The Sun. — London, England, 1848-08-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, August 11. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION BILL. This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered to be reported. HIGHWAY RATES BILL. This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered • to be reported. TRUSTEES RELIEF BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. CALEDONIAN CANAL BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. PAYMASTERS OFFICES CONSOLIDATION BILL. On the order of the day for the third reading of this Bill, Lord MONTEAGLE said ho was afraid that if the Bill were passed as it now stood it would bo seriously detrimental to the public service, and he mast therefore be permitted to move the insertion of a clause providing that the funds to he collected under the Bill should be distributed under the control of the Treasury, and sub jected to the provisions of the Appropriation Act. Lord GRANVILLE supported the Bill as it stood, and opposed the amendment. The Bill, he said, would have the effect of diminishing the number of paymasters in the army, and thus prove a saving to the public ex chequer. It simply abolished the offices of Paymaster of the Civil Service and Paymaster of Exchequer bills, imposing the duties of these two officers upon the Paymaster-General. At present the keeping up of these offices involved an expenditure of 15,0001. and patronage to the extent of 200,0001., and he felt that iu passing this Bill their Lordships would only be carry ing out the principle of economy which was so much ad vocated in this and the other House of Parliament. After a few words from Lord MONTEAGLE in reply, The Duke of WELLINGTON assured the House that the Bill could in no way remove the securities which now existed for the due application of the public money, and, as this was a money Bill, he did not think it would be prudent in the Noble Lord to persevere with His amendment. Lord MONTEAGLE said, under those circumstances, be would withdraw it. The clause - was accordingly withdrawn, and the Bill read a third time and passed. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition from South Australia, praying that the' benefits of a Legislative Assembly might be extended to that colony, GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (LOOP LINE OF BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD, THROUGH LEAMINGTON). This Bill ct as read a third time and passed. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL POWERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE MINGHAM AND OXFORD). This Bill, which gives the Great Western Company power to lay down the broad gan ;e on the Birmingham and Oxford line, from Fenny Compton to Birmingham, was read a third time and passed. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. August 11. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) After some discussion, in which Mr. Hume gave the Government credit for a sincere intention to keep down the expense of their peace establishments, and some observations from Mr. Cobden and Mr. Ward, in which the latter pledged the Government to a complete investigation and revision of the expenditure for the navy clueing the next six months, the vote was agreed to, as was also a vote for the sum of 25,8391. to defray the salaries of officers and the contingent expenses of her Majesty's naval forces abroad. The following votes were also agreed to:- 411,3461. to defray the charges for the naval estab lishments at home. 39.2301. to defray the charges for artificers in the naval establishments abroad. 25,075/. to defray the charges of the medical staff and stores. 66,573/. to defray the charges of divers miscellaneous services. 181,3221. to defray the charge for freight of ships and victualling of ships and stores. 43,602/. to defray the charges relating to convicts. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again at five o'clock. The House at a Quarter past Three o'clock adjourned to Five o'clock. Mr. BERNAL resumed the Chair at Five o'clock, and the House proceeded with the Committee of Supply; and the debate was proceeded with on the Navy Esti mates. On the question that the sum of 557,2131. be granted to her Majesty, to detray the expenses of naval stores. Mr. HUME said that nothing had occurred to war rant so great an outlay for stores as had taken place for the last few years. After a few observations from Mr. WARD and Str C. DOUGLAS, lINGINE-DRIVERS ON RAILWAYS. Mr. 11. BERKELEY called the attention of the Government to the differences which had taken place between the engine-drivers on the North-Western Rail way and the directors of the company. Mr. LABOUCHERE stated that information had been given to the Board of Trade that a dispute had arisen with the directors on the subject of wages. That information was conveyed to the Railway Com missioners, and having communicated with the company, they received an assurance that every precaution would be taken which was calculated to secure the public safety. The Railway Commissionershad, however, no power to inter fere in the matter further than communicating with the company on the subject. He understood that the engine drivers wore at present in communication with the com pany, and he indulged the hope that their differences were mainly made up, and that the business of the railway would go on as usual. All he could now say was, that he had received the strongest assurance cn the part of the company that every measure would be taken which was adequate to secure the public safety. Lord G. BENTINCK protested against this inter ruption to the proceedings of the Committee of Supply. Lord J. RUSSELL said, if the Noble Lord persisted in his opposition, ho would move that the chairman re port progress. Lord G. BENTINCK said he merely wished to enter his protest against such a proceeding being taken as a precedent. After a few words from Mr. HUME, who stated that all blame was owing to him, because it was upon his motion that the House went into a Committee of Supply at five o'clock, the Honourable Gentleman pro ceeded to deprecate the present mode of dealing with contracts, and complained that they were not opened in the presence of all the competitors. It had been said that the Blenheim was an example which the Admiralty ought to follow. Why that ship cost 70,0001. or 80,0001., then 43,0001. were expended in altering her, and 25,0001. in constructing the screw-propeller, for the resception of which the expensive alterations had been made. Why, they might hare built a new ship for the cost of the alterations. He protested against this extravagant expenditure, and trusted that it would not be repeated. Mr. WARD defended the system of contracts. In some cases parties could not be found to compete, and fines were now inflicted for the non-completion of those which were accepted. In reply to Mr. SOTHERON, Mr. WARD stated that there were forty-five different screw-propellers, and dispies were now pending in the courts between several of Me parties: The Admiralty had, therefore, experienced some difficulty in dealing with them on account of the conflicting interests. In fact none of the parties bad ever put themselves in a condi tion for the Admiralty to deal with them. The vote was then agreed to. The next vote proposed was 326,6011. for improvements and repairs. Mr. COBDEN recommended the Admiralty to adopt the suggestion of the Committee, who had most carefully investigated the matter, that the boilers used in the navy should not be made in the Government yards, but by private contract, evidence having been adduced before them to show that they could be constructed by private contract much cheaper. Mr. WARD said the Admiralty had, in every way they could, paid the greatest attention to the recommen dations of the Committee; and, with respect to the opi nion of the Hon. Member that boilers could be con structed at a less cost by private contract than at the Government works, it might be advisable for the Go vernment to await the end of the year to test it. Captain CORRY defended the practice of making boilers in the dockyards. They were more to be de pended upon than those con structed by private indi yids als. Mr. COBDEN said the main question was the econo mical result to going on with the present system. His doctrine was that it was better to waste 200,0001. or 3g0,000/. which was already expended, than to go on ex pending 400,0001. or 500,0001. in completing the present works. Re thought the system was bad. Captain HARRIS said that the great object of these works was to secure the expedition in fitting out the „, vessels. If they had not steam basins on the breaking ss , olit of a war they would be very much in the hands of contractors. .• • Mr. COBDEN said that the Hon. Gentleman forgot VISA they were in the hands of contractors with respect to the construction of steam-engines. Mr. HUME said that ho had not joined in putting a stop to tho se wor k s b ecause t h e con tr ac t s existed to a very large amount, and he thou g ht that probably, under such circumstance s , it was better to have a small steam basin. Had h e been aware of the expense, and had the question been p u t to hi m, he never would have con sented to those works being undertaken. There had been a system of careless and reckless extravagance in the Admiralty expenditure in past times, which they had the assurance of the Noble First Lord of that department should be put aOn n end to i n f uture . instance of this rec kless expenditure he might mention.e In the choice of the ground for the basin they had selected u pon which stood an arsenal, the expens e o f the removal of of which alone cost 150,0001. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT defended the conduct of the Admiralty in selecting the ground for the basin, but his explanation was not heard in the gallery. Mr. HENLEt complained of the indifferent system of accounts kept in all these dockyards, and the unneces sary expenditure the country was brought into by means o f tse extensive public works. There was no doubt -whetWer that an estimate could have been given at the onset which would have enabled the Admiralty and th e House to proceed with more economy. The vote was then agreed to. 519,7401. half-pay. Captain PECHELL took that opportunity of calling the attention of the Committee to the case of the com manders and lieutenants in the navy on the retired list. The Honourable and Gallant Member read an extract THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY from a petition which had been presented by the officers in question, complaining that they were completely shut out from promotion, while at the same time their retired allowance was not in proportion to that of the captains. He (Captain Pechell) earnestly commended their case to the attention of the House, and trusted that some thing would be done for these neglected but most de serving officers. As a mode of providing a fund for the increase he asked for, he suggested the appropriation of the freight paid to her Majesty's ships for the convey ance of specie from various parts of the world. It amounted to about 30,0001. a year, and he thought it could not be better employed than in augmenting the retired allowances of the commanders and lieutenants. Mr. WARD said that, although his Honourable and Gallant Friend had acquainted him with his intention of bringing this subject before the House, he had not given any notice of the expedient he intended to propose for providing a fund. He (Mr. Ward) feared that the freight of specie from the Pacific was too fluctuating a source of income to be calculated on for retired allowances. He should not, however, lose sight of the suggestion. After a few words from Capt. HARRIS, Mr. HUME quoted a return, showing that since the date of the order limiting promotions in 1830, 360 cap tains had died, and that agreeably to that order only 105 ought to have bee❑ promoted, but that no less than 365 had received promotion. Of commanders 315 died, and 685 had been promoted instead of 105. Of lieutenants 1,049 had died, and 1,224 bad been promoted instead of 372. These were the things that kept up the dead weight, and it was useless to talk of economy or retrench ment so long as that system continued. Mr. COBDEN expressed his regret that the Hon. Secretary to the Admiralty resisted the recommendation of the Committee to reduce the number of the admirals. At the commencement of the war with France they were only 69, now they were 150. It was very hard he knew to tell officers that they had no hope of promotion; but they were bound to consider the interests of the country and those who paid taxes. It appeared to him that the remedy was to be found in the recommendation of stop ping the influx of youths into the navy. That was the way of getting rid of the difficulty. • After a few words in reply from Mr. WARD, the vote was agreed to, as were -300,2881. for military pensions and allowances. 152,0181. for civil pensions and allowances. 602,6621. for the packet service. Mr. W. COWPER said (in reply to Mr. Cobden) that this charge was entirely for Post-office purposes. Mr. HENLEY complained of the exorbitant cost, 200,0001. a year, of the conveyance of the India mail. A Committee of the other House had inquired into the matter, and reported the possibility of making a more economical arrangement. At present it was not well managed, the responsibility being a divided one. Mr. COWPER said the contract between Suez and the East Indies and China did not expire till Ist Jan., 1853. No doubt it was very expensive; but no altera tion:could be effected till the contract expired. In each successive year it was probable the cost of convey ance would be lessened, as the facilities of travelling were increased. It had always been the practice of the Admiralty to contract for this service; but the parties who tendered were very few. Mr. MONSELL urged the importance of establishing a line of packets from one of the western ports of Ire land to America, whereby the time occupied in the passage to Halifax, now nine days, would be reduced by 36 hours; an object, he conceived, of sufficient im portance to claim the attention of the Government. Rail way oommunication now extended to Limerick; but he would not advocate its claims to the exclusion of the other western ports. Mr. COWPER said the matter would not be lost sight of by the Admiralty. They had for some time thought the port of Valentia would be most suitable for the pur pose. He did not anticipate that the passage to Halifax would be reduced below eight days and a half. Mr. H. HERBERT advocated the claims of Yalentia to the consideration of the Admiralty. Mr. ANSTEY hoped that Castletown would not be overlooked. Mr. HENLEY repeated his question, whether any steps could be taken to secure a better and more economical management of the India and China mail. In extensive contracts of this kind, unless a prolonged notice were given, the matter was sure to become a monoply. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that no fresh arrangements could be made for three years, and of course it was impossible for the Government now to say what arrangements might then be pessible. Other competitors might materially reduce the charge of con veyance. Mr. HENLEY complained that his question had not been answered. The contract on this side the isthmus of Suez would expire very soon, and he hoped the Go vernment would not deal with it so as to prevent them from dealing properly with the whole when it did expire. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said this question was totally different from the one the Hon. Gentleman had originally put. He had now put a plain question, and should have a plain answer. The next contract for the conveyance on this side the isthmus of Suez would be made to terminate at the same time as the other part of the contract ; so that, in future, the whole subject might be considered at once. Mr. HENLEY expressed himself satisfied with the answer. Mr. HUME said that one of the Southampton mails to Alexandria had been discontinued, so that now pas sengers could only go i,by that route to India once a month. Government had put on their own boat to Malta, which was more expensive than sending the mail twice a month from Southampton. Mr. COWPER said the alteration had been made to save 15,000/. a year, and he was surprised the Hon. Member should complain of that.—(Hear, hear.) No extra expense whatever was incurred; the 15,0004 a year had been paid for sending letters by a double route, which was wholly unnecessary. The letters were now carried from Malta in a Government vessel, instead of a contract vessel; but that did not increase the cost. Mr. HUME contended that the people of India had a right to complain of the alteration, whereby they only received their letters through Southampton once a month. The saving of 15,0001. was paltry in comparison with the convenience of such important colonies. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that no mail communication whatever had been taken off. The old arrangement was that letters went over land to Marseilles twice a month, and joined the packet at Malta. This conveyance continued ; and under all the circumstances it had not been thought necessary to continue the packet twice a month from Southampton. As to the proposed packet-station on the west of Ire land, the Government would give the subject their best attention ; but he could give positive pledges as to the time when it would be carried out, as considerable ex pense must first be incurred. Mr. MONSELL observed that there was already a railway communication to Limerick. Dr. BOWRING complained of the heavy postage on communications to the East. A letter to Egypt cost Is. 6d., while one to Calcutta or Hong-Kong was only Is. —the cost being 50 per;,cent.:more for only half the dis tance.—(llear.) Mr. COBDEN said if these amounts were considered as payments for the Post-office service merely, the cost was most enormous—nearly a million for the whole packet service. —(Hear, hear.) The sum of 240,0001. was paid for the West India service alone, while the re turn from postage probably would not reach 50,0001. When these contracts ran out it would be worthy the consideration of the Admiralty whether the coat could not be materially reduced. Mr. GOULBURN said he had predicted that these arrangements, made for the facility of conveying mer cantile correspondence, would be very onerous: but he had been met by the assertion, on the part of those con nected with commerce, that the expense would be more than compensated by the benefits which would be con ferred on other interests. He had no means of knowing whether such benefits had been realised. Mr. HENLEY said the Hon. Member for the West Riding had not included the whole expense in his esti mate of a million, for there was the additional sum paid by the Indian Government. He thought it a great hard ship that the public were compelled to pay the higher postage on their India letters once a month. Mr. MACGREGOR said the line of packets from Liverpool to the United States fully repaid the expense. Mr. HUME would undertake to contract to convey the mail from Southampton to Alexandria twice a month for the same amount as was now paid for the monthly conveyance.--(Hear, and laughter.) Mr. COWPER said it would not be fair to the Hun. Member to accept his very generous offer. He could not do the service for the amount now paid, as the vessel which would otherwise be lying idle at Malta was sow sent on to Alexandria ; therefore the only additional expense was the cost of the coals. The vote was then agreed to. MISCELLANEOUS ESTIMATES. On the first vote, 40,9231., part of a sum of 120,9231., for the repairs, Sze., of public buildings; furniture for various public departments; charges for lighting and watching, and rates and taxes; also for the mainte nance and repairs of royal palaces and works in the royal gardens, Mr. V. SMITH complained of the manner in which the estimates were brought forward during the present session. What appeared to him to be the result of the inquiry into the naval and miscellaneous estimates, was that there was wanted in the Governmental departments of the country a proper financial cheek.—(Hear, hear.) No Committee of that House, even if they were all as well acquainted with the subject as his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose, could control the estimates as well as an executive department.—(Hear, hear.) It was the custom to prepare the estimates at a much larger amount than was necessary; but on the other hand it often hap pended that a much larger expenditure was incurred than the estimates would warrant. A considerable portion of the expenses of the country, the revenue boards, for in stance, never came under the supervision of Parliament. It was very doubtful whether those boards were necessary at all. But at all events a great portion of the expendi ture of the country never came before that House. There was one question of importance with which the Com mittee had not dealt, except partially—namely, the ques tion of public salaries. He was of opinion that that question should be dealt with as a whole, and not sepa rately. If they took the report of 1831 as a basis, all they would have to do would be to consider whether the circumstances of the present day differed from those of 1831, as regarded the expenses incidental to official life. He believed that they did, for railroads and other economic improvements had been extended since that period ; besides that, the tendency of their recent legis lation was to diminish the expenses of living. But the largest question of all was the question of the colonial estimates. When those estimates came under discussion Le the of floe 4 colonial Hon. Gentleman the Under-Secretary for t'lel7 leosnial would expenditure beab l e to wouldsay thatb be thrown t g h r r e o te n r p o r n o p t o h r o , colonies themselves than was hitherto the case. It should be the duty of the Government also to take care, when they re d uced the number of w officers and made superannuations, not to make any new appointments, but to call in such persons from the superannuation list as might be still capable of discharging their duty. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would state how many of the recommenda tions of the Committee he was prepared to adopt, and if he rejected any, on what account he did so. Mr. OSBORNE did not know whether the Right Hon. Gentleman addressed his observations to the House in his capacity of Chairman of the Committee, or whether he had been deputed to make them by her Ma jesty's Government, because the usual practice was for a Minister to come down and make a statement.—(Hear.) The report on the miscellaneous estimates was in singular contrast with the reports on the naval estimates. — (Hear.) It was bare and meagre •, in parts there was some pretty writing and a great deal of bad gram mar.—(Laughter.) The Committee decided on the sa laries of the Ministers of the Crown and of a few clerks, and that was all. The Right lion. Gentleman would not go into the question of the salary of the Lord-Lieu tenant of Ireland, but the Committee recommended the abolition of the Queen's plates in Ireland. A more dis graceful estimate was never submitted to the House. The most opposite things were put together, as Windsor Castle and the Hackney Coach-office. Every item ought to be distinctly set down, instead of which all was con fusion. He did not see why there should be any dis tinction between public and private accounts; the pre sent estimate was a fraudulent one, and contained posi tive misrepresentations. He called on the Committee to insist on some explanation of the various 4„ems. The Committee evidently gave the go-by to everything use• ful.—(Hear, hear.) Their report, however, recom mended a more economic superintendence of the Woods and Forests department. Mr. H. DRUMMOND must confess that he was called on to vote on a document on the present occasion respecting which it was utterly impossible for him to form any opinion.—(Hear, hear.) He had no means of forming any opinion as to the soundness of any one of the items contained in the papers before him. The Hon. Gentleman who spoke last pointed out some ex traordinary blunders. Here was another incongruous item all in ono line, " for oil, gas, and light in the House of Commons and St. Martin's public baths and washhouses."—(Hear, hear.) Certain ho was, that many things which were now brought forward in this way would not have been tolerated in former times. He felt so sensibly on these matters, he thought them so derogatory to the honour of the Crown, so fatal to the interest of the Royal Family, that he should only add to the evil which he deprecated by alluding any further to them. But he would appeal to any Gentleman in that House, and ask if he would like to have many parts of his own establishment brought forward and made the subject not only of discussion in that House, but in every pothouse in the kingdom, and whether it would be a proper way to uphold his dignity to have his establish ment so canvassed? He could not understand how the public servants of tho Crown, who must be brought into intimate personal relationship with the Sovereign, could allow such things. The Woods and Forests had been alluded to. There was a large property in this country possessed by the Sovereign, not as sovereign, but as the largest landowner in this country. He knew enough to know now that no one had been so ill served—no one so grossly cheated—as the Crown.—(Cheers.) But ho did not intend to enter into these things; he merely rose to protest against them. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose. He said he never, within his experience, remem bered a speech being made upon the introduction of the miscellaneous estimates. The reason why items were lumped together was to afford to the House the fullest information as to the particulars for which the public money was required to be paid. With regard to the ob servations of Mr. Vernon Smith, he assured him he thought the inquiry of the Miscellaneous Estimates Committee had been attended with very beneficial re sults. reduction H of eagerxpen eedw di i t th ere him mu in st his opinion o re pi a n d i e on b t y ha t t b t e herea Exe cutive Government; and in the greater portion of the general recommendations of the report, he entirely concurred. With regard to details, he would not go into their consideration now, for they could be discussed as each item was proposed for the consideration of the House. Colonel SIBTHORP should like to ask why they were sitting there upon the 11th of August? A greater rigmarole—a more unsatisfactory chaos of a speech than that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer—he had never heard. He had told them nothing; he had left them to conjecture every thing. A book as large as a church bible was laid upon the table, and they were told to get their facts out of that as they could. But that would not do for him. He was disposed to sit there de die in diem, and go into every detail of these estimates before he voted them. Mr. OSBORNE said the Chancellor of the Exchequer treated this subject in the jaunting sort of way in which he usually addressed the House. Ho involved the sub ject in a cloud of words, and in reality said nothing. It was all very well for him to get up in the flash-in-the pan and jack-in-office sort of way, and talk about the matter as if he was at a family tea-party; but he (Mr Osborne) called upon him in the name of the public to explain.—(Hear, hear.) Now, let him ask, what was meant by the Museum of Economic Geology? Let him ask what was to be done about the royal palaces? Let him ask what assurance was to be given that the esti mates should be laid before them in a better state next year. Unless he received satisfactory replies he should divide the House upon the first estimate. Dr. BOWRING should be sorry if it were supposed that the Committee on these estimates had made a com plete report. It was impossible that they could do so Their examination was not into matters of principle, but into questions of detail. No less than 165 matters were referred to them. Why, the Committee was not able to do its duty. The immense mass of matter referred to it precluded the possibility of a satisfactory perform ance of their duties. It was very natural, therefore, that their report should be considered very bare and meagre. He contended for the necessity of having a central office of accounts, to investigate every item, and that every pound that was paid to the state should be handed over at once to the State Treasury, no depart ment being allowed, as now, to intercept millions of money and apply it almost irresponsibly, rendering in a vast proportion of cases no particular account either to the general executive or to the House of Commons. He was glad to understand that the Government was taking measures for carrying into effect one very important sug gestion of the Committee, that all fees received by public dopartments should be paid over in gross to the public Treasury, to be applied by the responsible authorities to the public service. The fact was, that every department of the state would occupy the close attention of a Committee, in order to arrive at any sa tisfactory result. Mr. HUME certainly considered it would have been most desirable to hear from the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, to what extent he proposed to act upon the re commendations of the Committee. It was a great de fect in the preparation of public information on this subject, that the question of salaries had not been gone into, and this was a point on which he should be glad to have the views of the Chancellor of the Exchequer ex pressed. There had been a revision of public salaries under the report of the Committee of 1831. Many re ductions had been effected, and the House was well dis posed now again to revise the salaries in all our depart ments. He did not concur with his Hon. Friend in thinking that the report was all barren; ho considered that it contained much that was highly valuable. As to the royal palaces, he had three months since moved for detailed returns on this subject, but he had hitherto seen nothing of the returns sought. He fully shared the objections which had been stated to the incon gruous grouping of the various items which went to make up the large estimates about to be proposed. There was one item, which he would at once specify as most objectionable: the estimate for rents of public offices; these seemed to be perfectly preposterous in several instances. As to the Museum of Economic Geology ho was of opinion that, if carried out as an nounced, this institution would be productive of great benefit to the public. Ho repeated his desire that the Government would give some explanation as to their judgment on the report of the Committee. Lord J. RUSSELL did not think it would be a con venient course to apply the example of the Secretary of the Admiralty to the proposition of the miscellaneous estimates. The prefacing the naval estimates with a general statement was a perfectly convenient course, because the Admiralty department was homogeneous in its details, but this was not the case with the miscel laneous estimates, which had reference to a dozen dif ferent departments. The first estimate, for example, having relation to the Woods and Forests, his Noble Friend could fitly give any details which might be re quired respecting it, while any questions respecting the particulars of the second estimate, which related to the criminal law commission, wou l d have to be answered, not, by his Noble Friend, but by his Right Hon. Friend at the head of the home department. It would, there fore, be obviously the only convenient course to discuss each item as it occurred. He quite agreed in the pro priety of transferring many of the items now paid out of the Consolidated Fund to the columns of the miscel laneous estimates, and he should be prepared, in con currence with his Right Hon. Friend, to make this alte ration in very many cases next session, but he did not feel that this principle could safely be applied in every case. If the House was to be called upon to consider all the estimates of all the departments there would be no time loft for legislation. He regarded the report of tho Committee as containing a great deal of valuable matter, and as being as full as under the circumstances could have been expected. The subject of salaries had been considered by the Committee of 1831, and the salaries of the heads of the various departments had, as he con ceived, been settled at that time to the satisfaction of teoonal could Parliament. ybea suggestionsriw answered red asas the to questions, ttheem sitem under occurred.n however, d on this er discussion, With respectsu bj eae as the Committee had expressed a wish that it should be sot forth more at large in the printed estimates, his Noble Friend would take care that in future this should be done. Mr. BANKES said that the delay which had been complained of in passing the estimates could not be charged on the House, for they had been submitted to examination before various Committees, and it was that which had caused the present dilemma. The estimates Wore the Committee contained some very doubtful items. He would not call them disgraceful, but ho must say that the mode in which the accounts were presented was very inconvenient to the House. He observed a charge made for the Pavilion Palace at Brighton, which was of no use to the Royal Family, and which ought to be converted into money for the public service. There was also a charge of 1,410/. for taking up and cleaning, and for renewing the mats which covered the floor of the House. He also observed very large sums charged for the rent of temporary offices, which he thought might be packed more closely together, as well for the sake of convenience, as on account of economy. There was a charge of 1,780/. r repairing the ruins of an abbey, which he should be glad to hare sume explanation of from the Noble Lord. Lord MORPETLI:said that the eetimste had been pre sented in the form usually adopted of late years, only a little more in detail. He admitted there were good grounds for the recommendation of the Committee that the annual charge for repairing each palace should be presented separately, for it was highly unjust to the so vereign that it should be supposed the outlay charged was incurred for the Royal convenience, when, in point of fact, the public convenience alone was consulted. With re spect to the Pavilion, it was the intention of the Govern ment to dispose of the site and the materials, and, if it should be found that an Act of Parliament was neces sary for the purpose, the proper notices would - ibe duly served. With respect to the charge of 1,780!. for re• pairing Lanercost Abbey, that was for the restoring the roof which had fallen in, and it was deemed proper to preserve a ruin which presented some of the finest remains of antiquity that were in the possession of the Crown.—(Hear.) The charge also included the cost of keeping in repair Carisbrook and Carnarvon Castles, which likewise presented valuable specimens of archaeology. With respect to the charge for temporary offices, the Woods and Forests had received orders to provide accommodation for certain departments, and the Hon. Member was aware that house rent in the neigh• bourhood of Whitehall where it was necessary the °Ewes should be, was not very moderate. Mr. V. SMITH said that he had been accused by the Hon. Member for Lincoln of attacking the Government, and by the Hon. Member for Middlesex of defending them with regard to the present estimates; but he begged to say he had done neither. It appeared to him, from the Noble Lord's statement, that the charge for Lanercost was for building a new ruin. Colonel SIB riloßp said he saw among the items a heavy charge for the railway commission. Now he was anxious to know why, if the enormous expense of a rail way commission was necessary, the railways did not pay it themselves? The present Government had come into office as an economical Government, but nearly all of them had belied that character.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. ANSTEY complained of the absence of details in the estimates. He objected to the House being asked to vote away money without being at the same time fur nished with an account of its expenditure. Ho thought that they should have some means of testing the national expenditure similar to what had been possessed by the Court of Exchequer until it was tampered with by the Administration of 1834. He hoped that before the Committee sat again Government would give them some means of testing the merits of the various estimates sub mitted to them. Sir R. INGLIS, in reference to the large items for rent, said that there was a large and unsightly area of unoccupied ground in Downing-street, acid he thought that the hest use that could be made of it would be to erect on it a substantial set of buildings for the use of the various commissions, or it might be appropriated to the erection of a Foreign-office more suited to the foreign business of the country than the present un sightly edifice. Mr. GOULBURN wished to set the Hon. and Learned Member for Youghal right on one point. If he looked at the estimates he would find a statement of the dis bursements of the past year. Mr. ANSTEY exp;ained that what he had asked for were various accounts which were referred to in the esti mates but not produced. Mr. HUME objected to any grant for court-houses in the Isle of Man. He thought that this country had no right to provide such structures for the people of that island. Dr. BOWRING said that the revenues of the island were quite sufficient for all purposes if properly admi nistered. The vote was agreed to. 10,0001. for enlarging and improving Buckingham Palace. Mr. OSBORNE hoped that the original estimate would not be exceeded. There was one point, however, on which he was anxious to get information. He saw an item set down for pulling down the marble arch. That arch had cost the country 80,0001., and now it was about to be pulled down the House had a right to know what was to be done with the ruins. Lord MORPETH hoped that the House would grant means for re-erecting the arch i n some place where it would be an ornament to the metropolk. The vote was agreed to. 8,4101., erecting a palm-house at Kew. Mr. OSBORNE objected to the ♦ote, as being in ex cess of the original estimate. Lord MORPETH read a statement showing that the number of visitors had •astly increased, and that there had been 64 acres added to the gardens, together with a most interesting museum. Mr. B. OSBORNE was satisfied with that statement, as far as it went; but the Noble Lord did not explain why the increase of expenditure should have been so great—nominally stated at 2,900/., but in reality upwards of 8,4001.. showing a false return to the House. Lord MORPETH denied in the most distinct terms that there was any mis-statement in the return justifying the Hon. Gentleman's remark. After a general conversation, the vote was agreed to. The next vote of 4,2341., to defray the expenses of temporary accommodation for the Houses of Parliament, was, after a few words from Mr. OSBORNE, agreed to. The House resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Monday next. In answer to a question put by Col., SIBTHORP, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he should propose to take a Committee of Supply on Monday next, and to go on with the miscellaneous estimates. NEW BILLS. Leave was given to introduce the following Bills, which were severally brought in and read a first time : Mr. C. LEWIS, a Bill to authorise the inclosure of certain lands, in pursuance of a special report of the Inclosure Commissioners for England and Wales. Mr. HUME, a Bill to repeal an Act of 9 and 10 of her present Majesty, for making preliminary inquiries in certain cases of applications for local Acts. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, a Bill to amend the law for the trial of election petitions. Mr. PARKER, a Bill to amend the Act 10 and 11 Vic., c. 9. The House adjourned, at a Quarter before Two o'clock, till noon on Monday. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Guildford, Aug. 11. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before the LORD CIIIEF BARON and a Special Jury.) SCARPELLINI V. SETRANKE. This was an action brought by Louisa Scarpellini against the defendant and his wife Marietta. The decla ration alleged that before the marriage of the defendant, his wife had contracted a debt with the plaintiff for board and lodging, education, and necessar i es , an d thi s ac tion was brought to recover 2001., the amount of the alleged debt so incurred. The defendants pleaded, first, that there had been no contract; next, that the amount had been paid; thirdly, that the lady was an infant at the time the debt was iu curred; and, fourthly, the statute of limitations; but to this last plea there was a demurrer, consequently it was not involved in the present inquiry. Mr. Gurney and Mr. Ogle were for the plaintiff; Ser geant Shee and Mr. Lush were for the defendants. Mr. GURNEY stated the case, which appeared to be of rather an extraordinary character. He said the plaintiff was a native of Italy, but she had for a great many years resided in England, and only occasionally paid a visit to her own country. The defendant was a resi dent of St. Alban's, and he believed he should be able to show that his wife was the sister of the plaintiff. He made use of the expression believed, on account of the peculiar character of the transaction, for the principal question in the case would be, whether this lady was or was not the sister of the plaintiff, as it was for neces saries furnished to her in that position, that the present action was brought against the defendants. In the year 1833, the plaintiff having received an intimation of the death of a near relative, proceeded to her native village in Italy, and she there found a younger sister, almost in a state of destitution, and when she returned to England she brought her back with her. That sister remained with her, stopping at various places, until the year 1838, and during all that period the plaintiff provided for her, boarded, lodged her, and provided her with masters, and, in fact, did all that was pos sible to give her an opportunity of providing for her self, incurring for these purposes very considerable expense. In the year 1838, the child being at that time between ten and twelve years old, a gentleman who was struck with the talents she exhibited, offered to adopt her as his child, and the sister consented that he should do so, and she was taken away from her by the gentleman in question. From that time to the present the plaintiff had altogether lost sight of her sister. She repeatedly applied to the gentleman who had taken charge of her to allow her to see her, but he refused, and it was only by a combination of extraordinary circum stances that the plaintiff at length ascertained that the defendant was married to a lady who, from the descrip tion given of her, and other circumstances, left no doubt on her mind that she was her younger sister, who had so loug lived with her, and of whom for so many years she had lost all trace. The plaintiff being satisfied of this fact, went to the residence of the defendant, and sent up ber name, and requested to be permitted to have an interview with his wife; but Mrs. Seyranke refused to see her, and denied all knowledge of her, or that she was under any obligation to her. This was the defence now set up, and this was the question which the jury would have to decide. The plaintiff, acting under advice, had taken every step to set the question at rest, and if her pro ceedings had been responded to by the defendants, there would have been no doubt in the case. An a pplication had been made for persons who were well acquainted with the young lady to be permitted to have an interview with her, but it was refused. Formal notice had also been served upon the husband to produce his wife, but he refused to do so. Persons who knew Miss Scarpellini had applied to see her, but the only answer they received was that she could not be seen. If an interview had been allowed to take place, of course, the matter would at once have been set at rest; but as this had been re fused, he should be unable to lay such clear evidence before them of the identity of the lady as he had hoped to have done; but ho apprehended that in the result the jury would entertain no doubt that the wife of the de fendant was in reality the sister of the plaintiff, by whom the debt had been incurred. If the defence really was that she was not the same person, he thought that in common fairness the application to allow persons who knew her to have an interview with the lady ought not to have been refused; but he considered the plea of infancy put upon the re cord by the defendant settled the question, and that it amounted to an admission that Mrs. Seyranke was in ' reality the sister of the plaintiff, by whom the obliga tions had been incurred. That plea, however, was not of any importance as affecting the plaintiff': claim, for it was only for necessaries, and for them eh. would be eotiticri :e lee: to r, c over. although the party was under age at the time. The claim, as' he had before stated, was for board, lodging, and other necessaries, EVENING-, AUG UST 12, 1848? furnished during a period of five years, from 1833 to 1838; and with regard to the law upon the subject, it appeared to him that though a parent might be legally bound to support a child, no such obligation was cast upon a sister, and the plaintiff was therefore entitled to recover in the present action. lie should produce testi mony which he apprehended would leave no doubt as to the identity of the lady; and it he established that fact he must confess he was astonished that the sister of the plaintiff, who owed her present position entirely to the kind assistance she had received from her, should now, when her sister was in difficulties and poverty, refuse to make her,that recompense to which she was clearly entitled. Mrs. Anne Brand was then examined—She said, in 1836 I was residing in Berner -street, and Madame Scar pellini and her sister lodged in my house. The child appeared to be from ten to thirteen years old. They remained in my house three months, and during all that time Madame Scarpellini treated the child with the ut most tenderness. I don't think I should know the sister now. The child was a foreigner, and she and her sister used to converse in Italian. I don't remember any thing remarkable about the nose or teeth of the child. Sergeant SHEE said he should decline cross-examin ing any of the witnesses at present, as in the result it might be unnecessary for him to do so at all. Signor Giovanni Reva said—l am a native of Milan. In 1833, I was engaged as a professor of the Spanish guitar and singing at Edinburgh. I was introduced in that city to the plaintiff and her sister Marietta Scarpel lini, and I taught the little girl the guitar for some months. She was a very clever child, and made great progress, and she played at a concert, and received much applause. I knew the plaintiff and her sister afterwards in London. I was paid ten guineas for teaching the young lady the guitar. The plaintiff treated her sister with great kindness during the whole time I was ac quainted with them. Besides music and singing, the young lady received instruction in French from a lady named Jourdain. The'Learned JUDGE here interposed and said, surely these things could not be taken as necessaries for ayoung person without any fortune or expectations. Mr. GURNEY submitted that they were necessaries in this point of view. The plaintiff was anxious to make her sister accomplished in order that she might have a better prospect of advancing her condition in life. The CHIEF BARON said he could not look upon the matter in that view. It might be all very well for a minor at Oxford, highly connected, and who had large expectations, to keep horses and incur other expenses, and they might be considered as necessaries for him, having regard to the station he would ultimately have to fill, but the case of a young woman who had neither for tune nor expectations was very different. Examination continued.—The young lady was also taught Italian, and likewise had a writing master. Mr. OGLE —Can you describe the appearance of the young lady? Witness—She was tall, her hair was in clining to dark or brown, and she had a very fair skin. She had a very fine nose, but I cannot tell the name of it.—(A laugh.) I was requested to go to St. Alban's, three weeks ago, to try to see her, but when I got to Mr. Seyranke's house, I found all the blinds down, and I was refused admission. I could not get a sight of the young lady. Mr. Joseph Shipton said—l reside near Windsor. I know Mrs. Seyranke. She went from my house to be married, in the name of Shipton. She had been living in my house for ten years from the month of April, 1838. She was entrusted to me by a woman whom I met at Naples, who told me her name was Louisa Scarpellini, but I have since heard that it is not her real name. Mr. GURNEY—YOU have been an attorney, have you not. Mr. Shipton? Witness—l have. Mr. GURNEY—Then you ought to know that you have no right to say anything about what you have heard. Sergeant SHEE objected to the manner in which his Learned Friend was examining his own witness. Mr. GURNEY said he knew very well whose witness he was. Examination continued—l have not refused to give any information to the plaintiff's attorney, and I have not been in communication with the attorney for the defendant. I was subpoenaed to give evidence for the plaintiff. Mr. GURNEY—Handing the witness a letter. Is that your handwriting? Witness—l believe this letter is my handwriting, but I have seen a similar one, which is a forgery. Mr. GURNEY—This letter, I believe was addressed to Madame Scarpellini? Witness—This letter was ad dressed to the woman from whom I received Mrs. Say ranke. I undertook to educate her and bring her up as my daughter. The CHIEF BARON—How old was she when you first received,her? Witness—She had the appearance of a child nine or ten years old, but the woman who en trusted her to me told me , she was eleven or twelve. She was a very small child, and did not appear more than nine or ten. Mr. GURNEY said this was the case for the plaintiff. Sergeant SHEE submitted that no contract whatever had been proved, and that there was nothing to go to the jury. The CHIEF BARON said it certainly appeared to him that the state of things disclosed by the evidence did not establish any contract upon which a claim for necessaries could be founded. What had been done by the plaintiff for her sister was done from affection, or would be supposed to have been done from that motive in civil life, and it could hardly be supposed that it could encumber a child with a debt to be paid in after years. It seemed to him that it was the most absurd claim that had ever been brought into a court of justice, and if the jury should be of opinion that no contract had been proved, there would be an end of the case. If, however, they were not satisfied upon that point, the case should proceed. The jury also immediately expressed themselves of opinion that no contract for payment had been made out, and they accordingly returned a verdict for the de fendant. WESTERN CIRCUIT.—WeIIs, August 9. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) A very pretty girl was placed at the bar charged with the concealment of the birth of her new-born child. She had only been confined last Sunday week, and looked more like a ghost than a living being. She first pleaded Not Guilty, but on the recommendation of Mr. Marsh man, who had been retained for her, she withdrew that plea, and pleaded Guilty. ' The Learned JUDGE then examined the medical man, who stated that there were no marks of violence on the body of the child; that the girl had told him that she had been confined three weeks before she expected, and that she had not provided baby-linen because she could have had her sisters, who had been recently confined. She had been for years waitress and chambermaid at an hotel in Wells, exposed, of course, to all the temptations of such a position. The Learned JUDGE sentenced the prisoner to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour. Charles Taylor, Thomas Adams, and W. Lansdowne were indicted for a burglary in the house of John Keys, at Bath, and stealing a cash-box and some money. Mr. Allen was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr. Saunders defended the prisoners. From the evidence it appeared that Keys was a grocer, in Forthgate-street, Bath. At 6 o'clock in the morning of the 29th April the back door of the prosecutor's house was found to have been opened by a panel being cut out. The cashbox, containing a 101. note and other money, had been taken away, as well as three half-pounds of butter. Harrison, a policeman, saw the three pri soners on Snow-hill, Bath, at 12 o'clock, on the night of the 28th April. He told them it was late for them to be out, and he recommended them to go home. 'Taylor said, "Let's be oft" About 6 o'clock the next morning Harrison saw Taylor and Lansdowne coming from the direction in which they had been going the night be fore. He then saw Taylor had something in his pocket, and he searched him and found three half-pounds of butter in his pocket. He called another police-officer, and they took those two prisoners into custody. Upon searching them at the police-station a dark lantern and some lucifer matches were found upon Taylor, and an iron bar and two sovereigns and a half were found upon Lansdowne. That iron bar corresponded with the marks which were found upon the door of the prosecutor's house. Another policeman searched the cap of Taylor, and in it he found a 10/. note concealed. Adams pointed out the spot in the canal where they had thrown the cash-box, and upon searching that spot they found the cash-box. Each of the prisoners made a statement to the police officer admitting his guilt. The prisoners were found Guilty, but sentence was deferred. There has not been a single case in the Civil Court to justify a report. In the course of this trial Hall, a Bath officer, stated that the parties were given into his custody, and that he then stated to each separately that he was charged with this burglary, and that the other persons, naming them, were also in custody, and he proceeded by giving them what ho termed a caution, which was, that they had bettor not answer any questions he might put to them that would injure them. This was always his custom, although the parties had been before told with what offence they were charged. His testimony then was, that each of the prisoners made a confession to him, which he well recollected. The Learned JUDGE made the following remark:— " Let me say, Mr. Hall, I think that that system of going through the farce of giving a prisoner a caution, and then of getting a statement from him, is a most improper one. No one ought to take an examination except a magistrate, and you know with what caution even a magistrate does it. If one officer may do it every police man may, and the most serious consequences may be the result. It is far better that a guilty party should escape than that a prisoner should be improperly convicted." Charlotte Skinn er was i n di cte d f or h av i ng adminis tered poison to Elizabeth Keen, an infant, with intent to murder her. Mr. Cole was counsel for the prosecution; the prisoner was undefended. It appeared that the prisoner, who was only twelve years of age, lived as nurse girl with Mr. Keen, and had the charge of a little child. Mrs. Keen had purchased some copperas for the purpose of applying it to a ring worm. She put it into a cream jug, which she placed on a shelf, and told the prisoner to take care not to use it, as it was poison- and was as bad as arsenic. Shortly after this the child became ill and sick, and upon tasting what was thrown on its clothes it was discovered to be copperas. The prisoner was questioned upon it, and at length admitted that she had given the infant some of the copperas in some tea. The prisoner declared that Mr. Keen had put a rope round her neck and hung her up in order to compel her to say she had administered the poison. This, however, was declared by Mr. Keen to be an entire falsehood. The jury found the prisoner Guilty of a common not havin.l any intent to !:in. The Learned JUDGE sentenced the prisoner to be im prisoned for nine months. NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Carlisle, August 9. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. JuiticeCßEsswErz.) CHARGE OF MIIRDER.—Joseph Todd was indicted for the wilful murder of Joseph Jackson, at Penrith, on the 28th of July last, by shooting him with a gun. Mr. Matthews and Mr. Brett conducted the prose cution ; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Sergeant Wilkins. _ _ The deceased, Joseph Jackson, had been for many years a tenant on the farm of Mrs. Youngson, near Pen rith, and at the time of this occurrence occupied a cot tage behind the mansion-house and oommunicating with the yard. The prisoner was the woodwarden and game keeper of Mr. Youngson, and had for some time lodged at the cottage of the deceased. Mrs. Youngson and the family were from home, and the house was left in the care of two servants, Elizabeth Hobson the house maid, and Elizabeth Pearson, the cook. The de ceased, Joseph Jackson, being a trustworthy person, was also directed to exercise a superintendence over the establishment during Mrs. Youngson's absence. It ' appeared that, on the 27th of July, a person of the name of Nicholson was at the house in the yard with Mr. Jackson, and that he left about 10 o'clock. About 1 o'clock a gun was fired in the neighbourhood of the house, supposed to be by Nicholson, and the deceased Jackson, on going out the next morning, found one of the gates open which had been shut the night before. He made some inquiries respecting the matter from the servants, and told Todd at breakfast, on the 28th, that Elizabeth Dobson had imputed the firing of the shot to him. Todd merely smiled on this being told him, but made no observation. He went to his bedroom, where there were two guns, one a single barrel and the other a double barrel, the latter being the one he generally used. The latter he loaded and left it in the room. This bed room was at one end of the cottage, and was reached by a passage from the kitchen at the other end, at the back of the bedroom which lay between them, and was occupied by Mrs. Jackson and her daughters. Out of this passage a descent of a few steps led to a back kitchen communicating with a small garden at the back. The prisoner came back to his dinner about 12 o'clock. While he was having his dinner he leaned over the table to Mrs. • Jackson, and said, " There's no getting into your house for your master is always walking about." Shortly after he left the house, and nothing more was seen of him until immediately before the time when the deceased was shot. When he I came back deceased, and a man of the name of Carru thers, were engaged in loading a cart near the garden fence. The prisoner was without his coat, and his waistcoat open, with his sleeves tucked up. He came towards his house, as ono of the witnesses said, rather wildly, and seemed as if he had been drinking. He spoke to deceased and Carruthers as he passed, saying, as Carruthers thought, they were loading rather heavy. He then went on into the house through the back kitchen where Mrs. Jackson was washing the milk dishes, and into the passage leading to the bedroom on one side and the front kitchen on the other. He entered the front kitchen where there then were Elizabeth Dobson, Elizabeth Pearson, Mrs. Lutenor (a married daughter of Mr. Jackson), and Mary Jackson, her sister. He immediately seized Elizabeth Dobson by the neck and threw her down. Elizabeth Dobson cried out, and on Mrs. Jackson coming up into the front kitchen she found her on the floor, and the prisoner on his knees beside her, still holding her by the throat. Mrs. Jackson endeavoured to release her from his grasp, and she finally got away, on which she and Elizabeth Pearson ran out of the house across the yard to Mrs. Youngsoa's. Mrs. Lutenor endea voured to pacify the prisoner, and he sat down for a minute or two on the window sill in the kitchen, when he suddenly sprang up, using violent threats towards Elizabeth Dobson. He swore at Mrs. Jackson for assist ing her, said he wished he had choked her when he had her down, and finally said he would shoot her that night, and hastily went off towards his bedroom, appa rently for the gun. Mrs. Jackson, in great alarm, ran down the steps into the back kitchen, and out through the garden, to where her husband and Carruthers were. and told them to get out of the way as Todd wita coming with his gull. Mr. Jackson said he would go ant pacify him, and immediately went into the house. He went through the back kitchen, and up the steps lead ing into the passage, at the top of which he met the prisoner with his gun. He put his haud across the door way, and said, " Todd, what are you going to do?" The prisoner said, " Let me go, I will shoot the faggot before I rest." Jackson said, " Give me the gun;" on which the prisoner drew back a step or two, and raised the gun towards his left shoulder, when it went off, and the con tents lodged in the left breast of the deceased. He turned round, ran down the steps through the back kitchen and into the small garden, where he fell dead. Carruthers, on hearing the shot, went towards the house, and into the front kitchen, where he found the prisoner standing in the middle of the floor. He said to the prisoner, " Oh, Joe, you have shot him dead." The prisoner ex claimed, " Oh, Joseph, Joseph," and returned with Car ruthers into the garden, where he partly lifted up the hand of the deceased, and then returned back into tho house. He went out, it appeared, into the yard leading to Mrs. Youngson's. He went to the door and called out, " Oh, Betty, Betty, open the door, what have I done?" He then went into the barn. In the mean time an alarm was conveyed to the house of a person of the name of Collins, who lived in the neighbourhood. On Mr. Collins and his son going to the house they found the prisoner coming out of the barn. Mr. Collins said to him, "Todd, what have you been doing?" The prisoner said, " What have I been doing?" Mr. Collins said, " You've shot poor Jackson." He then seized the prisoner, who resisted, but with the assistance of his son, Mr. Collins tied his bands and feet, and he remained there until the constable came from Penritb. He told Collins when he was secured that the gun went off by accident, that something caught the trigger. The gun was found in the kitchen leaning against the Wall. The right barrel had been lately discharged, and there was an exploded cap on the nipple. The left barrel was loaded with an ordinary charge of shot. The charge had passed nearly through the body of the deceased. It appeared in the course of the trial that the deceased was a most amiable man, and much liked by all who knew him. There never had been any quarrel between him and the prisoner. No explanation appeared in the course of trial to account for the extreme irritation under which the pri soner was labouring at the time he returned to the house. Elizabeth Dobson stated that Nicholson had not been paying her addresses, and that nothing had ever passed between her and the prisoner but the most ordinary civility. It was insinuated that Nicholson, who some times carried a gun, was a poacher, and had been on the ground the night before for poaching purposes, but no proof of this appeared. Mr. Sergeant WILKINS addressed the jury for the defence, pointing out that there was no motive what ever to induce the prisoner to injure a hair of the head of the deceased, and that they could not on their con sciences convict the prisoner, seeing that the gun might have gone off by accident, on the prisoner, in the state of agitation and anger in which he was against Eliza beth Dobson, drawing it back to prevent deceased get ting hold of it. If the hammer had caught in his dregs, and been partially raised, it would be quite sufficient to cause the charge to explode. His LORDSHIP having summed up, The jury, after some deliberation, returned a verdic of Not Guilty. August 10. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.) Alexander Montgomery, aged 17, a ditcher by occup don, was indicted for the wilful murder of Rebecca Lett, at Eaglesfield, on the 13th of May last. Mr. GaEIG (Mr. Brett with him) stated the case, and called Mary Lett, mother of the deceased, examined, said the deceased lived with them at Eaglesfield. Her daughter Ann was in service, but returned home ill of the small pox, and Rebecca, being afraid of the contagion, removed to the house of her aunt. She was of a weak mind, but able to do any work suitable to her age and sex. On the 7th of May she was perfectly well, and witness did not see her agai❑ till the 13th, when she was brought home by her aunt (S. Brough). She was then so ill, that she was obliged to be put to bed, and she grew worse and worse till the 15th, when she said to witness she wa going to die, and told her what caused it. That was on Monday, and on that evening she sent for a doctor. There was one attending Ann, who had not been for two days, and witness expected him that day. When she said she was going to die, witness said " Oh no, it was only a fever or the smallpox, and she would get better;" and she then began to tell her what had caused her illness. At this stage his LORDSHIP said that that answer made the receipt of her statement of what had taken place, as the dying declaration unsatisfactory, to his mind. He was by no means satisfied that the deceased had any real apprehension that she was on the point of death, and as the case could not be supported without that de claration being pat in evidence, it was useless to pro ceed further in a painful inquiry into details, which were not at all calculated to improve public morals; and he was the more satisfied to adopt that course, because, even if that dying declaration had been received, it seemed to him that, in connexion with the other evidence in the case, it was very doubtful whether the prisoner was the cause of the girl's death. At worst it could only have amounted to manslaughter, and he (the Learned Judge) was surprised that a bill for murder had been preferred. His Lordship then explained the law of evidence as to that point to the jury, and directed them to acquit the prisoner. John Murray, aged 26, a watchmaker, was indicted for bigamy, in marrying Martha Sanderson. Mr. UNTHANK (Mr. Brett with him) stated the case for the prosecution, as proved by the following evi dence:— John Douglas said he resided at Springfield, in Duna frieshire' where he kept the Queen's Head Inn, and was in the habit of marrying people. On the 6th of October, 1844, the prisoner, Mary Corrio, and John Hodgson, and another girl, came there in the evening. The pri soner said he wished to get married to Mary Corrie. Witness told him " he (witness) was ready for to do her," and he married them. He asked them if they were single people, and both answered they were. He asked them " if they knew no cause or impediment that they should not be married." The man said he acknow ledged Mary Corrie to be his wife, and the woman said she acknowledged John Murray to be her husband. Witness said to them, " they had acknowledged before witnesses to be man and wife, and they were accornding to the law of Scotland." That was all they said. He now produced a book,—(lt contained an entry of the marriage.) The prisoner signed it, and Mary Corrio made her mark, &c. Witness and his wife and Robert Hodgson signed it. A fortnight afterwards the prisoner and his wife slept together at the inn. Tho marriage took place after dark. Jane Douglas, his wife, and R. Hodgson corroborated this evidence. Martha Sanderson, a very young and rather pretty little girl, said she now resided in this city. and was taught the straw honact business. She formirly resided in Longtown, where she became acquainted with the ri sioner. After some time he offered her marriage. She told him it was said he was married to Mary Corrie. He denied it, and said he wished his right arm might drop off his body if ever he married that woman, and she consented, and they were married on the 31st of January last, at Murray's, the toll-bar keeper, at Alli son's Bank. John Cirey went with them. The prisoner told Murray (no relation) that he wanted to marry wit ness. Murray asked them if they were both single, and they replied they were. He then produced his book, and the prisoner wrote his name, and witness her mark. It was in the evening•, between seven and eight o'clock. She went home agai❑ to her father's, after remaining with hi'n three months. She slept at her father's for a fortnight after the marriage, before going to live with the prisoner as his wife. Cross-examined by Mr. MATTsEwa--She left him be cause he promised to marry her over again, and then would not. She wished to be married in &church. She used to get out unknown to her father and mother, and go to see the prisoner at his house, but his sister was there. John Murray, toll-bar keeper at Allison's bank, in the parish of Gretna, corroborated the last witness, and gave an account of the ceremony similar to that given by Douglas. Mr. J. Little, said he was a writer, and was acquainted with the Scotch law, and he was of opinion the first marriage was made valid and binding, though the words used were " will have," by the evidence of their sleep ing together a fortnight after, and the second would have been valid if the former had not existed. By this law of Scotland a contract in verbs in prossenti consti tutes per se a valid marriage, but to make it perfect and valid, when verba in futuro are used subsequent concu. bites is necessary. Joseph Carmichael proved that the prisoner's wife was alive on the 20th of July. She was in service near Bir mingham. Mr. Marrnews, for the prisoner, renewed an ob jection he had made before the trial, that his Lordship had no jurisdiction to try the offence, which was com mitted in Scotland.. The statute on this subject expressly provided the Act should not extend to Scotland. His Lordship said he had not changed the opinion he expressed last evening, that there was nothing in the objection, and proceeded to sum up, and The jury found the prisoner Guilty, on which His LORDSHIP said to the prisoner, that the offence he had been convicted of was somewhat common in this country, in consequence of its proximity to Scotland, where the ceremony could be performed with so much greater facility than in this country. He had committed a very cruel injury on that young girl, but as she had herself contributed to it by her imprudence, he should not transport him.. He sentenced him. to be imprisoned for 12. calendar months, with hard labour. . The above being the last case for trial, his Lordship passed sentence on the following prisoners:— Thomas Richardson and John M'Shaw, for highway robbery together and with violence, to be transported for 7 years. William Graham, for breaking into a granary by night, and stealing 15 fleeces, to be transported for 7 years. Joseph Winthorp, who pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary, to be imprisoned, with hard labour, for 12 ca lendar months. Charles Simpson pleaded guilty to stealing a piece of silk, four calendar months. John Randale pleaded guilty to stealing a hankerchief, bridle, some barley, and a bag, to be imprisoned three calendar months. (Before Mr. Justice ERLE.) John Bradshaw and John Brown, each aged 17, were indicted for a burglary in the House of Elizabeth Good fellow, in this city, on the 30th July last. Mr. James and Mr. Lawrie conducted the prosecution; Mr. Overend for the prisoners. It appeared from the evidence that on the morning of Sunday, the 30th of July last, Mr. Reeves, a lodger in the house of the prosecutrix, was disturbed a little before four o'clock in the morning, whilst in bed, and observed a man in his bed-room, who, on seeing Mr. Reeves, immediately ran away. Mr. Reeves gave alarm to the police, when two officers came up and followed two men (who were the prisoners) into some fields at the back of the house. One officer (Dodd) pursued and took Brown, who, whilst running away, had been ob served to throw something from him, which, on after wards being taken up, was found to be a mustard spoon, which had been taken from the house; his waistcoat being also marked with mustard. Another officer (Bewley) followed the other prisoner, Bradshaw, but being outstepped by him, lost sight of him. He was able to identify him, however, and he was subsequently taken, and the evidence of his identity was corroborated by the circumstance of a pair of shoes being found close to the house where the burglary had been committed, which were proved to have been seen on Bradshaw a week before by the superintendent of the police. Several other articles were taken from the house, and two silver spoons were found in the pocket of Mr. Reeves's great coat, supposed to be put there by the prisoners with the intention of their being taken away. Mr. Reeves described the window as being closed-by him on the previous night. After the alarm, the window was found open, and several bottles had been removed from the windows. Mr. OVEREND objected that Mr. Reeves was the tenant of the house, and not the prosecutrix Miss Good fellow. His objection was overruled, and Mr. OVEREND addressed the jury for the prisoners. Mr. Justice ERLE summed up, and The jury found both prisoners Guilty. They were then sentenced to be transported for ten years. This case ended the assizes here, at half-past one o'clock in the afternoon. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, AUG. 11. _ _ STOCK EXCHANGE. —The ;hare market has been more active than for the last two days, and the sales effected have been:—Bristol and Exeter Shares, 31% dis.—Ditto, New, 12 dis.—Great Western, Quarter Shares, 2% di5....-Midland, 6 per cent.—Birmingham and Gloucester, 117. • LIVERPOOL, AUG. 11. Srocx EXCHANGE.—LittIe business has been transacted in our share market to-day. Prices have also receded a little. The sales are—Caledonian, Preference. 7 per cent., Bs. 9d.— Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths (late Manchester and Leeds), 1 1 / 2 dis.—Ditto, 101. Preference, 6 per cent., 3 4 p.—London and North-Western, 123 1 / 2 —Ditto, New Quarters, Ai p.—Midland Stock, 101 1 / 2 c.—Ditto, New Halves, 6 1 / 2 die. MANCHESTER, AUG. 11. &Mae EXCHANGE. —The sales are—Birkenhead. Lanca shire, and Cheshire Junction, 31/. Shares, 8 die.-- Edinburgh and Glasgow, 38—Lancashire and Yorkshire, Preference, 6 per cent., 3 / 4 c. p.—Ditto (Preston and Wyre), 343% —Lostlon and North-W es t ern, Q uarters (A and B), 1 3 / 4 p.--Dato, Quarters (C), 2% p.—Manchaster, Sheffield, and Liacolnshire, 10/. Preference, 104—Ditto (Grimsby), 201. Shares, 9 dis.—North Staffordshire, 34 dis.—South- Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 3 1-16 dis. BIRMINGHAM, Aus. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.— The sales are—Caledonian, Pre ference, 1 ,4 p.—North British, Thirds, 2 1 / 4 dis.—North Staffordshire, 3 1 4 dis. x. d.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 5% dis.—Ditto (B), 3 3 4 dis. YORK,IO. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business transacted to-day was as follows :—Great Northern, Si. 19s.—North British, Thirds, V. 6s. 6d.—York (original Newcastle and Berwick), 30%. BURKE'S HISTORY OF THE LANDED GENTRY ; SUPPLEMENTARY VOLUME.—The supplement to this great national work has just appeared, and completes one of the most important historical and heraldic under takings of modern times. IN o country in Europe can boast of a similar record of ancestral grandeur. The portion of the hock now issued comprises five hundred additional families, "all of high standing, and many of pre-eminent distinction. Among others we observe the following:—Allfrey, Andrews, Annesley, Aufrere, Bas kerville, Best, Billam, Blaythwayt, Boycolt, Brantill, Brooke, Bulkeley, Carthew, Casbourne, Chauney, Clif ford, Clive, Croft, Dawson, Denison, Dering, Dilke, Edk . wardes, Eld, Elmhurst, Emerson, Errington, Erelyei Fawcett, Fetherstonhaugh, Frere, Fullerton, Gardner; Gooden, Green, Hildyard, Hollinshead, Holland, Hunt, Johnson, Kekewich, Lee, Lowndes, Mostyn, Moultree, Norcliffe, Phillimore, Radcliffe, Reynardson, Rawstone, Rolfe, Scarisbrick, Short, Storer, Walker, Whitbread, IVyndliam, Wynne, Yonge, [ADVERTISEMENT.]-LA Cure of Rheumatism by Holloway's Pills, certified by Mr. James Rochford, of Port Phillip, who states that his wife Mrs. Lydia Roch ford was affected with Rheumatism in the head for fif teen months, and although attended by the best medical practitioners she could obtain no relief, it also affected the palate of her mouth to such a degree that she could not articulate her words properly. She was advised to try Holloway's Pills, and by their efficacy she has been restored to her usual good state of health. This won derful cure is now made public for the sake of suffering humanity. Holloway's Pills are equally efficacious in the severest cases of gout. Sold by all Druggists, and at Profsssor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. LUDICROUS MISUNDERSTANDING.—Two gentlemen angling in the Thames at Newham lately, could not agree upon the appearance of one of their favourite baits, the horse fly, and they agreed to refer the question to s rustic whom they saw ploughing at a little distance, and accosted thus—" Whoy," said Hodge, with some aston ishment, " Noa, dr'at it; I never seed a horse fly, but I once seed a cow fall down a precipice." BIRTHS. On the 7th inst., at Hammersmith, Middlesex, the wife of J. C. Christopher, of a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Glocester-road, Hyde-park-gardens► Mrs. H. Grainger, of a son. On the 9th inst., at York-crescent, Clifton, the wife of VT* Gray Clarke, Esq., of a son. On the 10th inst., at Torrington-square, Mrs.. marslial l Turner, of a son. On the 10th inst., at Essex-street, the wife of W. R. C° l6 ' Esq., of the Middle Temple, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 10th inst.. at St. Mary's, Islington, Mr. W. M atin i der, of Portland-place, to Mary Louisa, fourth daughter of the late Captain Armstrong, of Plymouth. At St. Mary's, Fulham, on the 10th inst., Captain J. 179 -' Renny, Bombay Army, to Mary llarriet, only daughte r 01 Captain W. Anderson, late let Life Guards. DIED. On the 7th inst., at I3lessington-street, Dublin, A . . Maclean, aged 16, only son of Commander R. Maclean. Royal Navy. On the 7th inst, at Park, Nottingham, Mary, widow o f G. L. Cox, Esq., aged 82. ,_aged 81, At Stockingtord, Warwickshire, on the sth inst. Christian, relict of the late T. Pinkerton, Esq., of "t c ' n ' in the same county. On the 9th inst., at Langham, Norfolk, Captain Frederick Marryat, R.N., C. 8., F.R.S., aged 56. On the 9th inst., at Bathurst-street, Hyde-park, ?Marian Susanna, the elder daughter of J. Moore, Esq., age,z_. London: Printed and Published by 111IIRDO YOUNG,.I.I6 t No. 112, Tk Sun Office, Dia Jial :3Lraud, in Ile aavoy, in the coallo Middlesex, Saturday, August 12, 1848. A 1 OPE !I - 6N of th twill, uu Between La Between Loi Between Loi Between Lo: Between Loi N.B. The triage, and fa Passenger reaching the Papress Tra On an( ARBROATI to CARLI LONDON Trains leav Arbroath Dundee Perth • • tdinburnt • Arrive at Carlisle • • Xewcastle Preston Manchester LiYerpool tirminghaz London LONDON, LISLE, DUNDE Trains leai London ili rmi ngb a Liverpool lialcheste Preston liewcastle Carlisle . Arrive a' zainbargh ' 4 lasgovr ?erth • • • Dundee Arbroath IT( London at Pawns, ham, Lon( nshain, WI; Prest Cornpan ..., C HE ...The CH attOtTG kop erly , t he railwa The Adi "70 horse. Alaction tou r how, 1 . Pron "tag, wit .4 t ug Mo Quarter 2 .Frou th. Mo le rnoon 1 ." --.6erne'or j„. Froi ~4 41° Le ; Te et rainu S. t .. 27 ' The the Lion ther 4 trlvin g k, anc 4s Ot 01 1 the Bt 43 1gUsl ........____ EC( 6 DEPUT Y Artalir Arthur 1 Henry Hobert 4obert The fc ECON LO t than tht A BO I.4l unt accrue t Three fits, the atium, In fu Jkasuree The Pr(lsil be so su , be liemb cari le^.e take J eth Patiei hottat Me Oxfor till tv Let itt ON Jun it 1;;