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

obsious that legislation was the only and necessary course. They had before them the Bill of the lion. ' Member for Midhurst. Its author had abandoned his offspring, and the Right Hon. and Learned Mt mbcr for Bute asked theta to give it a second reading, in order that he might give it an erlirely new dress. Ile (Sir F. Thesigg,r) thought the House was placed in a chfli eulty by ili source 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. HAYTER 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 nisance; 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 he 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 +he 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. Ho 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 nisanees been in the form prescribed by the Act, accord ing to the original intention of the petitio l liers. 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. Mr. SHEIL 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. HAYTER and Mr. NAPIER, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL agreed with his Right Hon:Friend 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. He 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. Ile must, therefore, oppose the Bill. Mr. BANKES did not agree with the 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 greinted.—(Hear, hear.) He had voted against the proposition of the Hon. and Learned Member for Midhurst because he had felt it to be insnfficient, hut would nosy vote for the Bill as amended, because he believed it would afford a remedy. Sir J. GRAHAM felt disposed .to tallow the attrac tive advice of the Judge-Advocate and the Attorney- General, and do nothing.—(A laugh.) He was for staying whtre they were, fearless altogether of the threat which had le:en held out, that, by proceeding in that legislation, novelty, in the way of a prohibition, might COll3O upon them from the courts of law. lie 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 i!.—(llear, hear.) He must therefore vote for the amendment of the Secretary of State. Mr. ANSTEY would vote for the second reading of the Bill, reservieg 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 liajoriiy —32 The Bill was then rend a second time The House adjourned at Twenty minutes to Twelve o'clock. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of March 28.) SUIAL—To-day there was less disposition shown on the part of both grocers and refiners to make purchases, and the market still beirg 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 esses prices were a shade in favour of the buyer. 11,EFixma.—To-day the home trade made purelms, , s in Refined Sugar with caution, still Standard Lumps could not bo purchased under 533 61, and brown grocery 523 61 per cwt. Banded Crushed Sugar is heavy of dts pwial at previous quotations. MAURITIUS —This afternoon there was a steady de mand for all sorts Alf Mauritius for refining purposes ; there is yol; a plentiful supply. Grccery kinds, how ever, were rather easier. The parcel submitted to public competition amounted to 7,542 bags, tnc chief portion of which soil at former terms. EAST INDIA. -1114 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 hav en compelled to a H ccept previous re duced rates. -iyately 3,000 boxes of yellow avannah fit were taken in at from 39s to 42s 6d for middling to fine quality. On the part of exporters more inclination has been evinced to operate. At auction 3,000 boxes of yellow Havannab have been offered, but a small pert only sold in consequence of holders asking stiffer rates. MOLA.SSES.—TIivro is no improvement to notice in the demand for West India, and ptices continue to decline. Mauritius and Bengal met with a &ill sale at i 4; to 17s. CGFEEE.—This afternoon there was less demand Native Ceylon, and 663 bags at auction were:thieCky, taken in at 32s to 32 6d for good and real good ortitt, nary bold pale, being about the formEr worth. Of Costa . Rica 1,590 'iisgs were offered; the demand was not (to active, but the whole sold. Cocci.—West Intlia is offered upon rather low4r 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.. ":here is only a mul±rate stock, and the consumption is proceeding satisfactorily. The market for foreign was in a qui et state. TEL.—The manktot fur black has a more active ap pearnitca, but in consequence 01 the 'ergo stock prievs aro pravented from advancing ; holders, hutvi:ver, are nut so anxious to press sales, and the rates olrained are equal to thoic previously curireTlt. Congou of low qusli:y selling at . 6id to 71, good common 7d to 8:1, but middling to middling Bitl to 101, strong blackish leaf 101 to is 2d, tine rind Pekoe flavour is 31 to is 8.1, Souehoncr low to middling 7d to Is, good to flue Is 2d to 2s 81, Poneliong low to tine 4d to Bd. 01 green larger quantity has been sod, but nut at better prices, and there is no decrease in the supply. Fur Pekoe Teas prices remain low, with only a moderate demand, IticE.—The purchases made in Patna have been limited at 16s to 19s, and broken at 14s to 15s; there is also an increased quantity on off Lr. Carolina town dressed is little required, and there are ready sellers at 21e to 273. American cleaned is in larger supply, and prices are further depressed. At auction 74 tierces went at 21s to 22, 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. COCIIIREAL.—To-day there was less inclination mani fested to do busines in this article. At public sale 96 bags of Honduras silvers were all taken in at 4s 2d to 4s 1 1R; a few blacks sold at 4s 9d to 5s Gel, being about to 3d chaper. 100 bags of Mexican were all taken in at 4s 2d to 4s 3d for silvers, and 4s 10d to 5s for blacks. SPIRITS.—The operations in Leeward Island Rum have been trifling since our last report, although mer chants are willing to accept rather lower rates, and Is 10d to Is 10}d is the value of proof strength. East India j 3 little required, and the tendency of prices is downiVa!•ds. There are few purchasers of Demerara ' and prices are not so firm ; 30 t o 38 per cent over proof is offered at 3 s to 34 sd. For Jamaica the shipping orders concluded have been trifling, whereas the home trade are generally stocked for tha present, and merchants manifest more inclination to fa( ilitate sales, by, accepting' -lower rates t Wi ith 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 Genet?' 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 Splints, 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-dly 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 35A 6 l is the value of low to fine Calcutta on the spot. OILS.--There has been little desire evinced by the Lome trade to make purchases in Linseed on the spot sin. o our last report, and the orders executed have been trifling. _Although the onpply is not large, the con .sump ion is - satisfactory, and prices on the advance still crushers :low less firmness, and ac pt 24s 3d to 24s 61 par cwt. which are lower rates. 17,r iosv,ard delivery the prices asked are 24s 9d to 25s low.tolyers are to I. met with. R. tpc Seed is yet little, Tiqulrei. and as the supply :does not full off, holders are vales of Palo at 364; and of brown at 355, but s4loro is a large r qw tity being consumed. Olive calm, t be obtalncd i npon lower terms, a 3 the deliveries continue to exce.d the arrivala. In Coca Nut the private purchases era upon a rather more extended scale, but not at better prices, and 43s to 53s per cwt is the value of low to fine; there is also a less plentiful supply. L a rd Oil i s littl e required, still fine English is held f u r 49 s t o 50 s , an d Ameri;:an 47s 6d to 48 s. The stock of common Fish Oils is (xi the increase, and prices still tend downward s , in consequence of the failing off in the home and export &wand. Seal has been purchased with much cautivn. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 29, 1848. Sperm Oil is not cheaper, but there is less demand, and privaiely only a limited business has been concluded. such evidence ? Why, it was totally wanting, be cause, if any one had gone to the Crown-office on the ' day when the Hon. Member was sworn or the day following, the answer he would have received would have been that no such return had been sent to that office. He thought, under these circumstances, looking at the doubt in which this subject was involved, that some inquiry should take place into the matter.—(Hear, hear.) He believed that no instance existed of a Member being sworn at the table where there was no return from the Crown office of the Hon. Member being elected.—(Hear.) In the case of the late Great Grimsby election two Members were returned, but the officer had omitted to make the return, and in consequence the Members were obliged to remain in town some time before they could take their seats, and a special com plaint was made in that case of the nege fact of the officer. It was admitted then, and had been admitted before, that until the return was sent to the Crown-office, the gentleman returned was not a Member of that House —(Hear, hear) — and could not, therefore present himself to the Clerk at the table and asked to be sworn.—(Hear, hear.) It might be said, on the other side, that that the return to the Crown- office was a mere matter of form, and that there was no special reason why a Member should not be sworn at the table though his return had not been made to the Crown-cffice . If such a principle was ad mitted they would continually have Mem bers coming by the railway, and getting themselves sworn as Members of the House before the House had any opportunity at all of knowing whether they were Members or not.—(Bear.) Now what was the course adopted by the Hon. Member for Kinsale after he was sworn ? Why, having been sworn at the table on the 13th of March, he, acting, no doubt under advice, had forborne to vote in that House on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday following, and he did not appear in the House till after the return had been sent in to the Crown-office, and all the acts done which were neces sary to constitute him properly a Member of the House. If the proper course had been pursued in the first instance by the Hon. Member for Kinsale, why, he would ask, did he not vote on the days he had alluded to? as on those days most im portant measures connected with the Go vernment were brought forward. The fact was, the Hon. Gentleman had forborne to vote be cause he had beets advised to do so, and he (Mr. Goulburn) thought that was as strong en indication of the lion. Member for Kinsale's conviction that he had acted wrong in being sworn before the return to the Crown-office as could well be imagined. He trusted that, if this Committee was appointed, the matter would be well inquired into, and some strict line laid down for the government of matters of this description in future, in order that the House might have some guide for its future proceedings. The motion having been seconded, Mr. HAWES rose to address the House. He had no wish to oppose the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman for the appointment of a Committee ; far from it, he felt bound to thank the Right lion. Gentleman for bringing the subject forward.—(Hear, hear.) He courted inquiry, and did not fear the result.---(Hear, hear.) He had a very short and plain statement to make to the House.—(Hear, hear.) He admitted that on the 11th he was returned as Member for Kinsale ; he admitted also that on the 15th he had presented himself at the table, and was swarm. He did so, under the supposition that having been elected a Member, he was bound to enter upon the performance of his duties as early as possible.—(Hear, hear.) He felt bound to confess that he had never before been elected a Member of that house during a session, and he was not aware then, nor was he now, that a difference existed be tween an election during a session and one before it. —(Hear.) Ile had never been required before to pro duce the return to the Crown-office. He had pre sented himself at the table, as he thought properly, and was sworn, and he contended that at that time he was entitled to all the rights and privileges of a Member. He fully admitted that the return was not made to the Crown-office till the 18th.— (Hear.) Having stated thus much, he would leave the matter in the hands of the House, and say no thing further on the subject, except begging the House to understand, that in doing so he waived no right, abandoned no privilege, or surrendered any of the rights of his constituents that had sent him to Parliament; but that, on the other hand, he was determined to defend those rights at all hazards, whatever might be the consequences. Sir G. GREY had no hesitation in saying that no illegality had occurred in consequence of the course adopted by his Hon. Friend, and that his only motive in abstaining from voting as he had done, was out of deference to the House. (Hear, hear.) Ile thought it most desirable that a Committee should be appointed, in order that one uniform practice might be pursued in future in these matters. After some observations from Mr. GOULBURN the Co:Tonittce Was ordered to be appointed. . _ _ _ _ APPEALS IN CRIMINAL CASES BILL. Mr. EWART, in moving the second reading of the Bill, said he understood that a similar Bill had been introduced by Lord Campbell in the house of Peers, but it did not go so far as his own. The Noble Lord's Bill simply gave appeals in mat ters of law, while his own Bill net only authorised appeals upon points of law, but in matters of fact too. Since he had introduced the Bill he had received many valuable suggestions, which in no way affected the principle of the Bill, and be would most readily accede to them, but before proceeding further he should be glad to know what were the intentions of the Right lion. the Secretary of State for the Home Department as to the second reading. Sir GEORGE GREY was fully prepared to admit the importance of this question, but it was connected with many other important points of law, and it there fore required extreme caution in proceeding with it. There was every probability of the Bill introduced in the House of Lords being referred to a Select Com mittee, before whom the Judges and other law audio 'flays of the country would be examined, and he could not help thinking that his Honourable Friend would exercise a sound discretion in postponing the second reading till the result of that inquiry was laid before them.--(llear, hear.) Mr. AGLIONBY was in favour-of the principle of the Bill, but he thought its object• would be better obtained by postponing it till the inquiry in the Lords' had been brought to a close. He trusted, however, that the Right Hon. Baronet who had just sat down would ti , e his influence to have the whole question fully dis cussed in the House of Lords' Committee, for the time had arrived when every body felt that a law of this sort ought to be established. Mr. HUME must also join with his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member fur Cockermouth in recommending the postponement of the Bill. Mr. EWART acceded to the request, and said he would postpone the second reading till after Easter. The second reading was accordingly postponed. ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. On the question being put for the postponement of this Bill till after the other orders of the day, Mr. LAW urged the expediency, if not the neces sity, of postponing this important question till after Easter, when the entire day might be allotted for its discussion. Mr. ANSTEY said he had given way in favour of the Election Recognizances Bill, which it was impor tant should be got through Committee without delay, and he could not say what course he should pursue till that Bill had been disposed of. ➢lr. NE WDEGATE thought it was due to the opponents of the Bill that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman should decide at once whether he could proceed with the Bill to-day or not. Mr. ANSTEY said if the Election Rccognizances Bill were not disposed of till after four o'clock, he would not bring on his Bill to-day. Mr. MONSELL said the object of the opponents of this Bill was evidently delay. He trusted the Hun. and Learned Gentleman would proceed in any event to-day. After some further discussion the Bill was post- Polled till the other orders of the day had been dis posed of. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (IRELAND) Strangers wet e ordered to withdraw, - when there appeared— For the insertion of the clause.. 90 Against it •• .. 51 Majority for the clause..... —39 The clause as amended was then agreed to, as were also the remaining clauses of the Bill. Mr. S. WORTLEY here proposed the addition of a clause, giving to the Committee the pow er of deciding that in the cases of any recognizances which should prove void or invalid, but which invalidity was not owing to the lathes or neglect of the parties, or in the cases of recognizances which were not clearly void, then that such recognizances should be allowed to be received. Mr. ELLIOT opposed the clause. Sir R. INGLIS, thinking that no discretion ought to be allowed to the Committee, filt bound to oppose the introduction of the clause also. After a good deal of de.zultory conversation, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the omis• sion of certain words, upon which the Committee divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 72 Against it . Majority The amendment was accordingly lost, and the clause was agreed to.' The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he should take the sense of the House on the Bill as amended on the bringing up of the report. Air. S. ‘VORTLEY said he intended to bring .up the report to-morrow, so that the Bill might be printed and placed in the hands of Hon. Members in the meantime. He should more the consideration of the report to•morrow. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said all he was desirous of doing, after the Bill was in the hands of Hon. Members, was to state to the House the effect of the alterations they had made. The House then resumed. Sir R. 11. INGLIS considered that further time than to-morrow should be given for the perusal of the Bill, the original fOrm of which had to-day been materially altered. Mr. ELLIOT said many Hon. Members did not clearly understand the alterations that had been made in the Bill, and therefore,ample time should be given for its consideration. The notice of the Hog. and Learned Member was, however, not departed from. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. The Earl of SURREY, after a short discussion, as to whether this Bill should be proceeded with, it being a quarter to four, the understanding having been that it should not be taken after four o'clock, moved that the House go into Committee. Mr. LAW moved—first, that the other orders of the day be proceeded with ; next, that the House should adjourn, which was met with loud cries of " No, no ;" he then moved that the order be postponed until the 19± of April. The two former motions he withdrew, taking his stand upon the last, which he submitted as an amendment. Mr. WALPOLE said he had just come from the Court of Chancery, and that he left Mr. Anstey speaking. Mr. R. YORKE said the business of the country would be neglected if it was allowed to give way to private convenience. Sir R. 11. INGLIS considered that the position in which the House was ❑ow placed arose from not taking the orders and disposing of them as they stood. Sir G. CLERK hoped the House would not be forced to devide, and appealed to the Noble Lord to withdraw his 'notion, and to consent to the amendment. • Lord MORPETH said the understanding was, that the Bill should not be taken after four o'clock ; that hour had virtually arrived, and as a long discus sion might be anticipated, the object of the Hon. Gentleman with whom the Bill originated would be better answered if the motion were postponed. Mr. MONSELL said the Hon. and Learned Gen. tleman (Mr. Anstey) had informed him if he had an opportunity of bringing in the Bill at a minute before four, he should do so.—(Hear, hear.) The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY said the fact was he was fighting against his own inclination ; he would, therefore, consent to the postponement of the Committee until the 19th of April. FRAME-WORK KNITTERS. Sir HENRY LIALFORD then rose to move for a Select Committee, to take into consideration the report and evidence laid before Parliament, in 1844, by her Majesty's Commissioner for inquiry into the condition of the frame- work knitters, and to make such further inquiries , as may appear necessary, in order to ascertain whether any, and if any, what legislative measures can be devised for the relief of their lone-continued distress.--(Hear.) In the last session of Parliament he had introduced a 13111 upon the subject, but his object at the present time was to move fur the appointment of a Com mittee to consider the nature of the reports which had been presented to the House, and report whether any and what legislative measures were necessary to be adopted for the purpose of amelio rating the condition of the people.—(Hear, hear.) Ile did net think that the House would sanction any such mockery as that of instituting ex tensive inquiries into the subject, and then refuse to propose any legislative measures called for by the result of those inquiries. The parties seeking for relief had been informed by the Government that steps would be taken to remove the causes of their grievances. He could assure the House that grievances did exist, and all that he now asked for was the ap • pointment of a Committee to inquire into these further grievances. —(Hear, hear.) He knew it might be objected that it was improper to interfere with the regulation of trade. He did not agree with that abstract principle, without references to particular cases. If the House should adopt the principle of non-interference, when would they con sent to repeal all the laws which had been passed for that ohj ee t Would they repeal, for instance, the law prohibiting the payment of wages in any other manner than by money ?—.(Hear, hear.) He trusted 'that the Right , lion. the President of the Board of Trade would concur with him i n th e o pi n ion that it was advisable to appoint the Committee in question. Mr. lIUME said he was most decidedly of opinion that masters and men ought to be allowed to make their own terms without any interference on thepart of the Legislature. 11.0 thou g ht. that the Honourable Member was introducing a very dangerous doctrine ; they might take a lesson from what was going on on the other side of the Channel, where they might see numbers of workmen demanding of the Government regulations respecting the wages of workmen, and the Government had foolishly ac ceded to their demands ; and he had no doubt within a twelvemonth the House would see the la mentable result of that i n t er f erence . M as t ers were already leaving the country in great numbers, on the ground that they could not carry on their business upon the terms prescribed by the Go vernment. Every result that had been brought about by this interference had proved most ruinous.-- (Hear, hear.) He maintained that no Act 'of Parliament could beneficially arrange the amount of labour and of wages between masters and work men. At the period when the frame-work knitters were carrying on their disturbances in the coun try, the distress was as great, if not greater, than it was at the present time. The Commissioners appointed to inquire into that subject reported that the only effectual remedy- for the great distress was a more equitable distribution of labour.—(" Hear, hear," from Sir H. Belford.) But then no act of Parliament was able to regulate that dis tribution ; there was the fallacy into which Honourable Members fell on this subject. He did not think that any further amount of informa tion could be obtained than the House was already in possession of, and he should most certainly oppose the appointment of the Committee. Sir J. WALMSLEY thought it was time they should hare a full and ample inquiry into this subject. It was admitted on all hands that the artizins in this trade were suffering great privations, and he firmly believed that th e manufacturers themsel ves NV( uld join most c or di a lly i n the inquiry. He thought it would be dangerous not to grant an inquiry on so momentous a subject, and he trusted therefore that her Majesty's G overnmen t wou ld no t h es it a t e f or one moment in acceding to the motion of the Honourable Baronet. .Mr.,NEWDEGATE supported the motion for the appointment of a Committee, and deprecated the re ference that had been made by the Hon. Member for Montrose to what had taken place in France, and the case of the Luddites. He contended that what had taken place in Prance, clearly showed that the course adopted in England was right, and that in France Dr. BOWRING objected to the motion. Expe rience had shown the impossibility of atteutpt ing to regulate between masters and men. He thought the motion, if carried, was cal culated to raise false hopes among the working frame-work knitters, and if it did nothing else, he thought that was sufficient objection to it. He depredepre catedholding out t o th e wor ki ng c l asses th a t their wages could be r a i se d b y means o f A c t s o f Parlia ment. Mr. SLANEY thought that by the means of the Committee frauds might be put an end to, and thereby the condition of the working classes im proved. In stating this, he begged clearly to be understood as not for one moment supposing that the condition of the workino , classes could be improved with respect to wages by the passing of Acts of Parliament. He thought, if no ether good could be effected by the appointment of the Committee than that of con vincing the working classes that they were willing to inquire into their grievances, Parliament would be amply compensated for appointing the Committee. Mr. LABOUCHERE said it was not without severe concern that .he felt it his duty to oppose this !Lotion. He lamented for the distress under which the large body of frame-work knitters were labour leg, and if be was convinced that this Committee would be the means of alleviating their distresses he would be the last man in the House to oppose its appointment. Inquiries had frequently taken place before a Committee of the House on the subject of the distress of the frame-work knitters, and -'he be lieved the House had now before it all the materials that could be collected on the subject ; and such being the case, he thought the appointment' of such a Committee as was now proposed would only have the effect of holding out hopes to the hand loom weavers hich never could be realised, that their condition might be improved by the in terference of Parliament between themselves and their masters. All the evidence that had been brought forward clearly showed that it ss °aid be impossible by direct legislation to improve the condition of the hand-loom weavers.—(Hear.) - Frame-work knitting was open to all classes of un skilled labourers, while women •ttnd children could always find employment in this description of work, and he put it to the House whether, under' these circumstances, it would not be dangerous to hold out the delusive hope that in a trade like this they could safely legislate for the regulation of wages ? —(Wear, hear) The Honourable Gentleman the Member for Shrewsbury, although he did not advocate the principle of direct legislation upon the subject, drew attention to the defects which he represented as existing in the savings' bank system, and to certain frauds which prevailed in the particular trade. For his pia, he had no hesitation in telling the Hon. Gentleman, that if he introduced any measure for remedying these defects, it should have the best consideration of her Majesty's Government; but, although he regretted that he felt it was his duty to do so, he was convinced that in the end it would be found that he had acted for the best interest of those poor people in resisting the motion of the Hon. Gentleman opposite.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. PACKE regretted to hear the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade, for it would go far to confirm the feeling of the humble classes of the midland counties that it was hopeless for them to look to this House for help. No less than 100,000 men were employed in the frame knitting trade, and he knew of his own know ledge that they had long been subject to great injustice and oppression. It was seldom indeed that they ever obtain a fair day's wage for a fair day's work, and it was perfectly ridiculous to tell him, who lived amongst them, that there were periods of the year when they were in the receipt of high tide wages. So far from that being the case, they had always to struggle most severely to obtain even a paltry livelihood, and he trusted that ere long Government would be made to feel the necessity of taking up the question.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. GARDNER said it was absurd to apply ab stract principles of political economy to this question, and he hoped the Government would take heed in time and see the folly of non-interference.—(Hear.) Colonel SIBTHORP trusted the Hon. Baronet who had introduced the question would carry it to a division, and then the country would see who really were the friends of the working•classes. There were a good many Members in that House who made a point of talking largely of their sympathy tor the working classes, but they took good care not to do anything practically for their benefit.—(Hear.) The Corn-law League and those who supported them, could plead most eloquently about the rights of landlord and tenant, but when the rights of master and servant were brought under discussion, they took good care to pooh pooh i•, and to tell the House and the country that agitating the rights of the working man was mere delusion, for their rights and privileges— nay, their daily bread—was dependent upon and regulated by the abstract principle of supply and demand.—(Hear, hear.) Let the House act honestly with these poor, patient, suffering people, and if they could not afford them a legislative remedy, prove it to them by inquiry, and not refuse to hear their case stated by those whom they believed to be their friends.—(Cheers.). Sir H. HALFORD replied, remarking that he regretted to hear that it was the determination of Government to resist the inquiry because it would lead to misapprehension out of doors. He did not want to interfere with the principle of demand and supply ; all that lie wanted was, that certain frauds which prevailed in the fratne-work knitting trade, and demoralised those who were engaged in it, should be inquired into, with the view to their removal, and he hoped that ere long Government ould be induced to grant the inquiry. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the Committeee 5l Against it • • B5 Majority The motion was therefore lost. SCOTCH SCHOOLMASTERS. Lfr:COCII RANE then rose for leave to introduce a 1.3111 to facilitate the removal of schoolmasters in Scotland:„ At present the removal of those persons, on account.of immoral or other improper conduct, could not--tie brought about without the greatest difficulty, on , .account of the ambiguity of the Act, the 43d of Geo.. 111. He did not propose to do away with the jurisdiction of :he Presby ery,but he proposed when a schoolmaster proved inefficient, or was guilty of misconduct, that one or more of the heritors should apply to the Lord Advocate, who should act AA a grand juror, and investigate the charge ; or he might remit the case to the Sheriff-Substitute, who should try it, his deCision being final. He had fully investigated the subject, and believed that the Bill would meet the object he had in view. The LORD ADVOCATE admitted that there was great diflioulty in• removing an objectionable schoolmaster, and that the law on the subject required alteration. As the matter was an important one, he did not consider he should. discharge his duty if he threw any impediment in the way of the introduction of the Bill. He did, not, however, wish it to be un derstood that he should give his support to the Bill. After a few words from Mr. MACKENZIE and Mr. FORBES, Mr. HUME inquired if the Government intended to bring in a Bill on the subjvyt ? l'sTo reply having been given, he gave notice that he should ask the question to- morrow. Leave was then given to bring in • the Bill; it was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday, the 17th April. HORSHAM. In reply to Captain PECH E4L, The Earl of MARCH intimated that he had given notice that he should move, to-morrow, that the writ be issued. Air. HUME said, in the event Of the Noble Lord doing so, he should submit that the issuing of the writ ought to be deferred. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. Mr. BA NKES gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he should move for leave to introduce a Bill to repeal the Act under which the Railway Commissioners were constituted. THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. Mr. HUME gave notice that he should to morrow call the attention of the House to the va cant office of Sergeatit-at-Arms, and suggest the propriety of instituting a❑ inquiry with a view to consider the expediency of separating the office of housekeeper from that office, with a-view to the better accommodation of the House. • The House adjourned at five minutes to Six o'clock. REFORM OF THE LAW OF LUNACY.—A public meeting, " for the purpose of promoting the reform of the law of lunacy," was held at the British Coffee house, Cocicspur-street, last night. The meeting was called by the Alleged Lunatic.' Friend Society,and the chair was taken by B. B. Cubbell, Esq., M.P. Mr. Luke Hansard proposed, and Mr. Percival seconded, the following reso lution, viz.:—" That the present laws of lunacy are ac knowledged on all hands to be highly defective, and contrary to every principle of constitutional freedom and justice, and that acts of the greatest oppression and cruelty have been committed in lunatic asylums, in consequence of the imperfect system in superintending the same." Several gentlemen addressed the meeting, and it was resolved to petition Parliament for an in quiry into the subject. _ _ Tits ARMY.—.-Desertion is prevalent to a great extent from the' ranks of the 20th Regiment of Foot, at present stationed at Kingston, in Canada. On Sunday, the 27th of February last, twelve men left the garrison during the night, and made their way across Long Island, trusting to get over the,main channel of the Saint Lawrence to the American side, but owing to a heavy gale from the westward the ice there was broken, rendering it difficult to cross by :a boat, and impossible to accomplish on foot. In the attempt four of the de serters were drowned, and the remaining eight were cap tured and brought back to the barracks. In their com pany was an American, said ''to be a sergeant in the United States army, and some - of the men accuse him of having enticed them to desert. DUNDEE TRADE.—Tire uncertain state of affairs on the continent continuing to exercise a depressing in fluence 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 driven so low, buyers seem to evince less reluctance to pur chase, especially good flax, of which the stcelc is now much reduci.d. A vessel from Memel with fresh flax has arrived at Arbroath ; the quality is variously repre sentud, but we believe it is on the whole fair. —Dundee Advel tiser. The members of the Provisional Government have become ten years older during the month they have been in power. M. L,dcu Rollin, who had a head of fine black hair, is become perfectly grey. M. Flocon has been at the point of death. M. Louis Blanc, who had a fresh juvenile countenance, is no more recognizable. MM. Lamartine and Gamier Pages spit blood. M. Crensieux his lost his voice. M. Alarrast seems worn out with fatigue. In fine, there is only M. Arago, who appears formed 01 Pyrennisn granite, who supports the .weight of the Provisional Government, the weight of two ministerial offices—the direction of the Academy of Science, and the Observatory. He alone has not quitted h's post.—Paris Paper. IMAGINARY CONVERSATION. BY WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR. M. THIERS AND M. LAMA look since hat shy at rue, M. Leteartine, now you ae e in power, and I am out. Lamartine—M. Thiers! we neither of us ever were out of power since we cone to years of discretion, if indeed the poet and the public man may be said at any times of their lives to have come to them: for in poetry imagination loads us astray, in politics ambition. Thiers—l never was ambitious. Lamartine.—l always was. The love of fame, in other words, of approbation, drew me forward not unwillingly. Reflection comes down to us in the deep recesses where imagination rests, and higher and more substantial forms rise-around us and come nearer. The mind, after wan dering in distant and in unknown regions, returns home at last and reposes on the bosom of our country. Her agitations render her only the more inviting and the dearer to us. .We love her in her tranquillity, we adore her in her pangs: Ido not rejoice, nor do I repent, that the voice of the people has called me to the station I now hold. Thiers—lL is an 'elevated and a glorious, but it is also an uncertain and a dangerous one ; trice my word for it. Lamartige—Pardon my „franknese ; I would rather take your word than your example. Thiers--My example in NI b Ev; ? LanAci ti,e—May I without -offence to you speak my mind at large ? Thiers-4;peak it unreservedly, as becomes a repub. lican in all his treehness. Lamartine—First,then, I should be sorry to grow rich among the spoliations cif,Ty country. Secondly, I scorn to countenance the pas'Seene of the vulgar, and more especially in their madness for. war. Thiers—We may put method into this madness. Be sure, M. Lamartinc, that no earthly power can withhold for a twelvemonth an agitated army of three hundred thousand men, smarting under past ,disgraCes. We must, whether we will or no, send forty thousand from Algiers to Triest, and seventy thousand frotn our southern departments to the Gulphs of Genoa. and Spezzia. lam a moderate man; I would leave the duchy of Austria to its ancient duke ; Bohemia to whoirooever the nation shall elect as king. Hungary was already free and independent from the moment that Metternich in the frenzy of his dotage consented to accept the tervention of Russia. She rises both against the hungry and wolfish pack of Russia, and the somnolent and swinish herd that rubs her into intolerable soreness from over-gorged Vienna.* Whatsoever was once Poland must be Poland again. She must extend from the Baltic to the Black Sea; from Dantzic to Odessa, and inclusive. Anything short of this will only cause fresh struggles. Men can never be quiet in the cramp: they will cry out and kick until the paroxysm is over.; Lamartine—l am afraid you are too precipitate. Thiers—There are many good men who are afraid of hearing or even of thinking the truth. They may lie in a ditch with their hats over their faces, nevertheless the light will come in upon them somewhere. Lamartine—Probably the King of Sardinia will de mand our aid against Austria, and insist on the evacua ation of Modena and Parma: we may then, with policy and justice, interfere. Why do you smile? Thiers—l was thinking at the moment that some laurels grow best on loose soil, M. Lamartine, but nei ther that laurel which crowns the warrior, nor that oak which crowns the saviour of a citizen. It is our duty not to wait for danger, but to meet it : not to parley with insolent awl stupid despots, but to bind them hands and feet with their own indigenous plants. lame/tine—And yet, M. Thiers, you are a royalist ! ?Mgrs—ls any man a royalist when he knows he can be greater ? I had other means of serving my country, or (let me speak it frankly) myself. Kings have worn down their high-heeled shoes by their incessant strut and swagger. People would have only laughed at them if they had merely told common lies and practised only ordinary deceptions. But when the sleights-of hand emptied every man's pocket, the whole crowd became vociferous ; up flew the benches, and the con juror took to his heels. At first we were tickled, at last we were triturate d. Lamaaine— Not quite into dust, nor into mud, but only into a state, I trust, in witch, with some new elements and combinations, we may attain greater solidity- and consistency. Democracy is always the work of kings. AThes, which in themselves are sterile, fertilize the land they are cast on. Thiers—You remind me of what happened in England at the commencement of our first revolution. The beautiful Duchess de Pienno was solicited too amorously by the Prince of Wales. " Sir," replied she, "it is Princes like you who make democrats." He never for gave her ; indeed he never pardoned any offence, espe cially when it came from the intelligent and the virtuous. Lamartine—llaving lived all his life among cheats and swindlers, he would probably have received with courtesy and amity Louis Philippe; and having broken his word until there was not enough of it to be broken again, and having deceived his friends until there was no friend to deceive, perhaps he would have naturalized the good Protestant Guizot, and have given him a seat in tire Cabinet. At the present day there is a Guizot Administration in Engla::d. The same reckless expenditure, the same deafness to the popu lar rechunations, the same stupid, self-sufficient, subservient, and secure, majority in Parliament. It is well for England that in the most vulnerable and unquiet part of her dominions there is a chief magistrate of con summate wisdom, temperate and firm, energetic and humane. Such a functionary is sadly wanted to preside over the coureels of Great Britain. Thiers—Ho is best where he is. The English are so accustomed to a shuffling trot, that they would grow impatient at a steady amble. They think that the roadster must be wanting in spirit and action unless they see plenty of froth upon the bit.—Examiner. * It is due to Mr. Laudor (some of whose opinions in this paper the reader IA ill find not a little at variance with our own) to state that we had received and printed this I :onversation before the intelligence of the revolu tion in Vienna had reached England.—ED. Ex. -' - '4l)trb ifibition SUN OF F I CIE, Seven n' AYLESBURY ELECTION. (THIS DAY-BY EXPRESS.) SThTE OF THE POLL. NINE O'CLOCK. Dick ... Houghton ... TEN O'CLOCK. Dick ... ~. ... ••• Hough ton ... ... •• • ELEVEN O'CLOCK. Dick ... Hough ton ... •• • •• • TWELVE O'CLOCK. Dick ... lloughton ONE O'CLOCK. Dick ... ... ... Houghton ... ... TWO O'CLOCK. ... 357 Dick ... 558 Houghton ... 330 HALF-PAST TWO O'CLOCK. Dick ... ... 582 Houghton ... ... • • 332 Majority for Dick ... - - - --- --- SALE OF RAILWAY SHARES BY AUCTION.—(THIS DAY.) The sale of Railway Shares to-day, by Messrs. La mond and Co., was well attended; but, on account of the great fluctuation in the market, there was no great inclination to buy. The follocing are a few of the principal quotations:— Reading, Guildford, and Reigate £6 10 0 London and South-Western, Thirds Eastern Counties Great Northern Shrewsbury and Birmingham ( A)......... 2 10 0 Northern Counties Union 0 2 0 Paris and Lyons 1 9 0 London and Madman ... 4 17 0 North Staffordshire ELECTION COMMITTEE. (TIIISDAY.) BODMIN. The Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the petitien against the return of Messrs. Lacey- and Wyld for Bodmin, tnet fur the first time this morning; Mr. Hamilton in the chair. Mr. Sergeant Kinglake and Mr. Merewether appeared for the petitoners; Mr. Sergeant Wrangham and Mr. Rowe for Mr. Henry Charles Lacey; and Mr. Edwin James and Mr. Wordsworth for Mr. James Wyld. The usual preliminaries having been gone through, Mr. WORDSWORTH directed the attention of the Committee to the circumstance of the recognisances bell 6, defeated, and applied for an adjournment till sueh time as the House should have decided on Mr. Wortley's Bill for removing the objections. Mr. Sergeant KINGLAILE resisted the application, contending that the Committee had not the power to entertain it, and observing that the petition having been referred to the committee it could make no difference to them, in their decision upon the merits, whether the Election Recognisances Bill passed or not. After the room had been cleared, and the Committee bad consulted for a few minutes, the parties wore re admitted, when The CHAIRMAN said the Committee had come to the resolution that they saw no necessity for their applying to the House for leave to adjourn ; and they had, there fore, to call upon the Counsel for the sitting Members to proceed with their arguments as to the validity of the recognisances, and the power in jurisdiction of the Com mittee to dispose of the point. Mr. WORDSWORTH, on the part of Mr. Wyld, then entered into a long and elaborate argument, with the view of showing that the Committee had the power of deciding whether the recognizances were good or bad. Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM, on behalf of Mr Lacey, Followed in the same line of argument, contending that the 7th and Bth of Victoria, the last Act passed upon this subject, did not deprive, but reserved to the Coin mittee the jurisdiction of determining these preliminary points. Mr. Sergeant KINCLAKE replied for the petitionary, insisting that the decision of the Examiner of Recog nizanees appointed by the House was final, and in the face of that officer's certificate on the back of the recog nizances the Committee had no power whatever to re open the question. It was the House that delegated its authority to the Examiner, and it was the Ilouse alone that could recal it, or alter or revise the deci,ion which the Examiner had arrived at in his official capacity, and it must therefore be taken for granted that this was not the tribunal to duei,le upon the validity or inval:dity of the recognizances c titcred into in the case of the present petitioner. The arguments had not closed when the Committee adjourned. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock. STIRLING AND DUNFERMLINE RAILWAY (EXTENSION, ALTERATION AND i3RANCIIES ) The order of the day for the second reading of this Bill was read for the purpose of being dis charged. Mr. G. BERKELEY presented a petition from the solicitors of Gloucester for the repeal of the annual duty upon their certificates ; also a petition from the inhabitants of the western division of Gloucester, prving for an inquiry into the late interferences of the Lord-Lieutenant with the late elections. The Hon. Gentleman gave notice of his intention to move that the latter petition be rinted. Mr. A. STAFFORD presented petitions from Northampton praying for a repeal of the duty upon solicitors and attorneys' annual certificates. Sir W. JONES presented a petition in favour of the exemption of charita)le suits from the payment of legacy duties. Mr. F. EGERTON presented a petition from Cheshire against some of the clauses of the Public Health Bill ; also a petition in favour of the repeal of solicitors' certificate duty. Mr. SPOONER presented a petition against the Diplomatic Relatiom with Rome Bill ; also a petition pra:iing for the exemption of the payment of legacy duties upon bequests left for charitable purposes. The Earl of MARCH presented a petition from a number of distillers of Banff, praying that British spirits might be bonded in ti:e same manner as foreign sprits. Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition from a Mr. Packman, praying for an alteration in the County Courts Act; also a petition from Cockermouth in favour of the emancipation of the Jews ; also a peti tion from Staples Inn against olici:ors' annual certi ficate duty. MEMBERS' REFRESHMENT ROOMS. Mr. A. STAFFOIW gave notice that he would to-morrow move for a Select Committee to inquire into the convenience afforded by the kitchen and eating rooms of the House, and what improvement could be made in the present system of providing refreshment for lion. Members. • KINSALE ELECTION. Mr. GOULBURN moved for a Select Committee to inquire whether the oaths required to be taken at the table by Members of this house had been duly taken by Benjamin Hawes, Esq., and to report their opinion thereupon to the house. The Hon. Member said that he had not brought forward this motion • with any personal feeling. Ile considered that the course which had been taken by the lion. Gentleman (Mr. Hawes) and the officers of the House, had raised a very grave question with respect to the right of any lion. Member to sit and vote in the House, .end he thought that it was extremely desirable that a Com mittee of this House should be appointed to inquire into all the transactions of the arse, and to lay down some rule upon the subject. According to law every , lion. Member was bound to take the oaths at the table upon his return being certified by the proper officer, or subjected to heavy penalties. The statutes imposed' - penalties upon those who did not duly take the' oaths, the House w ou ld remem b er th a t i n se veral cases new writs had been moved for in consequence of Hon. Members r not having t a k en th e oa ths in a regular manner. Ilere were, however, distinctions in this case, and he thought that the better course would be to adopt the course referred to in his - motion. The facts of the case were these :—The Hon. Member was a candidate for the burgh of Kinsale; he believed that that election terminated on the 11th, and on the 15th the Hon Member presented himself to be sworn at the table ; the return was not, however, interfered with until the 18:h by the proper re'urning officer. It might be contended that as the lion. Ceittleinen had the majority of the votes, that he was, therefore a Member within the meaning ot . the statute, end that, therefore, he hail taken the oath within the period that he was acknowledged a Member of the house. Now. what were the means, and the only means, the House had of knowing it the Hen. Member was duly a Member of the House ? Why, by the return to the Crown-office, and until that return was sent to the Crown- office he contended the lion. Gentleman was not a Member within the meaning of the statute. Added to this, the Clerk at the table had no authority to recognise any gentlemen as a Member of the House or administer the oaths to him unless he pro duced evidence of his return. Now, when the lion. Member fur Kinsale presented himself at the table to be sworn, where, he would ask, was BILL. The second reading of this Bill was postponed til Friday. ELECTION RECOGNIZANCES BILL. __ On the motion of Mr. STU.A.RT WORTLEY, the House then went into Committee on this Bill. Oa the first clause being read, Mr. STUART WORTLEY proposed to leave out certain words and to substitute others. Mr. NAPIER objected to the words proposed to be omitted, upon which The Committee divided, when-there appeared— For the amendment 59 Against it Majority for the amendment —l9 Mr. S. WORTLEY proposed the insertion of a clause giving power to a Committee of the llouse to reject or receive recognizances in the place of the examiner of recognizances. After a short discussion, in which Sir George Grey, Mr. S. Wortley, the Attorney-General, Sir Thesiger, and Mr. Greene took part, Mr. IIAYTER said that he should oppose the insertion of the clause on the ground that it gave to the Committee the power of deciding whether the recognizances were legal, thus giving them judicial powers; it then proposed to give to the Committee the powers of a jury, and to decide whether there had been any fault whatever attributable to either of the parties, such as would warrant the rejection of the recognizances ; and the third power proposed by the clause to be conferred upon the Committee was that of counsel, to advise to what extent the fault or neglect of either parties should affect the recognizance. After a few words from Mr. NAPIER, PLYMOUTH CITADEL. Orders have been received for the immediate increase of the armament of this fortress. 35 18-pounders, newly cast at the Carron foundry, and weighing each on an average 2 tone, 4 cwt., 841 b., and supplied with the mo dern sights, are to be added to the artillery; 13 of these were, on the 23rd of March, sent from the gun wharf at Devonport, and the same day drawn from Fisher's Nose, with the assistance of horses, by about GO ar tillerymen, and mounted on the ramparts, under the in spection of Captain Graydon, Royal Artillety, the resi dent officer, and Mr. Anderson the muster gunner. 13 more were received on the 25th March, and the re mainder will shortly follow. These pieces are intended chiefly for the land' facing, and the main entrance to the fortress—the sea facing; being already provided. Every embrasure throughout the works is to have a gun. At the south-east acute angle of the ramparts, over Fisher's nose, preparations are making for the erection of a;56 pounder onk a:trae. versing platform, and a similar piece is ; to be napunteil on the west Sallyporter . hithi,tto used as the minister's garden. A sufficient quantity of bills enclosed in new coronets will be placed near each gun, and 525 round 'of •arnmu.• nitien, each cartridge containing lolb. of 'powder, are made up ready for the 32-pounders; GO rounds of the same weight for the 8 inch guns is also prepstl-ed. These rounds are placed in barrels lying on their bilges in the powder magazine. The barrels are fitted with bung heads, hung on hinges, and so contrived that the con tents can be easily taken out where the barrels lay stowed in the magazine; thus obviating the necessity of moving them from their places. Two new powder magazines have been built near Fisher's Noce, and one is now constructing between the Lower and Upper Ligonier batteries in the lower fort. The following will be the disposition of the artillery at Plymouth Citadel when the present arrangements are completed:—Commencing at the eastward point above Fisher's Nose there will be a traversing 56-pounder cominanding an extensive range over the land and sea; at Cumberland Battery, to the westward, five 32-pounders facing the breakwater and cover ing the Ligonier Batteries ; at the Old Saluting Battery, eight 32-pounders facing the Sound, with two on the north flunk and two on the south flank; at King Charles's Curtain, eleven 32 pounders facing St. Michael's Island; at the south or sea-facing of King Charles's Bastion, four 32-pounders, and two 13 inch mortars, capable of throwing hulls of 2801 b. weight into the Sound; on the left flank, two 18 pounders command ing the ditch to the eastward; on the land-facing of King Charles's Bastion, five 18-pounders and one 9-pounder ; at the Western Curtain, four 18- pounders, facing the Hoe ; at King George's Bastion, ten 18-pounders and two long 9-pounders, facing landward or covering the west side of the inner drawbridge; at the main curtain, four 18 pounders over each side, tied in a line with the main entrance; at Prince Edward's Bastion, eight 18-rounders and two two long 9-pounders, facing lendward or cover ing the eastern side of the drawbridge; on the curtain, between Prince Edward's Bastion and Prince Edward's Battery, three 18- pounders facing Lambliay-hill ; a t Prince Edward's Battery , four 18-pounder s f ac i ng Sut ton-pool ; one at the south flank, facing Mount Batten, and three at the north flank, covering the ditch of the fortification. This completes the circumference of the ramparts, which are nearly a mile in extent. From Prince Edward's Battery to the Old Saluting Bat tery the turf on the parapets has been removed, and the whole rebuilt with asphalte brick, and covered with asphalt composition; and the banquettes between the ramparts and the parapets_inive been raised to within 4 feet of the edge of the latter. These and ether exten sive works have been pertorraed under the superintend ence of Colonel Oldtield, Royal Engineers. On the Queen's Saluting Battery, about 80 feet below and out side the main fortifications, there are 21 9-pounders facing the Sound, and on the Lower Fort Royal Battery 13 32-pounders, nearly on a level with the sea. At, Wilkinson's, 2 32-pounders; at Frederick Battery, 4 32-pounders; Upper Ligonier, 5 32-pounders; and Lower Ligonier, 6.8 inch guns. The last 17 guns protect the rocks and beach under the citadel. The traversing 56- pounder at the west sallyport commands the' - entire sweep of the Sound. On the western ravelin, near King Charles's Bastion, are to be 7 18 -pounders, covering the glacis; on the ravelin over the outer entrance 6 18- pounders, protecting the outer draw bridge ; and on Piper's platform, at Fisher's Nose, 4 18 -pounders facing Sutton-pool andLambhay-hill. While it is hoped that the effieiency of these defences may never be tested by any hostile movement, still the due preparation for such a contingency reflects credit on the Government, and gives great confidence to the in habitants of Plymouth; a town which, without such protection, would, by its proximity to the shore, be iu a perfectly defenceless condition. From Marseilles s e learn that Messrs. Rolland Ruffio, and Co., have been enabled to resume business by the receipt of remittances from the Levant. MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS. NumTIER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAL"§tikkGISTEIZED I THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, MARCH 25, IS4S. Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases „,, 2so Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... 53 Turbercular Diseases... „. 193 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... „.• 117 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... 37 Diseases of the Luny, and other Organs of Respiration „, IS6 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, avid other Organs of Digestion... Diseases of the Kidne3s, &c. ••• •• Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. Malformations... ••• Premature Birth ... •• •• Atrophy ••• ••• ••• ••• •• Old Age ••• ••• ••• ••• Sudden ... „, „, Violence, Privation, Cold, or Intemperance Causes not specified ... 5 ... 34 3 DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES ... ... 1,099 Pormlation Average weekly Deaths Enumerated, Deaths, 1843-7. in the 1841. Five Winters. Week. West Districts... 300,711 . . 161 171 North Districts.. 375,971 ... 209 199 Central Districts 373,653 ... 203 197 East Districts ... 392,444 ... 235 ... 254 South Districts .. 501,190 ... 299 ... 278 Totals... ..... 1,948,425 ... 1,107 ... 1,099 Mal©s 578 Females ... 521 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males Females ... ... 782 ... ... 772 Total . ••• ••• ...1,554 RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, MARCH 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Edinburgh and Glas gow, 39--Ditto, Halves, 5% dis.—London and North ,Western, New Quarters, 21. Bs. 9 1 -d. N©" lJ,alves, dis.—North Union (A), 204—South-Easters Dover, No. 3, 10 1 4 dis.—Ditto, No. 4, Thirds, 3/.65. 3d. dis.—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase). %'p.—Ulster, 8. The market was dull, little business wss transacted, but prices generally firm. MANCHESTER, MARCH 28. STOCK ExcHAwar:.—The sales are—East Lancashire, Quar ters, 1 IS 16 dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 32/. Shareg, 634 dis.—Ditto (West Riding Union), 3 3-16 dis.—North Staffordshire, 1 7.16 dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, No 4, 3% dis. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, MARcu 28. STOCK Excnaxac—The sales are—Manchester, Shef field, and Lincohishire, Preference, IA dis.—Newcastle and Carlisle, New Scrip, 1 dis.—North Britijh, 21 x. d.—Ditto, Halve!, 9—Ditto, `Mirth, 325. 6d. dis.—Ditto, E x t ens i on , 8 4 - dis.—North Staordshire, 1 dis—York and North Midland, Preference, 2 1 A p. BIRMINGHAM, MARCH 28. STOCK EXCITANGE.—The sales are—Manchester, Sheffield , and Lincolnshire, Preference, % dis.—North Staffordshire , 1% dis.—Shrewsbury and Rirruinghatn (A), 4 1 ,E dis.—Ditto (13), 565. 3d. dis.—South Staffordshire, 3 dis. 131{1STOL i blaucit 28. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The 'Market remained steady, but without any advance on pricest The following business W 4 done :—Great Western, Quarterso dis.—Ditto, 17/. Shares, dis.—Lancashire and Carlisle, Thirds, 2 dis. COMMITTAL 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 bee r part of Essex and the evtijoiningi borders of Suffolk, especially about Halstead, were examined before the county magistrates. The number of the gang in eui tody amounted to fourteen, some,of whom were of respectable connexions, one 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, a sharp watch Ives 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, whie l l had been stolen from dfferent houses broken into, were found. The keeper of the bonsai was thee taken into custody, and a — man named Bryant was also apprehended. The latter, .who was a sort of leader of the gang, then disclosed to: the police the whole of their combinations and proceedings, and in 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,amongss the stacks and outbuildings in his farmyarcLa 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,..,7as also searched on the information of Bryant; there e large bulk of the plunder of the gang was found, and,Lhe oc cupier was captured. Another leader of the robber:. named Edwards, was secured, and as. the police pursued their inquiries, which have been going on for the last fortnight, member after member of the gang Op into their hands, till ultimately they had from 12 to rs. Ia four or five cases of burglary the offence was clear]) traced to two of the prisoners, Bryant and Edwardlr, who were committed for trial on the different ehargbs, and much of the property. was found in - the possession of Gould, the farmer, and Jackson, the shopkeeper', 00' w,tre also sent for trial as receivers. - - • ROYAL ARTILLERY .—WooLwxcn.—Captain chell's company, the 10th battalion, was inspected at 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 Chester and Tyneinouth, the latter company being under orders to return to head-q9eters, as its turn is approaching to proceed on duty Co foreign station. The guard mounting parades have / cola' menced for the season, and the officers and men of the Royal Artillery for duty at the Royal Arsenal, and the officers 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,placee 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. CANADIAN WINTER,-..WONDNRFUL PRESERVATION' —On the 10th of February last, at one in the nibrning. as the sleigh four horse stage coach from Upper - Canada was.proceeding down to Montreal, with passengers and the mail, the roads being glazed over with ice at a de clivity on the road, about 16 miles from,iNlontreal, the sleigh with its passengers was precipitated dceentinto the rapid stream of the river St. Lawrence, dragging the Touffiorses along with it. The passengers ellananaged to scramble'out but one, a Mr. Russel, from'Stirling, in Scotland, who managed only to get on thestop of the coach, which getting disentangled from the horses, floated ,down the dark freezing stream. Mr. 'tessera life was given up as lost, for the wind blew vary strung, and the frost was extremely severe. However, at day light the following morning the sleigh was discovered three miles below where the catastrophe happened, slowly floating down the stream, and a party of bout• men with canoes were sent in search of the mail; and un making up to the coach their attention•rvas drawn to a large piece of ice resting on the top the vehicle, which they began to think might contain something within it, so they began to chip off the, ,ice with their axes, when lo I to their utter consternation, they dis covered poor Mr. Russel perfectly encased within the ice. Their first ingression was that he had been frozen to death, but on clearing him of the icy covering they thought they discovered motion in hislips, and had hint immediately coLveyed to a house not very far off, where he soon acquired perfect consciousness. He was eight hours pelted with spray and water, which froze as suet► as it touched him, and so completely cased him in. Thera are hopes of his li:e being saved, but bath of his hands and one of his legs will require to be amputated. Mr. Russel is a native of Stirlingsfiire, fruits whence he emigrated sotce yt s ago, and bja suceessfel course of industry has accumulated a large fortune as a road and laud contractor. He is much respected by his country men in Canada, and his misfortehe is deeply deplored. DIVISION or DENDIGIISIIIRE.—The Gazette of last night contains an order 4 in council directing the sub-division of the county or Denbigh, under the new County Coroners' Act, into the Wrexham and Denbigh districts.: 1111iT118. On the 23d inst., at Hathersage Hall, Derbyshire, the lady of John S. Shuttleworth, Esq., of a daughter. On the 25th inst., in Russell.: quare, the lady of Jeremiah Helier, 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, Herta, the wife of the Rev. H. Charles Hawley, of a son. On the 26th inst., at Clapham-common, Mrs. Hewlett of a son. On the 26th inst., at Neasham Hall, Durham, the lady of James Cookson, Esq., of a son and heir. On the 26th inst., the lady of E. Chester Jones, Esq., bar rister-at-law, Oa son. On the 26th inst., at Clarence-place, Clapham-road, the wife of T. J. Foord, Esq., of h daughter. On the 2¢th inst., the lady of Henry Goding, Esq., of a son. MARRIED. On the'2lst inst., at Wandsbeck, Denmark, Mr. 8. Lowell Price, of Camden-road-villas, to Emma Nutter, eldest daugh ter ot,Dr. Thomas Price, of Highbury-terrace. On the 23d inst., at St. Mary's, Stratford, Bow, J. Hains worth, Esq., of Aldermanbury, to &rob, 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 23d inst., at Serenoaks, the Rev. John A. Araks, Rector of Frittenden, Kent, aged 87. On the 22d inst., at Torquay, George Henry, the infante son of the Rev. Reginald Courtenay. On the 23d inst., at the Rectory, Little Ponton, the Rev. Ralph \Vorsloy, M.A., Rector of Finchly, Middleset. Oa the 23d inst., at the Close, Salisbury, the Rev. G. M. Hodgson, M.A., assistant lecturer of St. Thomas's, in the said city, aged 38. On the 24th inst., Katherine, relict of the late James Powell, EN., of Great Coram-street. On the 24th inst., Marian, sixths daughter of Mr. T. Ed wards, Norfolk. street, Strand, aged 9. On the 24th inst., at Cecil Lodge, Abbot's Langley, Herte, James Muro, Esq., aged 88. - - London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, at No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun (Mee, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county 01 Middleaez, Wednesday, March 29, 1848. LAD TF t, XXSD AT, 18 reques Which v *.+ll 1 Of Attol bIDAI liberty WzDxi With of ti tome the of w Per* and Zero trou Coati othe toga Inn! and avei 5,50 and Sou Spfl Yen A PP LkDI: 1..* of Att At a In the Mt. Tt 11111 object as the Cover " T 1 fraugl of the have' this Powe lords Salami "T repre those in thi 'Was ( It 1 found Parlb T