The Sun. — London, England, 1848-08-11 00:00:00

trb Vitt ition SUN OFIKCE, Seven o Clock. FRANCE. .ATHEISM BRANDED BY THE FRFNCH REPUBLIC. It is with profound joy that we abserve the follow ing announcement in Galignani : The Committee of Public Instruction yesterday beard the report upon the petition of M. KCENIG, re quiring that Atheism should be professed in the name of the State, and a Professorship shmild be created to that end. The Committee branded the proposition with its highest indignation, and passed to the order of the day, On entering Cremona, says a letter from Turin, the Austrians decreed a levy en masse of men be tween the ages of 18 and 40 to be incorporated in the Austrian army. This decision, it is added, led to the emigration of most of the youths of Cremona, who proceeded to Milan to join the Italian army. In the sitting of the National Assembly to-day M. PAYER, who was chef du cabinet, put a question to M. BASTIDE on the subject of the affairs of Italy, with the view of ascertaining the policy to be followed by France in that country. M. BASTIDE replied that the Government had taken important measures in anticipation of whatever events might happen. He announced that France and Eng land had sent envoys to Innspruck and Turin, to offer their mediaticti. He also announced that the latest official news received from Milan does not by any means confirm the rumour of the capitulation of the capital 'of Lombardy. M. BEAUJEAN a friend of M. DE LAMARTINE, then rose, and reminded the Minister of the engagement taken by the Assembly, when M. DE LAMARTINE was Minister, to go to the assistance of Italy, in case of necessity ; but the Assembly refused to listen to him, and appeared to receive with great dissatisfac tion the belligerent notions of the party of which M. BBUJEAN is the organ. BOURSE, AUG. 9, HALF-PAST THREE.—The market was at ,first firm; but the news of the entrance of the Austrians into Milan, and the rumour that Marshal Radetzky had received orders from Vienna to push on as rapidly as possible to Turin, checked the upward movement, and the French Rente was rather more heavy towards the close, leaving, however, the closing, prices a shade higher than the previous day. It was rumoured to-day that the German Zellverein was preparing new measures tending to sensibly raise the import-tariff of a certain number of French articles on and after September 1. The object of these mea sures was to protect the commerce of the Zollvo rein against the effect of the drawbacks insti tuted by the decree of June 10. The Piedmont de clined 45f., remaining at 815 f., offered; whilst Roman was exceedingly firm all day. Fives advanced 50e., closing at 71E, and Threes 25c., the last price being 4V. 50c. Bank of France Shares closed at 1,615 E, be ing an advance of 25f. Bons du Trioor were done at 25 die. Certificates of Old Loan closed at 2,800. The Share Market was firm all day, and prices at the close were generally higher. Vierzon had advanced 13f. 75c. ; Strasburg, 6f. 25c. ; Northern, 6f. ; Orleans, sf. ; Rouen, 3f. 75c. ; Bile and Nantes, f. 50c. ; Marseilles, Bordeaux, and Lyons, lf. 28e. eacb. Versailles (Right Bank) were unvaried. ITALY. The Swiss National Gazette of the Bth has the fol lowing, under the head of Lugano, the 6th Piedmontese refugees, who have arrived at Chaasso, have announced that the Piedmontese General, Oli vieri, had seized on all the power at Milan, in the name •of CHARLES ALBERT, and had put an end to the measures of defence of the Republican Com mittee, declaring that the communications in the interior of the city, where barricades were being raised, should remain free, in order that the artillery should not meet with any obstacle. He added that the KING would deliver battle outside the town. On the evening of the 4th the advanced guard of the Aus trians appeared before the Roman gate ; they were received with cannon shots, and driven back to Malig nano. The Italians made two hundred prisoners and took two pieces of cannon. This advantage so much encouraged the Italians, that they declared traitors ta.their country whoever should speak of ca pitulation. But CHARLES ALBRRT was of a dif ferent opinion, as in the night of the 4th he capitulated on the following conditions : That the Piedmontese army should retire— that life and property should be secured to the inhabitants. The people then revolted, and a number of buildings outside the walls, which might impede the defence, were demolished. In the morning of the sth the enemy did not appear. Suspicions were conceived : a crowd collected in front of CHARLES ALBERT'S hotel ; and he declared from his balcony that the capitulation had been refused by RADETZKY, and that he would defend the town to the last extremity. Soon after OLIVIER' came, and de clared that the KING could not hold the town any longer, and arrived at the conclusion of the capitulation. The people, in fury, wanted to seize on CHARLES ALBERT. The men in at tendance on him were cut to pieces ; CHARLES ALBERT, on his side, had the people fired on by the Piedmontese, and two of the inhabitants were killed. Other inhabitants declared in favour of the capitula tion, and were killed. The people would not submit. Curtar.Et ALBERT had the cannon removed from the walls. Every one who were allowed to quit the est) ; several went away. At the end of its report the Republieain adds :—The rumour prevails that the people at last seized on CHARLES ALBERT, but that does not agree with the following postscript : At half-past six General Zuccue arrived at Lugano with the news that CHARLES ALBERT had delivered Milan to the Austrians, and had witndrawn, passing the Tesino. On Sunday the Austrians entered Milan ; the republicans GARIBALDI and MAzzim were still at the head of 10,000 or 15,000 men near Monzsno, within some leagues of Milan." The Pensiero Italiane, of Genoa, of the 6th, states in a postscript, that at noon intelligence had arrived there of the Austrians having entered Pavia, which was almost completely deserted on the morning of the 4th. The bridge of the Po had been cut by the Pied montese, who were on the other side of the Po, under the command of General Timm. MARKET IN TELLIGENCE (From thte London New Price Current of Aug. 11.) SUGAR.—To-day the home and export demand was lees active for Raw Sugar, and for most sorts a slight decline in the value took place. Supplies of Colonial were also upon an increased scale. West India Mus covado was only in limited request either for the scale or pan, and In some cases holders submitted to a decline on yesterday's rates of 6d per cwt. The purchases are 240, making 2,140 hhds, &c. for the week. REFINED.—Today refined goods met with a slow sale for home use; the value of standard lumps is 53s 6d, and brow g rocery 52s 6d to 535. per cwt. For Bonded Crushed Sugar prices are fully as high. MAURITIUS.—This afternoon Mauritius Sugar was less in request, and 6,094 bags at auction went rather cheaper, bat nearly the whole sold. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon three parcels of Bengal Sugar, amounting to 4,554 bags, were submitted to sale, and nearly all sold, generally upon full terms. Of Ma dras 1,550 bags were sold, at a decline of is. FOREIGN.—To -day there was no public sale of Foreign Sugar ; whilst privatejy little business was done, and some holders aro sellers upon rather lower rates. MOLASSES.—The market looks firm for West India, ane deliveries are still exceeding arrivals. Purchases to a fair extent have been made. COFFEF.—This afternoon at auction 203 casks 12 brls and 623 bags of Cuba for exportation only were all sold but upon very low terms; fine mid bold colory fetched 555, good 48s to 50s, mid 42s 6d to 455, low mid 39s to 419 6d, fine fine ord 33s to 38s, fine ord 27s 6d to 325, good ord 25s to 275, ord 23s Gd, pea berry 40s to 455, damoged 22s 6d to 31s. Of Plantation Cey lon 636 bags anti 24 casks went is to 2s lower, middling sold at 475, low mid 41s ad to 45s 6d, fine fine ord 37s to 39s 6d, fine ord 35s to 36s 6d, ord and good ord 27s to 29s 6d, and damaged 23s to 335. TEA.—To-day there was more demand for both Black and Green Tea, but holders were unable to obtain better prices. SPICES.—To-day at public sale 243 bags African Gin ger, duty paid, were taken in at 303 6d for middling rather small ; 4 cases Mace sold at 2s Id to 2s 3d for middling and good middling; 329 bags Malabar Pepper taken in at 71d for half heavy grey; 18 bags Bombay Cinnamon, ordinary thick 6d; 140 bags Long Pepper sold at 225; 42 packages Pod taken in at 68s. RICE.—To-day the demand was less animated for Rice, but prices are not lower. At auction 1,064 bags of Madras duty free sold at the former value; fino pinkey white realised Ils 6d, and damaged 9s to lOs 6d, but 3,000 bags Manilla were taken in above the value; 227 bags of Java sold at 15s to 15s Gd for fine bold white. The public sales of Rice announced to take place next week consist of 6,000 bags of Arracan, 1,000 bags Ma dras, and 1,000 bags of Bengal. SPIRITS. —For Jamaica Rum the demand has been less t active for all purposes his week, and a slight decline in the value is appareit.h e sales only reach 150 puns. wanted, T bemerara is l essbut prices remain much the same as-on this day week, and only 50 puns have be e n sold at Ss 9d to 2s 9d for gootlquality 33 to 35 per cent. Island has over proof. Leew ard been dealt in with caution, and price s are on the dec s line. East India mat with a dull sale, and 13 of 5d to Is ed i s th e va lue of proof. The deliveries Rum ar e on th e i n crease. For Brandy the re is anaaertil tendenoy. A active demand, an d f o r new kinds prices have an u f ar ther increase is also apparelnt4l:wnisdehlievlderile with fir o ns g n n e a s e s ' best brands of the vintage of 8 at 4s 9d to 4 s 11d, and 1847 d itto at 3s o to es gallon. Of Geneva several parcels ha ve been taken perro r exportation at Is lid to 2s, and fine f or h ome use i in fair demand at 2s 6d to 3s per gal. Fo r British Made Spirits there is a firm market with a good trade at former rates. !;'Deadek.l—•Thpre is a steady home and export demand for—ri.asti ,and prices rule rather above of the last sfuarteriy- folk,all kinds. Holders displayed firmness, glitter; p olittiV on offer. Spanish is held for full: s - former rates, and a fair demand exists, there is also a decreased supply. SALTPETRE.—To-day only small parcels of Rough Saltpetre were sold by private treaty, and 672 bags Cal cutta at auction went rather cheaper; good. yellowish 61 per cet. refraction sold at 255, and middling grey 6.1 per cent. 255.t0 25s 6d per cwt. COCHINEAL.--This afternoon at public sale 50 bags of Honduras blacks were sold at 3s 8d to 5a for low to good, which are full gates. O I LS.---This afternoon prices were further depressed for Sperm Oil, and 100 tuns at auction sold at 691 lOs to 7.0/. Of Southern 20. tuns went at 201 lOs to 251 60 pkgs Cocoa Nut sold at 38s 6d to 40s. TALLOW.—This afternoon at auction 467 casks of New New South Wales were sold at 42s to 455, low Vs 9d to 41s 6d; 342 casks of Tagonrog 43s to 445; 150 casks old P. Y. Candle 43s 6d to 44g. iNGLAND. ;ht's Gazette.) 'th and Bth of Victoria. cap. 32, for the sth day of August, 1848. LTMENT. Government debt • • 11,015,100 Other securities •• • '2,9a4.900 Gold coin and bullion 11,670,223 Silver builioa ••• • • • 1,020,092 A 26,690,315 M. MARSUALL, Chief Cashier. 848. .ZPANTBLEN T. .. Government securi ties (including Dead Weight Annuity) • • 12,462.735 Other securities •• .. 10,951,788 Notes •••• • • • • • • 7,998,200 Gold and silver coin • • 706,339 £32,119,032 M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. LNGE.-(THIS DAY.) Gibra1tar..........•• Leghorn ........ •• .. •. 31 50 ...... 26 0 Genoa ... • • • .. Milan .. • • .... Venice........ Naples • • Palermo, pain Lisbon .......... Rio Janeiro • ......... Bahia ................ Buenos Ayres .. • ... • • New York, 21 days' sight Philadelphia .... • • I.IICLO OP BULLION, PER 08. Foreign Gold in bars.. £3 17 9 New Dollars •. 0 4 10% Portugal Gold Coin •. 0 0 0 Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 Silver in bars 0 4 117 BANK OF (From this nil An Account, pursuant to the Act'? the Week ending on Saturday, ISSUE DEP. X. Xotes issued.. .• .• .. 26,690,315 I .£26.630,315 Dated the 10th day of August, 1 BANKING D: X. Proprietors' capital.. 14,553,000 Rest •••-• • • . • . • . 3,599,152 Public deposits (in cluding Exchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Sav- ings-banks, and Di vidend accounts) • . 2,881 1 ,368 Other deposits ••• • .. 9,968,428 Seven day and other bills... ••• • • - .... 1,109,914 £32,119,062 Dated the 10th day of August, 1 COURSE OF EXCHI Amsterdam .......... 12 2 Ditto, at sight •• .... Rotterdam .... •..... 12 24, Antwerp • • ............ 25 80 liamburgh ......M.B. 13 10 Paris, 3 days'sight .. •• 25 35 Ditto. 3 months .... flarseilles ••.. • • • ... • • 25 80 Bourdeaux . Frankfort on Maine.... 121% Petersburgh, Sil. Rble.. Vienna. effee. flo • ... •. 12 0 Trieste, ditto.... • • .... 12 0 Madrid • ... • • ........ 43% Cadiz • ............ 48 }i Barcelona • . • • ........ S ...I.lmmommuni 37% THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) DOWNING-STREET, AuG. 11. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Colonel Sir William Macbean George Colebrooke, Knight, Com panion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Islands of Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, Tobago, and St. Lucia, and their dependencies. OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, Aua. 11. Corps of Royal Engineers—Brevet Major Henry Sandham to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Page, retired on half-pay; Second Captain William Charles Haddeu to bo Captain, vice Sandham. Aug. 9. ADMIRALTY, AUG. 8. Corps of Royal Marines—Second Lieutenant George Gregory to be First Lieutenant, vice Walter Burnett Haberfield, deceased. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Nottingham. Southern Regiment of Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry—Arthur Edwin Hill, Esq., commonly called Lord Arthur Edwin Hill, to be Lieutenhnt, vice George Storer, resigned, Aug, 7. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. Robert Johnston, merchant, Savage-gardens. BANKRUPTS. James Reid, builder, Hanover-court, Long-acre, Aug. 18, at half past eleven, and Sept. 25, at halt past twelve, at the Court of •Bankruptcy. Carman, official assignee. Birchiu-lane; Hayes and Co., Craig's•court, Charing cross. Charles Pottingcr, tailor, Banbury, August 19, at one, and September 25th, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall street ; Messrs. Sharp, Vernlam-buildings ; Francillon, Banbury. William Williams, hat-maker, Colchester, August 19, at twelve, and September 25, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Canaan, official assignee, Birchin-lane; Bull, Ely-place, Holborn. • Henry Colenutt, baker, Portsea, Hants, Aug. 24, at half past one, and Sept. 25, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official assignee, Birchin lane ; Low, Chancery-lane; Ford, Portsmouth. Thomas Samuel De Vear, currier Gravesend, Aug. 24, at one, and Sept. 29, at eleven, at the Court of Bank ruptc.r. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street; Cattarns, Mark-lane. Charles Hall, linen-draper, Hereford, August 22 and September 12, at eleven, at the Birminghilm District Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham ; Prit chard, Hereford ; Bloxham, Birmingham. John Grinsell, grocer, Wolverhampton August 22 and September 19, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Mot teram, Knight, and Emmet, Birmingham . Paul Garhanati, carver and gilder, Newman-street, Oxford-street, Aug. 23, at half past twelve, and Sept. 20, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee ; Whalley Gray's Inn-square William Palmer, malster, Birmingham, Aug. 29, at half past ten, and Sept. 26, at hal,•-past ten, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Birming ham ; Tarleton, Birmingham. James Austin, builder, Clist Honiton, Devonshire, Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, at eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hirtzel, official assignee, Exeter; Keddell, Lime• street, London; Sanders and Kitson, Exeter; Stogdon, Exeter. Thomas Williams, draper, Llangefai, Anglesea, Aug. 22 and Sept. 12, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liverpool ; Oliver, Old Jewry Chambers ; Evrns and Son, Liverpool. Joseph Abraham Morris, boot and shoemaker, Man chester, Aug. 21 and Sept. 12, at twelve, at the Man chester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Man chester; Lofty, Potter, and Son, King-street, Cheapside; Dearden, Manchester. _ Henry Hilliar, jun., innkeeper, Birkenhead, Cheshire, August 22, and September 15, at eleven, at the Liver pool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool; Sweeting & Co., Southampton• buildings, London; Whit ley, Liverpool. Alexander Rowe, grocer, Plymouth, Aug. 31, at one, and Sept. 13, at eleven, at the Exeter Dirtrict Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter; Elworthy, Ply mouth; Sure and Gribble, Lombard-street, London; John Stogdon, Exeter. Dai id Jones, linen draper, Liverpool,: Aug. 22 and Sept. 29, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Cortithwaite and Co., Old Jewry-chalnuerr, Londdon; Pemberton, Liver pool. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or ➢luscovado Sugar, computed from the returns made in the week ending August 8, 1848. is 255. Od. per cwt. NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. (THIS DAY.) The August half yearly general meeting of this coins pany was held this day at twelve o'clock, at the Euston Hotel; George Carr Glyn, Esq., M.P., in the chair. The attendance of proprietors was very large. The usual formularies having been gone through, The CHAIRMAN proceeded to address the shareholder?. Before doing so he said it was due to the proprietors to explain that from the multiplicity of the details of the accounts the directors had found it utterly impossible to fulfil the promise which he mado at the last meeting, to send a printed copy round to the shareholders some time before the meeting ; they found that that they could not do this unless the meeting, and consequently the payment of. the dividends, were delayed. The directors were in the hands of the meeting with respect to this; but he did not know that on this occasion the directors would have consented to do so, even had the shareholders, as they wished, by laying an unvarnished statement before them, in order to put an end to the extraordinary de preciation of their stock which was now going on. —(Hear, hear.) He could not conceive, unless the public supposed that the directors were guilty of an accumulation of fraudulent management, why their stock held its present position, which, he need not tell them, was far beyond its real value.— (Hear, hear.) The company had been depreciated in the public estimation by printed attacks and reports, which had been systematically levelled against it. The most art eneous statements had gone forth. He was almost ashamed to allude to the one which he denied with so much amusement at the last meeting, that they were going to close their line. — (Laughter.) Another was, that owing to some difference between Mr. Creed and the directors with respect to the ac counts, the former gentleman was about to resign; if this had been true, well knowing the clear and ac curate knowledge which Mr. Creed possessed of the accounts he should have believed that there was some thing wrong in the financial affairs. To Mr. Creed he had looked for information as to the financial condition of the company from the first, and the management of the affairs, under the superintendence of the directors, had evinced the utmost integrity and activity of that gentleman, not only in respect of the accounts, but in the discharge of the whole duty entrusted to him; he pinned his faith to him, and they might do the: same.—(Hear.) He had expressed a wish to resign, on account of his increasing years, but, at the same time, stating that he would be happy at all times to aid the company to the best of his ability. The first vacancy in the direction would be offered to him, and he trusted the shareholders would be pleased to receive his services in that office. The Hon. Gentleman then referred to a pamphlet, en titled " Bubbles :of the Age," by Mr.' Anhui Smith, in which the narrow gauge lines were grossly at tacked. He quoted several passages, many of the state ments of which he said were so general and inaccurate, that he could not comprehend their purpose, there fore could not reply to them, and denied emphatically that the dividends were paid out of the capital, or that the directors had ever rigged the market, as was stated by the writer. The writer assimilated railway property to the Union Bank of Calcutta at Bengal—a sickly concern—the directors of which it was believed were very bl amea bl e , s i nce i t was genera lly b e li eve d th a t they h a d b eep gu i lty of a serious misappropriation of the funds. He then alluded to the company of copper miners of England in the city of London, which had obtained some unenviable notoriety lately, as not unlike a railway company. These were the two similies or parallels; but the writer went on to asperse the con duct of a gentleman whom he styled the chairman of the copper company, a governor of the Bank of England, and the chairman of the Brighton Company, alluding, as every one knew, to Mr. Grenfell, the Member fur Preston. Now, if there was one man in the city of London opposed to the copper eompany it was that gen tleman. Having stated the new mode in which the ea counts were kept, the Hon. Gentleman said if the writer of the pamphlet had done him the favour to read the speech which he made on the last occasion he would not have fallen into the errors he had, since he bad openly explained the nature of the accounts. He did not know what were now the feelings of the writer at the present moment, as Mr. Creed, so satisfied was he of the:perfect accuracy and honour of the:accounts, had invited him to inspect the account-books, and to satisfy himself.—(Hear.) If any trickery were practised, any erasure, omission, or additions, they must be dis covered by the vast number of clerks through whose hands the accounts passed : nothing of the kind could be accom plished unless the directors suborned the servants of the company to an incalculable extent. It was unlikely that his friendiMr. Creed would have invited the writer to in spect the books if the directors had been guilty of fraud. Several Shareholders here inquired it the directors knew anything of the writer of the pamphlet? Mr. GLYN said he did not. The pamphlet bore his name, and he assured the meeting he should not have noticed it if his attention had not been called to it by several shareholders in London and the provinces. The writer said he (Mr. Glyn) intended to resign if Lord Monteagle's Audit Bill had been passed. Now what he had always said was, and he now repeated it, that if the management of railway companies was taken out of the bands of a majority of the shareholders, and the directors were to have none of the management and all the responsibility, that neither himself nor his colleagues would consent to hold their offices. A SHAREHOLDER here said that the writer of the pamphlet had informed him, in a letter which he had in his counting-house, that he had been employed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to frame the two pamphlets he had published in order that the public might be made aware of the nature of railway transactions. Mr. GLYN was surprised to bear the statement. He could not believe that Sir C. Wood, who was one of the highest-minded men is existence, would employ any one to do so without any communication with the authorities . of the 'companies, whom he was in the habit of seeing from month to montb.—(Hear, hear.) At the last meeting he said they could not look forward to any very rapid increase in the prosperity of the company. The events on the Continent had retarded that restora tion. The difference between the receipts in the • last and present year was scarcely perceptible, yet they had not much increased, 1,200/ being about the amount. They must, therefore, be prepared to submit to a further reduction upon the dividend—to receive a divi dend of 31. 10s. per cent. for the last half-year.---(Hear, hear.) There had . been a saving of from 12,0001. to 13,000/. in the working expenses, notwithstanding they had had' to work 50 ;additional miles, and to purchase , new stock. This saving had been effected without de tracting in the slightest degree from the proper working of the traffic, which during the past six months had been conducted with more than usual regularity. They had been enabled to materially increase their speed. There had been a small decrease in the merchandise traffic, and an increase in the Government duty and parochial rates. They did not intend to ask them for power to go to Parliament for any new lines, and those already obtained would not be proceeded with without the most filature consideration. (Cries of " Hear, hear.") The Honourable Gentleman then adverted to the dispute between the engine-drivers and the com pany. The directors thought it right to state that they had no fault to find with the able locomotive superin tendent, and that they did not think it right to interfere with the arrangements which had been made under the sanction of the Locomotive Committee. After all, the charges made by the engineers resolved very much into a personal and individual charge against the superintendent. There is very little more in it than that, and disposed as we are t o de with any class of our servants' in the most liberal way possible we have not thought it right to allow those who hold subordinate situations to dictate to the executive whether or not the superintendent whom we have appointed, in whom we have faith, and whom we find zealous, active, and intelligent, is a proper officer for our • service or not.—(Hear, hear.) I am happy to state that our other artificers have come forward in a most excellent spirit, and that we have re ceived such assistance from the north, and from other public establishments, that we shall be able, without the slightest difficulty, if these mis guided men still pursue the course they ere at present pursuing, to carry on the public service without the slightest detriment, I hope, to the public safety.—(Hear, hear.) After saying that the company would be happy to receive the men again into their service who had not misconducted themselves in the course of those proceedings, he concluded by moving the adop tion of the report. In reply to several questions, the CHAIRMAN stated that the amount of capital invested in lines on which no dividend was paid was 4,100,0001. The opinion of the directors with respect to the Trent Valley re mained unaltered. Its directors considered that it would pay 101. per cent., but all must be aware that it must subtract a great portion of the traffic from the North-Western. It was one of those lines which it was politically necessary for the North-Western to ally itself with, otherwise it might have got into the hands of hostile parties. The traffic on the Caledonian was increasing; they were not going to subscribe any capital to the Aberdeen, nor to take a lease of the line. Negotiations were going on, but it was doubtful whether they would end in anything. The East and West India Dock branch was going on, but it was in the hands of an independent board. The contracts had been fairly let; the estimate was 700,0001., and there was no reason to believe that it would be exceeded. It would prove one of the most important feeders in connexion with the line. Taking into account the Birmingham traffic, the gross traffic of the Birming ham and Oxford amounted to 7 per cent. upon the whole gross traffic. Instead of the wages of the engineers hav ing been reduted, they had been, on the average, in creased.—(Hear.) The men admitted that the dispute was not one with respect to wages ; if they had an able and intelligent officer it was their duty to stand by him. —(Hear.) The attention of the locomotive committee was called to the system of classification by the engineers themselves—(Hear)—the rates were Bs., 7s. 6d., 71., 6s. 6d., 65., and ss. 6d. The report and accounts were adopted, Mr. Elias Mozley was elected an auditor, and a vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman, the meeting sepa rated. The dividend will be paid on the 28th. The consolidation into stuck of the 201. shares of the late London and Birmingham Railway, and 40/. shares of the late Grand Junction Railway, as have been paid up in full, was agreed to. EAST LINCOLNSHIRE RAILWAY, (THIS DAY.) A general meeting of the shareholders in this line was held to-day at the offices of the Great Northern Company, in Moorgate street, when G. 11. Packe, Esq., took the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having been read, a report was submitted the substance of which was that the line between Great Grimsby and Louth, fourteen miles in length, had been opened and worked by the Great Northern Railway Company, since the Ist of March, and that the traffic thereon has been very satisfactory, considering its !entirely local character; that the Act of Parliament for the junction at Grimsby with the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Rail way had received the royal assent; and the works on the line between Louth and Boston are nearly com pleted. The whole line will be handed over to the Great Northern Railway Company about the end of September; and the guarantee of that company, of 61. per cent., will come into operation on the Ist of October next; but a call will be made of 2/. per share, the remainder of the capital payable on the Ist of November next. The cash accounts showed that the capital already re ceived on calls was 487,8171.; on advances for amount received in advance of calls, 19,132/.; amount overpaid on third call, with interest, 25/. ss. 7d.; loans on mort gage, received, 13,609/. 11 s. 9d.; and from other sources, 3,3591. 23. 3d.; making a total of 523,9551. 4s. 7d. The expenses of obtaining the Act were 17,4911. la. 7d.; expenses subsequently, viz.—of land and compensation, including valuation and expenses, 89,5411. ss. 9d.; of construction of works, engineering and surveying, rails, chairs, sleepers, treenails, turntables, switches, station buildings, gas works, &e., 373,8901. 7s. 5d.; payment on account of contracts for works, 140,039/. Ila. 9d.; which, with cash in the bankers' hands, 20,9331. 193., and some minor items of expenditure, made up the balance. The CHAIRMAN recapitulated the heads of the report, which, after a little convereation, was unanimously adopted ; and thanks having been voted to the chairman and directors, the meeting was dissolved. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woo' sack at Five o'clock. ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION BILL. This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered to be reported. HIGHWAY RATES BILL. This Bill. went through Committee, and was ordered to be reported. - TRUSTEES RELIEF BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. CALEDONIAN CANAL BILL. This Bill was read a third time and psssed. PAYMASTER'S OFFICERS CONSOLIDATION BILL. On the order of the day for th e third reading of this Bill, Lord MONTEAGLE said he was afraid that if the Bill wero passed as it now stood it would be seriously detrimental to the public service, and he must therefore be permitted to move the insertion of a clause providing that the funds to be collected under the Bill should be distributed under the control of the Treasury, and sub jected to the provisions of the Appropriation Act. Lord GRANVILLE supported the Bill as it stood, and opposed the amendmen t. The Bill, he s a id, wou ld have the effect of diminishing the number of paymaste rs in the army, and t hus p rove a saving to the public ex chequer. It simply abolished the offices of Paymaster of the Civil Service and Paymaster of Exchequer bills, imposing the duties of these two officers upon o t the e th P e amaymoffiascteesrpnyeonlevrea. involved an At exp p e r n e d se it n u t the keeping re of 15, o 001 up and - - patronage to the extent of 200,0001., and be felt that in passing this Bill their Lordships would only be carry ing out the principle of economy which was an much ad vocated in this and the other House of Parliament. After a few words from Lord MONTEAGLE in The te; The Duke of WELLINGTON assured the House that the Bill could in so way remove the securities which now existed for the due application of the public money, and, as this was a money Bill, he did not think it would be prudent in the Noble Lord to persevere with his amendment. Lord. MONTEAGLE said, under those circumstances, he would withdraw it. The clause was accordingly withdrawn, and the Bill read a third time and pasied. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Lord MONT EAGLE presented a petition from South Australia, praying that the benefits of a Legislative Assembly might be extended to that colony. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (LOOP LINE OF BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD, THROUGH LEAMINGTON). This Bill was read a third time and passed. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL POWERS IN CONNEXION WITH THE BIR MINGHAM AND OXFORD). This Bill, which gives the Great Western Company power to lay down the broad gauge on the Birmingham and Oxford line, from Fenny Compton to Birmingham, was read a third time and passed. Their Lordships then adjourned. courts between several of the parties. The Admiralty had, therefore, experienced some difficulty in dealing with them on account of the confrcting interests. In fact none of the parties had ever put themselves in a condi tion for the Admiralty to deal with them. The vote as then agreed to. The next vote proposed was 326,6001. for improvements and repairs. Mr. COBDEN recommended the Admiralty to adopt the suggestion of the Committee, who had most carefully investigated the matter, that the boilers used in the navy should not be made in the Government yards, but by private contract, evidence havinc , been adduced before them to show that they could be contracted by private contract much cheaper. (LEFT SPEAKING.) PRICES OF SHARES IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM PANIES' STOCK. From the Official List, PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING. LONDON. FRIDAY, JOINT-STOCIE AUGUST 11. ZAN XS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair a tow minutes after Twelve o'clock. HORSHAM ELECTION. The Committee appointed to try the merits of the petition complaining of an undue return for the borough of Horsham appeared at the table and were sworn by the clerk, and were appointed to sit to-morrow at eleven o'clock. The Committee consists of Dr. Bowring, Mr. Monsell, Mr. Corry, Mr. Bramston, and Mr. Bunbury. PETITIONS. Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from a society of Oddfellows, complaining of some of the provisions in the Bill brought in to legalize friendly societies. Mr. FORSTER presented a petition from the mayor and corporation of Berwick, in favour of the Scotch Marriage Bill. They deprecated the present loose mode of contracting marriage in Scotland, and prayed that a more civilized system might be introduced. COURT OF JUSTICIARY BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. CRIMINAL LAW_ ADMINISTRATION AMEND• MEAT BILL. After a short discussion, this Bill was read a third time and passed. REGISTER OF SASINES, &c. (SCOTLAND) BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. CHELTENHAM 'ELECTION. The Committee appointod to inquire into the matter of the petition against the return for Cheltenham appeared at the table and were . sworn. The following are the Members of the Committee :—Sir W. Clay, Mr. R. Palmer, Mr. Thickness°, Captain Harris, and Mr. Ogle. They were appointed to sit to-morrow at eleven &clock. MARRIAGES &aAND) BILL. The LORD-ADVOCATE withdrew this Bill, and on the motion of the Learned Gentleman the order was read and discharged. REGISTERING BIRTHS, &c. (SCOTLAND) BILL. The LEARNED GENTLEMAN also withdrew this Bill, and upon his motion the order of the day for going into Committee was read and discharged. EXCHANGE of ECCLESIASTICAL PATRONAGE. The Exchange of Ecclesiastical Patronage between her Majesty and the Earl of Leicester Bill was read a third time and passed. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. Upon the order of the day being read for going into a Committee of Supply, Sir DE LACY EVANS called the attention of the House to some observations which had been made by the Hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Urquhart) to the effect that those engaged in the war at Canton and in the Kafir war were guilty of piracy, not having made a formal declaration of war, and that they ware amenable to the law enacted for the suppression of piracy. The Hon. and Gallant Me m b er showed that the Admiralty and other high authorities had commended the conduct of the officers under whose direction those wars were carried on. If he were not mistaken, the Hon. Member (Mr. Urquhart) had i n ear l y life been engaged in a similar warfare under Lord Dundonsld. Mr. URQUHART, in reply, said he had no personal motive in bringing the matter before the House, but did so simply from a feeling of deep shame at the guilt of his country, and a desire at *ll events to clear himself from participating in it. It involved an important ques tion of international law. The Hon. Member was pro ceeding to state his complaints in detail when he was interrupted by Captain HARRIS, who rose to call the Hon. Gentle man to order. He did not think it right, in going into a Committee of Supply, that the Hon. Member should read a chapter from Grotius and Mattel. Mr. HUME considered that the subject which had been brought before the House was one of great impor tance, and he thought it ought to be brought on separately, and not mixed up with other matters. He recommended the Hon. Member not to persevere on the present occa sion. Mr. URQUHART adopted the suggestion, and con cluded by stating that it was his intention to divide the Committee upon every vote, unless he had an assurance from the Government that ;he navy should not be em ployed unlawfully. After a few words from Capt. PECIIELL, the order of the day was agreed to, and the House went into a Committee of ,Supply on the navy estimates. The first was a Tote of. 139,350 J. for the salaries of officers, and the contingent expenses of the naval estab lishment at Portsmouth. Captain PECHELL called the attention of the Com mittee to the advantages of Jeffry's marine glue over common pitch in the caulking and repairing of ships, and suggested the expediency of the Admiralty using it in the dockyards. Lord JOHN HAY assured the Honourable and Gallant Member that every disposition had been shown by the Admiralty to give the material a fair trial. Ex periments had been made, and it was found that the marine glue would cost one-seventh more than common pitch, and as it dried very quickly, and was very nau seous in its smell, it was not considered an advisable substance to use in ship-building. Mr. HUME thought it the glue remained in the same state in all weathers, as had been stated, whether in a northern or tropical climate, it would be found a great desideratum for caulking the upper decks of vessels. After some further discussion, in which Mr. Hume gave the G o vernment, credit for a s i ncere i ntent i on to keep down the expense of their peaceirstablishments, and some observations from Mr. Cobden and Mr. Ward, in which the latter pledged the Government to a complete investigation and revision of the expenditure for the navy during the next six months, the vote was agreed to, as was also a vote for the sum of 25,8391. to defray the salaries of officers and the contingent expenses of her Majesty's naval forces abroad. The following votes were also agreed to:- 411,3461. to defray the charges for the naval estab lishments at home. 39,2891. to defray the charges for artificers in the naval establishments abroad. 25,0751. to defray the charges of the Medical Staff and stores. 66,5731. to defraLthe charges of divers miscellaneous services. 181,3221. to defray the charge for freight of ships and victualling of ships and stores. leave 43,6021. to defray the cha rges relating to convicts. the Chairman reported pro T g h r e ess ilu , an s d e The House at a Quarter past Three o'clock adjourned to Five o'clock. b th ta e i n ned r esu med, to sit again at fiv e o'clock. House Mr. BERNAL resumed the Chair at Five o'clock, and the House proceeded with the Committee of Supply; and the debate was proCteded with on the Navy Esti mates. On the question that the sum of 557,213/. be granted to her Majesty, to defray the expenses of naval stores. Mr. HUME said that nothing had occurred to war rant so great an outlay for stores as had taken place for the last few years. After a few observations from Mr. WARD and Ek C. DOUGLAS, ENGINE-DRIVERS ON RAILWAYS. Mr. H. BERKELEY 'Called the attention of the Government to the differences which had taken place between engine,drivets on the North-Western Railway and the Directors of (he COmpany. Mr. LABOUCHERE stated that information had been given to the Board of Trade that a dispute had arisen with the directors on the subject of wages. That information was conveyed to the Railway Com missioners, and having communicated with the company they received an assurance that every precaution would be taken which was calculated to secure the public safety. The Railway Commissionershad, however, no power to inter fere in the matter further than communicating with the company on the subject. He understood that the engine drivers were at present in communication with the com pany, and he indulged the hope their differences were mainly made up, and that the business of the railway would go on as usual. All he could now say was, that he had received the strongest assurance on the part of the company that every measure would be taken which was adequate to secure the public safety. Lord G. BENTINCK protested against this inter ruption to the proceedings of the Committee of Supply. Lord J. RUSSELL said, if the Noble Lord persisted in his opposition, he would move that the chairman re port progress. Lord G. BENTINCK said he merely wished to enter his protest against such a proceeding being taken as a precedent. After a few words from Mr. HUME, who stated that all blame was owing to him, because it was upon bis motion that the House went into a Committee of Supply at five o'clock. Mr. HUME deprecated the present mode of dealing with contracts, and complained that they were not opened in the presence of all the competitors. It had been said that the Blenheim was an example which the Admiralty ought to follow. Why that ship cost 70,00. or 80,0001., then 43,0001. were expended in altering her 0 , 1 and 25,000/. in constructing the screw-propeller for the resception of which the expensive alterations bad been made. Why, they might have built a new ship for the cost of the alterations. He protested against this extravagant expenditure, and trusted that it would not be repeated. Mr. WARD defended the system of contracts. In some cases parties could not be found to compete, and fines were now inflicted for the non-completion of those which were accepted. In reply to Mr. SOTHEREN, Mr. WARD stated that there were forty-five different screw-propellers, and:disputes were now pending in the ' Dividend Amount Name of Company. per I of Paid. Price Annum. Share. -------- - A s. d. A a. d. Australasia •• •• •• .• •• - , 40 0 0 40 0 0 - Britshliorth American 51. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 - Ceylon -••..•• •• •• • • 71. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - :.:ommercial of London 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 - :lolonial. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Gloucestershire ••• • • • 151 per cent. - - - lonian .. •• • ... .. -•• 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - Londn and Westminstr 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 21% - - 13 0 0 - London Joinf-Stock .• . 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 14% Provincialof Ireland 81. per cent 100 0 0 25 0 0 - Ditto, ........Si. 81. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 -- National of Ireland •• 51. per cent. 50 0 0 22 1.0 0 18 Nat. Provncial of Eng. 61. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 - Ditto, New... •• - - 51. per cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 - South Australia •.• • .. 51. per cent. - 22 10 0 - Union of Australia- - 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - - - 2 10 0 - Union of L0nd0n..... 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 10% Union of Madrid ..... - 40 0 0 40 0 0 - BRIDGES Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - ----- -- A. a. d. A. e. d. Charing-cross...• ..•• - - 25 0 0 19% Southwrk, Nw Sub.lv. - 632 12 8 - 3 Ditto Nw of 7% p. c. 355. per cent. 50 0 0 - 15 Waterloo ............ - 100 0 0 - 4 Ditto Old Ann. of 81. U. 53. 4d. - 60 0 0 27 Ditto Nw ditto of 71 11. 2s. 2d. - 40 0 0 25 Vauxhall .... ... Ay. 11. 17s. 70 10 3 - 27 INSURANCE COIRP.A.BIZEs. Name of Company. I Div p i e d r end Amount of Annum. Share. Paid. Price - A a. d. 4 a. d. Albion .. •• •• •• ••• • • • 31. 101. 500 0 0 50 0 0 75 Alliance Brit. and For. 6 per cent. 100 0 0 11 0 0 17 1 4 Ditto Marine. ••• • •• 61. per cent, 100 0 0 5 0 0 4% Atlas • 133.6d.prsh. 50 0 0 5 6 8 13 British Commercial •• 7s. per share 50 0 0 5 0 0 6 Cleriel,Med.& Gen. Life spr et. & be. 100 0 0 10 0 0 19 County .......• -•• •• 31. 100 0 0 10 0 0 - Crown 14s. 50 0 0 5 0 0 11 Eagle • 6s. 50 0 0 5 0 0 6 Eng.if Scot. Law •• •• st. per cent. 50 0 0 2 12 6 - European Life ••• • • • 5% per cent. 20 0 0 All paid. - Family Endownint Soc. 41. & be. 100 0 0 4 0 0 - Freemasons' .• •••• . .• 61. per cent. 20 0 0 3 0 0 - i.oLe - - Guardian ...... -- • • 51. per cent. 100 0 0 36 10 0 - I nperial Fire .. ••- •• 12 per cent. 500 0 0 50 0 0 205 Imperial Life •• ••• • •• 12s. 100 0 0 10 0 0 - Indemnity Marine •• •• 11. sh. SG Ns. 500 0 0 513 1 25 Law Fire •••••• • • • • •• - 100 0 0 210 0 - LAW Life.... •• • • .... 11. 16s. 100 0 0 10 0 0 - Legal and General Life - 50 0 0 2 0 0 41 Os. London Fire •••• • • • • 100. 25 0 0 12 10 0 - Landon Ship •.•••• •• 10s. 25 0 0 12 10 0 13 Sfarine.. •••••• - • • • • - 100 0 0 16 0 0 - Sled. Invlid&Gen.Life 4%1. per ct. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2% National Lean Fund.. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 210 0 - National Life .• •• • • ... 8/. per cent. 100 0 0 5 0 0 Palladium Lite 5l. per cent. 50 0 0 2 0 0 2 Pelican • . • • • • • . • • .. • • - - - - Pncenix - - - Pi °teeter Life- - ... 54. per cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 - Provident Life -- - 11. ss. 100 0 0 10 0 0 26 Rock Life............ 4s. 5 0 0 010 0 4% Royal Exchange Si. per cent. Stock. - 165 Sun Fire..... ...... - - 197 Ditto Life 11. 61. - - Universal Life lO% pr cnt. 100 0 0 9 0 0 - 24 Victoria Life - - 4 0 0 4 BOOZE. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price, Annum. Share. £ s. d. A 11. d. Commercial .... - - E Ist and West India... 6/. pr cent. Stock. - 119 East Country - 21 L0nd0n.......5i. pr cent. Stock. - 103 Ditto Bonds- ••• • .. 41. per cent. - - - S.. Katharine •• •••• •• 4 per cent. Stock. - - Ditto Bonds• ••• - • • 1%1. pr cent. - - - Suuthampton ••-. • •• 2/. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 - IITA.TER-17701L85. Dividend 1 Amount Name of Company. per I of raid. Price. Annum. I Share. A 5. d. 4 s. d. Birmingham. -••• • •• ' 18s. 25 0 0 25 0 0 - East London..• •••• • • • . 81. i 100 0 0 - 173 Grand Junction •• -- ' 21. 10s. t 41 13 4 - 80 Kent ........ • ... -•• ' 3/. I 100 0 0 - 75 New Itivr Lndn Brdge , 2/. 10s. I - - 55 Vauxhall .. ..... ..... 51. per cnt. 1100 0 0 - - West Middlesex • . . 61.0*. pr cut. - - 117 GAS-LIGHT AND CORE COMPANIES. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. X. s. d. Z. a. d. British ••••••.. • • • • •• 1/. 40 0 0 18 0 0 16 Ditto Provincial— IL Bs. 20 0 0 19 0 0 23 Bristol .. ••••••- • • • •• 101. per cent. 20 0 0 Brighton ••••..• • • • .. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 16 City of London .. •• •• 101. 100 0 0 100 0 0 250 ContinentalConsolidat. 925. pr share 50 0 0 39 i 0 Ditto, New •• •• 851. pr share 50 0 0 37 10 0 Equitable .••••• .. • • • • 455. pr share 50 0 0 50 0 0 36 Imperial • • ••• • • • 6/. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 69 Independent ....... • • 61. per cent. ,40 0 0 40 0 0 64 London•• •• •••• •• 50 0 0 40 0 0 j 1 50 0 0 50 0 0 Phcenix 51. per cent. ,50 0 0 46 0 0 31 Ratclitf • ........ 5/. and bus. 100 0 0 90 0 0 75 United General .. •• • • 4%1. pr cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 15 Westminster Chartered 31, 50 0 0 55%, Ditto, New •• •• -• 12s. 50 0 0 10 0 0 11 MISCELLANEOUS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. X. s. d. Z. a. d. Australian Agriculturl 100 0 0 30 0 0 Anglo-Mexican Mint« li. 4s. 10 0 0 10 0 0 .16 Ditto, Half Shares.. 210 0 -- Canada ... • • .... •• .. GI. per cent. 100 0 9 32 10 0 27% Uppr Canada Bonds 57. per cent. City Bonds.. 3%1. pr cent. 82 Comp. Cppr Mars Eng. 51. per cent. 100 0 0 70 0 0 Gen. Revers. & Invest. sp. c.& bs, 2/ 100 0 0 1 100 0 0 Equitable Reversienry 51. pr cent. 100 0 0 1100 0 0 91% Gem. Steam Navigation it. Si. 15 0 0 14 • 0 18 London Institution ... 10 Peninslr& Orient.Stm. 8/. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 52 Reversionary Int. Soc. 4%1. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 Royal Mail Steam—. 311. pr cent. 100 0 0 60 0 0 South Australian ..... 1/. per share. 25 0 0 25 0 0 16 Van Dieman's Land., 100 0 0 23 0 0 Universal Salvage •• • . 25 0 0 5 0 0 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, August 10. NAVIGATION-LAWS. The House then went into Committee on the nariga. tion-laws. Mr. LABOUCHERE, in placing the resolution in the hands of the Chairman, said it was hardly necessary for him to remind the Committee of the circumstances under which Government bad consented to give up all expecta tion of repealing the navigation •laws this session; but he trusted that the House would allow the measure to be introduced so early next session as to admit of its receiving the full consideration which its importance demanded. He proposed simply to ask the Committee to pass the resolution, to enable him to lay the views of the Government on this subject before the House in the shape of a Bill, which would be far more satisfactory than any statement on the part of the Ministers ; and he trusted, as an understanding had been come to to reserve the discussion till next ses sion, the resolution would be passed without any length ened debate. The resolution stated that it was expedient to remove the restrictions which were inflicted on the carrying of goods by sea to and from the British possessions, subject, nevertheless, to such control as her Majesty's Privy Council should think fit. Mr. HERRIES said, however he might be opposed to the proposal of the Right Honourable Gentleman, be thought, under these circumstances, this was the best course the Right Honourable Gentleman could adopt, and upon the understanding that the question was to be fully gone into next session, he should refrain from opposing the resolution now. The more ho considered the proposition made by her Majesty's Government, the more strongly he was con vinced that such a measure could not be carried into effect without endangering in the highest degree the naval and mercantile interests of this country. It would give the foreign shipowner and the foreign sailor the same advantages which were enjoyed by the British shipowner and sailor, with one single exception, with re ference to the coasting trade. They were put on the same footing of equality, but then there were obligations im posed upon the British navy which gave a positive and distinct preference to the foreigner. If the Bill were passed, the capital which was now invested in British shipping would be transferred to foreign ship• ping, because it was exempt from obligations which the former had imposed upon it. Mr. GLADSTONE hoped that his Right Honourable Friend's example would be followed on the present occa sion, as he himself should practise the self-denial of ab staining from entering upon any discussion of the mea sure. lie could not blame the Government for not per severing ut so late a period with the Bill, but he did hope and expect that at the earliest period of the next sessio❑ the measure would be brought in, as, if it was deferred, the scene of that evening would be repeated in 1849. He must say he wished the Bill had been of a more general nature, and that so urge a power had not been reserved to the Queen in Council as was provided in the Bill about to be laid o❑ the table. He should permit the resolution to pass without opposition on the present oc casion, with the distinct understanding that he was left entirely unshackled as to the course he should take in respect to it during the next session. Lord J. RUSSELL said that the original intention of Government was to bring in the Bill before Christmas, but other more pressing business had intervened. The Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) had stated his intention not to be bound by bis assent to the resolution before the Committee, and at the same time expressed a wish that it had been conceived in more general terms, and that less power had been reserved to the queen in Council to act under the proposed Bill. No doubt it would be open to the House to discuss. on a future occr.sion, the form of he altt.rati , :n of the Da vi ga , tion-laws, and he (Lord J Russell) wibhcd to all, that although the Government bad whiled to introduce a measure in the form which had been propc; , ed, still there was nothing to prevent the Government considering, during the recess, the form in which it would hereafter be proposed. The House had already, 14y a large ma jority, expressed a decided opinion in favour of the prin ciple of the Government proposition, and he concurred in the opinion which had been expressed that the mea sure must.be introduced at the very earliest period of next session. Mr. G. R. ROBINSON denied that the House had yet affirmed the principle of the Government measure. All the House had yet done had been to negative the resolu tion proposed by way of amendment by the Right Hon. Gentleman near him (Mr. Berries). By a postpone ment of the measure till next session the' Noble Lord had given the shipping interests and those connected with the shipping ports an opportunity of fully considering the whole question before the house was again called upon to discuss it, and if they did not make the House acquainted with their wishes on this great and vital matter, the fault would rest upon themselves. A strong feeling had already been expressed on the ques tion, for he found, on reference to the report of the Com mittee on petitions, only twelve petitions with 2,425 sig natures had been presented during the whole session in favour of the Government plan, while there had been presented 109 petitions, bearing 49,231 signatures, against it. This fact answered the assertion which had been made by the Hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. Bright), that all the shipping ports were in favour of an abrogation of the navigation-laws, and he (Mr. Robinson) asserted that 12-20ths of those connected with the shipping interest were hostile to the change in the law as propsed by her Majesty's Government. If the Government yielded in that matter to the section of the House which supported free- trade measures, his (Mr. Robinson's) coviction was that the consequerce would be to throw open the whole trade with America and the West Indies to the United States. Mr. MACGREGOR considered the course taken by the Government in postponing the Bill until the next session was a wise and proper proceeding. He also thought that the form of the resolution might be bene ficially altered, and he wished that in the interim be tween the close of the present and the commencement of the next session the Government would set on foot nego tiations with the United States in order to effect freedom of intercourse between the ports of the United States and those of this country, just as though the former still remained a portion of the British dominions. He was also of opinion that a distinct understanding should be come to as early as possible with the United States. Mr. HUDSON wished to state a fact for the conside ration of the Government. When their proposition with respect to the navigation-laws was announced an im mense number of hands employed in shipbuilding at Sunderland had been turned out of employment, but as soon as it was known the measure was abandoned, at least for the present session, all the men had been gra dually restored to their employment. He, therefore, warned the Government not to renew a measure which was calculated to bring large bodies of the labouring classes to misery and destitution. The interests of those classes were deserving of as much consideration as those of the shipowner and shipbuilder. Whenever the new measure was brought forward it ould receive his most strenuous opposition. Mr. CLAY expressed a hope that when the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of the Board of Trade next session introduced a new measure, with reference to the navigation-laws, he would show more consideration in it than had been displayed in its predecessors, for the three interests more immediately concerned—the shipowner, the shipbuilder, and the sailor. The measure ought also to be accompanied by a remission of the timber duties; and if this was done, he believed the measure would not be resisted. Mr. BRIGHT said, in answer to what had been stated by the Hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Robinson), that he (Mr. Bright) had never said that those interested in ships and in ports were in favour of the alteration of those laws. What he had said was, that the population in the ports were in favour of the Governmeet plan, and this had been shown at a public meeting held in Sunder land three or four years ago, when they declared in fa vour of an alteration in the navigation-laws. He was surprised the Honourable Member for Sunderland (Mr. Hudson), who had done so much to increase freedom of communication by railroads, should be opposed to the same frseilorn by ships and merchant vessels; and he called on the Hon. Member to exercise on this question that good common sense which he had directed to railroads, and not bind himself up with the political views of the Noble Lord the Member for Lynn (Lord G. Bentinck). He trusted the Government would next session renew the measure with firmness and deter urination; if so, its success in this and the other House of Parliament was certain. Mr. MITCHELL observed that on a former occasion the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley) had questioned the accuracy of certain returns made to the Government by Sir E. Baines, the Consul at St. Petersburgh. He (Mr. Mitchell) had received a letter from Sir E. Baines, in which he desired him to acquaint the House that the returns were furnished by the Resident at the British factory at St. Peters burgh, and that he (Sir E. Baines) had not had, at the time they were sent off, an opportunity of testing their accuracy. Captain HARRIS was understood to express a hope that in the new measure the Government would take care to secure the naval service with a sufficient supply of hands, if necessary, from the commercial ma rine. Mr. RICARDO said he did not wish to open a fresh discussion; but ho and those on his side of the House were as zealous for the maintenance of the supremacy of the British navy as the Hon. and Gallant Member (Captain Harris), who on former occasions had claimed all the patriotism for himself and those with whom he acted. Mr. NEWDEGATE asked whether the resolutions now in the hands of the chairman were a true exposi tion of the Bill about to be laid on the table, and in ac cordance with the speech with which the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Labouchere) bad introduced the resolutions to the consideration of the House ? After a few words from Capt. HARRIS and Mr. Rr• calms, in mutual explanation, Mr. LABOUCHERE said, in answer to the question put by the Hon. Member (Mr. Newdegate), he had to reply that he (Mr. Labouchere) should be guilty of prac tising a trick upon the House if the Bill was not in ac• cordance with the resolution and with the speech with which he had brought forward the. question. At the same time he did not mean to preclude himself from taking advantage during the recess of such information as he might acquire, and of amending upon it the form of the new measure. Mr. HENLEY inquired from the Hon. Member for Bridport (Mr. Mitchell) whether Sir E. Baines in his communication stated the reports he had furnished were correct or incorrect ? Mr. MITCHELL replied that the letter was silent on that head ; but, from the anxiety the writer expressed to be set right with the House, he (Mr. Mitchell) in ferred that Sir E. Baines thought them incorrect. Mr. MACGREGOR said he had examined the re ports, and had found them correct, with the exception of those from Tamboff. The resolution was then agreed to, and a Bill founded thereon ordered to be brought in by Mr. Bernal, Mr. Labouchere, and Lord J. Russell. CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS BILL. The Committee on this Bill was then resumed, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. It was agreed that Carlisle be inserted in the schedule. On the motion that Lincoln be added, Colonel SIBTHORP said he would not ask a favour of the House in behalf of the city he represented, much less on behalf of himself, as its representative. He was convinced of the purity of the constituency. He had represented them 20 years; his brother, father, uncle, great-uncle, and great-grandfather had represented them, the latter in 1714; and this was the first time any member of his family had been charged with an act de rogatory of his character. It was the first time the borough had been put on its trial for malpractices un worthy a representative body. He had no hesitation in denying the imputation in every sense in which it could possibly be understood. He knew how easy it was to make charges of this kind; but it was difficult to sub stantiate them. It was also easy for a Government, dressed :perhaps with a little brief authority, to im pugn Individuals not less upright than themselves. His father, and other members of his family, had exercised the duties of hospitality amongst his neigh bours—he had followed their excellent example— and it this was to be denounced as bribery, he contended that to send down Commissioners to inquire into such proceedings was nothing less than inquisitorial tyranny; and he would tell the Noble Lord (J. Russell) that in spit. of such an inquisition, he would persist in the per formance of such acts as Christian charity and hospita lity required. The Noble Lord having stated that re freshments might be justifiably given on the occasion of a county election, on what ground could he charge him (Colonel Sibtborp) with acts of bribery because he had exercised hospitality towards the poor ? Let the Noble Lord beware, for sometimes a man was caught in his own trap and lost his tail.—(Laughter.) Lincoln had been put into the schedule ; London had not. Why was this ? It was true the House had evidence in one case and not in the other. Let the result of the Lincoln Committee be what it might, he should retain the opi nion that this proceeding was one unworthy the Govern ment, and unworthy a Prime Minister, who seemed to rejoice in the tyranny he was exercising. Why had the Noble Lord shrunk from pressing the former Bill he had introduced, and thus given opportunity for a fair discus sion ? Why bring in a Bill in this disgraceful, under hand manner, on which no fair discussion could take place, but which, like many other measures introduced at this period of the session, must be smuggled through the House? He knew it was vain to contend against the premeditated intention of the Noble Lord; but if a bo rough was to undergo a scrutiny, and to suffer punish ment in the person of its representative by his being un seated, a fresh election having taken place, no further proceedings ought to be instituted. As well might they send a Commsisoner to inquire into the conduct of every atember of the family of an individual who had been convicted of a crime in a court of justice. The Noble Lord, not satisfied with the late Member for Lincoln being unseated, now sought to hold up the borough to the world as unworthy of the franchise. If the Noble Lord could reconcile his conscience to such conduct, he (Colonel Sibthorp) rejoiced to say that he could not. Let them send down their Commissioner, give him what instructions they liked, and charge, frighten, and insult the poor man , if they chose, his opinion of the integrity and inde pendence of the constituency of Lincoln impressed him with the firm conviction that they would act as men and as Englishmen. Let them encourage every bad character, and even reward with place those who were prominent in this inquisitorial proceeding. It was impossible but that the character and conduct of honourable men shoulo be misrepresented and blackened in such an inquiry. The result to the Noble Lord would be, that he would be believed guilty of a low, moan, dirty trick to undermine ethers, and thereby to build up his own reputation for purity by means which would tend to his disgrace. Let these Commissioners attempt to ferret out acts which he (Col. Sibthorp) and his friends would never be ashamed to divulge; it was in the power of the Government to do this if they chose. But they ought to have visited in this manner boroughs which better deserved such an inquiry. He would not condescend to ask the Noble Lord or the House to exempt Lincoln from the schedule, but would leave it to its fate. undaunted in the course he meant to pursue. He would take no underhand course, neither would any one of the constituency. He lamented that the benches around him, from whose occupants he might have looked for justice, were deserted; the Noble Lord might, therefore, take his own course. Let him inflict any punishment he chose on the city of Lincoln ; he (Colonel Sibthorp) should await the sentence with the consciousness of having done his duty, and with the belief that the Noble Lord would, ere long, regret the course he was now taking. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said there was no charge whatever in the Bill against the Hon. and Gal lant Member who had just sat down, neither was there any such charge in the report of th e Committee. He said his ancestors had sat for the borough ; and he (the Solicitor. General) hoped his descendants would do the same, and would defend the borough as ably as he did.— (Hear, hear.) But the principle on which this Bill pro ceeded was, that wherever a Committee reported the exisence of corrupt practices, there an inquiry should take place to ascertain whether such practices did really exist. As the Hon. and Gallant Member did not intend to divide on this question, he thought it unnecessary to go further into the matter. Colonel SIBTHORP repeated that his anxiety was not for himself, but for the borough. Mr. W. MILES said he had fully expected that the Chairman of the Lincoln Committee would have moved its omission from the schedule. The evidence disclosed only three cases of bribery, out of forty-six charged ; one a very small one, to the amount of about 103., was proved ; and could it be supposed necessary that there should be another Committee and another inquiry to find out just the same thing ? The bribery as it was called, was carried on by means of " free and easy clubs," which sat before and after the issue of the writ ; this was the whole of the case, and nothing more would be disclosed by the moat searching inquiry. The real question was whether the treating had been exercised with the intent of corrupting the voters. He thought that much of it would be found resolvable into the hos pitality the Hon. and Gallant Member had referred to. The report of the Committee plainly stated the existence of these clubs at perhaps half the public-houses in Lincoln ; the names of the publicans were given ; the feet that bread, beer, pipes, &c., were distributed outside the houses to " navvies and others was proved. beyond doubt ; also that sums were paid to nee-resi dent voters beyond what was necessary for their loss of time; all these things were patent, and what more could be required ? The Committee reported, that, owing to the vagueness of the 20th clause of sth and 6th Victoria, cap. 102, various conclusions might be arrived at by Com mittees; and they recommended an alteration of the law in this respect. The Hon. Gentleman here read the clause, and asked if it included refreshments and travel ing expenses ? The SOLICITOR. GENERAL answered in the affir mative. Mr. MILES said it had not been so construed by Committes generally, with whom it rested to decide whether a payment was made to corrupt a voter. More might be done by simplifying the law, and defin ing what was corruption, than by sending a host of Com missioners to scour the country, and find out what was patent to all.—(Hear.) The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said the Hon. Member had opened a discussion which was ♦ery fully gone into on a former occasion, and related rather to the principle of the Bill than to the boroughs which should be placed in the schedule. The House had thought it desirable to hare further information, in addition to the evidence taken before the Election Committees ; and hence the necessity for the inquiry proposed by this Bill. As to the construction of the 5 and 6 Viet., it was evident that every payment of whatever kind made to an elec tor was a corrupt payment; but the question arose in every case whether the particular payment had been made with the intention of corrupting the voter. He hoped that the House, having affirmed the principle of the Bill, would not now offer any opposition to Lincoln, the cas• against which was a - very strong one, being placed in the schedule. Mr. ANSTEY referred to the report of the Lincoln Committee, and said that this Bill, so far from carrying out their recommendation as to the simplification of the law, set aside their report altogether by appointing an other Committee to go into the same inquiry again. The city of London was situate precisely the same as .. the borough of Horsham; let the Noble Lord (J. Russell) take this opportunity of declaring that he ••;:: was ready to volunteer an inquiry into transactions of which the world had heard much, and thereby to • clear his own character and that of his constituency. --(Hear, hear.) He was not precluded from doing , this by the preamble of the present Bill. Common fame said that the last election for the city of Lon. , don was characterised by enormous bribery, treating, and personation. It was said that one thousand long. shore men were bribed. That was reported on credible authority.—(Name, name.) Those statements had been made by a Member of that House, and the Noble Lord had not denied them. It was also said that 32,000/. had been spent at the election, and dead men were per sonated. He did not say that the Noble Lord was or . was not guilty of corrupt practices, but common rumour reported that enormous bribery and corruption prevailed at the last election for the city of London. A document was to be handed to him in which those statements 'relit made, but it miscarried.—(Laughter.) Now, there was no report in the case of the city of London. But - neither was there any report in the case of Horsham. The bribery and corruption at Horsham rested on more rumour, and as Horsham was to be included in the schedule, he wished to know whether the Noble Lord, on the same ground, was prepared to include the city of London? Lord J. RUSSELL begged of the House to recollect,. the circumstances under which he undertook the BilL It had been urged by several Members of the House, but - more especially by the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Tamworth, that some Member of the Government should take charge of the Bill. He had declined to do so for a considerable time; and it was not until the Bill was made a cause of perpetual delay that be consented to un• dertake it. Whereupon the Hon. and Learned Gentle man thought as he had undertaken the Bill he was a fair subject for attack, and made that the ground of a per sonal charge—(" No, no," from Mr. Anstey)—and of a charge against the constituency which he represented. —(Hear, hear.) Why, whatever body he represented, the Hon. and Learned Member would be equally able to say that there was a rumour of corrupt practices, and would call on him to include that constituency in the schedule.—(Hear, hear.) He denied that because he undertook the Bill at the request of the House he was bound to put in the place he represented, whatever it might be, without any cause, in the schedule, to gratify the curiosity or malignity of any individual who might call on him to do so.—(Hear, bear.) His. connexion with the city of London began thus :—He re presented a borough which had elected him more than once free of expense, and left him perfectly independent in his political course in that House. Whilst he repre sented the borough of Stroud some thousands of the electors of the city of London requested him to stand for the city of London, the great public question of protec tion or free trade being then at issue. He stated to them ho had no wish to leave the constituency he then represented, and that he believed it would cause a feel ing of mortification, and a feeling that they h a d b een unfairly and un gra tefully dealt with if he left them for any other body. At the same time he said that be would accept the invitation, as the decision of the city of London would be of great importance on the question of free trade or protection, but that the election must be carried on without recourse to any of those means to which the term of corrupt practices was applied.—(Hear, hear.) They stated that they would not practice any illegal means to carry the election, which they intended should be one entirely upon principle. That election took place, and be was returned by a majority of nine. —(" Hear, hear," from Colonel Sibthorp.) Last year they asked him whether ho would become a candidate along with three other gentlemen. He replied that he would stand again, but that he must not be in connexion with any others. The election took place; there was a very hard contest; but he was elected for the second time by a very large majority.—(Hear, hear.) No per son that he knew of complained of the mode in which that election was conducted. He had not paid out of his pocket more than was necessary for the legal ex penses of the election. If any corrupt practices had been resorted to, why were not the means taken to bring them to light? No management that he was aware of had been used to prevent an election petition from being presented to that House.—(Hear, hear.) Having so conducted ]himself he did not think he was bound to include London in the schedule because the • Hon. Gentleman said that some rumours prevailed.— (Hear, hear.) Whether those rumours prevailed or not he did not know—he heard them only from the Hon. Gentleman—(Laughter and cheers)—and fi om nobody else.—(Renewed laughter.) Where the Hon. Gentle man picked up those rumours he did not know. He proposed the Bill on public grounds, and without reference to any individual.—(" Hear, hear," from Col. • Sibthorp.) He could assure the Hon. and Gallant Gen tleman that he had no personal feeling against hire— (Laughter) —and had no objection that he and his pos terity should represent Lincoln as long as his ancestors had done. But having brought forward the Bill on pliblic - giounds, he did not think that he ought to put the city of London in the schedule because the Hon. Gen tleman was of opinion that the place represented by the Prime Minister ought to be included.—(flear, hear.) Colonel SIBTHORP said he never directly or in directly bribed any man, and he considered he had therefore as good a right to be excluded from the Bill as the Noble Lord. Mr. W. BROWN regretted that the Noble Lord thought it worth his while to answer the allegations of the Hon. Member for Youghal. With regard to the constituency represented by the Hon. and Learned Gen tleman, he always heard that they were anxious to get * fat goose.—(Laughter.) Mr. J. A. SMITH rose for the purpose of confirming the perfectly accurate and exact statement of the Noble Lord respecting the circumstances attending the election for the city of London, on which occasion be was chair man of the Noble Lord's Committee. Every effort had been made on his part and on the part of the other members of the Committee to insure the election being conducted in such a manner as would prevent even those rumours to which the Hon. and Learned Member alluded. lie therefore repudiated in the most distinct manner the extraordinary and absurd charges made by the Hem leitlemi Oony.—( Mr. Hi gbly the Itrsons was gE hen exp Roper Wisely bi teat° Am which it Mr. 13 Line Lyme] On t Mr. Palen layout. vnuld On - 1 Lon tepres, him in blan n , Mr. Lord Put fi i vie r , ~,4 01444 forme