The Sun. — London, England, 1848-06-17 00:00:00

Grey, as soon as the Noble Lord had moved fur it it was put into the copyist's hands, and so far as he (Mr. Yawes) knew no unnecessary delay had taken place is laying it before the Committee. A question of dates could not be easily settled off hand, but this he would say, in his place in Parliament, that there had been no withholding of information, and that never had a Com mittee been furnished with such a flood of information. Re could assure the House, upon his honour, that it never was the intention to withhold dispatches for one moment ; and therefore he thought he was entitled to meet with some degree of indignation the accusation of the Noble Lord.—(Hear, hear.) Ho should take care to furnish himself with the dates against a future day, and in the meantime content himself by stating in his place in Parliament that there never had been the slightest intention of withholding information from the Com mittee. Mr. DISRAELI was of opinion that the Hon. Under- Secretary had exhibited an unnecessary degree of in dignation. Did he mean to say that the dispatch of Sir C. Grey had been presented in good time to the Committee ? Mr. HAWES had not understood that the dispatch in question was called for in the first instances. Subse quently the Noble Lord moved for a great many dis patches, and they were immediately placed iu the printers' hands. Mr. DISRAELI did not think that the Hon. Under- Secretary had bettered his position by his in terlocutor y observation. —(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman had, as a witness before the Committee, been asked for in. formation which he, as a member of the Government, Must have possessed. He evaded the question, and chose to think that it referred to a mere routine report.—(Hear, hear.) He was asked whether he was in possession of any information of importance, and he declined to men tion the dispatch which bad been alluded to by the Noble Lord the Member for King's Lynn. Mr. HAWES—I stated that some dispatches had been received. Mr. DISRAELI—Yes; but the Hon. Under Secre tary thought the dispatch of Sir C. Grey of so little consequence as not to require espec ial mention.—(Hear, hear.) The great question was whether the dispatch in question would or would not have influenced the decision of the Committee.—(Hear, hear) If he re collected right, the Right lion. Member for Cambridge University had asked for the dispatch. Mr. HAWES—The Right Hon. Gentleman was pre sent and would answer for himself. He had understood the Right Hon. Gentleman to ask for what was techni eally called the blue book, and had, therefore, answered, and truly, that it was not in his possession. Mr. GOULBURN said that the Hon. Under Secre tary must have misunderstood the question he had p ut to him.—(Hear, and laughter.) He had asked whether Government had received any information from the Governor of Jamaica which would throw light on the distressed state of that colony.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He owned he had been surprised when subse quently he saw the dispatch of Sir C. Grey.—(Hear.) Mr. DISRAELI was quite satisfied with the answer Which the Right Hon. Member for the University of ...Cambridge had made to the appeal of the Ho nourable Under Secretary.—(Hear, hear.) But nobody had sup- Posed that a statesman of that Right Honourable Gentle man's talent and experience would be so green as to ask for a blue book.—(A laugh.) The question was , as h e had b e f ore state d, w h e ther an important document had not been withheld, and whether, if produced, it would not have had an important influence on the decision of the Committee.—(Hear, hear) All that had been said Within the previous few minutes went to confirm the statement which had been made by his Noble Friend, but he (Mr. Disraeli) would leave the question for the Present between the Honourable Under Secretary and the Right Honourable Member for t he Universit y of Cambridge. It was not his intention to prolong the dis cussion on the general question, but remembering th at th e p ac k et was to sail on the following day, he thought that all expression of opinion should not be deferred until Monday. He protested against the course of the Government. They might have adopted the suggestion of the Committee, or they might have adhered to the Policy of 1846; but they had done neither. They had Paltered in a double sense, and while unfaithful to poli tical economy, had been equally false to protection. — (Protectionist cheers.) As the packet was about to sail it was but right that the colonists should know that all in that House were not equally unfaithful to their in terests—that some looked upon the proposition of the Government 'as devoid of every statesmanlike quality, and as unlikely to lead to any result.—(Eiear, hear.) What was the question as between the English people and the colonies? The English people, as represented by Parliament and Government, had entered into a con tract with the sugar growing colonies in 1834. They abolished slave-labour, and in return promised them an abundant supply of free labour and a market. To that contract there were four conditions, and three of them had been violated by the British Government. — (Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord had said that the great object of the Bill of 1846 was to secure cheap sugar to the people of England. If that were the principle, why not relieve the people in other mat • ters—in taxation, for instance? Why not sponge off the national debt, and thus relieve the people from a great portion of their taxation? By following up a high tone of morality, a greater fiscal result might be accomplished than the colonial catastrophe which was now being ac complished. No one had told the House why the con tract with our colonies had nut been fulfilled. The Honourable Member for Manchester had spoken of re lief to his suffering constituents through the medium of cheap sugar. No doubt they were suffering, but so were the colonists, and in both cases from the legislation of the Honourable Member and his school.—(Hear, hear.) There was one consideration which had been touched upon by the Noble Lord the Member for King's Lynn, and which he (Mr. Disraeli) trusted would never be omitted from the discussion of this question. The West India colonies must not be permitted to perish altogether.—(Hear, hear.) They had ex isted for some centuries, had achieved a consi derable degree of civilisation, and had brought, th e land into a high state of cultivation. Therefore notwithstanding our political economy and perfidy, it was not possible to suppose that they would or could come to Utter desolation.—(Hear, hear.) But how were they to prosp er ? They must be supported by some metro- Politan authority. Dependencies they were, and must ever remain so ; and depend upon it, that if forsaken by us, a million of men would not perish without a struggle, but would seek encouragement and support from trans atlantic powers.—(Hear.) But were they even securing C heap sugar by the present poposal ? He remembered having said in 1846 that the history of men was the history of reaction, and that the Noble Lord replied in a Speech full of habeas corpus and the rights of man ; but n° , v, two years after, the Noble Lord himself came down with a retro-active policy.—(Hear.) The fact was, that all_ this time we had been establishing differential duties is favour of Cuba and the Brazils—in fact, establishing a monopoly for the slave - growing countries. (Hear.) , he Right Hon. Member for Catubridge University had touched the moral blot of this case. If there had been no Parliament, or more unfortunate still , no repo rters, the y might have got cut of the scrape ; but forty years of Public meetings, forty years of platform oratory, and forty years of ministers of state raised to office through the advocacy of the abolition of slavery, were traditions Which would not easily be forgotten by the people. Among other things, the distinguished part taken in that agitation by the Society of Friends would not be for gotten ; and therefore when lie saw in the Hon. Member for Manchester the eloquent advocate of slave-grown Sugar, when ho heard hint tell the people that all they Were to look to was the cheapness of the article, he thought he was justified in saying that the present was an era of remarkable reaction.—(Hear, hear.) The Go vernment which had brought in the Bill of 1846 were now obliged to come forward with a remedial policy. — (Hear, hear.) What would the people of England think When they found that the free-trade policy had so soon broken down ?—(Hear.) He had not the slightest doubt but that when they had free-trade prices of corn, and that agricultural distress which the Hon. Member for Manchester had described with so much unction, and on the anticipation of which he had gloated with so much feeling—when they had cheap provisions consentaneous with commercial depression and colonial ruin, and a total want of business throughout the country, they would regret the policy into which they had been talked, and the false system of which they had for some time been supporters.—(Hear, hear.) He should give his opinion on the Government proposal at the proper time; but so far as his voice went, he wished to let the colonists know that be had entered a protest as indignant as that of the Under -Secretary's against a measure brought for ward under circumstances he believed unprecedented in this country, With reference to colonial legislation, mi serably feeble in conception, and leading, as he believed, to u t ter disappointme nt and unparalleled failure.—(The 1-1 , 00 . Gentleman was loudly cheered by gentlemen on the Protectionist benches as he resumed his seat.) Lord J. RUSSELL —In asking the House to adopt ,the proposition whic h I have laid before it, I ventured to request the House to follow a ;course which has been usual in this year, and to wait for another day— and that only after a two days' interval —before dis cussing the merits of the proposition. But Honour able Gentlemen have not taken that course, and, like I n c Or Hon. Friend the Member for the University of x ford, and the Hon. Gentlem an who has just sat ‘j down, each has made his comments in re g ard to the Principle and general purport and effects of this mea sure, I must first take notice of th e s p eech of the /t , • Member who has just sat down, because I think y 1' has shown pretty clearly what is to be the nature uthethe debate and discussion which is to come ibefore House on Monday next.—(Hear.) The Hon. Gen tlemanl says that the reaction which he prophesied in ' 5 is coming, and he explained what he meant by that_o reaction, because he went on to say that these commercial principles, which had received their com e P oi in tion in 1846, were now, in 1848, to have the s ineneernent of their overthrow. He foresaw and ;cut toted that the corn-laws would be again remedied, there w ou ld b e ne w duties imposed upon the admis eiu_,n of foreign corn , and that all those commercial prin ei_tes whi c h h ave rece i ve d the sanction of this House du ring the last seven ears are to be overthrown by the the els i lon of' this Mousey n this and future years. I think of the [lon. may see from that what are the expectations th e „, on. Gentleman, and in what view he will support fear of the Committee, of which the Noble (lie u ar to i e Member for King's Lynn was the chairman.— ha e e n ar.) I certainly had not understood, until the Gentlemantletnan spoke, or at least until the Right Hon. objectwas. tho Member for Stamford spoke, what that w as t 7a • I had supposed that they meant that there then ° be a duty of 10s, per cwt. for six years, and that seen that di ra i nisLe , duty was to expire, or gradually to be th at were a until equal duties were to be established. If Curt " should proposition, it would be one to which I burd en not much object on account of the would impose, for it would not be very different to principle to the measure of 1846—it would be looking f• an equalization of the duty. But the Right Hon. 'n1410384 has explained that his object is W restore THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY protection altogether—(Hear, hear)—to prevent the introduction of any foreign sugars, only under such a differential duty as would render it difficult for the people of this country to obtain them—to give to the colonies, in fact, a permanent protection of a certain amount, and in that way only, we have been told, can the prosperity of the colonies be secured.—(Hear, hear.) I am not sorry to hear this, because at least• it shows what is the measure which is to be discussed. Now what are the two propositions then between which the House will have to decide? They are, first, the propo sition of the Government modifying the Act of 1846. on the one hand, and the proposition on the other hand that there should be a permanent differential duty of 103. per cwt., levying thereby a very considerable tax upon the people of this country. My Hon. Friend, the Member for the University of Oxford. expressed great indigna tion that I had not touched upon the question of the slave. trade. I really thought that the whole of my speech was an attempt to show that the measure which I bad the honour of proposing would enable colonies of this country with their free labour to compete with the sugar of the slave colonies of other countries; and that if we did that, if we were successful in that object, we so far encouraged free labour sugar and discouraged slave labour sugar. It is not for me now to say whether that measure will be efficient for that object; but I will repeat that the object I had in view was to encourage free labour sugar, and to discourage slave-grown sugar.— (Hear, hear.) No one could doubt either that your pro position, as I had before understood it, of continuing the 103. duty for six years only, would, at least so I sup • posed, have had a similar object in view. That would not have been a permanent protection ; but it would have had the same object of enabling our colonies by a sufficiency of free labour to supply free sugar cheaply, and to compete with advantage with slave-holding colonies. But I must confess—and after all I have heard I almost feel humbled in confessing it—l must confess I thought there were two parties whose in terests I was to keep in view in framing any measure upon this subject—one was, the great mass of the la bouring population in our colonies, amounting to at least nine-tenths of the whole people, and the greater part of whom had formerly been our negro slaves ; while the other body, whose interests were concerned, and whose interests I ought to consult, were some 99-100ths of the people of this country, who were deeply interested in the price of an article for which they paid twelve millions sterling a year, and of which they consumed 300,000 tons or 6,000,000 cwt.—(Cheers.) I thought this question was a difficult one, and though I did not pretend to frame a measure which should please all parties, yet that I had not been altogether unsuc cessful as regarded those two interests.—(Hear, hear.) The labourers in the West Indies, it was acknowledged, have been in the best condition, the best fed, the best clothed of any peasantry in the world. There was a resolution in the Committee of 1842 that the measure of emancipation had completely succeeded so far as the welfare of the negro was concerned. I believe the Noble Lord the Member for King's Lynn moved a similar re solution. We have it amongst the evidence that at first after their emancipation the degree in which they car ried their luxury in dress was most vain and extra vagant. We have heard of a woman wearing a dress worth fifty pounds, and such like things, showing how well they were able to afford the luxuries in which they indulged. I believe, then, that even if this measure were to discourage the cultivation of sugar, if even the greater part of those persons were not to be employed in the cultivation of sugar, yet that there are in the West Indies means now for their support, that the whole effect of the Act of 1834 would be, that from the wretched state of slavery which they suffered under the command and lash of their masters, they had been converted into an independent, happy, and comfortable peasantry.—(Hear, hear.) Well, then, I say, that in that respect, therefore,: there is no thing in my measure which militates against their welfare. With regard to the other part, I propose that sugar which now pays 14s. duty should have that duty diminished to 10s. per cwt., and that foreign labour sugar should also pay 10s., and that the whole tax upon the whole of the sugar that comes into this country should scarcely exceed ld. per pound. There is a pro vision for the welfare of that class. Now, it seems, from the course of this debate, that the welfare of 9-10ths of the population of the West Indies is not one for which we are to care; that the welfare of 99-100ths of the population of the United Kingdom is not one which we should take into any reasonable account; but that the owners of West Indian property, those who have inherited or purchased their pro perty five or six years ago, as many have done, chat those are the persons for whose welfare this House is to show any concern.—(Hear.) Now, I con fess myself somewhat humbled by that discovery. Either I must be exceedingly wrong in having wished to pro vide for the welfare of the great mass of the people of this country, or else the greater portion of those who have taken part in this debate have an extremely mis taken view of the duty of this House to the millions for whom they legislate.—(Hear, hear.) But there is one great authority upon this subject—the Hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Barkly), whom, I confess, I was much surprised to find arrayed against this measure. The proposal of the Committee was a duty of 10s., to con tinue for six years. Many other persons who have ex pressed their opinion to me have wished for the 10s. duty for a much longer period. Now I have consulted the evidence of the Hon. Member for Leominster. and I find he said that any longer period of protection to the amount of 10s. would tend to injure both the labourers :Ind the proprietors, and that if the protection of 10s. were continued for two years, it would be useful in re viving industry, but if continued king it would have the worst effect. Mr. BARICLY—I said 105. for ten years. Lord J. RUSSELL—Yes; the Honourable Gentleman says—" With respect to the amount of protection which it would be desirable to reimpose, the opinion of my friends both at home and abroad is, that the sugar cultivation will not be maintained generally in the co lonies, unless at least a protection of lOs. a cwt., to continue for a period of something like ten years, were conceded. That is what they consider, both in London and in the colonies, as their minimum. That opinion of course has great weight with me, as coming from men who are more extensively connected with the West Indies than myself; but lam not quite sure that such an amount of protection, for so long a period, would be for the real advantage of the West Indies, if it were imposed with the view of bringing them into competition with slave labour at the end of that period. Ido not think that it would put us in a better position at the end of that time than we are in now." I know that some where the Honourable Gentleman says that if it were imposed for only two years, the competition for la bour would be less intense than if imposed for ten years. Then the Lion. Gentleman is asked—" The effect of giving 10s. protection would be to give you a better price for your sugar?—lt would raise the price of sugar 4s. a cwt. in this market." That is a very clear answer. The Hon. Gentleman admits very fairly that the effect of that protection would be to raise the price of sugar 4s. a cwt.; and of course the effect of giving that protection is just the same as having a 4s. tax, only that in the one case it is expended in the colony, and in the other it comes into the Imperial Exchequer. The next question he is asked is—" The effect of giving you a better price for your sugar, you think, would be that the labourers in the colonies would demand an increase of wages up to that point?—Not only would they de mand it, but the planters themselves would be dispoled to give it. The planters are not free agents exactly— they are men with encumbrances, which they have to provide the means of diminishing if they can, therefore their great object is to make sugar at any cost, and that has been one of the great causes of the high wages. If all the proprietors had been on the spot, wages would not have been so high. But if the protection were to continue for a very limited period, Ido not think that would have the effect of impeding a reduction of wages." The Honourable Gentleman hav ing given that evidence, I confess I did not think that the proposition which I have now made would have met with the reproach from him which he has cast upon it. But then the question which the House will have to decide is with respect to this proposition of a 10,:. pro tective duty. A 10s. protective duty, as I con ceive, whilst it would be a very serious tax upon the people of this country, would lead, as the Honourable Gentleman says, to the giving of those very high and extravagant wages, and instead of putting the proprietors in a good position in the end, the whole of what should otherwise be their profits would be con sumed by that competition for labour which is the re sult of high wages. I believe, therefore, that a 10s. protective duty, while it would obviously be a very serious tax upon the people of this country, would con fer no real benefit upon the labourer—that it would be injurious to that very class for whose benefit it was proposed, and who were the only persons whom it was thought would benefit by that tax. The Honourable Gentleman the Member for Montrose has declared like wise against the proposition of the Government, and if I understand him, he is not content with suspending the protection which at present exists, but would propose a still higher rate of protection, for the purpose of saving the colonies. Now, I think amongst other objections to such a scheme, the evidence given by Mr. Jones, one of the gentlemen to whom I referred in my opening state ment, affirds a conclusive reason against such a propo sition. Mr. Jones said he should be sorry to see pro tection re-enacted in this country, because the colonists would have no certainty that the law would not be changed in a year or two—there would be constantly struggles, and no security for capital laid out—there would be a continued strife to maintain, on the one hand, protection; and, on the other to overthrow it, and the effect of this would be most injurious. Now I think that the opinion of Mr. Jones is a most sen sible one, and I believe, if this House should agree to raise the protection on sugar, to make it 10s. in stead thatld b a e a e be wou a e o d f str what u we g.g i e _ p t r h o u p t o s t e n , e r t e h a w t o t o h l e d e n ff o e t c t r c e e n ss e i v ul reaction to which the Hon. Member for Bucking hamshire looks, but that all those who had supported a free trade in corn a nd the diminution of the import again fur the diminution of that duties would struggle , on duty, would struggle aga in to free the people of this country from a tax whic h would be so onerous upon and so grievous to the people.—(Hear, hear.) The immense increase in the con sum p tion of sugar, no less than 80,000 tons in three years, is owing to the diml nution in the price alone; but if, on the contrary, you re-establish p r rotection and make suga r dear, you would find that th e consumption would immediately .all off. It is astonishing how sensitive the market is in this respect, and how much a small addition in price makes a considerable difference in the consumption of articles —not only ld. but even id. and id. in the price of the article cause a difference. Sir, I have felt bound to make these remarks by reason of the length to which this debate has extended. I shall be ready on Monday to defend the plan which we have proposed, as a plan which I believe will give greater advantages to the West India proprietors than they at present possess, whilst at the same time it will . not be injurious to the revenue, I am aware that measures of this description, not making any great or immediate difference, are liable to the imputation of being a paltry measure of no avail; but I am convinced that on questions of this kind it would not be wise either to go to the one extreme or the other.—(Hear, hear.) I think the immediate abolition of the present differential duties would be as unwise a measure as a great measure of protection. We propose that those differential duties shall altogether cease in six years, and we give in the mean time what we think to be reasonable and ample protection to the West Indian proprietor.—(Cheers.) My object was, th a t th e g reat mass of the people , both in the West Indies and this country, might have justice done them. My object was, that free labour might be able to compete with slave labour; and, so believing, I shall, with confidence, submit these propositions to the House.—(Cheers ) The motion that the House on Monday next resolve itself into Committee on the sugar duties was then agreed to. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL it was ordered that the House at its rising do adjourn till Monday next. TIIE NAVIGATION-LAWS. Tho order of the day for going into Committee on this subject having been read, Mr. Berries, Mr. Newdegate, Lord G. Bentinck, and Mr. Henley protested against commencing the debate at so late an hour (half-past ten), when many gentlemen had left the House, not expecting it would come on. Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Hume, Mr. Aglionby, Lord H. Grosvenor, and Lord J. Russell were anxious that the discussion should proceed; and, after some conversation, the House divided on the question that the Speaker do leave the chair, when there appeared — For the motion Against it Majority -87 The House then went into Committee, and The CHAIRMAN having read the first resolution, Mr. J. STUART cast blame upon the Government for forcing the house into a discussion upon so important a subject at half-past ten o'clock. Such a course was neither decent nor proper, and he must, therefore, move that the Chairman report progress. Mr. LABOUCHERE said be must, in return, blame Hon. Gentlemen opposite for the coursejthey were pur suing.—(Hear, hear.) He bagged to remind the House of the observation lately made by a worthy Alderman, who said that, however oppokd to the measures of the Government, the last thing he should consider himself justified in doing was to throw any obstacle in the way of the consideration of, those measures, it being most im portant to the great interests concerned that the deci sion of Parliament should be known as speedily as pos sible.—(Hear, hear.) It should be recollected, also, that these resolutions were only preliminary to a Bill. Alderman THOMPSON did not repudiate the ob servation attributed to him; but a great many Hon. Gentlemen opposed to the resolutions having left the House—(Cries of " Oh, oh")—under the impression that they would not be brought forward that night, he must support the motion for reporting progress.—(Oh.) Lord C. HAMILTON would also support that motion, as he recollected no case of similar importance being forced upon the House at so late an hour. Mr. HUME urged upon the House that the present stage of the question was only preliminary. Mr. BROTHERTON said that it had been agreed some time time since that these resolutions should be passed as a matter of course—(" Hear, hear," and cries of " No, no ")—and he could not denominate the present opposition as otherwise than factious. It such an oppo sition had been given to the Government of Sir R. Peel, there would have been a general outcry to the effect that they were stopping the business of the country.—(Hear, hear.) His belief was that Hon. Gentlemen opposite had determined that the Govern ment should not pass any measure this session, and then at the end of it ask in a tone of censure what had been done? The answer would be what the Speaker said to Queen Elizabeth when she asked him what her Commons had passed, namely, that they had passed six months and done nothing.—(A laugh.) He never knew a session so characterised by useless discussions as the present. Mr. ROBINSON said his answer to the Hon. Gentle man's rebuke was, that her Majesty's Government were responsible for bringing forward at so late a period of the session a question which had been particularly men tioned in the speech from the throne. He should offer every opposition in his power, even at the risk of its being called factious.—(lronical cheers.) Mr. HENLEY supported the motion for reporting progress. Mr. RICARDO considered it most important that the details of the measure should be before the public as soon as possible. This was most essential for the in terests of trade and all parties affected by the naviga tion-laws. Mr. HUDSON said he believed that the Hon. Mem ber for Stoke did not speak the sentiments of the ship. owners of England, who thought that delay would be of great value to them, as they conceived that the effect of the public knowing the intentions of the Govern ment would be to disabuse the public mind. He thought that the minority had a right to take that course which they thought most wise, provided they did not abuse the forms of the House.—(lronical cries of " Hear.") Considering the delay, for which the Government were responsible, in introducing the measure, they ought to be the last persons to complain of it now. Ile asked the lion. Member for Salford, and the lion. Mem ber for Montrose, whether they ever recollected a mea sure of this importance being introduced at so late a period of the session, with any prospect of its being passed ? He had hoped that the President of the Board of Trade would have announced that he meant to lay the Bill on the table, and take no further steps this ses sion. The Hon. Member proceeded, amidst repeated cries of " Question" and " Divide," to observe that he believed that the Government bad had no serious or honest intention of bringing in the Bill, and would not have taken the matter up if it had not been for the impulse they received from the Right Hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Gladstone) and other Members on the Opposition side of the House. He should like the Pre sident of the Board of Trade now to say when the Bill would be introduced. Who asked for the measure ? The Honourable Member for the West Riding of York shire, who assumed to represent the whole of Yorkshire, though he did not, said that the whole people of England desired the measure. Where were the petitions in its favour? He appeared there in behalf of the shipwrights, the sail-makers, the rope-makers, and other mechanics of Sunderland, who would be thrown out of employment if the present measure passed.—(Cries of " Question.") He wished the Noble Lord would keep his friends a little quieter.—(Laughter.) He was speaking closely to the question, and he could inform the House that he had been informed the other day that a large mass of these workmen were about to be discharged from their. em ployment. He understood that the Hon. Member for the %Vest Riding bad called upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer and asked relief for the people of Brad ford in their distress, and was refused. If this was not correct, perhaps the Hon. Member would contradict it; but, if it was true, he wished to know if he would apply for the people of Sunderland when they were thrown idle by this measure.—(Cries of "Divide.") It would throw 20,000 people out of employment; and yet he was met with cries of " Question" when he stood up to advocate the interests of those parties, and was accused of factious conduct. The truth was, he was advocating the rights of the poor.—(" Oh, oh !" and laughter.) He had given to the poor the means of getting employment to a greater extent than had fallen to the lot of many men ; and on this question he was actuated by the same principle that had guided him through life, and would not cease to contend against the measure, as vicious in its character and adverse to the interest of the poor, and also because her Majesty's Government had been goaded on to it.—(" Oh, oh I" and " Divide.") It was, no doubt, part and parcel of their free-trade principle; but he should yet to live to see a great revulsion of opinion on the question of free trade.—(" Oh, oh !") In conclusion he would repeat that it was his intention to give every possible opposition to this measure.—(" Divide ! divide !") Mr. SANDARS said an Hon. Gentleman had spoken of factious opposition, but he hoped the imputation was not meant to be cast upon him. He had voted in the majority the other night, but would vote in the mino rity now, because he thought it was too late to bring forward the question ; and he was anxious, as he knew other Gentlemen were, to express his views on the subject. Mr. HUME wished to enter his protest against a prac tice which was indulged in by certain Hon. Gentlemen of making constant personal allusions to other Members of the House.—(Hear.) After 30 years' experience he must say that he had never known any Hon. Member come down after dinner, night after night, flushed—he would not say with champagne---(Great laughter, and cries of " Order.") The Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Hudson) would excuse him for saying that the personal allusions he was accustomed to make were very unfair. Night after night the Hon. Member for the West Riding and himself were called upon by name as often as twenty times in the course of a speech. Now, he did not think this was fair.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") It was breaking through the rules of the House, and he would appeal to Honourable and Right Hon. Mem bers opposite whether it had ever been the practice to act in such a manner.—(Cheers.) The question had been asked of him if ever he saw a measure of such im portance brought forward at so late a period. Now, he certainly should have liked to see the measure brought forward earlier; but ho did not see that that was any good reason for not considering it now. The Hon. Member for Sunderland had asked where were the peti tions for this measure; but he had forgotten that a public petition was agreed to at Sunderland in its favour, and these laws the that the wo r k men carr i e d a reso l u ti on f or t h e repea l of win his orwionnboeurroaube Member g l h.—(Alaug o h u . g ) ht ln no th t those circumstances speak of a want of petitions on the subject. What he had risen to say, however, was, that he wished the debate to go on without the use of personal allusions.—(Hear.) Mr. HUDSON wished to say a word in explanation. —(Cries of " Divide," and " Spoke.") Perhaps the Hon. Gentlemen who cried " Spoke" and " Question" thought the Hon. Member for Montrose was speaking to the question when he told them about the champagne that had been drunk.—(Great laughter.) He had not been 40 minutes away from the House the whole evening. —(Laughter.) The Hon. Member for Mont rose , how ever, following the example of the Hon. Member for Salford, who valued character as little as any man could do, had thrown something like a reflection upon him ; and perhaps, considering the time of life that Hon. Gen tleman had reached, a young man like him (Mr. Hudson) might very well receive advice at his hands.—(More laughter.) The Hon. Member seemed to have drawn some inference from the dress in which he appeared (here the Hon. Gentleman, with a good-humoured smile, pointed, amid much laughter, to his white waistcoat), but the truth was, that he had gone home to accompany his family to another party.—(Roars of laughter.) Whether he wore a white waistcoat or a waistcoat of any other colour hall nothing to do with the present debate.— ' (" Question.") When Hon. Members called " Question," they ought to recollect that he (Mr. Hudson) had never attacked the Hon. Member for Montrose on account of his wearing a white waistcoat or attempting to look a little gay. Whenever he attacked the Hen. Member fur Montrose —or, rather, when he attacked the speeches of that Hon. Gentleman—he did so upon public grounds. Public principles and public conduct were the objects of his attack. He never even referred to such things as the Greek loan, but, on the contrary, confined himself to more legitimate subjects. Captain ELLIOT rose to order. It appeared to him that the Hon. Member for Sunderland was addressing himself to the Hon. Member for Montrose in a manner too personal. He ought to address the chair. Mr. HUDSON resumed—He had all along been ad dressing the chair. He had been saying that whenever he made any observations upon the conduct of the Hon. Member for Montrose he had strictly confined himself to the public conduct of that Hon. Gentleman, and as to what he had said about a chairman or a deputy-chair man, he must be permitted to observe that he merely quoted what he had seen in the public papers. If the Member for Montrose would repudiate those statements that night, he (Mr. Hudson) would never say another word on the subject; and, at all events, he should never . charge the Hon. M em b er f or M on trose with having dined out, or with ever h av i ng g i v en a dinner to a friend.—(" Hear, hear," and laughter.) The gallery was then cleared for a division, but none at that time took place; on the contrary, the debate was continued, and several Hon. Members spoke, amongst whom (as we understood) was the Hon. Mem ber for the West Riding of Yorkshire. On our re-ad mission, Mr. DISRAELI was saying that he heard the Hon. Member for the West Riding accused of stimulating as sassination, and that accusation was echoed with frensied applause.—(Hear, hear.) The person who made the ac cusation offered an humble apology to the Hon. Gentle man, and therefor e h e did not despair but the Hon. Gentleman might yet regret that he introduced too stern a spirit into the discussion, and perhaps make an humble apology to the Hon. Member for Sunderland. The House divided, when there appeared — For the motion .............. 48 Against it 144 Majority —96 Lord G. BENTINCK moved that the Chairman do leave the chair. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that Hon. Gentlemen oppo site had certainly succeeded in their object of obstruct ing the Bill; but whether the time of the House could not be better employed, and whether the discussion which had taken place would redound to the credit of the House, he would leave the House itself to determine.— (Cheers.) At that hour he would not oppose the motion of the Noble Lord. Mr. DISRAELI denied that there had been any fac tious opposition to the Bill. Lord G. BENTINCK said that the discussion was caused by the Noble Lord the Member for Middlesex, who had some time since retired to bed. Lord J. RUSSELL said his Noble Friend would have remained if the discussion which had taken place was a discussion on the navigation-laws. But seeing how the time of the House was wasted—(Loud cheers) —he thought his Noble Friend acted wisely in retiring. Sir W. JOLLIFFE thought that the blame of the de sultory discussion which had occupied the House lay with the Government itself. Lord G. Bentinck's amendment having been then with drawn, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Lord J. RUSSELL postponed his motion for a Bill to repeal the ratepaying clauses of the Reform Bill until Friday next. The Prisons Bill was read a second time. The Appeals on Civil Bills (Ireland) Bill was re ported. The Commons Inclosure Bill was read a third time and passed. The Sunday Trading Bill was read a third time and passed. SPAIN. Viscount PALMERSTON laid on the table additional papers relative to the diplomatic relations of the British Government with Spain, which were ordered to be printed. The other orders of the day having been disposed of, the House adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve o'clock. EVENING, JUNE 17, 1848. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. OF FRIDAY. WHITEHALL, JUNE 14, 1848. The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting unto James Pul man, Esq., Norry King of Arms, the office of Claren ceux King of Arms and Principal Herald of the South east and west parts of England, vacant by the decease of Francis 111artin, Esq., late Clarenceux. WHITEHALL, JUNE 14. The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting unto Edward Howard Howard Gibbon, Esq., York Herald, the office of Norroy King of Arms and Principal Herald of the ❑orth parts of England, vacant by the promotion of James Pulman, Esq., to the office of Clarenceux King of Arms. DOWNING-STREET, JUNE 16. The Queen has been pleased to appoint William Smillie, Esq., to be Advocate-General and Crown-Soli citor for the province of South Australia. Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint James Scotland, Esq., jun., to be her Majesty's Solicitor-Gene ral for the island of Antigua. her Majesty has further been pleased to appoint William de Smidt, Esq., to be Secretary to the Central Board of Commissioners for Public Roads; J. M. Hill, Esq., to be Resident Magistrate at Piclietberg; George Longmore, Esq., to be Resident Magistrate at Mossel Bay; James Barnes, Esq., to be Resident Magistrate at Itiversdale; and Henry Piers, Esq., to be Resident Ma gistrate at Tulbagh, in the settlement of the Cape of Good Hope. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. TRINITY TERM.-11T11 VICTORIA. riday, J 16, . This Court will, a t th e Sittings to be une holden on lB4B the 23d, 24th, 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th days of June inst ,in addition to pr ocee di ng i n disposing of the business now pending in the Paper of New Trials, and in giving judgment in certain of the matters that will then be standing over for the consideration of the Court, proceed in disposing of any other business, as this Court in its discretion shall see fit. THOMAS WILDE. WAR-OFFICE, JUNE 16. Ist Dragoons—Ensign John Coltman Davenport, from 95th Foot, to be Cornet, by purchase, vice French, whose appointment has been cancelled, June 16. 3d Light Dragoons—Robert Macneill, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Gough, promoted, June 16. Gth Dragoons—Cornet George Heblethwayte Lutton Boynton to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Bill, who retires; Miles Stringer, Gent., to be Cornet, by pur chase, vice Boynton, Juee 16. 17th Light Dragoons—Cornet :and Adjutant Howard St. George to have the rank of Lieutenant, June 15; Cornet Alexander Campbell to be Lieutenant, by pur chase, vice Codrington, who retires; John Pratt, Winter, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Campbell, June 16. 3d Foot—Gentleman Cadet Alexander Strange, from Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Gray, deceased, June 16. 4th Foot—Captain William Bellingham, from the 32d Foot, to be Captain, vice Bell, who exchanges, April 3. 10th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Taylor, from 63d Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Evans, who exchanges, June 16. . 32d Foot—Captain William Bell, from the 4th Foot, to be Captain, vice Bellingham, who exchanges, April 3; Lieutenant William Rudman, from ead Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Hedley, who exchanges, June 16. 34th Foot—Ensign Edmund Probyn to be Lieutenant, by purchase, ♦ice Fyfe, who retires; Dudley Persse, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Probyn, June 16. 35th Foot Gentleman Cadet William Glynne Massey, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Quill who resigns, June 16. 37th Foot—Paymaster Henry Piercy, from 75th Foot, to be Paymaster, vice Clibborn, who exchanges, June 16. 42d Foot—Ensign Rowland A. Fraser to be Lieu tenant, by purchase, vice Burrowes, who retires, June 16; William James Robertson, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice Fraser, June 16. 52d Foot—Lieutenant John Henry Fraser Stewart to bo Captain, by purchase, vice Fountaine, who retires; Ensign Thomas Henry Vyvyan to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Stewart; the Hon. Debonnaire John Monson to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Vyvyan, June 16. 53d Foot—Brevet Major William Amsinck, from half pay 18th Light Dragoons, to be Captain, vice William Follows, who exchanges; Lieutenant William Benjamin Bastard to be Captain, by purchase, ♦ice Amsinck, who retires; Ensign James Winsmore Corfield to be Lieu tenant, by purchase, vice Bastard; Bendyshe Walton, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Corfield, June 16. 62d Foot—Lieutenant Robert Hedley, from 32d Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Rudman, who exchanges, June 16. 63d Foot—Lieutenant Henry Roe Evans, from the 10th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Taylor, who exchanges, June 16. 64th Foot—Lieutenant John Buchanan Burne, to be Adjutant, vice Carter, promoted, June 16. 7 sth Foot, Lieutenant Frederick Hankey, from half pay 63d Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Tyler, appointed to the Royal Newfoundland Company ; Ensign Vinceat John Watson to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Han key, who retires; David William Martin, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Watson; Paymaster William George Menzies Clibborn, from 37th Foot, to be Pay master, vice Piercy, who exchanges, June 1.6. 78th Foot—Lieutenant Hamilton Douglas Gordon to be Adjutant, vice Pattison, promoted in the Royal New foundland Companies, June 16. 88th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Christopher Macart ney, from the Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Crosse, promoted on the Staff, June 16. 90th Foot—Captain E. S. Norman Campbell. from half-pay Portuguese Officers, to be Captain, vice Marcus Geale, who exchanges; Lieutenant William Purnell, to be Captain, by purchase, yice Campbell, who retires; Ensign James Perrin to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Purnell ; Harry.Denison, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Perrin, June 16. 95th Foot—Robert Graham Polhill, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Davenport, appointed to lit Dragoons, June 16. 2d West India Regiment—Major-General Sir Robert John Harvey, C. 8., to be Colonel, vice Lieutenant- General Effingham Lindsay, deceased, June 15. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Staff Surgeon of the First Class William Ramsay White to be Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals; Assistant-Surgeon John Burton St. Croix Crosse, from 88th Foot, to be Staff Surgeon of Second Class, viceWbeeler, deceased; Assistant-Surgeon Francis Charles Annesley, from 21st Foot, to be Assistant-Sur geon to the Forces, vice Macartney, appointed to 88th Foot, June 16. BREVET.—Lieut-Colonel George Henry MacKinnon, on halt-pay Unattached, to have the local rank of Colonel in Katfraria, Cape of Good Hope, June 16, 1848 ; Captain E. S. Norman Campbell, of 90th Foot, to be Major in the Army, November 9, 1846. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk. Charles Andrew Lord Huntingford, to be Deputy- Lieutenant; Frederic Barne, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieu tenant, June 12. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh or Mid-Lothian. John Dick Lauder, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenant; Andrew Rutherford, Esq., to be Deputy - Lieutenant ; Hugh Horatio Brown, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieu tenant ; Richard Trotter, Esq , to be Deputy- Lieutenant ; James Dewar, Esq., to be Deputy- Lieutenant; Stewart Bayley Hare, Esq., to be Deputy- Lieutenant; William Mitchell Innes, Esq., to be Deputy- Lieutenant; William Ilanmer Dick Cunyngham, Esq., jun., to be Deputy-Lieutenant; Robert Dundas Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenant, June 2. BANKRUPTS. Joseph Colin Fletcher, coal merchant, Greenwich, to surrender June 23, at eleven, and July 28, at half past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official assignee, Birchin-lane; Shaw and Co., Fish street-hill. Alfred William Hare, brush manufacturer, Bartlett's buildings, City, June 23, and July 28, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street; Wickings, Finsbury-terrace, City road. William Esenhigh Hammond, seed crusher, Uxbridge, June 24, at half-past one, and Aug. 5, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Green, official assignee, Alder manbury; Tyrrell, Guildhall, London. Henry Gibbs, grocer, Oxford, June 29, at eleven, and Aug. 7, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Turquand, official assignee, Guildhall-chambers; Simp son and Cobb, Moorgate-street, Lodon. George Geering, grocer, Arundel, June 27, at half past eleven, and July 27, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman-street buildings; Linklater, Leadenhall-street. Thomas Phillips and John Ball Phillips, earthen ware manufacturers, Burslem, Staffordshire, July 4 and August 1, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Harding, New castle-under-Lyme. James Jones, victualler, Penkridge, Staffordshir e , June 29 and July 20, a t h a lf- past ten, at the Birming ham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Binning ham ; Underhill, Wolverhampton. William Brook, manufacturing chemist, Birmingham, July 4 and August 1, at eleven, at the Birmingham Dis trict Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Reece, Birmingham. Edward Ellis, builder, June 23 and July 20, at half past ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Lowe, Birmingham. Charles James Henfrey, victualler July 4 and Aug. 1, at eleven, at th e Bi rm i ngham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Bi rm i ngham; Troughton and Lea, Coventry; Motteram, Knight, and Emmet, Birmingham. John Perry, cheesemonger, Exeter, June 27, at ten, and July 20, at one, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter ; Force, Exeter ; Harris, Lincoln's Inn, London. Thomas Cairns, draper, Redruth, Cornwall, July 1 and 20, at one, at the Exeter District Court. llirtzel, official assignee, Exeter ; Stogdon, Exeter ; Keddell, Baker, and Grant, Lime -street, London. Samuel Cooke, timber merchant, Manchester, June 28, and July 19, at eleven, at the Manchester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Manchester; Mil ne , Parry, Mil ne, and Morris, Temple; Slater and 'hells, Manchester. Richard Penwarden, saddler, Launceston, Cornwall, July 5 and 25, at eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hernamann, official assignee, Exeter ; Gurney and Cow lard, or Turner, Exeter ; Bell, Steward, and Lloyd, Lincoln's Inn-fields, London. William Cole, consulting engineer, Apperley-bridge, Calverley, Yorkshire, July 6, and August 4, at ten, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds; Clarke, Chancery-lane, London ; Terry and C o . , ' Bradford ; Bond and Barwick, London. (Dividends, etc., in our next.) PRICE OF SUGAR. 1 The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar computed NATIONAL LAND SCHEME. The Committee appointed to inquire into this scheme re-assembled yesterday morning in Committee-room No. 21, House of Commons; Mr. W. Hayter in the chair. Mr. M'Grath, the financial secretary, was called for the purpose of being examined, when Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR rose, and said he wished to call the attention of the Committee to a violation of the rules which they bad laid down when they commenced their sittings, but he had no desire to complain of that violation. Mr. Henley had made a proposition, in the first instance, that the public should not be admitted, but it was afterwards agreed that they should, the Chairman being requested to place an injunction upon the reporters, so that no report of their proceedings should appear until the Committee had made their report to the House. lie now wished to state, but, as he had already said, not to complain, that since the passing of that injunction (as must have been known to the Chairman, who virtually represented the Com mittee) garbled, scandalous. anti fallacious reports had appeared in the Morning Chronicle, Daily .11cws, The Sun, Manchester Examiner, and other papers, and no attempt had been made on the part of the Committee to remonstrate against such a system of reporting their proceedings. Now, there was a newspaper which cir culated much more largely than any of those papers among the parties who were most interested in the in quiry before the Committee----(The Hon. Gentleman was understood to allude to the Nortfiern Star as giving the most correct account of the proceedings, but he was interrupted by the Committee, who intimated that it would be better to discuss the matter with closed doors). Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and upon being re-admitted, The CHAIRMAN said, on the 6th of June last a reso lution was passed that strangers should be admitted; that the Chairman should ask leave of the House to report from time to time to the House, and that the Chairman be requested to inform strangers that it was the desire of the Committee that no report of their proceedings should be published before they had reported to the House. It had been represented to the Committee that the injunction imposed by them had not been at tended to, and that the unfair, partial, and garbled statements, called reports of the proceedings before the Committee, had been publish e d contrary to their express directions, and therefore the Committee were compelled to adopt the only alternative in consequence of that violation, and to order that the public should be ex cluded. The persons present then retired, and the examination of Mr. M'Grath was proceeded with with closed doors. COURT CIRCULAR. Lord John Russell had an audience of the Queen yes terday, at Buckingham Palace. The Queen, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, and attended by the Countess of Desart, took an airing yesterday in an open carriage and four. Colonel Buckley, Equerry in Waiting, attended on horseback. His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday afternoon at a Commission for promoting and encou raging the Fine Arts in the rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. His Royal Highness arrived at the New Palace at a quarter beforo three o'clock, attended by Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Waiting. The Commissioners present were the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Lincoln, Viscount Canning, Lord Colborne, the Right Hon. the Speaker, Viscount Morpeth, Viscount Mahon, Sir Robert H. Inglis, Mr. Hallam, and Mr. Wyse. The secretary, Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Gloucester and Prince George visited her Majesty yesterday. Prince Alfred and the Princess Alice took walking and pony exercises yesterday. The Princess Helena and the Princess Louisa were taken airings yesterday in the royal pleasure grounds. The royal dinner party yesterday at Buckingham Palace, included her Roy al Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of 'inceleucla, the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, Baroness de Speth, and Sir Robert and Lady Gardiner. The band of the Scots Fusilier Guards was in attend ance during dinner. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday, at M ar lb oroug h House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess o Cambridge, attended by Lady Augusta Ca D dogan, ho f noured Miss Coutts with their company at dinner yes terday evening. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Bramley Moore an d Mr. Ed w ard Johnston, fro m the Brazilian As soc i a ti on o f Liverpool, accompanied by Mr. Cardwell, had an in terview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing street. Lord Belhaven had an interview with Sir G eorge Grey yesterday, at the Home-effice. A deputation from the Great Western Railway Com pany, including Mr. Saunders and Mr. Hunt, had an interview with the Commissioners of Railways, yester day, at their office in the Boa a rd of Trade. Dispatches were seat off Ba rd o from the Colo nial-office for the Governors of Gibraltar and Malta. Mr. Borthwick had an interview yesterday with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Right Hon. H. Labouchere, Earl Granville, Earl Grey, Lord Campbell, Sir James Stephen, and Sir E 1- ward Ryan, attended a meeting yesterday respecting the case of Mr. Reddie, Chief Justice of St. Lucia, in the Privy Council-office Whitehall. SUMMER VISITORS The portents of an extraordi nary number of visitors to the Highlands during the summer and autumn months, become every day more apparent. The arrivals succeed each other in almost unprecedented rapidity. Patrician vehicles pass through the town to the sweet retreats afforded by strath and glen to the toil• worn man of business, or to those weary of the giddy sameness of the routs and fetes of town life, while the public coac hes daily bring their r q o u ni o i t s a e . abOuunr moors and streams, w e are he . pp y to say, p dant sport to all who ma y be bent on its enjoyment.— Inverness Journal. We all know upon how minute causes the temper and disposition of an individulll may d epend. A blight in the air, the east wind, rain, unger, had news, morti fications, the loss of fortune, or 4 , f those we love: these render us morose and sad, or fit f lr treasons, stratagems, and spoils. On the other hand, a genial climate, the nd advance of the spring , gratified l( 3 )ve re o n r der us successfulj am bition ; Om all, health. They e happy, and complying, probably v 4 "tuns and pious ; in short, fit for good works. from the returns made in the week ending June 13, 1848, is 245. 0:!: 1 (1. per cwt. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—The boats of the squadron at Spithead were got out this morning, and their crews exercised in general practice, firing, &c. The Medusa steam-packet, Lieutenant-Commander J. 0. Bathurst, was undocked yesterday, and the Fairy docked in her room, to be painted, gilded, and have a new coating of Hay's composition put upon her bottom. The Trafalgar, 120, Captain Charles Hope, sailed yes terday fcr Sheerness, to bo paid off. 700 men will thus become available for other ships. The Vindictive, 50, Captain Michael Seymour, was paid off and dismasted to-day. COMMISSIONED SHIPS IN PORT. Victory, Illustrious, Excellent, Victoria . and Albert, Hastings, Blenheim, Helena, and Frolic; Rolla and Fanny tenders, Portsmouth yacht; Sharpshooter, Mer lin, Medusa, Lightning, Fairy, Fire Queen, and Echo steamers. At Spithead—St. Vincent, Powerful, Prince Regent, and Amphion Stebenheath freight ship. Vesselkin dock--Pembroke, Ajax, Orestes, Merlin, and Fairy. Vessels in the Basin—Grov‘ler, Malabar, Frolic, Cor morant, Fire Queen, and Medusa. In the Steam Basin—Jackal. Wind, S.W., moderate brer.sas, and cloudy weather. Her Majesty's frigate, Vindictive, 50 guns, Captain Michel Seymour, lately the flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Austin on the West India command, was out of commis sion on Friday at Portsmouth. A correspondent, speak ing of the dismantling of the Vindictive, observes : " It is a distressing sight to a contemplative mind to witness the destruction incidental to stripping a ship ; in this process wantonness and waste go hand in hand; any matter which appears to offer a small amount of trouble for the hands the hatchet quickly demolishes ; the waste and destruction in the rigging alone of a ship in dismantling to he paid off, would, if put before the eye in comprehensive terms, present one of the most important items in the catalogue of the national expen diture. I should say, the damage done to the fittings of the Vindictive amount to at least 10,0001, all which must be replaced substantially before the ship can again go to sea. Had the important matter narrated here been brought prominently under the eye, and made forcible to the ear of the Premier when he was perambulating the dockyard of Portsmouth with the Lords of the Admiralty, and one or 'two of his Cabinet t a he r arisen Tewinsel were t ofo t h t he grime mi impromptunist mister." , s , itation; colleagues, on Tuesday, the greatest benefit might have but such mat t. kept away from the ear and out of the range of fitting out at ev ° The Tweed, Com mander Lyons, is rigging very ex c'hPert, has entered half her crew, and ' airs.oedfiitiously. The Pilot, 16 guns, guns, Commander Lord F. Russell, rigged very rapidly. they will rendezvous at kv,,g. out at Devonport, is being se ready for sea, it is believed guns, Commander Smith, fiPtitlhead, with the Helena, 16 entered 40 of her crew), and fitting at Portsmouth (has only mender Vausittart, manned ande Frolic, 16 guns, Com port. fitting out at the latter I%' or t t " Aduai ra l at the Sore, F. NewIand,CHATHAM, JUNE 16.—The Ranglecihs,Commander C. inst.,will be wh en s h e e s e a t i e ls d to by -La t o h r e ro whence she will sail for P ortsmouth, there to await the mail for the coast of Africa. The Nerbudda, 12, Commander Edward Peirse, se - , stripped and all ready for payi ng o ff. She is now is wait ing for the pay books, which h ave b een returned tob corrected. The Aid, Smallman, master, sailed on the 15th inst. with stores for Portsmouth. Mr. 0. W. Lang, assistant-master shipwright of this yard, is ordered to furnish the Admiralty with a design of a steam-vessel of 40-horse power, calculated to obtain the greatest speed. Arrived on the 13th inst, the ship Jane, Robert Bick ford, master, from Sierra Leone, with timber for the Dockyard. The Admiralty have ordered that none but men be longing to the establishment are to be enrolled in the Dockyard Brigade in future. TEE FIREBRAND STEAM-FRIGATE.—The Firebrand, 6, steam-frigate, Captain H0pe,:C.8.,-,will be paid off at Woolwich this day. The gallant Captain has taken good advantage of the recent Admiralty order in filling up his vacancies by rating the boys. We trust that the good crew of the Firebrand will not be lost to the ser vice, but that sufficient encouragement will be given to them to re-enter. Under their gallant Captain they have had superior training, and have shown the effects of it in their daring bravery against the enemy in the severe actions in the Parana ; and whilst they have by rigid discipline been rendered smart sailors, they have also by proper treatment been made goo 4 men, and thus the Firebrand has been a happy ship. It has been with the Firebrand as with the Racer sloop, when commanded by Captain Hope—his boys preferred their position as boys in his ship to supe rior ratings in other men-of-war. Captain Hope, it will be remembered, won his C.B. for the affair at Obligado Point, in which action he, with his gig's crew, cut the chain which moored the enemy's ships in a line across the river, and then forced the passage. lie led and directed many other gallant affairs in the Parana, which have never been reported, and have consequently never been rewarded. Captain Hope is the son of the late Admiral Hope, one of the most gallant and thorough bred seamen and officers the British navy ever produced. It is a glorious satisaction to the old friends, shipmates, and admirers of the late Admiral to sec: his son emula ting his father's high character, and keeping up his good name in the service. EMIGRANT SHIPS. The Consul of the United States has transmitted to Lloyd's a copy of an Act of Congress, dated the 17th of May, regarding the ventilation and provisiwiing of emigrant ships. The first section of this Act maks it incumbent on all vessels carrying fifty passengers or under, in the between-decks, to have a house constructed on the combings of the hatchway. with two doors, so that one may at all times be open fur the purpose of ventilation. Where more than fifty pas sengers are carried a house must b e constructe d at each end of the deck, one to be furnished at the top with an outlet for foul air, and the other to bo so constructed as to admit fresh air. Cooking apparatus must also be furnished on deck. The section relating to provisions we publish entire:— "All persons employed as aforesaid shall have on board, for the use of such passengers, at the time of leaving the last port whence such vessel shall sail, well secured under deck, for each passenger, at least 151 b. of good navy bread, 101 b, of rice, 101 b, of oatmeal, 101 b. of wheat flour, 101 b. of peas and beans, 351 b. of potatoes, one pint of vinegar, 60 gallons of fresh water, 101 b. of salted pork free of bone, all to be of good quality, and a sufficient supply of fuel for cooking; but at places where either rice, oatmeal, wheat flour, or peas and beans cannot be procured, of good quality and on reasonable terms, the quantity of either or any of the other last named articles may be increased and substituted therefor; and in case potatoes cannot be procured on reasonable terms, 11b. of either of the said articles may be substituted in lieu of 51b. of potatoes; and the cap tains of such vessels shall deliver to each passenger at least one• tenth part of the aforesaid provisions weekly, commencing on the day of sailing; and daily at least three quarts of water and sufficient fuel fur cooking, and if the passengers on board of any such vessel, in whi c h t h e provisions, fuel, and water herein required, shall not have been provided as aforesaid, shall at any t i me be put on short al lowance during any voyage, the master or owner of any such vessels shall pay to each and every passen ger, who shall have been put on short allowance, the sum of 3 dolls, for each and every day they may have been on such short allow ance, to be recovered in the circuit or district court of the United States; provided, never theless, and nothing herein contained shall prevent any passenger, with the consent of the captain, from fur nishing for himself the articles of food herein speci fied, and if put on board in good order it shall fully satisfy the provisions of this Act as far as regards food; and pr ov id e d further, that any passenger may also, with the co nsent of the captain, furnish for himself an equivalent for the articles of food required in other and different articles; and if without waste or neglect on the pa r t o f the passenger, or inevitable accident, they prove in su ffi c i ent, and the captain shall furnish comfort able food to such passengers during the residue of the voyage, this in regard to food shall also be a compliance with the terms of the Act." The captains of all emigrant ships are empowered to enforce strict discipline on board their vessels, and also to see that cleanliness is preserved. Where the provi sions of the Act are not complied with the captain or owner of such vessel shall forfeit 200 dolls, to the United States. Wh e re the between-decks is of less height than six f eet, each passenger s h all b e accommodated with 16 superficial feet on deck; if less than 5 feet, 22 feet on deck. If more pass engers a re carr i e d than is allowed naeanour. The Act comes into operation, as regards this se c ti on t h e c aptain shall be held guilty of a rnisde r the date of its approval. Europ ean vessels, 60 days afte THE ORDNANCE SURVEY OF THE METROPOLIS.- The area intended to be comprised in the metropolitan survey is something above 200 square miles, or nearly 130,000 acres; and the map is to be constructed on the very large scale (for a district of such an extent) of 60 inches to a mile, or one inch to 88 feet, which, when completed, will occupy about 900 sheets three feet by two feet, or about 5,400 square feet of paper or copper. The London survey will be connected by its triangula tion with the general survey of the country, and in its levelling with the one uniform datum plane to which the altitudes of the Ordnance six-inch maps are referred. By this means, when the map is complete, the relative level of any two points within the eight mile radius of the metropolitan survey, or of any part of London, and any part of the north of England, may be seen at a glance by those who require and know how to look for the information.— The Builder. _ , SUPPLY OF STORES TO SIIIPPING.—A vessel nas arrived from Rotterdam with a cargo, comprising ever)' variety of provision and other requirements in the shape of tackle, spare spars, &c., for the supply of a vessel about to proceed on a long voyage, which are expressly imported from Holland for the purpose of supplying Dutch East Indiaman at present loading in the dock for that quarter of the globe with her complete complement of stores of every description, and arrangements have been made for the direct and immediate transhipment of the entire cargo from one vessel to the other for the pur pose stated. We believe that the complete supply of a large ship of this character, and the build of a foreign country, with all the requirements for her outward voyage from the foreign state to which she belongs, is very unusal and remarkable. No previous instance of the kind has conic under our notice, although no mate rial or actual objection to it can be made in a legal or re , venue point of view. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, JUNE 16.—The following class list "In Literis Humanioribus " has just been published this afternoon, viz.:7. CLASS . 1.—Fisher, Herbert G., student . of Christ Church; Karslake, William H., commoner, pf Balliol College; Ogle, Richard S., exhibitioner ,- # Lincoln College; Palin, Edward, scholar of St. John's College; Parry, Edward St. John, commoner of Balliol College; Stowe, William H., commoner of Wadhain College; Stubbs, William, servitor of Christ Church. CLASS 2.—Backhouse, John 11., scholar of Brasenose College; Collyrs, John M., student of Christ Church; Cox, Joseph, scholar of Lincoln College; Hall, Edward D., scholar of Pembroke College; Hunt, George W., student of Christ's Church; Irvine, Alexander C., commoner of Exeter College; Lawley, lion. Francis C., commoner of Balliol College; Mackonochie, Alexander H., commoner of Wadham College; Morris, William, commoner of Oriel College; Philpot, William 8., scholar of Worcester College; Powlter, Brownlow, fellow of New College; Shuttleworth, Philip U., student of Christ Church; Stillingfleet, Henry J., commoner of Brasenose College; Winder, John S., commoner of Oriel College; Wood, Henry 11., tabarder of Queen's College. CLASS 3.—Barker, Thomas, commoner of Queen's College ; Bayley, Henry E., exhibitioner of Corpus Christi College ; Blackett, Montague, commoner of Christ Church ; Capper, John L. scholar of Wadham College ; Coldwell, William E., commoner of Christ Church ; Fearon, Samuel, tabarder of Queen's College; Fox, Edward, fellow of New College; Gale, Isaac S., commoner of Wadham College; Guy, Frederick, exhi bitioner of Lincoln College ; Hillyar, William J., scholar, of Brasenose College ; Hutton, Robert R., commoner of Trinity College ; Jones, David, commoner of Brasenose; College ;' Kendall, Walter, commoner of Oriel College; Knight, Valentine C., commoner of 'Uni versity College ; Langhorne, Thomas, commoner of St. John's College; Mason, Henry W., student of Christ Church; Norris, William F., scholar of Trinity College; Owen, Edward, scholar of Jesus College; Poore, Alfred, commoner of St. Edmund Hall; Poole, Samuel, com moner of Pembroke College; Powles, Henry C., com moner of Oriel College; Stanley, Edward J., gentleman commoner of Christ Church; Williams, Philip, fellow of New College; Wilson, Arthur C., student of Christ Church. CLASS 4.—Barrow, John S., commoner of Wadhata College ; Blayds, Henry, scholar of Corpus Christi College ; De Putron, Peter, commoner of Pembroke College ; Egerton, Hon. A. F., commoner of Christ Church; Finch Hatton, Edward IT., commoner of Christ Church ; Garnsey, Henry E., demy of Magdalen Col lege; Hill, Alexander S., commoner of Exeter College; Macray, Wm. D., Bible clerk of Magdalen College ; Papillon, Philip 0., commoner of University College ; Plumptre, Robert W., commoner of University College ; Robins, Charles M., commo ner o f Oriel College ; To ting, Thomas, commoner of Lincoln College ; Ifter marck, Charles, commoner of Exeter College. John Earnest Bode, Rowland hlackleston, James Timothy B. Landon, and Mark Pattison, examiners. Yesterday the Rev. William Andrew, M.A., scholar and tutor of Worcester College, was admitted an Actual Fellow of that Society ; and at the same time Mr. Thomas Samuel Fraser, commoner of Lincoln College, was elected a scholar of 'Worcester College. Mr. Richard Arthur Le Mesurier, 8.A., scholar of Corpus Christi College, was on Wednesday admitted a probationary Fellow of that Society. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JUNE 16. STOCK Ex CM—The market continues extremely dull, notwithstanding the reduction of interest at the Bank of England. The sales are—Lancashire and Yorkshire (late Manchester and Leeds), 13 dis.—London and North- Western, 121.—Ditto, Quarters (A and B), 1 c. Chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Docks, 11 1 4 dis.—Mid land Stock, New Halves, 6% dis.—North British, New Thirds, 2 1 / 8 c. dis.—North Staffordshire, 2% c. dis.— South-Eastern and,Dover, 24 1 4—Ditto, N 0.4, Thirds, 2 ; 7 'i dis. MANCHESTER, JUNE 16. &rock ExcHANGE.—The sales are—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 32/. Shares (Extension), 6% dis.—Ditto (West Riding: Union), dis.—Ditto, Preference, 6 per cent., p. — Manchester, Sh e ffi eld, and Lincolnshire (Sheffield an ,Li,ncolnshire), dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 2/8 dis....kitehave n and Furness, MIA dis. BIRIG N STOCK E.XCI I ANGE.— M N HAM, JU E 16. dis. The sales are—North Staffordshire, —Stour Valley, 23i dis. 'OVERNESSES' BENEVOLENT INSTITI7TION.--We perceive that a fancy sale, for the building and endow ment fund of the Aged Asylum of the Governesses' Be nevolent Institution, is to be held on the 20th and 21st June, in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, un der the patronage of her Majesty and the other members of the Royal Family. The object is to procure funds for the erection of rooms for the general use of the asylum, and to provide apartments in the asylum for ten aged governesses. That the public will respond to the appeal thus made to them we cannot for a moment doubt, and we trust that the funds raised will be sufficient to enable the committee to at once carry out their benevolent object. MUNIFICENT BRQUEST.—The late Mrs. Matthew man of Harrogate, whose death was recently announced, has by her will directed the entire residue of her pro perty to be applied by her trustees in promoting within the borough of Leeds Divine worship according to the liturgy and usages of the Church of England. The fund is to be administered at the discretion of her trus tees, with the sanction of the Bishop of Ripon, and is expected to amount to about 25,0001. The trustees are Mr. William Beckett, M.P., and Mr. John Atkinson of Leeds. There is also a bequest in the same will of 100/. to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The deceased lady was a native of Leeds. MORE CHARTIST ARRESTS AT BINGLET.—Three more of the Chartists, engaged in the late riot and rescue at Bingley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, were taken from their beds early on Th urs d ay morn i ng last, and committed to York Castle by Mr. W. B. Ferrand. One of the prisoners was liberated on bail, and the others were escorted by Mr. Ferrand, with six of his keepers (armed with double-barrelled guns), and about SO con stables, to the railway station, whence they were sent off to York Castle. Two more men were taken into cus tody the same morning on the charge of throwing stones and using threate n i ng l anguage to Mr. Thacker, ma ge i e s d t i r e a g t e s firms h aye n e e s l a o n e t d p d u e t cai an i o e n e t ( i r f e N s i t or. p F t o e r t r h a e n i d l e a g s eistrates' clerk, and o ne o f t h e B i ngley constables. The al a p m roc a of the Chartists in his locality. SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.—The Rev. Ernest Hawkins, 8.D., secretary of this society, has just issued a circular to the members, with reference to its condition. During the last four years, it appears, the annual expenditure has been reduced from 80,0004 to little more than 60,0001. This reduction has been effected without recalling or diminishing the salary of a single missionary. First, by the cessation of payments which had been guaranteed for a limited time ; second, by the discontinuance of grants towards the building of churches and schools ; third, by withdrawing from the support of schools and schoolmasters, more especially in the West Indies. CRICKET.—The match between the South London Club with Brockwell and Hinkly t'. the Ashford Club with Martingell and Pilch, terminated yesterday at the Oval in favour of the South London, who won by four wickets.—The match between the Marylebone Club with two players v. the Surrey Club with two players, was brought to a conclusion yesterday evening, just as the clock was about to strike eight, by the Marylebone Club being declared the victors by 40 runs. SAFETY IN RAILWAY TRAVELLING.—We under stand, from good authority, that an attempt of rather an extensive character is being made to enforce a reduc tion of the wages of the engine-drivers employed upon the railways of this country. We deeply regret this, be cause it is upon the general good conduct and practical knowledge of this most responsible and intelligent class of men that the safety of the railway traveller in a great measure depends. The directors who seek to save a thousand per annum by the reduction of a shilling or sixpence per day per driver will ; in the course of a few years, find a very heavy balance against them consequent upon the damage, and perhaps—as has often been the case—loss of life, occasioned by the employment of in efficient enginemen. We could, were it necessary, direct attention to accidents involving immense destruc tion of railway stock and loss of life caused either by over-worked or incompetent drivers, and we are quite satisfied, from a thorough knowledge of the " cheap" system, as applied to the management of railway traffic, that a reduction of the present, to say the least, very moderate wages paid to the engine-drivers of this country, will be most dangerous to the public, sad the very oppo site of economical to railway companies. We hope that we shall not have occasion to particularise the painful details from which this our conviction is derived.— Herald. Miss HAY —Last week Miss Georgina Hay, youngest daughter of Lord James Hay, of South - park, Aberdeenshire, took the veil at Paris, in the Convent of the Assumption, Rue Chaillot, Champs Elyse4s. The young novice, who is tall in stature, and bears a strong family resemblance to her cousin, the Marchioness of Douro, proceeded to the gates of the convent in bridal attire, and demanded admittance. Having been received by the superior and the nuns of the order (the latter bearing lighted tapers), she advanced through their ranks to the cross-bearer and knelt down. After a pause, spent in prayer, the community preceded her, at a solemn pace, into the chapel, chanting hymns. Each nun repaired to her stall, and the novice occupied a seat prepared for her at the foot of thefaltar, when the usual ceremony took place. She retired to the parlour of the convent in the simple habit of a nun, crowned with a wreath of white flowers, and received visits of congratu lation. Amongst those present on the interesting occa sion were the Duchess de Montmorency, the Dukes de Fitzjames and Talleyrand, together with several digni taries of the Catholic Church andmembers of the National Assembly. THE Alooas.—To use a sporting phrase, one of the great events of the season having come off success fully, sportsmen are enabled to calculate the chances of success on their first field-day on the moors, the 12th of August. The principal hatching of young grouse usually takes place in the last week of May ; and seldom have the little poults broken their shells under more favourable circumstances than those of the present year. With every assistance that genial weather could afford, the parent birds remained on their nests, undisturbed by gale or storm, save to stretch the still wings, and pick a hasty meal of heather. Conse• quently, in most places, every egg has produced its bird; and we hear, on good authority, that in general the broods contain nine or ten-14 have been counted in one covey, but that is at least two brace beyond the average. Not the slightest appearance of disease has been noticed among the old grouse. The time is now past when it commonly breaks out, and all those who have traversed the hills speak to the fine healthy appearance of the birds—rich in their glossy brown plumage, with scarlet combs—as the old cocks show themselves strutting among the heather, to decoy man or beast from the nests, or young broods.—lnverness Courier.