The Sun. — London, England, 1848-02-18 00:00:00

BANK RETURNS. From the London Gazette of Tuesday.) Lu Account, pursuant to the Act seventh and eighth Victoria. cap. 32, of the Average Amount of Bank Notes, of the several Banks of Issue in England and Wales. in Circulation during the Week ending Satur day, the sth day o Feb., 1847: Average VRIVATE BANKS. Amount. Abingdon Bank, Abingdon—Knapp and Co..— ilndover Bank, Andover,—Heath and Co 9,110 Ashford Bank, Ashford—Jemmitt and Pomfret 10,585 Aylsham Bank, Aylsham—R. and G. Copeman 5,428 . 4ylesbury Old Bank, Aylesbury—Rickford and Hunt 31,177 Baldock Bank and Baldock and Biggleswade Bank, Baldock—Wells, Hogg, and Lindsell... 26,768 Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple—Drake and Co 11,135 Basingstoke and Odihat Bank, Basingstoke— Seymour, Lamb, and Co. Bedford Bank, Bedford—T. Barnard Bedford and Bedfordshire Bank, Bedford — Trapp, Halfhead, and Co. 3ewdley Bank, Bewdley—Nichols, Baker, and Crane Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford Bank, Bicester—Tubb and Co. Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Attwoods , Spooner, and Co 23,298 Birmingham and Warwickshire Bank, Birming ham—J. L. Moilliett, and Sons . 12,403 Blandford Bank, Blandford—Bastard and Oak. 8,037 Boston Bank, Boston—Garfit and Co ............. 59,198 Boston Bank, Boston—Gee and Co ................ 13,b91 Bridgwater Bank, Bridgwater—J. &J. Sealey 7,019 Bristol Bank, Bristol—Miles, Harford, and C o. 32,766 Broseley and Bridgnorth, and Bridgnorth and Broseley Bank, Broseley—Messrs. Pritchard 20,122 Buckingham Bank, Buckingham— Bartlet, Parrott, and Co. ................................. 19,387 Bury and Suffolk Bank , Su dbur y Bank, Stow- Market Bank, Bury—Oakes, Bevan, and Co. 69,608 Bantury Bank, Banbury—Gillett and Tawney. 25,046 Banbury Old Bank, Banbury—Messrs. Cobb... 37,402 Bati: City Bank, Bath—Moger and Son Bedfordshire Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton Buzzard—Bassett and Grant 30,825 Birmingham Bank, Birmingham—Taylor and Lloyds _ _ 31,475 6,550 DradfOrd Old Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire—H. A. and W. M. Harris and Co 11,315 Brecon Old Bank, Brecon—Wilkins and Co 48,121 Bridport Bank, Bridport—S. and W. E. Gundry Brighton Union Bank, Brighton—Hall, West, and Borrer Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington — Harding, Smith, and Co Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds — J. Virorlledge and Co. Bromsgrove Bank and Stourbridge and Broms grove Bank, Bromsgrove—Rufford, Biggs, and Co. 14,714 Cambridge Bank, Cambridge—Mortlock and 21,207 Sons Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Bank, Cam bridge—Messrs. Forsters ........................ 41,494 Canterbury Bank, Canterbury—Hammond and Ca .............. .. 29,399 Carmarthea Bank, Carmarthe n —Morris and 16,529 Sons Chertsey Bank, Chcrtsey—Messrs. La Coste ... 3,284 Colchester Bank, Colchester—Round, Green, and Co. 18,610 Colchester and Essex Bank, Witham and Essex Bank, and Hadleigh Bank, Suffolk, Colchester —Mills, Bawtree, and Co Cornish Bank, Truro—Tweedy and C 0.... Coventry Bank, Coventry—Little and Wood cock City Bank, Exeter—Milford and Co 14,003 Craven Bank, Settle—Birkbeck3 and Co. Christchurch Bank, Christchurch—Tice, Welsh, and Co 1,580 Cardiff Bank, Cardiff—Towgood and Co 5,637 Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Mon mouth Old Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon , Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Chepstow—Bromage, Snead, and Co. Derby Bank, Derby—Messrs. Evans Derby Bank, Derby—Smith "and Co. Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak Bank, Derby—Crompton, Newton, and Co 27,830 Devizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes—Hughes, Locke, and Co Diss Bank, Diss—Oakes, Fincham, and Co Doncaster Bank, Doncaster—Leatham, Tew, 6,253 10,682 10,421 10. Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster — Cook and Co. Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton on-Tees Bank, Darlington—Backhouse, & Co Devonport Bank, Devonport—Hodge and Nor- G 5,863 61,307 9,500 man Dorchester Old Bank and Dorsetshire Bank, Dorchester—Williams and Co. East Cornwall Bank, Liskeard—Robins, Foster, and Co. East Riding Bank, Beverley—Bower, Hutton, and Co. Essex Bank and Bishops Stortford Bank, Chelmsford—Walford, and Co. Exeter Bank, Exeter—Sanders and Co Fakenham Bank, Fakenham—Gurneys, Birk beck, and Co. Farringdon Bank and Bank of Vantage, Far ringdon—Barnes and Medley Farnham Bank, Farnham—Messrs. Knight. Faversham Bank, Faversham—Hilton and Co. Godalmmg Bank, Godalming—Mellersh and Keen Grantham Bank, Grantham—Kewney and King Guildford Bank, Guildford—Messrs. Haydon... Grantham Bank, Grantham—Hardy and C 0.... Hastings Old Bank, Hastings—Smith, tinder, and Co. Uereford City and County Bank, Hereford— Matthews and Co. Hertford and Ware Bank, Ware—S. Adams and Co Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull —Smith, Brothers, and Co. Huntingdon Town and County Bank, Hunting don—Rust and Veasey Harwich Bank, Harwich - -Cox, Cobbold, and Co. Hemel Hempstead Bank, Hemel Hempstead — Smith, and Whittingstall Honiton Bank, Honiton—Flood and Co. Hertfordshire, Hitchen Bank, Hitchen—Sharples and Co. hereford, Ross, and Archenfield Bank, and Ross and Archenfield Bank, Hereford—Morgan, Hoskins, and Co Ipswich Bank, Ipswich—Bacon and Co. Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk : Hadleigh Bank, Manningtree and Mistley 3.3ank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich— Alexanders ani Co. Kentish Bank, Maidstone—Mercer, Randall,: and Mercer Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington—J Davies and Co Knighton Bank Knighton—T. Davies and Co. Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank, Knaresborough—Terry and Co Kendal Bank, Kendal—Wakefield, Crewdson, 32,637 83,928 45,779 44.374 23,363 18,604 4,253 12,073 4,565 5,128 16,714 11.809 21,597 26,272 15,478 22,003 18,747 39,118 4,588 18,606 31,414 21,595 20,450 72,225 14,352 18,447 5,911 18,734 35,843 7,259 and Co. Kettering Bank, Kettering—Goteh and Sons.. Longtoa Staffordshire Bank, Lane End—C llarvc7 and Son Leeds Bank, Leeds—Beckett and Co Leeds Union Bank, Leeds—W.Williams, Brown, 32,960 andC 3.......... . Leek and Staffordshire Bank, and Leek and Congleton Bank,Leek—Fowler,Gaunt, and Co. Leiqester Bank, Leicester — Pagets an d Kirby 24,596 Lewes Old Bank, Lewes—Molineux and Co 31.453 Lichfield Bank, Lichfield — Palmer and Green 20,622 Lincoln Bank, Lincoln—Smith and Co 80,982 l&mpeter Bank and Llandilo Bank Llando very—David Jones and Co. Loughborough Bank, Loughborough—Middle tons and Cradock Lymington Bank, Lymington—C. and S. St Barbe Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynn Regis —Gurneys and Co Lynn Regis and Norfolk Bank, Lynn Regis— Massey and Co. ... Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield—Brocklehurst and Co 10,698 M annul gtr ee Bank,Manningtree—Nunn and Co 6,265 Marlborough Bank, Marlborough and Wilts Old Bank, M ar lb orough Old Bank, Marl borough Old Bank and Hungerford Bank and Hungerfordßank,M arl b orouol—Tanner and Pinckney 11,630 Marlborough and North Wiltshire New Bank. Marlborough—Ward, Merriman, and Hillier 7,409 Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelly—Jones and 5,455 54,821 7,131 13,229 Williams ...................... - -- . 6 . 0 . ......... 4,992 Miners' Bank , T ruro—Will y ams and Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, Abergavenny—Baileys and Co 25 236 Monmouth Old B ank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon, ' Bank, Chepstow Bank, Chepstow Old Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Monmouth —Bromarre and Snead 9,647 Monmouthshire Newport Old Bank, Newport —W. Williams and S ons 7,809 Newark Bank,'Newark—Godfreys and Hutton 24,948 Newark and Sleaford Bank, and Sleaford and Newark Bank, S leaford—Haudley, Peacock, and Co 45,723 Newbury Bank, Newbury—Bunny and Slocock 18,835 Newmarket Bank, Newmarket —Eaton, Ham mond, and Son Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Diss—Taylor and Dyson 2,055 Norwich Crown Bank, Norwich—llarveys and lludsons 40,530 Norwich and Norfolk Bank, Norwich—Gur neys and Birkbeck 62,982 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Not tingham—hart, Fellows, and Co Nuneaton Bank, Nuneato' n—Cra ddeock and Co Na C0....v ft 1 _..._ B ank, riymouth—llarris, Mudge, and 21,648 New Sarum v. r u . Nottingham ß ß an a i n t k i i n N d ot o ti:n v; , e l7 s i na —. Smith and Co. 287:064124 Oswestry art:p4rx7-Croxon and Co .. r — Y . Ci .. l . .... . Bank .. Morrell thtfeta - -Halak; Oxford—J. and Dap* `Old Bank, Oxford—Robin s . ' 10,069 - lad Ca.'..... .................. . °u' parsons f i e - 01 d Bank Tunbridge, Tunbridge .... . T 0 ... b .. n . : d ' ... 27 ,763 IC Wells Old Bank, Tunbridge and Tunbridge 1. 1-t li ',Wells and Sevenuaks Bank, Tonbrldge— ‘.te•-?-!;.,*- Beeching and 5628 .. 83 7 n "S- Qxfordahire Wituey BaLk Witney—WilliaZ, '- - - Minh; tbnci c‘ks e,... i 8,494 9,035 4,006 THE SUN, LONDON, Average Amount Pease's Old Bank, null, the Hull Old Bank and Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and Co.. 46,086 Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and Co 9,845 Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter borough—Mes-rs. Yorke Peterborough Bank, Peterborough—Simpson, White, and Simpson 10,698 Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—J. and W. Walters Penzance Union Bank, Falmouth Bank, and Truro Bank, Penzance—Rickets, Enthoven and Co Reading Bank, Reading—iamonos and Co 24,283 Reading Bank, Reading—Stephens,Blandy, and Co 24,509 Richmond Bank,',Richmond—Stapleton and C 0... 4,020 Ringwood and Poole Bank, and Town and County of Poole Bank, Ringwood—Ledgard and Sons Rochdale Bank, Rochdale—Clement, Royds, and Co 4,595 Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches ter—Day and Nicholson . 9,251 Royston Bank, Royston—Fordham and Sons... 13,858 Rugby Bank, Rugby—Butlin and Son 13,284 Rye Bank, Rye—Curteis, Pomfret, and Co 14,697 Reigate and Darking Bank, and Reigate, Croy don, and Darking Bank, Reigate—Nash and Co Ross Gld Bank, Herefordshire, Ross—Pritchard and Allaway Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron Walden—Messrs. Gibson Salop Bank, Shrewsbury—Burton, Lloyd, and Co Scarborough Old Bank, Scarborough—Woodall and Co Shrewsbury Old Bank, and Shrewsbury and Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury—Rocke, Eytons, and Co Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne —Valiance and Son Southampton Town and County Bank, South ampton—Maddison and Son Southwell Bank, Southwell—Wylde and Co. St. Alban's Bank, St. Alban's—J. S. Story 975 Salisbury Bank, Salisbury—Messrs. Brodie Shaftesbury Bank, Shaftesbury— Brodie and - King — Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp ton—Atherly and Fall Stone Bank, Stone—W. Moore 4,859 Stourbridge Bank, Stourbridge —Rufford, Wragg, and Co 13,723 Stafford Old Bank, Stafford—Stevenson and Co 14,366 Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford—Eaton, Cayley, and Co. ... Stourbridge Old Bank, Stourbridge—Bate and Robins Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury —Beck, Downward, and Co. 15,440 St. Alban's and Herts Bank, St. Alban's—Gib son and Stuart — Taunton Bank, Taunton—Messrs. Badcock 19,492 Tavistock Bank, Tavistock—Gill, Rundle, and Co 8,124 Thornbury Bank, Thornbury—Rolph, Yates, and Parslow Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton—Duns ford and Barne 7,115 Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton shire, Thrapston—Yorke and Eland 10,315 Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring—But cher and Son Towcester Old Bank, Towcester—J. and S Percival Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston—Vivian and Co. 8,133 Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge—Hull, Smith, and Co. Wallingford Bank, Wallingford—Wells and Co 6,133 Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick— Kelynge, Greenway, and Co. 24,951 Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington—Fox Brothers West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract Bank, Wakefield—Leatham, Tew, and Co. Whitby Old Bank, Whitby—Simpson, Chap man, and Co 13,412 Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win chester—Bulpett and Co. Winchester and Hampshire Bank, Winchester —Wickham and Co 4,671 Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank, Weymouth—Elliott and Pearse Wirkesworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank, Wirkesworth—Arkwright and Co. Wisbech and Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech— Gurney and Co. Wiveliscombc Bank, Wiveliscombe—P. and W Hancock ... Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton—Good ricke and Holyoake. Worcester Bank, Worcester—Farley, Lavender, and Co. 9,530 Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank, Worcester—Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 70,242 Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster—Farley and Turner Walsall Old Bank, Walsall—Charles Foster and Sons Warminster and Wiltshire Bank, Warminster— Everett and Co. Wrexham Bank, Wrexham—S. Kenriek 1,751 Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton— Messrs. Fryer Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Halesworth and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth—Gurney, Birkbenk, and Co. Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great Yarmouth—Sir E. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co 10,694 Yeovil Old Bank, Yeovil—E. and J. Batten 5,837 York Bank, York—Swann. Clough. and Co 40,308 JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Bank of Westmoreland, Kendal _ - _ __ Barnsley Banking Company, Barnsley Bradford Banking Company, Bradford 42,808 Bilston District Banking Company, Wolver hampton Bank of Whitehaven, Whitehaven Bradford Commercial Banking Company, Brad- _ _ _ ford . . 14,047 Burton, Uttoxeter, and Staffordshire Union Banking Company, Burton-upon-Trent Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Banking _ _ Company, Chesterfield - 8,109 Cumberland Union Banking Company, Work _._ ington . .., ..., 29,517 Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Banking Com — - pany, Cheltenham Coventry and Warwickshire Banking Company, Coventry Coventry Union Banking Company, Coventry 11,719 County of Gloucester Banking Company, Chel tenham Carlisle and Cumberland Banking Company _ _ Carlisle - 20,561 Carlisle City and District Bank, Carlisle 17,94$ Dudley and West Bromwich Banking Company, Dudley Derby and Derbyshire Banking Company, Derby 18,685 Darlington District Joint-Stock Banking Com pany, Darlington 13,585 East of England Bank, Norwich Gloucestershire Banking Company, Gloucester 124,297 Halifax Joint-Stock Bank, Halifax 12,346 Huddersfield Banking Company, Huddersfield 31,960 Hull Banking Company, Hull 27,325 Halifax Commercial Banking Company, Ha lifax Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Com pany, Halifax Helston Banking Company, Helston 1,511 Herefordshire Banking Company, Hereford 14,898 Knaresborough and Claro Banking Company, __ _ KnarcsborOugh 22,255 Kingsbridge Joint-Stock Bank, Kingsbridge 3,910 Lancaster Banking Company, Lancaster . 51,632 Leeds Banking Company, Leeds Leicestershire Banking Company, Leicester Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company, Lincoln 45,308 Leamington Priors and Warwickshire Banking Company, Leamington Priors Ludlow and Tenbury Bank, Ludlow 7,950 Moore and Robinson's Nottinghamshire Bank ing Company, Nottingham Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Banking Company, Nottingham Newcastle, Shields, and Sunderland Union Joint- Stock Banking Company, Newcastle 22,489 National Provincial Bank of England, Birming ham, Head-office, 112, Bishopsgate-street, London North Wilts Banking Company, Melksham 41,430 Northamptonshire Union Bank, Northampton 65,754 Northamptonhire Banking Company, North ampton North and South Wales Bank, Liverpool 7,912 Pares's Leicestershire Banking Company, Lei cester Saddleworth Banking Company, Saddleworth... 1,963 Sheffield Banking Company, Sheffield 35,738 Stamford, Spalding, and Boston Banking Com pany, Stamford Stuckey's Banking Company, Bristol Somerset shire Bank, and Somersetshire Bank, Lang port Shropshire Banking Company, Shiffnall .... 36,819 Stourbrid ge and Kidderminster Banking Com .._ _ _ Pally, Stourbridge — 47,956 Sheffield and llallamshire Banking Company, Sheffield Sheffield and Rotherham Joint-Stock Banking Company, Sheffield Swaledale and We ns l ey d a l e Banking Company, 51,473 Richmond ... ....... 41,122 Com pany, Wolverhampton ............... Company,.:: Storey and Thomas's Banking Company, Shaftesbury 9,291 Sheffield and Retferd Bank, She ffi eld , . Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Banking Com -27,920 Wakefield and Barnsley Union Bank, Wakefield . 11,060 28,831 w \ h v it hei l t i e a h v a e , n ,en Jt . ) . i ... t . - . Stock Banking Warwick and Loaf airzton Bankin g Company, Warwick ....... .. .................................... 29,743 West of Englane. and South Wales District Bank. Bristol . Wilts and Dorset Banking Company, Salisbury 52,495 West Riding Union Banking Company, Hu& dersfield Whitchurch and Ellesmere Banking Company, Whitchurch 2,657 Worcester City and County Banking Company, Worcester York Union Banking CornpanY, York 3,884 61,177 York City and County Banking Company, York 81,610 (Yorkshire Banking Company, Leeds DEANS, Registrar of Bank 8et9nr9n5.,641 P. 1 15teerapa gad m x eutury 121184/4 NORTHERN COUNTIES UNION RAILWAY. The ordinary half-yearly meeting and an extra ordinary and special meeting of the shareholders of this company took place yesterday at the London Tavern. Major W. Beresford, M.P., the chairman of the company, took the chair shortly after twelve o'clock. The advertisement calling the meeting having been' read, • The CITAIRMLN called upon the secretary to read the following report : " Your directors have much satisfaction in meeting the proprietors, and in laying before them a report of the operations and of the position of the company, and especially so at the present moment, when the most in accurate and injurious representations are industriously circulated to the prejudice of the undertaking, and to the injury of the property of the shareholders. Your direc tors are still convinced, as they have been from the first, of the ample resources of the district, of the im portance of the line, and that it will prove fully remu nerative to the shareholders. "Following the course which your directors intimated at the last meeting, they have, with a view to the con venience of the shareholders, incurred as little outlay as possible. The works have been confined to the Wath contract, on which the land, with one trifling ex ception, has been purchased ; the quantity of earth work excavated amounts to 40,000 cubic yards. The culverts and masonry work are in an advanced state. " Your directors have had overtures from other in fluential companies, one of which was on the part of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway Company to lease your line from Bedale to Castle Bolton, a distance of 15 miles, for twenty-one years, at 5 per cent., or 4 per cent. and half profits, on condition that the portion of your lino which is in course of construction should be abandoned; your directors did not consider these terms ought to be accepted, and they have every reason to look forward to satisfactory results from continued negotia tions with the same or other parties. " Your directors have unanimously determined on proceeding to Parliament to obtain powers to amend their Act, and it is hoped that Parliament will thereby enable them to reduce the capital of the company, and consequently the shares, from 501. to 301. each, and to give power to the company to direct on what portion of the line the capital of the company shall be expended. The Bill as prepared will be laid before you, and your directors ask your authority to proceed with it. " Your directors have, in pursuance of the 41st sec tion of the t before-named Act, given notice to bring under your consideration the purchase of the Hagger Leazes Branch Railway, but subsequent arrangements will render it unnecessary to ask your sanction to this purchase. " Your directors consider it would be to your interest to open that section of your line from Wath by Bedale to Leyburn, a distance of nineteen miles, simultane ously with the opening of the Leeds and Thirsk line to Leeds, and the Great Northern line from Doncaster to Peterborough, so that the large agricultural preduce of Wensleydale may be taken to Leeds and the West Riding, and the excellent lime existing in the district may be conveyed not only to the country bordering on your line and that of the Leeds and Thirsk, but also into Lincolnshire. Should your directors be authorised, as they desire, to concentrate the funds in the hands of the company on the works of the Wensleydale line, no call will be necessary prior to the next ordinary meeting. " Your directors are able to state, that they are offered favourable terms for working this portion of the line, so that it will be needless to provide locomotive power for the present, and a considerable saving will thus be effected. " Your directors trust that the line may be open from Wath to Leyburn in the summer of 1849, and that this section will of itself pay a profitable dividend upon its cost. " The directors do not contemplate an early execution of the works beyond Leyburn, as the powers of the Act of Incorporation allow five years and a half from this time to complete the undertaking. "Four of your directors go out by rotation at this meeting, viz.:— John Whitwell, Christopher Other, Henry Pease, and Marmaduke Wyvill, Esq 3., and are eligible for re-election. •• Richard Dutton, Esq., also resigns his office of auditor, and your directors recommend the appointment of George Broom, Esq., of 35, Coleman-street, Lodon, in his stead." The following is the engineer's report : " Since your last half -yearly meeting I have, in com pliance with your instructions, re-surveyed the line from Barnard Castle to Tebay, and the necessary plans, sec tions, estimates, &c., for this deviation were deposited in November and December last, in compliance with the standing orders of Parliament. " By this deviation I estimate there will be a saving in the expenditure, when the line is executed, of no less a sum than 320,0001. "On the line from Barnard Castle to Tebay, as sanctioned by Parliament, there were four tunnels of a❑ aggregate length of 4,900 yards, which have all been avoided. There being only one on the proposed de viation, of a length of 500 yards. This has been accom plished without materially increasing the total length of the line to be made, or the quantity of earthwork. The amount of masonry and brickwork has been conside rably diminished. The gradients on the south-west side of the Stanemore summit, which on the Parliamentary line were the worst, have been, I consider, improved. " On the Wath contract, the works are proceeding satisfactorily, and those now done by the contractors are executed in a good, substantial, and workmanlike manner. " I have made arrangements with the contractors for curtailing as much as possible the expenditure upon the works during the winter, as you instructed me to do, at your meeting of the 23d of December last. As the spring advances we shall be prepared to continue satis factorily the future progress of the works. About one sixth of the total quantity of earthwork, a bridge, several culverts, and about four-and a. half miles of fencing have been completed. I have much satisfaction in being able to add, that I shall be enabled to complete this portion of the line within the Parliamentary estimate, and it can be opened at any time within a very short period. " The line on the Leyburn, Auckland, and Tebay contracts has been staked out, and the plans, sections, and drawings for these different contracts I have pre pared, and could proceed with them so soon as you may think it expedient to give me further instructions." The balance-sheet up to the 27th of January last, showed a balance in hand of 89,021 Z 9s. sd. The CHAIRMAN then rose to move the adoption of the report. It was with satisfaction that the directors met the proprietors, notwithstanding they had been threa tened with an opposition to the course they had pursued. He had no doubt of showing that the directors had done all that they could for their proprietors, and if other important lines had proposed to buy part of theirs, and the directors, seeing a fair remuneration, had agreed to sell it, he did not see why parties who had not paid up their calls had any right to question the pro priety of the course adopted by the directors. It was true that many persons who wished well to the company had not paid some of their calls, but the great monetary pressure that had taken place he believed was the sole cause of it, and he was sure if they were not improperly pressed that they would make good all those calls.— (Hear, hear.) The worthy and gallant Chairman hav ing adverted at some length to the different contracts that had been entered into by the directors, and de fended their conduct in that respect, ex pressed a hope that the meeting would adopt the report. All that the directors had done was sanctioned by the proprietors at their last meeting, and he could not see how, with any degree of fairness or honesty, the shareholders could repudiate their own acts. The negotiations that had taken place between this company and others had been carried on with the fairest spirit, and he thought all would admit that the interests of ,the proprietors of this company had been taken care of by the directors. To carry out these ne gotiations it was necessary to apply to Parliament for a Bill. In the last session they had been defeated in their object of repealing that clause in their Bill, which was called the simultaneous clause. He thought they had a better chance of success now, and if they succeeded in obtaining that repeal they would be enabled to proceed further in the reduction of their shares. He had no doubt if they expended 300,000 L on the construction of the Bagger; Wath, and Leyburn line they would get a remuneration of 71. per cent., and it would not cost the proprietors more than 30s. per share, added to which there would be no necessity to call upon the shareholders for any more money till the next general meeting. The board of directors had car ried on the affairs of the company with fairness; they courted inquiry into all that they had done, and if the proprietors should think that he (the Chairman) had not acted for the benefit of the proprietors, he was ready to resign his seat to more worthy hands. The worthy Chairman concluded by moving the adoption of the report, and its printing and circulation among the proprietors. Mr. SAMS seconded the motion. The CHAIRMAN, in answer to a question from a share holder, said that the arrears of calls were about 4,000 L Mr. CanusLE congratulated the directors upon the report they had put forward, and he could assure them that it had disabused his mind of all the false reports that had been circulated to the prejudice of the directors. He most cordially supported the adoption of the report. Mr. JOHN BIKER also supported the report. He be lieved that their line would be a most profitable one ; but he begged to impress upon the directors the neces sity of being most careful in their expenditure. Mr. Sams believed if they supported the directors in their present report they were acting for their own interest. He trusted that the proprietors would not be led away by the statements or the circulars of those who were unknown to them. Mr. SPACKNAN objected to the report. The Chairman and the directors appeared to have thrown overboard altogether the object of the special meeting. He was the representative of 650 voters, and in addition to that, he represented between 5,000 and 6,000 shareholders who had not paid their calls, and never would.—(Cheers and laughter.) He believed if the meeting adopted the report, they would be ruining themselves, and enabling the direetors to make futuro calls upon their purses. He believed that upon the whole line there was not a single town of any importance, and bo thought it the greatest folly at the present moment to think of pro ceeding with the line. He considered that.the obtaining of the Act was a nefarious transaction upon the Legis lature The CIIAIRMA.N called Mr. Spackman to order. He Could not sit there and hear such statements from any man. Mr. SAMY wished to know whether Mr. Spackman had examined the line and its resources? Mr. SPACIOLLN had examined the map of the line.— (Great laughter.) Mr. Spackman then, at considerable length, opposed the report, and moved, as an amend ment, that the report should be received and referred to a committee of seven shareholders, re presenting perionally or by proxy not lese thou FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1846. 100 shares each, for the purpose of then considering the same, and that such committee report upon the affairs of the company, and ascertain as far as they can how far the shareholders assent or dissent to the carrying out or abandoning of part or the whole of the line. After a long and warm discussion, the seconder of Mr. Spackman's amendment withdrew his seconding of it, and it consequently fell to the ground. In the course of the discussion that took place many of the shareholders present bore the highest testimony to the conduct of the directors in the course they had pursued, and many who had entered the room pre. judiced against them stated that their prejudices had been entirely removed. The directors that went out by rotation were re-ap pointed, and Mr. George Broom was appointed auditor, in the room of Mr:Dutton. The meeting was then made special for the purpose of taking into consideration the draft of the proposed Bill intended to be promoted in Parliament in the present session, entitled "A Bill to amend the Northern Coun ties Union Railway Acts, and to enable the company to make certain alterations in the line of their intended railway." Resolutions approving the measure were proposed and carried. Thanks were voted to the Chairman and directors, and the meeting broke up. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. The half-yearly general meeting of proprietors was held at the Paddington Station yesterday, and was the fullest in numbers ever known. The business having been opened in the usual way, Mr. C. RUSSELL, M.P., the chairman, said, that thesix months to which the report refers, had been about the most calamitous known in the history of England. Merchants, manufacturers, agriculturists, and colonists, had been crushed, and it was not to be expected that railways, which depended on the flourishing condition of the whole country, could escape altogether without suffering. But the directors had been enabled to maintain the establishment and operations of this company on that basis on which it had for so many years prospered, fully up to every expectation that had been originally formed of it. During the last halt-year, the traffic and the receipts on the great line from this place to Bristol, as well as on the branch lines had exceeded those of the corresponding balf-year.—(Hear, hear.) The com pany had been enabled to meet all its engagements, to maintain all its establishments in their full efficiency, and to carry on the works commenced, not as rapidly as had been contemplated, but steadily, and looking con fidently to the return of better times.—(Hear, hear.) The directors had effected all this without having been obliged to apply to their bankers, or borrowing money at more than five per cent.—(llear, hear) — and they had now a sufficient balance to enable them to give the usual dividend of four per cent., if they were so minded. But he would recommend them to be contented with 3} for the present, considering the present situation of the country. It might be said that they wore now reserving a fuffd of 41,0001., whereas heretofore they had been content with a less reserve; but it was to be remembered that these were not ordi nary times. The crisis and the panic had, indeed, passed away, but the distress produced by them re. mained, and it was necessary to maintain the system of economy and circumspection upon which they had hitherto proceeded.—(Great applause.) The branch lines, as yet in progress, would at no very distant time prove a valuable source of revenue, and a great support to the main line. In going at length into the details of this topic,. the Honourable Gentleman took occasion to deny that there was any truth in the newspaper statement that this company had several new projects in hand. They, in fact, had none. They had applied to Parliament for two Bills, one for a deviation from the Oxford line to accommodate Leamington, the other to enable them to carry out the agreement with the Oxford and Birmingham Company., The Hon. Gentleman having referred to the decision of the Lord Chancellor in their favour against the dissen dent shareholders of the Oxford and Birmingham Company, expressed a hope, in consequence of a proposition received from that body, and subsequent negotiations, that: the dispute would be peaceably, amicably, and advantageously adjusted.—(Hear, hear.) Having dwelt at length upon the necessity of slowness, caution, and prudence in the progress of their works, and a constant regard to the commercial circumstances of the country, and expressing his confidence that out of the evil they had suffered good would come, he sat down amidst applause. The report was then read. The principal points were, that of the entire railway between Gloucester and Chel tenham, which was opened October 23d, this company owns 4i miles of the mixed gauge portion, the Midland Counties having three miles of that part. The Berks and Hants branch, from Reading to Hungerford, 25 miles, was opened on the 31st of December, for passen gers only. But the traffic in goods will be the important item, and there is already evidence of its existence. The exact average of the whole half.year shows 2484 miles worked by this company in 1847, as contrasted with 244,i in 1846. The number of passengers in the Past half year increased by 138,119 over the corresponding half of 1846 ; the increase of goods was 27,8211., and of receipts 17,5721. 15s. Bd. ; of the latter 10,6841. were realised exclusively on the Great Western, and 3,8811. on the Cheltenham line. The balance disposable for dividend was 257,3181. 2s. 3d., out of which a divi dend of 3i per cent. was recommended, which would leave a surplus of 41,7911. 12s. 3d. A dividend of 4 per cent. would leave upwards of 11,0001., which, in ordinary times, would be sufficient ; but under the existing circumstances the directors were of opinion that the permanent value of the property would bo ensured by currying over the larger balance. This they left to the proprictori for decision. The report went into a detail of the state of the works in progress, and referred with satisfaction to the Lord Chancellor's decision in favour of this company in the dispute with a body of shareholders of the Birmingham and Oxford. The report of Mr. Brunel, the company's engineer, described the progress of the works, which it stated to have been not considerable in the last six months. In answer to a proprietor, the CIIAIANAN said that the parochial rates on railways were oppressive; that he had presented a petition to Parliament on the subject, and the Government had promised to bring in a Biil to regulate the whole subject of railway rating. The reports were ultimately received and adopted after a desultory and prolonged discussion, in the course of which some proprietors defended the directors and the company from certain newspaper attacks, and ex pressed their satisfaction with the state of their affairs and the conduct of the management. Lord ABINGEA moved, and Mr. LILLINGSTONE se conded, that a dividend of 3} per cent, for the half-year ending the 31st of December last be paid on the Ist of March next. _ An amendment was moved and seconded, to the effect that the usual dividend of 4 per cent. be paid instead of that proposed. The supporters of the amendment contended that the surplus of 11,0001, which would be left after payment of the larger dividend, was abun dantly sufficient, and that the present proprietors, in cluding orphans and widow, whose dividends were their only dependence, ought to have the full benefit of the net profit. The supporters of the reduction con tended that such a step, and the consequnt increase of the reserve fund, would improve the property of the company much more than a higher dividend, because it would secure the confidence of the public. On a division the amendment was rejected, and the proposition of the directors for the dividend of 3i per cent. on the half-year was carried, by a majority of at least three to one, upon the show of hands. A poll was demanded and granted, on the under , stawling that it should close at six o'clock, and be resumed to-morrow at ten o'clock, to finally close at two. The other business of the meeting will be resumed at three to morrow, to which hour it was adjourned. NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAIL- WAY COMPANY. The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of this company was held yesterday afternoon at the Bishops gate Station; Richard Paterson, Esq., presided. The meeting had been called pro forma, in order to comply with the company's Act of Incorporation, which stipulates that the half-yearly meetings are to be held on or before the 21st of August and 21st of Feb.; but the half-yearly meeting of the Eastern Counties Compary being fixed for the 2fith Feb., at which the proprietors of this company have the privilege of attending, The CHAIRMAN proposed that the meeting be ad journed until the 2d of March, when the directors' report would be submitted to the shareholders, and a dividend declared. Mr. MILLS seconded the resolution, which was unani mously carried, and the meeting separated. ELECTION COMMITTEES. LYME REGIS. The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the truth of the allegations contained in Sir Fitzroy Kelly's petition, complaining of the return of the sitting Member, re-assembled at two o'clock yesterday afternoon; Lord Ashley in the chair. Daniel Channon, collector of the harbour dues at Lyme Regis, stated that he had always voted on the Conservative side, and did so at the last election. He remembered speaking to Mr. Wearing, the solicitor, a few days before the election. Mr. Wearing was acting for; Mr. Abdy, and at his request he came to town just before the election and sought out an elector named Upjohn. He solicited Upjohn's vote for Mr. Abdy, but Upjohn refused to vote for Mr. Abdy unless Mr. Abdy procured him a situation as letter carrier. He communicated this to Mr. Wearing, and at that gentleman's request he wrote to Upjohn, in forming him that his wishes would be complied with. The Committee adjourned at four o'cock till to morrow. KINSALE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Pat Ryan, father of the preceding witness, proved that he received 3s. Sd. from the agent of the sitting Member, on account of his bill for the chairing. Several other witnesses were called to prove two or three other instances of treating, and the Committee afterwards adjourned till to-morrow morning. TUE BODIES FOUND IN A TIOUSS AT MANCHESTER. —We noticed in our last the finding of the bodies of two children, under rather mysterious circumstances, in two jars in the yard of a house in Bloom-street. It has since turned out that some medical students lodged with the last occupants of the house, and that as these bodies have been examined by Mr. Dyson, surgeon, and present the appearance of having undergone partial dissection, it is probable that they were subjects which had been used by these students. It bas not, under these circumstances, been deemed necessary to hold au inquest upon them.— Manchester Guardian. The Dean of Durham is confidently mentioned as likely to succeed to the Episcopal Throne, vacant by the elevation to the Primacy. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 17. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool ack at Five o'clock . THE JEWISH DISABILITIES. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from a place in Huntingdonshire in favour of this Bill ; he said he was at a loss to understand why the petition had been sent to him for presentation, for when the Bill came before their Lordships he should rote against it. DENUNCIATIONS FROM THE ALTAR. The Duke of RICHMOND and Lord EGLIN TON presented petitions, the latter one from Kent, praying their Lordships to pass a measure to prevent priests denouncing persons from the altar. SUPERANNUATION FUND. A NOBLE LORD presented a petition in favour of a superannuation fund for poor-law officers. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ROME, Lord EGLIN rON gave notice that to-morrow, in Committee on this Bill, he should move that it should be illegal for any person in holy orders to act as Ambassador to this country from the Court of Rome. vation which it introduced was that it made those com- y munications plain, open, and honourable, which here torore were neither plain. open, nor honourable. The Right Reverend Prelate, having paid a tribute of praise to the eminent qualities of the present Pore, went on to argue that there was nothing in the religious aspect of the Bill which should prevent their Lordships from passing it. He did not pay much regard to the argu ment derived from the mode of describing the Bishop of Rome in the Bill as the ";Sovereign Pontiff" That was a familiar and common mode of describing him, and even Protestant ecclesiastical writers constantly and re gularly styled him the " Pontiff," or, the " Sovereign Pontiff." However, he supposed the Government would alter those words without hesitation.—(Bear, hear.) With respect to that part of the measure which related to the accrediting of a minister from Rome here, it might be right to:introduce a modifying clause, requiring that the person accredited should not be an ecclesiastic, oijpossessed of an ecclesiastical character. That was a concession which he thought fairly due to the feelings of the people of this country. As a whole, he looked on the measure as ene required by the circumstances of the times ; it was essential to the political interests of the country—it was one attended with no shadow of danger to the established religion, and therefore he hoped and trusted that no doubt as to the question of law would prevent their Lordships from assenting to it in substance.—(Hear.) The Bishop of EXETER emphatically denied that the words " Sovereign Pontiff" were habitually used by Protestant writers in reference to the Bishop of Rome. The summus pontY ez was, according to the canon law, the head of the Church; he was above all patriarchs, metropolitans, and bishops. But he denied that the Bishop of Rome was the Sovereign Pontiff. He re claimed against the principle laid down by the Right Reverend Prelate, and which he believed had for the first time been announced by a Protestant'Prelate in a British Senate.—(Hear, hear.) There were so many blots in the present measure that he thought it should not be allowed to be sent before a Committee. The plain and safe course which might be adopted by the Government was, to call the Judges together and take their opinion on the state of the law. But, instead of that, they brought in a Bill, and asked for the decision of the Legislature, which he though an unwise course. He was strongly opposed to that part of the Bill which referred to the accrediting of an Ambassador from the Court of Rome. Other Protestant countries sent envoys to Rome, and they arranged their diplomatic business there. Prussia adopted that course, but Prus sia did not receive an envoy from Rome. Was London alone to have the high distinction of being blessed with a nuncio? Was Rome to raise her scarlet head again at St. James's? Was that the course of policy which the Noble Marquis advised the House to adopt? The time might come when the utmost danger would arise from having an accredited minister of Rome in London. His person, by the law of nations, was sacred, and plots the most mischievous and dangerous to the peace and safety of the realm might be hatched under his auspices. They heard a great deal of additional national defences, and a very great addition to their national defences would be requires' if the policy now proposed were adopted. In Ireland the majority of the people were ready to join any foreign power who would oppose this 'country. He looked upon the present policy, therefore, as nothing short of treason against the Protestant crown and the Protestant Church, and would strenuously op pose it.—(Hear, hear.) The Duke of WELLINGTON said that her Majesty's Government desired, in the circumstances of Italy, to increase and facilitate the means of communication with the Roman states, and they called on that House to give a second reading to the Bill. He confessed, when he first heard of the measure, he considered of it with some degree of anxiety, for he had upon all occasions in which he had to make propositions to their Lordships in relation to the Roman Catholics of this country con sidered it his duty to take the utmost care not to touch on any of the provisions of those laws upon which the Reformation in this country and the Established Church depended. It certainly was the intention of those laws that there should be no communication whatever, poli tical or otherwise, between this country and the Sove reign of the states of Rome, and these laws remained in operation at the present time.—(Hear, hear.) A great alteration was made, however, by the law in troduced by the Noble and Learned Lord (Lord Lyndhurst), called the 9th and 10th Vie, c. 58, by which the penalties incurred for violating them were mitigated andein some cases entirely repealed. All the Noble and Learned Lords who addressed the House on that occasion stated that the enactments of the law re mained the same, but that some of the Acts prohibited remained misdemeanours at common law. He was satis fied with those assurances; but he confessed he felt anxious about the effect of this measure on those parti cular laws. He therefore intended to give notice of a proviso ensuring the supremacy of the Crown in all matters spiritual and temporal, and that this should be always considered inviolable. He considered that such a proviso would be satisfactory to the country—(Hear, hear)—and extremely useful in any measures that might have been adopted under the law as it stood. It had been suggested to him that it would probably be mare expe dient to move an additional clause to the Bill, stating that nothing therein contained should affect the law which ensured the supremacy of the Crown in all affairs ecclesiastical and civil. This he would move in the Committee on the Bill.—(Hear.) He conceived that the Government, being desirous to have clear and accurate information as to the events in Italy, and knowing the convenience and advantage to b© derived from a regular diplomatic communication with the Roman States, had brought forward this measure with a view to remove the obstacles which the existing laws might present to such a regular diplomatic communication, it being desirable that that communication should be carried on in a re gular and official form.— (Hear, hear.) If no other ad vantage were derived from it, there would be that of being certain that true intelligence was received from a responsible agent, and that alone was highly desirable in a country where her Majesty's subjects bad not such pri vileges as they have in some others.—(Hear, hear.) Under those circumstances he recommended their Lordships to gigs the Bill a second reading ; and in the Committee he would move a pro viso or an additional clause, providing for the con tinued existence of those laws which he thought it important to maintain inviolate.—(hear.) That clause would be to the following effect: —" That whereas it had been enacted and declared, in the provisions of various ancient laws of this realm, that the Sovereign thereof had, by and with the advice and under the authority of both Houses of Parliament, the full and supreme autho rity and government in all matters ecclesiastical and civil within these realms; that whereas those Acts con tained provisions having reference to the relations of this realm with foreign powers; that whereas it was expe dient, for the welfare of this realm, that the said provi sions with reference to the Crown and government thereof should be inviolably maintained, and it was expedient, nevertheless, to remove any doubts that might exist as to the competency of her Majesty to enter into diplomatic relations with the Sovereigns of the Roman States; that therefore it should be enacted;" Sec. — (Hear.) If their Lordships were of opinion that it would be more advisable to introduce an enacting clause pro viding the same, he should have no objection to move such a clause. Lord STANLEY said he had never entertained any doubt of the uniform sincerity and uprightness of pur pose of the Noble Duke who had last spoken.—(llear, hear.) But it he believed that the rights of the people of this country, or the rights and privileges of the mo narch, were affected by this Bill, or that the pretensions of the Pope to spiritual preeminence and temporary authority might be thereby strengthened, no considera tion could induce him to consent to the second reading. But he did not believe that it involved any violation of the principle on which the Bill of Rights was founded. —(Hear.) Still, it being well known that for the last two hundred years intercourse with the Court of Rome had been prohibited by a strong moral feeling —or, it might be, by the prejudices of this Protestant nation— no measure, hastily introduced as this had been, ought to be hastily carried, or without due consideration by the country at large.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis himself, on the part of the Government, had declared, by the introduction of this Bill, that grave doubts had existed as to the interpretation of the statutes alluded to ; and as the practice had, for the last 180 years, been contrary to what this Bill went to sanction, it was clear that the measure was, to all intents, an enacting Bill, empowering her Majesty to do what she could not do as the law previously stood. The Noble Marquis had assumed that all the current of history and of opinion was in favour of intercourse with Rome, prior to the Acts in question ; but this was not so, as was evinced by the course taken by the Duke of Somer set in the case referred to by the Noble Marquis. Then, as to the policy of the measure, if it were deemed neces sary by Government that her Majesty should bo freed from the existing restrictions, the proper and most dig stifled course wonld have been to have introduced the sub ject in the Speech from the throne; or, if the necessity was not then foreseen, at least to have made it the subject of a special formal message to the House. Instead of that,:the Noble Marquis had risen, after a debate on the West India question, and had laid the Bill on the table (with the same nonchalance as U it had been nothing more than a turnpike trust 13111.—(Hear, hear.) Surely that was not the mode in which a great measure like this should be dealt with; and he hoped their Lord ships would not allow it to be hastily slurred over.— (Hear.) Even, in the interest of the Bill itself, the fullest opportunity ought to he given for its thorough con sideration. The Noble Marquis might at least have made some communication as to the late proceedings at the Court of Rome, and have informed their Lordships what was the result of-he intercourse which had taken place between Lord Minto and that Court. It might be said that that intercourse was unofficial; and if there were really any impediment to this intercourse in existing Acts of Parliament, Earl Minto, and the Noble Lord at the head of foreign affairs had placed themselves in a very difficult position. For in a dispatch dated in Octo ber last the Noble Earl was requested by Lord Palmer ston to press on the Court of Rome the removal of the Jesuits from Switzerland, with the view of preventing war in that country. Earl Minto, in his reply, stated that he had had some conversation on the sub ject with the Cardinal Secretary of State, and said he should continue to press for the Popes interposition in the matter. It might be said this was mere conversa tion; but, in the face of a law which was presumed to prohibit diplomatic intercourse, here was an official in struction from the Foreign Secretary to Lord Minto to undertake a certain negotiation, and a regular official report from that Noble Lord as to;the:result of his repre sentations. This correspondence had been officially laid on the tables of both Houses; and if this intercourse were not penal under existing Acts, he was at a loss to know what kind of diplomatic intercourse could bo so.— (Hear, hear.) It could not be said that this intercourse was private and confidential; for the Government had themselves furnished official copies thereof. Hence, as it was not to be presumcitEthat the Noble Marquis and his colleagues had knowitidly incurred the penalties of , prcemunire, what became of the argument in favour of the necessity of this measure as a means of facilitating diplomatic intercourse with the Court of Rome?—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis had cited an instanee of direct intercourse with that Court; but this had taken place at a time when all Europe was involved in war, and under the pressure of the strongest necessity. —(Hear, hear.) He did not deny that there might be conveniences and advantages attending a diplo matic intercourse with the Court of Rome •, but it should be well considered whether there might not be connected therewith inconveniences and disadvantages of a still stronger character.—(Hear.) As to the Pope's spiritual authority in this realm, no one supposed that the oath of abjuration meant to deny that a very large class of our fellow-subjects did consider themselves sub ject to the spiritual advice and authority of the Pontiff ; what was implied was this, that the authority in ques tion was not such as could be supported by the laws of this country, but merely one founded in opinion. No one disputed the authority which a rescript from Rome would possess over an Irish Roman Catholic bishop. It was, therefore, idle to allege that this Bill was neces sary for the purpose of diplomatic intercourse, in the light in which that necessity had been represented. The fact was, the Pope had authority over our Roman Catholic fellow subjects, and the Government were now seeking to establish relations with the Pope, in order to secure his authority being exercised in the least offensive manner. The Government must admit that this was the real object of the Bill.—(Hear.) Then arose the question, did this measure sanction and strengthen the Papal authority ? If he believed it to hare that effect, he should directly oppose it. He believed the present Pope to be a liberal and well-intentioned man; whether he was a far seeing and discreet man might be doubted, for he feared he had entered on a course, poli tically speaking, which was full of danger. However this might be, it was evident that no man who had recently occupied the Papal chair had exercised his spiritual authority with so high a hand.—(Hear, hear.) In the case of the Irish colleges the course pursued by Pius the Ninth was most ill-judged and reprehensible.-- (Hear, hear.) Had this country had diplomatic relations at that Court, remonstrances might have been offered; and if these remonstrances had been disregarded, which was probable, would not that have led to more serious misunderstrndings with the Court of Rome than if no such relations had existed ?—(Hear, hear.) Hence, be doubted whether the inconveniences that might result from this measure might not outweigh the probable advantages. Though he was far from thinking with the Noble Duke (Wellington) that be cause the Government had laid this Bill on the table the House ought to give it a second reading, he wit* yet willing to allow it to proceed, reserving his right to give it full consideration afterwards; and he hoped the Government would allow a sufficient interval for this purpose, before the Bill passed its remaining stages. The Noble Marquis had expressed his readiness to adopt any amendment which might be thought necessary for giving greater security to the Protestant Church; and he thanked the Noble Lord on the Woolsack for the important provisoes which he had suggested. He did not object to the Bill because it recognised the temporal sovereignty of the Pope in his own dominions; this bad already been fully recognised by this country. But he much doubted whether the recognition was reciprocal. as the Noble Marquis intimated; for it was undeniable that claims had been put forward at different times by the Papacy wholly inconsistent with the temporal autho rity of the Queen of England in her dominions.—(Hear, hear.) He doubted whether it was consistent with the dignity of a great country like this to enter into diplo matic relations with any power, without a clear and ex press declaration on the part of that power of the tem poral authority at least of our Sovereign.—(Hear, hear.) Unless such provisions were introduced he should feel obliged to oppose the Bill. In every other country, Catholic as well as Protestant, it had been found neces sary to place their diplomatic relations with Rome on a more limited footing than thoSe with any other countrY► the reason being the extreme difficulty of drawing the boundary line between the temporal and spiritual au thority of the Pope. In the case of Prussia some spe cial provisions of the kind he now suggested were made before entering into diplomatic intercourse with Rome. With regard to our Ambassador at Rome, the advan tages and inconvenience s mi g ht b e near l y b alanced; but if a papal envoy were admitted here, especially if allowed to combine spiritual and temporal authority. the probable inconveniences would be very serious; and the people of this country would require very strong security against the abuse of such power. This power ought especially to be guarded with reference to the admission of bulls and rescripts. As they were about to introduce a Papal Envoy into this country, precautions not necessary in Roman Catho lic countries ought to be taken to prevent bulls and rescripts being admitted or permitted to come in which had not obtained the previous sanction of the Govern' ment. These were the points to which it was right the attention of their Lordships should be directed. Some of these points were calculated to satisfy the apprehen sions of the public, and it was on these grounds that, though he was not prepared to join with the Noble Duke who had moved the amendment in negativing the second reading of this Bill, and which amendment he hoped would not be pressed to a division, still he wished to see how far the objection to the measure might be removed in Committee ; but he should reserve to him self the entire right to take any course which he might think expedient on the third reading of the Bill. He would not now pledge himself to the final adoption of the measure, but he hoped that, on a matter of so much importance, worthy, he would not say the prejudices. but the religious feeling of the people, ample time woul , l be given for the consideration of the Bill, as it would stand after the introduction of those amendments which their Lordships in their wisdom might think fit to adopt.—(Elear, hear.) Earl GREY expressed the great satisfaction he felt that the Noble Lord who bad just sat down, and who had carefuily scrutinised this measure to discover every possible defect, found no greater fault with it than the manner in which it had been introduced. The Noble Lord said that a measure of such vast importance, in volving considerations of serious political consequences, ought not to have been brought in without in the first instance having been announced to Parliament by her Majesty in the speech from the throne, or, at all events, by a formal message sent by the Crown to both branches of the Legislature. This objection was unworthy ache Noble Lord, for it was new to him (Earl Grey) that such a course was necessary; and if no more serious fault could be found, he was content to leave it without any answer. With respect to the introduction of the Bill, it had been laid upon the table by his Noble Friend the President of the Council in a manner strictly in ace cordance with the practice of the House, and his Noble Friend had, as usual, reserved any explanation or discussion of the measure until he moved the second reading, and to-night he had not failed to lay the case fully and fairly before their Lordships. The case his Noble Friend had made out must have car ried conviction to the mind of almost every individual who had heard him. But then the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Stanley) found fault with the short interval which had been allowed to elapse between the introduction of the Bill and second reading. He (Earl Grey) owned that he was astonished that this objection should have been raised by the Noble Lord, because he himself had suggested that if a reasonable interval was given before the second reading, there would be no sort of objection to proceeding with the Bill in Committee on the fol lowing day. The Government had no wish to hurry the Bill to a discussion, and had allowed a fair interval to elapse, but not to fix so distant a day for the second reading that the country might be lashed into a sort of artificial agitation. After finding these petty faults. and dealing in this minute sort of criticism, the Noble Lord had proceeded to make some comments which, so far from being arguments against the Bill, were in fact strong arguments in its favour. He had quoted Lord Minto's dispatches, and argued from them that already there was clearly a diplomatic intercourse be' tween Rome and this country, and that if the penalties of pnemunise had arisen, they bad been incurred by her Majesty's Government. The Government had never pretended that Lord Minto had gone to or remained at Rome on his own pleasure. On the contrary, he was there for an avowed public object, but the existing state of affairs prevented him having formal letters to the Pope. He had no proper authority to act as the repre sentative of the British Crown at the Court of Rome. but at the same time it had never been concealed that he had taken an active part in the affairs of that country This was the very case the Government brought forward in favour of this Bill, as showing the necessity which had existed and still did exist, for intercourse of S diplomatic nature between the two countries. The manner in which that intercourse had hitherto been carried on, had been most unsatisfactory. It was of frequent occurrence that the Govern ment had to communicate with the Court of Rome in reference to the ecclesiastical affairs in many of the co' lonics where the Roman Catholic religion prevailed, and hence it was of importance this country should have * recognized representative at Rome. Undoubtedly it would not have been right to have sent Lord Minto if the Government had not contemplated the very step which it had now taked in asking Parliament to put the intercourse upon a proper footing. The Noble Lord opposite had said that no Protestant state received as as envoy from Rome any ecclesiastic, and he had instanced the case of Prussia. This restriction, however, did not rest upon the law of Prussia, but simply on the pleasure of the King and his Government, and on that pleasure they had declined to receive an ecclesiastic as an ambits* sador. In the same way, if this Bill passed, it would be open to the Governmeht of this country, be that Govern-, ment whom it might, to decline to receive any ambass*" dor if they thought any inconvenience or danger would arise from his presence here, and therefore it appeared to him (Earl Grey) to be unnecessary that the Bill should contain any such clause of restriction as that of which notice had been given. It would be difficult to frame a clause to define who would be a safe ambassador to be admitted fret* the Court of Rome, and therefore it was better th a t the responsibility should be left upon the Governmen t for the time being. The clause of which the Noble Duke at the table (the Duke of Wellington) had given notice would be a decided improvement in the Bill; fo r though he (E ar l Grey) thou g ht the Bill was perfect*" safe as it stood, this clause would make " assuraue: doubly sure," and tend to allay unnecessary fears whir. prevailed outside the walls of Parliament. Hence tu_ . : Government gave their adhesion to that clause. Tber e ... was no other point to which he (Earl Grey) felt it , 1 ,!„ cessary at present to advert, except as to what had fa lle n from a Right Reverend Prelate early in the debatee. who appeared to him to admit the policy, °P diency, and legality (under the existing laws) of _diplo matic intercourse with the Court of Rome; for the_ ? he jection of the Right Rev. Prelate simply was, tha t the Bill was unnecessary; and he desired that the op in io n of the judges should be taken as to the law as it act 9, "?; stood in this respect. Now, according to the forms o o; the House, if this Bill had not been before it, it wBl3, n ot competent to consult the judges on a questioll JEWISH DISABILITIES. Lord ELLEN BOROUGH presented several peti tions from various deoominatious of Dissenters in favour of this Bill. The Noble Lord said he could not coincide in the prayer of the petitions. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE COURT OF ROME. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE (after pre senting several petitions and some official papers) moved the second reading of this Bill. He said the object of the Bill was to empower her Majesty to enter into diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome. The measure was a novel one both in that and the other House of Parliament, although, when a discussion inci dentally arose in that House on the subject, he expressed his opinion that such relations should be entered into. He had now the satisfaction of proposing a measure for their acceptance to ac complish this, to his mind, desirable end, which, he believed, would meet with the Liberal support of the other House of Parliament and of the people. Her Majesty was authorised to enter into diplomatic relations with all foreign powers, save that of Rome. She was prevented from doing so by two Acts—namely, the Bill of Rights, passed in the reign of William and Mary, and the Act for settling the succession to the Crown of these realms. He was not one of those who would lightly interfere with either of these Acts, because he believed the consti tution and the rights of the people were based on them.—(Hear, hear.) Some thought that the inten tion of these Acts was utterly to prevent diplomatic intercourse with the Court °Mame, that it was illegal, but his opinion was that it was not intended to shut out intercouse altogether, after tracing the events that led to the passing of those measures. The mis sion of Lord Castlemain to the Court of Rome, in the time of James 11., was generally understood to be for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation between this country and the Papal see; and the House of Com mons of that day passed a resolution to the effect that his Lordship should be sent to the Tower, charged with high treason, for accepting the office; showing that it would be unsafe to open such inter course, as it would be a contravention of these Acts. The mission was at the time a most unfortunate one, and was suggested by a monarch who was in the habit of doing everything wrong, and at the wrong time. Burnet and Sir James Macintosh, men of high authority, agreed in opinion that whilst these Acts stood as they were such a mission was illegal. Hence the necessity of introducing the present mea sure. A century and a half had elapsed since these proceedings took place ; wonderful changes had taken place, and the time, he thought, had arrived when communication with the Court of Rome was expedient. The greatest advan tages could not fail to ensue from such intercourse. During the various reigns since the time of James 11., foreigners and others visiting the Court of Rome were employed to transact any business that was necessary between the Papal see and this country; but he considered that such indirect and irresponsible intercourse was far more objectionable than direct and open intercourse.—(Cheers.) One of the greatest Ministers of this country, on whom the whole weight of the realm rested during a season of peculiar difficulty and danger—Sir R. Walpole— entered into repeated communications with the Pope through the instrumentality of his brother, Horace Walpole. At the time of the Hanoverian succession it was customary for this country to have a repre sentative at Rome. He now came to the time of the French Revolution. Sir John Cox Simpson, a Mem ber of the Parliament, resided at Rome, and kept up negotiations, not only with the Cardinals, but with the Pretender himself—(Hear, hear)—and his negotiations were attended with happy results. Lord Hood, at that time, finding he could not get supplies from any place but the Papal see, and not being a lawyer or a theologian, and not having any one to advise him at hand, did not hesitate to avail himself of the opportunity of obtaining them. Mr. Burke said a man must be exceedingly squeamish to refuse aid under the circumstances which Lord Hood was placed, and that he for one would not be guilty of such bigotry as to refuse them ; and many other eminent men entertained a similar opinion. By a blue book, published some years ago by the House of Commons, he found that the late Duke of Portland entered into negotiations with Rome for the establishment of an institution there in which he was interested. Communications went on for some time, and in the end his Grace expressed himself obliged to the Pope for the part he had taken in the matter. He would not trouble their Lordships with many other instances which he could cite. It was said that the Queen could not enter into negotiations with the Papal see. Why, the Pope was a contracting party to the Treaty of Vienna, and Lord Eldon, who was much opposed to the Catholic Church, placed the Great Seal to the compact.—(Cheers.) Nay, more, when George IV. ascended the throne the Pope sent him a congratulatory letter—(Hear)—and the Minister of the day' not only acknowledged the missaive, but thanked the Pope for his kind expres sions. The letter was, however, recalled, and a messenger was sent off towards Italy to intercept it, but he was too late. (Laughter.) And might, it not, therefore, be said that George IV. forfeited his crown by this act?—(Laughter.) There were numberless other instances on record of intercourse with the Papal see. He trusted their Lordships would not reject this measure, because a sovereign of this country a century and a half ago entered into a guilty mission with the Court of Rome. He solicited th em , a t thi s a d vance d an d e nlightened period, not to refuse her Majesty power to enter intointercourse with Rome, from which so much good could not fail to spring. He should not object to the amendment of the minor features of the Bill. The Duke of NEWCASTLE opposed the Bill, but spoke in so low a tone as to be inaudible in the gallery. He moved that the Bill be read that day six months. The Bishop of WINCHESTER admitted the great importance of the present measure. The principal ground on which the N o bl e M arqu i s res t e d his d e fenee of it was the inconvenience which arose from being obliged, in the uncertainty of the law as it stood at present, to have recourse to indirect communications with the Court of Rome. But whenever it was neces sary to hold communications with that Court on secular matters, some mode—although it might not be the most desirable one—always presented itself of effecting that object.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis, however, forgot that there might be inconveniences the other way.—(Hear, bear.) These inconveniences might be conceived to be of such a character as would determine their Lordshi psnot to allow any direct communications with the Court of Rome. The language of the Bill showed how easy it was to slide into and familiarise one's self with the language of Popery; for the language of the Bill was, that a minister from this country was to be ac credited to the " Sovereign Pontiff." (Hear, hear.) This was the first time that the Bishop of Rome was so designated in an Act of Parliament. Iu other Acts he was called " the Bishop of Rome," or the " Pope of Rome." He was not making any captious objection to the words, but he begged to remind the House that in all other Acts there was a careful abstinence from any expressions that might appear to sanction, in any way, the sovereignty of the head of the Romish Church. — (Hear.) With respect to the letter of his late Majesty George IV., which had been read by the Noble Mar quis, he believed it bad been sent in actual contradiction to the opinion of the then law officers of the Crown. The late Mr. Canning took the advice of the law officers of the Crown ; and the opinion given (which was signed J. S. Copley), was to the effect that a person using these words might be brought within the operation of the statute of prceniunire, and that the Legislature, by i adopting the title of Bishop of Rome n all their Acts since the Reformation, seemed to have anxiously avoided any such words of recognition.—(Hear, hear.) :H e begged to disclaim any intention of appearing disre spectful to the Roman Catholic Members of their Lord ships' House. If they passed this measure he thought they must go a step further, and must repeal the 13th Will. 111., c. 6. That Act referred to the Bill of Rights and the Act of Settlement, " on which," the words of the statute said, " the Keay of your Majesty's royal person and government, the existence of the monarchy, the continuance of the Church of England, and the future peace and tranquility of the kingdom entirely depend." He begged of their Lordships to pause cefore they dis turbed an Act on which such important considerations depended. He begged leave to support the amendment. The Bishop of St. DAVID'S said it was evident, from the Noble Marquis's statement, that the law, as it stood at present, was by no means so clear that a violation of the Bill of Rights would be committed if her Majesty were advised to send an ambassador to Rome. With respect to the political necessity of the measure, he be lieved there could be no doubt. That necessity had existed in former times, and they were now only asked to legalise what had been the established practice of all Governments from the Revolution to the present time. It was doubtful whether the measure introduced any innorttion in law; it was quite clear it introduced no substantial iunovatiou iu practice, and the kind of tuno- I