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

PULE EXPRESS EDITION. SUN-OFFICE, Half-past Eight. ELECTION COMMITTEES. (THIS DAY.) KIN SALE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) Bridget Heeley stated that she was a servant, in the service of Mr. Murphy, of Kinsale. She remembered that shortly after the last election Dr. Jago called upon her 'master and paid him some money. She believed that it was for voting against Mr. 'Watson. The witness was proceeding to state in cross-examination that her master was greatly reduced in his circumstances, or he would not have voted against his own prin ciples. A question was was then put to the witness, as to whether she did not remember the priest saying something about the election shortly before it took place, but before she had time to answer she fainted away. Mr. A. B. COCHRANE interrupted the proceedings, remarking that the fainting of the witness was preceded by a severe glance that an individual standing in the crowd had cast towards her upon the question being put. It had already been intimated that the individul was the Roman Catholic priest stationed at Kinsale, and if he did not immediately retire without further intimidating the witnesses by his looks and gestures, the Honourable Member hinted that he should feel it to be his duty to move that he be taken into custody. Mr. CRIPPS and Sir J. M' TAGGART, two other Mem bers of the Committee, said they . had remarked the con duct of the priest, and concurred in what had fallen from Mr. Cochrane. A stern-featured personage, who appeared to apply these observations to himself, slunk out of the room, and the proceedings were resumcl. Several witnesses deposed to having had money offered to them to refrain from voting. The Committee then adjourned. LYME REGIS. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) Several witnesses gave similar testimony, and the Committee adjourned. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of Feb. 18.) SUGAR.-To-day the home trade were more inclined to operate in Raw Sugar, merchants also manifested more firmness, and less freely supplied the market. OR the part of exporters, however, little disposition was shown to do business. Of West India Muscovado the private sales were 180 hhds and tres, whilst the rates ob• tained are equal to those that existed previously; re finers as well as grocers showing more desire to operate. The total sales for the week are 1,010 hhds and tres. The market for raw sugar closes with a firm aspect. REFINED.-To.day Refined good 3 were dealt in with more freedom by the home trade, Standard lumps at 545, and brown grocery 53s per cwt. Bonded Crushed Sugar is wanted at former rates. MAIIRITIUS.-This afternoon there was more inclina tion shown to make purchases in Mauritius Sugar. At public sale three parcels amounting to 5,788 bags, 353 casks, and 12 barrels were offered, consisting chiefly of good and fine yellow sorts. The whole sold, and at fully former rates. EAST INDIA.-"This afternoon two parcels Bengal Sugar, amounting to 2,931 bags, were offered at public sale, but a small part only found buyers at full rates;- Benares, very fine white at 47s 6d, fine 45s to 46s 6d, good 44s to 45s 6d, middling 41s 6d to 425, damped and washed 40s 6d to 47s ; 1,266 bags consisted of low brown, and were taken in at 29s per cat for sound. FOREIGN.-To-day full rates are asked for all sorts of Foreign Sugar, and none was offered at public sale. The private operations for the week are 300 hhds Cuba Muscovado at 38s to 395, and 200 cases of brown add yellow Bahia 353 to 38s per cwt. COFFEE. -This afternoon holders of Native Ceylon were more inclined to realize, and 900 bags at auction sold is per cwt under former rates, really good ord bold went at 34s to 34s 6d, damaged 30s 6d to 33s 6d, triage 295. The market is quiet for Plantation, and prices are looking down. 200 bags at public sale were sold, low middling 48s 6d, fine fine 43s to 455, fine ordinary 395, good ordinary 35s 6d, pea berry 483, and damaged 34s to 36s per cwt. The total sales of Pedang by private treaty are 3,000 bags: for the week at 27s 6d. TEA.-To-day the public sales were brought to a conclusion; the trade again operated with reluctance in all sorts of Tea, and in some cases the rates taken were rather under those of yesterday. Of the total quantity offered, amounting to 16,300, only 6,900 pkgs were actually sold upon the following terms:-Congou, fair common at 8d to SEld, middling 9d to 9fd, good 101-cl to is. fine Is 24e1 to is Souchong, good Hid to Is lid, Caper, in boxes, scented is 011 to is Id, Orans.,e Pekoe, scented 114 d to Il,d, in catty boxes Is 6d to is 6ed, Twankay, common Bd, fine 10d to 1144, Hyson ordinary is 4d to is 41(1, fair is 61d to Is 81d, fine 3s 3p, Young Hyson, ordinary Canton 8d to is old, good and fine is 3-1-d to 2s 411, Imperial Canton 10(1 to is 011, good and flue hyson sort Is 4:ld to 2s 311, ordinary is 2d, Gunpowder ordinary to fine Is 91 to 4s, and Canton is to is 6il per lb. SPecns. -A favourable opinion is yet entertained to wards Pimento, supplies are modsrate, and the demand having been active this week, we have to announce a further rise iu the value 'of A-1 per lb. The parcels offered at public sale were all sole, and amounted to 463 bags, By private treaty several parcels have been taken, and the stock here is nearly all in second hands. There is a falling off in the supply of Muck Pepper at market this week, and having a good demand privately, prices tend upwards. White is wanted, but not much is to be obtained. In Nutmegs the sales made privately are upon a more extended scale, and holcrs display firm ness. None has been offered at auction. Mace sells more readily, and at stiffer rates. For Cloves the demand is gettirig brisker, hut prices re main much the same as previously current, although there is a falling of in the supply. Cassia Lignea has been little sought after, but as the supply at market is small, buyers are compelled to pay 62s to 725, according to quality. A large parcel will, however, be de clared for public sale shortly. Cassia Buds are scarce, and held for the high rates of 953 to 1003; but there are few buyers. For Cinnamon better prices are not to be obtained, a fair demand, however, has been experienced this week, but supplies are good. Ginger met with little attention this week from exporters or the home trade, and holders ex perience difficulty in getting former rates. SALTPETRE.-Tho market for rough has a dull ap pearance, and 2,455 bags of Calcutta at public sale to day were all taken in 6d per cwt. under former rates, good str4;:q. , , , grey small crystal 5} to 44 per cent. refrac tion at 30s, middling din.) 11 per cent. 295, 13i ditto 28s 6d, not refracted 28s, the damaged, however, sold at 24s to 27s 6(1 per cwt. SPIRITS. - Prices cannot be quoted higher for Jamaica Hum, but there has been u brisker demand, chiefly from the home trade. The sales for the week are 200 puns. fair quality 27 to 33 per cent overproof at 3s Sd to 3a 101, muffling and good middling 34 to 36 over 3s lld to 4s, good and fine 30 to 33 over 4s 2d to 4s 4d. Leeward Island is in good demand at the former value, and the sales are 250 puns at is 8d to Is 9d proof. Ia East India the sales are upon rather a more extended scale. On the part of holders of Demerara there is firmness, and buyers operate more freely, paying 2s 10d to 3s 41 for 28 to 36 per cant over proof. Brandy is in fair demand, and last week's rates are well sup ported. The deliveries are good, and arrivals keep small. Geneva sells slowly at 2s 3d to 2s 4d for ordi nary, and at 3s to 3s 4d for fine. Tho value of British Corn Spirits is 103 per gallon net cash. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock. JEWISH DISABILITIES. The Bishop of SALISBURY presented several petitions against the admission of Jews into Parlia ment. Messengers from the Commons brought up several Bills. PAU . Lord HATHERTON PERS moved fur a return of all paupers who shall be chargeable in any parish or union in England and Wales on the 25th of March, 1848 ; distinguishing adult males and females and children under 16 years of age; distinguishing also those chargeable to parishes and those chargeable to anions ; and distinguishing further those who are relieved as vagrants, tramps, and wayfarers. The motion was agreed to after a ah lr t di scuss i on. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE COURT OF ROME. petitionn The Duke of RICHMOND presented from Glasgow ag ainst the Bill for establishi ng ape d iplo matic relations with the Court of Rome. Lord lIARDWICK said it was very desirabl e that the House shou ld know whether it was the in tention of Government to resist the motion of which he had given notice, and he begged to put that ques tion to the Noble Marquis the President of the Council. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was not in a position to answer the Noble Lord's question. On the que=tionbeing put for going into Commit- ton the S 1:, ve Bill, Earl FITZWILLIAM said he of high ly tri,,e aptpjrnovoesdt the of the measure. It was mportanco. that this country should have an accredited agent at the Court of Rome, and he for one thought no man could look at , .. what was a t present going on in man y par t s o f Europe without being between convinced of this. A s t rugg l e was goin g on absolut e G overnments and free institutions, and when he remembered that the Pope was favourable to the party who -.supported the latter mode of governrnent,l he could no t h elp thinking that it was their bounden duty to give him the support of such a measure as this. But what could be more important to this country than being placed in a position to communicate officially with the Pope of Rome on the subject of his relations with her Majesty's Roman Cat.holic. subjects, particularly with those who remded in this country, and being, therefore, a supporter of the principle of this Bill, and ready to vote fur go i ng into Committee to consider its provisions, he was anx i ous to throw out a suggestion that the objections of some of its opponents , might be obviated by changing the phrugokgy which it will wr.cdel Lord CAMPBELL, in answer to a call from the Noble Earl who had just sat down, could assure the House that there was no ing now on the statute book, or i n th e co m m law of the land, to prevent her Majesty from establishing di , omatie relations with the Court of Rome, and he trusted, therefore, that there would be no objection to the form of this Bill. Their Lordships then went into Committee. Lord STANLEY suggested that the existing pre amble should be struck out, and the words following substituted :—" Whereas doubts having arisen as to the power of her Majesty to establish diplomatic rela tions with the Court of Rome, without the sanction of an Act of Parliament, be it therefore enacted," &c. This would probably remove the objection alluded to by the Noble Earl who had addressed their Lordships before going into Committee. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not think it advisable to make such an alteration. The Bishop of WINCHESTER objected to the words " Sovereign Pontiff," and wished that some other title should be applied to the Pope. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said it might perhaps remove the objection of the Right Rev. Prelate if they inserted the words, the " Sovereign Pontiff of Rome." The Bishop of WINCHESTER said it would not, because the term " Sovereign Pontiff " implied that the Sovereign holding that had a supremacy over the Sovereigns of other countries than Rome. If the Noble Lord would simply introduce the words " Sovereign of the Roman States" it would meet his objection.—(Hear.) After a few words from the Earl of SHREWS BURY, The Bishop of ST. DAVIDS saw no objection to the words as they stood in the Bill, for the term Sovereign Pontiff did not imply any superiority over the sovereigns of other nations. The term "Sovereign Pontiff," was to be found in Hume's " History of England," any many other works of eminent Protestants, and he could see no just reason why it should not be introduced into this Bill. The Bishop of EXETER said notwithstanding what had fallen from the Right Rev. Prelate, he must still object to the words used in the Bill. Ac cording to the doctrine of the Protestant Church, there was no Sovereign Pontiff in Christendom, and it was no reason because some Protestant historian had loosely used the term Sovereign Pontiff while speaking of the reign of Henry the Second, that it ought to be introduced into the Bill. Indeed the great question In dispute between the Bishop of Rome and the Reformed Church was, whether he had a right to adopt the title of Sovereign Pontiff, and although the term might have been used in his tory, he most decidedly objected to its being now for the first time applied to legislative forms. Lord COLCHESTER warned their Lordships that it might lead to future difficulty, for it might so happen that the Pope of Rome might not be the sovereign of the Roman States. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said the term So vereign Pontiff had been applied to the Pope of Rome as a title of courtesy for many centuries, and as it was used in this Bill in the same sense he could not see upon what ground their Lordships could object to it. Still he had no objection to adopt the words " Sovereign of the Roman States." Earl of EGLiNTON considered that it was ad visable that diplomatic relations should be established with the Court of Rome, but these diplomatic rela tions ought to be strictly of a political character. He should, therefore, move as an amendment to that part of the Bill empowering her Majesty to receive an Ambassador from Rome, that the following words be inserted in page 2, line 26, after the word what soever, " not being in holy orders in the Church of Rome, nor a Jesuit, or member of any other reli gious order, community, or society of the Church of Rome, bound by monastic or religious vows." . The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not think it was expedient for their Lordships to dictate to the Court of Rome as to whom they should send to this country as ambassadors; and he must, therefore, resist the introduction of the amendment.—(Hear, hear.) This Bill would only place her Majesty. on a footing at the Court of Rome with other Pro testant Sovereigns of Europe, but the Noble Earl opposite wished that the Pope shuld be compelled to concede more to her Majesty, and he, for one, could not agree that this country had a right to make such a demand. The Duke of WELLINGTON said the Bill had for its object the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Roman States and this country upon political matters, it appeared to him that the term or title " Sovenign of the Roman States" was prefer able to Sovereign Pontiff. The amendment was then agreed to. (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the chair at Four o'clock. Two new Members took the oaths and their seats. GLASGOW WATERWORKS. Mr. M•GREGOR presented a petition against this Bill. HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition in favour of this Bill; as also did Mr. GRAINGER. JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL. - Petitions in favour of this Bill were presented by Mr. Thorneley, Mr. G. Thompson, Sergeant Tal fourd, and llon. Member from Essex, and Mr. Adair, from Ipswich. NAVIGATION LAWS. Sir T. BIRCH presented a petition, signed by 7,500 of the merchants of Liverpool, in favour of these laws. THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON presented a petition from the Tower Hamlets in favour of the repeal of the punishment of death; as also from the Society of Friends in Reading. THE DEFENCES OF THE COUNTRY. Petitions againstttt;y addition to the defences of the country were presented by Mr. Cobden, Mr. G. Thompson, and Mr. Williams. REPEAL OF THE WINDOW-TAX. WILLIAms and Mr. WAKLEY presented peti tions in favour of the repeal of this tax. THE CHARTER. Mr. ADAIR presented a petition from the working classes of Ipswich in favour of the Charter. THE TEA DUTIES. Mr._ PILKINGION presented, a petition from the Chamber of Commerce of Blackburn in favour of the repeal of ,these duties. EDUCATION. _ . Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition against the Government scheme of education THE O: - )D FELLOWS. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON" presented three petitions from three societies of Odd Fellows, one of which called themselves " Jt lly Buffers," an announcement which excited much laughter, complaining that the 29th of George 111. prevented them from investing their funds, amounting to 600,0001. a year, which relieved upwards of 1,000,000 males _and females, under the Friendly Societies Act, and praying for a remedy. LONDON WORKHOUSES. _ _ Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition, complaining of the way in which the casual poor wore treated in the London workhouses. JI_4.WIS II DISABILITIES. Mr. S. BERKLEY presented a petition from West Gloucester in favour of the removal of the Jewish disabilities. THE SUN, LONDON, POPISH BULLS. Mr. lIEFLEY presented a petition from Oxford against the admission of Popish Bulls into the country. JEWISH DISABILITIES. Mr. PLIIMPTRE presented against the admis sion of persons professing the Jewish religion into the Legislature. Mr. FRENCH presented a petition in favour of their admission. _ _ DUTIES ON TEA. Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from the Presi dent of the Chamber of Commerce and 470 mercan tile firms in Manchester, praying for a large reduction of the duty on tea. NATIONAL DEFENCES. The HoN. MEMBER also presented a petition against any increase in the naval and military establishments of the country. Mr. HUDSON presented four petitions from Sun derland sgainst any alteration in the navigation laws, and another petition in favour of the Jewish Dis -1 abilities Bill. _ _ Mr. HUME presented a petition from New South Wales comp l a i n i ng o f t h e opera ti on o f th e navigation laws, and the sconstitution of the Admiralty Courts. On an early day he ehould move that the petition be printed with th e v i ew of founding a mot i on upon i t. The Hon. Member also presented another petition from Glasgow praying for relief to the West India Colonies. Lord LINCOLN presented a petition in favour of the Health of Towns ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. On the motion of Mr. TUFNELL, it was ordered. that the House at its rising should adjourn to Mon= day mxt. WAYS AND MEANS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved that the House should go into a Com mittee of ways and means. A vote of 8,000,0001. was then proposed and agreed to. RIVER STEAM-BOATS. Mr. BRIGHT wished to know what powers her Majesty's Government had to controul the steam boats of the river. some Mr. LABOUCHERE thought that it wo uld pro bably be necessa ry f o r him to apply to Parliament for swpoe: to on the subject.H SCOTC . ENTAILS. In 0 a qu e stion from an Hon. Memb er, LOlN AD tto LOIN . fe.. „ laid that he hoped to 1 be able to bring forward a Bill on the subject of Scotch entails in a few days. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. Mr. OSBORNE wished to know what steps had been taken by the Government with respect to a re cent accident on the Chester and Holyhead Railway, by the giving way of one of the bridges upon that line of railway ? Mr. LABOUCHERE said that inquiries had been instituted upon the subject, the result of which would be laid upon the table of the House in a few days. THE BUDGET. Lord JOHN RUSSELL then rose for the pur pose of making the financial statement for the year. The Noble Lord said that he felt his strength so unequal to the task he had undertaken that 'he thought it best to content himself with lay ing before the House the statement of the financial state and policy of the country, leaving to a future occasion the supporting that policybyargument.During the last 18 months the vicissitudes of the country, except during the time of war, had been unparralleled. There had been a fluctuation in prices and a period of distress induced by famine unparalleled in the history of the country. The changes in the price of wheat, the rate of discount, and the price of bullion had been unparalleled. With regard to wheat, the price in September, 1846, had been 495. per quarter ; in January, 1847, it had been 70s. per quar ter ; in May, 1847, 102 s. per quarter, and in September, 1847, it had again fallen to 495. 6d. a quarter, being, within 6d., the same price as in September, 1846. Then with regard to the rate of discount :—ln November, 1846, it had been 3 per cent.; in April, 1847, 5 per cent. ; in October, 8 per cent. ; and in January, 1848, it was 4 per cent. The amount of bullion on the 10th of October, 1846, was 15,780,5001. ; in September, 1847, 7,865,415/. ; and in Feb., 1848, 13,821,7501. Then, again, in the manufacturing districts, the num ber of persons in full work in Feb. 1846 was 16,898 ; in July, 14,865 ; and in Feb. 1847, 32,142. Of persons working half time, the number had been, in February, 1847, 13,404 ; in November, 5,517 ; and in February, 1848, 4,901; while ou6 of oui ploy there had been, in February, 1846, 5,600; in November, 11,616/. ; and in February, 7,5141. These fluctuations must have necessarily greatly affected the public revenue. When the late Govern ment went out of office they had in many instances only taken votes for three quarters of a year instead of the whole year, thereby throwing or adding an additional quarter to the estimates. Last year there was an increase in the estimates of 522,7001., but the actual increase only amounted to 304,2001., which was :he amount for which the pre sent Government was responsible. Then with regard to the increase, the present Government had altered the sugar duties, and in consequence of that alteration the revenue for sugar, which in 1845 had amounted to 3,574,0001., amounted in 1847 to 4,414,000/. On the balance sheet for the year there was exhi bited a balance of revenue over expenditure of 2,956,7821., but deducting the advances made to Ire land on account of the famine, and the China mcney paid the year preceding, the actual defi ciency :was 981,6831. Ile would state the amount at which the revenue was estimated for the ensuing year. He estimated the total revenue for the ensuing year from existing sources of taxation at 51,362,0601.Fr0m the customs:he expectedl9,774,o6o/.; excise, 13,050,340/. ; stamps, 7,150,000/. ; taxes, 4,340,000/.; property-tax, 4,340,0001. ; post-office 923,0001.; crown 1and5,60,000!.; miscellaneous,32o,oool There had been an increase in the revenue from sugar, rum, and molasses of 642,254/., butter of 16,9211. and cheese of 7,650/. There had been a defi ciency in the duties on malt spirits of 1,359,0001. The expenditure had amounted to 51,567/. He proposed to take the Customs for the ensuing year at 19,750,000/., Excise at 13,00,0001., stage coaches 500,000/., stamps 7,500,0001. taxes 4,340,000/., income-tax 5,200,000/., Post-office at 900,000/., Crown lands 60,000/., miscellaneous at 300,0001. The whole amount of the revenue, ac cording to this estimate, would be 51,250,000/. Taking the expenditure voted at 52,315,7091., and the receipt at 51,250,0001., there would be a defi ciency of 1,065,709/. But there is a large sum to be voted for the excess of expenditure in April, 1847, and a sum of 10,000/. for the Kafir war, and taking these at 1,340,1081., there will re a deficiency of 2,411,000/. He laid this condition of the finances early before the House that the House might consider the state of the finances and the cir cumstances of the country, in order that they might determine upon what course was most befitting. All he should do would be to state that course which the Government considered most advisable, leaving it to the — House to determine whether the course the Government proposed was the best, or whether there was another that might seem most advisable. Either they must supply the deficiency by taxation, or make great reductions in their establishments.—(Hear, hear.) He thought it as well to state on this occasion the opinions of the Government on the subject of the national defences. Extreme opinions had been promulgated on both sides. On one side it had been said that we should find ourselves suddenly involved in war with coun tries who had made great military preparations, preparations which we could not meet. On the other it had been said that all foreign powers were inclined to peace, and that if we reduced our armaments they would reduce theirs. On the part of the Government he would guard him self against the supposition that there was anything in our foreign relations, more especially in our re lations with France, lo cause any apprehension of a rupture. for he was more impressed than ever with the necessity of maintaining peace between these two great representative Powers, France and England.— (Cheers,) And he trusted that henceforth these re lations 'would be of the most amicable nature. Yet be found it stated in a recent French publication that the Duke of Wellington had thought it neces sary to make a pamphleteering answer to the Prince de Joinville. Now, he knew that nothing had given the Duke of Wellington greater pain than the publicity which had been given to his letter. The Duke had from time to time, and did from time to time com municated to the Government his opinion on the national defences ; but nothing was further from his desire than to influence any animosities between this and other countries. With the patriotism of the Duke of Wellington there had always been joined an opinion that the power and . independence of this country should be maintained as a guarantee of the independence of other states. No man could blame the Duke for having stated his sentiments in the manner in which he had done, and he should not have alluded to them had he not had the misfortune to differ from the Duke on some points, and to know that not only abroad, but in this country, the Duke had been misunderstood. War was unhappily a contingency against which it was impposible to guard. If forbearance had not been shown on both sides we might have been in volved in war with the United States as well as with France, in spite of the efforts of Governments, in consequence of the susceptibility of the different nations. However tranquil, therefore, the atmos• phere might be there might at any time arise a storm ; and when he recollected that Mr. Pitt, with all his sagacity, foretold a long continuance of peace only a few months before the outbreak of the revo lutionary war, he could not venture to think that there was no possibility of war. Then, with regard to the probability of invasion. Within the last three hundred years there had been instances in which the elements had stood our friends, and had dispersed armaments destined fer our destruction. Since 1815' steam had enabled seamen to set the elements at defiance, and this would lead hostile powers to consider this country more open to inva sion. It was also true that since 1830, under a King who was a sincere lover of peace, there had been a large increase in the naval force of France It was intended to defend large colonial possessions, and to protect a large foreign commerce. There had been a great increase both in the sailing vessels, the steamers, and the amount voted for seamen in France in 1847 as compared with 1837. For in stance, in 1837 there were 153 French ships afloat, and in 1847 there were 216, of which 66 were steamers. In 1837, 2,000,0001. had been voted for the naval service of France, in 1847 it had been 3,582,520/. It had been reproached to the Govern wont that they had made no adequate preparations .; FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY lB, 1846. against invasion. Since 1835 the whole force, army, 1 navy, and ordnance had been increased from 135,743 men to 196,063 men, and he would say that there had been no unwillingness in the House to vote the ne— cessary increase. There was also another kind of force most efficient; 15,000 old soldiers had been organized by the former Government, and the pre sent Government had organized 9,800 dock yard men, with 1,080 guns, and a greater part of this force could be moved at any time. There was also a plan for organising the coast guard, and adding to the men, who would serve for a small amount of pay, giving a force of 9,000 men. On this ground of the number of men there had been no unwillingness to make an adequate provision. The question was, then, whether they should make a very great reduction in their force, or make a large increase in it, or continue from time to time making an increase to such parts as require it. His view was, that it would not be wise to endeavour to make the expenditure equal to the revenue by large reduc tions. On the other.hand he was of opinion there'was no reason for sudden alarm. With moderate additios tocertain branches of the army, navy, and ordnance he believed this country would be in a sufficient state of defence to obtain securities for peace, which was the object of all those preparations.—(Hears hear.) If you expose yourself to having a decisive blow struck against you, you give power to the war party in a foreign country, but if you are prepared you give power to the peace party. They proposed in the navy estimates an increase of 164,0001., being 70,000/. for it, which might properly be called naval services. Lord Auckland had furnished him with a statement of the naval force, and we proposed to keep our naval force on an equality with this, and also proposed to have a reserve of steamers at the various dockyards and at Cork. He thought this was a very wise pre caution; for be it not forgotten that if steam offered advantages for an invader, it also, on the other hand, offered advantages for opposing him, of which we should avail ourselves, and in the mantas he bliould be prepared fully to avail himself of those advantages. In the naval estimates he pro posed to increase the marine force by 1,500 men. With regard to the defences of the dockyards, that subject had been most carefvlly attended to by the late Government, and every work proper for their defence had been begun in strengthen ing them. 262,000/. had been expended in strengthening the defences of Portsmouth, Ply mouth, Pembroke, and Chatham; and the Duke of Wellington, who had inspected those de fences, had expressed himself perfectly satisfied. With regard to the army, although they did not propose the increase of a single man, the number of soldiers in the United Kingdom would be in creased by upwards of 5,000 men by those who would return from India, in consequence of the economy of Lord Hardinge, who having triumphed in hostilities, determined to take upon himself the unpopular task of placing the finances upon an economical footing.—(Hear, hear.) The number of rank and file in the kingdom was now 55,000 ; in the course of a short time it would be 60,000. The number of soldiers in the United Kingdom had been increased 20,000 since the year 1837. The army estimates would be only increased by 43,000/. He proposed an increase in the number of artil lery and sappers and miners. He proposed an increase of 400 sappers and miners, and 1,900 artillery. He also proposed a great increase in the estimates for the ordnance, for increasing the supply of small arms and stores of gunpowder. That would make, for the purposes of the navy, an increase of 70,000/. ; for the army, of 45,000/., and of the ordnnance of 245,0001. Now, they had not a sufficient force to garrison the dockyards, and at the same time to keep the field in case of invasion, and therefore they must have recourse to the old constitutional force, the militia. There were difficulties belonging to that subject now that did not formerly prevail. If they took substi tutes they might not be forthcoming, and if they did not it would be imposing a hardship on the people. He would propose a measure which he thought calculated to meet those difficulties, and the House would decide whether or net it would be practicdble to raise a militia force ; and it might be in some future year their duty to propose an addition to the army. lle proposed to take 150,000/. this year as a foundation for raising this militia force. The whole expenditure for the year would be Navy, Army, Ordnance, and Miscellaneous, 21,820,400/., which, with the Un funded and Funded Debt, and for the Militia and the Kafir war, would make a total expenditure of 54,546,900/. It was evident therefore that he must not o propose a renewal of the income-tax—(Ironical cheers) but that if the House should approve of those estimates, that addi tional taxation should be imposed. It was obvious that a great part of the deficiency depended upon the state of the country, afflicted as it was with scarcity and with commercial and manufacturing distress. They might look to have those effects removed within a few years, and a consequent improvement in the annual in come. With respect to the expenditure they might expect that the Kafir war would soon be at an end, although he did not know that there was an end, to the bills on that account. _(Laughter.) On both these grounds he thought they might hope that only a temporary increase of taxation would be required. He would, in stating what he considered the increase ought to be under the present state of the country and experience of former Govern ments—he thought any increase on the articles of consumption would fail to yield revenue, and would involve almost insuperable difficulties ; therefore he proposed at once to renew the present income-tax from April next for a period of five years, and to vote an increase of it from 7(1. to ls., or from three to five per cent. for a period of two years — (Cries of " Oh ! oh !" and great confusion.) — and, ' without going into the argument on that subject, he would state that considering the great distress prevailing in Ireland that in 1842 it was not imposed in Ireland, and considering the struggle now going on to remedy the social state of Ireland, they thought that—admitting the justice of imposing that tax in Ireland equally with England—the present was not the moment to impose that tax upon Ireland.—(Hear.) They should consider that if they checked the exer tions of Ireland to place herself in a condition of prosperity, they checked the prosperity of the United Kingdom. They proposed, therefore, to take the tax exactly as it had been imposed in past years, on the principle on which it had been imposed by Mr. Pitt and increased by Lord GrenvilleflandLord Lansdowne.—(Loud laughter)— and on the principles on which it had been imposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman.—(Cheers.) He had voted against it in 1842—(Cheers)—he was right in so doing. He had voted in favour of it in 1845. (Hear, hear.) He thought I he had been right in both votes, and the question was now whether you should continue a tax already imposed or impose others. He thought it better to continue and increase this tax than to impose taxes on articles consumed by the great body of the people. The taxes on candles, coals, and leather, which had ' been] stigmatised : by Adam Smith, had been taken off, as had the salt tax, the beer and cider duties, the glass, sugar, butter, and cheese duties, amounting to ten millions of taxes annually upon articles of consumption which had been reduced. The whole amount of taxation reduced since the peace was 39,705,341/.—(Elear.) He thought, therefore, that under circum s ta n ces of ,unparal leled difficulty it was not asking too much of the House in asking for an addition to the direct taxation of the country. He took the income-tax at 3,500,0001, which would give an income of 54,750,0001. to meet the expenditure of 54,596,000/. He proposed to abolish the tax on copper ore imposed in 1842, which had encouraged smelting abroad, and had only produced a revenue of 41,0001., and the abolition of which would greatly , increase the smelting trade of this country. Deduct ing this tax, they would have a revenue of 54,750,000/ to meet an expenditure of 54,637,0001., leaving a sur plus of 115,000/. In another year that surplus woule, he thought be increased, and would enable them to reduce taxation still further. He had endeavoured fairly to bring before; the House the financial condition of the country before calling upon them to vote the estimates, in order to let the House see at once that if they voted the egimates proposed ) they met be Fe. pared to vote an increase of taxation. He had shown them that since the peace 40,000,0001. of taxation had been reduced, whilst they had not only preserved their empire uneliminUe'd, but had extended it. Under the guidance of the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite they had been enabled to give scope to those .principles of commerce of which Adam Smith had been the propounder and Mr. Pitt the disciple. They had been enabled to put down rebellion in Canada, to repel aggression in India, and to defend their fellow•subjects at the Cape of Good Hope. If they continued to keep the revenue equal to the expenditure entirely, they would be able to reduce taxation. He regretted he could not now propose it, but his duty to the country demanded that he should pursue the course he had proposed, which would maintain public credit, uphold public faith, and place this great country beyond the reach of insult from any nation whatever.—(Loud cheers.) The Noble Lord concluded by proposing the formal resolution, which being put from the Chair, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that on the con clusion of the debate he should propose that the Chairman should report progress, and ask leave to sit again on Monday se'nnight. Mr. HUME had never heard with such pain any budget brought forward as he had heard the present. He protested against the idea of the probability of any war with France. (LEFT SPEAKING.) THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, FEB. 18. Notice is hereby given, that his Royal Highness Prince Albert will, by the desire of her Majesty, hold Levees, at St. James's Palace, on behalf of her Majesty, on the following days, at two o'clock— Wednes day, Ist March next ; Wednesday, 22d March next. It is her Majesty's pleasure, that presentations to his Royal Highness at these levees shall be considered equivalent to presentations to the Queen. Addresses to the Queen may either be forwarded to her Majesty, through the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment, or may be reserved until her Majesty shall hold a Levee. N.B. The Knights of the several Orders are to appear in their collars at the Levee on the Ist March, it being a Collar-day. REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE LEVEES AT ST. JAMES'S PALACE. The Noblemen and Gentlemen, who purpose to at tend the Levees, at St. James's Palace, are requested to bring with them two large cards, 'with their names clearly written thereon, one to be left with the Queen's Page in Attendance in the Presence chamber, and the other to be delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, who will announce the name. Those Gentlemen who are to be presented are hereby informed, it is absolutely necessary that their names, with the name of the nobleman or gentleman who is to present them, should be sent to the Lord Chamberlain's office before 12 on the Monday previous to each Levee, in order that they may be submitted for approbation; it being her Majesty's command that no presentation shall be made at the Levees, but in conformity with the above regulations. _ It - is particularly requested, that in every case the names be very distinctly zertiten upon the cards to be delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, in order that there may be no difficulty in announcing them. The state apartments will not be open for the reception of company coming to Court, until half:pastlone o'clock. " The directers have availed themselves of the recent important reduction in the price of iron, and have pur chased the rails necessary for a single line, which are now in course of delivery at the works.- Thus, so far as it rests with the directors, every provision has been made for opening the line to Warrenpoint early in the ensuing summer; this object, if attained, would secure a prompt return to the shareholders upon their whole out. lay. It will therefore be understood how materially their interests will be benefited by early payment of the calls in arrear. "The directors announce that half the capital having been paid up, the burrowing powers of the company come now into operation, and this meeting has been made special for obtaining the assent of the proprietors to the exercise of these powers. "In compliance with the Companies' Clauses Con solidation Act, two of the directors will retire from office at the ensuing general meeting, but are eligible for re-election. One of the auditors also retires, and is likewise eligible for re-election." The following is the engineer's report, which was also read:-- " The embankments through the slob lands adjoining the Newry River are in a very forward state, and that portion between the Rampart and Green island, a distance of about one mile, I expect will be closed in the course of a month. I have much satisfaction in stating this fact, as I had been led to anticipate some difficulty in the construction of this portion of the line. " The retaining walls and excavations through the demesne of Narrow Rater are completed and the public road diverted at this point, as originally intended; the embankments, also, in this neighbourhood are progress ing rapidly, and present no difficulty in their construc tion. "From the arrangements which the contractor has made with the landholders in the neighbourhood of the line, for procuring the necessary material for the forma tion of the embankments, together with the very efficient working plant on the line, he is in a condition to acce lerate the progress of the works, should the directors deem it expedient to do so." The reports of the directors and also that of the en gineer were adopted unanimously, and ordered to be printed and circulated among the proprietors. From the balauce sheet it appeared that the amount of cash in the hands of the bankers of the company was 1,2451. 3s. 10d., and that there was a great arrear in the pay ment of the calls. Several proprietors recommended the enforcement of the payment of the calls by legal means, which the Noble Chairman stated would be consi dered by the directors. The directors that retired by rotation were re-elected. The auditor was re-appointed. A resolution giving power to the company to borrow a sum of 33,000/. was unanimously agreed to; as was also a resolution giving 5001. to the directors for their services. A resolution was also put and carried, calling upon the directors to press the payment of the calls in arrear, and giving them,power, in case of their non-payment, to institute legal proceedings to compel the payment. Thanks were then voted to the Noble Chairman, and the meeting separated. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. THE DIVIDEND.—(THIS DAY.) The polling, continued last evening until six o'clock, on the question of the dividend, was resumed this morning at ten o'clock, and concluded at two. At three o'clock the proprietors met by adjournment, when the Chairman announced the numbers to be— For the dividend of 31 per cent. on the half-year... 3,340 For I P 4 per cent 1,211 Majority for the directors' propositton 2,129 The reduced dividend was accordingly declared pay able On the Ist of March. The announcement was re ceived with applause. The directors retiring by rotation were re• elected, and auditors for the half-year were appointed. The usual routine business of the half-yearly meeting having been gone through with much cordiality, Lord ABINGER moved, and Mr. STANFORD seconded, in highly complimentary speeches, a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was unanimously agreed to. In answer to questions relating_ to the excess of the expenditure over the original estimates, in the case of the Berks and Ilants line (which led to prolonged con versations), the engineer, Mr. Brunel, gave explanations which were received with express satisfaction by the meeting. As far as the original plan for that line was con • cerned, there had been really no excess over the original estimates. The increased expenditure was owing to the necessary extension of this branch line beyond the ori ginal design, the Parliamentary opposition, and the unforseen rise in the value of land since the project was undertaken. Similar explanations took place respecting the South Wales Railway, the works of which were stated by ➢lr. Brunel, to extend pretty nearly over the whole length of the line, and to be about half completed. After much discursive conversation on various affairs of the company in detail, the meeting separated. BANK OF ENULAND. (From this night's Gazette.) An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32,f0r the Week ending on Saturday, the 12th day of February, 1848. ISSUB DEPARTMENT. Notes i55ued........ 27,6-32,895 Government debt • . 11,015,100 Other securities •• • • 2,984.900 Gold coin and bullion 12,139,880 Silver bulliom •• • • 1,443,015 £27,582,895 27,582,895 M, MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. , 1848. Dated the 17th day of February, BANKING D: Propeetors' capital.. 14,553,000 Reid • 3,805,025 Public dcpusits. (in eluding ExChequer, Coulmiasioncrs of National Debt, Say- , EPAETMEN T. Government seeuri- ties (including Dead Weight Annuity).. 11,574,921 Other securities • . • • 13,343,5 otes ..... • • • • • 9,064,235 Gold and silver coin.. 621,82'j ings-bank s, and Di vidend accounto.. 5,332,795 Other deposits •.•• • • • 9,t, 61,645 Seven day and other bills ••• • • • •• • 901,890 434,601,555 £34,604,555 M. MARRIALL, Chief Cashier. , 1848. Dated the 17th day of February, COURSE OF EXCH. Ainster.lam 12 3 4 LN GE.-(THIS DAY.) Ditto, at sight • • .... 12 N Rotterdam .... •... •• 12 3S i 25 80 11amburgh ••M.B. 14 13% • • •• • • Paris, 3 days' sight .. • • 25 45 Ditto, .....„ ........ 25 70 Marseilles .......... 25 SO Llourdeaux ..... • • 2 5 80 Frankfort on Maine.... 122 Leghorn ........ • ..... 31 Genoa .. ••••••• • • • • • .. 25 85 Milan .. • • .......... _ Venice • • Naples ...... • • .... • • 3111% Palermo, per 0z........ 117% Lisbon.... • • 51% 0p0rt0.... • • .... • ... • • 52 Rio Janeiro • • ........ ................ Buenos Ayres ........ New York, 21 days'sight Philadelphia .......... retersburgh, Sil.lible.. Berlin.... ••..•••• •• •• Vienna, effec. flo•• •• • • 10 12 Trieste, ditto.... •• .... 10 13 Machin •• •• ........ 461, Cadiz .. • ............ 48% Barcelona 5avWe................ FUMES OF BULLION, :rat OZ. Foreign Gold In bars.. .£3 17 9 New Dollars G 4 911 Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0 Apanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 4ilver in bars ......•. 0 4 106 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 17. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE COURT OF ROME. Lord STANLEY said he had never entertained any doubt of the uniform sincerity and uprightness of pur pose of the Noble Duke who had last spoken.—(Hear, hear.) But it he believed that the rights of the people of this country, or the rights and privileges of the mo ' narch, were affeced by this Bill, or that the pretensions of the Pope to spiritual preeminence and temporary authority might be thereby strengthened, no considera tion could induce him to consent to the second reading. But he did not believe that it involved any violation of the principle on which the Bill of Rights was founded. —(Hear.) Still, it being well known that for the last two hundred years intercourse with the Court of Rome had been prohibited by a strong moral feeling—or, it might be, by the prejudices of this Protestant nation— no measure, hastily introduced as this had been, ought to be hastily carried, or without due consideration by the 1 country at large.--(Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis himself, on the part of the Government, had declared, by the introduction of this Bill, that grave doubts had existed as to the interpretation of the statutes alluded to ; and as the practice had, for the last 180 years, been contrary to what this Bill went to sanction, it was clear that the measure was, to all intents, an enacting Bill, empowering her Majesty to do what she could not do as the law previously stood. The Noble Marquis had assumed that all the current of history and of opinion was in favour of intercourse with Rome, prior to the Acts in question ; but this was not so, as was evinced by the course taken by the Duke of Somer set in the case referred to by the Noble Marquis. Then, as to the policy of the measure, if it were deemed neces sary by Government that her Majesty should be freed from the existing restrictions, the proper and most dig nified course wonld have been to have introdueed the sub ject in the Speech from the throne ; or, if the necessity was not then foreseen, at least to have made it the subject of a special formal message to the House. Instead of that,:the Noble Marquis had risen, after a debate on the West India question, and had laid the Bill on the table iwith the same nonchalance as if it had been nothing more than a turnpike trust Bill.—(Hear, hear.) Surely that was not the mode in which a great measure like this should be dealt with; and he hoped their Lord ships would not allow it to be hastily slurred over.— (Hear.) Even, in the interest of the Bill itself, the fullest opportunity ought to he given for its thorough con sideration. The Noble Marquis might at least have made some communicatjpn as to the late proceedings at the Court of Rome, and have informed their Lordships what was the result of the intercourse which had taken place between Lord Minto and that Court. It might be said that that intercourse was unofficial; and if there were really any impediment to this intercourse in existing Acts of Parliament, Earl Minto, and the Noble Lord at the head of foreign affairs had placed themselves in a very difficult position. For in a dispatch dated in Octo ber last the Noble Earl was requested by Lord Palmer ston to press on the Court of Roose the removal of the Jesuits from Switzerland, with the view of preventing war in that country. Earl Minto, in his reply, stated that he had had some conversation on the sub• ject with the Cardinal Secretary of State, and said he should continue to press for the Pope's interposition in the matter. It might be said this was mere conversa tioa • but, in the face of a law which was presumed to prohibit diplomatic intercourse, here was an official in struction from the Foreign Secretary to Lord Minto to undertake a certain negotiation, and a regular official report from that Noble Lord as to the:result of his repre sentations. This correspondence had been officially laid ou the tables of both Houses; and if this intercourse were not penal under existing Acts, he was at a loss to know what kind of diplomatic intercourse could be so.— (dear, hear.) It could nut be said that this intercourse was private and confidential; for the Government had themselves furnished official copies thereof. Hence, as it was not to be presumed that the Noble Marquis a?d 40 - ts COltitlgt;es . l44 kni+WinglY incurred 010 130211.40 i WHITE JALG, FEB. IG. The Queen his been pleased to constitute and appoint theß ght. Hon. Richard Lalor Sheil, Master of the Mint; William Cotton, Et , q.; Commissary-General Sir Edward Pine Coffin; and Colonel William Nairne Forbes, 11. E. I. C. Bengal Engineers, Co be Commissioners to conduct au inquiry into the Royal Mint; and has empowered and commanded them to inquire into and report upon the constitution, management, and expense of the Royal Mint, and to suggest such alterations as may appear to them to be required to ensure the economical and sa tisfactory execution of the duties belonging to that es tablishment. WHITEHALL, FED. 17, 1848. The Queen has been pleased to appoint General the Hon. Sir Alexander Duff, Knight, to be Lieutenant and Sheriff Principal of the shire of Elgin, in the room of Francis Earl of Moray, deceased. DOWNING STREET, FEB. 18. The Queen has been pleased to appoint William Lang, Esq., to be Polico Magistrate fur the province of South Australia. CROWN-OFFICE, Frn. 18. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PAR- LIAMENT. County of Shropshire—Northern Division—John Whitehall Dod, Etq., in the room of Edward James Herbert, commonly called Viscount Clive, now Earl of Powis, called up to the House of Peers. WAR OFFICE, FEB. 8. Ist Regiment of Foot—Lieut. Thomas Edward Bid good to be Adjutant, vice Parker, deceased ; Ensign William Fortescue Scott to be Lieutenant, vice Bidgood, Adjutant • Alexander Draper, (lent., to be Ensign, vice Scott, Feb. 18. 17th Foot—Lieutenant Henry Thwaytel, from 2d West India Regiment, to be Lieutenant, vice \Vedder burn, who exchanges, Feb. 18. 19th Foot—George Lidwill, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Taylor, who retires, Feb. 18. 47th Foot—Lieutenant Robeit William,Lowry to be Captifin, by perchuse, vice Collins, who retires; Ensign Charles Elgee to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Lowry; Richard George Ellison, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase; vice Elgee, Fe.b. 18. 51st Foot—Thomas Crawford, M.D., to he Assistant Surgeon, vice Thomas Leopold Belcher, who retires on half-pay, Feb. 18. 52d Foot—Ensign the Honourable Ernest George Curzon to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Riley, who retires ; Carisbrooke James Lyon, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Curzon, Feb. 18. 61st Foot—Lieutenant Andrew David Alston Stewart, from 21st Foot, to be Captain, without purchase, vice Herbert, deceased, Feb. 18. Ist West India Regiment—Waring Alexander Biddle, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Fottrell, who retires, Feb. 18. 2d West India Regiment—Lieutenant Augustus Wed derburn, from 17th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Thwaytes, who exchanges; Assistant Surgeon William Henry Brownson, M.D., from the Staff, to be Surgeon, vice Collings, appointed to the Staff, Feb. 18. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Surgeon Adolphus Collings, M.D. from 2d West India Regiment, to be Staff Surgeon of Secod Class, vice Robinson, deceased, Feb. 18, 1848. UNATTACHED —Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Plomer Young, from Major half-pay Unattached, to be Lieu tenant-Colonel without purchase. Feb. 18, 1848. BREVET.—Captain William C. E. Napier, of the 25th Foot, to be Major in the Army; Captain William M. G. hi'Murdo, of the 78th Foot, to be Major in the Army, F e b. 18. MintoaaNDam.—The Exchange between Paymaster Low, of 53rd Regiment, and Paymaster Erskine, of 21st Foot, as stated in the Gazette of Ist October, 1847, has been cancelled. The Christian names of Ensign Walsh, of 73rd Foot, are Thomas John. Erratum in the Gazelle of Feb. 11, 1848. 73d Foot—For Lieutenant John R. S. Fitz Gerald, from half-pay 62d Foot, to bo Lieutenant, vice Murray, promoted; read vice Faint, killed at the Cape of Good Hope. ADMIRALTY, FEB. 12. Corps of Royal Marines—Archibald Alexander Douglas, Gent, to be Second Lieutenant; Charles Loftus Tottenham Usher, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant ; George Laseelles Blake, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant. BANKRUPTS. John Saunders Rayment, builder, Thomas-street, Millwall, Poplar. John Edward Smith, James Rait Beard, and Richard Tew Smith, warehousemen Cheapside. John Brocklehurst, gas-fitter, High Holborn. Stephen Stringer, coach plater, Northumberland street, New-road. Robert Martin, ale merchant, Plymouth. Charles Westbrook, shoe maker, Stafford. Jehu Townley, agent, Manclester. John Birch Gregory, straw plait dealer, Birmingham. Peter Cruikshank, coal-dealer, Ardwick, Manchester. James Birbeck, coach proprietor, Manchester. Richard Martin, tanner, Tavistock. Henry Gully, surgeon, Taunton. Thomas Payne, licensed victualler, Falkingham, Lin colnshire. Francis Blair Henderson, ironmonger, Liverpool. John Packer, quarryman, Cheltenham. George Garton, stock broker, Sheffield. John Binch, grocer, Nottingham. Charles James Challenger, dealer in salt, Quay, Bristol. Alexander M'Naughtane Paterson, John Walker, James Boydell, and Charles Blayney Trevor Roper, iron founders, Oak Farm Works, Kingswinford, Stafford James Scott, chemist, Strand. John Bentley, linen draper, St. John-street-road, Clerkenwell. Ralph Datling, miller, Darlington, Durham. William Pain Beecham, banker, lawkhurst, Kent. James Jackson[Ferens and Rubinson Ferens, drapers, Durham. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed from the returns made in the week ending February 15, 1848, is 255. 5 1 4 d. per cwt. NEWRY, WARRENPOINT, AND RosTREVOIt RAILWAY.—(THIS I)AY.) The fourth ordinary general meeting of the share holders of this company took place to-day at the com pany's offices, Moorgate street. Lord Newry took the chair at half-past one o'clock. he usual preliminary proceedings having taken place, the Secretary read the following report of the directors: " The balance-sheet of this company to the Ist inst., exhibiting the state of accounts to that date duly audited, is now submitted to the proprietors. '• The directors subjoin the report of the company's engineer, by which it will be seen that the works have been progressing satisfactorily, and with as much expe dition as the means at the disposal of the directors would admit of. The circumstances of the times, however, have operated to delay in many cases the payment of the calls, which is to be regretted, as incesetaily retarding , toe period of opening the line, preemmnire, what became of the argument in favour of the necessity of this measure as a means of facilitating diplomatic intercourse with the Court of Rome?—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Marquis bad cited an instareee of direct intercourse with that Court; but this had taken place at a time when all Europe was involved in war, and under the pressure of the strongest necessity. —(Hear, hear.) He did not deny that there might be conveniences and advantages attending a diplo matic intercourse with the Court of Room ; but it should be well considered whether there might not be connected therewith inconveniences and disadvantages of a still stronger character.—(Hear.) As to the Pope s spiritual authority in this realm, no one supposed that the oath of abjuration meant to deny that a very large class of our fellow-subjects did consider themselves sub ject to the spiritual advice and authority of the Pontiff ; what was implied was this, that the authority in ques tion was not such as could be supported by the laws of this country, but merely one founded in opinion. No one disputed the authority which a rescript from Rome would possess over an Irish Roman Catholic bishop. It was, therefore, idle to allege that this Bill was neces sary for the purpose of diplomatic intercourse, in the light in which that necessity had been represented. The fact was, the Pope had authority over our Roman Catholic fellow subjects, and the Government were now seeking to establish relations with the Pope, in order to secure his authority being e x er c i se d i n th e l east offensive manner. The Government must admit that this was the real object of the Bill.—(Hear.) Then arose the question, did this measure sanction and strengthen the Papal authority ? If he believed it to have that effect, he should directly oppose it. He believed the present Pope to be a liberal and well-intentioned man; whether he was a far seeing and discreet man might be doubted, for he feared he had entered on a course, poli tically speaking, which was full of danger. However this might be, it was evident that no man who bad recently occupied the Papal chair had exercised his spiritual authority with so high a hand.—(Hear, hear.) In the case of the Irish colleges the course pursued by Pius the Ninth was most ill-judged and reprehensible.- - (Hear, hear.) Had this country had diplomatic relations at that Court, remonstrances might have been offered; and if these remonstrances had been disregarded, which was probable, would not that have led to more serious rnisunderstrndings with the Court of Borne than if no such relations had existed ?—(Hear, hear.) Hence, he doubted whether the inconveniences that might result from this measure might not outweigh the probable advantages. Though he was far front thinking with the Noble Duke (Wellington) that bes cause the Government had laid this Bill on the table the House ought to give it a second reading, he was yet willing to allow it to proceed, reserving his right to give it full consideration afterwards; and he hoped the Government would allow a sufficient interval for this purpose, before the Bill passed its remaining stages. The Noble Marquis had expressed his readiness to adopt any amendment which might be thought necessary for giving greater security to the Protestant Church; and he thanked the Noble Lord on the Woolsack for the important provisoes which he had suggested. He did not object to the Bill because it recognised the temporal sovereignty of the Pope in his own dominions; this bad already been fully recognised by this country. But be much doubted whether the recognition was reciprocal, as the Noble Marquis intimated; for it was undeniable that claims had been put forward at different times by the Papacy wholly inconsistent with the temporal autho rity of the Queen of England in her dominions.—(Hear, hear.) He doubted whether it was consistent with the dignity of a great country like this to enter into diplo matic relations with any power, without a clear and ex press declaration on the part of that power of the tern' poral authority at least of our Sovereign.—(Hear, hear.) Unless such provisions were introduced he should feel obliged to oppose the Bill. In every other country. Catholic as well as Protestant, it had been found neces sary to place th e i r dipl omat i c re l at i ons w i th Rome on S more limited footing than those with any other country, the reason being the extreme difficulty of drawi n g the boundary line between the temporal and spiritual ate• thority of the Pope. In the case of Prussia some spe cial provisions of the kind he now suggested were made before entering into diplomatic intercourse with Rome. With regard to our Ambassador at Rome, the advan tages and inconveniences might be nearly balanced; but if a papal envoy were admitted here, especially if allowed to combine spiritual and temporal authority, the probable inconveniences would be very serious; and the people of this country would require very strong security against the abuse of such power. This power ought especially to be guarded with reference to the admission of bulls and rescripts. As they were about to introduce a Papal Envoy into this country, precautions not necessary in Roman Catho lic countries ought to be taken to prevent bulls and rescripts being admitted or permitted to come in which had not obtained the previous sanction of the Govern.. went. These were the points to which it was right the attention of their Lordships shoukl be directed. Sortie of these points were calculated to satisfy the apprehene sions of the public, and it was on these grounds that. though he was not prepared to join with the Noble Duke who had moved the amendment in negativing the second reading of this Bill, and which amendment be hoped would not be pressed to a division, still he wished to see how far the objection to the measure might be removed in Committee ; but he should reserve to him self the entire right to take any course which he might think expedient on the third reading of the Bill. He would not now pledge himself to the final adoption of the measure, but he hoped that, on a matter of so much importance, worthy, he would not say the prejudice* but the religious feeling of the people, ample time would be given for the consideration of the Bill, as it would stand after the introduction of those amendments which their Lordships in their wisdom might, think fit to adopt.—(Hear, hear.) Earl GREY expressed the great satisfaction he felt that the Noble Lord who had just sat down, and who had carefully scrutinised this measure to discover every possible defect, found no greater fault With it than the manner in which it had been introduced. The Noble Lord said that a measure of such vast importance, in volving considerations of serious political consequences, ought not to have been brought in without in the first instance having been announced to Parliament by her Majesty in the speech from the throne, or, at all events, by a formal message sent by the Crown to both branches of the Legislature. This objection was unworthy of the Noble Lord, for it was new to him (Earl Grey) that such a course was necessary; and if no more serious fault could be found, he was content to leave it without any answer. With respect to the introduction of the Bill, it had been laid upon the table by his Noble Friend the President of the Council in a manner strictly in ac cordance with the p rac ti ce o f t h e H ouse, an d h i s Noble Friend had, as usual, reserved any explanation or discussion of the measure until he moved the second reading, and to-night he had not failed to lay the case fully and fairly before their Lordship* The case his Noble Friend had made out must have car ried conviction to the mind of almost every individual who had heard him. But then the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Stanley) found fault with the short interval which had been allowed to elapse between the introduction of the Bill and its second reading. He (Earl Grey) owned that he was astonished that this objection should have been raised by the Noble Lord, because he himself had suggested that if a reasonable interval was given before the second reading, there would be no sort of objection to proceeding with the Bill in Committee on the fol lowing day. The Government had no wish to hurry the Bill to a discussion, and had allowed a fair interval to elapse, but not to fix so distant a day for the second reading that the country might be lashed into a sort of artificial agitation. After finding these petty faults, and dealing in this minute sort of criticism, the Noble Lord had proceeded to make some comments which, so far from being arguments against the Bill, were in fact strong arguments in its favour. He had quoted Lord Minto's dispatches, and argued from them that already there was clearly a diplomatic intercourse he - tween Rome and this country, and that if the penalties of pramuniee had arisen, they had been incurred by her Majesty's Government. The Government had never pretended that Lord Minto had gone to or remained at Rome on his own pleasure. On the contrary, he was there for an avowed public object, but the existing state of affairs prev en t e d hi m h av i ng f orma l l etters to the Pope. He had n o p ro p er au th or ity t o ac t as t h e repre sentative of the British Crown at the C our t o f Rome, but at the same time it had never been ' concea l e d th a t he had taken an active part in th e aff a ir s o f th a t cou ntry This was the very case the Government brought forward in favour of this Bill, as showing the necessity which had existed and still did exist, for intercourse of diplomatic nature between the two countries. The manner in which that intercourse had hitherto been carried on, had been most unsatisfactory It was of frequent occurrence that the Govern' went had to communicate with the Court of Rome is reference to the ecclesiastical affairs in many of the cue lonics where the Roman Catholic religion prevailed, and hence it was of importance this country should have a recognized representative at Rome. Undoubtedly !t would not have been right to h ave sen t L or d Mi n to if the Government lied not contemplated the very step which it had now taked in asking Parliament to put the intercourse upon a proper footing. The Noble Lord opposite had said that no Protestant state received as an envoy from Rome any ecclesiastic, and he had i ns t a nced the case of Prussia. This restriction, however, did not rest upon the law of Prussia, but simply on the pleases of the King and his Government, and on that pleasure they had declined to receive an ecclesiastic as an ambas sador. In the same way, if this Bill passed, it would be open to the Government of . this country, be th a t Govern ment whom it might, to decline to receive any =baste' dor if they thought any inconvenience or danger would arise from his presence here, and therefore it appeared to him (Earl Grey) to b e unnecessary that the B i ll should contain any such clause of restriction as that of which notice had been given. It would ; be difficult to frame a clause to define who would •be a safe ambassador to be admitted irons the Court of Rome, and therefore it was better that the responsibility should be left upon the Governmen t for the ti me b e i ng. Th e c l ause of which the Noble Duke at the table (the Duke of Wellington) had giv en notice would be a decided improvement in the Bill; for though he (Earl Grey) thought the Bill was perfeali safe as it stood, this clause would make " assuranc e doubly sure," and tend to allay unn ecessar y f ears which prevailed outside the walls of Parliam en t. Hence tu The re Government gave their adhesion to that clause. w h e a . was no other point to which he (Earl G re y) f e lt it cessary at present to advert, except as to what had fallen from a Right Reverend Prelate early in the debar ? : who appeared to him to admit the policy, eP i( 6 ) . diency, and legality (under the existing laws) of dip matic intercourse with the Court of Rome; for the the jection of the Right Rev. Prelate simply was, that It: Bill was unnecessary; and he desired that the opinion of the judges should be taken as to the law as it actu all y stood in this respect. Now, according to the fOllll5 0 the House, if this Bill had not been before it, i t was competent to consult the judges on a question of th e ~0: r . • ; , ';x r ~'