The Sun. — London, England, 1848-03-29 00:00:00

Commis _ ..s ceitor, the Earl of Shaftesbury, auu A.,oru uampbell. PETITIONS. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the inhabitants of the village of New Mills, in the county of Derby, complaining that they were so surrounded by turnpike bars, there being 15 in the circuit of one mile, that they were in a state of blockade. Lord REDESDALE presented several petitions from Odd Fellows' Societies, praying that their societies might be legalised. Lord BEAUMONT presented several petitions with a similar prayer. INCREASE IN PLACES. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH gave notice that, on Thursday next, he should draw their Lordships' attention to the return recently laid on the table, showing the increase which had taken place in places and emoluments. NORTH. WALES RAILWAY. Lord AI6NTEAGLE presented a petition complain ing of the conduct of the directors of the North Wales Railway Company. Their Lordships then adjourned. ROUSE OF COMMONS. March 23. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. A number of petitions were presented against private Bills. SECOND READINGS. The Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway (De viation from Leamington to Warwick and Purchase of the Stratford-upon-Avo❑ Canal Navigation) Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and Edinburgh und Bathgate Railway Amalgamation Bill was also read it Second time and ordered to be committed. PETITIONS. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from Tavis took against the admission of Jews into Parliament; also a petition from Abingdon against certain clauses of the Health of Towns Bill. Mr. BAILLIE presented a petition from solicitors, praying for the abolition of the annual certificate duty. Mr. F. FRENCH presented a petition from the grand jury of Roscommon, praying for an inquiry into the operation of the poor-law in Ireland ; also another peti tion, signed by 1,200 of the inhabitants of Roscommon, praying for a total repeal of the Irish poor-law. Mr. DIVETT presented petitions from Exeter and other places against the Public Health Bill; also a peti tion from the merchants, traders, and others of the city of Exeter, praying for an alteration of the existing law of debtor and creditor, on the ground that the law as it at present stood did not sufficiently afford protection to the honest trader. Sir J. WALNISLEY presented a petition from Lei cester, in favour of the Bill to exempt small tenements from rating. Mr. LOCKHART presented a petition from the Pres bytery of Selkirk against some portions of the Minutes of Council on Education. Captain JONES presented a petition from Londonderry praying for an alteration in the present mode of col lecting the poor-rate 3 in Ireland. Ma: fIOME DRUMMOND presented a petition against the admission of Jews into Parliament. Sir E. FILMER presented a petition from North! - feet, in Kent, against the Public I lealth Bill, the petitioners expressing their apprehensions lest they should be united with Gravesend in a district, and bu thereby liable to the payment of heavy rates; also several petitions against the Bill for establishing diplomatic relations betwee❑ the Court of Rome and this country. Lord COURTENAY presented several petitions praying for an alteration in the union settlements in Ireland. _ Mr. BICE presented a petition from a charitable association in Dover praying fur a remission of the legacy duty upon charitable bequests. Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition, signed by the Bishop of Derry, the Dean, Archdeacon, and fifty-six of the edergy of that diocese, complaining of the unjust administration of the pour-laws in Ireland, as regarded the property of the Irish clergy, and praying fur an im mediate alteration tkereof. Mr. K. SEYMER presented a petition against the Bill for establishing diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome. - - - _ _ Mr. BUTLER presented a petition, signed by the Mayor and Corporation of Kilkenny, praying for a resto ration to Ireland of its own Parliament, to be composed of Irish nobles, Irish merchants, and Irish traders. Mr. SCULLY presented a petition from Tipperary, praying for a repeal of the Union. Sir DE L. EVANS presented a petition, agreed to at a public meeting held in St. George's, llsnover-square, praying the House to institute an inquiry into the case of the late Raja of Sattara. Tho Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY postponed the motion of which he had given notice for a retur❑ of the number of officers and men in the army at home, in India, and the other British colonies, and the means of instruction afforded to them. BODMIN ELECTION. The following Members appeared at the table, and were sworn to try the merits of the late election for the borough of Bodmin:—Mr. G. A. Hamilton (chairmat,), r. J. 11. Foley, Mr. F. French, Mr. R. Trevor, and Slr E. Filmer. Mr. S. CRAWFORD prestntcd a petition from a Btiptist Congrt.gation in Brighton against the Diploniltie Rktitions with BotEe Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from Clerkenwell against Mr. Sturges Bourne's Act. The Hon. Member also presented a petiti,n from a gentleman of the name of Sheridan, wihr had been etnplo)ed for eighteen years in the Excise, stating. that he had been dismissed without caus and praying the House to take the case into its eonsideratien, ABOLITION OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. Th=e lion. MEnnEn also pres , •ntea a petition troni a Mr. Beall.), praying for the abolition of the House of Lords, the alteration of the currency, annual parlia ments, universal suffrage, the repeal of the law of primogeniture, the better application of the income from the Church, and that the proceeds from the waste Crown lands might be applied to the reduction of the national debt. Sir R. INGLIS objected to the reception of the pc• tition. Mr. lIUME considered that it was not competent to any Honourable Member to oljeet to the presentation of any petition as long as its prayer did not intethre with the privileges of the House. The SPEAKER ruled that the petition could be pre sented as long as it did not interfere with the privileges of the House, or the rules and orders that it had made for its government. Sir H. H. INGLIS—I object to this petition being received.—(Cries of " Order, order.") The SPEAKER—Does the Hon. Baronet intend to object to the petition on the ground that it violates the rules and orders of the Howe ? Sir It. IL INGLIS—I contend that the people of this country have no right to petition this House for the abolition of the House of Lords.—(Cries of "Oh, oh.'') That I consider is sufficient ground for my objecting to its being received, but I apprehend that this House can no more receive a petition fpr the abolition of the House of Lords thin it can receive a petition praying for the abolition of the Menarchy.—( Hear, hear, and Oh, oh.) However, be fore proceeding further, I will ask for the decision of the Speaker, to whose authority alone I will bow upon the subject,—(Hear, hear.) Sir J. GUAHAM said his Hon. Friend had, withcut inten:ling it, placed the Speaker in a peculiar position, and before they prcceeded further with the discussion, he would suggt st that the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Finsbury should state in simple and definite terms the prayer of the petitioner. Mr HUME rose to aildr( ss the House, but was inter rupted by the arrival of The Usher of the Black Rod, who amidst suppressed laughter advanced to the table of the House to summon the House to attend in the House of Lords, and hear her Majesty's royal assent given to certain public and private Bills (tor the titles of which see Lords' report). On the SPEAKER'S return, Mr. WAKLEY said—l believe it-is the pleasure of the House that I should read the petition.--(Laughter, and cries of " No, no," " Road the prayer.") The petition was one couched in due form, and as far as he could judge there was nothing objectionable in it, looking at the manner in which petitioners on other sub jects expressed their views to the House. With regard to the propositions suggested by tke petitioeer, be was ready to admit that they were objectionable to many Members of the House— Mr. HUME interrupted the Hon. Gentleman by say ingt—Then I move, agreeably to the rule of the House, that the petition be brought up to the table and read—(Bear)—it will then bo competent for any Hon. Member to make a motion h ith respect to any portion to which he may object.—(Hear, hear.) The SPEAKER said the House must decide in the first place whether the petition was in accordance with the rules of the House or not. Sir R. H. INGLIS merely objected to that portion of the petition which prayed for the abolition of the House of Lords. He was prepared to move that the petition be rejected. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said, before the petition was declared objectionable, and rejected, that the House ought to be made more fully aware of its contents. Mr. WAKLEY said, - that as ho had stated the prayer of the petition without reading its words, be would now do so with the permission of the House. (Hear, hear.) Tho tenth 'propo sition was the abolition of the House Of Lords. The words were—" Your petitioner considers one as. Sembly, duly elected, sufficient for national pur poses. There was no mistaking the meaning of those words, in which he stated his reason for the prayer he put forward. Then the final prayer was, that " your petitioner extremely desires to see ell these measures pissed, believing the condition of the country to be such that unless they are adopted confusion must ensue, which will involve iu one common rui❑ the institutions of the country, now the envy of foreigners, but a con tinued source of evil to the people of this county)." Sir. R. 11. INGLIS only wished the portion to which be objected read at the table; when that was done he should state in substance the grounds on which he con sidered the petition ought to be rejected. Mr. HUME thought that the whole petition ought to be read.—(Laughter and cries of "No.") But that was the rule. Sir G. GREY said the passage with which it was only necessary to trouble the House was the one objected to, namely, that the abolition of the House of Lords would be advantageous to the country. Now there were many petitions presented to the House in which perhaps no asides, sonitar petitions .iso peen _e occasions. —(Hear.) He really thought the Hon. Gentleman was attaching too much k*- portanco to the petition. The Clerk having read the passages, Sir R. 11. INGLIS said, if a petition had been pre sented to the House of Lords, praying for the abolition of the House of Commons, that it would not be re ceived; and that House could not receive a petition praying for the abolition of the monarchy. He thought the House ought, therefore, to reject the petition. The Honourable Member for Finsbury had, by his tone and manner, and his running commentaries upon it, seemed to invite the attention of the House to the matters contained in the petition, and thus seemed to identify himself with it.—("Oh, oh," from Mr. Wakley.) And he invited the House to pronounce a decision on the question whether it was to the interests of the country that this species of petitions should be allowed to cir culate. Mr. HUME said that in his opinion a more absurd reason could not be given for the rejection of the peti tion than that given by the Right Hon. Ba ronet the Member for the University of Oxford, that it could not be received on the ground that it was opposed to the general opinion of the House. Why those were the very kind of petitions which were required, and which the House ought to throw wide open its doors to receive. —(Hear, hear.) Petitions which agreed with the House were not petitions that were re quired. It was the duty of the House to re ceive every petition that was sent to it. If once the House were to begin to refuse, at what part would they draw the line of distinction ? Nothing but evil consequences would ensue from the rejection of the petitions of the people.—(Hear, hear.) Sir J. GRAHAM said that he was sorry to be com pelled to pronounce an opinion upon the matter. He was as anxious as any Hon. Member to offer no obstruction to the presentation of petitions of the prayers of the people upon all subjects which might be a matter of de bate before the House. He was glad that the pe tition had been allowed to be brought up and read at the table, because he thought that they would have been acting wrongly had they pronounced any decision upon the subject in ignorance of the contents of the petition. He could not say that he went the full length of the llon. Member for Mon trose (Mr. Hume). He could not agree with him in thinking that it would be consistent with loyalty to the Sovereign, or respect to the institutions of the country, to entertain petitions addressed to this House, calling for the abolition of kingly government and for a substitution of a republic in this country.—(Hear, hear.) He could not with a sense of duty subscribe to that doctrine. The form of government established in this country was a government by Kings, Lords, and Commons. He thought that a line must be drawn with respect to petitions to be entertained by the House, and that no petition should be allowed to lie upon the table which dealt with the fundamental interests of the country. He thought that the institution under which they lived was no less a kingly government than a government composed of two Houses of Parliament, the Houses of Lords and Commons; and if this opinion was well founded, then, in his opinion, this house ought nut to entertain petitions wishing for the abolition of kingly go vernment. By a parity of reasoning, he would not resist the force of the inference, that they should not allow petitions to lie upon the table asking for the aboli tion of the House of Peers. He regretted the duty which was thus forced upon him by the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for the Uni versity of Oxford, but acting at once upon the impulse of his judgment and feeling, he felt bound to say that if this question should be forced to a division, he should certainly feel it his duty to vote against the petition being allowed to lie upon th e t a bl e . .qtr. BRIGHT wished to know whether it had not been the custom of the House to allow petitions to be received for the rejection of bishops from the House of Lords. He thought that if such petitions were allowed to be received by the House, there could be no reason to believe that the House was unable to receive, petitions, praying fur the total abolition of the House of Peers. He did not express any sympathy, and probably no lion. Member in the House would express sympathy, with the whole of the contents of the petition. (Hear, hear.) He was sure, that with regard to these particular peti tions, the only effect of this discussion would be to raise the petitioner in his own estimation, and turn the public attention to the discussion of questions whiCh the Hoese did not wish to be discussed.—(Hear, hear.) If the House determined not to receive the preset petition he was sure that it would only lead to the presentation of other similar objectionable petitions. He would express no opinion whatever upon this petition; that was a matter of minor importance, but he considered it of enormous importance that the House should not take a false step on the present occa sion. Mr. F. O'CONNOR had no doubt that the petition either came from an unenlightened Chartist or an ig norant Whig.—(Great laughter.) When the lion. Member for Montrose talked about ignorant Chartists, he ought to recollect that he was one of the seven wise men that signed the People's Charter.—(Great laughter.) He trusted that in future the Hon. Member tor Mon trose would express the same opinion in that House that he was in the habit of doing out of it,.—(llear, hear.) Mr. HUME challenged the Hon. Member for Not tinghatn to state a single instance in which he had made assertions out of that Ilouse that he did not uphold in it. lie was not, he bugged to inform the lion. Mem b-,r, one of those who was in the habit of using language for the oceasion--(Hear, hear)—and, as to his saying that the Chartists were an ignorant holy, he had never said any such thing. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELC believed that the Right Ron. Baronet the Member for Ripon had made a most erroneous parallel in the abolition of the (louse of Lords and that of the monarchy.—(llear, hear.) Any person out of doors proposin g the abolition of the monarchy would be subject to severe punishment, but such would not be the case on propos _ in 4 the abolition of the House of Lordi. 7 (llear, hear. He thought the Right Hon. Baronet had thrown the dis cussion into an improper channel. He considered that it' the House had any doubt us to the reception of the petition, they ought to give the benefit of that doubt in favour of the reception of the petitions of the people. 1)r. BOWRING thought that the question of the monarchy had been most improperly introduced into this matter. After a few words from Mr. NEWDEGATE which did not reach the gallery. Mr. WAKLEY said he had reason to complain of the lion. Member for the University of Oxford, when he stated that he considered that Members of this House, in presenting petitions, ought previously to read the prayer of such petitions, and see that they agreed with his own individual views. Ile (Mr. Wakley) totally denied that any such doctrine could be sustained in that House, and he for one had frequently presented petitions when ho had en tirely disagreed with the views of the petitioners, but, the petition being respectfully worded, he considered it was his duty to the petitioners and to the House to present them.--(Hear.) There were times when people ought not to withhold the honest expression of their opinion bf these subjects, and he did not hesitate to say that he agreed in a great measure with the prayer of the peti tioner in this instance, but at the same time he did not agree with that portion of it that related to the House of Cords. —(Hear, hear.) He conscientiously disagreed in what the petitioner had stated in that respect, and he did not concur in the prayer which prayed for the abo lition of the House of Lords, because he sincerely believed that, under the present form of government; more liberty might be enjoyed by the people than under any other system.—(Hear, hear.) He had not the least hesitation in expressing his opinion fully after what had been said to-night, indeed he felt it to be his duty, not only to the House, but to his opinions, to make a declaration of his belief that, under the existing form of government, the greatest extent of humau liberty might be enjoyed by British subjects.—(Cheers.) But it was all nonsense to say that in presenting petitions to that House Hon. Members ought to consult their own particular views and opinions, and the views, prejudices, and opinions entertained by the House. In future, however, he trusted his own constituents would send their peti tions to some other Hon. Member for presentation, for he believed, as a general rule, that it was utterly useless for - them to present petitions to that House, because they met with no attention whatever. Indeed the public had much reason to complain of the House in that respect, for it invariably happened that when people went to the inconvenience of holding public meetings to sign petitions to the House, that such petitions did not receive the atten tion of more than ten Members out of between the 300 and 400 who had seats in that House.—(Hear.) With regard, however, to the opinion of the Honour able Baronet, that no Honourable Member ought to present a petition to that House who did not agree with its prayer, he entirely disagreed with that doctrine, and he should certainly press his motion, that the peti tion be ordered to lie upon the table.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. AGLIONBY said he had quite a contrary opi nion as to the manner in which petitions were received by the House, and whenever he had an opportunity of addresting his constituents, he invariably held out to them the wholesome doc trine of making their sentiments known to the House of Commons.—(Hear, hear.) Ho had held a seat in the House for many years, and he could most positively deny that the petitions of the people were not treated with respect. True, it sometime hap pened that one description of petitions met with more favour than others, but the people were aware of this, and they felt that it was utterly impossible that all petitions could be treated alike. With regard to the particular question before the House he thought there could not be a shadow of a doubt that all petitions of the people that were respectfully worded ought to be received ; and he hoped, in giving his vote upon this occasion, it would not be under stood that he was expressing any opinion upon the views the petition contained. (Hear, hear.) If the motion of the Hon. Baronet was acceded to, it would interfere with the right enjoyed by the people of petitioning . that House on all subjects affecting their well'are.—(Hear.) It would, he thought, have been much better if, instead of the public attention having been called to the subject, it had been passed over.— (Loud cries for a division here arose.) Sir J. GRAHAM explained what he meant was not merely the general institutions of the country, but par ticularly the " Government—King, Lords, and Com mons." Mr. LABOUCHERE said he should very much regret if the House was compelled to divide on the subject.— (Loud cheers.) He should regret it, because the House could not fail to tole under some re- 'much with Those . .r 3 ..,th . to the fundamental institutions of the country, " Queen, Lords, and Com mons." He believed the majority of the House entertained the opinion that those institutions should be upheld and continued—(Hear, hear)—and also that those who en tertained this opinion represented the sentiments of a vast majority of the people of these realms. —(Loud cheers.) However much they might wish to see more temperate government introduced into those institutions, they yet entertained the opinion that the great fundamental institutions of this country should be upheld, under which they enjoyed more security, liberty, and more happiness than was ever enjoyed by any other portion of the human race.—(Hear, hear.) That, however, was not the question before the House. If the House was pre pared to divide he should certainly vote with his Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the reception of the petition. There was no indecent language in the petition; if it had contained seurrillous language towards another branch of the Legislature the case would have been otherwise ; but with ie spect to that other branch, they should be as jealous of any disrespect towards it, as if it had been directed against themselves. He totally differed with the views of the petitioner, because he believed that the abolition of the House of Lords would involve the country in ruin. Petitions for the abolition of the Church, and the expulsion of Spiritual Peers frcm the House of Lords had been presented, and the House would, therefore, see that it was impossible to draw a nice line of distinc tion.—(Cheers.) They would beat consult the public interest by accepting the petition. Mr. 8.. PALMER said the House had on several occasions received petitions for the repeal of the legisla tive union with Ireland—a matter less within its com petency than the one now before the House. He hoped the question would not be pressed to a division. If it was, he should support the petition being received. Sir R. INGLIS said he had heard with no common pleasure, from all sides of the House, a repudiation of the doctrines contained in the petition, as far as the House of Lords was concerned; and his object being thus substantially gained, in eliciting from the House an expression of its unanimous opinion that such a course would be destructive.—(" No, no," from several Members on the Ministerial benches.) Sir R. Inglis here sat down, intimating that he should divide the House; but on the Speaker putting the question, no division was called for, and the petition was ordered to lie on the table. THE EVICTIONS IN GALWAY. Sir G. GREY said he migkt perhaps be permitted to refer to a case which had been mentioned on a former evening, by the Hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. P. Scrope). He had that morning received a private letter from his Noble Friend the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, stating that he had seen the notice taken of that case in the House, and expressing surprise, in which he (Sir G. Grey) participated, that his Right lion. Friend (Sir W. Somerville) and himself should have been ignorant that measures in reference to this cue had actually been taken by the Irish Government; for it was the Noble Lord's firm conviction that information of the pro ceedings taken by the Government had been ad dressed to the Homo-office some tine ago. That letter must have been accidentally lost, for it had certainly never reached him (Sir G. Grey); and his Right lion. Friend (Sir W. Somerville) had assured him that, until tho preceding night, he had not received any „ . answer to the communication he had addressed to Mr. Redington on the subject. He felt it due to the Lord Lieutenant, after the reproach that had been cast on the Irish Government, to state the steps that had been taken in the matter, whereby the Noble Lord would be ac• quitted of any neglect, or any indifference to the outrage. At the moment he heard of the case, which was before the statements appeared in the newspapers, for it was first brought to the knowledge of the Poor-law Commis sioners—he determined to take those measures which it was competent to him to adopt for a thorough investiga• tion of the facts, and for the punishment, if possible, of the parties who had been guilty of the cruelties alleged. Considerable but unavoidable delay took place, owing to the circumstance of Captain Ellard, who was deputed to make the requisite inquiries, being seized with typhus fever, which unfortunately terminated in his death. Major IPKie was appointed to succeed him; an inquiry was di rected to be taken upon oath; and the result was before the House. Immediately after that report has been brought under the notice of the Lord-Lieutenant he had sub mitted the whole case to the law officers; and they were of opinion that the Government could not legally insti tute a criminal prosecution against the parties. The next step which the Lord-Lieutenant took was to intimate his opinion to the Lord Chancellor—Mr. Blake being a magistrate—that his name should be removed from the commission of the peace.—(Hear, hear.) The Lord Chancellor had not immediately acted on that sugges tion, but, adopting his invariable practice, had trans mitted a statement of the case to Mr. Blake, thus afford ing him the opportunity of explanation. For a length of time no explanation had been received from Mr. Blake, and when it did arrive at last it was considered unsatis factory, and Mr. Blake's name had been struck off the commission. Another person also implicated in the transaction, Mr. St. George, a Member of that House, but who was now abroad, had been called upon for an explanation,,but noianswer had yet been received. This would convince the House that the case had not escaped the observation of the Irish Government, and that the Noble Lord had taken all the measures which it was competent to take in order to express his sense of the proceeding.—filear, hear.) _ ..an ELECTION RECOGNIZANCES BILL. Mr. S. WORTLEY rose to move the second reading of this Bill, but Mr. Hume and Mr. Bankes, who had notices on the paper, having refused to resign their right to precedence, the Bill 'was postponed. EXPENSES OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSION. Mr. BANKIES then rose to move, •' That in the opinion of this House the powers, rights, and authority now vested by the Act 9 and 10 Vic., c. 105, in the Commissioners of Railways, may be so regulated as to secure their efficient execution at n greatly diminished rate of charge to the public." lie complained that the Railway Commission had no duties to perform, because the Act of Parliament which was to regulate their pro ceedings had not been proposed to the House after the Bill of the Right Honourable President of the Railway Board had been withdrawn. Under these circumstances he thought the sooner the Commission wasjdone away with the better. The authority proposed to be given to them was most arbitrary and vexatious. Ile thought they had sufficient experience of the Railway Commis sion to justify them in coming to the conclusion that it was more an evil than anything else. Its con stitution was most expensive. The expenses of the railway department when it was connected with the Board of Trade did not exceed 1,9721. But in the first year of the present Commission it cost the country no less than 17,0001. That was an amount quite dispro portionate to any benefit derived from the Railway Board. He thought they could easily save tho country this expense in a great measure by transferring back the railway department to the Board of Trade. 'The Right Hon. Gentleman who was appointed to the head of the Railway Commission was not a Member of that House, and he believed that it was essential for the head of that department that he should have a seat in that House. There was a President and Vice-President of the Board of Trade, both of whom had seats in the House, and he believed they had sufficient time at their disposal, in consequence of the free-trade measures, to attend to the railway department. But if they had not, a small in crease might be made in that department which would enable them to do the business to the satisfaction of the public. He thought the Government would do well to adopt his motion, because matters could not remain as they were. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that it was desirable that the utmost practical economy should be carried out in this departrnent.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the origin of the board, the Hon. Gentleman seemed to forget that there were three reports recom mending the constitution of such a body, and the Bill for this purpose had the almost unanimous support of that House.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the ex penses, the Hon. Gentleman was in error in saying that they amounted to 17,0001. The actual expenses were only 12,0001. He regretted that his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Strutt) was not then in the House, as he would be able to give the Hon. Gentleman a more detailed ac count of the expenditure. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to forget the great services performed by the Railway Board in preparing reports for the guidance of Com mittees. The business of that board was greatly on the increase. At the present time the business transacted amounted to more than one•third the whole business done in the course of last year. His Right Honourable Friend (Mr. Strutt) had been appointed to the head of the board from his acquaintance with the private business and standing orders of the House. As soon as the report of the Derby Election Committee had been made, he placed his resignation in the hands of his Noble Friend, feeling that it was essential for the head of the railway department to have a seat in the House. His Noble Friend being of the same opinion, accepted that resignation, however reluctantly. The Government then had to determine whether they would fill up that place, and they came to the conclusion not to . fill up the place vacated by Mr. Strutt. It was not their intention, therefore, at present to appoint any successor to that gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) They would appoint a member of the Board of Trade as an unpaid Commis sioner to the office; and they would then see, by experi ment, how the business of the railway department could be conducted in that way. If the Committee that was then sitting reported as advisable that it would bo ex pedient still further to reduce the expenses of that department, the Government would readily ac quiesce. The Government were ready to reduce the ex penditure; but lie dil not see that there would bo any advantage in coming to the resolution proposed by the lion. Gentleman, in the spirit of which, however, they fully concurred. Mr. lIUDSON cougratulated the House on the speech of tbo Right Honourable Gentleman. It was not his desire to take away the super risiou of the Govern- ' went, or to weaken the power which they possessed over different railway companies, but lie thought that more economy might be practised in the railway department. As an instance of the way in which unnecessary expense was incurred, he would mention to the House that an anonymous letter having appeared in the Times, stating that Mr. Hudson had detained the train at Derby, and that an accident had occurred, the Commissioners actually cut out the letter, and sent it to the secretary of the company to know what explanation could be given. Now the fact alleged was perfectly untrue; but when persons were sent about on such slight grounds it was no wonder that the expenses should tC great. There was an old adage, that when persons had nothing to do, they were sure to do mischief, and that wan the case with regard to the Railway Board. He believed that one man of common sense and experi ence would be more efficient than a host of intelligent aid (lean) It had been his good fortune to be on the best terms with the Board of Trade, and it was his bounden duty to say that that Board executed the business of railways far better than the existing Commission. He was sure that a large and a very important saving might be effected by the abolition of the Board. Mr. V. SSIITH said the tendency of the Hon. Mem ber's speech was to get rid of all supervision and control. —(No, no.) For his part he thought supervision abso lutely necessary for the sake and safety of the public. Ho cared not whether it was in the Board of Trade, or any other authority; but control, he felt assured, was the one thing wanting. Mr. GLADSTONE thought it necessary that, before all things, they should remember that the question now was not whether there should be some sort of coat rol, but whether the present description of control should continue. He sincerely wished, after what he had heard, he could desire the withdrawal of this motion. But he thought there was some thing primarily wrong in the existing system. The Act proceeded on the supposition that Government was to exercise a very great control; but the limits of that control were not defined before the Commission was appointed. The consequence was a failure. Powers were demanded which the House re fused to give; and it was clear that, at this time, those powers would not be conceded. Then, if Parliament was not prepared to give those powers, they were not justi fied in maintaining the authority which was originally designed to carry them into effect. For his own part he could not at all understand why the Board of Trade should not undertake all this business. That depart ment was by no means overcharged with business. This very year it had happened that the President of the Board of Trade had conducted all the Parliamentary business of the Colonial-office in the absence of the Member for Kinsale; and surely, if he had time for that, he could find time for the business of railways. The duties now divided between the President and the Vice- President of the Board of Trade, the Master of the Mint, and the Chief Commissioner of Railways, were all at one time performed by his Right lion. Friend the Member for Dover. There was every prospect that the business would be still easier than it was wont to be, and that it might be executed with perfect ease and satisfaction in one or two apartments of the Board of Trade. Mr. HUME said it was quite refreshing to hear such advocacy of economy. He hoped they should have many repetitions of the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech. He bad agreed to the appointment of the Commission under the strong impression that further powers were requisite and ought to be given; but he had now ar rived at the conclusion that the department might pro perly merge in the Board of Trade. After what had passed he hoped the Commission would be broken up as a matter of course. _ _ Mr. F. T. BARING quite concurred in the statement that this board had been constituted with the expectation that a greater control over railways should be vested in it; and if those powers were not to be given, certainly the machinery of the board was much too intricate and costly for existing purposes. But his impression was, that a time might come when an extension of the powers of this board might be demanded. His impression cer tainly was, that it was injudicious to vest railway busi ness in the Board of Trade. By having the business in one office he thought it could be much mote satisfac torily transacted than by vesting it in a variety of diffe rent authorities. Sir J. GRAHAM did not think that this was the fit opportunity for considering whether a new office should be created. The time had come when all needless ex penditure ought to be checked.—(Hear, hear.) It was quite clear that two years ago they had created a new office without delegating to it the performance of any duties whatever. This was not the fault of Parliament or of the Government ; but the error had been detected and it was time that they should correct it. The lion. Member for Montrose, every one would agree, was one of the most honourable and honest men in the House. During his long Parliamentary career no one could say that the Hon. Member ever sought for himself any situation of honour, place, or profit, whatsoever. But the Hon. Member had his hobbies, and the Railroad Board was one of them. Mr. LAI3OUCHERE said it was almost a matter of impossibility to please the House on the subject of rail way legislation. Whatever plan was proposed for the improvement of the system, some other plan was sure to be suggested. His great objection to the motion of the lion. Member for Dorsetshire was that it prejudged a question upon which the fullest information would ere long be presented to Parliament, it being the intention of the Railway Board before or immediately after Easter to lay a detailed report before Parliament, exhibiting what the board had already done—and he thought its duties would be found to have been more arduous than was imagined—and to make the suggestions which upon mature consideration, it was prepared with as to future legislation upon the subject. He doubted very much the advantage of merging the duties of this C omm i ss i on altogether in the Board of Trade. He did not shrink from any additional labour which might hence be thrown upon himself—he believed he might say he had never manitested any disposition to avoid labour in the public service, any desire to secure an easy posi tion for himself —(Hear, hear)—but he thought that such an alteration would not work well. The House might rely upon it that the class of duties in question were not to be properly performed by a few extra clerks at low salaries; they required men of great skill and of high and established reputation. He would not meet the Hon. Gentleman with a direct negative, for the motion was a fit one to be considered upon the full information which would shortly be placed before the House; but he would call upon the House to proceed to the previous question. Sir IL VEItNEY urged tho necessity of long notice in h'gislating upon this important subject. The Ilouse divided, when there appeared— For the previous question Against it Majority PRINTING OF PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Mr. lIUME moved "Teat it be referred to the Speaker, and the Committee for Printing of Papers, to consider and to report to the House whether any and what improvement can be made in the printing and the engrossing of Bills." Lord MAHON, as a member of the Printing Com mittee, had no objection to the inquiry sought ; but as to the supposition that any economy would be effected by printing the Parliamentary papers in quarto instead of in folio, the expense, on the contrary, would be enhanced. Sir G. GREY regarded the motion as calculated to lead to very beneficial results. The motion was then agreed to. ELECTION RECOGNIZANCES BILL. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY moved the second reading of this Bill. Ho urged the necessity of no longer delaying to withdraw from that House the discretion as regarded legal points, which now so often lead to collisions with the courts of law. It was admitted on all hands that some legislation on the subject was necessary. Doubtless whatever course might be taken would be surrounded with diZeulties, but no difficul ties would be so great as those which pervaded the present system. The Act of 7 and 8 Vic. had been in one respect found defective ; the case of recognizanees was altogether a cases omissus there, so that uo parties proceeding in election committees, a hether the petitioners or the petitioned, went upon any clear or certain princi ple. Recognizances were not idle forms, but were pro vided as securities for the prosecution of any petition entered against any Member. The 7 and 8 Vi c . did no t neglect the subject of recognizinces, but, going further than 28 Geo. 111., provided that petitions should not even be received unless recognisances were previously entered into ; but the defect of this Act, which he now sought to remedy, was, that it . provided no pr ac ti ca l means of trying the validity of the recognizaeces so given. His proposal. differing in this respect from that of the Hon. Member for Midhurst, was to give the Committee to whom the petitions were referred power to amend the recognizances, in cases which they deemed fitting. What he had to propose was, that the first clause and the schedule referred to in it be altogether omitted, inserting a clause making the Bill universal instead of temporary. His second proposition was, that instead of sending back the petitioners to enter into fresh recognizances, the Bill should give power to the Committe e to entertain the pre liminary objections to the recognizance:, and also to decide upon their legality; another, that if the recogni zances were found invalid, and that by the laches of the petitioners, then that no further proceedings be gone into. But that if the recognizances were invalid owing to the fault of the examiner, then that the petitioners should have power to make them good. There would also be granted a power to the Committee to proceed to wake the recognizances good forthwith. Under the present system the officer of the House passed recog nisances such as no lawyer would pronounce to be valid. The Right Honourable Baronet opposite (Sir G. Grey) had intimated, the other night, that these propositions were rejected by the Committee unani mously. Now, the Committee was not unanimous, for his lion. Friend the Member for Abingdon was absent when the division was come to. The reason alleged for rejecting the propositions was, that, if adopted, they might lead to conflicting decisions. That was a diffi culty to which all judicial bodies were liable ; but an Election Committee was the only form of judicial pro ceeding which the House was possessed of, and more over there decisions could not be conflicting, because the circumstances of no two petitions were the same. If the Bill which he submitted was agreed to, the House would hereafter avoid corning into conflict with the courts of law, and under th ese c i rcums t ances h e b egge d to move that it be read a second time. Mr. BERNAL said the Committee manifested great unanimity on the propositions of his Right Hon. Friend. When he (Mr. J. S. W ort l ey) asserted that no conflict ing decisions could in future arise, he might be right, but he ought to recollect that every decision became a precedent, and was followed as such. He would never consent to give . such a p ower as was conta i ne d i n t h e p ro posed Bill to t e:Comm i t tee o f fi ve gent l emen up sta i rs. pi le questions which would have to be decided by them were of vast importance, and as little as possible of law ought to be submitted t o El ect i on Comm i ttees. He was rea dy to admit that th e l ast statute of 7 and 8 Vic., was deficient in some respects, but a general declaratory Act would cure that evil, and suffice to render it more stringent in respect to recognizances. Rather, therefore, than pass such, ameasure as that r e com me nded by hi s } Right Hon. mend, ho was disposed to say that a g eneral declaratory Bill ought to be brought in by which tho duties of the examiner of recognizances would be more clearly defined. Lord MAHON expressed his intention to support the Bill of the Right Hon. Gentl eman t h e M em b er f or B ute, for it was quite a different one from that of the Hon. and Learned Member for Midhurst, which he bad opposed. What the present Bill proposed to effect was, to give the honest petitioner an opportunity for rendering his recog nisunces valid, and this was a good and a proper object to effect. The Hon. Member for Rochester objected to granting power to Electiou Committees to decide upon system of Election Conimittees, and for one he had never approved of the present system. If tho Hon. Member for Rochester would bring in such a Bill as he had described, he should have his (Lord Mahon's) hearty support. . . _ Sir G. GREY said that though ho was quite indiffe rent as to what decision the House might come to, he still must say a few words on the motion of the Right Hon. and Learned Member for Bute, who had taken the unprecedented course of adopting a waif, or stray Bill, and after cancelling the whole of its enactive clauses, and inserting entirely fresh ones, had brought it forward and recommended it for the sanction of the House. If such a course of legislatio❑ was to be permitted, he could not foresee the results. The course recommended would, if adopted, stultify their former proceedings. Why did not the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman conform to the rules of the House, and bring in a new Bill? He begged to say that he should vote against the motion. Sir R. INGLIS said that on a recent occasion the House was called on to divide on the word " that," but on the present occasion they were called on to ♦ote on a sheet of blank paper, for, with the exception of the preamble (which was not an enacting part of the Bill), and the clause giving power to amend in future, the whole clauses of the Bill which he moved the House to read a second time were struck out. He objected, therefore, to the second reading of a Bill of which all but five or six lines had been struck out. He moved as an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. Sir F. THESIGER found a difficulty in dealing with the question, seeing that his Right Honourable and Learned Friend the Member for Bute had told the House that his object in introducing the Bill was that a totally different measure might be framed on it. He (Sir Frederick Thesiger) was of opinion that some legislation on the subject was absolutely necessary. On a former occasion the House had decided that the best mode of proceeding was to refer the matter to a Select Committee. He believed that that was a proper course, but that the House had erred in not giving the Com mittee greater powers. It appeared to him that there were only three courses open to the House with refer ence to this subject.—(A laugh.) They might either do nothing, or leave the House to act on each case, or they might legislate finally on the subject. To do nothing would, he feared, he highly dangerous, and ♦ery likely to bring the House into collision with courts of law on questions of privilege. The next course would be to leave those questions to be decided by the House. But the House had alreildy decided that it was itself a most improper tribunal for their decision. It then became obvious that legislation was the only and necessary course. They had before them the Bill of the Hon. Member for Midhurst. Its author had abandoned his offspring, and the Right Hon. and Learned Member for Bute asked them to give it a second reading, in order that he might give it an entirely new dress. He (Sir F. Thesiger) thought the House was placed in a diffi culty by the eourse which had been adopted by his Right Hon. and Learned Friend; but he earnestly entreated them to give the Bill a second reading, which would be some step towards practical and immediate legislation on the subject. Mr. HA z iCTER contended that the House had no right to inquire into the validity of election recognisances except in one or two cases. The Bill proposed to intro duce a third case, and to provide that when the recog nisances were defective the house might interfere to re medy that defect. The Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) had on a former occasion laid it down that all questions relating to recognisances should be left to:the examiner of recognisances, and the merits of the petition to the Select Committee, and that the decision of these two tribunals should be final. That principle the House had affirmed, and he thought now to change that deci sion would lead to greater inconvenience and injustice than was now complained of. Mr. R. PALMER was in favour of legislation on the subject. When the House interfered to protect sitting Members, it was not to be endured that because of a flaw in the recognisances the petition should fall to the ground. He knew of nothing more destructive. The parties ought to be placed by a short enactment in the same position as they would have been in had the recog nisances been in tke form prescribed by the Act, accord ing to the original intention of the petitioners. That would meet every case except the Walsall case, which might be the subject of special enactment. The exami ner of recognisances had been led into the error by de pending too closely on the forms of the Act, and believ• ing his decision was final, and also by being in a great degree dependent on subordinates. SIIEIL referred to high legal authorities in fa viour of the opinion that the certificate of the examiner was final, and contended that a tribunal must be ap pointed to decide a point of law which had arisen, and which at present there was no tribunal to decide upon. Therefore it was that in his opinion legislation was ne cessary. After a few words from Mr. HATTER and Mr. NAPIER, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL agreed with his Right Hon.Yriend the Member for Oxford, that it would be al together contrary to the usage of Parliament to read a Bill a second time, in order to alter it from beginning to end ; and amongst those who are in favour of the Bill no less than four distinct courses were recommended. The Bill as it :stood would do nothing. The anticipated conflicts with 'the courts of law could not arise, for the certificate of the Speaker, if costs were given, would be final. With regard to the certificate of the examiner, Mr. Sergeant Kinglake, Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, and Mr. Cowling, no mean authority, had decided that it was final. Ile considered that the amendments proposed would only create delay and impose upon the petitioners the expense of keeping witnesses in town while the matter was pending. He must, therefore, oppose the Mr. BANKES did not agree with tho Hon. and Learned Gentleman that because there was great diffi culty in the case, and because_ four remedies had been proposed, none ought to be granted.—(Hear, hear.) He had voted against the proposition of the Hon. and Learned Member for Midhurat because he had felt it to be insufficient, but would now vote for the Bill as amended, because ha believed it would afford a remedy. Sir J. GRAHAM felt disposed to follow the attrac tive advice of the Judge-Advocate and the Attorney- General, and do nothing.—(A laugh.) Lie was for staying where they were, fearless altogether of the threat which had been held out, that, by proceeding in that legislation, novelty, in the way of a prohibition, might come upon them from the courts of law. He should deeply regret a collision between that House and the courts of law, but he did not hesitate to say, if such a prohibition were to be issued, the Speaker would dis regard it.—(l.lear, hear.) He must therefore vote for the amendment of the Secretary of State. Mr. ANSTEY would vote for the second reading of the Bill, reserving to himself the right of opposing the amendments in Committee. Mr. S. WORTLEY said a few words in reply, and The House divided, when there appeared— For the second reading Against it Majority —32 The 13111 was then read a second time The House adjourned at Twenty minutes to Twelve o'clock. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of March 28.) SUGAR.—To-day there was less disposition shown on the part of both grocers and refiners to make purchases, and the market still being largely supplied by public sales, a further reduction was submitted to. For West India Muscovado Sugar merchants were not disposed to lower their prices, and, as the show continues small, the business done was limited to 140 hhds and tierces: in some cases prices were a shade in favour of the buyer. REFINED.—To-day the home trade made purchases in Refined Sugar with caution, still Standard Lumps could not be purchased under 53s 6d, and brown grocery 52s 6d per cwt. Bonded Crushed Sugar is heavy of dis posal at previous quotations. MAURITIUS —This afternoon there was a steady de mand for all sorts of Mauritius for refining purposes ; there is yet a plentiful supply. Grocery kinds, how. ever, were rather easier. The parcel submitted to public competition amounted to 7,542 bags, tne chief portion of which sold at former terms. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon Bengal Sugar met with less attention, but the parcels offered at public sale amounting to 108 casks 4,859 bags, were all sold, as im porters submitted to a further reduction of full 6d on white qualities. FOREIGN.—The demand has been brisker from the home trade and our refiners working under bond, but holders have been compelled to accept previous re duced rates. Privately 3,000 boxes of yellow llavannah were taken in at from 39s to 42s Gd for middling to fine quality. On the part of exporters more inclination has been evinced to operate. At auction 3,000 boxes of yellow llavannah have been offered, but a small pert only sold in consequence of holders asking stiffer rates. MOLASSES.—There is no improvement to notice in the demand for West India, and prices continue to decline. Mauritius and Bengal met with a dull sale at 44 to 17s. CoFEEE.--.This afternoon there was less demand for Native Ceylon, and 663 bags at auction were chiefly taken in at 32s to 32s 6d for good and real good ordi nary bold pale, being about the former worth. Of Costa Rica 1,590 bags were offered; the demand was not so active, but the whole sold. COCOA.—West India is offered upon rather lower terms by private treaty, yet the trade made purchases with caution. At auction 360 bags of Grenada were nearly all taken in at 41s to 44s for low to good quality. There is only a moderate stock, and the consumption is proceeding satisfactorily. The market for foreign was inn quiet state. TEA.—The market for black has a more active ap pearance, but in consequence of the large stock prices are prevented from advancing ; holders, however, are not so anxious to press sales, and the rates obtained are equal to those previously current. Congou of low quality selling at bid to 7d, good common lid to Bd, but middling to middling Bid to lOti, strong blackish leaf 10d to is 2d, fine and Pekoe flavour Is 3d is Bd, Souchong low to middling 7d to is, good to fine Is 2d to 2s 6d, Pouchong low to fine 4d toBd t . Of green a larger quantity has been sold, but not a better prices, and there is no decrease in the supply. For Pekoe Teas prices remain low, with only a moderate demand, limited . a — t 1 1. 6 11 s e to prc t u os, h and ases broken made aitnl4Psation a l s s h ; av t e he b re ee i n s also an increased quantity on offer. Carolina town dressed is little required, and there are ready sellers at 21s to 275. American cleaned is in larger supply, and prices are further depressed. At auction 74 tierces went at 21s to 22a for good and fine. There are ready sellers of all kinds of East India upon previous reduced terms, yet export orders have not increased, and all kinds met with little attention from the home trade. COCHINEAL.—To-day there was less inclination mani fested to do buoines iu this article. At public sale 96 - 4s l Id, a few blacks sold at 43 9d to 5s 6d, being about I 2d to 3d cheaper. 100 bags of Mexican were all taken I in at 4s 2d to 4s 3d for silvers, and 4s 10d to 5s for blacks. SriaiTs.—The operations in Leeward Island Rum have been trifling since our last report, although mer chants arc willing to accept rather lower rates, and Is 10d to is lOid is the value of proof strength. East India is little required, and the tendency of prices is downwards. There are few purchasers of Demerara, and prices are not so firm ; 30 to 38 per cent over proof is offered at 3s to 3s sd. For Jamaica the shipping orders concluded have been trifling, whereas the home trade are generally stocked for the present, and merchants manifest more inclination to facilitate sales by accepting rather lower rates. With all sorts of Rum the market is better supplied. The demand for Brandy is active from the home trade, and prices are rather higher. A fair amount of business has been concluded in Geneva for exportation at 2s to 2s 2d, and fine fit for home use is in fair request at 3s to 3s 4d. In British Corn Spirits, large sales have been made at 103 nett cash. INDIGO. —This afternoon at public sale 137 serons of Guatemala Indigo were offered, and all bought in at Is 9d to 3s 8d for ordinary to good, being much above the value. SALTPETRE.—To•dhy Rough was much sought after by private treaty, and, in consequence of the scanty sup ply, buyers were compelled to pay higher rates ; 33s 6d to 35s 6d is the value of low to fine Calcutta on the spot. OlLS.—There has been little desire evinced by the home trade to make purchases in Linseed on the spot since our last report, and the orders executed have been trifling. Although the supply is not large, the con sumption is satisfactory, and prices on the advance for seed, still crushers show less firmness, and accept 24s 3d to 24s 6d per cwt. which are lower rates. For forward delivery the prices asked are 24s 9d to 25s few buyers are to he met with. nape Seed is yet little' required, and as the supply ;does not fall off, holders are sellers of pale at 365, and of brown at 355, but there is a larger quantity being consumed. Olive cannot be obtained upon lower terms, as the deliveries continue to exceed the arrivals. In Cocoa Nut the private purchases are upon a rather more extended scale, but not at better prices, and 43s to 53s per cwt is the value ef low to fine; there is also a less plentiful supply. Lard Oil is little required, still fine English is held for 49s to 50s, and American 47s 6d to 48s. The stock of common Fish Oils is on the increase, and prices still tend downwards, in consequence of the falling off in the home and export demand. Seal has been purchased with much caution. Sperm Oil is not cheaper, but there is less demand, and privately only a limited business has been concluded. TALLow.—Although the trade evince little desire to operate in Russian on the spot, still holders insist upon further advanced rates, and require 52s 9d to 53s 9d per cwt for P.Y. Candle. For delivery in the last three months of the year there is a good demand, and prices are firm at 46s to 46s 3d. The value of home made is 49s to 50s nett cash, but only a limited demand has prevailed, and there is a more plentiful supply. For other kinds a good demand has been experienced, and at the public sales advanced rates were obtained. LATEST PRICES OF SHARES, IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM PANIES' STOCK. From tke Official List, euxILISIIED EVERY TUE'DAT AND FRIDAY EVENING, LONDON. TUESDAY, ➢fARCIi 28. TOTNT-STOCH BANXI3. ' Dividend j Amount Same of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. , Share. -- - £ s. d. £ s. 0. Australasia •••••• •• - - 40 0 0 40 0 0 - ,iritsh North American 61. per eent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 - Jeylon ••.•..•••• •• •• 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - .3emosercial of London 161. per cent. lOU 0 0 20 0 0 - loionial . 51. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Gloucestershire •• •• • • 151 per cent. - - - lonian ........ •• •• •• 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - Londn and Westminstr 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 21 - - 13 0 0 - .ondon Joint-Stock ... 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 1 4 Provincial of Ireland.• SI. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Ditto, New.• .••• • •• Si. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 - National of Ireland .. 51. per cent. 50 0 0 •22 I() 0 - Nat. Provnclal of Eng. 61. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 - Ditto, New......... 51. per cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 - South Australia •.• . .• - - 22 10 0 - Union of Australia.... 61. per cant. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - Ditto - - 2 10 0 - Union of London... • . 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 - Union of Madrid ..... -- 40 0 0 40 0 0 - INSURANCE COMPANIES. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price • Annum. Share. - X e. d. £ s. 0. Ibion .....• •••• • • •• 3/. 10s. 500 0 0 50 0 0 75 Alliance rrit. and For. 6 per cent. 100 0 0 11 0 0 17S Dia) Marine. ••• • • 6/. per cent, 100 0 0 5 0 0 - t 13,4 . 138.6 d. pr sh. 50 0 0 5 6 3 14! British Commercial •• 7s. per share 50 0 0 t 5 0 0 5% Ciericl,Med.&Gen.Life 51. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 20 C )unty ..........., „ 31. 100 0 0 10 0 0 - 13s. 50 0 0 5 0 0 , 11 ki:agle • . Eng.& Scot. Law - European Life •••• • • 5!,‘ per cent. 20 0 0 All paid. I - Family Endownw t Soc. 4/. & be. 4 0 0 4 0 0 I - Fz - eetuasons' .• •••• • • • SI. per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 - •Jiot,e - 119 ,uardian ............ 51. per cent. 100 0 0 36 10 0 45 imperial Fire .... •• • • 12 per cent. 500 0 0 50 0 0 220 imperial Life ••••• • •• its. 100 0 0 10 0 0 143 i Indemnity Marine •• • • 11. ill. &N. 100 0 0 513 1 - Law Fire •.-.• - • • • • - 100 0 0 210 0 2% Ltw 1 ire.- --- .. IL ss. 100 0 0 10 0 0 45 1,,,fal and General Life - 50 0 0 2 0 0 4!,', 1.,, , ta1cn Fire -••• • • • 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 13!, Z.,,,ndon Ship ........ 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 133 Marine.. •-••- •• .. - 100 0 0 15 0 0 - Med. liivlid & Gen. Life 4W. per et. 50 0 0 2 0 0 . 4, National Loan Faint.. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 2 10 0 - \ Ationa.l Life......... MI. per cent. 100 0 e 5 0 0 - k' illadium Lite ...... .. 51. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 - Pellean • • • • • • • • • • .. • • - - - 33 l'lnrnix. 3/. p.ct. & bs. -- - - 't otector Life.... ... 5/. per cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 - rovident Life •••• • • • • 11. ss. 100 0 01 10 0 0 - Itocit Life .•• • - .... 4s. 5 0 0 010 0 41, I/03 al Exchanqe 5/. per cent. Stock. - - qui Fire ......... • • - - - I,llto Lite 11. 6s. - - - Universal Life IO.XI. pr era. 100 0 0 II 10 0 - V iotoria Lite •.. - - 4 0 0 •- .. DOCKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - - £ s. d. £ s. d. C , mmercial .....•••• 41. per cent. Stock. - 70 East and West India... 6/. pr cent. Stock. - 114 East Country - 21 I 3nd;;il - flti loltto Bonds •••• • • • • 4/. per cent. - - - it• Katharine •••• • • • • 5 per cent. Stock. - - Ditto Bonds-- -• . lql. pr cenf. - - - Siuthampton -•••• •• 21. per cent. , 50 0 0 i 50 0 0 , 22 C.A-N.A.I.S. Names 01 i !Dividend Names of ra Dividend' Companies, A 1 per Price. Companies. r, per Price. .0 Annum. if.: I Annum. v 2 ---- - - X I X i Ashtn& Oldh i 57i 71. p c 110 Macclesfield . 100 2/. 10s. - 33.rn51ey...•11601 121. 180 Neath ••• • • • 100 201. - grkiik&Abrg 'l5O Si. 85 I xford •. •• • • 100 201. 200 Birmingham 1 35 ' V. 78% Peak Forest. 78 31, 10s . ___ Coventry ....1100 25/. 270 Regent's ...• 331 11. 4s. 181 4 I mro v . • ... 100 1 61. 63 Rochdale ..• • 85! 41. 54 Ells rre&Chs r 133' 41. 48 Somrset Coal 150' 71. 10s. 130 ii::e.% ash • • .1100 32,. - Do.Lk FdSt 12 61. p. c. - , iraudJunctnlloo 5/. 8034, Stffrd&Wore 1401 281. 275 GrandSurrcylloo - 30 ShrewsburY•• i 1251 151. - ..rand Union 100 11, 10s. 21% Stourbridge- 1451 201. 285 Ilrantltin - 1 150 121. - Severn and l &emit & Avn 39 7s. 6d, 534 Wye Rail. j 26 11. 85. 30 Leeds& Livrplloo' 341. 430 Warwick& 7 3 100 5/. 65 Leicester ..• • 140 101. 75 firming. i.etestr &Nthl 83 4/. 36 Warwickiki 1 1 :,ou,ll berogh '142 701. 530 Napton.. - 46 Nfonmouthsh 100 81. - Worcstr 89 78 2/. 39 Mntgemrysh 100 51. - 'Brining. MeltnMwbry 100 101. - Wilts & Brks; 671 11. 11 BRIDGES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - X. s. d. Z. v. d. thingerford • • • • • • - • • - - - 45 Southwrk, Nw Sub. Av. - 932 12 8 - 2},,, Ditto Nw of 734 P.C. 355. per cent. 50 0 0 - 15 Waterloo •••••• • • • • • • - 100 0 0 - 5 Ditto Old Ann. of 81. 11. ss. 4d. - 60 0 0 27 Ditto Nw ditto of 71. 11. 2s. 2d. - 40 0 C 25 Vauxhall •• .. ... AY 11. 168. 70 10 0 - 26 GAS-LIGNT AND COKE COMPANIES. ---- -__ _ Dividend Amount I Name of Company, p e r o f Paid. Price. Annum. , Share. - - IX. v. d. Z. 8. d. British ••••••.. • • • • . . 1/. ,40 0 0 18 0 0 17 Ditto Provincial.... I/. Bs. '2O 0 0 19 0 0 223 ii Bristol - ...... • ..... 101. per cent. 20 0 0 - - Brighton ••.... . • - .• 5/• per cent. , 20 0 0 - 18 City of London ...... 101. 1 100 0 0 100 0 0 215 Continental Consolidat. 925. pr share 50 0 0 39 5 0 - Ditto, New ........ 85s. pr share 10 0 0 37 10 0 - Equitable ....... •. . . 455. pr share 50 0 0 50 0 0 383, Imperial ...... •• • ... 6/. per cent. ,50 0 0 80 0 0 74 1 I udenendent London.. ...... •• • ... NI. pr cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 10 Ditto.... .. .. •. • ... 6/• per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 35 Pluenix .••..••• • • • .. 51. per cent. 50 0 0 45 0 0 3 1 14 Rateliff •••••.. • • • • .. 5/. and bns. 100 0 0 90 0 0 Se United General ••• • • • 4341. pr cent. 50 0 0 50 - 0 0 16 Westminster Chartered 31, 50 0 0 - 853., Ditto, New •• •• • ... 12s. 50 o 0 15 5 0 11 % LIST OF SCOTTISH compArtszs' rsi xes • Dividend Amountof Paid. Price, Name of Company. per Annum. Share. ---- ------- . - C ------- s. d. X 8. 6 cen t. 100 0 0 1 00 0 0 167 Bank of Scotland ••.• • 71. " Der c ent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 195 Caledonian flank British Linen Company 8 , 1. " Der e sent. 10 0 0 210 0 4 City of Glasgow Bank .•• • • • 68i: fl p r of cent. 10 0 0' 10 0 0 11 Clyd es d a l e 8ank...... 61. per cent. 20 0 0i 10 0 0 1 2 . 71. per cent. 500 0 0 100 0 I 154% C ommerc ial Bank • • • • per cent. 25 u 0) 10 0 C ION; E as tern Bank ••••• • • • 61. Edinb.k G i a , Bo w B a nk 61. per cent. 50 0 ' 5 0 0 5% Exchange link of Scot.. 6/. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 40 Isle of Man. Company 71. per cent. 10 0 0 70 0 814 National Bank 6l. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 13 , ,, North of Scotland Bank 71. per cent. 20 0 0 50 9 6' North British Bank •• - 50 0 0 10 0 0 3% Royal Bank of Scotland 61. per cen t . 1 00 0 0 100 0 0 143 ' union Bank of Scotland 81. per cent. 100 ...)0 0 50 0 0 80 Western Bank - ... •• • 81. per cent. 50 0 0 50 1) 0 70 Aberdeen Fir'e and Life 121. per cent. 12 10 0 2 11 0 33 4 11. Accord, Life and Fire - 20 0 0 011 0 9s. British Guarantee Ins. - 10 0 o 1 0 0 111. Caledonian Fire Incur. 101. per coat. 180 0 0 10 0 0 21 ' Church of England Ins. City of Glasgow Life.. Si. - 50 0 0 20 9 2 per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 2/. 9s Edinburgh Life Insur. SI. per cent. 100 0 0 12 10 0 17 14 East of Scotland Life 10 0 0 015 0 11c6d. .- Eng. & Scot, Law Life 51. per cent. 50 0 0 217 6 2 4 Hercules Insurance Co. 71. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 11% Insur. Co. of Scetlnd.. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 7 Life Assoc. of Scotland 51. per cent. 10 0 9 1 0 0 11 73 Mercantile Life ...... - 10 0 0 0 10 0 7s. National Fire and Life 51. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 235. North British Insur. .. 5% I. pr cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 23 North & West of Soot. - 10 0 0 1 0 0 : it. It Scottish Life and Guar. - 20 0 0 011 0 i IA Scot. 31a. and Gen. Life 5/. per cent. 1 0 0 015 0 10s. Od Scottish Union Imance. C 1.% pr cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 11. Os Standard Life ...... • 51. per cent. 80 0 9 4 5 0 93i Unitecl Dep. 4.46tuance , bi. per cent. 10 0 0 • 1 0 A 128. i Dlvidera Name of Company. per Annum, 19s. Ttirminghant . • • •• •• •• East London..• • •• •• •• Grand Junction ...... Jew Rivr Lndn Brdge 21. 1 1 3 s. N iuxhall .....••• West ISt hikilasex • • '51.155.prci d Amount of 1. Share. 4, a. d. 25 0 0 too 0 0 41 13 4 100 0 0 100 0 0 :nt., 43 12 9 MISCELLANEOUS Dividend per Amount of Share. Annum. £. s. a. 100 0 0 10 0 0 U. 4s. 61. per cent. 51. per cent. 31. pr cent. 51. per cent. 5 p. c.Sz bs, 2/ 4 pr cent. 11. Bs. 100 $ 0 100 0 0 100 • • 100 • • 100 • 0 , 95 0 • 15 • 0 I 14 0 • 21. per cent. 3 1 ,V. pr cent.' 331. pr cent. Gl. per cent. - 1 - 50 0 0 50 0 0 100 0 • 100 0 0 1 , 0 0 0 60 0 • 25 0 0 25 0 100 0 0 23 0 0 25 0 0 1 5 0 0 MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS' NUMBER OF DEATHS' FROM ALL CAUSES REorsTEnE n IS THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MARCH 25, IVO. Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ••• 2° Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... ..• 53 195 Turbercular Diseases... ••• .• I/ Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... ..• Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of 16 Respiration ••• ••• Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion—. ... ..„ „, 9 Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. ..• Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 5 Diseases of tho Skin, &c. Malformations... „, Premature Birth Atrophy Old Age Sudden ... Viol, P Odd. once, Privation, Causes not specified ... utccnporanc© _.,. 1,099 The Sock ink cia5,...3 li provile be tt , Commoicitig unt charnel iu pit3t 0; A tang table, called copied by 11 Dea d in the w e ekly, wit pruvid , 2. Three 171 pr,tr) -late 199 V.,.1 , 1410111111 197 • - "me 28 4 278 the t:ocitsty men are Pr dotiraltle .I'l theac the lomat , number of hi varioui Mau: tl adequate r net ita to I 3otlghlg -11( But the nett grey bourers, t and famil Mout 14 t Tlw co meet the They la tropoug, Name of Company. Australian Agriculturl Anglo-Mexican Mint., Ditto, Half Shares.. Canada ... • • .... • • .. Uppr Canada Bonds City 80nd5.... Comp. Copr Mmrs Eng. Gen. Itevers. & Invest. Equitable Reversionry Gen. Steam Navigation London Institution Beni nsl r & Orient.Stm. Reversionary Int. Soc. Royal Mail Steam • South Australian Van Dieman's Land Universal Salvage • • X. 3. 0. 30 0 I 10 I 0 2 10 I 32 10 0 71 • • I‘/ ODEL I it_ Society fo ink; l e i rtti.eP . tinder the Patron , hu PHTiILENT --- I 1 DEATHS FROM ♦LL CAUSES ... Ponulation Enumerated, Average weekly Deaths, 1843-7. Five Winters. . 161 . . 209 . . 203 . . 235 . . 299 . 1641. West Districts... 300,711 North Districts.. 375,971 Central Districts 373,653 East Districts ... 392,444 South Districts .. 501,190 T0ta15........ 1,948,425 Males Females -. 1,107 .•• •• • ••• ••• BIRTIIS IN TIIE WEEK. Males Females Total ... ...... 5718,099 ... 521 ... 782 ... 772 -.1,554 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, Dimwit 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Edinburgh and Glas gow, 39--Ditto, Halves, 5 3 4 dis.—London and North- Western, New Quarters, 21. Bs. 914 d. p.—Midland, Halves, 5% dis.—North Union (A), 204—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 3, 10% dis.—Ditto, No. 4, Third's, 31.65. 3d' dis.—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase) , p.—Ulster, 3. The market was dull, little business WO transacted, but prices generally firm. MANCHESTER, -MARCH 28. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—East Lancashire, Quar ters, 1 13 16 dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 321. Shares, 63 1 8 dis.—Ditto (West Riding Union), 3 3-16 dis.— North Staffordshire, 1 7-16 dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No 4, 3% dia. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, MAicn 28. STOCK EXCHANGL—The sales are—Manchester, Shef field, and Lincolnshire, Preference, 1 .4 dis.—Newcastle and Carlisle, New S cr ip, 1 dis.—Northßritish, 21 x. d.—Ditto , Halves, 9—Ditto, Thirds, 325. 6d. dis.—Ditto, Extension, 85 . dis.—North Staffordshire, 1 1 4 dis—York and North Midland , Preference, 2 1 -A, p. BIRMINGHAM, MARCH 28. STOCK ExcHANGE.—The sales are—Manchester, Sheffield , and Lincolnshire, Preference, % dis.—North Staffordshire , dis.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A), 4% dis.—Ditto (B), 565. 3d. dis.—South Staffordshire, 3 dia. BRISTOL, MAncit 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.—TiIe market remained steady, but without any advance on prices. The following business was done :—Great Western, Quarters, 1% dis.—Ditto, 171. Shares, 1% dis.—Lancashire and Carlisle, Thirds, 2 dis. COUNIITTAL OF A GANG OF BURGLARS.—Yester day a gang of burglars and receivers of stolen goods. who, it is believed, have for years infested the lower part of Essex and the adjoining borders of Suffolk, especially about Halstead, were examined before the county magistrates. The number of the gang in cus tody amounted to fourteen, some of whom were of respectable connexions, ono being a farmer and another a shopkeeper in the town of Halstead. The circum stances which led to the discovery of the gang were these :—Several burglaries having lately been committed in the neighbourhood, u sharp watch was kept upon several suspected characters in the district by the police, and these having been often observed at a beer shop kept by a man named Gooding, it was resolved to search the premises; this was done by order of the magistrates, and various articles of property, which Ind been stolen from dfferent houses broken into, were found. The keeper of the house was then Wien into custody, and a man named Bryant s also apprehended. The latter, who wo * sort of leader of the gang, then disclosed to the police the whole of their combinations and proceedings, and ill particular he named a farmer a short distance off, named Gould, as one of the general receivers. His premises were accordingly searched, and in his house and amongst the stacks and outbuildings in his farmyard a large quantity of stolen property was found. The farmer was accordingly taken into custody. The house of a shop keeper in the neighbourhood, named Jackson, was also searched on the inform a ti on o f B ryant; t h ere a l a rge bulk of the plunder of th e gang was f oun d , an d t h e oa cupier was captured. A not h er l ea d er o f t h e ro bbers. named Edwards, was secur e d, an d as t h e po li ce purs ued their inquiries, whi c h h ave b een go i ng on for t h e l a st fortnight, member after member of the gang fell into their hands, till ultimately they had from 12 to 15. In four or five cases of burglary the offence was clearly traced to two of the prisoners, Bryant and Edwards, who were committed for trial on the different charges, and much of the property was found in the possession of Gould, the farmer, and Jackson, the shopkeeper; they were also sent for trial as receivers. ROYAL ARTILLERY .—Woo I.wicu. —Captain Mit chell's conapany, the 10th battalion, was inspected et ten o'clock, A.M., yesterday, at the Ordnance Hospital , previous to leaving the garrison at Woolwich on Mon day next, April 3, to relieve Major Robe's company, the 2d battalion, at Cheater and Tynemoutb, the latter company being under orders to return to head-quarters , as its turn is approaching to proceed on duty to $ foreign station. The guard mounting parades have com menced for the season, and the officers and men of the Royal Artillery for duty at the Royal Arsenal, and the (act rs and men of the Royal Marines for duty at the Dockyard assemble in front of the Royal Artillery Bar racks at half-past nine o'clock every morning, with their respective bands, and at ten o'clock march to the Ow" appointed for duty, headed by their bands playing apPro` priate airs. Three of the members of the committee ap pointed by the House of Commons to examine the Ord nance estimates have visited the garrison, but the result is not yet known. DUNDEE TRADE.—The uncertain state of affairs on the continent continuing to exercise a depressing fiuence on our markets, we are sorry to be unable to re port any improvement either in flax, yarns, or linens. Now, however, that prices of the former have been drives so low, buyers seem to evince less reluctance to pur chase, especially good flax, of which the stock is now much reduced. A vessel from Memel with fresh flax has arrived at Arbroath ; the quality is variously repre sented, but we believe it is on the whole fair.—D und ee Advertiser. BIRTHS. en the 23d inst., at Hatheraage Hall, Derbyshire, the lady of John S. Shuttleworth. Esq., of a daughter. - On the 26th inst., in Russell-square, the lady of Jeremiah Pitcher, Esq., of a son, still-born. On the 25th inst., at Southend, Lewisham, the wife of the Rev. Stewart E. Forster, of a daughter. On the 25th inst., at St. Stephen's, Ilerts, the wife of the Rev. H. Ch.-ales Hawley, of a sun. On the 26th inst., at Clapham common, Mrs. Hewlett, of a son. On the 26th inst., at Neasham Hall, Durham, the lady if James Cookson, Esq., of a son and heir. On the '26th inst., the lady of E. Chester Jones, Esq., bar rister-at-law, of a son. On the 26th inst., at Clarence-place, Clapham-road, the wife of T. J. Foord, Esq., of a daughter. On the 26th inst., the lady of Henry Goding, Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the 21st inst., at Wandsbeck, Denmark, Mr. S. Lowell Price, of Camden-road-villas, to Emma Nutter, eldest daugh ter of Dr. Thomas Price, of Ifiglibury-terrace. On the 23d inst., at St. Mary's, Stratford, Bew, J. Hains worth, Esq., of Aldermanbury, to Sarah, widow of the late It. Archer, of Old Ford, Bow. DIED. On the 19th inst., Mrs. Maria Webb, widow of the late Mr. Edward Webb, of the Royal Hotel, Torquay. On 17th inst., at Pisa, the Hon. Hester Craufurd, wife of the Rev. Sir George Craufurd, Bart. On the 231 inst., at Seveuoaks, the Rey. John A. Argles, Rector of Frittenden, Kent, aged 87. On the 22d irst., at Torquay, George Henry, the intact son of the Rev. Reginald Courteiay. On the 23d inst., at the Rectory, Little Ponton, the Rey. Ralph Worsley, M.A., Rector of Finchly, Middlesex. On the 23d inst., at the Close, Salisbury, the Rev. G. M. Hodgson, V.A., assistant lecturer of St. Thomas's, in the said city, aged 38. On the 24th inst., Katherine, relict of the late James Powell, Esq., of Great Coram-street. On the 24th inst., Marian, sixth daughter of Mr. T. Ed wards, Norfolk• street, Strand, aged 9. On the 24th inst., at Cecil Lodge, Abbot's Langley, Herta, James Mure, Esq., aged 88. London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, at No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county et Aliddleses, Wednesday, March 29, 1848. X s. d. 25 0 0 Paid. rald.