were the question, you would certainly be justified in saying you are not free. If the situation, suoh as we propose to you to maintain, was to be maintained by you contrary to your convictions, it might then be said with reason that you deliberated without being free. It is for that motive, citizens, I wish to place the question in its real light. You have a right to demand of us, and it is our duty to tell you, what our opinion is. We have not hesitated to do so, and I will begin with it. Yes, I declare it would be dangerous for the country, for the Republic, and the constitution itself, to remove the state of siege. Having thus stated our opinion, we call upon you to make known yours. You are aware of the state of the country; the events pass under your eyes; [and you are as good judges of the situation as we are. Well, it is with those eleme n t s , w hi c h suffice for us, to which we thank you for wishing to add the weight of our opi nion, that we invite you to come to a decision and mani fest your intention. I will now take the liberty of replying a few words to some of the arguments pre sented to the Assembly. I might confine myself to repeat what was said by the Hon. M. Cremieux. I declare, like him, very sincerely, that I do not believe that the liberty of the Assembly is anywise impaired by the state of siege. You were told that it was the As sembly decreed the state of siege, that it was the As sembly that committed it to our hands to use it under its eyes, under its control, subjected to its approba tion or blame, and with the evident right of taking it from us whenever it thought proper to do so. Conse quently, I cannot understand those who assert that the Assembly is not free. The example of Spanish consti tutions has been mentioned. It will suffice for me to say, in reply to that argument, that the state of siege was not proclaimed in Spain by a deliberating assembly, but by a power different from that existing at present in France—by a monarchical power, claiming a divine in stitution, hereditary, and directed, perhaps, against the deliberating assembly itself. In that respect, there is, in my opinion, no comparison to be instituted be tween the consequences of the state of siege for the con stitution of a neighbouring nation, and its probable con sequences for ours. I believe so and rejoice at it. Another example has been cited which touches us more closely, I mean the republican constitutions which were voted in our country by assemblies who did not deliberate 'under a state of siege. To this an easy answer may be returned, but I must begin by reminding the ' Assembly that my father was a member of the Convention, and that I am happy and proud of being the son of such a man. The state of siege did not exist ; but terror replaced it, and I re peat and wish it to be understood that my words convey no blame, and that I merely wish to draw a comparison, which, thank God, is entirely to the advantage of the present time. Some expressions I used on the 7th of July have been cited. Circumstances, however, are different. There existed at that period an excitement in the public mind which might have influenced the decision of the Assembly. This is what I meant, and what I am not afraid to repeat. I might well say, after the suppres sion of the revolt of June, occasioned, in a great mea sure, although not exclusively, by the licentiousness of a certain portion of the press, that it might have been inexpedient for the Assembly placed under the legitimate emotion caused by those events, to discuss and vote an organized law of the press. But, were these events loss remote than they are at present, were the emotion as great, it does not follow that the Assembly could not, with a perfect liberty of mind and conscience, frame a constitution. I do not be lieve that the elements of our republican in stitutions contributed to disturb our country. Those disorders were produced by the licentiousness of a portion of the press ; and, I repeat, I can see no comparison to be drawn between the argument I ap plied to the inconvenience resulting from the vote of an organic law of the press, six weeks ago, and its application to the discussion of a constitution. I must now reply to a last objection, which was not produced at the tribune, but which is entertained by a few persons. Some of our colleagues, in their uncertainty relative to the utility of the measure proposed to them, asked us whether we really made it a Government question ? We re plied, that the Assembly had called us to the post we hold under difficult circumstances. We assumed it with resolution and devotedness, as we hope to quit it with honour. But, the post my Hon. Friends and I occupy at this moment is one of those posts which one quits with the honour of a victory or the grief of a de feat. As to a desertion, we are all incapable of it. Thus, I leave the Assembly neither the argu ment of an absolute confidence in the men whom it had placed at the head of the Government, nor the argument drawn from the desire it might have to main tain us at our post. I wished to place the question on its real ground, in a clear and precise manner, in order that, if the Assembly should decide on discussing the Constitution under the state of siege, it might not be said one day that it discussed it under the influence of a moral constraint exercised by the Government. Were the Assembly to raise the state of siege, it would, we declare, create a real danger." CHOLERA, ITS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The Sanitary Commissioners, in their second report, as presented to beth Houses of Parliament, having been pleased to speak favourably of my evidence relative - to the successful treatment of cholera, I am induced, through the medium of your columns, to offer to the public, in the spirit of that evidence, a few remarks as instructions for the prevention and treatment of that dis ease; and for the sake of brevity I will make the follow ing classification:- 1. PREVENTION..--I recommend comfortable and nu tritious animal food of_ the solid kind, warm clothing, an attention to regular hours, free ventilation, and cleanli ness; also lime-washing the dwellings of the poor. I advise abstinence from spirituous and fermented liquors, from all fruit and raw vegetables, from all salt fish and oyster's—the latter especially—from all excesses which debilitate the constitution; and, above all things, I de precate the use of strong purgative medicines. 2. THE EARLY, OR PREXONITARY STAGE, AND ITS TREATMENT.—SO far as my observation extended in 1832, I found that spasmodic cholera, with few excep tions, was preceded by certain premonitary symptoms, of which diarrheas or purging was the most prominent; but which symptom was too often overlooked by the persons labouring under the attack. It, therefore, becomes of vital importance, now that we apprehend that cholera is taking the same route towards this country that it did in 1832, that every case of purging which may occur should, without loss of time, be arrested in its progress ; for so fully convinced am I of the benefits resulting from a prompt attention to bowel complaints, that I believe that the actual choleric symptoms may, in the majo rity of cases, be thereby prevented. The purg ing is for th e most . part accompani e d by nausea, and a disposition to vomit, followed by a sense of heat and weight in the stomach, slight cramps in the bowels and legs, great weakness, diminished action of the heart, and coldness of the surface of the body. It is essentially necessary to point out to the public, and more especially to the poor, such remedies for this, the early stage, as are at their command, and at what period of the disease they should be employed. When sickness with derangement of the bowels is felt, the patient (if an adult) should mix a table spoonful of mustard, or double that quantity of common salt in half a pint of warm water, a third part of either to be taken every ten mi nutes until free vomiting be produced; after the stomach has been well cleared out with more warm water, thirty drops of tincture of opium should be given in a glass of brandy and water, to be followed up with a pill com posed of five grains of calomel and two grains of opium; for an adult, small doses of these to be taken at intervals of every two hours until bile is observed to pass in the evacuation; but in the event of children being suddenly attacked with bowel complaints of this kind, I recom mend one drop of the tincture of opium for each year of their age, to be given in sugar and water; they are not to take the pills alluded to; but if under twelve years of age, then one grain of calomel is to be given every two hours, until the same effect (the pass ing of bile) be visible in the evacuations. Families should also have in readiness a mixture of the following form: prepared chalk oz., white sugar 2 lumps, cinna mon powder or aromatic confection 2 drachms, tincture of catechu 1 ea., opiate confection 1 drachm, sal volatile 2 drachms, cinnamon or peppermint water half a pint, of which.mixture an adult may take three tablespoonfuls after each disordered motion; and children under 12 years of age one tablespoonful. I also strongly advise the use of an embrocation of heated turpentine to be rubbed over the bowels and extremities, to which the ail dition of one-third part of laudanum would be a most important improvement; should the ingredients of this embrocation not be at hand, mustard ;poultices ought to be placed on the stomach and bowels. Common wine bottles or stone jars, filled with hot water, and rolled in flannel, are also to be applied to the stomach and feet. If tho apartment be at all eligible, the patient should not be removed, but be kept in a perfectly horizontal position,: as any attempt to sit upright might prove fatal. The patient will experience a great relief from the cramps by havin g a bandage tied ti g htly around the seat of pain. Cram p being one of th e most di stressing symptoms in the dis ease, if not moved by the preceding means, I can, from recent experience, speak highly of tho internal adminis tration of from two to five drops of chloroform, in a little ginger tea or any warm fluid, as one of the most efficient agents in removing choleric spasms. 3. THE COLLAPSE, OR BLUE STAGE, AND ITS TREAT MENT.—In this stage all the powers of life aro appa rently suspended, in consequence of the intensity of the liquid evacuations ; the cramps increase in severity, and all the symptoms become aggravated. The treatment in this stage is as nearly allied as possible to that of the early stage, as the remedies there prescribed aro now to be given more frequently, and in larger doses. Here I must call upon the attendants to bo unremitting in rub bing in the turpentine embrocation over the body and extremities, and to be prompt in giving to the patients stimulants, such as brandy, or whisky mixed in hot water, to which ma y b e a dd e d a teaspoonful .of the tinc ture of ginger or of capsicum; and if these be not in readiness, they should give one teaspoonful of sal vola tile instead, until reaction he produced, 4. THE RECOVERY.—It frequently happens that this stage is ushered in by an attack of fever, when it will become necessary to avoid the use of stimulants, and to have recourse to the common saline draught, cooling drinks, mild diet of the farinaceous kind, such as arrow.. root, sago, tapioca mixed with milk. Should the head be affected, and the face flushed, cold lotions should be applied, and leeches to the temples. In thesc instructions I have endeavoured to adopt the. simplest mode of ex pression, to suit the understandings of the poorer classes; and, in conclusion, I again wish to impress upon all persons the necessity of paying prompt attention to the slightest approach nf diarrhoea., as it may be the means of saving the lives of thousands. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, 50, Parliament-street. N. M'CANN. LAW INTELLIGENCE. PREROGATIVE COURT, Sept. 5. (Dr. HAGGARD sat as Surrogate.) IN THE GOODS OF ANN LEGG. The deceased in February last, leaving four sons and two daughters. A few days before her decease sl, e executed a will, by which she disposed of a small lease hold house between her daughters. One of the brothers, on hearing of the will, expressed his determination to oppose it, and the sisters consented to divide the pro perty with him. He then suggested that there was no necessity for preserving the will, and having procured it from his sister, burned it. It has since been ascertained that a probate is necessary in order to dispose of the lease ; and Dr. Twiss now moved the Court to decree probate of the purport and substance of the will as set forth in af fidavits ; he grounded his application on " Foster v. Foster," and a motion " In the goods of Carter." The COURT considered that the contents of the will were sufficiently set forth to justify it in acceding to the application. The conduct of the brother, however, had been extremely blameable, and had the property been of greater amount he (Dr. Haggard) would have directed the paper to be propounded, which would probably have been followed by a condemnation in costs. The brother, by his improper act, had subjected a small estate to a large expense. Probate accordingly. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Sept. 5. (Before Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD.) IN THE BANKRUPTCY OF CHREES AND BOYD. The bankrupts, Benjamin M'Cleish Chrees and John Boyd, were silk manufacturers in Bow-churchyard. They came' up on the question of passing their last examination. The bankrupt Boyd passed at once, but Chrees was successfully opposed by Mr. Hudson. It appeared that Chrees absconded to France some months ago, taking with him cash to a considerable amount. Having been examined touching this money, he admitted that he spent it in a most reckless and dissolute way. no could give nothing like a satisfactory account of its disburse ment. It further appeared that Chrees abstracted a considerable amount of goods from his warehouse, and took them in a cab to a public. house to a Jew. He was outlawed during his stay in France, and a reward of 50/. offered for his apprehension. He returned, however, petitioned the Court of Review, and the outlawry was reversed. His HONOUR adjourned the examination sine die. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Sept. 5.1 The Chief Commissioner sat this morning to dispose of a number of applications for bail, the only one of which worthy of notice was IN RE JOSEPH THOMAS TOWNSEND. This insolvent had been a bankrupt, but had not passed his last examination, that stage of the proceedings being adjourned sine die. He had since been arrested, and having petitioned this Court sought to be discharged upon bail until the period fixed for his hearing. The CHIEF COMMISSIONER asked whether any renewed application had been made to the Bankruptcy Court to allow the insolvent to pass his last examination ? The insolvent said there had not, as he would have to pay the expenses, and he was advised that this Court would discharge him. The COMMISSIONER said, this Court was not intended as a Court of appeal from the Bankruptcy Court, and he should not discharge the insolvent until he had applied to the other tribunal to assist him. If that were done, and the Bankruptcy Court refused to interfere, then the insolvent could renew his application here.—Bail refused. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. John Taylor was charged with having picked the pocket of Sir W. Carmichael Anstruther of his purse. The complainant said he was walking in Regent-street on Monday, about five o'clock, with a friend and a little girl, when he felt some one push against him, and, know ing that he had his purse in his coat-pocket, he felt for it and found it was gone. The prisoner pushed past him, and witness's friend called out " That is the man." Witness went forward, when the prisoner took to his heels and tried to make his escape, and, finding himself pursued, threw the purse away; but he was stopped, and the purse was picked up. Evidence was brought forward to prove that the pri soner was a thief, and had been convicted before. The prisoner denied the charge, but was fully com mitted. MARYLEBONE. Anne Jones and Anne Territt were placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton for final examination on a charge of having robbed Mr. Nunn, a lace-dealer in Regent street, of 261. The evidence given upon the former and present oc casion went to show that on the evening of the 29th ult., as the prosecutor was passing along Cavendish-square, he was addressed by Jones, who suddenly put her arm round his waist, and at the same moment he felt one of her hands in his trousers' pocket, which contained two 5/. bank-notes and 16 sovereigns. He directly seized her, and on the other prisoner, who was standing at a short distance off, coming up, he secured her also; they were then both given into custody. He distinctly saw a move ment of hands, which led him to believe that Jones had passed something to Territt. None of the property had been met with. Some few additional facts were now elicited, and the several witnesses were cross examined by the legal gen tlemen engaged, by whom it was contended that the evi dence against their clients was not sufficiently strong to justify a commitment. Mr. BROUSEITON came to a different conclusion, and felt it to be his duty to leave the decision to a jury. The prisoners were therefore sent for trial. LAMBETH. William Holt, a powerful young fellow, who has been in custody at this court before, and who is well known to the police, was placed at the bar before Mr. Elliott on a charge of stealing some articles of plate, the property of Mr. Crocker, a gentleman residing in North-terrace, Peckham. Phyllis Hansel], a servant to Mr. Crocker, deposed that on the preceding afternoon, about four o'clock, while in the back kitchen, she heard the rattle of plate in the pantry, and on going there saw the prisoner with his hand through the window, and some articles of plate in it. On observing her the prisoner instantly ran away, but she (witness) informed James Hope, a tradesman then at her master's door, of the circumstance, and he followed and secured him, and took him to the station house. About twenty minutes after the prisoner took the plate she went into the garden to ascertain if he could have seen the plate from there, and found one of the silver forks belonging to her master opposite to the pantry window, and where the prisoner must have dropped it. On going to the station-house she found the other forks and a spoon, which also belonged to her master, and which had been taken from the pantry by the prisoner. About ten minutes after the robbery she counted the plate, and found the articles produced, namely, three forks and a spoon, missing, as well as two teaspoons which had not been found. James Hope, a greengrocer carrying on business in Southampton-street, Camberwell, deposed, that from what had been communicated to him by the last witness, he followed the prisoner, and stopped him in George street, near the Albany Arms public-house. On securing him the prisoner said, " It's the first time I've done it, and I hope you'll let me go;" but he took him to the station-house. Police-constable Stephen Harris, 49 P, said the pri soner was given into his custody in Camberwell -station house by the last witness, who charged him with steal ing two forks and a spoon, which he then delivered up to him, and which he now produced. The prisonerupon this said, " I have given him all I took hut ono fork, and that I threw away in the garden, and if you go there you can find it." The prisoner, when asked what he had to say to the charge, replied " Nothing whatever," and was fully com mitted to take his trial. James Drabb, a seaTmiainA,MwEasBl;rought up on remand before Mr. Yardley, charged with f e l on i ous l y wound i ng Joseph Bool s , a porter in the employ of Mr. Williams, a sailor's lodginghouse-keeper. It appeared that a few days since the prosecutor called upon the prisoner at his dwelling, No. 5, St. George's -place, St. George's-in•the-East, for payment of an account owing to a Mr. Williams. The prisoner re fused to pay the debt, and a quarrel ensued between them. The prisoner uttered the most dreadful impreca tions, applied the most opprobrious epithets to Bools, and threatened to run him through with a knife. The prisoner then put his fist in prosecutor's face, and they fought and had a round together. After it was over the prisoner sat down on a chest for a short time with his face towards the ground, as if he was meditating, and suddenly rose up with a knife in his hand, and made a rush at the prosecutor, whom he attempted to stab in the body. Bools parried the blow with his left hand, and seized his right hand, in which he held the knife, with the other, and took it from him. As he was doing so the prisoner made a thrust with the knife at the pro secutor's left hand, and cut him severely between the finger and thumb. Bools called for assistance, and the prisoner was secured. The prosecutor immediately waited upon Mr. Garrett, a surgeon in the New-road, St. George's, who found the man's hand bleedin g pro fusely from an incised wound, extending both across and through the soft fleshy part of the hand connecting the thumb and fore finger. 11r. Garrett was of opinion that the use of the thumb would not be permanently lost, but it would be at least three weeks before he multi use it. Tho prisoner in defence said he was very severely beaten by the prosecutor, who was wounded in the act of taking the knife out of his hand. Mr. YARDLEY said the prisoner had no right to draw a knife upon the prosecutor, which it was clear he had done; and that he felt called upon to commit him for trial for feloniously wounding, with intent to do grievous . bodily harm. _ THE O FFICE OF LORD CITAMDERLAIN.--The Mar quis of Breadalbane had an audience of the Queen yes-: terday, and received from her Majesty his gold key of office as the Lord Chamberlain of her Majesty's house-. hold. The Earl Spencer had also an audience of the Queen, and resigned his gold key of office as the Lord Chamberlain. IRELAND. IMPERIAL LEGISLATION IN DUBLIN. DUBLIN, SEPT. s.—The Committee held a ineetil yesterday at the Rooms, 124, Abbey-street, 14 °, William Fitzgerald in the chair, when the following n en members were ad m itt e d :—Lord Massarene, Lord O'Nei l, the Earl of Castle St uart , L or d Rossmore, J Fether' stone H., Esq.; the Rev. Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart.; Joh n James Begot, Esq.; M. Burke, Esq.; W. H. Burton , Esq.; William Johnson, Esq.; Sir Richard Morisco, Isaac Butt, Esq., Q.C.; R. C. R. Cbapman, Elq.; A u. brey Beauclerk, E sq . ; V. A. Atkin, Esq. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:— " That in order to remove a misapprehension wille ll , appears to exist as t o th e o bj ect contemp l ate d by this society, we feel it necessary to declare that is not a de' sire to procure a triennial meeting of the Imperial Par" liament in Dublin fur general purposes; but that the object of this society is to procure an arrangement, by which the Imperial Parliament shall hold its sittings In Dublin during such convenient portions of each year as may be sufficient for the transaction of business more peculiarly relating to Irish_ affairs. " That the committee meet at their rooms, 124 ' Abbey-street, every Monday, at two o'clock, to receive subscriptions and admit members, and to transact the general business of the society." Letters from correspondents were read, subseription s received, and the detail business of the society trans' acted, and the committ ee a dj ourne d to M on d ay n ext 9' two o'clock. . MEETING OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL.—A SlieCita meet: ing of the Privy Council has been summoned to meet at the Castle this day. Lord John Russell will be preseoi The provincial papers received this morning are des' tituto of any intelligence of interest, always exceptig the references to the harvest, which may be regarded, o n the whole, as encouraging, if not satisfactory. It is true that nearly all concur in expressing the potato crop as all but lost, but as the plantings this year have been almost exclusively confined to the better and wealthier classes of farmers, the failure cannot affect the labour: ing and small holders to anything like the extent e i former seasons, when the con-acre system was in OPe" ration, LORD JOHN RUSSELL. The Noble Premier still remains at the Viceregal Lodge in the Park. A large party have been invited to meet the Noble Lord this evening. There is nothing publicly announced up to the present of the Premier ° future movements in this country. The Evening Mail of last night takes advantage ° f Lord John Russell's residence in Dublin to attack th e principle, and denounce the o p erat i on , o f t h e I r i s h Pour" law of w hich the Mail, as t h e organ o f t h e l an dlords andparsons, has from the commencement been the con' sistent and strenuous opponent. The Mail takes it fo r granted that the chief business or duty of Lord Joh° Russell while in Ireland will be to make himself quainted with th e wor ki ng o f the law. " joie will have," the Mail says, "to consider th e anomaly of allowi ng salaried officers, under th e name of vice guardians, to levy a tax on be! Majesty's subjects, amounting to one-half, or, t° some cases, the whole value of their possessions; a ctual' confiscating their properties, desolating their hoze°°' paaralysing their exertions, and handing them over to struggling and penury f or t h e rest o f t h e i r days. this impoverishing of all classes of the agricultural corn' munity, and, through them, the nation generally, bits no higher object :or design than relieving the sturdy idler, who prefers to doze away life on the benches of a poor' house, freed from the n ecess ity o f l a b our an d the pain ° honest exertion." The Mail might have added that he will also have to consider the necessity which compelled the Conitsig sioners to nominate "salaried officers to tax her Ms: jesty's subjects I ."—a necessity which originated in. the refusal of the ex-officio guardians—the nominees and representatives of the landlords—to carry the provisioes of the law into effect. Cruel and selfish, and unjust, ~ has been the cond uc t o f t h e I r i sh landowners, Witt' regard to th e i r p ersona l d ependants and followers, t h e proceedings at the P oor -l aw B oar d s h ave b een stl' more indefensible—because of the mischievous and (It moralising tendency ,of a course of proceedings will' directly inculcated an organised opposition to law. THE ARMY.—THurtLEs, SEPT. 3.—" The fivig column," under General M'Donald, has received eiders to disperse; and this week the. camp will be broken up, and the troops march to their winter quartet The 74th Foot proceed to Dublin, to complete their, time at that station. Th e 75 t h R eg i ment, are or d e re d to Kilkenny, from Callan and Ballingarry. The 85th, or King's Light Infantry, have received the route for Waterford. Three companies of the 60th under Marc Blackburn, march to-morrow (4th instant), yid Ces • and Clonmel. Three companies, on Tuesday, under the Honourable Captain Thurlow. Head-quarters under Lieutenant-Colonel Brook Taylor, with band and buglesr will arrive on Saturday. This fine body of men west stationed in the Royal Barracks of Dublin for ten menthe (until ordered down to the south on account of the distill* antes); nothing could exceed the good conduct of the men; and the officers, from their social and liberal Vali" ties, won the good opinions of all classes of society. The Ist division was played out by the splended brass band of the regiment, under Bugle-Major Hull, and were accompanied miles on the road by numbers of the pee' sentry, who had benefited so largely by their temporary stay. The three companies of the 60th Rifles which accompanied the remaining portion of the Light Brigade rejoin the head-quarters in Dublin on the sth instant. It is a curious fact, that in the year '9B the rebels were encamped in the same field as her Majesty's troops have just vacated. - REMOVAL OF MR. APMANTIS TO DUBLIN. Mr- Informs, the gentleman arrested on board the emigrant ship on Wednesday last, was removed from the city gaol this morning on board a war-steamer, from whence he was conveyed to Dublin. The vessel had on board upwards of 200 convicts. _ _ Mr. A. L. Guinnes has denied the authorship of the' letter bearing his signature, in opposition to the project for holding meetings of the Imperial Parliament Dublin. The weather continues excessively warm, of the harvest brighten every d ay . and our hopes RAIL WA Y SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, San. 5. STOCK EXCHANGH.—The sales are—Caledonian, Pre" ference, is. 3d. p.—Lan cas hi re and Yorkshire, Fifths, 535. 9 d dis.—Ditto, 101. Preference, 14 p.—Leeds and Thirsk, 25-- London and North- Westernt 1133 /I—Ditto, New Quarter s ' par—Ditto, Quarters (A an d B), 21s. 3d. . — Midlan d Stc)c 7 87 1 A—Ditte, Halves, 8% dis.—North Staffordshire, 4 1 4 7 1 " —North British, Thirds, 465. 3d. dis.—Ditto, Quarters, It —South-Eastern an d D over, No. 2 101 h dis.— Ditto, NM Thirds,VA—York, Ne wcast l e, and Berwick (N. and B. tension, No. 2), p_--Ditto (G. N,E. Purchase), is. 3d. P• 'MANCHESTER , SEPT. 5. Sroar EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—Preston and NV)" (A), 314 p.—Sheffield, Preference, par—North Staffordshi re, 4 5-16 dis.—Leeds, Fifths, 2 3 / dis.—Edinburgh and Gad gow, 5 dis,--Caledonian, Preference, p...Manehester 1 , 13 Birmingham (A . and B.), 13-16—She ffi eld and Lincco* 1136 dis, BIRMINGHAM, Szrr. 5. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—London and 'North" Western, 115 x d.--Midland, 89 x d.—Ambergate, Notting' ham, and Bosto n , 3% dis.—North Staffordshire, 4% dis. LEEDS, SEPT 4. STOCK EXCHANGE. LAS times are, a moderate amount of shares have changed hands to-day at the following prices: Caledonian, Preference, 35. p.—E as t L ancas hi re , Quartert 41s. 3d. dis.—Great Northern, 91. 18s. 9d. dis.—Leeds and Thirsk, 25—North British, Third s , 525. Gd. dis.--No r th Staffordshire, 44 dis.—North-Western, 7% dis. Yon g ' Newcastle, and Berwick, No. 2 (New Berwicks). 10s. P. YORK, SErr. 4. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business transacted to-day 1 ° 45 as follows :—Great Northern, 71. 2s.—No r th British, Halve* ' 9—Sheffield, Rotherham, and Goole, 1 1 4—York, Newcast le ' and Berwick ( (late New Bemis*, 10 3 /. NENVCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, SKIT. 5. STOCK EXCHANGE. —The sa l es are —Newcastle an d Car lisle, ' Scrip ((red), 4 p.—North British, 20—Ditte, 21. 9s. dis. FREE SCHOOL FOR ADULT FEMALES.—In the pa" rish of St. Clement Danes a number of humane ladie s have generously un d erta k en to impart instruct i o n 1 0 reading and writing, every Monday evening, from seven to nine o'clock, to females upwards of twenty years 0 1 age. The court-room of the vestry-house has bee n kindly placed at their disposal for this purpose. On the Ist inst., at Henqwrt, North Wales, the wife of the Right Hon. Lord Cochrane, of a daughter. On the 3d inst., the wife of H. F. Walter, Esq., of shP daughter. wife e n o f t k il o . 3 11 1 s a t n o t f , J ing u f l o y r , d, a E t sq., of a ngf d a o u rd, gh U te p r. p er Canada, the On the 2d inst., the wife of C. Gordon, jun., Esq., of Gos- • well-street, of a daughter. On the 2d inst., at Polesden, the wife of Joseph Bonsor Esq., of a son. On the 3d inst., Mrs. C. Tennant, of a daughter. On the 2d inst., at Kentish-town, the wife of A. Browne ti Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the 31st ult., at Kingcausie, Archer Fortescue, Esq., el f Swanbister, to Anne Irvine Syme, only daughter of the late 5 Patrick Syme, Esq. On the 2d inst., at the parish church of St. Martin-in-the - : Fields, James Sherrat, Esq., M.A., of Osnaburg-street, Re; • gent's-park, to J ean, second daughter of Mr. W. Grant, " St. Martin's-lane. DIED. Lately at Paris, deeply deploredby his widow and his son , and much lamented by a numerous circle of relatives an d friends, John Cohen, E sq ., lib rarian to the Bibliotheque enevieve. Ste- He was a man of profound learning, and the author of a work entitled " Reflexions Historiques et Philo sophiques sur les Revolutions," &c., and of many other dis— tinguished literary productions. On the 4th inst., at Kensington-crescent, Rear - Adm iral De Starck, aged 84. On the 23d of June, at Bombay, aged 19, Alexander IV: Dickinson, Eeq., of the Civil Service, youngest son of Colonel T. Dickinson, late Chief Engineer under that Presidency. On the 20th ult., at Hyde, Isle of Wight, R. Walton, -Esq.' Cambridge. On the 24th ult. at Jersey, William Henry, fourth son onof the late J. Wood, Esq, of the Artillery Bre w ery, vi r es ster, aged 26. On the 30th u lt., a t F o lk stone. aged 61, Charlotte Maria, relict of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Paris Bradshawe (BO' East India Company's Service), Resident at Lucknow. On the 31st ult., aged 86, W. Holness, Esq., of Sydenhank On the 2d inst., at Upper Clapton, Rose Alice, the child ot 11. Y. Hulbert, Esq., aged five months. On the 3d inst., Mary Margaret, wife of Mr. T. Bandon , East-road, City- road, aged 72. On the 3d inst., at Hi g h H o lb orn, John Cole, Esq., l a te of that place, and of Pulliam, Norfolk. On the 4th inst., aged 76, Mr. W. King, of Arlington' street, Camden-town. On the 3d inst., aged nin e weeks, Mary Anne Irene, daugh ter of the Rev, Henry Br owne , of Chichester. On the 28th of July, in the island of St. Croix, Ev a Beata, the wife of W. ricyliger, Esq. _ t London: Printed and Published by AIURDO TOCIC 61 ; 1 ; No. 112, Strand, Print er , at The Sun Office, No.l Strand, in the Precinct o f th e S avoy. in Vila .. 0 Wednesday, September 6, 1848. tl i 14 Pa 1.1