The Sun. — London, England, 1848-08-19 00:00:00

, . .ganizing, a wise system of colonization ; so that all the ad vantages which the United States of America derived from their annual colonization of the far west might be derived by us from our annual and constant colonization of the vast and fertile colonies belonging to the Crown.—(Hear, hear.) He should be ashamed in any circumstances, or on account of any effect that might be experienced by Government, to de= fend any steps that had been taken hostile to the interests of colonization.—( Hear.) He believed the Right Hon. Gentle man had underrated or misunderstood the particular circum stances of Vancouver's Island, and he defended the course that had been taken with regard to that island as the wisest that could have been adopted. The Right Hon. Gentleman talked of absolute government and its abuses; but it was his belief that absolute government never existed anywhere without being abused; and he should have been suprised is charges had not been brought against the Hudson's Bay Company on this head. But what had all this to do with the question? Was the Government about to give a mono• poly of trade to the Hudson's Bay Company ? Why it had got it already. It had the exclusive right of trading all over that country, and had enjoyed that right for many years. Then as to the absolute government of the company, and its chopping off heads without trial, and taxing without power, was it proposed to place any body of the English people under such absolute government?—(Hear, hear.) On the contrary, they were proceeding on the principle that all who settled there were to be under a perfectly free and representative government.— (Hear, hear.) But the Right Honourable Gentleman said the proposed arrangement would have the effect of destroying future empires and great states, and that it was disposing for ever of the fortunes of the colony. Now what did the arrangement in reality come to ? It was merely a limited disposal, upon certain condi tions, of the lands of this colony to the Hudson's Bay Com pany for eleven years.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME—It is a grant in perpetuity. Mr. BULLER would show, hereafter, that ft was a con ditional grant for only eleven years. In the mean time he would advert to the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman that the colony was to be put under absolute government. Mr. GLADSTONE had not said so. Mr. BULLER—The Right Hon. Gentleman said these people were to be under a mockery of a government foreign to their wants, feelings, and habits. He said it was a farce giving representative institutions to these people, who, from their dependence on the company, and from the character of their minds, and the state of their education, were unfit to maintain their rights. Now he differed from that view. He thought that if they gave them representative institu tions they would make these servants of the company their masters. If they gave them the right of governing the colony, whatevir might be the powers and privileges of the company, they would be bound to obey the Assembly, how ever constituted; and in a short time their privileges would be extended to the community at large. (Hear, hear.) His confidence in representative govern ment would be entirely shaken if he did not think that the establishment; of it in Vancouver's Island would be in. compatible with the exercise of absolute government.= (Hear.) The Right Hon. Gentleman next said the company was an anti-colonizing company. Now, the very first object of Government was to make large colonization one of the conditions of the grant. He admitted that the grant was stated in the charter to be given to the company, their heirs, and their successors, " for ever ;" but then this was clogged with a condition " that this present grant is made to the in tent that the said governor and company shall establish upon the said island a settfelbent or settlements of resident colo nists, emigrants from our kingdom of Great Britain and Ire land, or from other our dominions, and shall dispose of the land there as may be necessary for the purpose of promoting settlements (and 4er the actual purpose of promoting settle ments), and for flee actual purposes of colonization, and shall, once in every two years at the least, certify, under the seal of the said governor and company, to one of our principal Secretaries of State what colonists shall have been from time to time settled in the said colony, and what lands shall have been disposed of."— (Hear, hear.) But then, said the Right Honourable Gentleman, " the Secretary for the Colonies called a few wretched settlers at a particular sound a colony." The charter, however, went on to say :—" And we further declare, that this present grant is made upon this condition, that if the said governor and corn . peny shall net, within the term of five years from the date of these presents, have established upon the said island a set tlement of resident colonists, emigrants from the United King dom of Great Britain and Ireland, or from other our domi • 'lions, and it shall, at any time after the expiration of such term of Live years be certified Me us, our heirs or successors, by any person who shall be appointed by us, our heirs or suc cessors, to inquire into the condition of such island, that such settlement has not been established according to the intent of this our grant, it shall be lawful for us, our heirs and sue= cessors, to revoke this present grant, and to enter upon and resume the said island and premises hereby granted." But were all these provisions insufficient? If so, there was another great provision that overrode them aIL It was pro . vi led that, " And we hereby declare, that this present grant is, and shall be, deemed and taken to be made upon this further condition, that we, our heirs and successors, shall have, and we accordingly reserve unto us and them, full power, at the ex piration of the said governor and company's grant or license of or for the exclusive privilege of trading with the Indians, to repurchase and take of and from the said governor and company the said Vancouver's Island and premises hereby granted, in consideration of payment being made by as, our heirs or successors, to the said governor and company, of the sum or sums of money theretofore laid out and ex pended by them in ited upon the said island and premises." Mr. HUME—But we are also to take their establishments at a valuation. Mr. BULLER—No doubt it was provided that we were to pay them " the value of their establishments, property, and effects." It would be surprising indeed if the Govern ment of this country. after encouraging the company to raise establishments and buildings in the island, should - take them from them for nothing. It would indeed be an extraordinary supposition for men of common honesty to make.—( Hear. hear.) Then what was the important bar gain made with this company ? It was this—that that coin ' pany, having the exclusive privilege of trading over the country, were to carry on the government with a representa tive assembly, and make settlements, with the condition that if they were not made in five years the grant might be revoked, and that at the end of eleven years, if we saw cause to repent of the arrangement, we might enter on possession of the island simply by paying the money that had been laid out. One of two things would of course happen in the island —either the company would not make large settlements, and the amount to be paid on resuming the island would be very small, or they would erect splendid establishments, which would be a sufficient index of prosperity, and therefore there would be no cause to intertere.—(Hear, hear.) He thought, . then, that as provident a bargain had been made as could be arranged under the circumstances. The Right Hon. Gentle man had insinuated that the Red River settlement was a great reproach to the company, and he complained that they had not established agricultural settlements. Now, a more groundless charge than that they had not established agri cultural settlements in the inaccessible regions approaching Hudson's Bay could hardly have been made. When it was considered that this company bad established a thriving settlement hundreds of miles beyond the point occupied by any English or American settlers, he thought it was a marvellous instance of the successful manner in which colonization had been carried out by this company. The great misapprehension which gentlemen laboured under was, that this V'ancouver's Island was a noble field for colo nization, whereas he believed it was the very last placewhere u attempt would be made by any large body of settlers to tom a colony. Vancouver's Island was, in fact, the last spot in her Majesty's dominions to which the stream of emigra tion was likely to flow. Let them look at the map of the world, and it would be seen that, considering the expense and the time required to reach it, it was the very farthest spot from this country.—(Hear, hear.) He did not doubt that in he course of hundreds of years it might become a field for colonization, but no one could with truth venture to say that it was so at the present moment. It was impossible for emigrants to reach Vancouver's Island at an expense of less than 501. a head, and after a voyage of six months. His belief was, that till they had filled the Cape of Good Hope, New Holland, and New Zealand, Vancouver's Island would be a closed field for emigrants.—(Hear, hear.) What was the trade of this place? Talk of its harbours I— for what purpose of maritime defence, command, or trade? The whole Pacific was commanded by ether harbours— by Labuan, New Zealand, and Hong-Kong. Were we to abandon our natural fields of colonization for Vancouver's Island? Talk of trade—what trade had we with Vancon- Nees Island? What produce had the island to offer us? the believed his Hon. Friend the Secretary for the Colonies had rather depreciated the climate. His own American ex perience led him to believe that it had one of the finest climates in the world—(Hear, hear)—but with regard to soil, it was suite different. The report was there was ex ceedingly little valuable land. He had never heard that there was any valuable timber, or any particular produce in that country. But if there were all these things, where were the hands to work them after a six months' voyage and a passage-money of 50/. per head? The colonization of Van couver's Island was a chimera for the present generation. However much we might pride ourselves on the extent of our empire and powers of colonisation, he very much doubted whether, looking at the matter without national vanity, and with a sober, calm, and dispassionate spirit, we must not make up our minds to this, that Vancouvers Island would remain a very small settlement for the next • hundred years. When the tide of the American population • should have extended over the Rocky Mountains, filled California with an enterprising race, and crept up the coast, Vagieuver's Island and the Oregon territory would probably Orsettled. When we had done our duties of colonization in other parts of the world, our population might go out there; but this he must beg gentlemen to re collect, bleat when they talked of the colonial empire of Eng land and colonization. they referred to no little field, and the necessity of no insignificant efforts. He wished he saw some beginning of a great scheme of colonisation. He wished he could see the nearest of our resources turned to account. He wished to see the difficulties that prevented our emigrants settling in Canada and British North America removed. He :wished he could see the magnificent region of the Cape set tled, with a climate the finest in the world, and many facili ties for growing some of the most valuable raw materials of consumption. He wished he could see New Holland, with its vast sea coast and all its capabilities, turned to good ac • count. He wished he could see New Zealand covered with an hundred such settlements as those planted by the com pany. When we had done all this, we might begin to cast about in order to make Vancouver's Island available for cola mization. This might be some forty, fifty, or a hundred years hence. In the mean time came the period of eleven years, within which, to use the emphatic language of the charter, we might " repurchase and take of the Hudson's Bay Company, at the cost of all they had laid out in the interval, the whole land now granted to them."—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME had been very much surprised to hear the complaint made that the Government had been taken by surprise y this discussion.(the Earl Several weeks ago a Noble this sub . of Lincoln) put a notice on the books upon Pct, and it certainly was not the fault of the Noble Lord the Memb er Falkirk that it had not been soon er and complained o f the renewal he had himself moved for p a p ers renewal of the lease to the Hudson's without Bay Company tt t he knowledge of that House. The Member - lion. Gentlem an the the) for Newcastl e - un d er -L yme haying consulted himin month of March last what should be d one to prevent the Hudson's B a y C ompany having a renewal unt i l some inquiriea had taken place, he advises the Hron. :dumber to Colonial Dep ar t men t and ask the very simple question to the that they would not grant had terminated, and the result the Lord Elgin was a renewal of the lease until the em's of M em b ers. 'rite Honourable Gentleman did so, and it promise wrong,'h an a d erwards, tl • offect had een made; but about g a month to that suspecting that something was Colonial-etlive would not keel: its word, th e uunthat therable Gentleman asked again what should be done? lettereu then written by his advice to t h e Se cretary of State, asking whether the Honourable Gent l e ma n had been und er f% misapprehension when he understood that no steps should b e • taken in this matter until the inquiry was complete. Hi s • principal ground of complaint was that any Secretary of &ate should take upon himself to dispose of such immense interests without deigning to consult or lay information be -fore Parliament. Such a thing would not have been done in termer days. He challenged the power of any Secretary of §tate,aye. even of the Sovereign, to give away in this manner ;-what belonged to the nation.—[The Hon Member then read se letter from Mr. Christy to air. Under-Secretary Hawes,' tin i eiu nng, in order t o remove m i sappre h ens i on, w h e th er h e lad correctly understood Mr. Hawes, that it was the inten- THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING-, AUGUST 10, 111111,, tion of the Government to wait a report from Lord Elgin, I and to, give Parliament an opportunity of considering the subject, before any privileges of the Hudson's Bay Corn- I pany were renewed ; and the answer of Mr. Hawes, I that he (Mr. Christy) had understood him correctly; that Government had not come to any decision, and in- I tended to wait for the report of Lo r d El g i n , an d th a t. before any decision was finally come to, Lord Grey would give ample opportunity for the consideration of the subject.] He considered that there had been a complete breach of faith. What was his surprise when the Hon. Member came to him and said he believed something was going on ! He (Mr. Hume) said it could not be; bat so it was. This was not the fault of the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. C. Buller), or of the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell); he had to complain, and he did complain, not only in this in stance, but in other instances, of the conduct of the Colonial Secretary. The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Buller) said there had been a great mistake as to the capabilities of Vancouver's Island; that it had no water, no wood, and was not calculated for colonization. Now, he (Mr. Hume) held in his hand a report from Mr. Douglas, a public officer of the Hudson'aßay Company, which stated that there was an abundance of timber on the island ; that its coast was in dented with bays and inlets, having good anchorage ; and that the soil had great capabilities for agriculture. The Right lion. Gentleman said that the soil was bad ; but this gentleman stated that more than two-thirds of the surface of the island was prairie land, and other parts were covered with valuable oak and the finest timber; that the climate was mild and pleasant, and that there might be grown upon the island any kind of grain that was raised in England. This was the place which the Right Hon. Gentleman said was unworthy of being attended to until every other part of the world had been colonised. Sir George Simpson, in a letter dated the 21st of June, 1844. said that the country and climate were " remarkably fine ;" that the soil was fit for agriculture, and the rearing of domes tic cattle; and that the place would become important, and was better calculated for a depot for trade than any place in its neighbourhood. In other respects this island was im portant in a commercial view. We had lost by our absurd law the southern whale fishery, and this island might be made the resort of the whale fishery. Sir G. Simpson stated that American whale ships had resorted there, and that he thought it likely to become a depot for that purpose, as it was much nearer the fishing ground than California. We were now handing over this island to a company of the despotic character which the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) had so forcibly described. The other Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Buller) asked whether' capital would not find its way thither if it could be advan tageously employed; but it was not so much capital that was wanted as settlers. It was by giving employment that colonies arose; but he believed the object of the company was to keep out all colonization in order to engross the fur trade, since colonization would. to a certain degree, en; croach upon the trade of the company. He thought the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) had made out such a case against the Government that the House ought to address her Majesty not to rant a charter to the com; pany without inquiry. The Columbia River, which the Americans had, was obstructed by bars; Vancouver's.lsland, so available for trade, was distant from China only a voyage of 18 days. Plenty of men and plenty of capital would go there if the settlers were independent. There were coal-fields covering 50 square miles in the island, the coal cropping out at the top, and costing but little to raise; it was lamentable, therefore, to think that, anxious as w e were to promote colonization by self•governing settlers, we should surrender such an opportunity to this company. The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Buller) had laboured to prove that " for ever," in the grant, meant only a limited time; but he found that Sir John Pelly asked for land "in perpe• tuity," and that there were the following words in the grant : "W e do make, create, and constitute the said governor and company for the time being, and their successors, the true and absolute lords and proprietors of the said terri tories, &c., for ever, to be holden of us in free and common soccage, at the yearly rent of 75., payable to us and our ancestors for ever."—(Loud laughter, occasioned by the Hon. Member reading " ancestors" for " successors.") Prince Edward's Island had been divided amongst 18 people in one day, on condition that, for every acre, they should bring two Protestants to settle on it. They had never brought one settler, yet they were allowed to hold, and did hold, the land for 50 years. In the present case it was not what the coin • pany was permitted to do, but what they were allowed to prevent others from doing. No man who read the papers could hesitate to come to the conclusion that the company, a body of monopolists, were to have the sole and entire posses sion of this large island, 250 miles long by 50 broad. Ile proposed to move, and to take the sense of the House upon the motion, "That an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that her Majesty will be pleased not to grant a charter to the Hudson s Bay Company, until further inquiry has been made into the administration by the com pany of the settlement on the Red River, and until the ca• pabilities of Vancouver's Island have been fully ascertained." Mr. P. HOWARD said, the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Buller) had not grappled with the arguments of the Right Non. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Gladstone), who had shown that the grant eonterred very wide powers upon a company who were manifestly not promoters of colonization. He quite agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite in many of the views of this important subject which he had taken, and he was sure the House and the country would agree with him when he said it was a matter of no trifling moment to England that in Vancouver's Island there should be a thickly populated colony, capable of counterbalancing neighbouring and, perhaps, hostile states. England should there possess a colony of sufficient weight and power to be useful in balancing the influence of the United States. He, therefore, held that her Majesty's Government ought not to be backward in following out the views of the Hon. Gentle man opposite, and of those who expressed similar sentiments in the course of the present discussion. Mr. HAWES wished to put the House right with respect to the letter on which the charges against the Noble Earl at the head of the Colonial-office had been founded. That letter had no relation whatever to the subject now under discussion. It was addressed to him on the 4th of April, 1848. by the Hon. Member for Newcastle (as we understood), and his answer to that letter was very speedily returned. In that letter the Hon. Member inquired if he were to under stand the Government as saying that they would give Par liament an opportunity of considering the report that had been made on the subject of Vancouver's Island before they granted any additional privileges to the Hudson's Bay Com pany. To this inquiry he (Mr. Hawes) replied that the Hon. Member was quite right in concluding that no decision would be immediately pronounced on the differences between the Hudson's Bay Company and the settlers on the Red River. Until after they had had communication with Lord Elgin on the subject, the Colonial-office did not intend to come to any decision. It must be obvious, then, to the House that this correspondence had nothing whatever to do with the colonization of Vancouver's Island; it merely re lated to the differences between the company and the set tlers; it was, therefore, unconnected with the present question. Mr. CHRISTY observed that the Government had had full notice, and might easily have brought the subject under the consideration of Parliament. As there appeared to be some slur thrown on the source from which he had derived his information, he begged to say that his informant was well acquainted with the circumstances which he detailed, and, if it would not be occupying the attention of the House too long, he would lay before them the fullest and most satisfactory testimonials touching the respectability of that gentleman. He was a clergyman, and the Roman Catholic missionary at the Red River settlement. It happened that that gentleman was instrumental in drawing up the petition that had been presented to the Crown on this subject. His informant, Mr. Belcourt Picton, certainly had been expelled the settlement, but was shortly afterwards restored to his position there through the interference of a society at the head of which was the Noble Lord the Member for Arundel ; that society, he believed, was called " the Society of St. Thomas, of Canterbury ;" and, through its agency, Mr. Belcourt Picton was restored to his flock. Mr. WYLD observed that Vancouver's Island was a most important commercial as well as a political position ; it was the sentinel of the Pacific Ocean ; it covered all our colonies in the basin of the Pacific—it was thirty-six days' sail from Chusan, thirty-sine days' from Canton, forty-six days' from Sydney, forty-three days' from New Zealand, and when the shores of Western America were covered with a busy population, Vancouver's Island, from the superiority of its harbour, would be the great commercial depot of that part of the world. The Hon. Member for Liskeard had said that no return trade could be carried on with Vancouver's Island. Was he aware of the trade in salmon between this coast and China? Its agricultural products were exported to the northern Rus sian settlements, and some of the spars were of the finest quality. Were the Government to make a pre sent to the Hudson's Bay Company of these vain able materials for the British navy? The Hudson's Bay Company, during the negotiations with the United States concerning the Oregon territory, did all they could to conceal the nature and extent of its productions, and it wits not until the American Government proposed to establish steam communication throughout the Pacific that the great value of this island as a coal producing country was known, w w e e d ro th t e b i e r y an t st o iet b y av t o o ny bu sh t o o a b n t d ai t n he i l t lud fr s o ts t ß h a e y C C ro o w m n pa ; these coals without payment, when the lessees of the island of Labuan were compelled to pay a royalty of 2s. 6d. per ton? Why the Government might obtain a rent of several thousands per annum from this source alone, which might be applied to sending out emigrants to this island. The Hon. Member for Liskeard (Mr. Buller) had said that the expense of sending emigrants to Vancouver's Island would be 501. per head. This was a great mistake. There was a large trade between Great Britain and the western coasts of South America in copper ore, guano, and other products. The ships from England were sent out to bring home these cargoes, either laden with coal, which was carried at a nominal freight, or in ballast only. The ship owner would be too happy to take out emigrants at a cost of 17/, per head passage money, a s b e i s a l most certa i n of a return cargo homeward. This was not the occasion for entering into the peculiar privileges of the Hudson's Bay Company, but he would call the attention of the Houle to the fact, that the exports from Great Britain by tho Hudson's Bay Company had not increased within the last 100 years. They sent two or three ships laden with British manufacture at that time, they sent the same number 0 vessels now; and what was the effect of their monopoly? Why, that they prevented an increase of trade, which would benefit our great manufacturing cities, that they might levy an enormous charge for freightage—and the trade, insteadof benefitting Great Britain, was thrown illicitly into the hands of the Americans. Lord J. RUSSELL said that the question bad been tree* by the Hon. Member for Montrose in rather a singular runner. He had given notice of an intention to call the attention of the House to the proposed grant of Vancouver's Island to the Hudson's Bay Company, and had made la speech in keeping with that motion. The H o n . . Member e H who seconded him took the same course,but subsequently the Hon. Member for Montrose again rose and proposed that the House should at once come to a specific conclusion on the question. Mr. HUME explained that_ he merely proposed delay in -0... pl order that time might be had for inquiry. Lord J. RUSSELL said that if the motion of the Honourable Member were agreed to all steps in the way of colonization must be postponed until the year after next, and in the meantime the island would have been settled by the Americans.—(Hear, hear.) He (Lord J. Russell) admitted that it would be very desirable if any company or individuals would under take the task of colonization immediately, but they could not shut their eyes to the tact that the territory in question had been obtained by treaty in 1846; that since then it had been notorious that the Crown would grant land west of the Rocky Mountains, and yet Lord Grey had received only one tangible offer, that of the Hudson's Bay Company.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member opposite made two objections to the company, one as to their being a monopoly, and the other as to their being despotic in their government. Now, how ever true that might be, it had no relation to the subject rater. The company's charter must remain in force u n til of trading with the Indi ans f or 21 y ears , an d it was no t pro posed, at the present time, to give them any new or exclu • awe g As to th e a pp re h ens i on of despotic govern ment, the pr e : . sent proposal was to establish a Government on the basis of a free constitution. Surely, the Hon. Member could hardly be digatiafied with the proposal of • • lw/tog every man in the colony a vote, and of establishing a representative assembly, which, in conjunction with the Governor, was to carry on the government. The Hon. Member further as serted that settlers could not obtain land, but his fear had no foundation, except in his imagination, as they could always buy it from the company. But, after all, the proposal was not to grant any exclusive rights or despo tic powers. The Hon. Member's arguments might be good at a future day for destroying the power of the Hudson's Bay Company, as similar arguments might be used against the East India Company, bat they had nothing to do with the immediate subject. The point was this :—The Crown, see ing no other chance of colonizing Vancouver's Island, made a grant of it to the Hudson's Bay Company, revocable at the end of eleven years. He did not wish at that moment to enter at any length into the merits of the Hudson's Bay Company, but he must say he relied much on the opinion of Lord Elgin, who said that all the inquiries he had made had turned out highly favourable to the company, and that he believed they ruled the vast and inhospitable regions entrusted to them in a highly creditable manner. If the House did not wish to let Vancouver's Island fail into the hands of the Americans, he trusted they would negative the amendment of the Hon. Member for Montrose. Mr. GOULBURN said that first the Hon. Member for Liskeard had complained of a speech having been made with out a motion, and now the Noble Lord complained of the Hon. Member for Montrose for making a motion. Mr. BULLER explained. Mr GOULBURN said that he objected to the grant as im provident, because the company was not in a condition to form a colony, a fact which he was justified in believing from their past conduct. The Noble Lord had urged that if we did not take possession of the island, the Americans would settle there. Could there be a more important reason for taking every care that the island was settled properly. —( Hear. hear.) We should take possession of it in the name of the Queen of England, and then we might defy any attempts from the United States. (Hear, hear.) As to the company's privileges standing in the way, he would re mind the Noble Lord that, in granting these privileges, Lord Glenelg had expressly stipulated that whenever the British Government settled a colony within their limits the privi leges of the company were to cease. It was quite clear that by the grant now proposed this useful caution would be abrogated, and the company would obtain entire control. He was opposed to leaving this valuable island in the hands of those who, without imputing any evil disposition to them, he must say had not the capacity or the interest to effect a settlement advantageous to this country. He therefore cor dially hoped that the subject would be considered by the Go vernment. Mr. DUNCAN said that he had discovered in the Com mittee of which he had been a Member, that no less than 600,0001. had been charged to the country for the repurchase of land, for which not a farthing had been paid. He hoped that the Government would carefully consider the matter before they made a grant which might be the means of en tailing a very considerable expense upon the taxes of the country. The House then divided, when the numbers were— For Mr. Hume's motion •.• 58 Against it Majority On our re-admission to the gallery, we found Colonel SIBTHORP addressing the House, and after al luding to the number of hours for which the House had been sitting that day, he asked the Noble Lord at the head of the Government whether it was his intention at that period of the night (half-past 11 o'clock) to force on the third reading of the Corrupt Practices Bill ? Many Hon. Gentlemen had left the House under the impression that that measure would not come on to-night. Lord J. RUSSELL intended to ask the House to proceed to the third reading of the Corrupt Practices Bill that night. If it should be urged, and the House should consider that the hour was too late, then he should propose that the House should take the third reading at 12 o'clock to-morrow (this day.)—(Oh, oh.) Colonel SIBTHORP felt that he should be forgetting what he owed to his own character if he assented to such a con temptible answer as that.—(Loud laughter.) MISCELLANEOUS ESTIMATES. The House then went into Committee of Supply. A vote of 90,0004 was agreed to, to complete the vote for the advancement of education in Ireland. Also a vote of 4,0001. to complete the vote for the expenses of the School of Design and Provincial Schools. Mr. LABOUCHERE remarking, in answer to a question from Mr. Hume, that he should be glad when the time ar rived at which theee valuable institutions could be entirely self-supporting; but that it was not yet come. The next vote proposed was of 2,0061. for salaries and al lowances granted to certain professors in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Mr. OSBORNE would divide against this vote. The Committee on the Miscellaneous Expenditure stated that however much the education of the poor ought to be a subject of national consideration, they entertained very serious doubts as to the principle of grants of public money for the purpose of education at the universities.—(Hear.) It was not fair to call upon the country to pay this sum, when these universities did not admit all parties to their benefits.— (Hear, hear.) A deputation had been to the Government which stated that certain classes at the universities, classes for which the Committee was now asked to make this grant, were almost wholly deserted. Sir R. INGLIS supported the vote, and reminded the Committee that similar grants were made for the University of London, which was opento all sects; that 30,0001. were granted to the Roman Catholics, and four or five times as much as these universities, was granted to a dissenting insti tution at Belfast. Lord J. RUSSELL, though he should be sorry to reduce the remuneration granted to these professors, and which they were led to understand they would retain, thought it would be of advantage if some mode could be devised to render these professors more useful. Though the statutes of the universities prohibited dissenters from taking degrees, dis senters and Roman Catholics were permitted to be educated at the University of Cambridge. He thought the objection to altering the constitution of the universities might be re moved, and the advantage sought for by dissenters and Roman Catholics, educated at Cambridge, obtained is respect to degrees, if certificates of proficiency were given by the university, which should entitle the parties to degrees at the University of London. With regard to Oxford he should say nothing at present. After a few words from Mr. BUNBURY, in support of the vote, Mr. W. F. FOX reminded the Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Inglis) that time had changed the constitution of the universities. They were originally national ; but now they were exclusive to the middle and lower classes, and exclusive also on reli gious grounds. As an encouragement to literature the vote was useless while it was for the benefit of a class of persons who did not require it. Mr. GOULBURN objected to the amendment. The Hon. and Gallant Member who proposed it was in error when he said the universities of Oxford and Cambridge conferred no advantage upon the poorer classes of this country. The aris tocracy, it was true, were educated at those universities, but how many persons were there of humble origin wl o obtained degrees there, and afterwards became distinguished at the bar and other pursuits. Mr. HUME also complained of the exclusion of the poor and different classes of religionists from the benefits which the universities conferred. Mr. 11. DRUMMOND thought all sects ought to partici pate in the advantages conferred by the establishment of the professorships. It was said that they represented in that House the aristocracy of mind, but they should also remem ber they represented the democracy of poverty. Mr. GLADSTONE entirely sympathised in the observa tions made by the Hon. Member for Montrose. But he must distinctly say that the poor were not excluded from the uni versities, although he deeply regrette d that their reception at them was not so general as he fervently hoped it would soon be. Colonel THOMPSON could not allow this matter to pass without saying that he had strong doubts whether the dis senters would agree to such a compromise as had been pro posed by the Noble Lord.—(Hear. hear.) Speaking sin cerely, he did not see why they should be content to labour under the inferiority and inconvenience of being obliged to keep their terms in one university and take their degrees at another. There must surely be some potent reason why they were incompetent to take their degrees at the univer sity where they had kept their terms, and why the univer sity should be ashamed of them ; and he wished to know what it was. As a university man lie could not help knoW• ing the difficulty raised with respect to the admission of Dis senters. It was said they could not join in the religious ordinances of the dominant sect in the existing colleges Of the universities; but there was one ready way to get over that difficulty, by the Dissenters establishing a college for themselves. Mr. ANSTEY observed, that the Dissenters and Noncon formists, including Roman Catholics, had a university open to them at present in the University of London. Mr. EWART thought it a great evil that the tutorial should supersede the professional system in the universities. After a few words from Mr. OSBORNE, The House divided, when there appeared For the vote ••••• Against it Maj_o_riy —76 4,1784 for the Umversity of London.—Agreed to. 7,4804 for the Universities in Scotland.—Agreed to. The House then resumed ; the chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Monday next at 12 o'clock. CORRUPT PRATICES AT ELECTIONS BILL. Lord J. RUSSELL moved the third reading of the above. named Bill. Colonel SIBTHORP rose, and was received with derisive cheers by Members on the Ministerial benches. He said that he had been accustomed, in passing along a turnpike road, to hear the cackling of geese and the braying of as ses, and therefore he was not troubled by the noises by which the wretches opposite assailed him.—(Order, Chair). The SPEAKER informed the Hon. and Gallant Member that he must not apply such an epithet to Members of the House. Colonel SIBTHORP was of opinion that " want of de cency was want of sense."—(Hear hear.) That the N o bl e Lord should dare to propose the third reading of the Bill at that late hour was only in accordance with his usual prae tice.—(Oh,) Those who cried " Oh" were looking for some thing from the Noble Lord, but he was not, and therefore was not afraid to speak his mind. The Bill was a low, dirty measure, unbecoming the Noble Lord as a man, a Christian, and a legislator. Mr. HOBHOUSE made several objections to the Bill, and moved that it be read a third time that day six months. Mr. HENLEY said it was unfair to discuss the Bill at that late hour, but it would be still more unfair to discuss it on the morrow. He complained of the indecent haste with which the Bill had been forced upon the House, and urged some objections to several of its provisions, among which he considered the compulsory production by a professional man of his banker's book to be a peculiar grievance. He certainly would support the amendment. Mr. ANSTEY wished to make an observation in a matter personal to himself. On a late occasion he had made some observations on the conduct of the Right Honourable Se cretary for Ireland with reference to the late Dublin election. He had since ascertained that the information he to the therefo re provi s i a o t o s o n o c f e trheetraßc rested ihe on upon which he had made those obs er v a tions ill efohuienfdoebdieacntidon was 1111- 111. Hi s te ' indemnity it gave to witnesses who might be examined. The Attorney-General himself would be permanently screened from all prosecution and penalties on account of alleged malpractices at Horsh am b y consenting to give evidence before these commissioners. S ure l y t hi s was not seemly. This Bill was an infraction of th e Constitution, and lieoped it would be declared a nullity by th e judges f the land. Be fore ho sat down, he wished to put a question to the Mem ber for South Lancashire (Mr. W. Brown). He fouP d it stated in a paper of the Manchester or free -trad e school that the Hon. Member had, on the last occasion but one when the Bill was before the House, imputed to him something like bribery or corrupt practices at Youghal. He did not pro.. ess to understand the language of the Manchester achoot; but the statement seemed to be, that before or atter the elec tion he had distributed among certain electors of Yonghal fat goose.—(Great laughter.) He found that in another newspaper the Hon. Gentleman was reported to have said, not that he gave a fat goose, but that he (Mr. Anstey) was himself the fat goose.—(More laughter.) He wished to kno'w which of these charges was the correct one? If it was the latter, he had nothing to say, except that if he was a fat goose, he might liken thglon. Member to a gosling.—("Ob, oh," and laughter.) If the charge meant bribery, he utterly repudiated it. r.ne ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Anstey) had made his opposition to the Bill the means of more than once making a personal attack on him. He had hitherto abstained from noticing these personal attacks, because Members who were in the House on the Wednesday when he opposed the progress of the Roman Catholic Relief Bill of the Hon. Member for Youghal, would understand why, on the following Thursday, that gentleman began the attack on him which he had so per tinaciously followed out.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. ANSTEY—It was begun before. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL must say that befcre he opposed that Bill his name was never mentioned. Mr. ANSTEY—It's a mistake. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—The Honourable Gen tleman had taken the opportunity to make these attacks because an action had been brought against him (the Attorney-General). On this point he would take leave to say, upon his honour, that that action had not been compromised—(Cheers)—and lie would say, upon his honour, that nothing would give him greater pleasure than to have on that subject the most public inves tigation.—(Cheers.) He would state one or two facts, without throwing out insinuations against anybody. His son, as the House knew, was returned for Horsham ; and he certainly did not complain that on that occasion he was made the subject of political attacks. When his son was unseated another election took place, at which Lord E. Howard and Mr. Fitzgerald were the. candidates. That election took place on the 29th of January. On the 30th of January he was served with a writ, issued in the name of an attorney's clerk, being, as lie believed, clerk to Dlr. Fitzgerald's attorney. He gave instructions to his attorney to prepare for the defence; care was taken to examine every person named in the de claration, and he was told by his attorney that not one person named in the declaration was examined on the other side.—( Loud cries of" Hear, hear.") Mr. BANKES regretted that the name of Mr. Fitzgerald had been mentioned by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (the Attorney-General). The solicitor who brought the action might be Mr. Fitzgerald's solicitor, and yet that Hon. Member might know nothing of the action against the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he had merely mentioned the fact. Mr. W. BROWN said he had not the least objection to restate what he had said on a former occasion.— (Laughter.) He said that it was rumoured the constituency which the Hon. and Learned Gentleman rep resen t e d a l wa y s l oo k e d ou t for fat geese, and that whe n th e y go t one th ey p l uc k e d hi m very well.—(Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL did not think there was any ground of complaint in consequence of the manner in which he pressed the Bill. On the contrary, he thought that it had re ceived a great deal of unnecessary opposition.—(Hear.) The House then divided, when there appeared— For the third reading BO Against it ... Majority for t 1143 third reading... ..... On the motion that tho Dill do pass Mr. ANSTEY su gges t e d course by which the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (the Attorney-General ) could drive the plaintiff to prosecute his action. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had taken the very course suggested by the Hon. and Learned Gentle man.—( Loud cheers.) The Bill then passed. The House adjourned at a Quarter past Two o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of COMMOMS. ) YUDAY, AUG. 18. SUPPLY. Order for Committee read; ; Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair." Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " an humble Address be presented to her Majesty, that she will be pleased not to grant, as is proposed, to the Hudson's Bay Company, Vancouver's Island, until full inquiry shall be in stituted into, the complaints against that Company from the Settlers at the Red River, and also until the capabilities and peculiar situation of the Island shall be fully ascertained," instead thereof:—Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : MAJORITY-AYES, 76. Abdy, Thomas N. G re y, Sir G. Perfect, Robert Acland, Sir T. G. eyi I:. W. Power, Dr. Adair, It. Shafto Grosvenor, Earl Raphael, Alexander Anson, Colonel Hawes, IL Reynolds, John Bagshaw, John Hoyter, W. G. Rich, Henry ' Barnard, E. G. Headlatn, Thomas Romilly, Sir John Berkeley, Captain Hobhouse, Sir John Rumbold, C. E. Berkeley. Craven Hobhouse, T. B. Russell, Lord J. Bernal, Ralph Howard, Sir R. Rutherfurd, A. Birch, Sir Thomas Inglis, Sir.R. Scrope, G. P. Boyle, Colonel Jervis, Sir John Seymour, Lord Br( 7 itherton, J. Labouchore, Henry Shelburne, Earl of Buller, Charles Lennard, T. B. Sheridan, R. B. . , Bunbury, E. IL Lewis, O. C. Somerville, Sir W. Clay, James Locke, Joseph Spearman, 11. J. Clements, Charles M'Gregor, John Taltourd, Sergeant Colebrooke, Sir T. Martin, C. W. 'I hicknesse, R. A. Craig, W. G. Masterman, J. Thornely, Thomas Dundas, Admiral Matheson, A. Tollemache, John Ebringtort, Viscount Manic, Fox Willcox, Brodie Elliot, J. E. Melguud, Viscount Wilson, Matthew Ferguson, Sir R. Morpeth; Viscount Wood, Sir Charles Foley, John H. Morris, David Fortescue, J. W. Ogle, S. C. TELLIM. Freestun, Colonel Paget, Lord A. 11111, Lord M. Glyn, George Carr_ Palmerston, Viscount Bellew, R. M. Gr .- mien, Charley W. Parker. John MINORITY-NOES, 58. Adalr,:llugh E. Hamilton, G. A. Scott, F. Anderson, Arthur Henley, J. W. Slbthorp, Colonel Anstey, T. C. Herbert, H. A. Stuart, Lord 1). Bankes, George Hood, Sir A. Sturt, 11. G. Bennet, Philip • Jones, Captain Tenison, E. K. Bentinck, Lord G. Keogh, William Thompson, Colonel Bowling, Dr. Kershaw, James Thompson, George Broadley, Henry Lacy, Henry C. Tyrrell, Sir J. T. Brown. H. Lushington, C. Urquhart, David Cabbell, B. B. Martin, John Verner. Sir W. Campbell, W. F. Miles,iWilliam Vivian, J. E. Christy, Samuel Milner, W.. M. Walsh, Sir J. Corry, Henry Moore, G. H. Williams, John Drummond, Henry Napier, Joseph Wodehouse, Edmund Duncan, George ' Gluten, Sir Lucius Wood, W. P. E wart, William O'Brien, Timothy Wyld, James Fox, W.V. oShorne, Ralph . Gladstone, W. E. Pearson, Charles TELLERS. Goulburn, Henry Repton, G. W. Hume, Joseph Greene, John Salwey, Colonel Howard, I'. 11. Gwyn, Rowel Scholefield, W. COURT CIRCULAR. being the birth-day o f h er R oyal Highness the Duchesso OSBORNE FRIDAY. Yesterday, Bent, the annual rural file was given by her Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness the Prince Al bert, to the royal servants, tenants, workmen, and labourers employed on the estate at Osborne, together with their wives and families. The day was unfortunately very unfavourable, the wind being high, accompanied by occasional drifting showers, but the state of the atmosphere appeared to have little effect upon the enjoyment or hilarity of the guests. In addition to theilarge party usually collected upon this occa sion, her Majesty and his Royal Highness had commanded the whole of the crews of the Victoria and Albert and of the Fairy yachts, anti the men employed upon the Coast Guard station to be invited, and certainly the seamen did not appear to be the least happy actors in the joyous scene. Precisely at three o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert ap peared in front of the principal entrance at Osborne. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness were accompanied by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal. Prince Alfred, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Hohenlohe Langenburg, and the Prince Victor and the Princesses of Hohenlohe Langenburg, and attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the royal household. The - dinner was then carried in precession past theißoyal Family, preceded by the bands of the Marines and the 77th Regiment, . playing " The Roast Beef of Old England," to the tents prepared for the reception of the guests, who were soon assembled, and the Queen and Prince with the Royal F am i ly h av i n g walked round the tables. and grace having been said by Mr. Toward, her Majesty's Bailiff, the dinner commenced, the number of guests being about 350. Immediately after the repast concluded the health of her Majesty the Queen, of his Royal Highness the Prince Albert, and of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, were pro posed by Mr. Toward, and responded to by the enthusiastic cheers of the guests. The sports of the day then commenced with a succession of old English games, in the whole of which the sailors took a conspicuous part. The leg of mutton was carried off from the top of a soaped pole by means of the Fairy yacht, not, however, until several ineffectual attempts. Cricket, football, icc., &c., went on through the day, and the programme of the day's amusement included blindman's buff—tly the garter — leap-frog —foot races—hurdle races running in sacks—sailors' hornpipes—apple-bob —snapping at gingerbread—slinging the monkey—dipping for oranges and for money, &e., &c. Early in the afternoon the sailors of the royal yachts having requested permission, performed their "Fisherman's Dance" before her Majesty, and the Queen appeared much amused at this truly gt , teSque performance. In the meantime dancing was going on in the booths and upon the green. The Queen and Royal Family, is spite o the inclemency of the twther, remained until the conclusiont of the sports, visiting the different tents, viewing the dancing and the different amusements. and evidently enjoying the spectacle of so many happy and grateful faces. It was past seven o'clock before her Majesty, the Prince, and the Royal Family left the ground, amidst the deafening cheers of the assembled multitude, the bands playing " God save the Queen." Immediately afterwards the whole of the people who had been present marched out of the gates to military music, and in less than half an hour the grounds had resumed their wonted quiet; and it may safely be said that, in spite of the gloomy weather, a happier or a better -conducted party never were collected than these honest people of the labouring classes. The royal dinner party yesterday, in addition to the Roya. Household, included her Royal Highness the Duchess o Kent, their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess o Hohenlohe, and Princess Eliza, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, the Baroness Speth, Colonel and Lady Catherine Harcourt and Sir George Couper. This morning the Queen and Prince, and their illustrious guests, took their usual morning walk. A Cabinet Council was held at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at the Foreign Office. The Ministers present were Lord J. Russell, the Lord Chancellor, th e Marquis of Lansdow ne , th e E ar l of Mint*, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Earl of Auckland, Sir John Hobhouse, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, Lord Campbell, the Marquis of Clanricarde, and Viscount Morpeth. The Council sat one hour and a half. Count de Revel, the Sardinian Minister, transacted busi ness yesterday at the Foreign-office. Dispatches were sent off last evening from the Colonial. office, for the Governor of Canada, and also for the Governors of the other North American provinces. TRAVELLING TO THE Nouvit.—A vast number of families on their route from town to the north, have availed thetriselves during the last few weeks of the opportunity of staying for the night hi Lancaster. The line of railway communication being now open throughout from London to Edinburgh, Lancaster has become a central station, and from the activity displayed at the King's Arms Hotel and other principal inns, it is evident that the railway has not, as some timorous people predicted, entirely deprived them of busi ness, but will on the contrary prove highly advantageous.— Lancaster Guardian. " WHAT'S IN A NAME !"—The North ern S tar of Saturday last states that Mr. Hutchinson, of this town, has registered a child as Eliza O'Connor Shelley Cook. The O p li n o o s a l I t tn e r r e i t d t O y t tik singularity of the compound induced us to make inquiries, when we found that the father had n p aam r n e de v s i d o of u o s rh l of his children Emma Owen Paine Cook, and Thomas Paine Owen O'Connor Beethoven Cook !! ! Shades of man who hSohehlalesy,thaul cooked" eeth o y , raise, ou r Suffolk Chronicle. • A MR. BENTLEY - Has This Day published, in 3 vols. post Bvo., E. A Boinanee of thfi Days of rerielos. By the Author of " Azeth, the Egyptian." Bichard Bentley, New Burlington-street. II ER MA 2. ,T I E S E T Y' S% D THEATRE. The Nobility, Gentry, Subscribers to the Opera, and the Public are respectfully informed that a GRAND EXTRA NIGHT will take place on TUESDAY EVENING, Aug. 22, and the FAREWELL .NIGHT on THURSDAY, Aug. 24, when Madlle. JENNY LIND will appear in one of her favourite characters. With various novelties in the Ballet Department, combining the talents of Mdlle. Carlotta Orisi, Mdlle. Carolina Rosati, Mdlle. M. Taglioni, lidlle. Cerito, &c. &c. Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets, to be made at the 13 ix-office el the Theatre. R OBER T H 0 U D IN. ST, JAMES'S THEATRE. By Particular Desire. EMILE lIOLTDIN'S BENEFIT. GRAND EXTRA AND FINAL REPtIESENTATION. In compliance with numerous applications, and owing to the dli appointment experienced by many parties in nut procuring places at his last representation, ROBERT HOUDIN' will THIS EVENING give hie Final Performance, previous to his departure for Man chester, being for the Benefit of his Son, ENIILE lIOUDIN, who will exhibit during the Evening his extraordinary powers of SE COND SD arr, in addition to a Se:ection from lIOBELT IiOUDIN'S . most popular Experiments and original Inventions. 'luxe' , and Stalls may be secured at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old llond-street. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Mdlle. JENNY LIND. Last Night but Two of the Season. The Nobility, Patrons to the Opera, and the Public are respectfully informed that a GRAND EXTRA NuniT will take place THIS EVENING, on which occasion Mdlle. J ENNY LIND will appear as AMINA, in Bellini's Opera ~f LA SONNAMBULA. Amina, Mdlle. Jenny Lind ; Lisa, Mdlle. Vera ; Count Itodolpho, Sig. 'F. Lablache ; Elvino, Sig. Garden!. Aftei the Opera, the Second Tableau of the Ballet of ALMA. To conclude with Selections from the admired Ballet of ONDINE, by Mdlle. Cerito, Mdlle. Petit, and Mdlle. C. Rosati ; M. Dor, M. Perrot, and M. St. Leon. The Fr3o List is suspended, the public Press excepted. Pit Tickets may be obtained as usual at the Box-office of the Theatre, price 10s. 6d. each, where applications fur Boxes, Pit Stalls, and Tickets are to be made. Doors open at halt-past Seven, and commence at Eight o'clock. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee. THIS EVENING, Will be performed TUE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST. After which, the Farce of THE MOTHER AND CHILD ARE DOING WELL. To conclude with the laughable Farce of SEEING WRIGHT. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Under the direction of Mr. Kerschner. Positively the Last Week of Mrs. FITZIVILLIAM and Mr. BUCK. wrobrE, as they hare to appear in ➢Manchester on Monday next. rxis EVENING ....... Will be performed THE FLOWERS OF TIIR FOREST, in which Mrs. Fitzwilliam and Mr. Buckstone will perform. ♦tter which, a Comic Drama, called A ROUGH DIAMOND, in which Mrs. Fitzwilliam and Mr. Buckstono will perform. To conclude with THE ROVER'S BRIDE. Manager and Treasurer, Mr. B. S. Fairbrother. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. Fitzball's new and completely successful Spectacle. Unparalleled Equestrian Feats. THIS EVENING, Will be performed, the new brilliant Spectacle, founded on Sir Walter Scott's celebrated poetical Romance, and entitled MAR ILION ; or, The Battle of Flodden Field. To be followed by the inimitable EQUESTRIAN and GYMNAS• TIC EXERCISES in the ARENA. To conclude with a Grand Pageant, entitled LADY (40D1YA AND PEEPING TOM OF COVENTRY; or, Clearing the Toll. Box-office open from Eleven till Five. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. Attraction unprecedented. New Series of GRIND PROMENADE CONCERTS. Continuation of MISS SARA FLOWER. The DAYLIGHT VIEW of ROME, by Dawson. Superb and Unique MENAGERIE. Grand Display of FIREWORKS, by the Messrs. Southby. No Extra charge. MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, and FRIDAY. View of Rome.—Promenade Concerts, Vocal and instrumental, conducted by Mr. GODFREY, the splendid Baud of Solo Performers includes Messrs. Ciotti, Collins, sen., George and Viotti Collins, Eger ton, Griesbach, Stevenson, Hardy, &c.—Several favourite Songs by Miss Sara Flower—Also to be seen, during the day, the beautiful Menagerie—Shakspere's House--The Magic Bridge—and other no velties will be exhibited, the whole concluding with a most mag nificent and not to be rivalled display of Fireworks, by the Messrs. Southby Gates open at Ten A.m., Feeding Time Five—Concert at Six —Fireworks at Nine. On Wednesday next, the Boys of the Greenwich Hospital School, accompanied by their Band, will pay their Annual Visit to these Gardens. Admission, as usual, One Shilling. TIII WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, AUGUST 19. TIIERMuMETER, Lowest, 59; Highest. 68 ; Noon, 65. WIND S.S.W.; morning, showery. Two o'CLoCK.—Thermometer, 68, and sunshine. BAROMETER, 29.81. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY. Morning .. 43 min. after 4 I Evening .. 43 min. after 5 . /t .11 6 c i'.S.I ' ' 3...2 4V ' . ...' ";•-•-• 1 ... - 1 , t a i 0 00 ,-; s ' -,;,. :- - c. , -.- ` ''s, ,i .. 4.1010-et . V ." r •lA* % , .:., 2r t ...;.,.4 ,IY.:-„, , • ; vi si ‘.` , . \ &,. - V.,..4 • ~..!,:, ' f .:..'' 1 ' ‘": ° .' 31 V" , fir borninit LONDON, SATURDAY, jUGUST 19, 1849. Vancouver's Island has become an object of ambi tion to the Hudson's Bay Company, and the grasping policy of that great mercantile establishment ap pears to be connived at by the present Government. If we were to regard the division and discussion of last night as conclusive, we should certainly be dis posed to recriminate upon those who have gone so far towards criminating themselves. But we are loth to imagine that one of our most valuable, be cause one of our most conveniently situated colonies, is to be juggled away with such precipitation, merely because a Cabinet is pliant, and a Company is avari cious. True, that according to the proposed arrangement, the island in question is merely to be granted for a period of eleven years to the directory of that vast commercial association whose territories already extend from Chesterfield Inlet to Demarca tion Point. True, moreover, that the Government compromises the matter in some measure by stipulat ing to the effect that at the expiration of those eleven years the island may be again absorbed among the colonial possessions of England, the Legislature re munerating the Hudson's Bay Company for :any surplus expenditure, and compensating them propor tionately for the sudden diminution of their domi nions. When we utter our protest against the trans action altogether, we by no means lose a recollection of these subordinate stipulations Our protest against the yielding disposition betrayed on this occasion by the members of the Administration is pronounced with a perfect appreciation of the hold they still propose to retain upon the island through the moderate perspec tive of eleven summers. Looking upon the question simply in regard to time and convenience, we would ask how it is possible for the Government of the United Kingdom to calculate with the feeblest shadow of confidence upon the capacity of the Treasury in 1859 to disburse the requisite amount of specie for the purpose of re-ab s orpti on ? To say the very least, e therefore, when th e continued destruction of th potato crop, the prolonged scarcity in Ireland, the munificent iblalir re e a s gratuities sby e u the of our lavi Exchequer, uponand the g starv ing m mm the inereas: revenues are take n i n t o embarrassments t o the if closestipulations of f temporary o f b transference t heGovernment is rash, consideration—to say the very ehreylast, theref ore, t h e it is not most illusory and preposterous. It is n o thi ng less than gambling with the most preciou s colonies of the British empire, at the expense of o ur nat i onal in. terests, and for the selfish emolument of a sharp witted, avaricious, and tyrannizing association of merchants. There is something so very extraordinary in the pre cipitation with which this arrangement is being hurried onwards to its conclusion—there is something, indeed, a r e, naturally some cause n m s p e el n le o d t so frivolous and unargutnentative in th e reasons ad duced in favour of the whole proceedi ng, that amaze ment justifies suspicion, and su s pi c i on tends only to enhance cu to ask ourselves if' there is n o t some latent incitement, some reason ulum for e e 0n p apparent from the m ere outline of the compact as suggested by the H u d son ' s Bay Company, and as oc our lt amazement. conceded by the present Government of these realms. By no other conjecture whatever the conduct can conduct of the Admini tra it . s on in this affair be viewed as explicable. We are compelled either to consider the Cabinet as entirely devoid ofjudg ment, or to look through the yellow lens of jealousy upon the details of their projected concession. We put it at once to the Hon. Member for Montrose, or to the Hon. Member for Newcastle, or to any other of the popular representatives, whether sufficient ground is not afforded by the circumstances of this marvellous and otherwise bewildering transaction, to inquire into the unavowed inducements of the Ad ministration ? Is it possible that the deplorable system of nepotism may not be swollen into some such arrangement as the one talked of in re gard to Vancouver's Island ? Is it possible that some sinister influences may not have affected the sound sense of her MAJESTY'S Ministers P Is it not just pos s ibl e th a t th e " GREAT BEAR" has snuffed the riches of Q ua d ra across the waters of the gulf of Georgia, and has thereupon incontinently placed his paw upon Vancouver's Island ? Plainly, and bluntly, and deliberately we say this—that the Government has given us ample reason for such suspicions; that it has justified conjectures which would have been other wise unjustifiable ; and that the reasonableness of all tilt se doubts and jealousies is demonstrated, not less by the blundering logic of Mr. Hawes, and the distorted statistics of Mr. CHARLES BULLER, than it is by the overwhelming arguments of Mr. GLAD STONE, and the cogent facts* adduced towards the close of the discussion by Mr. WYLD. In proof of the fallacy of the calculations made by the supporters of the Government, one or two very simple denials will be amply sufficient. It is declared, for example, that Vancouver's Island is virtually useless to the mother country as a point of emigration—seeing that the voyage from England to Nootka Sound necessitates an interval of six months' duration, and considering, moreover, that the cost of the passage of every individual emigrant would be not one sixpence less than .50/. or 601. Now the in sincerity of this statement is as visible as daylight at noon, when it is announced, upon incontrovertible authority, that there are dozens upon dozens of men in this very city of ; London ready to undertake the exportation of emigrants, at an outlay not exceeding fifteen pounds sterling for each individual colonist. In addition to this, the advocates of the policy propounded by Government have asserted that the cost of emigration to Van - couver's Island must necessarily be enormous—not only in consequence of the length and duration of the voyage, but also because the emigrant ships would be compelled to return home with all the bar renness of a ballast of rubbish ; whereas, the fruitfulness of this noble possession in copper ore and other commodities, would of itself furnish every inducement to the mercantile enterprise of Great Britain. In timber alone the island of Quadra or Vancouver is rarely productive—the illustrious Coo' describing it as " one vast forest." And subse quent investigations have only tended to corro borate the views of the great navigator—Mr. MAC GREGOR telling us, in one brief but emphatic sen tence, that " its harbours, its woods, its cultivable soils, its wild animals, and its fisheries, may afford sufficient advantages for cultivation and settlement." (See " The Progress of America," vol. i., p. .54'2.) This catalogue of advantages being totally apart, be it observed, from the mineral and other productions of the splendid island contiguous to the Oregon territories ! And it is this very contiguity to the mainland of North America at the precise spot in regard to which the demands of Lord ASHBURTON clashed with the de mands of the plenipotentiary from Washington—. Vancouver's Island being situated between latitudes 48 . degrees 15 minutes north, and 51 degrees 30 minutes north ; and longitudes 122 degrees 30 minutes and 128 degrees 15 minutes west ; a trifle northwards of the point where the waters of the river Columbia are poured into the billows of the Pacific. Supposing the island to be so comparatively unpro ductive and useless in regard to the mother country, in consequence of the difficulties of communication, it surely would not have constituted a matter of so much importance in the estimation of the negotiators of the Oregon division. Besides, if the difficulty of access be the principal objection to the continued' re tention of the island, it is most cer tainly a matter of by no means subordinate con sideration that the difficulties of engineering on the isthmus of Panama are pronounced to he the very reverse of insurmountable: canals must ultimately connect by a belt of water the two great oceans of the Pacific and Atlantic, and the vicinity of our West Indian possessions to the Caribbean Sea, and nearer land to the Gulf of Darien, must, apart even from the necessities of science, associate Great Britain in a particular manner in that inevitable though still prospec tive undertaking. Quadra would by that means be brought within an easy distance of the ports of the United Kingdom, and the frivolous ob jections of the Cabinet be fully and determinately overruled. But the most important of all the innumerable reasons which may be, and have been, and will again and again be adduced against the resignation of Van couver's Island to the Hudson's Bay Company, is the fruitfulness of this remarkable colony in that most necessary and invaluable of all the commodities in modern commerce—coal. As an entrepot in the Pacific for the purpose of providing fuel for our steam-vessels, no matter whether those steam-vessels are voyaging north wards to Behring's Straits and on wards to the Polar Seas, or southwards to the Sandwich Islands and onwards to the Marquesas —the continued possession of Vancouver's Island would be absolutely invaluable. In this respect we regard the colony as of more account than because it has been already de clared by one eminently qualified to anticipate—that the time will come when the oriental trade will find its way across the American continent, and that " whenever it does arrive, the Straits of Juan de Fuca will become the funnel through which it will he poured into the new world." And this is the possession which the British Government are go ing to cede to the Hudson's Bay Company—for a period of eleven years—although it has long since become notorious that the conduct pursued by that Company towards the population of their enormous dominions is in almost every instance of the most grasping and despotic character. Unless the Go vernment recall their extravagant decision betimes, the destinies of Quadra will be cast under the evil influences of Ursa Major, the Cabinet itself will have been bamboozled into a deplorable blunder, and one of our most noble and valuable possessions on the eastern shores of the Pacific will be in a fair way of being irrevocably lost to the United Kingdom. The second of the state trials in Ireland has termi nated in the conviction of Mr. JOHN MARTIN, the registered proprietor and publisher of the Irish Felon. This result fully justifies the opinion which we put forward on Monday last when commenting upon the case of Mr. KEVIN IZOD O'DONERTT, " that the dis agreement of the jury in that case should not be re garded as evidence of a determination not to convict when sufficient grounds were laid before the jury." A great distinction existed in the amount of evi dence that was brought forward in these cases. In the first trial, the only proofs adduced against the prisoner to connect him with the objec tionable articles, and to show that he was guilty of one or both of the intents charged in the indictment, was, that he was (not the sole) but merely one of the proprietors, his partner being also in custody, and about to stand his trial for the very same publi cations—and, secondly, that papers containing the matters charged were purchased at the office of the Tribune journal. The law officers were also in pos session of the original manuscripts, which they had neglected to produce, although it was stated by the Learned Counsel for the defence that notices had been served on the Crown Solicitors, on behalf of the prisoner, requiring their production. This meagre and unsatisfactory evidence was surely not sufficient to warrant a conviction for felony, and to subject a party who might, for aught that was Proved before the jury, have been wholly ignorant of the contents of thes e articles until after they had been in circulation, to perpetual banishment from his native land. If the jury entertained any reasonable doubt, it was their duty to give the benefit of that doubt to the prisoner, no matter what might be the conse quences. Great public inconvenience might no doubt have been occasioned by his acquittal. There could be no question as to his moral guilt, or that he had wil fully determined on standing the hazard of the die, in placing himself in a position similar to that for merly occupied by JOHN MITCHEL, and exciting the people to discontent and insurrection against the constituted authorities. That such was his deliberate intention was, we believe, perfectly notorious to every person, both in and out of court, but that intention did not appear from anything brought forward before the Court or the jury, and that jury were bound by the terms of their oaths, " a true verdict to give ac cording to the evidence," and to dismiss from their minds everything they had heard or might have conceived respecting the case before they had entered into the box, and the prisoner was arraigned before them. The case of Mr. MARTIN was very different in deed. Two of the articles were signed by his name, * We would, in a very particular manner, call attention to the admirable speech delivered last evening in the House of Comm ns by the Honourable Member for Bodmin. In that speech Mr. Wyld epitomises the importance of the question in an inimitable expression when he calls the island of Vancouver " the sentinel of the Pacific." and the authorship thereof was admitted by hi able Counsel, when entering upon the- defence. Further proof also was given to the effect that the prisoner, when first brought before the magistrate, had de clared that " he knew the several articles, and he was morally responsible for what they contained." There was, therefore, no question for the jury in the latter case, but as to the ten dency and effects of these articles, and whe ther they clearly and unequivocally established the intents charged, so as to leave no reasonable doubt thereof. That question the jury answered in the affirmative, and the unfortunate man is now a convicted felon about to undergo the weighty punish ment which the law has affixed to his crime. The Learned Chief Baron, in his able and luminous charge, clearly laid down the law on the subject, with the full concurrence of the venerable and ex perienced judge who presided along with him. His Lordship said, " the jury were to consider first, whether these articles were published by the prisoner ; 2dly, what was the meaning of those publications, and idly, were they published with the prisoner's hnoul• ledge, and did they express his intentions .? His Lord ship further stated, " that as to the question of pro prietorship and publication there could be no doubt; but another and most material question then arose, viz , whether the prisoner entertained the intent, whatever it was, that was expressed and entertained in these documents ;" and, subsequently, " that it would be for the jury to say whether he did not know of these publications, according as they pro ceeded from the press, prior to the period of publica tion, and whether the intentions contained in them were adopted by him;'' and afterwards in explaining the point to the jury, who were recalled into court after they had retired, " that if at the time of the publication of Lawn's letter of the 24th June, the prisoner was not aware of its contents, but after wards became aware of it, that was not such an adop tion of the letter as to prove that the prisoner enter tained similar intentions on the 24th June; the Court did not mean to convey that a subsequent adoption would constitute the offence contemplated by the Acts of Parliament." This is the just and constitutional law. This is, indeed, what we should have expected from such men as Chief Baron PICOT and Baron PENNEFATHEA, who hold the scales of justice with equal and impartial hands, guarding alike the rights of the Crown and the liberties of the subject against encroachment or invasion. We give in another column the Report of the ; Select Committee on Lord Buoucilam's Bankrupt ; Law Consolidation Bill, and shall on Monday give a portion of the evidence taken before it, and continue the publication of this evidence from time to time until we have completed it. This Bill is one of very great importance. It is intituled "An Act to consolidate and , amend the Bankrupt Law of England ;" and, unless we are much mistaken, will be well received iu the mercantile world and by the public in general. It may not contain all that is desired by the former—or rather by those who put themselves forward as repre senting the former —but it unquestionably appears to be supported by the evidence, and is a very much better measure than , any that has h e r e t o f ore b een submitted to Parliament on the same subject. The Bill was introduced by Lord BROUGHAM on the 29th of June ; it was immediately referred to a Select Committee ; the Committee has since sat fifteen dap, and certainly the opponents of the measure, or, to speak more correctly (for it has no opponents), those who desire to go further, and who also desire the restoration of arrest on mesne process, must in com mon candour confess they have had fair play ; for, contrary to the usual and ordinary course of proceed ing, the Committee on this Bill was open to all—es open court, in fact—all who chose to attend were allowed to do so ; they sat round the table, as if they had been persons on the Committee, and several of the members of the Metropolitan Committee and of the City of London Trade Protection Society were every day present accompanied by one or other of their solicitors. Every opportunity has been afforded them of calling witnesses in favour of their sur gestions, and the witnesses opposed to them were subjected to a cross-examination. Every question they wished to ask was allowed to be put, and the Committee even allowed Mr. Commissioner F•t" (the only Commissioner, we believe, who goes along with these Associations) to cross-examine as their advocate, and as if he had been a Peer. These things we state, having ourselves been present, though with out any kind of title to be there, except the permis sion given by the Chairman to all who took an in terest in the Committee. All this was quite right, an d due to the great importance of the subject, and the interest felt in it. But it is a great fallacy to represent the petitioners for the restoration of arrest on inesne process (as has been attempted elsewhere to be done) as being first-rate merchants, or as represent- Mg the great body of London traders. These peti tioners are, no doubt, highly respectable persons— most respectable traders—but, in truth, those of the great London Bankers and Merchants who were sum moned said they had not turned their attention to •the subject, thus showing plainly that they had no fellow' feeling with the petitioners, who all regard, or say they regard, the subject as one of life and death to them. We cannot help thinking that Lord BaouQuam has had scant justice meted out to hire on this occasion by the Associations we have named. His Lordshiie Bill gives them a very considerable portion of whet they contend for —goes a great way in the sane direction —all profess to be pleased with it ; but lin t content with this —not content to wait the result of this Bill, or the Select Committee on it, theYl on the 13th July, through Mr. Bonyeeze, had 0 measure of their own submitted to the House ° I Commons; and only the other night that Honourable Gentleman, on moving the second reading of his Bill , so far from stating that the subject was before the other. House of Parliament, or that a Select Corn: mittee of the House of Lords had been sitting An' examining witnesses, and inquiring into it, toy no sort of notice, made no allusion to, or any mention whatever of any other Bill having ever been intro' duced, thereby leaving it to be inferred that nothing has been done ! This, we say, is not right ; on th e contrary, it is most unfair. .No doubt Mr.Bouv-0 1 ° must have been ignorant of the facts, otherwise 138 would have stated them ; but they ought, neeerthe' less, to be known. With these observations we refer our readers to the report and evidence, which is well worth a carefu l perusal, and when the latter has all been laid befor° them we may return to the subject. The eeidepe s of Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD fully explains ti l° nature and objects of Lord BitouonAnt's Bill, and entirely agree with that Learned Gentleman in thinl‘' ing that if the Court of Bankruptcy had th e powers proposed to b e g i ven to it, there wou ld be no necessity for arrest either on mo n° or final process, and that a very marked improve' anent would soon be perceptible. We are clear, tl that all impris onment ought to be by the Court, D° left with the creditors; but we concur with the 1 06 ' tioners in thinking that clauses ought to be intro' duced into th e Bill enforcing the registration of bi ll " of sale and composition-deeds, and permitting t he sequestratio n o f a d eceased trader ' s estate, and *e trust that Lord BROUGHAM, before again ham:due-WI his Bill, will see the propriety of acceding to this. THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. We have received the Paris papers of yesterday. 7 . 1 The speech of L or d PALMERSTONiu reply to 1-I. ' DISRAELI, on Wednesday, is the subject of laudaWr/ comment in almost all of them. It has been most favou r ably received by the Parisian The following proposition, tending to modify the tree of the 27th June, authorising the deportati . on of g insurgents, has been pr esente d to t h e A ssem bly by '" 1"11°. JULY. It is said that th e G overnment w ill su pport i t ' " Considering that the decree of the 27th June will b more salutary if clothed with all the characters 4-1 legality', and that it is necessary to observe judlci! forms and the security they afford to the accused? ,' l3 order to impose silence on the enemies of the Republic; and restore tranquillity ; the Assembly decrees Oa the decree of the 27th Juno shall be modified as persuus who shall be adjudged, at e 0 trial, examination of their witnesses, and deletic; to have taken part in the insurrection of the 2 , 0 June and following days, shall be transported into 141 _ French colonies, comprising those of the Mediterrane s . e• _ The wives and children of those transported shall . b° allowed to accompany them. The trials before councils of war shall be continued, notwithstanding 0 b! raising of the state of siege, as to those who shall be charged as chiefs, leaders, or instigators ; as hasqbg. furnished or distributed money, arms, or ummunitio3 exercised a command, or committed any act aggravi" ln f, the rebellion. This also shall apply to all forcu ts or escaped prisoners, who have taken part in the incur' • Pr we at . Il al , 'Ol • A