The Sun. — London, England, 1852-03-19 00:00:00

wheth lih ether stri c tl y t h e Government were justified in e r be e " any grant; eeenee that. 30,000/. akeedy IA 11 voted, he telt, though sympathising as much as any er acht m with the sufferers, bound to oppose the motion ss t he Hon. Member. ' G ul l% HERBERT thought that as the Right Hon. e ntlemen the Chancellor of the Exchequer could not e t , . have had time to consider all the details of the ques tun, it would have been better if the Hon. Member for ~a t)l in had delayed a little bringing the question for ts i n o ar d• He did not deny that, in the present case, the , had arisen f wa nt of ability and want of Ileum fr om the it to be s on the part of the trustees; but ought hod r ills d taken o,w th sy at the Act passed by the House in 1844 the responsibility of the tru.teefe and w ad not given any protection to the depositors against that of honesty on the part of trustees. He admitted ha.:there was no case in which depositors in savings banks been compensated by the Govercment in case of fed ora'c but he might remind the Chancellor of the Ex t.:quer that compensation had been granted to the suf ;eta by th e E xc h eque r-bill frauds ot 18 42 . True , they re rich m erc h an t s , and not pour men. He had he a rd wi th satisfaction that the whole subject was to receive the attention o f th e Government. That being the case , il u Zwould advise the Hon. Member for Dublin to with "Tv his motion for the present. • The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND re- Zliettiended the Hon. Member for Dublin to withdraw e taotion, and said a few words in explanation of the t a lihions he had expressed on the question. He still re ed those opinions, and had formed them in conse quence of the admissions in the report that the Commis tii antra for the Reduction of the National Debt had not erciaed the powers with which they were entrusted. NO question was of more importance to the community Lualt that of savings banks, and he rejoiced to know that bChancellor of the Exchequer was ab out to direct attention to the subject. He hoped —indeed he had t,, eason to believe—that arrangements were in contempla tion for putting those institutions on a basis which would free that security to depositors to which they were en titled. Under these circumstonces he rocommended the Honourable Member for Dublin not to press the tootion to a division. Mr. HUME concurred with the Right Hon. and L earned Gentleman, that the loss in this case had arisen r ° ll l the fault of the public officers. That being the lie, the responsibility in his opinion fell ultimately on asGovernment. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer told them that the whole question would be consi e,ted. he recommended the Hon. Member for Dublin to W lihdraw his motion. s b si r H. WILLOUGHBY was one of those who bad ? eted to th e l ate C hauce ll o r o f the Exchequer paying Tee e, grant of public money on the ground o f charity. -01noliediuuerti tor the Reduction of the National I nad neglected their duty in allowing the ba nk to re -14.1 deposits when they ought to have , kno w n t hat it was Ip Le'vent. Having already voted 30,0001.. the Howie 47bontid, he thought, to vote the remaining 34,0001 . t e e would di v id e with the Hon. Member for D ublin if ‘Preased his motion to a division, but after what had ° said he w ou ld a d v ise the Hoe. Gentleman to with draw h . 40 111 Al r• SCULLY thought the motion was on e which Coa l hot with justice be resisted. The retort of the It ood in kttee showed that the Cuffee-street Savings Bank nee; 'n a different position from the other cases of , D .ge banks which had failed. The grant of 30.000/. a ss , s l ) Was an admission that such was the case. Triers Glee same grounds now as in that year, for grant eieniPeneation, and if the Hon. Member divided he I tti vote with him. lase the statement said he had heard with much plea tlAt bee statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer tell the whole question of the savings banks was to be 1 considered by the Government, but he regretted to farmed the Right Hoe. Gentleman declaring that he re fismild the case of the depositors in the Cuffe-street If l t il h gtßank as finally settled by the grant of 30,0001. et lo a m been thought right to grant that sum, he was to conceive why the remaining 10s. in the kiv e utihOlild be refused. His Hon. Colleague mig ht brought that question prematurely before . the . et tk • but that circumstance could not affect the justice tim e case. ke it t *,W• WILLIAMS said it appeared to him to be tlet t „ - "esitable that the Government should without any teeki t flke into their consideration the expediency of kiti o — g a change in the existing law with respect to dee_ gabanks , in order to protect t he p ublic as well as resit ° ~ k e h ,'...YNOLDS replied. If the Chancellor of the etai h - `qiier would give him an assurance that he would, tlfle s - t F the present session of Parliament, reconsider that ete u ,: e n Without pledging himself to any particular lee k -e jith respect to it, he (Mr. Reynolds) should not %se ra - "'s motion to a division; but without some such I lloala u f e on the part of the Right Hon. Gentleman, he Lick, "',,eem it his duty to divide the House on the ques- Ite mas _Qe found on the benches opposite seven Hon. Ne t re Who had voted with him on that subject in the bet se bO, Among them was the Noble Lord the Mem- Itt it r Tyrone (Lord C. Hamilton), the Hon. and Gal- , b tu , ‘ , loriel the Member for Portarlington (Colonel ,Na l il s e l, the Honourable Member for the Univers it y of tto s , ( Z(tfir. G. A. Hamilton), and the colleague of that ble Member, the Attorney-General for Ireland. lad latter Honourable and Learned Gentleman r .11Protnised his constituents at the period of his ol k i,„"tion that be would continue to advocate the tlef these depositors; he had also pledged himself tioa7 (Mr. Reynolds) that he would second that mo th‘t and like an honourable and honest man he bad t hat e t ve ning redeemed his pledge. He regretted to find „te l i p„ se eloquence of the first law officer of the Crown ` l ll t h ' a nd appeared to have produced so little effect on ~ept , :ancellor of the Exchequer; and he could not help illt s ,,: s aing a hope that her Majesty's Ministers would ki•tto their Irish advisers, whenever the counsel they /1 1 give should be of a benevolent character. ; House then divided, when there appeared— Fo r the ... 40 A motion ••• ••• ••• gainst it ... 169 INp Majority against the motion ... —129 °TRIAL AND PROVIDENT PARTNER SHIPS. IN I, LANEY, after having presented two petitions q teljo ee ds and another place in favour of a measure for ,tifeet ti 'ng the formation ot industrial and provident part fsP3s proceeded to move for leave to introduce a tei d u.r the purpose of carrying out that object. He Poo h .? Was must desirable to afford the middle and Classes the means of safely investing their fi resea," for their own benefit. That subject had al actedniott on several occasions the consideration s ° ,,Qtaii le rtime. In the course of the last session he had Par Committee which had inquired into the law la tt," n ership, and the obstacles which that law threw `111t6, 11 3' of investments by the humbler classes, and e ye s -I nueittee had recommended the removal of those nos ' e a• 'Under the existing system if a number of !lay k r ° eine were to put their savings together, and if ntte e n g l e Person among them were to take hold of the :elehp property, there was no tribunal before „ 1 : 1 (1 t h:le could be brought to answer for his misdeed, r ye the re Was no mode by which any dispute between hearties could be decided. His object was to devise 4 _ l) f th:gY for that evil. He asked that the provisions p ,sutie, s 'riendly Society Act, the 13th and 14th of Vic vlittem.ught be extended to the industrial and provident otterships among the humbler classes. life s t he motion of an Hort. MEMBER the House was ti Gne thes e Counted ; but it having been ascertained that - were 40 Members present the sitting was con d. L .,Me • s r. --A •NEY then concluded by moving for leave bringliliciwthe Bill. Mr- weak been seconded, • OLE - i t y,er to allow the Ho uald there was no objection what ‘4lB b . t the details Gentleman to bring in a Bill on late u Je° ail* of which could be discussed at a re stage. accordingly R 1,1711111 Leave was PUBLIc to bring in the Bill. *qr. EWART moved the re- S ' kit . pointment of a COM - i r e e s, bb f U a b i l 11: 1 te e on public librari es •oi the - purpose of print bring in a Bill al further returns relati P lc libraries abroad. — ARTERIAL DRAINAGE—IRELAN D. to is !' FRENCH, in moving for leave t o operation in te ss rettd the Acts relating to arterial dhrsaiti.notatge tl i4 ", , Observed that the system at present in .eeexisti ti ng e in Ire ke?olintry gave great dissatisfaction gete---aeheleg at present in a state of suspension, Ito - the attention of ber Majesty's Ministers to the hof the law; and, w hether he obtained leave to e o in this orßill not, his object would b . e gained if ▪ lt . "'aJelity's Government w ould turn their attention 41 kijee - CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUERhe late od Go e 0 vsei e ,_ — t had been under the consideration of t to it on eek,`ueet, as he had found papers referring gAttor lifiy:tl into office. His Right Hon. Friend the ort. , a4 eer n eral for Ireland was fully aware of the te'efluee;ethe subject, and he (the Chancellor of tihmepEx iket t4iit / could assure the HOQ. Gentleman opposite that 'Neu t e r would not fail to engage the attention of her Itt r. a Ministers. es FRENCH.„ then withdrew his mo tion. r THE LATE ATTACK O N LAGOS. the X 1 ME moved for copies of the instructions of I ds of • er,the Admiralty, dated the 14th day of Oc -40.a 1 of °?1, to Commodore Bruce , or the officer in corn its nee her Majesty's ships of war on the west coast of 'NM' with co or extracts of all treaties and corre a, e nc ., pes t ake e, to show the nature of the alliance with the h i ltts or ehief Akitoge; also copies or extracts . of the 1 4 .41 5 0 , 1 " s to Mr . Consul Beecroft, by which he join her under the chief Akitoge ... to join her u s % ° lorees in the war against Lagos; and copies of t if i tto4Ptitchee as will chew the causes of the . t with o cai e e r f •• Of the proclamation a war agai ns t re of or king at Lagos; end an account o f h e hum 6:4 4 Acers and men killed and wounded in the ' actions at or near that town in December, 1851. te e , ras s P r eciamation or offer of reward for the capture L b 0 . And copies or extracts of the dispetches m i hna to : Admiralty and Fereign-uffice in answer to at a l. OCT' Eruce's and Mr. Beecroit's letters ; and `ne orders for hoisting the British colours tepeetee y ee "..' 4I iNCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said "Vea no objection whatever to granting the papers fOr by the Hon. Gentleman. ° N e t ' num SIR J. BROOKE. kcal t„ —E moved that an bumble address be pee 4t-s4tt ia ue r Majesty for a copy of a letter from Mr. tCle 28 Urns to Lord Palmerston, dated Singapore, e ia lltnett 1 851, with its enclosures, complaining of the j,:utee s ' e ,na and discouragements he had received to his 1,743 f. 's - 6 3 0 " 11 . affairs in Borneo at the hands of her Ma li it i d nitnissioner and Consul-General to the Sultan . t tv rtil :P e ndent chiefs of Borneo, while prosecuting his Ita a e o ulneercitil proceedings in that country, together kr. HENRYi' of any answers thereto. 41 . , %11 . 4 fe _c• . DRUMMOND said, the Hon. Gentle b,7ller nights ago had given notice of a motion s de? the present, but that motion contained a state "4l4 Was not the fact. The same operation was THE SUN, performed by the Hon. Gentleman several times last tfc kept continual motions on the paper relating to the conduct of Sr James Brooke, and opon the same principle, he supposed, that calumny, like flattery, should be laid on thick enough, so that some o it at hot might stick, he had contrived to keep that gentleman's name be fore the House until the end of the ses;doe. The Hoe. Gentleman had had the kindness and urbanity to write him a private letter to beg him to take the earliest op portunity, when this subject came before the House, to make some amenderespecting some observations which he (Mr. Drummond) had made as applied to a Mr. Miles last year. He'replied to the Hon. Gentleman in general terms that he would not do that justice to Mr. Miles which the Hon. Gentleman had requested him to do, but he would do that justice to Mr. Miles in his place in that House whenever an opportunity occurred. Re peatedly had he sought that opportunity, but never had he been able to get one; and be was not now going to apo logise, or extenuate, or deny one word he bad said last . year; on the contrary, he had only insinuated last year, and now he was going to assert positively—(A laugh)— that the letter of this Miles, which the Honourable Gentleman published in the papers, and which he (Mr. Drummond) proved to the Hon. Gentleman in that House was a forgery—C No," from Mr. Hume) t he proved it to be a forgery, for he showed from the hand writing of that gentleman—a gentleman he would not call him—( A laugh)—of that man—that be could neither spell nor write. Nevertheless, that false testimony the Hon. Gentleman made use of, and never had he ex plained either to Sir J. Brooke or to that House why he brought forward that false testimony. He (Mr. Drummond) thought he had asserted that Miles, upon whose information the Hon, Gentleman relied, was a runaway convict. He insinuated it before; he now said it, and he said that Miles was worse—that he was a thoroughly worthless fellow—(Hear, and a laugh)— arid he would now proceed to prove what he had stated. He had an affidavit by a Mr. Henry Adams, which was as follows: "Western Australia, Perth, Oct. 10.1851. "I, Henry Adams, late of Adelaide, in the province of South Australia, but now of the colony of Western Aus tralia, master mariner, master and owner ofthe schooner Unknown, solemnly declare as follows:—That is to say, that I was in the police force in the province of South Australia for about 15 months; that a person who passed by the name of Peter Loyd kept a house of ill fame called the Scotch Thistle; that the police force aliens s had their eyes on the said Peter Layd as be was considered a very bad character, and that the Scotch Thistle was frequently searched by the police for stolen goods, and for persons suspected of robberies; that I saw a man called William Miller accuse the said P..ter Loyd openly upon a race course in South Australia of havatg picked his pocket, when several bystanders declared they had seen the t heft committed by the said Peter Loyd, and when I saw the said Peter Loyd return the said William Miller the sum of 35., being the amount alleged to have been stolen from him on that occasion by the said Peter Loyd; that the stores of Messrs. Murray and Gregg, of Adelaide, were robbed, and that there was very strong ground fur sus pecting the robbery had been committed by the said Peter Loyd, sod a men named Ring; that, accord ingly a reward was offered by the local Goveinment for their apprehension, and the pace were sent in search of them, but were unable to arrest them , as the y rode to Cape Jervis, and succ.eded in gutting on board a vessel shortly before the arrival of the pollee in pursuit; that I knew him, Peter Loyd, well dating his residence in Ade laide, and that he there lived with a woman who passed as his wife, and who escaced with him from Cape Jervis; that I heard this woman state that he, Peter Loyd, was a runaway convict: that I did not again see the said Peter Loyd until the year 1844, when he arrived at Freemantle, in the said colony of West Australia as owner of the Buffalo, from Singapore, and passed under the name of William Henry Miles; that I at once recog nised him, and could sot be mistaken as to his identity; that I then heard be was about to be married to a daughter of Mr. Wicketead, who kept a public house at Freemantle, and that I conceived it to be my duty to, and I accordingly did, communicate to Mr. Wickstead what I knew of the said Peter Loyd or Wil liam Henry Miles, and particularly that I bad reason to believe he was then a married man; that I afterwards met at Singapore several persons who informed me that the woman whom I bad formerly known as the wife of the said P. Loyd, or W. H. Miles, at Adelaide, and also Mrs. Miles, the daughter of the said Mr. Wicksi ead, whom the said P. Loyd or W. H. Miles married at Freemantle aforesaid, hod both been resident at Singa pore together; but I did not on that occasion see the said P. Loyd or W. H. Miles, as he was then at La buan, where I learned he had gone to lease or work a coal mine. (Signed) "H. B. ADAMS. " Subscribed by the abovenamed H. E. Adams in my. presence, at Perth, Western Australia, this 10th day of October, 1851. (Signed) W. H. MAMIE , j . 1 3" " Commis.eioner of the Civil Court of Western Australia, anti Chairman of the Court of Quarter Sessions." It was upon the authority of that man that the Hon. Gentleman brought forward all his charges against Sir J. Brooke last year—("Nol" from Mr.Hume)—and that was the man whom the Hon. Gentleman called upon him, on the authority of a respectable London merchant to do justice to. The respectable London merchant stood godfather for the respectability of Peter Loyd, a partner in his veracity and in his respectability. Would the Hon. Gentleman be so good 'as to tell the House who was that respectable English merchant? Respectable! —yes, a man that kept a gig.—(A laugh.) Mr. HUME hoped the don. Gentleman who had just spoken would tell the House where he had got the docu ment from which he had just read. For himself, he would say that he did not believe a word of the allega tions contained in it. He had stated to the lion. Gen tleman, that as he had in his place calumniated Mr. Miles, be thought it was an act of justice to explain it, and he asked the Hon. Gentleman whether he bad seen the proceedings that had taken place in the court at Sin gapore for a libel, in consequence of the statement mentioned by the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. Miler's letter was given to him by a merchant on whose authority he relied, and he published it ou that authority—the autho rity of a respectable English merchant in this country. The Honourable Gentleman had on a former occasion produced a document, and said that Mr. Mites could not write. The letter, certainly, was badly spelt; that was a type of what that individual could write,and, if he should say it was not very creditable. But, bow did that letter get into the possession of the Hon. Gentle man ? Was it stolen when the troops made the attack which had been referred to at the suggestion of Sir .1. Brooke ? and did that Hon. Gentleman know that Mr. Miles had brought an action in the Court of Singapore against Sir J. Brooke or his agent ? In the opinion of the judge at Singapore the real libeller was the Hon. Member for Surrey. As to Sir James Brooke, his con duct had continued as monstrous as it had begun. Be fore any satisfaction had been made for his previous excesses, Sir James Brooke, on the 31. t of July, had an ambush laid for 4.000 persons, whom, in order to create a pretext for plundering them, he chose to call pirates, whereas they were not pirates, nor anything of the sort. Of those 4.000 persons 500 were barbarously slaughtered, and 1,500 more or less injured. For the mass acre and injuries of these poor people the Govern ment had to pay 20,700/. ; yet no inquiry was to be granted into this barbarous; and disgraceful outrage. An Hose. MEMBER here moved that the House be counted; and, it being found that only thirty-three Members were present, The Home atjEight o'clock stood adjourned till this day PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. .---.0.—..—. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons ) THURSDAY, MARCH 18. CUFFE-STREET SAVINGS BANK, DUBLIN. Motion made, and Question put, " That this House will, upon Tuesday next, resolve itself into a Committee, to con sider of au humble Address to be presented to her Majesty, praying that her Majesty may be graciously pleased to take the case of the sufferers in the late Cuffe-street Savings Bank, Dublin, into her royal consideration, and to grant them a compensation for their losses, and to assure her jesty that this House will make good the same." The House divided: — MINORITY—AYES, 40. Bright, John Heard, J. I. Power, Nicholas Sunbury, William Herbert, H. A. Salwey, Colonel Butler, P. S. llorsman, E. Scholefield, William Chichester, Lord J. Hume, Joseph Shafto, R. D. Cobden, Richard llutch ins, E. J. Somers, J. P. Cogan, w. H. Johnstone, James Tenison, E. K. „ra,..,..w.ft'rd,Robt. W. Keating, Robert Tennent, R. J. Gpi".;res:ewuune,,ReC:ohloiamenheeister Meagher,M`Cullagh, W. T. Thompson, Colonel French, .Thomas Walmsley, Sir J. Goold, Vvnydh Mahon, O'Gorman Willoughby, Sir IL Monsell, William Grace, O. D. . Morris, David TELLERS. Grogan, E. Napier Joseph Reynolds, John Hamilton, 3, H. O'Connell, Maurice Scully, Francis O'Connell, hi. J. MAJORITY --NOES, 169. Adderley, C. B. Forester, G. W . L. C. Fox, S. w Alcock, Thomas Milner, W. M. Bailey, Joseph Fox, W. j . Milnes, R. M. Baillie, H. J. Fuller, A. X. Moncreiff, James Baird James Gallwey, Sir yr. Morgan, 0. Bankes, G. Gibson, T. M. Mundy, William Bell, Jacob Gladstone, W. E. litt: John Bennet, Philip Goddard, A. L. Newdegate, C. N. Bentinck, Lord H. Gordon, Admiral Packs, C. W. BeresfOrd, William Goulburn, Henry Pakington, Sir J. Blandford, Marquis Granby, Marquis of Palmer, Hobert Greene, Thomas Booker, T. W. Patten, J. W. Bramsten• T. W' Grey; Sir G. Peel, Colon e l Bridges, Sir B • Halford, Sir H. Pilkingte n , James Hall, Colonel Powlett, Lord W, liyotharton , J. lialiewell. E. G. Pugh, David Bruce, C. L. C. H a milton, G. A. Renton, John C. Buller, Sir J. Y. H a ydinge, C. S• Ricardo, Osman Burghley, Lord Barris, Captain Rushout, Captain Campbell, Sir A. .. .i har d Russell, Lord John Harris, n c Carter, J. B. Chandos, Marquis Hastie, Alex a nder Scobell, Captain Christopher, it. A. Hatchell, John Seymer, Henry Ken Clay, James Kayos, Sir B. Blaney, R. A. Clay, Sir W. Headialn, T. E. Sotheron, T. Stafford, August= Clive, H. B. Heneage, G. H • Collins, Thomas Henley, J. W. Stanley, Edward Compton, H. C. Herries, J.:C. Stansffeld, W. R. Corry, Henry Hildyard, E. C• Cotton, W. H. Hildyard, T. B. Strickland , ds Sir G. Sir G. Cowan, Charles Hill, Lord E. Stewart, Admiral Cowper, W. F. Hindley Charles Stuart, IL Craig, Sir W. G. Hobhouse, T. B. Start, 11 G• • Davie, Sir H, Hodgson, W. N. Tennent, Sir J. Davies, D. A. Hope, Sir J. 1 Deedes, W. Hudson, G. Disraeli, B. Jackson, William TT Tr rhe o eBv llO gr' r ne e , G'' ir S S ir riF i • • Dod, J. W. Jolliffe, Sir W. G. Tyler, Sir G. Drummond, Henry Jones, Captain Tyre,ll, Sir J. Drummond, Home Kershaw, James Verney, Sir H. Duckworth, Sir J. Knight, F. W. Vivian, J. E. Duncan, George Lacy, H. C. Vivian, J. H. Duncombe, A. Langton, W H. Waddington, H. S. Duncombe, 0. Lennox, Lord A. Walpole, S. H. Duncombe, W. E. Lennox, Lord B. G. Watkins, Colonel Duncuft, John Lockhart, A. E. Wawn, J. T. Du Pre, C. G. Long, W. Welby, G. E. East, Sir J. B. Lygon, General Westhead, J. B. Edwards, Henry Mackie, John Whiteside, James Egerton, Sir P. DV Gregor, John Williams, John Estcourt, J. B. B. Manners, Lord G. Williams, W. Ewart, William Manners, Lord J. Wodehouse,Edmand Ferrer, James Masterman, John Wood, Sir Charles Fellowes, E. Maunsell, T. P. Wynn, H. w. Fergus, John Melgund, Viscount Ferguson, Sir R. Meux, Sir Henry . TELLSIIII. Floyer, John Miles, P. W. S. ' Mackenzie, W. F. Forbes, W. Miles,-WiLliam - - Bateseni T. Fordyce. A. D. Milligan, Robert LONDON, THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES AND TRANSPORTATION. A large dnee:etion of mercantile and other gentlemen connected with the Australian colonies had an interview with the Right Hon. Sir J. Pakington on Wednesday, at the Colouial-effiee, on the subject of transpertation. There were present—Sir W. Molesworth, M P., Mr. Ewart, M.P. Mr. Adderley, M.P., and Mr. Cn is h o lm Anstey, M.P.; ; and the following gentlemen, represen ting the tour colonies of New South Wales, Van Die men's Land, Victoria, and South Australia:—Messrs. R. Brooks, C. McLachlan, E. Gore, W. Jackson, S. Ken nard, G. H. Donaldson, W. Fanning, A. Michie, W. Walker, J. A. Jackson, T. S. Atkins, J. C. King, G. Morphett—Bolton, and James Alexander. Sir W. MOLESWORTH, after introducing the gentle men present, observed that they sought this interview in consequence of having heard that several ships containing convicts were about to sail for Hobart Town, and they would intreat Sir J. Pakington to stop the sailing of these vessels, and net to transport any more convicts ' to Van Diemen's Land in opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants of that and the other Australian colonies, and in violation of the promise of the British Government that transportation to Van Die men's Land should be abolished. Sir William then referred to the particulars of that promise, the dis content its non-fulfilment had produced. and the nume rous petitions received during the last five years from the bishop, archdeacons, clergy of all denominations, pa rents and guardians, women, and, in short, the vast ma jority of the inhabitants. All the other colonies sympa thised with Van Diemen's Land; and they also knew that, in censequence of the overstocking of Van Diemen's Land with convicts, transportation to that colony was, in fact, transporation to all the colonies. A great Austra lasian League had been formed, and was supported by leading men in all the colonies. Large meetings had been held, not only in Van Diemen's Land, but in Syd ney, Paramatta, Melbourne, Geelong, and Adelaide, at which resolutions complaining of the breach of faith of the British Government were carried by acclamation. From one of these meetings ho (Sir William) had this year presented a petition to the House of Commons, signed by the Metropolitan Bishop of Sydney, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, and by 8,9001 persons. He had another petition, us numerously signed, still to present. On the 29th July last a large public meeting had been held at Sydney, and an address to her Majesty was agreed to, praying the dismissal of the Secretary of State for the Colonies in consequence of his continuing to send convicts to Van Diemen's Land. Since then the Le gislature of New South Wales had unanimously passed a resolution against transportation to any of the Austra lian colonies. He was informed that all the members elected to serve under the new constitution for Van Die men's Land were pledged to oppose transportation. Lastly, the few respectable persons who were in favour of the convict system had become anti-transportationists in consequence of the gold discoveries, for they consi dered it madness to send convicts to an El Dorado, and one of the surest means of encouraging crime. Me as sured Sir J. Pakington that the Australian colonies were on the eve ot becoming potent States; their inlas eitaats were inclined to be thoroughly attached and de votedly loyal to the British Empire. They would long entertain those feelings if wisely and prudently governed; but the continuation of transportation would soon destroy those feelings of attachment and loyalty. Mr. EWART begged to remind Sir J. Pakington that he (Mr. Ewart) had attended at the Colonial-office with a highly respectable deputation of colonists, on this very subject, as far back as the year 1846, when they had the honour of urging on the then Secre tary of State a consideration of the fearful condition ot Van Diemen's Land, in conseqaence of the excess of the convict population there. Ttiat deputation he believed, had induced the then Government to suspend for two years further transportation to that colony—a measure which was generally considered to be merely prelimi nary to the total discontinuance of the system. The time, therefore, had now arrived when the subject should be definitively settled to the satisfaction of the colonists—a result which he regretted to say had been by far too long delayed. Mr. ADDERLEY followed, urging on the Secretary of State: the paramount importance of the Government keeping faith with the colonists, and vindicating its own credit by acting up to the promise which had been made to them by Lord Grey that transportation should be discon , inued. That it would not be honest to neg lect to do so. He referred to the great and universal excitement among the colonists upon the subject, and to the extensive organisation by means of " the Australa sian League." He urged the policy of at once aban doning a course as unstatesmanlike as it would prove abortive, and further perseveracce in which would only exasperate the Australian colonies, and eventually lead to an organised resistance, similar to that which had been successfully carried out by the colonists of the Cape ; and he expressed his firm belief that if the Bri tish Government suffered one other such defeat as had been sustained in the case of that colony, it would go far to destroy our colonial empire. In his opinion it was a consideration that transcended all others, and compared with which all suggestions of possible embar rassment or inconvenience to Governments sank into ab solute insignificance —that this great country should up hold its character by honestly and faithfully keeping all its engagements with every one of its dependencies. Mr. ANSTEY had also participated in the movement referred to by Mr. Ewart in 1846, and had hoped for a successful result long before this. He had every motive to induce him to co-operate on such an occasion, as he had immediate family connexions in two of the colonies. His brother had lately contested successfully the repre sentation of an important constituency in Van Diemen's Land, and corroborated the statements of Sir W. Moles worth. He had last year presented a petition to the House of Commons of a very interesting character from the native born colonists of the island, and it would here after be his duty to draw the attention of the Rouse to the important statements it contained. He forcibly urged the claims of the colony on the immediate atten tion of her Majesty's Government; and observed, that if the active agitation hitherto carried on against trans portation in Van Diemen's Land had of late abated, it was because the recent geld discoveries in the adjacent colony of Port Philip had led to the belief that it would be weeny impossible to continue it any longer in face of such an event. inapplicable to political ques tions, The majority of mankind think the right judgPmeOntLeilthTerlCwAhoLlly FORBEAR A N bce of private E am th o a st t a le a l ar t e t c o o u h r a c v e e . in natural - guided, oeo o u r rs o e n , ly th t e o re be i c s al a led sp in ec to ie e s x o e f rc w is h e a a t s pmay called animal comfort in leaning on some vederable junta or some disdaguished nor. Ilappy th,t man who at this present crisis can pin his faith on a superior mind or r o e n s e l s ec w ta o b r l k e s c e li t q o u n e e , , whether it be that of Russell, or of Derby, or that of Cobden, or that of some other and healthy proportions, and, poli tician leading or seeking a party. It is explained, and, and, when one wakes up, to drink, and sleep be told what to do. It saves a world of anxiety to t a ll into line, and to know that one's conduct will be competent authority. When the guise of loyalty is thrown over it necessary, defended, by this mental subserviency, the satisfaction and the il lusion are complete. It is very true that they w ho resign the pains of independence may occasionally be disturbed w i t h a disagreeable pre s entiment. They may find th emse l ves a pproaching a rock, a shoat, or an aby ss , w i t h ou t seeing bow they are to escape ; and the alarms of t hose who don't think for themsel ves are no t a lways imaginary. As they say, however, that brute creatures cannot suffer any thing like human anguish because their anticipations are momentary, faint, and without the sense of respon sibility, we presume that the sufferings of a thorough partisan must be tempered to his m oderate ca p aci ty of endurance. B u t a ll this time we are expatiating on a happiness which can never be ours. Though we can admire our beknowledged statesmen, of whatever school, and even our great political chiefs, yet we can never reel it our vocation to adhere without reserve to any one Government, however feeble, however intractable, or perverse. The British people does not; neither do we. Much is due to a meritorious party, but still more is due to the country, and there must and do arise occa sions when a blind affection to party is little less than an abnegation of patriotism. Should matters come to that pass that no one party will suffer for one day the ascendancy of another, even under the humblest and safest conditions, it is evident that we are far on our road, if not to anarchy and ruin, at least to serious neg lects and disasters. If public opinion and its organs are worth anything in this country, and if they have any province at all, it surely is for them to inculcate such a mutual forbearance of parties as shall at least avert a disruption of society and a consequent shipwreck of the State. Such is the position of affairs, such the 'danger, and such we conceive to be our duty at this juncture. As long as the Russell Administration was possible, we gave it our support; and, were it possible to-morrow, we should spare no pains to restore it. Could its strength be renewed by new men or new measures, with the hope of something more than a temporary relief or an illusive popularity, we should, as we have done be fore, do all in our power to give it a fresh term of ex istence. But paintul and repeated experience leaves no doubt that it answers no good purpose whatever—not even a factious purpose—to attempt the resuscitation of an effete Cabinet. You may as easily make an old man young again as impart a second youth to a Government which has exhausted its strength, its opportunities, its friendship s , it s measure s , it s id eas, its prest i ge w i t hout, and its resources within. The i nfusion of new blood and the substitution of new li m b s are metaphors which only express too aptly the u t ter impossibil i ty o f those fancied remedies. We c a n never conceive it our duty to give impracticable and use l ess advice, a f ter the manner of the doctor who thi n k s only of his bill or his fee. Others may, if they ple ase, roll bread into p ill s , or label vials of coloured wat er w i t h cabalistic terms , but we really cannot afford to practise delusions which time must discover. We cannot honestly recommend t he British public to go back to the old thing. We cannot tell them that what was dead last month will be alive next; or that the palsied Tithonus will enter at our summons a Hyperion or a Hyacinth. As little can we connive at the supposition that the great forms of this majestic Constitution, including the venerable palladium of Royalty, are to be invoked for the establishment of a new Administration, merely as a dodge for the imme diate re-establishment of the old one on a sa f er f o oting. We might excuse tricks upon p arty, for, as ou r new rulers have not been very ni ce i n their warfare u p on others, they deserve little favour in return; but we must protest against tricks on the Constitution and on the Crown. But let us not be mistaken. Forbearance, fair play, toleration, are one thing; confidence, sympathy, enthu siasm, are another. It Is true that we are not going to show the new Ministers the door the moment after they have been invited to enter. It is true that we do not think statesmen should disgrace themselves, the House of Commons run mad, the worst arts of faction be re sorted to, and the country recommended to think of re volution, merely, simply, and solely for the ridiculous purpose ot dragging in again the Clique which only the other day went out of its own accord. But in saying that w° have said nearly all. We •• 0 cannot think the po sition of the new Government either very honourable, or very triumphant, or even simple and clear. We cannot regard with confidence either their power or their in tentions. We can hardly trust them for having any definite policy. Still less do we think that they have quire in a G ove rnment. v ery h onour able in the e onl an p i d r t o he m rea i fit s i e rosnt o e p f , that lwa ceea ltl s h t oe a tr b eu i l si i s t r y which, on th e vu lgarest nothinge an appeal to the forbearance, whether that forbearance be to the Minister or the country. That forbearance is to be exercised not only to the weak ness, b ut st ill mo re to the character, of the party- W e are to b ear mee kly for a season with a party which is not only beholden to our forbearance, but is also in the position of a great political offender. Having for several years obstinately refused its adhesion to a great, beneficent, sad irrever sible act—having pursued the illustrious author ot that act with insatiable malignity, and having for all that period excluded from power its own boasted Conserva tive principles merely to punish the man, it has no claims to our respect. We have to swallow not only the Government but our own feelings, and we have to swal low them voluntarily, for the sake of the common weal. And when we ask what the Government is to do for all this, or are rather what we hope and expect it to do, the estimate of its dignity falls still lower. It is to perform a great propiatory end peni tential act. It has to renounce that Protection for which, with some abatement latterly, it has been so long struggling. It has to recant a selfish and invete rate error. Is has to set the country free, not from the fear of Protection, bat from the nuisance of a stupid and factious class opposition. That this is a substanti a l b enefit worth some forbearance, and some violence to our na tural and honourable feelings, we do not at all quest i on, and, as a pledge of the future, we hail with sati s f act i on Lord last D Monday Derby's ut g. Butteerramblianndonmen all to l thfttshe Navigation Laws winding.up of con troversies, this confession of error, this all ay i ng of prejudices, this surrender of lo n g -con tested positio ns , is dignified;useful"ththeannatureofpositive merits and, when it is o d r o e ne ", addsumb to the claims of the party; for to p ardon a penitent is o ne thing—to admit him i n t o our confiden ce is another. The forbearance which we have inculcated, and w hi c h more "humble e bat ald little we desire to observe, is wholly irrespective o f our opi nions as to the power, or even the intentions, o f t h e Go vernment. Both its power and its intentions a re li m i ted and the very terms o f by the nature of its or i gi n, its ex istence.which Lord D er h - The pledges from y and his n gradually emancipating themselves, colleagues have bee and from which they now evidently wish to be entirely chief b-t l s the a . ac e to their relieved, are by no mean _ th pledges Itf the leaders, there aro the power. Besides the. d the supposed interests of • .• omens, an prejudices, the p uch more substantial and obsti nate followers —things much expressions, however distinct and nate than any mere powerful interest has been solemn. A large and many years into Bat tered, coaxed, exasperated these . an rights - conceit a its natural end its po liticalextravagant been taught to rely on its injuries; it has and t own superior intelligence, o distrust ev er y states manin the language o f rea son who ventured to address it . or to put it on a level w i t h other son and common sense, seen whether interests. It now remains to - he the agri culturists will readily conform to the more moderate tone and the more sens ibl e standard of political right a d opte d , by their Conservative chiefs. After a six years secession from the commonwealth, can they easily return, to the Kr. Slicing begged to offer, as a New South Wales corroboration years' experience, o v commencingevery statement u lni rg ne e de d by Sir W. Molesworth and Mr. Adder ley.hhiasd colonistubn T ecie h u: e ll attendance that day of gentlemen from almost every Australasian colony was induced by the all impor tant fact, that although the five ships that had been mentioned by Sir W. Molesworth were nominally des tined tor Van Dtemen's Land exclusively, the convicts carried out by those vessels would very soon be dispersed throughout New South Wales, Port Philip, and South Australia. It was matter of notoriety that for years past Van Diemen's Land had been so saturated with the felon population that a practice had for some time past pre vailed at Hobart Town (under the sanction of the Go vernment) of granting conditional pardons, permitting prisoners, very soon after their arrival from England, to proceed as free men to any of the neighbouring settle ments. The effect of this practice wai merely to con vert Van Diemen's Land into a conduit pipe through which felons were poured by hundreds into the neigh bouring colonies, and the latter consequently suf fered all the evils, without any of the mitigations which had accompanied the former direct transporta tion to New South Wales. It had not a little asto nished the colonists, generally, to find that Lord Grey bad actually relied on and put forward—they trusted from misapprehension alone—one of these very evils of his own system as evidence of the groundlessness of the universal opposition to further transportation. His Lord ship had cited the criminal statistics of the free colony of South Australia as showing the offences against the law to be 'here in almost, it not quite, as large propor tion as in Van Diemen' s L a nd it se lf. The fact was, us any official in the judicial establishment of South Aus tralia could inform his Lordship, at least three-fourths of the convictions in that colony were of convicts who had come over from Van Diemen's Land—and this was a fact of colonial notoriety. The same observation would equally apply to New South Wales and Port Philip. Upon the whole, therefore, the latter colonists were so all but unanimous in deprecating a recurrence to a state of things such as obtained down to the year 1840— when it was unsafe to travel alone two miles out of Syd ney—that the colonists of New South Wales alone had petitioned, to the number of 35,000, against a resump tion of transportation, and only 525 petitions were in favour of it; these latter too—few as they were—includ ing all the dependents that some few flock masters, chiefly anxious for labour of any kind, might be able to muster. No acts of violence had as yet ensued, but it was evident to every colonist that, among the vast and mixed congregation of people making to the gold fields of New South Wales and Port Philip, a large admix ture of convicts must inevitably lead t o scones of blood y ngsh name through out the world. Diemen's Land, which corroborated the intelligence Mr. J. A. JACKSON o ob v i e e r r la v n e d d t m ha a t il h a e lhetatderthfarot from Van received by the sts—the members for Hobart Town, the capital , being favourable to the anti- transportationi re ceived by way no other than the of Sydriey, of the elections having been president and treasurer of " the L ea g ue" transportation. colonists h ad Diemen's Laud. The Government had thus, i on n ia most constitutional way, the opinion of the colonists Van little li Mr. Jacksonalternative proceeded now themselve s or emp l oy i ng conv i cts; an d, therefore, their e mployment of conv i cts was not conc l u sive that—as bad been to showbetween that ruiningt h e alleged--they h a d b egun to c h ang e their minds, It tra nsportation were at an end, their land fund would be appli ca bl e to sending outfree labour; they would 'receive back many of ' driven out of th e island, and the native lads, as they grew to mans estate, would the b f r e e eretained e who had been int the ela nd of their birth. Assembly in South A ustral i a) o f Mr. G. MOR PHETT (b rother r t e h p e re fi s r e s t te S d pe t a h k a e t r n o e f a t r h y e founded a l utn t e h dd e e dc by a t; i s e ao c l do freem c m o iatvtei colony,cdt s i ; n and db u d t h thiswAustraliaboc so e n l o ne by a, r w ae a t a er p e a r a p le originallya free colony had been recognized in different Acts of Par liament, bad become in effect a receptacle for a largo amount of crime. Although the colonists had hitherto borne this infliction, and their loyalty was unimpaired, yet there was a limit to human endurance. The great extent of crime committed iu South Australia by men who had !Yen convicts bad been much remarked upon by the Learned Judges of the Supreme Court in that colony. Mr. KING observed that the Noble Lord lately at the head of the Colonial Department had, on a. recent occa sion, when he had hed the honour of an interview with his Lordship, observed that the criminal returns of Van D would bear a no t very untuvourable comparison La onwii:dh even those of the originally free colony of South Australia. Mr. King adduced some .very re markable statistics on this subject, showing bow en- I tirely erroneous the Noble Lord's views were with re- duties of citizens? But Lord Derby's intentions are spect to it. avowedly, though perhaps more avowedly than really, Sir J. PAKINGTON, in reply, expressed hie gratification dependent on his power. He may possibly find next at li s t en in g to th e sta:,ements of 80 man y gentlemen so July, or nex t October, as t h e case may hz., that he can well qualified to express their opinions on the very im- command a majority for the revival of Protection, but portant Lubjeot of transportation, and with which there cannot command a majority for a merely Conservative was no person better acquainted than the Hon. Baronet and remedial policy. In that case the blind sentiment Sir WiLiam Moleewortti. He had hims e lf devoted much of honour which has already seduced him into antago. attention, as a Member of Parliament, to the general I nism with the general interests of his country may once subject of punishments, though not, he confessed, to more lead him to an enterprise far more perilous transportation in particular. With respect to ti , e report than any he has yet attempted, for such the of five convict vessels being ordered for Van Diemen's revival of Protection, on the strength of a Perlis- Land. there was a mistake in this; four only were under mentary majority, would undoubtedly be. On "a orders, and this, he believed, was from an inadvertence bare majority" he has assured us he will not act; and a on the part of the Noble Lord, his predecessor. He (Sir fixed duty of a few shillings he has spoken of with utter John) had already arranged for diverting one of those I contempt. But he may have a decid,d majority, de vessels in another direction, and he hoped to do so with p mending at least some definite measure of Protection. another. As regarded the alleged breach of faith, it Should he attempt to comply, he will bring ruin on him was clear he (Sir John) was not responsible on this self, degradation to his party, calamity to the State, and head. He could assure the gentlemen present that the confusion on all who have recommended forbearance. importance of the subject of transportation was duly We are persuaded that he will do no such thing; but, appreciated by him, and would receive his utmost though we are easy on this point—viz., as to what Lord consideration. He would, however, state a few facts, Derby will not do, we are by no means easy as to what as be found them on his accession to office. Western he will do. What liberty of patriotism will his country Australia petitioned for convicts, and the settlers supporters allow him? Will they permit him to do more in Moreton Bay petitioned for them, and sought than re-adjust their burdens, talk against democracy, and separation from New South Wales, for the purpose of deal with sanitary questions? It must be confessed that receiving convicts. A petition had been lately received hitherto between Lord Derby's professions and the from 144 landholders in Van Diemen's Lend, actual wants of the country there has been a fearful gap, praying the continuance of a modified system which even his eloquence has not been able to disguise; of transportation. He merely stated theist) as facts, not and, as long as that is the case, it is evident that, though denying that there was undoubtedly a very great feeling we may forbear, it is impossible to confide. — Times. of opposition to the continuance of t ransportat i on. Th en he would ask whether the objection to transportation did not rather apply to the system as it ex i ste d formerly— to the "gang system?" As regarded at once meeting the wishes of the gentlemen present, he thought they would see, so recent as was his accession to office, that it would be impossible at present to do more than assure them that the subject should engage his early attention, and that he was much indebted to the gentlemen present for expressing their views respecting i t . Sir W. MOLESWORTH thanked the Right Hon. Gentle man on behalf of the deputation, for the courtesy of his reception, and for having at least arrested the sailing of two of the convict ships destined for Van Diemen's Land; but there was one subject upon which he would edividuals. They beg leave to add a very few words. Sir J. Pakington might not be responsible for the breach of faith commit ted r Go vernment. me towardsw en a r t .d eof faith commit knew that the British Government had pled ge d itself Tt thehhee State colonists , co o colonists wasis t s thebut knewbreacha o breachi of faith whomsoever administered, was respo ns ible for its per to a particular act, and the Brit ish Government, by . formance. The deputation then retire d, favour ably impressed with the m anner o f their reception. SOUTH-EASTERN AND CONTINENTAL STEAM-PACKET COMPANY. The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of the South-Eastern and Continental Steam-packet Com pany was held yesterday, at the Bridge•house Hotel, London-bridge. 1 James Macgregor, Esq., in the chair. The SECRETARY read the advertisement by which the meeting was convened. The common seal was then affixed to the list of share holders of the company. The CHAIRMAN then read the following report of the directors fur the past half-year:— _ _ _ " The account; of the South-Eastern and Continental Steam-packet Company, now submitted to the proprie tors, show the gross earnings of the half-year to be 25,1841. 4s. 10d. This amount, as compared with the corresponding half of the previous year, shows an increase of 799/. 18s. 10d.• and an addition 0i17,701 passengers —viz., between Folkestone and Boulogne, 5,004 ; Dover and alais, 12,697. Total increase,. 17,701. " The proprietors will observe that the increased re ceipts are not in proportion to the additional number of passengers, which is accounted for by the fact that the receipts are solely the produce of the traffic, unaided by any contribution from the South-Eastern Railway Com pany, or the Northern of France Railway Company, whilst in the corresponding half of last year 5,7601. was received from the two railway companies. The agreement entered into for a daily service be tween Dover and Calais expired on the 31st July last; but as the boats continued to run between these ports till he close of the year, the directors consider that this company has an equitable claim on the South-Eastern Railway Company to contribute towards the expenses of that service. " Daring the half year 26,356 miles were navigated with unvarying regularity. " The directors have much pleasure in being able to report on the efficient state of the eight steam-ships be longing to the company. " After deducting the working expenses, 7,395/. 12s. 10d.; the cost of repairs and renewals, 4,6271. 6s. 5d.; and the port dues, 2,823/. ss. 6d., there remains a balance of 10,335/. Os. id. at the disposal of, the proprietors, out of which the directors recommend that a dividend be de clared at the rate of 51. per cent. per annum, free of in come-tax, which will amount to 2.8611. 12s. 10d., and that the remaining balance of 7,4731. 7.3. 3d. be carried to the credit of the reserve fund. The property of the eompany will then be the eight steam-ships, and a re serve fund in addition of 21,6451.85. sd. " The directors retiring by rotation are Mr. Macgre gor, Mr. Renshaw, and Captain Warren. " The auditor retiring by rotation is Mr. Edward Wright." The following is the report of the auditors: — " Gentlemen,—We have to lay before you our report on the ac coun t s o f t hi s compa ny for the half-year coding 3lat January last, and to certify that the same, being duly vouched, have been passed by us in con f ormity. " We think i t r i ght to call your attention to the item following, viz. : — " In the capital account of the last four half-years the entry of coals and ship and engine stores has varied from 900/. to 1,7001., whereas in the present statement it ap pears as 5,1501. The increase is explaitned by the fact that the com pany have taken over frown the South-Eastern Railway the machinery in the workshops and the stores in the boiler-house at Folkestone Harbour, under the valuation of two competent persons. The amount of stores, ma chinery, and tools, so transferred, was 4,0671. 103. sd. " The boiler and workshops lately built by the South- Eastern Company, and now occupied by this company, are efficient and suitable for the purpose, and, being close to the harbour, enable the company's works to be carried on with efficiency and reg clarity. " We are, gentlemen, your obedient servants, (Signed) " EDWD.. HARDING, / Auditors." EDWARD WRIGHT, The CHAIRMAN congratulated the proprietors on the very satisfactory state of the accounts of the company, by which it would be seen that they had a fund of 109,0001., having also reduced their original debt by 37,0001. There was one point in the report to which the attention of the propticaors would no doubt be di rected, and that was as lio their relations with the Northern of France Rail; vay. That company required that they should run a boat, and also that there should be a train on the railway at a particular hour of the day, but the directors feelin g impressed with the diffi culties attending any such. arrangements with two tidal harbours, had come to the determination that they could not do their duty if they were to accede to any such terms, as their boats were not insured, or that the voyage could be performed, day by day, with certainty from both of those ports. lir. WRIGHT wished to ;EU! k the chairman if they could not have a higher dividend than the one proposed with such immense earnings 2 The CHAIRMAN said they were under a moral gua rantee to the South-EasterTt Railway Company, and he thought their position would be strengthened by re taining a large portion of their capital. _ _ - C 7 • Mr. WRIGHT, after adverting to the original agree ment wish the South-Eastern Railway Company in 1844, said he considered some aircangement should be entered into similar to that of t'be Peuiasular and . Oriental Steam Navigation Company with the Government, as a subsidy, not for the conveyance of the mails, for that was a matter of minor import ante, but for demurrage and the wear and tear of their boats, and other incidental charges. They stood in precisely the same position with the South-Eastern Railway Company, for their boats were'at all times under this orders of the directors of the South-Eastern Company. Ile found by a Parliamentary document that he held in his hand, that the Dublin Company received 10 per eant, and an occasional bonus, and such being so he woiald ask .ought any gentlemen, having advanced their money in a speculative concern, to be satisfied with a return of 5 per cent.? The idea of such a thing was quite absurd. The chairman had talked about the moral guarantee, and he should like to know how much longer it was to be stretched. The CHAIRMAN said thin company consisted of 500 pro prietors, who were all proprietors of the South-Eastern Railway, which consisted of 5,000, and he thought they should support the board of directors in carrying out the guarantee with that company. A Bill was agreed to be brought into Parliai neat in 1849 to consolidate the two companies, and but for other subjects then en hand would have been obtained. During the year, 317,000 persons had travelled by their boats, and therefore they must consider them as the right arm of the railway company, and the result glee an increase of 17,701, not withstanding the General. Steam Navigation Company had given them the mesa determined opposition, by a system of reduced fares, mad a further reduction on per sons taking return tickets—which opposition was mainly promoted by the Northern of France Railway Company. He thought it would be impossible to exag gerate the advantages of the South-Eastern Steam packet Company, which. were of the utmost import ance to the South-Eastram Railway Company. While he was before the general meeting he should like to know whether the shareholders would be con tent to receive back +their capital, on handing over their boats to the South-:Eastern Railway Company; for if the railway compatay met them and should say, " We will give you 132,0001., and relieve you from all liability," he did not think they could go further. A SHAREHOLDER wit bed to know if the railway com pany would give them a guarantee for ten years ? The CHAIRMAN consi.de red it a fair proposition that the railway company sh ould guarantee them 5 per cent. with an undertaking to replace their boats at any future time. After some other observations from Proprietors, ‘, It was then proposed thut a dividend of 5 per cent. be declared according to the recommendations contained in the report. A SHAREHOLDER moved, as an amendment, that the dividend be six per cent., as that proposed was not one-third of the earnings o f the company for that period. The CHAIRMAN said this had been a subject of consi deration with the directo ra, who believed the state of prosperity that the company now enjoyed would be best protected by a small divadend. No less than 317,000 persons had come to England during the last year, and a further number, he don kited not, would come year after year. It was true that they would not have the Great ' Exhibition during the present year, but still he ex pected a greater increase: than had hitherto taken I place. A low dividend in the present position of the company was the most :safe, for by retaining a large surplus in hand their pro! pacts would be rendered more satisfactory. The question was the n plat, and the dividend recom mended by the directors A vs a carried by a large rnahrity. A conversation then to oil: place as to the terms of set tlement between tho Gil pan!, and the `...i:alfh_E, st ,, n Railway Company , and Chia g eneral o p inio n appeared to be in favour of a d ividend. of 5 p er cent. in perpet u ity with an undertaking to IN frilaee the boats when worn out but no resolution was cease to upon the subject. Mr. MacGregor was re-elected chairman for the ensu ing year, and the retiriing directors. with Mr. Rich, M.P., were elected. A vote of thanks was 1 fitt.sed to Lieutenant Essell, the harbour -master of Folke stone, for his services, on his retirement. Lieutenant Essell returnill thanks for that mark of their favour, in addition to the handsome testimonal preAented to him. A vote of thanks to this dhairman was passed, and the mee ting was dissolved. MARCH _ 19, 1852. WEST INDIA and MEXICAN MAILS JAMAICA. The arrival of the Royal Mail Company's steamer Grcat Wester! , , has plod us in possession of dates from this island to the 19th February inclusive. The intelligence respecting the loss of the steamer Amazon by fire, in the Bay of Biscay, had been re ceived in Kingston by way Areevica, and subse quently confirmed by the arrival of the Royal m a il steamer Dee. Great anxiety was being manifested for further intelligence from England in regard thereto, as many of the passengers by that ill-fated ship were in timately connected, by family ties and otherwise, with this island. There was a rumour current in Kingston that the Orinoco would call into that port with the mails from England, and her arrival was anxiously looked for. The House of Assembly had resolved on sending home delegates to confer with her Majesty's Govern ment on the neces s ity o f re d uc ing or abolishing the duties on sugar, as, unless some steps are taken to re lieve the colonies, the whole of the estates at present in cultivation will have to be thrown up. The Hon. Charles M . Larty Morales, Speaker of the House of Assembly, and Messrs. William Smith, Edward Thompson, and William Girod, members of the same branch of the Legislature, had been selected to act as the delegates. The appointment of these gentlemen had given satisfac tion, but it was not decided how the necessary expenses were to be met. The sittings of the Assembly were nearly brought to a close, and a termination of the business was anxiously looked for. In consequence of the introduction of a clause into the Poll Tax Bill, affecting the salaries of officials in the pay of the British Government, among them the Right Rev. Dr. Spencer, the Lord Bishop, it was expected that there would be a short prorogation of the house, as the Governor would not give his consent to it. This was the only measure to occupy the attention of the house. The small-pox was committing sad ravages in some of the country districts of the island, and the cholera had not even altogether disappeared. Sir F. G. Seymour, the admiral on the West India station, had lett Port Royal for Bermuda. The weather was very cool and pleasant, although no rain had fallen for some time past. DEMERARA. The question of appealing for aid to the Home Go vernment is being vigorously agitated in British Guiana, and meetings had been held in various places, at which resolutions were passed condemnatory of the policy of the British Government to her colonies, and expressive of regret at the declining fortunes of the island. The Combined Court was to meet on the 24th February. The weather had been fine and favourable during the past fortnight. Several fatal cases of yellow fever had occurred, bat the violence of the epidemic had to a cer tain extent abated. MEXICO. Things were quiet here at the last advises. lbe revo lution on the northern frontier had been suppressed, but attempts had been made by Carvajal to assemble some followers on the left bank of the Rio Bravo, which had been frustrated through the activity of the Americans. The General Government had issued an order at Ma tamoras for again putting in force the ancient tariff in regard to the goods that had been imported on the faith of General Avalo's tariff ; but it was believed that the authorities would not be able to carry the same into effect. The law increasing the export duty on specie from 3i to 6 per cent., was to come into force on the 4th of February. _ _ _ On the 13th of January Vera Cruz was visited by one of the most violent storms that had been known for many years. Out of 22 ships that were in the port, 14 were driven from their anchors and lost, together with 13 lives. The cargoes lost are of very considerable value. JAMAICA MARKETS. (From De Cordova's Mercantile Intelligence'', Feb. 13.) Flour—The market for this article, in consequence of the absence of receipts and the diminishing stock, was assuming a considerably improved appearance, and sales were of daily occurrence at 28a. per barrel; the hands, however, of holders becomin g strengt h ene d by theimpo sition of the additional duty or 2s. per barrel, the price of the article immediately thereafter rose to 305., at which figure some 1,000 b arre l s Ba l t i mor e and Phila delphia were moved. To-day there is not any on offer at anything under 31s. Rice—We quote East India at 15s. 6d. for Bengal, no minally, and 17s. for Patna, with an almost bare market. Carolina is worth 19s. per 100Iba. Bread—All imported brands are dull of sale. Verley and Robinson's, home-made, is taken at 16s. for pilot and 20s. for crackers. Butter—We quote Irish at lid Ha lifax at Bd., and American at 7d. per lb. Poi k—Some parcels of mess, of common quality, are on offer at 90s. Prime descriptions of mess are worth 945. to 965. per barrel. No operations in prime or prime mess are reported. Tobacco—Cavendish is worth 12d. to 13d. per lb. The stock is abundant, and it is presumed that prices will not advance in proportion to the increase of duty. No sales of leaf have transpired. Brandy—Marten's pale and dark have been sold at 6s. 6d. per gallon, in bond. Rum—The late operations were 3s. 2d. to 3s. 3d. per gallon, duty paid ; proof 21. Sugar—We range our quotations at lls. to 16s. 6d. for dark to fair. Pimento brings 31d. to 3id. per lb. Logwood has been moved at 325. par ton. Gold—Columbian doubloons are worth 3, and Ame rican gold per cent. prem. Freights—No operations have reached us. Tonnage is abundant. EXCHANGES ON LONDON. Colonial Bank-90 'lays, it per cent, premium. PIP I) 60 days, 1 per cent. premium. /I ff 30 days, If per cent premium. Jamaica Bank-90 days par. If If 60 days, f per cent. premium. 21 ~ 30 days, 1 per cent. premium. Merchants' Bills, 90 days, par. ON NEW YORE. Merchants' Bill, 60 days, 1 per cent. premium. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Captain Granville G. Loch, C. 13., commissioned the Winchester, 50, at Portsmouth yesterday, to relieve the Hastings, 72, flag-ship, in the East Indies. She is to have a complement of 450 officers and men. Arrogant, 46, screw-frigate, Captain R o binson, Was taken into dock at Portsmouth yesterday, to have some of her steam water-pipes repaired, her copper cleaned, and the end of the screw shaft made good, having buf fered apparently by galvanic action. She is to form one of the Cnannel experimental squadron. Neptune, 120, Captain Yates, has been taken out of the Portsmouth basin, and is alongside the jetty to finish painting and receive her stores. Mr. Pearson, clerk in the office of the chief engineer at Portsmouth, has been obliged to retire from severe ill ness . Mr. Alfred Penfold has been promoted in his room, and Mr. George Edwards, son of the respected and efficient storekeeper of Portsmouth yard, has been appointed as writer, vice Penfold. An accident occurred in Portsmouth Dockyard yes terday afternoon to a painter named Threadnam. While unloading a cask of paint it slipped out of the cart and fractured his leg ; he was taken to Hasler Hospital. Commander James Poste (1845) died on the 12th inst., aged 70. He served 17 years afloat, and accepted the retirement of 1840. Ile entered the navy Dec. 28, 1784 ; when in the Hussar, 28, was wrecked Dec. 27 in the same year, on the ,coast of France, where he was for six months detained a prisoner of war, subject nearly the whole time to very great privations. After the ex pedition to Ferrol:we find him present, Aug. 29, 1800, at the cutting-out close to the batteries in Vigo Bay, of La Guepe, privateer of 18 guns and 161 men. He was made Lieutenant Dec. 22, 1800. He was for seven years First Lieutenant of the Minerva frigate. While the latter ship was fitting out in January, 1806, in the River Thames, Mr. Poste had the honour of attending the funeral of Lord Nelson, on which occasion ho was present in the headmost boat, bearing the hero's flag. During the years .1807-8, he saw much boat service on the coast of France, where he contributed to the capture and destruction of 36 of the enemy's vessels, sad on one occasion boarded and carried with the two cutters, although five miles away from the ship and close in shore, the Epervier French letter of marque, of 8 guns and 35 men. Having conducted his prize to for e just as the h s e , London, and rejoined the Minerva, he was on b oar d o f her in September, 1808, when she fell in with a brig , th Josephine letter of marque, of 8 guns, pi erce d and 50 men, which overeat and went down British frigate, after a chase of 75 miles, had arrived within gun-shot of , her,: barely allowing time for rescue In January, J t m o r l . 6 ro o a u t t e o w f a h s e s r en ti t n w fo it r u tu t n u a s te m e ju r ee w rv . a's boat s t o ass i st i n urinary, 1809, bringing o o q ff u t e h n e dy wounded witnessed the e e French frigate Amphitrite , d estruction b attle r e ° o ir f ann t the h W e e i s is t v l a n li d d i e e d s i s i n o d me at f rom Newfoundland , rfalifax, and saw service in the In August, 1813, high testimonial of conduct fr om accepted his present rank Se ringing with him_a o t2 C S aptain Hawkins. ist PoRTSMOUTII, THURSDAY! Tl;elBfl4as.-ship Victory, the Rodney, BI salute to-day, at 12 o'cloc k, in honour of the birthday ROYAL MARINES.- -en- e. 0 3, and Retribution g fired a royal of the Princess Louisa. First Lieutenant Hall, of the artillery companies of the The court-martial ordered to try Royal Marines, on charges of drunkenness on the main guard of Port smout h , and ot h er co nduct unbecoming the character of an off icer a nd a gentleman, on the 13th of February last, which charges were framed on the infor mation of Mr. William Harrison of the Hampshire Tele graph newspaper, were re-assembled this morning at ?orton Barracks to hear the finding of the Court (which sat three days of last week—Tuesday, Wednes day, and Thursday), which had been appoved by the Admiralty and Horse Guards. The Court pronounced that the prisouer was "fully acquitted" on both charges. Lieutenant Hall thereupon received his sword from Co ' 1,,,(1-Coramanchnt I%Tenves, K.R, and returned to h!s duty, after upwards of a month's sus/pinion. PLYMOUTH, THUBSDAY.-110T Majesty's bteam-ship Avon sailed on Tuesday with beanitn for Portsmouth. The steam -ship Desperate, having completed her coaling, steamed to her moorings on Monday.. The frigate Pbcebe, building in No. 2 slip, is ordered to be got resdy with all dispatch for launching this sum mer, when the frigate Lifts, is ordered to be built on the same slip as a screw steamer. SHEERNESS, MARCH 18.—Her Majesty's steamer African left this port for Chatham on T ue sday evening. Her Majesty's ship N ort h St ar , Commander P ull e n, having been ordered forth wit h from Chatham t o Dept ford to take on board her stores and provisions for the Arctic regions, left the former port early on Wednes day warning. She passed by here in tow of the Adder and African steamers at 8.30 eaa, of that d,i 7 . Her Majesty's screw st,am-frigate Amphion, 34, is being rigged by the crew of the Horatio. A large num ber of the dockyard artificers are employed on her. She is being coppered to the extent of three fees and a half from the line of flotation while in ordinary. Every pu4sible si*lteh is being used to get her ready by the time fixed on. Her Majesty's ship Ganges, 84, in the dry dock, has none of the dockyard hands at work on her at present. Her Majesty's screw steam frigate Horatio, 24, Cap tain the Hon. S. T. Carnegie, has been warped to the west side of the fitting basin, under the Sheers. A new f crew, as a spare one, has been made for her. The schooner Fortune of Whitby, laden with stones, reported a few Jay's since as being on shore on the Maplin Sand, has been got off, and has proceeded to London. The ship Emma, of Liverpool, Ribby master, with general cargo, got on shore on the 13th inst., early in the morning, and remained until 4 P.M., when she floated off and proceeded on her voyage. The brig Sceptre, of North Shields , __ coal laden, J . Fairing master, got on s h ore on the Maplin, near the west buoy, but succeeded in getting off again the next morning without assistance. flifrotacthite Hecate APPOIN TMENTS. Le sieteuatemn.asniotso—p,Ranicdhataßes. Pe W ars ° e " ( wl lBs c l a ), rd H. Bushnell (1851), from the Excellent gunnery-ship, to the Winchester, 50, commissioned at Portsmouth. Masters—Thomas Osmer (1847), recently serving in the Champion sloop on the Pacific station, to the Vul ture, advanced paddle-wheel steam-sloop of 470-horse power, at Devonport; Daniel M`Donnell Jago (1846), to the Odin steam-sloop, at Portsmouth. Chief Engineer—George Aitchison, to the Highflyer steam-sloop, at Woolwich. Surgeon—William D. Kerr, M.D. ( 184 6), to the High flyer. Assistant-Surgeons—Daniel W. Stephens, M.D. (1848), to the Highflyer; James D. Cronin (1844), to the Arrogant, 36, at Portsmouth. Assistant-Engineers—John T. Williams, Ist class, to the Dee steam troop ship, at Woolwich; W. G. Drown, to the Victoria and Albert royal steam-yacht, at Ports mouth; Frederick Young, to the Antelope steam-sloop, at Woolwich; Henry Fish, to the Pluto steam-vessel,for service on the coast of Africa; Thomas Anderson, James Ferguson, and George w. Siewright, to the Highflyer; George Goldsack and T. W. Hampshire, to the Arrogant. Second Masters—E. J. Kemp, to the Highflyer; Francis Taylor (1848), to the Winchester. Master's Assistants—J. D. Wilshire and George H. Underhill, to the Winchester; Charles Pricket, to the Hig flyer. Clerks—Charles A. Goodyer (1850) and James B. M'Avoy, to the Winchester; John Truss, to the Victory flag•ship, at Portsmouth. COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, THURSDAY. Thin nirTningheing the lir h- , 'xy o' be- R. sai H gh ness the Princess Louisa, the band of the Royal Marines were in attendance at Osborne, and played for some time under her Majesty's windows. The Queen and Prince, with the Royal Family, walked afterwards in the Gardens. At a quarter before nine o'clock in the morning, the band of the Royal Marines performed the following selections:— Overture, "Preci050".......... Weber. Duetto, " La Favourite" Grand Selection, " Norma' Scene e Duetto, "Medea Walser, " Schwarzblatt" And again at two o'clock ha the afternoon they performed the following compositions : Sinfonia, " Gabriella di V ersi" Meroadante. Selection, " Stabat Mater" Polka, " The King Pippin" Duetto Finale, "Don Pasquale" Quadrille, "Ireland" ... Mr. Heyworth, M.P., had an interview with the Ear of Derby yesterday at his official residence in Downing street. Mr. Newdegate had also an interview with his Lordship yesterday. A deputation from the , Mauritius had an interview with Sir John Pakington. yesterday at the Colonial cffice. The deputation consisted of Mr. Guthrie (chair man), Mr. B. B. Greene, Mr. James Blyth, Mr. Samuel Baker, Mr. Edward Chapanau, Mr. John Clifford, Mr. Andrew Steele, and Mr. Macknell. Mr. Hindley had an interview with Mr. Secretary Walpole , csterd ty, at the Home-office. Mr. Thurlow had also an interview wiah the Right Hon. Gentleman. A deputation from Maoclesfield had an interview yes terday with the General Board of Health, at their offices. Whitehall. The deputation consisted of Messrs. Watts and Thomas Wardle, attended by Mr. Parrott, Town Clerk of Macclesfield. It was introduced by the Mem bers for the borough, Mx. J. Brockleharst, M.P., and Mr. John Williams, M.P. _ The Rev. E. Hawkins had an interview yesterday with Sir John Pakington. The Cambridge University Commission had a meet ing on Wednesday, at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, in Downing street. Present— the Bishop of Chester. the Dean of Ely, Sir John Her schel, the Rev. Professor Sedgwick, and the Rev. W. H. Bateson (Secretary). The Commission met again yes terday. Present—the Bishop of Chester, Sir John Herschel, the Master of the Rolls, the Rev. Professor Sedgwick, and the Rev. W. H. Bateson (Secretary). A deputation, consisting of Mr. Sewell, Mr. Wake field, Mr. M.`Geachy, and. Mr. Adderley, had an inter view with Sir John Pakington yesterday at the Colonial. Aloe. A deputation from the Metropolitan and Provincial Law Association, consisting of Mr. Edwin W. Field (Chairman), Mr. Kenedy, and the Secretary, had an in terview yesterday with Mr. Secretary Walpole at the FRIDAY EVENING, POOR GENTEEL WOMEN. Look around your own circle. You know of many Cases such as this:—A seemingly prosperous man is engaged in the full tide of successful business; he drives a large trade, and counts his gains by thousands. He has a family of sons and daughters, whom he educates at boarding schools, in all the current knowledge and trifling of the day. They are carefully tended and kept. They know no want. They are thoroughly genteel, and have a large visiting acquaintance. Their characters, such as they are, become fashioned and formed after the most approved notions. But suddenly a reverse occurs, —an unfortunate speculation, a bad season; great I, Bses tall suddenly upon the merchant, and he finds himself a ruined man. You have a genteel family reduced at once to a state of the most galling poverty; not merely the poverty of the poor, but the poverty of the genteel, an infinitely sadder and more intolerable thing. Or, a professional man dies suddenly, and when his affairs are wound up, it is found that he had lived fully up to his income; that those gay parties of his had absorbed all his spare gains; and that ho had not insured his life, or poor feind,le relatives.-c — if so, then for a very inconsiderable amount. His widow and daughters fall at once into the ranks of the poor fitra straits o t they e their pi ha ve p got married, and can gentee l. As for the sons, in such cases, they can usually shift for themselves; but how long is it before they ca n do sisters, tdioesanoyfththinegirto:zdms ohsetlppinrgobtahbeliyr do oy verythe time litt l they ey relieve reach e who quietly subside into the state of threadbare poor g e ntlewomen. —Eliza Cook's Journal. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME(BeCf (Before i U T Mr. Baron P we .:llx .l l l .3 rch 18. THE QUEEN ON THE PROSECUTION OF WILLIAM( "" v. JOHN BROOKE AED OTHERS. In this case, which was a char ge aga i ns t John Broome, tnheectpeudgwiliistth, which d i two ot her persons, of having committed a fraud by cheatin g at cards, the circumstances Con on charge have frequently been before the public, Mr. JOHNSON, who was instructed for the prosecution, applied to the Court to estreat the recognizances of the prosecutor Ramp, and to enlarge the recognizances of the ether witnesses to the Lela assizes. He said that his application was founded upon an affidavit, which was to the effect that Ramp had been called upon to give evidence before the grand jury, but he had not done so, and that diligent search had been made for him and he could not be found. Mr. PARRY said he was instructed, on behalf of Charles Staden, one of the defendants, who was included in the indictment with Broome, and he would observe that he thought before the Court interfered, inasmuch as a great many different persons had appeared nominally as pre secators at various times to conduct the prosecution that it ought to be satisfied priedtvhaatet party, any prosecu tion was rea lly c onducted by some public authority, for if it was merely promoted by some "y of the kind suggested would of course be comple t ea proceeding farce. Mr. JOHNSON said he appeared on behalf of the magis trates who had sent the case for trial. Mr. PARRY said he was quite satisfied with the expla nation of his Learned Friend, and he would merely state to the Court that he held in his hand an affidavit made by the defendant for whom he appeared, iu which he stated that he was most anxious to take his trial, and at the same time added that he had never been in collu sion with Ramp, or had any communication with him, or was in any way instrumental to his absence. He was instructed that he was a man possessed of some property future t im e inconve nient at Brighton, and that he ha t d ocaaurire im iou ie h don se a r nex s i te nj ns u i r v y e . business in that town• but tbe effect of such a charge e hllaengsninbgmoitirteerdhitmhawt ausUldeikrelyth o ese circumstances h e waa entitled to an 'acqu ittal u p on the present occasion, and if his presence shou ld be required at any there was not the least doubt that he co uld eas il y be found. Bart.)olatPhitudEcEfe:s,adiadutthtaot h a a l y th e ou th g e h e i h t migh t arge bu tuhanging over him, the only course he could take woulld be to order the recognizances of Ramp, and ancther witness who was nc ,t, in attendance, to be rgro:,ter4, 3r ,1 th , r , l , c , rvinrces of aq the other witnesses must be ebLrged to the next assizes. SOMERSET 11. „ oU*E.—The works for the contem plated " wing" at Somerset House are likely to be discon tinued, and the Inland Revenue offices, at present held in the Excise building, Old Broad-street, will shortly be re moved again to Somerset House, where more room will be obtained by the transfer of departments connected w i t h the Navy to the Admiralty, Cha r i ng -cross. These changes re suit partly from the fact of th e D u ke of Northumberland having resigned the large suite of apartments, always placed at the disposal of the First Lord, as an official residence, leaving them available as offices. The immense pile of buildings in Broad-street, used for the Excise, will be brou glk to the hammer.