The Sun. — London, England, 1848-05-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 36. Their Lordships rnt:c at Five o'clock. Lord PORTMAN presented a petition from a board of guardians DorSetshire, complaining of the great increase in th:- poor-rates. P A RLI A MENTARY PROCEEDINGS ADJOURN : • MENT BILL. The Earl of rITARDWICKE, in conscquence of the absence of Lettd Stanley, moved that the report on this Bill should be received on Tue:day next. Lord KINNAIRD presented u petition praying for the exemption of legacies to charities from the legacy duties. SEDUCTION OF FEMALES. The Bishop of OXFORD presented a Bill to prevent and punish the seduction ©f females for hire and reward. At present there was a penalty imposed upon parties conspiring to seduce a female for hire and reward; he proposed to extend the penalties to every one person seducing a female for hire and reward. He moved that the Bill be read a first time, and should fix Monday week for the second reading. The Bill was then read a first time. _ _ . The RIGHT REV. PRELATE, then presented a petition from Banbury in favour of the alt. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE then moved that the House do adjourn to Tuesday next. The motion was agreed to, and their Lordships ad j ourned. HOUSE OF CUMJIONS, May 26. Tile SPEAKER took the Chair at Fuur o'clock. THIRD RE'ADINGS. The following Bills were read a third time, and passed:— Chester and Holyhead Railway (power to purchase, &c.) Furness Railway. London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (London bridge and New Cross Stations, &c.) Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Junc tion with the Midland Railway vid Barnsley and Branches therefrom). Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Station Approach in Manchester). Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Station at Shetlteld and Branch to the Sheffield Canal). Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Cross ing of Sheffield-street, in Manchester, &c.) Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway. Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway (No. 1 —lncrease of Capital). Vale of Neath Railway (Power to the South Wales Railway Company to subscribe, and Amendment of Acts). REPORTS. The following Reports were considered and agreed to: Bristol and Exeter Railway (Glastonbury Navigation and Canal Purchase). Kendal and Windermere Railway Act Amendment. LORDS AMENDMENTS. The Lords' amendments to the following Bills were considered and agreed to : Southampton Gas Light and Coke Company. Worcester New Gas Light Company (additional ca pital and amendment). THE CHARTER. Mr. COCKBURN presented a petition from South ampton in favour of the extension of the suffrage, vote by ballot, shorter Parliaments, no property qualification, and the payment of Members of Parliament. LAW OF ENTAIL. Sir H. DAVIE presented a petition from Haddington in favour of the Scotch law of entail. ►STALE OF SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS ON SUNDAY. Several petitions were presented praying the House to pass a measure to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquors on the Sabbath. HEALTH OF TOWNS. Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition in favour of the Health of Towns Bill. SITES FOR CHURCHES. Mr. DUNDAS presented a petition from Scotland, praying the House to pass the Bill to enable the con gregations of the Free Church of Scotland to obtain sites for churches. REFORM ACT. Captain PECHELL presented a petition from a large body of the electors of Brighton against the rate-paying clauses of the Reform*Aet. Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition, signed by 500 electors and non-electors residing in the metropolis, for an extension of the suffrage. PARLIANIENTAY REFOR'. Mr. HUME presented a petitiOn from the ratepayers of the united parishes of Sc. Giles-in-the-Fields and St. George, Bloomsbury, in favour of triennial Parliaments and vote by ballot, and praying that a searching inquiry might be made into the present system of taxation; also, a petition from Sunderland, pray ing the House to pass a law embracing the points contained in the Charter ; and one from 450 inhabitants of Wakorth in favour of an extension of the suffrage. SCOTCH CURRENCY SYSTEM. An IIoN. MEMBER presented a petition from Scotland, agreed to at a public meeting, prayilog that the restric tions imposed upon the currency of Scotland might be abrogated. WINDSOR. Mr. HUME stated that on Tuesday next he should move fur an estimate of the expense proposed to be in curred in improving the Castle and town of Windsor, with an explanation cf the mode in which the necessary funds are to be raised. _ _ LUNATICS. The HON. GENTLEMAN also gave notice of his inten tentiou 0 propose au instruction to the Committee on Lunatic Asylums whether means may not be devised to obviate a gTeat, p , rtion of the expense of supervision. . _ file; itAJA OF SATTARA. Mr. GEORGE THWIPSON give notice that, on ping into the Committee of Supply, he should call the attention of the flown to the Raja of Saitsra and to the elaimi of his deieendants. GRAND JURIES. Mr. FORSTEII wished to ask the Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention had been drawn to a presentment by the gram! jury to the Judges presiding at the Central Criminal Court on the 18th instant, fur the abolition of grand juries within the limits of the stipendiary magis trates of the metropolis; and whether it was the intention of the Government to take any steps to remove the evils complained of in the said presentment. Sir G. GREY replied that his attention had not been specially drawn to the presentment of the grand jury to the Judges presiding at the last session ot the Central Criminal Court, no copy of the report having reached him in his official capacity. The lion. Gentleman had, however, favoured him with a copy ot the presentment cut from one of the newspapers. No measure was in con templation by tho Government for the alteration of the present system ; but he was ready to admit that the system of gran I jnlirs was susceptible of improvement. In making this statement, however, he did not wish it to be talon as a pledge that he would introduce any measure on the subject. IRELAND. Captain HARRIS wished to ask the Hog. Gentle man the Secretary of State t4`r the Home Department, whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to avail themselves of the large militsry force now in Ireland, and by introducing a measure for the search and seizure of pikes, to provide for the secu rity of that part of the United Kingdom. Ile . asked. the qn-stion, because he believed that if the Government tool: a decided step in the matter that loss of life would he prevented, and energy given to the trade of the country. Sir G. GICEY reminded the Hon. Gentleman that by the pa,sed in the early part of the session for the suppri-sson of crime and outrage in Ireland, the Lord-Lieutenant was empowered to apply its provisions to any part of Ireland which he might think fit, in which case the proper anthor.ties would have the power of seiz'ng arms. It was not the intention of the Go vernment to propo.e any further measures with respect to the sycarity of t! - lat country. After some turttwr discussion, it wai agreed that the H o u.ie at its rising bhou 1.1 wijourn to Blonday. THE MINT. Sir J. TYRRELL m , ,ved for returns of the name of the Secretiry and salaries of the Comtnissioners pointedsp to inquire into the state of the Mint. IRISH RAILWAYS. Mr. F. FRENCH pve notice of his intention on Tui-slay, the 6th ot . J tyke, to wove for leave to brin g in a Bill to secure to Ireland a complete system of railway communication. S P PLY—S P AIN. On the question that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. BANKES sail that he had a notice on the paper tonight with respect to Spain. It was understood yes. terday that he sth.uld not briljg is forward today; bat he was in hopes that the ;Noble Lord at the head of the Foreign Department would have beenin his place to have stated when lie would lay the pa pers on the table of the House, and he was also in hopes that the Noble Lord at the had of the Government would also have been in his place to have stated whether or not he would give him an early day to bring the subject forward; as, however, neither of these Noble Lords were present, he had no alternative left but to pospone his m otion till the next supply night, which he believed was this day se'nnight. He should then bring it on unless the Noble Lord at the head of the Government would give him a day to do so, not later than Monday so'n night. If he did nor, he should certainly bring it for ward this day se'nnight. The CHANCELLOR, of the EXCHEQUER said that as soon as the debate on the navigation-laws reso lutions was c onc l u d e d, and the Bill hroug'it in, his Noble Friend at the head of the Government would proceed with the Committee of Supply. in order to afford the Hon. Gentleman an opportunity to bring on his motion. DEFICIENCY IN THE REVENUE. Mr. HUME, befor e the Howie went into a Com mittee of Supply, wa ;anxious to know from how some member of it Government intended to make up the deficiency in the revenue of last year, a sung of no less than three millions and upwards.— (Laugh ter.) Hon. Gentlemen eligh• laugh, but he thought if they had to make up that deficiency, it no laughing matter. Ho thought th e y wou ld fi n d h ought in the pre sent state of eirefif t na a t t an t ce e s to Government undertake themselveu the reduc tion of that expenditure whic h the y could reduce. ll° w a s portion of the nd upwards, a the more induced to r ut this q uestion, as he found that it was intended to sp end a sum of 60.000 j. and rail in the in w which was to be received from a certain w w n as propertyeal lcalled a t y i (' " 1 1 - pang for a small po rtion of the Crown neighbourhood of Windsor, h provement of the Castle and the npproaches to that : ini town, e submitted to the Hou se that this looked very jke li ex tr a vagance, and he must obj ect to the abominable system of lighting the candle at both ends, Within the lest few months 50,0001. had been expended upon Buck ingham Palace, while in his time a million and a half of money had been expended upon Buckingham Palace. Really it was time this extravagance should be put a stop to, and he should certainly persevere iu his opposi tion to this Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Hon. Gentleman had expended a good deal of virtuous indignation upon a Bill which was ntat before the House, but he thought the Hon. Gentleman would have acted with more discretion had he waited till the Bill tame under discussion before he brought the matter before the House. DUBLIN ELECTION.—ABSENCE OF LORD ROBERT GROSVENOR. The Committee appointed to try the merits of the petition against the return of Mr. Reynolds for the city of Dublin was summoned to the table to be sworn. The Marquis of Granby, Mr. Bright, Mr. Sotheron, and Mr. Baines attended at the table, but Lord Robert Grosvenor, the chairman,-did not make his appearance, and, after the lapse of a short time, Mr. F. MAULE rose and said, as the non. Member had not attended in his place within an hour from the meeting of the Ilsouse, it was his duty to move, in ac cordance with the provisions of the Controverted Elec tions Act, that he be taken into the custody of the Ser geant-at-Arms. Sir R. H. INGLIS said it was most important that a notice should be personally served upon those Members who were appointed to sit upon Election Committees. From motives of economy the House had been induced to adopt a different system, but he could not help think ing that in Election Committees, which involved often matters of vital importance to the parties interested, a personal service should be required in order to insure the attendance of the Metnbers. Sir F. EGERTON said he understood that Lord Robert Grosvenor had been compelled to go to Brighton in consequence of the illness of one of his family. After some further discussion, the motion was agreed to. PROBATE DUTIES. Sir DE LACY EVANS rose to inquire if the Go vernment intended to give the House an opportunity of considering the probate duties. He thought it desirable they should state what were their intentions on the sub ject of legislation with respect to the owners of real and of personal property. DEFICIENCY IN THE REVENUE. Mr. BRIGHT said the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had stated that with regard to the outlay upon improvements at Windsor, they would not in volve the expenditure of a single sixpence of the public money, but, if he understood him right, that 6,0001, which was to be contributed by certain railway companies, was for the privilege of passing over certain lands, which in reality belon g ed to the public, and not to the Crown ; and, therefore, that 6,000/. ought to be 'Considered as public money, for if it were not, he could see no reason why the present Bill was brought into the House at all. There was a feeling growing up in the country against our increasing expenditure, and it the Government took no steps towards a re trenchment, however beautiful they might be in theory, they would not be popular with the tax and rate-payers of the country. Lord MORPETH . said the money was agree d t o b e advanced by a certain railway company in lieu of a certain amount of accommodation which was to be given to the public through the agency of the railway, and which the Crown could not be called upon to give up. The rail way proposed to open up grounds which were under the exclusive control of her Majesty, and could not be interfered with without her consent, any more than the property of the Hun. Gentleman. The money to be received from the company would be laid out in a man hneerr which would greatly conduce to the comfort of and the improvement of Windsor. Mr. AGLIONBY said that the Bill stated that "60,0001. be advanced to her Majesty towards the ex pense of carrying out this Act." Now, if these words meant anything, they meant this, that this sum was only intended to go towards the expenses, and that more would be expended. The Hon. Gentleman the Member for Montrose had, therefore, put a plain interpretation on the Bill, and he (Mr. Agliunby) believed that he was perfectly justified in doing so. Lord MORPETH quite agreed with the Hon. Gentle man who had spoken, that the fullest information should be afforded to the House before it was called upon to sanction the Bill, and in order to show that no further sum would be required for the works in question. Lord DUNCAN stated, in reply to a question put to him by the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Montrose, that he was chairman of a Committee appointed to inquire into the expenditure, management, and revenues of the Crown. He regretted that some little delay had taken place in consequence of the voluminous nature of the returns which the Committee had found it necessary to inquire into; but he assured him that the report would be prepared with as much expedition as possible. INSURANCE. Mr WAWN inquired if it was the intention of the Government to propose any modification of the duty upon policies of insurance? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (who was as indistinctly heard as usual) was understood to admit that the high nature of the tax was fraught with some injustice, but that the Government did not intend to propose any modification of the impost. ECCLESIASTIC AL COMMISSION. Mr. E. I)ENISON reported that he had attended the House of Lords at the request of the House, and that their Lordships had been pleased to permit the Bishop of Lincoln to allow evidence taken befor,?. their Lordships with respect to his diocese to be laid before the Ecclesi astical Commissioners. The stihj, ct then dropped. ARREST OF LORD ROBERT GROSVENOR. Mr. Clemenson, the Deputy-Ser2eat at-Arms, here intimated to the Speaker that Lord Robert Gresv, nor 111 , 1 been takt.n into cus:ody in accordance with the motion of the !louse. Mr. COWPER rose and said he had been requested by the Noble Lord to express his great regret that he , arrived at the House too late to be present at the table when the Members of the Gonsinittee were summoned at the table. The fact was, lie was occupied at the time as the chairman of a public meeting, arid whilst there he was not aware how rnpidly the time passed by. (Laughter.) Under these circumstances he hoped the House. would extend its indulgence to the Noble Lord, and with that view be begged to move that he be dis charged. Mr. F. MAULE seconded the motion, and added " without the payment of the costs." The House well knew that the Noble Lord was connected with many be nevolent institutions, and that his time was occupied in connexion with them.—(Loud cheers.) The resolution was at once agreed to nem. con. Lord R. GROSVENOR here entered the House and was loudly cheered. DUBLIN ELECTION. This Committee was then called to the table. Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR expressed his sin cere regret, and assured the House that a similar occur retitle should not take place. The Committee was then sworn. EQUALIZATION OF TAXES. Mr. EWART then rose, pursuant to notice, to move that the present system of disproportionate indirect tax ation is injurious to the commerce and manufactures, and unjust to the working classes of the country. That the establishment of a mork direct system of taxation on realised property would relieve trade and manufactures, and be eventually beneficial to all classes of the commu nity. He said he must express his deep disappointment after what was said last year, that Government had not thought proper to give this subject their best considera tion. He should have thought the course pur sued by the Right Honourable Baronet, the Member for Tamworth, while in office would have induced any Government to pursue a similar policy, hut the example of the Right Hon. Baronet had not been followed, and he therefore felt himself constrained to bring the suhject before the House on this occasion. He believed that in Liverpool an association had been formed for the purpose of procuring a reduction in the taxation of the country, and similar institutions had since been established in Manchester and other places, and he trusted the petitions and representations of these bodies would not be lest upon the Government. He considered the present system of indirect taxation was bad. It weighed oppressively on the commerce acid manutsctures of the country, and more especially upon the working classes, and it was high time that a ehagge was made. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHERQUER said that during the last few years a great reduction of in , direct taxation had taken place, and many direct taxes had been imposed. He was not prepared to propose any further direct taxation, and he did not see how he could remove any further portion of the indirect taxation of the country at present. The subject, however, was under the consideration of the Government, but in the present state of the revenue he could not, hold out much hope of any reduction either in the direct or indirect taxation of the country. Tue motion was then withdrawn. OF Speaker A T d T 0 A R I Oa the qu 'r es H ai E on it th A a j t for the purpose of the Rouse resolving itself RAJAAthetesetihfeinethoaiar Committee of Supply, hie. THOMPSON was anxious to know whether he would be afforded an early day to renew the debate with ee . , if he could respect to the late Raja of Sattae must ram bring the matter ? Because, not obtain such an assurance, he on to-night. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCEIEVER, n the absence of the President of the Board of Cont ro l, could not promise the Hon. Member au early day to bring on his :notion. Mr. THOMPSON then stated he would pat the ques tion again on Monday. SPAIN. Mr. lIERRIES said, as the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had adverted before this to the (elution of the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire (Mr. Baukes) with respect to the strange occurrence i i in this country, he took that opportunity of . Spain, which had excited su much anxious attention ~ n u 3 b ' m were b t e o r of be theli laid ) o b v Government table e w whether t the er Housetpaphe t e i r i t w ( h i a tc 3 h ,, according to premise, would be in the hands of Hon. Members to-morrow; and, further, whether it was in tended that these papers should convey to the House all the explanations and information which her Majesty's Government might think necessary to give to the House on this most extraordinary occurrence, or whether they intended, on some early day, to furnish the House with some further information with respect to the conduct of the Government and of her Majesty's Minister in Spain in this transaction. He could imagine that every member of the Government must feel himself burning with impatience to relieve the body to which he belonged from kthe suspicion—to say the least of it—which rested on them at present.— (Hear, hear.) A Minister of the Crown of England, repre senting the interests of that Crown at a foreign Court, had been, not to say ignominiously, but unceremoniously ejected from his otrice. Such a thing had never occurred, he believed he might confidently state, in the history of the diplomacy of this country, except in the case of and in reference to an immediate war. If such an onus rested on the Gov,rmuent to explain this matter, as undotthb diy lay upon them, they should lose no time about it, and he thought every member of it mus , . be most anxious to state to Parliament everything in hich was intended to exculpate the Government in this mctter. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not but Vilna it was unfortunate the Right Honourable Gentleman had not taken the opportunity of asking his questions when his Noble Friend at the head of F ore ign Affairs ;Lord Palmerston) was in his place, as he w a s in this House some ten minutes previously, and would, no doubt, have been able to give him a much more satis factory answer than be (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) could hope to do. He understood from his Noble Friend that he proposed to lay on the table of the House that night, in order that they might be delivered into the hands of Honourable Members to-morrow morn ing, those papers which might be necessary to enable them to form an opinion as to what had taken place in Spain. With respect to the observations of the Right Honourable Gentleman, he thought it better to abstain from making any comment upon them; but this he would say, that the 'notion of the Honourable .Nleinber for Dorsetshire was nut postponed in consrquence of any wish expressed on the part of her Majesty's Govern ment. Her Niajesty's Government did not shrink from any explanation on the subject, and he had no doubt his Noble Friend (Lord Palmerston) would be prepared with the most lull and ample explanation when the time arrived. Mr. .DISRAELI—Sir, I am rather sorry for the words which have been used by the Right Hon. Gentle man the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the motion of the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire. My Hon. Friend (Mr. Bankes) gave notice of his intention to call the attention of the Reuse to the consideration of certain documents connected with the affairs of Spain, laid on the table of the House by her Majesty's Minis ters, more particularly in respect to some matters omitted in those papers. I cannot conceive anything more natural on the part of my lion. Friend than his declining to bring his motion forward for the considera tion of the House when the documents were proved to be so imperfect, and when her Majesty's Ministers the same evening came forward and announced that they felt it to be their duty to lay other papers on the table of the House, which papers could not be in the hands of Members until the morning after the intended deb-de ; and I think it rather surprising that her Majesty's Mi nisters should now say that they were ready to meet the question, but my Hon. Friend declined to combat them. Her Nfejesty'a Ministers were ready to meet the question upon their own showing, knowing that my lion. Friend had not the documents in possession on which it was ne cessary to decide. As to the anxiety. of my Hon. Friend the Member for Dorsetsbire to bring forward this ques tion, I thought every Member of the House was anxious for the discussion of such a subject; and those who should be mist influenced by anxiety, I should have thought, would have been the responsible advisers of the Crown.—(Cheers.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I found no fault with the Hon. Gentleman. Alt I said was that the Government did not prevent him bringing on his motion. I think it highly desirable that the papers to which I have referred should be on the table of the HOUSP. Mr. HERRIES—I was unable to put my question as I had intended in the presence of the Noble Lord the Se cretary or State for Foreign Affairs, because other ngen tlemen had possession of the House, and before the dis cu-sion had closed her Majesty's Secretary of State had departcl from the Huse. JUDGES OF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. Mr. C. ANSTEY, seeing the Under Secretary for the Colonies in his place, wisked to know whether it was true that, in consequence of the judges of Van Diemen's Land having decided against a Bill of the Legislative Assembly or that colony for levying taxes on the colo nists, one of the judges had been dismissed from his office, and whether the Hon. Gentleman had any objec tion to lay upon the table the correspondence relating to the transaction? Mr. lIAWES said the information he had received upon the subject was derived from private sources, but he understood that official information was on its way to this country. Before he could promise to lay this infor mation on the table he must see its contents. CALEDONIAN RAILWAY. Mr. HUME wished to know from the Secretary of the Admiralty if he had any objection to relate the circumstances under which the consent of that board had been given to the Caledonian Railway to cross the river Clyde? Mr. WARD said that the Admiralty had re-consi dered the subject, and the company having consented to erect a bridge in accordance with the instructions oc the Surveyor of the Admiralty, they considered that it would have been a stretch of the prerogative of the Crown to oppose it any further, arid they, therefore, consented to the project. The Earl of LINCOLN was satisfied that the Admi ralty had done its duty in the matter, and that no blame could attach to that department. He, however, hoped that care would be taken that the parties who had relied upon the Admiralty should not be damnified by that which was something like a fraud practised upon the board. Mr. B. COCHRANE complained that this matter should have been brought forward without any notice to the parties interested, in whose absence the Noble Lord (the Earl of Lincoln) ought not to impute fraud to then!). After a few words from Mr. Ward, Mr. Macgregor, Mr. nestle (Glasgow ), Mr. Aglionby ‘ and Mr. Hume, the conversation dropped..______ THE SUN, LONDON, _ SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 27, 1(118. , Mr. HUME—In what way to men who ha I received en univeraay educaione Captain BERKELEY—As superior officer , . Mr. ELLIOI' reminded the lion. Member for Mon trose that the midshipmen and mates were not of the lowest class, but generally the sons of high and noble families; and therefore it surely could be no disgrace to any assistant-surgeon to mix in such company. Mr. HUME could not forget that they were boys, and that the assistant-surgeons were men whose studies were interfered with. Mr. COBDEN said he wished to take this opportu nity of referring to a subject which, though in some degree personal to himself, he should not revert to but that he felt it affected the efficiency of the service and the economy of the public expenditure. On a former occasion reference had been made to a statement he (Mr. Cobden) had uttered in Manchester on the subject of a line-of-battle ship lying in the harbour of Malta. When he made that statement he was speaking in the midst of personal friends, whom he told that he had seen a step lying at Malta from November to March; that he had then gone to Egypt, and 11 his return had found the same ship lying there still. An attempt had been made to make it appear that, instead of speaking of a matter which had occurred ten or eleven years ago, he had referred es the state of things last year; but he must remind the Committee that he made the statement to persons who knew that he had not been to Egypt last year, and could therefore have at once known the statement was false. Though a sort of quarter deck contradiction bad been given in that House to his state ment at Manchester, the feet that ships lay for a long time in the harbour of Malta remained unanswered. Since then a perfect stranger had furnished him with information that the logs of ships were kept at Somerset House, and that by moving for them he could obtain a return of the logs of the ships in question. He had moved for and obtained the return of the logs of the date be had mentioned, namely, 1837, when tie was in Malta. From the returns, he found that, in 1837, the time of which he had spoken. the Princess f eltLa from the Bth of No -13, at Malta th a t t h e Q ueen, 110 guns, May, 1838, a period of up wardsvCehmabr l e o vo t , e ls , Bi x3 10 7m 4 0 ,o g on u tt n hh s se , 2a lay ontdh a ao f lay there from the 7th of October, 1842, to the 15th of September, 1844, a period of eleven months and eight days, without ever raising her anchor. He was assured by a friend who had as ward a midshipman on board that ship, that the expense and demoralisation arising from the lengthened stay in harbour was absolutely ruinous, and that when the ship went out a vast number of the crew were so sea-sick as to be unable to perform the ship's service.—(Laughter.) It would bo remem bered that the Honourable and Gallant Admiral below him (Admiral :Dundas) had on a former occa sion read an extract of a letter from Sir William Parker, the present Commander of the Mediterranean squadron, expressing his astonishment at the statetnent merit he (Mr. Cobden) had made, and raising an im pression that he had stated matters which could not be borne out by facts. Now, these returns further showed that the Hibernia was lying in Malta harbour from Aug. 26, 1845, to March 28, 1846, being seven months and two days, without ever raising an anchor. He brought these facts forward on public grounds. What he had stated at Manchester was, that he bad seen a ship lying at Malta with 800 or 900 men on board for six months, producing thereby great demoralisation, and a vast ex pense in every way. As to demoralisation, they all knew what a region in that respect Malta was, and when they were told that a line-of-battle ship had on board from 30 to 40 junior officers, such as midshipmen and mates, who were the sons of high and noble families, he put it to the Committee whether anything could be worse than for such a party to remain ten or eleven months together in such a harbour as that of Malta. Under all these circumstances he thought it would be satisfactory if the Hon. and Gallant Admiral (Dundas) should state to the House whether he thought such a practice was consistent with the efficiency of the service, or the proper economy of the public expenditure. Admiral DUNDAS stated that since the present board had been in office ships had not been allowed to remain in harbour, and it was contrary to the rules of the service that they should be so. It would have been well if the Hon. Member had given the Committee the in formation of what the Queen Charlotte had done after remaining the winter in harbour, for then the Com mittee would have learned that she went to Acre, and led in all the operations there, and had never' been one month at Malta since. On a former eceasion, he (Admiral Dundas) had read the communication received trom the American Consul, and did not retract a word from his former observations, in reference to the state ment that the Hon. Member had seen a ship lying at Malta with 1,000 men on board. Mr. COBDEN said his informant might have misled him as to the precise number of mete but this he could state that the Queen Charlotte, of 110 guns, had on board 1,119 persons, of whom 225 were supernumeraries, leaving about 900 as the complement of men on board. But the question was whether the broad facts he had stated were or were not deserving this attention of the Committee and the Government, and he hoped he might be allowed to say in all good humour that the Hon. and Gallant Admiral had more than once contradicted him in a manner of which any independent Member would have a right to complain. lie bad been contradicted when he stated that there was no ship of war at Canton at the time of the recent murder of the English subjects in China. Since that contradiction he had received a letter from China re iterating the fact. That letter he bad shown to the Hon. and Gallant Admiral, who merely remarked,- 4. Well all I caw say is, if they were not there they ought to have been there."—(Laughter.) However well this manner might do on a quarter-leek, it was not the mode in which business ought to be transacted on the floor of that House; and he trusted the Hon. and Gal lant Admiral would her the future be accurate as to his own infermation before he contradicted any lion. Mem ber.— (Hear, hear.) Admiral DUNDAS said that since the statement with respect to there being no ships at Canton at the time mentioned, he had inquired at the Admiralty, and found there were orders that no ship of war had any right there. Capt. BERKELEY thought the Hon. Member for the West Hiding ought to have obtained, in addition to those he bad teed, returns of the services which the ships named had performed while on the Mediterraneen station. If so, he would have found that it was neces sary, as the admiral was employed in a somewhat diplo matic capac i ty —i t was necessary his ship should remain at Malts. It would have been found also, that by thy mediation of British naval commanders (Captain Cod rington, for instance,) peace had been maintained be tween belligerent parties iu many of the ports where disputes had arisen. Mr. HUME rejoiced that the Hon. Member near him (Mr. Cobden) had thus triumphed over the attempt to run him down by the impression created that there had been no truth in his statement. lie had, however, shown that it was accurate, not merely in respect to one but to three ships of war which had been on the Malta station. Mr. B. COCHRANE said he had read the speech made by the Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Cobden) on the occasion which had giveterise to the subsequent in quiry and discussions. In that speech he had impugned the character of the British navy, describing the officers as skulking from duty. He had spoken of the Duke of Welliegtue as a drivelling old man, and had spoken of both services in a manner which was disgraceful not only to a Member of that House, but to any Englisman.— (Cries of " Oh, oh.") Tee Hon. Member had, in the speech referred to, used language which was wholly unbecoming his position. The CH.ANCELLOIt of the EXCHEQUER inter posed, and expressed a hope that his Hun. Friend (Mr. Cobden) would not take sty notice of the warm ex pressions used. It was quite clear that the statements made by his Hon. Friend were perfectly true, and it really would be a waste of time further to discuss the matter. Mr. BOLLING conceived that the Hon. Member for the West Riding had unjustly abused the navy. If the ships lay in harbour he abused the admirals, and said they were afraid to go to sea ; and if they were active, abused.. What would he have them equallysaid it was desirable for the House to theyto iA d i o v w . ? rid itself of the idea that the services of the armyeand not to come under as rigorous discussion, navy were and undergo, as searching an investigation, as they other departments, Bearing in mind that by far the were accustomed to extend—he feared too little—to largest portion of the available revenue of the country ment, that was quite a sufficient reason why they, the was expended in the maintenance of the military depart' of the public purse, should have under. their should see that they were kept in the greatest possible own eye what was doing in those departments, and efficiency at the smallest possible expense.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for the West Riding had not the services of these d ad n ot disrespectfully p ments; he had merely pointed out abuses, and had_ r ac which the Admiralty had laid as was proved bythe returns might be true that the blood of on the table. Though it Hon. Members should Douglas could protect tually understated the grievances he complained o , is o p sed to do so. of the country; and he wasp egreat complaint against Mr. G. ROBINSON said, th , Biding had been that he the Hon. Member for the `Vest recollect that they were there to protect the tax-payers — B e reCee ( Hea r. ) f the Americans were conti - There never was a term down. nually running up and British navy, whichhad never been as so misapplied to the had r s e l p a r e e k s .? tew while l t e h e t Bhorsiteisoh ships in the Mediterranean in ao efficient a state. M to em t n b e e r for country t h tor the terms in which he e W C es a t p u ta i i d n i A o ll u bavehad °ken of the navy and the Duke of Wellington, whie • h had excited a feeling of t h e country. It would have been better to do so than to move for the returns as to a indignation throughout g ß h l t S t o t bought apologisedthe II on. Hon. Gentleman, in addressing his constituents, spoke of what he saw al matter of fact which was not in question rn ; n f e o n r he (Capt. t Harrie) admitted there had been too work.—(Hear, bear.) When the Malta, " in the winter," it was na turally supposed that he spoke of the last winter. on. Mr. W. BROWN said the speech e w m as be addressed N t v o an Riding audience who knew that the Ht Riding had nut been at Egypt or Malta for the last ten years. from Mr. HOME, was agreed t y Ch was agreed to. ds defraying the ex pense The next vote was 500,0001. tower. 200,000 L fur the half-pay ' which, after an inquiry in A ex ft p e l r an a n fa , w t o n r e ds vo fr te om Mr. BuasE and Capt. HARRIS, of naval stores and repairs, the royal marines. votes on Mr. HUME said it was most important that this item, 0 , o fficers of the navy and 800 0001. should be which was in all 700,0001. or , reduced. The vote was agreed to. Mr. PARKERMISCELLANEOUS • in the miscellaneous expenditure, account of the items th then proposed n which were all necessary for the public service. The posed ES to Tl t M ak A e TsEomSe. totals of the items on which he now proposed to take votes on account would not io3 greater than they had been last year. The following votes were then pro posed, and agreed to without discussion :- 50.0004, for repairs,„&c., of public buildings; for furni ture, &e., for - various public departments ; for certain charges for lighting and watching, for rates and taxes ; also, for the maintenance and repairs of royal palaces and works in the royal gardens. 25 0001., for works at the new Houses of Parliament. 10,000/, for works required for enlarging and im proving Buckingham Palace. 15,0001., salaries and expenses in the department of her Majesty's Treasury. 8,0004, salaries and expenses of the office of Secretary of State for the Home Department. 15,000/., salaries and expenses in the department of Secretary fur Foreign Affairs, also Queen's messengers. 10,0001., salaries and expenses in the department of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 10,0001., salaries awl expenses in the department of the Privy Council, and the Committee of Privy Council for Trade. _ 500/. towards the salary of the Lord Privy Seal. Mr. 111331 E said he thought it a fit opp.rtunity to take an objection to that vote, as the Lord Privy Seal was absent from the country; but afterwards said he would raise the objection on a future vote. 10,0001., charge in the office of the department of Comptroller -General of the Exchequer, and Paymaster of Civil Services. 1,000/., portion of the expenses of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England. 4,0001., salaries and expenses in the department of Comptroller• General of the Exchequer, and Paymaster of Civil Services. 6.0001., salaries and expenses connected with the public records; also compensations to keepers of records and others whose offices have been abolished . 20,0001., expenditure of the several branches of the Mint. 2,0001., charge of office of Paymaster of Civil Services in Ireland. 14,0001., salaries and expenses of the Board of Public Works in Ireland. 50,0001., expenses of stationery, printing, and binding, for tho several departments of Government in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the colonies. 8,00C1., charge alter Majesty's foreign and other secret services. 5,0001., expenses connected with the prosecution of offenders against the laws relating to the coin. Mr. HUME complained of the extravagance of this item (the total of the estimate being 9,6001.); and said he should move for returns to show how it was ex pended. 10,0001., expanses ircurred by the sheriffs; deficiency in fees in the office of Queen's Remembrancer; and cer tain expenses of the Queen's Prison. 7,0001., expenses of the prison for juvenile offenders at Parkhurst. Mr. HUME asked what was done with these juvenile offenders after therleft Parkhurst? tie conceived that, unless some provision was made tor them after they came out, the institution itself would be of very little use. Mr. V. SMITH said that many of them were sent to Australia, where they were in great request as labourers, on account of their moral discipline and excellent phy sical condition. Sir J. GRAHAM was bound to say that he believed there was no more really meritorious service amongst the many distinguished services of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government than the foundation of th. prison at Parkhurst.—(Hear, hear.) While he (Sir J. Graham) was in office, a number of these boys had be en sent to Australia, where he hoped they would be able to earn an honest livelihood by their good conduct. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had not had sufficient experience in connexion with the institution to entitle him to answer the question of the Hon. Member for Montrose; but he hoped that, after what had been said, the Hon. Gentleman would be induced to think that the institution was a useful one. In founding this institu tion he had gone upon the principle that the reformation of old offenders was not much to be depended on; the penitence of men of twenty-five to thirty years of age often turned out to be a studied sy stem of hypocrisy; and the best behaved convicts when they left England frequently turned out the worst when they relapsed. But in boys of ten or twelve years of age, their bad principles might be eradicated.—(Hear, hear.) Such was the principle on which the prison had been founded; and he considered it one which the pultlic ought to uphold. Mr. HUME said he doubted the success of the insti tution at first, knowing how apt thieves were to assume a hypocritical penitence. Still he had no objection to their being sent out to the colonies, where a fair field would be open to their industry. But it was objection able for these parties to be transported at the public expense when honest men could not be assisted to emigrate. Mr. V. SMITH said these convicts were only accept able in the colonies on account of the discipline to which they had been subjected at Parkhurst. It was a doubtful and fearful question how far this distinction ought to be made between honest and vicious young men in favour of the latter; but on the question of economy he thought some reduction might he made in the vote for Parkhurst, by calling on the parents and parishes of the children, where they could be found, to defray a portion of the cost. The expense might be reduced in another way ; by requiring the colonists, who were greatly in want of labourers, to defray a portion of the cost of their con veyance out. Mr. A. HENRY said there were 600 prisoners at. Parkhurst, and the annual expense was 13,0001., of which 5,0001. went in establishment charges.—(Hear.) He thought it little better than a means of creating pa trcruge and giving salaries. Sir J. GRAHAM thought that the Hon. Geatli-faan spoke from ar. imperfect acquaintance with the matter. Considering all the circumstances, the arrangement was a most economical one. Parkhurst was not confined to any particular district of the country, but received all children tinder fourteen years of age convicted of felony in any part of Great Britain. By this means the most perfect discipline was attained, and the object could not be secured by and• other institution at so small a cost. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had been very anxious for the reform of juvenile offenders, and had framed the in stitution with that view, not out of any desire to in crease the Government patronage. In selecting the governor his choice had been entirely guided by the fi:- ness of Captain Woolford tor the office. The other de partments had been filled up under the recommendation o f the inspectors of prisons, some of them by indivi duals whom he (Lord J. Russell) had never seen till he met them at Parkhurst.—(Rear.) _ _ Mr. HENRY repeated the expense of the establish ment was quite out of proportion to the good it was cal culated to effect. The vote was then agreed to, as were the following:— , 8,000/.. for the Model Prison at Pentonville. 16 000/., expenses of the prison at Millbank. 4,000/.. expenses of the general prison at Perth. 30,0001., for law expenses in Scotland. 35,0001., for the expenses of et iminal prosecutions, and other law charges in Ireland. 10,0001., expenses of the metropolitan police of Dubin. 30,0004, to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to issue money fir• the advacc,mient of education in Ireland. 3.0001, for the School of Design, and for aiding pro vincial schools. 30,000 k, towards the charge for consular establish ments abroad. 10,000/., towards payment of the extraordinary dis bursements of her Alsjestx's missions abroad. 10,0001. for superannuation allowances, and compensa don to persons formerly etnployed in the public berme. 9,000/., expenses of Non-conforming, Seceding, and Protestant I)issentim4 ministers in Ireland. Mr. HUME hoped. this vote would be postponed till certain returns were published, which might assist the House in making a fair distribution of the money thus granted. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it had been the practice for many years to vote 36,0001. for this purpose of which only one-fourth was now asked for. After a few words from Mr. BRIGHT, the vote was agreed to. 100,000/. for the Commissariat department, 10,0001. for half-pay pensions and allowances in the Commissariat fepartment. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. Mr. BRIGHT said that when the vote for ecclesiastical purposes in the colonies came before the House, he would make a motion on the subject. If they were to pay for the religion of the colonists, they might as well pay for their bread and butter.—(Laughter.) QUALIFICATION AND REGISTRATION OF ELECTORS (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this Bill, Captain JONES said he did not mean to object to the second reading, but he saw no reason for hurrying it on till certain returns which had been moved for, and which would throw light on the subject, had been laid on the table. Cul. CONOLLY said the only objection he enter tained to the Bill was as to the amount of qualification. Hr. FIUME thought the Government had taken a step in the right direction by introducing the Bill. His only regret was that it did not go far enough. Sir R. FERGUSON thought that the poor-law valu ation should bo also introduced in boroughs. He hoped the Government would likewise consider the subject of joint occupation in counties. Sir J. YOUNG said that it was most important that the qualification should be placed on a certain basis. Its amount might be safely discussed in Committee. The shortening of the duration of the elections would be a 4,reat boon to Ireland. Mr. H. A. HERBERT said the subject of valuation was so important that it could not be too strongly pressed upon the consideration of the Government. The House could not be aware of the extreme inequalities which ex isted on this point in the south of Ireland. Ho would give the House ono extraordinary instance of this in the district with which he was more particularly acquainted. There was a kind of scramble between two unions for a particular parish which bad but few paupers, and the hoards of guardians of each union gave orders to their respective valuators to value the district. It was valued by one at 2,5001., and by the other at 1,8001., making a difference in a small district of 7001.—(Bear, hear.) Great dissatisfaction existed in consequence of the want of uniformity of valuation. That dissatisfaction was already considerable where it affected pecuniary interests, and ho had no doubt it would be greatly increased when it extended to political privileges. He hoped the Go vernment would give them some assurance that this important subject would be taken into their conside ration. Sir D. NORREYS thought the Bill should he made applicable to boroughs. The most disgraceful scenes took place in the registration courts from the want of certainty with respect to the valuation. He thought that this uncertainty should be removed. Mr. FREI - YEN thought that a franchise, founded on an 8/. valuation under the poor-law, was too low, and SUPPLY. Mr. HUME inquired whether the Right Honourable Baronet the Chttneellor of the Exeh( quer was prepared, before going into a Committee of Suppiv, to state to the House in what way he proposed to provide for the defi ciency of 3,000,004 ? The CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did not at prrsell L propose to make any statement on that subject. The House then went into Committee, Mr. Bernal in the chair. Mr. WARD said he must now ask the Committee to give bite a farther vote on account, under three differ ent heals, of the estimates for the service of the navy during the present year. Ho did not propose to take the whole estimate in any of them, but only a portion of each, and to leave the remaining balance for subsequent discussion. The first vote he moved was, that. a further sum of 300,000 L be granted to her Majesty to defray the charge of the wages of seamen and marines, the number being already agreed to. Mr. HUME wished to know whether, after the evi dence which had been taken before the Select Committee on Public Expenditure, the Government had adopted any measures to reduce the expenditure in the depart ment of the navy, which was now nearly double the amount it had been in former years. His own individual opinion was that thcre was ample room for a great change and greater economy, without any injury to the public service. Had the Government taken any mea sures for these necessary reforms, or did they intend to wait until the Select Committee made its report. Mr. WARD replied that, without anticipating what the report of the Committee might be, the Government had token every opportunity of effecting every practical economy in the department of the public service with which he was connected. Hired men in the dock yards, whose terms of service had expired, had been parted with; and, from the introduction of steam sawing machinery, and by other modes, the naval estimates for the ensuing year would be reduced by no less a sum than 600,0001. Captain EIARRIS said he had a suggestion to make, which he admitted was not one of economy, but still of great public importance. It was, that first class line-of battle ships should be fitted and sent out to foreign sta tions, instead of the class of men of war now employed in this branch of the service. At present there was in the West ladia station one of the very worst ships, the Wellesby, on the station. She was a dull sailer, and wholly unfit to be so employed. The French had on the station five or six heavy frigates; and in case a war should break out (of which there was a chance in 1839 and 1840, when he was serving on board the Win chester on that station), the Wellesley would not be a watch for any one of those frigates; whereas, if such a ship as the Vstng lard, under Lord Dundonald, was sent out, she could manage any three of those frigates. Again, he found the Hastings, with the flag of Sir Francis Collier, had been sent out to the East India station, though wholly unfit to compete with the ships sent out by foreign powers. He thought it would be prudent and wise for the Goverment to fit out for foreign service a better class of ships than were now sent out. Admiral DUNDAS said, the great object of the Admiralty was to wear out their old ships ; but they were now sen►ling out vessels which would be quite ready to meet any oppo'ing force. - Capt. PECHELL expressed a hope that, if he ab staint.d now from bringing forward the claims of the commanders, lieutenants, and two other classes in the naval service, he should not be met on a future occasion by the as:ertion that he had omitted to avail himself of the fitting opportunity. He only now abstained in order that he might not interpose any obstacle in the course of her Majesty's Government. Mr. S. HERBERT understood that the three heads of estimatez, under which the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Ward) proposed to take votes on account, were first for the wages of seamen and marines, next for stores, and lastly, for half-pay. Was that so? Mr. WARD replied in the affirmative. Mr. HUME drew the attention of the Committee to the case of the assistant-surgeons of the navy. These gentleuien were required to have a higher qualification intha lle eo g r e four (s ,branchesurgeonsin London ono science rin than eitiie r the Edinburgh c e o tt u a l i d ne r d e ci t u n i e re a'ge and of 2yse t y t e h a e r s s e W g e e r t e it pla e e n e d w o h n o m b o u s s r t d have shp among a parcel of youthe, who eere midshipmen or mares. Seen being the fact, the Committee would not be surprised to hear that a week ago Sir William Bur nett, the physician- genera l , had not a single candidate ae o cu f eti a ro s ef s ly is m t fr a eo n d t-eur ica geon in the navy; s e: s i r t e a l r u e o e n s t t t a , fur the w t d h ; e aa a ns p ti p t th iim mtihemneen gle t c o t ocofmaeclafuosre now made for five successive years, that assistant-sur geons should be allowed to mess with the lieutenants. It was said there was no room to admit an assistant-sur geon, and yet he understood that engineers were so ac commodated to the exclusion of the medical man. Captain BERKELEY said that the Admiralty did its utmost to secure the best medical advice fur the men in the service, and he had never before heard of there being the slightest difficulty in finding candidates for the uffice ( - )f assistant -surgeon. It would be impos sible to provide for them, however, in the ward-ro om without interfering with the working the guns and with the discipline of the ship; and still further was it im possible to provide the ass istant-sur g eon wit h a cabin. Be s .sides this, the greatest injury would be done to the service if the assistant -surgeon was put over the heads of the mates, who were his superior officers. that the fixing of polling• places ought to he left to the grand jury. The litniLition of the duration of eh cion9 to or,e thy would ho n gr,•et boon.. . _ Sir W. SOMERVIIIE was glad to see that the Bid seemed ; acceptable to. the House. The suggestions of the. lion. Member for Kerry, with respect to the valua t,on, would receive the consideration of Government. The question whether the borough franchise should be dealt with in the same way as the county franchise would receive the attention of Government in Gun tnittee.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped that the Bill would be productive of social as well us political advantages to Ireland—that it would do away with the conflicting swearing respecting valuation which existed at present, and induce landlords to grant leases to their tenants. Mr. H. M. FOX hoped that the Government w , uld not delay the Biil, as the consti uencies of Ireland were decreasing till they became almost ridiculous. The Bill was then read a second time. BOROUGH ELECTIONS (No. 2) BILL. On the motion that the Effuse resolve itself into Com mittee on this Bill, Colonel SIBI'IIORP moved that the Bill he com mitb-d that day six month;'. The Hon. Baronet who introduced this Bill had thought fit, to include Lincoln amongst the nine boroughs with respect to which in quiry was to be made. ile had no fear of investigation as far as Lincoln was concerned. He considered the Bill tyrannical, unjust, and unsatisfacto►y. The Bill gave a most tyrannical power of searching the books of a gentleman's banker, and even the papers of his solici tor. He could tell the Hon. Baronet that there was far more money spent in Hull at one election—he did not say by the lion. Baronet—than was spent in Lincoln from the year 1714 to the present time.—(Laughter.) If such a Bill as this was allowed to pass, where were they to stop? He hoped the Honour able Baronet in introducing this Bill was not acting under the advice or direction of the Government. If this BM went through Committee, which he should endeavour to prevent, he should at another stage try to secure a better attendance of Members than ordinarily could be obtained in that House. If they were to have inquiry at all, let it be a general inquiry. Don't leave out the Flint districts, Hull, Shrewsbury—(Laughter)— London, Tavistoek, and (said the Honourable Member in a shout) Bandon-bridge.—(Renewed laughter.) It was a shuffling, mean, miserable, pettyfogging, dirty, villanous measure, and that was but an imperfect ex pression of his feelings. The question having been put, Mr. C. PEARSON said his accidental absence from the House had prevented him from moving the amend ment of which he had given notice. This circumstance placed him in a somewhat peculiar position. In his judg. went this Bill looked in the right direction, but his ob jection to it; was that he feared it would not be e ffi cient for the purpose it contemplated. Bribery was of all others the crime for which the penalties were most Aringent, but yet the number of the offences proved and punished bore the smallest possible proportion to the number of the offences committed. It was a crime which had increased, was increasing, and he feared would continue to increase, unless a new law was applied. Human nature so-med insufficient to bear up against the te:nptation. The Reform Bill had been tar from curing the disease. In many cases bribery had been ;realer since the passing of that Bill than before. —(op position cries of "Hear, hear.") If they looked into their blue-books, they would find Mr. Parkes, Mr. Cop. pock, and other election agents, stating that whether they took Stafford, Warwick, Ipswich, or other places. the system of bribery would be found to have spread considerably. Lord Palmerston, in 1837, declared his opinion that, "at the preceding election bribery had exceeded anything that was ever known within those walls." The fault was, that under the present law every one was interested in concealing bribery, and no one was interested in exposing it. What he would have was, either an effectual prevention of bribery, or an effected punishment for it. He therefore desired that a second schedule to this Act should contain all towns with above 10.000 inhabitants, and that in the event of a conviction tor bribery, the nearest unrepresented town to that convicted should have the Member, thus giving it a dis tinct interest in the conviction of the town in which oribery was said to be committed. The effect of this would be to secure in every case a :)earehing and con clusive inquiry. Suppose, for example, Horsham was convicted, Croydon, a town of 16,000 inhabitants, would have the franchise. If Derby were convicted, Belper, having proved the case, would be united with it. H e asked for this alteration as a small instalment of re form. Mr. BANKES opposed the Bill. He denied that the Horsham Committee had made any impeachment of corrupt practices against the (-lectors of that borough. The preamble of the present Bill was therefore erroneous, and the insertion of the borough in the Bill unjust. He could not think that the House, in its crusade against treating, was passing the limits of a jurt correction of malpractices, and unduly checking the exercise of the simplest and most innocent hospitality. As matters *ecined going now, a ma❑ could not indulge in the Old English impulse to give his hiends a dinner without losing his seat for his kind-heartedness. Mr. NEWDEGATE opposed the Bill, though on dif ferent grounds to those of the Hon. Member for Dorset shire. The case of Great Yarmouth was kept by the Government as a sort of standing excuse for proceedings such as were contemplated by the Hon. Baronet's mea sure. The Commissioners who were to be appointed under the Bill would be open to party prejudices. It was an unwarrantable infringement on the rights of constituencies, and also an interference with the pri •ileges of the House, as if they could not deal with such cases of bribery us were cited of their own proper authority. Sir J. HOBHOUSE considered the Bill to be partial, unjust, and oppre.sive, and as such demanded the strongest opposition. He would tell the Hon. Member for L'imbeth that the borough which he represented contained a constituency as pure as that which sent him to th it House. If a fair and general Bill were brought in, tending to remedy the evils complained of, he would be ready to give it his cordial support; but so long as the abuses which generally prevailed in the practice of elections remained unreformed, ho would oppose by every means in his power the singling out of particular cases, and of making them the subjects of inquiry, as was pro posed by the Bill before the House. He had stated that he believed the Bill to be partial and unjust; he would also characterise it as tyrannical and unconstitutional, and though sorry to differ from his frien:l4 around him he thould resist the progress of the Bill during its pre sent and all its future stages. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that the violent opposition to the Bill was not properly directed. The question before the House was whether they were deter mined to put down bribery and corruption. It was very well to say the Bill was partial; but would those who opposed it on that ground support a general Bill, if such were to be brow ht in? He (lid not believe they would. The Bill proposed to examine into cases of bribery which had been proved to exist in certain bo roughs; and if it was contended that the majority of English boroughs were corrupt, he denied most strenu ously that such was the fact. It was all very well fur the present Hon. Member for Lincoln to defend the purity o. that borough as far as he was concerned; but former election proceedings in that place had not been 30 pure, but, on the contrary, a Select Committee had reported to the House that, in the election before the last, a gross system of treating and bribery hid pre vailed there, in which the lion, and Gallant Member for Lincoln had been stated to have taken part. [Colonel Sibihorp here exclaimed " That is false."] The Bill before the House was calculated to check such practices In particular cites where they were proved to have oc curred, so as to operate upon the whole of the borough constituencies, and he sincerely trusted the llouse would not delay further to go into Committee upon it. Mr. STUART opposed the Bill, not because it pre vented bribery, but because it sought to inquire into what was alleged to be bribery in an illegal and uncon stitutional manner. It was a Bill inflicting pains and penalties on the poorer class of voters—(Hear, hear) — and it was brought forward by the Hon. Member for Montrose., who complained that the suffrage was not sufficieetly extended. It was a piece of ex post facto legislation, and as such should meet with his decided opposition.—(Hear.) He conjured the House gravely co consider the provisions of this measure before they pledged themselves to a course which might plunge the whole electoral system into interminable difficulties. Mr, HUME said, that the object of the Bill was inquiry, not punishment. As to the accusation of its being ex post facto in its character, every trial was an ex postfActo proceeding, and in this case legislation was a necessary consequence of acts which had been dis covered by Committees of that House. Mr. HENLEY said that the Bill was not to try a roan for an offence he had committed, but to pass a new law creating a new offence. He objected to it as includ ing a great number of boroughs against whom very dif ferent amounts of corruption were charged, and giving to them all the same sweeping condemnation. The word " corrupt" was used in the Bill; he should like to know the exact meaning attached to it. Some might think the giving a glass of beer to a voter was corruption ; others might think that for a Government officer to go down to a docky ar d an d promise the voters some of the good things which those who had the patronage in those establishments had to bestow was corruption. He did not say it was. But what he said was, that to carry on this inquiry by means of the publ i c purse, an d by paid witnesses, w ou ld const i tute a dangerous precedent. Fur, be it remembered, there was no money Committee to be Paid for the def e n ce . I n any case i n w hi c h h had rec ommen d e d f urt h er i nqu i r y, and further furth be er pro ceedings were necessary, let the inquiry made us to that case, but let them not try all in one general in dictinenL Mr. COCKBURN would give his ccordialpsauspspi passing support theto the Bill, and h e hoped the House would, Bill, show its determination to put doe t .n he br ß ib i r w y a i s n n e o v t er t y o shape.—(llear, hear) The object of distranchtse these boroughs, bus to th i e ns s ti p t o uze . a w n h i o nq w u o ir ti y i , d , by means of commissioners an h have the opportunity of examin in g witnessesuponohaetre, which a Committee of the H ouse could not do. T was nothing of an inquisitorial or ex post facto nature in the Bill. Mr. AGLIONBY said that the whole object of the whether the offences had been co mmitted. With inquiry was to as cer regardtain to the question as to whether the giving a man a glass of ale or a Government situa tion in a dockyard to influence a vote, was to b e con sidered corruption, he looked upon the on e as we ll as the other as an offence which ought to be put down. After a few words from Mr. ARKWRIGHT, which were not heard, the House divided, when th ere a pp eare d — For going into Committee ... 166 Against it . Majority —BB After a few words from Sir J. Ilanmer, Sir H. Wil loughby, and Lord Courtenay, the House went into Committee pro forms, and on the House resuming ob tained leave to sit again. TOBAGO Itr;LIEF AND INIMIGRATION IN T BRITISH G ANA AND TRINIDAD BILL On the order of the day for the second reading of this Bill, Sir H WILLOUGHBY observed that ho had nothing to say aeainsc the amount or object of the grant in this Bid. He admitted that the sum (5 0001) was small; but he (WI not think it was competent for a Minister of th e Croon to make any grant of money, however stea l " without the sanction of the House of Commons, at least while that house was sitting: The CHANCELLOR of th? EXCHEQUER said thst the grant was made at the discretion of the Executive Government, subject to laying the matter before the House. They were informed that a hurricane had over whelmed many of the la popu ation, and that extreme destitution was t h e consequence. That dis cretion was accordingly exerci s ed, and it was on l y in such a case that the exerci s e o f it was justified. Mr. HUatli still .loubt e d t h e r i g ht of Governme nt grant 5.t 00a while Parliament was sitting. He wished to have some explanation also of the advance of 200,0001. mentioned in Lord Grey's letter. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied that the dispatch had been written under very urgent circumstances, and certainly nothing had been done under it of which Parliament was not already cognis ant ' He had on a previous occasion stated that the former Government bud authorised the expense to be inc urred of sending coodes from the East Indies to these two co lonies. The expense, and that of relieving them, ca ls to be defrayed by loans to be raised by the colon ist• themselves;, and ordinances bad been passed for tha t purpose, but, after the emigration had taken places !! 1 consequence of a technical legal difficulty in those oro.l' 'lances, it was found by the agents of the colonies la this country impossible to carry them into effect, Or! in the then state of the mo ne y market, to raise tl2! leans on any reasonable term s . All the expense h been incurred before the present Government come into ofßce; but, an the day Parliament met, after the holidays, he had stated the whole circum stances of the matter in respect to which there had n° been any concealment; and therefore he felt that the Government were justified in answering the liabilities which they found their predecessors had incurred, and I n _ making the advance stated, to prevent innocent particietsi who had conveyed the Coolies home from the loss wh would otherwise have been entailed upon them. Still .be admitted that he was not preared to say that the coma.. taken was one which ought tube drawn into a precedent, while at the same time the peculiar circumstances of ;b e case afforded a lull justification to the Government for this proceeding. Mr. HUME expressed himself satisfied with the Wi ly ' nation, but hoped that this transaction would not be Pe" [ratted to be followed as a precedent. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered i !' ) be committed on Monday next. SUNDAY TRADING. On the motion of Mr. HINDLE; seconded by BROTHERTON, leave was given to bring in a Bill to ame n ; the laws against Sunday trading as tar as relates to I P metropolis. '0 - THE AFFAIRS OF SPAIN. Lord PALMERS lON brought up papers relsting t o the aff 4irs of Spain, which were laid on the table al l ordered to be printed. The lious: adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock' RAILWAY SHARE MARKET;' BRISTOL, MAY 26.. erice r STOCK EXCHANGE. —The mark e t c o ntinues es 10 r much about the same as yesterday ; there has, ho‘; but little bthine.s doing. The sales have been r r . Western, Quarters dis.—Ditto, New 17/. Shares, lul L ' l V ERVOOL, MAY 26. verf STOCK EXCIIANGE.—AIthough we have to report $ dull market to-day, prices remain unaltered. liirksobis% Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction (late C. and BO' Lo ndos •ever,„....g —Eastern Counties, New 101 . Shares, Ils. 3d. P. - 7m, gcl. and North • Western, 132—Ditto, Quarters, New, 21 ' u r 105 Quarters (A and 13), z% St o —Ditto, Ne.w Halves, 5 dia.—North Union ( 13 ) , „; 10s. Shrewsbury and Chester (late N. W. Al.), New 1 4 ) ",z n . 4 Share', dis.—South-Eastern and D o ver, 25—Ditto , '— Thirds, 3 dis. MANCHESTER, MAY 26. LOW STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Birkenbead, x ibiref shire, and Cheshire Junction, 7% dia.—East 1 . 8 „" t helle New, 6% dis. —Ditto, Quarters, 4, 1 , 8 dis.—Great `Mete 9n. dis.—Lancashire and Yorshire, Fifths, 1 d A is '3 . lorar, Westßiding Union), 3 11-16 c. nis.—London and 2X Western, Branch Halves, 5 dis.—North Staffordshi re, dis.—South-EAstern and Dover, No. 4,2% dia. BIRMINGHAAI, MAY 26. • _ b 0 STOCK EXCHANGE .— Business was again limited Latt North Staffordshires were in request at 465. 3d. dis.-;4". Staffordshiras, 635. 9d. dis.—Midland, 6 per cent-, YORK, MAY 25. STOCK EXCHANGE.— The business transacted as follows: —Great Northern, 31. 14s.—Manchester...1 for ls. ton, Matlock, and Midland, :r 4 —Nor th British, 221 / 2 and North Midland, 9. • GLASGOW, MAY 25. , STOCK EXCH ANG it.—The sales are—Clydesume .-- w , 60—Glasgow, Dumfries. and Carlisle, 6/. 43. ()la s e, O f marnock, and Ayr, 76—Ditto, Halves, No. Halves, No. 2, B—Great Northern, s%—Note" t o,l o d. Thirds, 20s. 6J.—Ditto, Quarters, big—York, Nelfcli s Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase or Preference), 9%- STEAM SHIPOWNERS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING 10 31113: ::or 6 ; Sir,—Permit me to point out an er ror of yo ur h-007, pondent in the article in your paper to-claY'Lais.. 4 • 4 ‘ Steam Shipowners and Rail wa y St ea m Coor i , - , per , Kingstown, Howth. and D u bli n , a ll v i r tually •0 0 of Dublin, are the only ports to which the Che ite to Holyhead Railway Company seek permission is steam-boats. The City of Dublin Incorporated packet Company may run to any other ports theJi l oi imagine cond uc i ve to their advantage," but th e r66,,,5r• have no such power, nor h ave they sought sUch P ve The City of Dubli n St eam - pac k et Company bli p; O ° Moat at pc e-eat built, nor is th ere a single °, w „ & cd - time, that I am a w ar y, i n course o f b u ilding u 6 r • run in connexion with the railway. h ea d its ia The maximum toll of the Chester and lioly is O way Company, b o th by ra il wa y an d steam-bee 4 by Act of Parliament. t his sp . ill The question particul ar ly reso lves itself t 0 Shall the railway c o mp a ny p rov id e s team-bostot % f oss the transport of passengers between these twe of the United Kingdom be confined to the. Ge fe roclie mail-boats and the City of Dublin Steam refi ll e Company ? If the railway company do to t Pio uQ steam-boats, will the City of Dublin C om pany ~110 Ir Liverpool and run from-Holyhead, or leave 01idopettte head and continue to run from Liverpool , d e r o ufl their favours equally between both, or, iii( nt, fi t have the monopoly of both ? Will they pray! __ o v orth proper boats to carry passengers from both a inf,,,w i yr only run from one ? Or, if the railway c"""roity authorised to provide steam-boats, should g i ber 0 0 Dublin Company co m p e te with them from II: er 0 0 ' or shou!d on e run `r,m Holyhead and the t °t - Liverpool. Which of these several plans would b e best ofo.re,, public ? May 23. codr We unaerstand that Admiral Sir Edward ifotts ton has resigned his appointment in the It"Y b 3 e Quee°' hold, as one o f t h e G rooms i n Waiting to L . rie b e. The increasing years of the Gallant Admiral is, lieve, the came of his resignation. a bi Cure EADvEitTisEmENT.]—A Diseased ElboW uhto Hodoway's Ointment and Eld d with °li e S tubby, near Alford, was dreadfully afiliot e mou ths enlargement of the elbow joint; for several ,iv lost the use of her arm, during which perlo"vottir T: eoln, fro. under the treatment of the faculty in 30 0 4 ham, and other places, but obtained no re . l t ie w l; as do id b e et the intense pain she constantly endured,' ro e re that nothing but amputation or death could _ sufferings. In this state, Holloway's Ointteeee.!'_7o,loo: were resorted to, and these truly valuable to col lo) ?__.° effected e h c e t r e d a r a m. permanent mr.n u Horton, b a o n o d k r s e e s n t e o r r , Pl:l4llser kW to this. Sold by all Druggists, and at way's Establishment, 244, Strand London ,edriotheticownii totiliery !ORM& On the 23d inst., at Haslemere, the wife •f IS •Le S Of f e u. t ecini. ; Kent, Esq., of a son. h On the 2dd inst., at Elfords, Haw khurst, E. G, flannel', Esq., of a son. • -al 0.4' On the 24th inst., at Brunswick-terrace, Coroner° Mrs. J. Holt, of a daughter. tee ef. a 0 ' Ou the 24th inst.. at Langton Rectory, the if•• - Rev. R. Farquharson, of a daught er. the woe On the 25th inst., at Forest - hill , Sydenbaut, -- H. Luscobe, Esq. of a son f si. On the 2 m 2d inst., , . the wife of W.J W.J. Sage, Esq , °A e pf r t On the 23d inst., at Clapham New Park, the litiv C• Willis. jun., Esq., of a son. t hfre• On the 23d inst., at Grove-hill, Camberwe.l, Roberts, of a son. r ic Srd erl d * On the 24th inst., in Southwick-place, Hyde-Pe— foci, - the lady of A. Shank, Esq., of the Bengal CSe a daughter. tb . MAptIVISIA 11 ),,,t b by of On the 17th inst., at East Teignmouth ••,--Ac.,:sitter Rev. IL 13. Bradley, R. Bright, Esq., to Sara% ‘.... the late W. Robertson, Esq. n i , rv a 6 ti; 9 Ou the 23d inst., at Temple Ilalsall, H. y ""'• daugm r M.D., Caius College, Cambridge, to Jane Mashiteft S a ar of the late H. Couchman, Esq. A ft, 1/6 On the 23d inst., at Stoke, near Guildford, eid er Nl'. Stevens, R. B. Curling, isq , of Dover, to daughter of the late J. Andrews, Esq., DM. On the 17th inst., at Bordeaux aged 22, Harry _„,,lth OM second son of N. Barton, Esq. ' North2 C o o t l h vil i i n e s , t E ., s a q t .,aged 2131a.nk. Helen, Y° llvge dittigle ~., ter O o r If the 20th On the 20th inst., at Bath, Lucy, relict of the • 6-6 t t Ile Y* 11. Poole, of Weymouth. On the 23d inst., in Eaton-place, Eliza, th e Wife of Vice' Admiral the Hon. G. Elliott. od, Wl' leouit!:::erropia3, On the 24th inst., at Circus-road, St. John's's" wile of E. Gatnhart, Esq., aged 27. , .h. TetoPo. On the 24t:t inst., aged 42, W. A. Dow, of 0.- J. J. , •• On the 24th inst., at Nassau- street , lings, Esq., aged 78. 464. On the 24th in , Miss E. Bowie of Kenningtoh, go o . Bowleg, lustin* ''' On the 24th f • nst., at Wellington - p lace, 0• 11. beth, wife of W. Ridley, Esq. IWO I. On the 25th ins: • U r Gower-street, ~ a.. ppe f 1.• r. don, Esq. it'd 0- On the 23d ins'., at Torquay, Maryleboae, Madden, E q., M.D. age ti 61. ir . On the 230 inst., Mr. D. Bailey, o f On the 23d inst., at Thereta-terrace, 1• 110-° gaff 13.ec t ' J. Scoles, aged 84. 1 1 heath• P er On the 23d inst., at Brklands, f ; 01. the eldest daughter of the lateoo W. W ard, Esq.! 0 f Live whit e, o On the 18th inst., in h er 82d year, Al O3 VP lief . _.h London-road, Maidstone. i . 0 , the - sum" Oa the 21st inst., in Ebury.street, Pintl e v i rton , i S. Lendon. M.A., rector of Wymington anu '' ---'lll amptonshire. ----_-----,) ijiiii°lls• -- -- - _ --- - -- ------itiop., - pi& - i London: Printed and Published by ,ose, _„ 4 „si 0 No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sus.: t o Strand. in the Precinct of the Savoy, . la Middlesex, Saturday, iday 27, 1848. /4 ,7