The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-30 00:00:00

THE WAR IN THE PUNJAUB. (Extracts from the Journal of a Subaltern in the 2d Europeans.) _ At sunset we collected as many of our wounded as we could find, blfw up all the ammunition that we had taken, and moved out of the j ung l e i n t o t h e open ground, where we piled arms and bivouacked on the ground, and a more wretched night I never passed; it came on a thick drizzling rain, and we were wet to the skin; sleep was impossible, and we were almost perish ing with thirst, but not a drop of water was to be got. In my wanderings about in search of it I came upon the field hospital, and the sight I saw there I shall re member to my dying day—poor wounded wretches lyin on the ground without a thi ng t o cover t h em; " W c, Water—water—water," was their ceaseless cry, and not a drop was there to slake their thirst. All the hospital apparatus was behind, and there was not a single com fort for the poor fellows: even medical assistance was very scarce; many were lying bleeding on the cold earth for hours without having a soul near them; the ghastly sight of suffering, the fearful wounds and hideous gashes that met my eyes, would poison an angel's dreams. Never was dawn —a miserable and a rainy one as it was —so welcome. Jan. 14.—At daybreak the ground was marked out for an encampment, and we moved up in order. The Chief rode all along the line and congratulated us on our success. The way in which the 14th behaved is a black business, but give them another . chance and I would stake my existence on their doing well. At four o'clock I went with the rest of the officers to the funeral— s melancholy office it was. -The heavens were black with clouds, and the rain poured down incessantly. 25 officers were buried in one spot; 13 of the 24th (Queen's) were brought up one after another, and buried , in one grave. Brigadier Pennycuick and his son were buried in another. The father was cut down first, and his son threw himself on his body and was killed there. Major Christie was buried in the same grave with his men; they fell together, and now they sleep tog ether in the bed of glory. Ekins, the Deputy-Adjutant General, was buried there also. He fell in trying to rally the 14th Dragoons. Jan. 1 6. —Still raining —wretched, wretched weather, and very disheartening to the troops. Went to the hos pital—the men are most of them doing as well as can be expected. One poor fellow in my company, who was shot close to me, died in the night. Nightingale is in a dangerous state, but hopes are held out of him. At four o'clock we buried poor Walden; the clergyman was un able to attend, so I had to read the service over him; the rain was pouring all the time, and as there was no grave digger present the men had to fill in the grave with their hands and bayonets. The enemy's tents are plainly to be seen on a hill about four miles off. A sepoy, who had been taken prisoner, was sent back this morning with a message from Shere Singh. He says that the enemy's wounded are lying in heaps on the hill without any at tendance—left to die of their wounds. January 17.—A beautiful day, thank God!—the bright sunshine has come out again, and no one who has not experienced the misery of wading through a wet camp with mud up to the ancles can appreciate the blessing dry weather is to a campaigner. Rode out to see the battle field—a sickening sight it was. The enemy had come down in the night, after we left the ground, and murdered every wounded man. Many of them had evidently only been hit in the legs, and they were gashed about in a fearful manner; every man had his throat cut, and many their heads clean cut off. One poor man of ours was obliged to be left behind in the charge, and a lot of the enemy came down and literally hewed him in pieces. Another, who is now lying, doing well, in the hospital, was awfully cut about too. He says that they took him and tossed him up in the air, to see if he was alive; but, as h e hi mse l f quaintly expressed it, he had presence of mind to be dead. The most fearful sight of all was in front of the battery where the 24th had been repulsed. 150 of them lay dead on the ground; they were literally in heaps. The hideous way they had been mangled by these inhuman fiends no tongue can describe, and no mercy will be shown by our infuriated soldiers to any who may fall in their way. There were immense heaps of Seikhs lying there too, but they had taken away the greater number. Jan. 20—Two of the 9th Lancers who were taken pri soners the other day were sent back this morning with Shere Singh's compliments. They seemed rather sorry to come back, as they had been treated like princes, plied with champagne and brandy to the masthead, and sent away with ten rupees each in his pocket. Shere Singh is evidently providing for the worst, and making as favourable an impression as he can. The Sirdars are a fine set of fellows enough; it is only the rabble that perpetrate all these atrocities. There are six of their wounded now in our hospital, and treated with the greatest care. Jan. 21 .—Divine service at 11 o'clock in the mess tent; after that, took a walk out to the trenches. There is a breastwork thrown up along the face of the camp, Interspersed with batteries here and there. Whilst we were down a l o t o f t h e enemy came and attacked our cavalry Picket, and fired at the videttes. However, a 9-pounder shot, pitched into the middle of them, was very persua sive au , d they quickly went to the rightabout. We are ` ex P e etinK an attack every night and day, and are all r:ady flr them. .Tqn. 24.—Toward the e cninc, the Seikhs fired a salute of' 21 guns. Hoavf.lft nal: i i i: -- 4.s what for; but I sup pose some other black ga i' td see joined them. With the spy-018g one can b t tter beautifullyevidently into their camp, ayl prepar ing for us. anti nico work they are I,w- -e parties are working „ throwing up deftAices. A fresh battery appears every'd out to the advanced picket to see wh at a y . Walked was going on; saw a large body of cavalry moving along to the ri ht. the sun was shining on them, and we could even see he hilts of the sabres as they flashed in the light. Jan. 25.—About two o'clock there was an alarm, and r my company was ordered out in advanced picket ; t ook out my miserable old tent, and arranged ourselves or the night. However, nothing took place. At sunset c%re were visited by the Brigadier, and received orders,lin case of an attack, to hold our position until most of; us were killed, and then retire on the breastwork in rear of ut ,:_ At ten o'clock it began to pour with rain, and i 9d, without a lull, a ll n i g h t. last Ja n. 26.—Woke at daybreak; still raining violently. The te. At was so flooded that the w a t er was h a lf way up CAMP CHILLIANWALLA. JANUARY 15.—Two days have passed over, and, thank God, lam bore to tell you we have had as severe an action as ever was fought in India. But I will go back, and give it you all in detail. On the morning of the 13th we marched at seven o'clock, struk our tents, took a glass of wine all altogether, and drank to every man's escape during the anticipated action. Marched about ten miles, and came upon a thick jungle, where we were halted about an hour. The artillery went a-head, and presently we heard the cannonading commence—bang, bang, went our guns one after the other, in one continued stunning roar, and oar hearts beat and our pulses quickened with anticipa tion. The enemy took it up, and a tremendous fire was kept up for half an hour, when the word came for the infantry to advance. " Fix bayonets—load—deploy into line—quick march !" And just then came a roll of musketry that drove us almost mad. " Quick march !" And into the jungle we plunged in line with a deafening cheer—the roll of musketry increasing every moment. On we went at a rapid double, dashing through the bushes and bounding over every impediment. Faster rolled the musketry, crash upon,crash the cannon poured forth its deadly contents, and down upon them comes our brigade, and, gaining an open space in the jungle, the whole of the enemy's line burst on our view. " Charge !" rang the word through our ranks, and the men bounded forward like angry bulldogs, pouring in a murderous fire. The enemy's bullets whizzed above our heads—the very air seemed teeming with them. Man after man was struck down, and rolled in the dust ; but a passing glance was all we could give them. And on ward we went, bearing on their line with a steadiness which nothing could resist. They fired a last volley, wavered, and then turned and fled, leaving the ground covered with dead and wounded. , Pursuit in a jungle like that was useless, where we could not see 20 yards before us, so we halted, and began to collect oar wounded; when all of a sudden a fire was opened upon us in our rear; a large body of the enemy had turned our flank in the jungle, and got between us and the rest of the troops ; another party were on our left, and we found ourselves with our light field battery completely surrounded and alone in the field ; the word was given "Right about face !" and we advanced steadily, loading and firing as we went, and the artillery pouring in grape as steadily as if on parade. If it had not been for that battery we should have been cut up to a man. The fire was fearful, the atmosphere seemed alive with balls; I can only com pare it to a storm of hail, they rang above my head and ears so thick that I felt that if I put out my hand it would be taken off. A man was knocked over on eitht r side of me, and I expected every moment to be hit, so incessant was the storm of balls. I thought about you all, and breathed a short prayer—it was all I had time for, for we were obliged to be almost every where at once, keeping the men in line, which from the jungle was extremely difficult. Our firing was beautiful, every man was as steady as a rock, and fired low and well, while the Sepoys on our right were blazing away into the air, and taking no aim whatever. All this time the enemy were dodging about the bushes, banging away at us, and then disappearing. At last General Gilbert rode up, and said to Steel, " Well, Major, how are you? Do you think you are near enough to charge?" "By all means," said Steel. " Well, then, let's see how you can do it." Men of the 2d Europeans, prepare to charge—" Charge!" And on we went with a stunning cheer. Poor Nightin gale was shot in the head, and fell at my feet. I • had just time to order two men to pick him up. The Seikhs fought like devils. They charged down on us, singly, sword in hand, and strove to break through our line—but it was no go; and after a short struggle we swept them before us and remained masters of the field. This is only what happened in one part of the field. The battle was general all over the line, and we were in the extreme right, and the thickness of the jungle prevented our seeing what was going on anywhere else. We took three of their guns in our second charge, and spiked them on the ground. After all was over we did what we could for our wounded, and a fearful sight it was, and one to make a man's heart bleed ; poor fellows lying on the ground and writhing i❑ agony, and not a doctor or drop of water to be got ; one poor fel low in my company was mortally wounded in the stomach ; another bud his leg shot off. The enemy lay in heaps around—some dead, some dying, but fierce and untamed even in their dying strugle; numbers of them were bayonetted by our men in the act of rearing themselves up and taking aim at the officers. The battle lasted for three hours, and so maddening was the excitement that it seemed scarcely half an hour. The chief rode down our line afterwards; we gave him three cheers, and proud we were of the praise he gave us. In short we have gained ourselves a name. The Brigadier and Major did all that commanding officers could do; the colours were carried gallantly by De Mole and Toogood, the senior ensigns, and were shot through and through. the legs of my bed; on the top of which I lay, very much in the position of the ark on Mount Ararat. Not being able to rise, I made the best of my position, and went to sleep again. At eight o'clock it cease-I, and the sun came out brightly; the clouds all cleared away rapidly, and slunk off as if they were ashamed of having spent a night in persecuting three harm less subalterns and a company of unfortunate Euro peans. Fished about till I found a piece of dry ground, on which I stood to get dry. Breakfasted there, and then laid down on my bed and read till the sun had dried up the greater portion of the surrounding pools. At two o'clock a Royal salute, thundered from our big guns, announced the welcome intelligence of the fall of Moultan. At last the place is ours! I was look ing through a glass at the Seikh camp at the time, and as the first report from the heavies came booming through the air it seemed to swarm with human beings. I could see thousands of them rushing about; they evi dently did not know what to make of it. Bowie, one of our Politicals, who was taken prisoner with Herbert, came into camp to-day with a proposition from Shere Singh, on parole. Shere Singh treats him " like a brick." He has twenty men to guard him all day and night; and such is their idea of us that he has a bottle of brandy placed on his breakfast table every morning. THE SUN, THE BATTLE OF THE JHELUM. " The 24th Regiment marched on the 13th of January against the Seikh army; it was unsupported, exposed to the full sweep of Seikh batteries, and to the deadly play of their destructive musketry. More than ono half the regiment went down in ten minutes; the re mainder, still stricken by the artillery, assailed by thousands of infantry, and menaced by swarms of cavalry, could no longer keep their ground. The elder Pennycuick had fallen, and two soldiers had attempted to carry him off while still breathing ; but the Seikhs pressed them so closely, that, unable to contend, they dropped their honourable burden, and drew back. The gallant boy, the son of the noble dead, only seventeen years old, now first aware of his misfortune, sprang forward, and, sword in hand, bestrode his father's body for a moment, and then fell across it a corpse!"—Corre spondent of a Morning Paper, March 15, 1849. Toll the bell for the brave! For the sire and for the son, Whose warrior race is run— Grimly now they sleep in one Bloody grave. 'Twas evening of the day, By the banks of the Jhelum; When thro' the coming gloom Rode the messenger of doom On his way. "Let the twenty-fourth advance;" Was the headlong summons brought: The veteran warrior caught The order quick as thought: "Men, advance!" Weary and travel-worn, Faint but devoid of fear, They form'd—the foe was near: They rush'd on with a cheer This hope forlorn. As they charged—the Leader's eye Sought out his hero boy; And a glance of troubled joy, Pride and pain in mia'd alloy, Flitted by. Thoughts come that none can quell; And peradventure he That moment lived in memory With hearts beyond the sea— Who can tell? With hearts that loved him well!— Let them weep—let them weep!— A hundred cannons sweep. Down that dreary tangled steep: So he fell! There were two that were not slain, That strove to bear away The tenement of clay They had follow'd many a day In battle-plain. All in vain!—So on the sand, They laid their lifeless load:— But the beardless boy abode, And his father's corpse bestrode Sword in hand. Tull the bell for the brave! For the sire and for the son, Whose warrior race is run— Gloriously they sleep in one Bloody grave. HENRY LITTLEDEAN. London, March 16, 1849. —Morning Post. FOREIGN FUNDS. BELGIAN FUNDS.—BaUUELe, Manca 28. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent . . . Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent ........ Loan of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent •. • • Ditto Threeper Cent.... .............. Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto Ditto,ditto,lB4B. ••• • • ••• • • • •• • 87% Ditt0,ditt0,1842............ •••• • • • • 87% Ditto, 1844..... •• •• •••• •• ••• 79% Ditto, 1836................... - - Ditto, 1838 ............. Ditto of the City, 1832 . Ditto, 1843 .............. •• • • • • 86% Bank ofßelgium.. ••••• • • • • • 6934 Issue of 1841 ...... •• • • ... 100% Exchange on London, 25.42%. , PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BxxLIN, Msitcsi 23. Bills. Money. St. Schuld Sch., 3% per Cent .• • • 80 79% Prussian S per Cent •• • • •••. ••••.. • • • • 101% 100% Foreign Exchanges— On London, three month. • • .... ••• • • . 6 25% 6 28% On Hambargh, two months .... •• • ...150% 1503( On Paris, two months.— ••.. • ..... 81 1-3 80 1-6 HAMBURGH FUNDS, Mmtcri 22. Bills. Money. ....... .. 53 Hanoverian New Loan, 5 per Cent..... Ditto, 3% per Cent. .............. Bank Shares.... • • • • • • • ... • ......... Prussian 5 per Cent. ......... ...... ICO% 100 Russian Certificate ...• ...........• 96 Anglo-Russian Loan - ....... •• • • .... 101% Ditto, Certificate .............. •• .• 90% Russian 4 per Cent................... New 5 per Cent., Hope and Co. ...• Ditto Stieglitz .. ........ ••••• • • • • 81 Belgian Loan. 2% per Cent .... ........ Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent ...• • • 66% 66 Ditto, in 1001. shares .............. Anglo-Swodish Loan ................ 96 Ditto, Transport Loan •• Norwegian Loan, 1848 ......... .... 97 Spanish New 5 per Cent.... Ditto 3 per Cent .......... •• • • .... 20% 20% Ditto, 1846.... .......... _ .... . Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent.. Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.. •• • • Ditto 3 per Cent. ....••••••••••• National Bank Shares ••• • •• American, 6 per Cent. ...... .• —•• • • 105 RAILWAYS. Hamb. Bergd. —..• • • ... .. Ditto, Priority shares ... —••• • • • 100 Berlin and Hamburg .... Ditto, Priority Shares .. ....• •• •• 90% 90 Cologne and Minden .. • ..... •••• • •• 74% 74 Ditto, Priority Shares .. ••••• • •• 92 Mecklenburg...... ...... •••••. • • • . • • 34 4 34 Altona and Kiel ..... Gluckstadt .. ••..••..——• • • • • • • • • • 93 Hanseatic Steam Company .• • ... •• • • DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN IRELAND.—We ntend giving in our succeeding numbers a series of articles, based on the Government regulations, and on Parliamentary documents, illustrative of the present condition of the District Lunatic Asylums in Ireland, considered as curative hospitals. These are without any resident medical control or authority whatsoever to minister to the urgent wants of their unhappy inmates, varying from 140 to nearly 400 in each. We frankly and unreservedly state, that it is not against individuals, but against a system, we enter the field; a system which we may ven ture to say only lingers now in an unhappy country united to the most powerful, most civilized, and most exalted nation in the world, but which stands out, in her social condition as the most painful fact of the nineteenth century. Let us not be misunderstood. For all existing officers we will advocate the full and entire amount of their present salaries ; and in the event of compensation being deemed desirable to superannuated parties, we will advocate jus tice to its fullest extent ; but we loudly proclaim as scientific journalists, that the great institutions of Ireland should at once form an object of humane interest to the legislators and philosophers of Great Britain, who, by their own acts, are deeply responsible for the system which at present particularly marks their medical con tra—Medical Times. AUDACIOUS THEFT.— A dishonest transaction which afforded considerable mirth to the spectators, took place during the peformance on Tuesday evening, in " The Victoria Temple of Arts." Three lads who had been in the nightly habit of pay ing their mite for a pennyworth of the drama, conceived an ingenious idea, by which they were likely not only to gain back the capital they had expended, bat procure a very liberal interest. On Tuesday night, when the " Temple" was crowded—for there was a benefit—eLnd when the money was supposed to be plenty, the thieves put their plan into execution. One of the lads, fresh from the tuition of the carpet factory, secreted himself unseen beneath the counter of the money-taker's box, for the purpose of appropriating the basket; of T)ppers, whi c h every minute became heavier, with the influx into the booth of ragged boys and " stage stvuck" mill-girls. On a given signal, and on the most fav (nimble opportunity, another lad, stationed in the ne'ighbourhood of the gas-meter, turned off the supply o f gas, and left the audience in total darkness, just as a dark Irishman, who it is said, " leads the business," rus bed upon the stage, in the character of Macbeth, to tell his lady that he had " done the deed." N ) sooner was the light extinguished than the am 7 bushed thief seized the money basket, and attempted to scamper off with its contents ; but the yot tug rogue did not effect his escape, for the best of all reasons, that it would be a rather difficult matter to steal money from a showman. A hot pursuit followed . the thief—the little fellow gained the pit, but could of tt keep the money. With the determination that it should not be re st wed, he handed the basket to an accomplice in the gallery, who, upon being discoverer I, plyed its contents upon the crowd of people below. i Lt this time all was consternation, although no accide at followed. The play- goers were in the dark, yet e' 7 ontinued to reap the benefit of the Californian th alio; re c r. Some of the money was returned, but the loss b ) the proprietor is about seventeen shillings. One of tl to lads is in the cus tody of t h e Calton officers. —North B, , itish Daily Mail. adY Disb rowe , f am i ly, and su i ts t arrived at Black all,w yesterday afternoon, by the G e neral St e a m Nevi dgaamtio.n He?sinPAittan ye'satmawilislltiesamm-isihii.pwCras to i raffe, b f e ro p m roc t i et m te ed r j y in the market-place, Rotterdam, on W edrieeday LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 3O, 1849 , II4PERIAL PARLIAMENT. /MUSE OF LORDS, March 29. LORD CH,INCEI.I.oIt took his seat upon tlc, Wool sack at Five o'ciuck. Messengers from the Commons brought up certain Bills. nice Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from Ballina praying for an improved system of rating. The Earl of HARROWBY presented a petition pray ing for the introduction of some measure for the better regulation of rum shops, and gave notice of his intention to introduee a Bill on the subject immediately after Raster. The Duke of RICHMOND considered that the pre sent law afforded too great facilities to those who were desirous of establishing beer•shops. NORTH WALES RAILWAY. Lord MONTE AGLE moved that the order of the day for the attendance of Mr. Chaplin should be postponed until after the holidays. The motion was agreed to. NORTH OF ITALY. Lord BROUGHAM inquired whether the Govern ment had received any intelligence of the victory of Radetzky, or of the abdication of Charles Albert in favour of the Duke of Savoy. If this - were true, it had pleased Providence to bless Europe with an event which no human being could have foreseen and hoped for. He had also heard that England and France had deter mined to interfere to preserve the integrity of Pied mont, but when Marshal Radetzky and the Emperor of Austria had declared that they had no intention to de stroy the integrity of Piedmont, it would be a libel on Fiance and England, and au insult to Austria, to be lieve the report of their interference. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said there could be no doubt of the defeat and abdication of Charles Albert, and of the proclamation of the Duke of Savoy as his successor. There was no intelligence as to the fact of Marshal Radetzky having reached Turin, although it was probable. The intelligence had been received by electric telegraph, and therefore he was unable to enter into particulars, but he joined his Noble Friend in con sidering that it was a matter to be rejoiced at that the conflict should have been final. In answer to the Earl of ABERDEEN, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE stated that the papers relating to the north of Italy would soon be laid on the able. THE STOCKPORT MAGISTRACY. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the borough of Stockport complaining of the recent appointments of magistrates in the borough of Stockport. He be lieved, with the petitioners, that certain recent appoint ments which had taken place to the magistracy of the borough had taken place from political motives, and not for the sake of furthering the due administration of justice. He would not for a moment be supposed to insinuate that the Noble and Learned Lord was at all cognisant of the real state of the facts, but he believed that the Noble and. Learned Lord had been misled, as persons in his station must be always liable to be misled. The petitioners prayed for inquiry. The borough of Stockport had been incorporated under the Municipal Corporation Act. The town-council had at first been entirely Liberal, and it was most surprising that the magistrates recommended by them should have been Libes ral also. In 1841 there was a change of Governmeut, and Sir James Graham appointed five gentlemen of Conser vative principles as magistrates; and in 1845, on the re presentation of the Conservative party, he nominated four new Conservative magistrates, so as to make an equality between the two parties on the bench. In June, 1848, there was a liberal majority in the town council, but it was expected that the majority would be altered at the next election. At that time Mr. Henry Coppock, the brother of Mr. James Coppock, held the office of town clerk and of clerk to the magistrates. Fearing that in the event of the Conservatives gaining a majority in the town council he might be dismissed from the office of town clerk, and also from that of clerk to the magistrates, Mr. Henry Cop pock induced three of the magistrates to sign a memorial to the Lord Chancellor to appoint six additional magistrates. A memorial was presented from some of the other magistrates, declaring that there was no necessity for the appointment of additional magistrates. A meeting of the town council was held, and resolutions were come to that there was no necessity for the increase proposed in the number of magistrates. At the same time a communication was made to the Noble and Learned Lord that there was no necessity for any increase in the number of magistrates, because petty sessions were held every other day, and there was no arrear of magisterial business. In November, the majority of the town council became Conservatives, and Mr. H. Cop pock was removed from the office of town clerk. Immediately Mr. H. Coppock transmitted the commission of the peace for the borough to his brother, Mr. James Coppock, and it was lodged in the Crown Office, and on the 15th of No vember the Mayor of Stockport received a communi cation from the Lord Chancellor, stating that he had ordered five names to be inserted in the commission, four of whom were Liberals, and one Conservative, the one Conservative being an ex seeio magistrate that year. One of the more liberal magistrates had since died, another was thejiidge of the county court residing near Manchester. The Town Council sent a deputation to remonstrate with the Noble and Learned Lord, and the Noble and Learned Lord said he would receive a memorial, if transmitted in three days. They asked for a further extension of time, which was granted. In the Council they fi xe d the salary of their clef k at 4001. instead of 5001 a year.—(Hear.) and that the same person should fill the office of town clerk and clerk to the magistrates, handing over his surplus fees to the borough fund. But in the meantime the Lord Chancellor sent to say that he had determined to appoint the new magistrates. They sent another deputation, and that deputation found with the Lord Chancellor one of tho old magistrates who had recommended the new magis trates one of the new magistrates, and Mr. Henry Coppock, This was on the Thursday or the Friday the commission was transmitted to Stockport by Mr. James Coppock; the magistrates qualified, and on Saturday the magis trates, on the motion of the judge of the County Court, who had never since attended ; the continuance of Mr. James Coppock, as clerk to the magistrates, with his old salary, was voted notwith standing the opposition of the Council. He thought the Noble and Learned Lord was wrong in attending to the suggestions of unauthorised persons instead of attend. ing to those of persons in authority, and he regretted that the Noble and Learned Lord should have been misled. The LORD CHANCELLOR said that since the passing of the Municipal Reform Act the rule in ap pointing borough magistrates had been to con sider the number of magistrates requisite to transact magisterial business. There had been a representation made that the number was not sufficient in 1841. The same gentleman who had made that re presentation, to which the Noble Lord had referred, had represented that there was no necessity for any increase in the number, but nevertheless their number had been increased. In 1842 a change of Ministry bad taken place, and then these same six gentlemen thought that the number then existing was not sufficient, and then the Lord Chancellor ap pointed additional magistrates upon the representation of those gentlemen. The course which he (the Lord Chancellor) had adopted, bad been in cases in which application for au additional number of magis trates was made to inquire the number in the year 1841, because ho knew that the position of the boroughs in that year had been accurately investigated; to inquire then into the increase which had taken place in the population. Since the year 1841 the population of the borough o f Stockport had been increased by 10,000, while the num ber of magistrates had been diminished from 18 to 11, and on that ground an application had been made to him to add to the number of magistrates. He had received a memorial from 2,000 inhabitants, praying for an increase in the number of the magistrates, and representing that the persons recom mended were most respectable men, and were well fitted to discharge the duties of magis trates ; and it so happened that those who memorialised against this appointment were the very same six gentlemen who had memo rialised against the anointment of additional magistrates in 1841, and who had so speedily changed their opinion on the matter when the change of Ministry took place in 1842. The Conserva tive minority of the Town Council having been changed into a majority, committed an act which he had no hesitation in saying was a very improper act. They dismissed the town clerk of the borough, not for any misconduct, but from party motives. It was only the other day that the Noble Lord com plained of the dismissal of a gentlemen from office in a colony from party motives. The town-clerk of Stockport had no more notion of his dismissal than Mr. Fairbanks had, nor had he committed any greater offence. He considered it very wrong in municipal authorities to dismiss, and a very great hardship on municipal officers to be dismissed, merely from party motives. He was dismissed without any reason having been assigned. When the Municipal Reform Bill passed, although the town clerks were removable, it was thought proper to introduce a clause to secure them compensation, because it was apprehended that incoming corporations might select other persons, entertaining views in accordance with their own. Who these parties had dismissed Mr. Coppoek did not know. Representations were made to him in the month of November that the number of magistrates was insufficient, from various persons, and suggestions were made that they ought to be increased. There were at Stockport, in 1841, thirteen magistrates, since when the population had increased 10,000, and he was asked to add six other magistrates, which he re fused, but nominated four, which he thought a sufficient number. Subsequently, when the county courts were established, ho nominated the judge of that court to the magistracy, considering him a fit and proper person to discharge the duties, he being, moreover, resident in the neighbourhood, which made the five additional magis trates. It was also to be observed that there had been a decrease in the number of magistrates in this borough from deaths. With regard to the appointment of these magistrates, he judged from the papers that were laid before him, for he had no personal communication with them, nor did it appear that the petitioners brought any charge against, or to4c any objection to them, the ap pointment w is by the Secretary of State, in the exercise of the undoubted prerogative of the Crown. There were thirteen magistrates in the borough in 1841, and now there were eighteen, which was not too great a num ber, considering the increase which had taken place in the population. He had only looked to the merits of the parties as they appeared in the documents laid before him. With reference to political opinions, it was pro bable, no doubt, that the parties applying to Govern ment entertained opinions in accordance with theists of the Government; and, therefore, the nominations would, in all probability, be of gentlemen of the same views. The pri nc ipl e h e acte d on was to appoint a number, to or respond with th a t w hi c h ex i sted in 1841, and to ap oint persons free from obj ect i on . H e h ope d t h e i r Lord hips THE BRITISH MUSEUM. The oinual accounts and .I.3tititates relative to the British Moieum have been laid before Parliament on the motion of Sir Robert Peel. They show that the general receipts during the year 1848 amounted to 53,9991., the actual concurrent expenditure to 49,8451., leaving a balance of 4,154/. Of this amount the sum of 21,0411. was appropriated to salaries, 1,768/. to house expenses, 18,707/. to purchases and acquistions, 6,5141. to bookbinding, cabinets, &c., and 1,6551. to the printing of catalogues and the making of casts, &c. The amount of grant required for the service of the year ending the 25th of March, 1850, is 42,9151, which sum the House of Commons will be called upon to vote from the public purse. The number of visitors admitted to the Museum last year amounted to 897,985, against 820,965 in 1847, 750,601 in 1846, and 685,614 in 1845. The number of visits made to the reading-rooms for the purpose of study or research was about 1,950 in 1810; 4,300 in 1815; 8,820 in 1820; 22,800 in 1825; 31,200 in 1830; 63,466 in 1835; 67,542 in 1140; 69,303 in 1841; 71,706 in 1842; 70,931, in 1843; 67,511 in 1844; 64,427 in 1845; 66,784 in 1846; 67,525 in 1847; and 65,867 in 1848. The number of visits by artists and students to the galleries of sculpture, for the purpose of study, was about 4,938 in 1831; 6,081 in 1835; 6,354 in 1840; 5,655 in 1841; 5,627 in 1842; 4,907 in 1843; 5,436 in 1844; 4,256 in 1845; 4,124 in 1846; 3,508 in 1847; and 3,694 in 1848. The number of visits made to the Print-room was about 4,400 in 1832; 4,065 in 1835; 6,717 in 1840; 7,744 in 1841; 8,781 in 1842; 8,162 in 1843; 8,998 in 1844; 5,904 in 1845; 4,390 in 1846; 4,572 in 1847; and 5,813 in 1848. The report of the progress of the year is, as usual, very interesting. In the secretary's department 931 vols. of the additional MSS. have been registered and 403 vols. stamped. The printed books registered and stainped amount to 26,075 vols. or parts of vols.; the maps to 138, and the newspapers to 550 vols. of different publications. 1,123 specimens of minerals and fossils have been regis tered, 14,040 zoological specimens, 4,933 entomological specimens, 2,420 " antiquities," 2,767 coins and medals, and 5,545 prints and drawings. The list of additions to the MS. department includes the following interesting items, viz.:-1. A volume of Hours, executed by a Flemish artist, for Philip the Fair of Castile, previous to his accession to the throne of Spain (between 1490 and 1506), or for his wife Joanna, mother of the Emperor Charles V. Full length portraits of both Sovereigns appear at the beginning of the volume. It is very beautifully written and illuminated, and the miniatures have been ascribed to the celebrated Hemmelinck. 2. An original volume of the Statutes and Privileges of the University of the Paris, of the 14th century, on vellum. 3. The Apocalypse of St. John, in Latin and French, illustrated with miniatures of a large size, and of very remarkable execution, on vellum, of the beginning of the 14th century. 4. The Latin Gospel-lessons for the service of the year, ac cording to the use of the Church of Paris, with a profusion of miniatures, in the highest style of French art, at the end of the 13th century, on vellum. 5. The New Testament in Greek, including the Apocalypse (of such rare occurrence), of the 13th century, on vellum. 6. A copy of the Scala Paradisi of Johannes Climacus, written on vellum, in a beautiful large minuscule cha racter of the 10th century. 7. A large and valu able collection of papers relating to the history, geography, and statistics of South America and the Philippine Islands, formerly belonging to Captain Fe lipe Bauza, director of the Geographical Cabinet of Madrid, together with 266 drawn maps illustrative of the same. 8. A collection of 357 original charters relating to England and Normandy, from the 13th to the 18th century, acquired from a collector in France; and 9. The first portion (extending from 1,576 to 1,580) of a series of transcripts from the archives of the king dom of the Netherlands, of documents relating to Eng land, deposited in the Museum by direction of Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of State. The number of deliveries of manuscripts during the last twelvemonth to readers in the reading-room amounts to 17,992, and to artists and others in the rooms of the department to 2,442, exclusive of the numerous volumes examined by visitors. The report from the "printed book " department in forms us that the number of readers has been 65,819, on an average 225 per diem, each reader having consulted, on an average, 5 vols daily. The number of old works purchased amounts to 10,177. The collection of English Bibles has been greatly enriched by the purchase of six editions of Cranmer, dated 1540 and 1541. To the pamphlets on political economy some considerable addi tions have been made. A collection, supposed to be unique, of 130 proclamations issued at Dublin by the Irish Government, from 1685 to 1691, has been secured. Some additions have been made to the works on the history and topography of Spanish America, printed in the country. Among them are about 200 pamphlets on politics and statistics, which form a valuable supplement to those purchased in 1842, at the sale of M. Chaumette des Fosses. Considerable additions have been made to the works on Italian topography, among which the seven magni ficent folio volumes of Rossini on Rome. Upwards of 100 Oriental works, recently printed at Constantinople, have been added to those printed at Bu lak, purchased two years ago; and the acquisition of more than 300 volumes, forming about 20 works in the Manchou and Mongol languages, supplies a deficiency in the collection, now one of the best known with respect to Chinese. By the liberality of several of the States of America, more particularly by that of the State of Vermont, addi tions of such importance have been made to the collec. lions of public documents and acts of those Governments as to deserve special mention as an acknowledgment to the donors. The most remarkable addition to the library is, how ever, that of the collection of Hebrew works formed by the late H. J. Michael, of Hamburgh. This collection, well known and highly praised by critics, among others by Zunz, consisted, according to the printed cata logue, of 5,400 volumes, of which, after the rejection of duplicates or of copies otherwise objectionable, 4,420, forming 3,970 distinct works, were purchased for the Museum. Among them are about 400 Bibles and Commentaries on the Scriptures, 2,020 theological works, 360 liturgical works, 230 works on the Cabbalah, 860 on science. Amon. , the theological works is concluded a very valuable and nearly complete series of decisions, throwing great light on the history, manners, and customs of the Jews before and after their expulsion from Spain. This collection offers a large pro portion of the works printed in Turkey and Poland during the 16th century, many editions unknown to bibliogra phers, and several fine early specimens of printing from the presses of Lisbon, Soncino, and Naples. Among the former may be noticed the " Tur Orach Chayim " (The Path of Lite), printed in 1485, and perhaps the first book printed in Portugal. Among the latter the "Avicenna," printed at Naples in 1492. The volumes are enriched by the manuscript notes of several distinguished lie. brew scholars, such as Azariah de Rossi and Bezaleel, of the 16th century; Schiff and Heller of the 17th; Em den, of the 18th; and Heidenheim and A. Eger of the present century. The manuscript notes of the collector himself, the learned Dr. Michael, deserve special men tion. To the moment of his death, in 1846, at the age of fifty-four, he was indefatigable in collating his printed books with manuscripts, and marking the variations. Owing to these circumstances, his collet. tion, the pride and labour of his life, may well be desig nated as unique. The collection of this class of works now in the British Museum cannot be called perfect, but it is not inferior to any in existence; and we may now hope that, with proper attention, it will become in a few years the first in the world: ten years age it was lament. ably deficient and small. In the " drawing and print" department the most im portant acquisitions mado during the year, are - -- - - - 1. Italian School.—Drawings by Perino del Vaga, Parmegiano, and Domenico Campagnola. Engravings from the works of Giotti, Taddeo, Gaddi, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Masolino, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and Pintu ricchio. An impression of Marc Antonio's engraving, from the design of Bandinelli, of the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence, in the first state; also an unfinished state of his print of the figure from Michael Angelo's Cartoon of Pisa. A collection of the engravings of Toschi, con taining impressions of all his works in their progressive states. 2. German School.—Drawings by Hans Holbein and Weirinx. Engravings by the Master of 1466, Israel Vo❑ Mechen, the Masters of the Monograms S, and TG (in terlaced), &c., Measotintos by Count Siegen and Furs temberg. _ 3. Flemish and Dutch Schools.—Drawings by Rem brandt, Eckhout, and Vinkenboom. An extensive and valuable addition to the etchings of Rembrandt, selected from the Aylesford Collection, many of them in the rarest states, and some few unique, rendering the col lection of this artist's works in the Maseura equal to any in Europe. 4. English School.—Drawing s by Laroon, Stothard, Lawrence, Carter, a n d Coney. A small collection, corn prising some of the rarest portraits of the English series, by Elstracke, Simon Pass, Faithorne, £c. Addi tions have also been made to the works of Prince Ru pert, Holler, Hogarth, Barry, and Turner. For the convenience of the public it is announced that visitors are admitted to the British Museum on Mon days, Wednesdays, and Fridays, between the hours of ten and four,: from the 7th of September to the Ist of May, and between the hours of ten and seven from the 7th of May to the Ist of September. Persons applying for the purpose of study or research are admitted to the reading•rooms every day, from 9 o'clock in the morning until four o'clock in the afternoon between the 7th of September and the Ist of May, and until 7 in the evening between the 7th of May and the Ist of September. Artist; are admitted to study in the galleries of sculp ture, between the hours of nino and four every day, ex cept Saturday. The Museum is closed from the Ist to the 7th of Ja nuary, the Ist to the 7th of May, and the Ist to the 7th of September inclusive, on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Christmas-day, and also on any special fast or thanksgiving days ordered by authority. THE DEFALCATION IN THE BRIGHTON SAYINGS' BANK.—The managers of this bank have offered a reward of 50/. fir till apprehension of their late actuary (Mr. Buckoll), who has absconded. An investigation has beeu for some time going on into the affairs of the bank, which has resulted in the discovery of defalcations of the funds to the amount of 1,8241.; and it is feared that when the inquiry is completed they will be found to be not less than 1,000/. more. Mr. Buckoll, it seems, has contrived to draw these sums out of the bank by dint of falsifying the accounts and forging powers of attorney. His operations have extended over several years, his de falcations will more than absorb the surplus of the bank, which amounts to 1,738/. The Government contract for 100,000 gallons of rum for the navy was again taken by Messrs. Lemon, Hart, and Son, of Fenchurch-street. would consider that he had done nothing inconsistent with his duty. Lord ST NLEY said there were no doit!,t. thirteen ,gistrates in 1841, hut of the .e there were but nine i,nd acting, while io 1848 there were sixteen, and eleven resident and acting magistrates. 'l:he LORD CHANCELLOR said that these facts were not laid before him. He acted on the allegations laid before him. The Marquis of SALISBURY said he thought a case for inquiry had been made out. The petition was then laid on the table. EDUCATION IN IRELAND. The Bishop of CASHEL rose to ask whether the Committee of Council on Education, having laid down rules whereby they can give to schools in England of all denominations, including Roman Catholics, assistance from the State, the Government is prepared to act upon the principle of those rules, by affording to the schools in connexion with the Established Church in Ireland an equal measure of assistance, without requiring any con ditions to which the members of that Church find them selves in conscience bound to object. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied, that it was most distinctly not the intention of her Majesty's Go vernment to extend to Ireland those regulations with respect to national education which were in course of being applied to England. On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, the Commons' amendments to the Larceny Bill were agreed to. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 29. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. MUNDY took the oaths and his scat for Derby shire. The Hon. Member was introduced by Mr. Packe and Mr. Fuller. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time :—Notting ham Gas ; Roxburghshire and Berwickshire Roads Amendment; Waldy's Divorce. PETITIONS. Mr. WALTER presented a petition from Nottingham praying for an alteration in the law of settlement. Mr. DISRAELI presented a petition from Nova Scotia signed by six nundred persons, stating , that the honour of the Crown had been violated by the Secretary for the Colonies, in scrutinizing the removal of certain officers and magistrates by the Colonial Legislature, and praying that such a constitution might be granted to the colony as would give to the people a just control over the management of public affairs. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from several places in Scotland against the Registration Bill for Scotland. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the Primitive Methodists of Salford in favour of international arbitration. Mr. BOUVERIE presented several petitions praying for the liberation of Mr. Shore. Mr. COWAN presented a petition from the Edin burgh Financial Reform Association praying for a re duction in the national expenditure ; also, a petition from the county of Haddington in favour of interna tional arbitration ; also, a petition from the paper manufacturers of Edinburgh praying for the abolition of the duty upon paper; and a petition from a Baptist congregation in Edinburgh in favour of the Affirmation Bill. Mr. S. CRAWFORD presented a petition from Ire land in favour of tenant-right; also one from the Wes leyan Methodists of Rochdale, in favour of a measure to probtbit trading in seduction. Sir E. BUXTON presented a petition in favour of the measure to allow clergymen to secede from the Church. Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition to the same effect; also three petitions in favour of international arbitration. Lord RENDLESHAM presented a petition from Norfolk, praying for the repeal of the malt-tax. Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition from Southwark in favour of international arbitration. Mr. MULLINGS presented a petition praying for the abolition of parochial settlements and assessments, and for the establishment of a national poor-rate upon all de scriptions of realised property. CONFINEMENT FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT. Mr. HUME moved for a return of persons who are at present confined for contempt of court in any of her Ma jesty's gaols in Great Britain and Ireland, under process issuing out of all courts, civil and ecclesiastical; stating the time at which, and by what court, each person was committed, and the cause of committal. Also, return of all persons who were in confinement for contempt of court in March, 1839, and of all persons who have been imprisoned for contempt of court in those gaols in each year since 1839; stating severally the names, the cause or grounds of imprisonment, the amount of debts or costs for which imprisoned, and the date of discharge (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 278, of Session 1839).—Agreed to. ARBITRATION. Mr. LABOUCHERE presented a petition in favour of international arbitration. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from a congregation of Protestants at Birmingham to the same effect. The How. MEMBER also presented a petition, praying for the superannuation of poor-law officers. ABOLITION OF FLOGGING IN THE NAVY. Mr. HUME presented a petition from a person in the navy against the punishment of flogging. POLICIES OF ASSURANCE BILL. On the motion of Mr. FAGAN, the following Com mittee was appointed:—Mr. William Fagan, Mr. At torney-General, Mr. Mackinnon, Mr. Roundel' Palmer , Mr. lleadlaw Mr. Milner lilt/Sou, DM Wood, Sir H. Willoughby, ' Sir Edward North Buxton, Mr. Napier, Mr. Coles, Sir William Verner, Mr. Spooner, Mr. O'Flaherty, and Mr. Mullings. POOR-LAW. Mr. WODEHOUSE gave notice that on an early day after Easter he should call the attention of the House to the establishment charges under the poor-law, with the view of their being further provided for out of the Con solidated Fund. VAGRANCY. Mr. CAYLEY presented petitions from Market Drayton and from the board of guardians of Stafford and of Chester, complaining of the increase of vagrancy and the high amount to which the rate-payers were charged for its relief; also a petition from the West Riding of Yorkshire, complaining of agricultural dis tress and the low price of agricultural labour. INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. Mr. J. WILLIAMS presented petitions from various places in Cardiganshire, in favour of referring interna tional disputes to arbitration. IMPORTATION OF. WORKS OF ART. Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice of his intention to ask the Noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, on Friday or Monday, what restrictions are imposed on the importation into this country of works of art pur chased in Italy. Mr. HUTT asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any law existed in this country or any power vested in the Government which would prevent the delivery into this country of works of art purchased in Italy? Mr. LABOUCHERE apprehended that there was no law of trade that prevented works of art coming into the country. PUBLIC HEALTH IN SCOTLAND. Sir GEORGE GREY gave notice of his intention to introduce a Bill on an early day to promote the public health in Scotland. IRELAND. Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL in rising to move that this House will, upon —, resolve itself into a Committee, to consider of the condition of Ireland, and the necessity of changing the policy that has been hitherto pursued towards that country, and adopting such measures as shall go to the root of the evils of which she complains, said that his only object in placing that motion upon the paper was to obtain an expression of the intentions of the Right Hon. Gentleman who had the other night mooted a question with regard to Ireland. There seemed to be some idea throughout the country that there had been great mistakes made in the mode of legislating for Ireland, and that it was likely that all the small, petty, and what ho could not help considering the ineffective measures of Government, would only end in disappoint ment and disadvantage, and that it was necessary that some large and comprehensive measure should be intro duced instead. The proposition broached by the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for Tamworth had ex cited a deep and very general and anxious consideration in Irelan,i. That was a large and a comprehensive mea sure, and believing, as he himself did, that comprehensive measures could alone benefit that country, he was anxious to obtain the precise opinions of the Right Hon. Gentle. men as to the measure which he seemed desirous of laying before the House. He was also equally anxious to know the details of the proposition which it was intended to submit by the Hon . Member for Buckinghamshire (Mr. Disraeli.) That Hon. Gen tleman had stated that in the plan which he had laid out he designed to confer large benefits on Ireland. For any such advantage the Irish Members would be grate ful, and he could say that the Irish Members would be ready to give their support to any one who would ho nestly take the welfare of Ireland in hand. Yet he felt reluctant to press his motion upon the House, but was earnestly desirous of getting the views of her Ma jesty's Ministers.—(Hear, hear.) He begged, how ever, to postpone his motion, in the hope that the measures of the Government would render it unneces sary.---(Hear.) IRISH SAVINGS BANKS. Mr. REYNOLDS, in rising to move for a Select Committee to inquire into and report upon the circum stances connected with the failure of the St. Peter's Parish Savings Bank, in Cuffe-street, Dublin, and into any security or liability that may exist for the satisfaction of the losses thereby occasioned, said, last year he placed a similar notice upon the table of the House, but he withdrew it from time to time at the request of the Right Hon. Baronet the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In the month of July, however, a Se lect Committee was appointed to inquire and report upon savings' banks; that Committee sat nine days and came to the following report:—" Your Committee have proceeded with the inquiry intrusted to them by the House, but owing to the late period of the session, they find themselves unable to bring it to a satisfactory con clusion; they are of opinion that it is desirable that further inquiry should take place either during the recess or in the next session of Parliament into the existing system of savings banks. They are of opinion that it is expedient that a Bill should be intro duced in the present session of Parliament for regulating the liabilities of the trusteess of savings banks." Now, he begged to state, that, in accordance with that report, a Bill was introduced and passed both Houses of Parliament, and was now the law of the land. That Bill did not alter the old law relative to the government of savings banks in any very material particular. It conferred the power upon the local trustees of the various saving banks to appoint auditors, and to enable the trustees themselves to come into the management of the bank at the limited liability or 4,6001. Now he begged to famied the 11011 AP that the savings banks of Great Britain and Ireland have been long established, and the preambles of the Bill or Bill under which they were established fei were ies.taate ee the perpose of accumu lating the savings of the industrious classes—a very laudable and praiseworthy object, but in the case he should have the honour to submit to the House, he should be able to prove that the intention of the Legislature had not been carried out. The facts connected with the Cuffe-street Savings' Bank would be found to be un paralleled in the history of banking transactions. He might have gone into the statement he was now about, to make last year, were it not that he apprehended that the statement of the facts if they had Obtained cir culation through the press would have produced a panic, and might have injured the parties he was anxious to serve. The evidence, however, taken before the Committee had since been published in the Times and Chronicle, and he was therefore now released from any difficulty or deli cacy in the matter, because nothing he could say would add to the fund of information already before the public. Now let him direct attention to the Cuffe-street Savings' Bank. It was established in 1818, and the usual com plement of trustees, managers, and actuaries were ap pointed. They opened, under the authority of an Act of Parliament, an account with the Com missioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, and the bank continued to receive deposits .from the public, and exhibited all the various signs of inward prosperity, from that period of 1818 until that of 1831. On one occasion the dep. sits exceeded 300,0001., while they were seldom under 200,0001. In February of the year 1831 the officer called the actuary absconded, and it was found that he had been guilty of malversation of the money of the Bank; a full statement of the de linquencies and of the frauds he had committed were transmitted to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt in London, and that central authority deputed a gentleman who had become notorious not only in Eng land but in Ireland, namely, Mr. Tidd Pratt, to visit the Cuffe-street Savings' bank in order to inquire into and report upon the frauds, and to decide upon the best course to be adopted for the interest of the depositors. 'The trustees of that day were different to the trustees of 1847, and were all solvent and respectable individuals. Mr. Tidd Pratt entered upon an investigation of the affairs of the bank, and found a deficit of 8,0001., which had been received by the actuary and not accounted for. Having tinkered up the affairs in the best way be could, he returned and informed the then Chancellor of the Ex.. chequer. The trustees wished to wind up the bank, to divide the assets pro rata among the depositors, and to clean their hands of the whole matter, but Mr. Tidd Pratt told them as they had good credit to keep it open, and depend upon making up the deficit by the surplus profits. From a statement of the bank accounts it appeared that, in 1832, the profits over and above the expenses amounted to 4,4764 10s. 5d., but in the follow ing year, in consequence of fraud and peculation, there was a deficiency of 3,671/. 12s. 3d., and from that year it gradually increased until 1847, when the deficiency amounted to nearly 33,000/. From 1832 to 1847 the Chancellors of the Exchequer were cognizant of the fact that the bank in Cuffe-street was insolvent, and could not pay 10s. in the pound, and yet they allowed the poor hard-working mechanics of Dublin, who denied themselves the necessaries of life in order that they might save something from their earnings, to be defrauded of their earrings. —(Hear.) A com mittee sat in Dublin for some days, the depositors were called before them, when it appeared that the sum of 32,000/. was due to them, which was subsequently swelled on inquiry to 48,0004; and, in fact, 50,0001. was due to 1,664 persons from the two trustees whose securities would not be taken in any bank in Ireland for 1,0004 All the money placed to the credit of the bank in the Bank of Ireland was but 821. He complained that Mr. Pratt was a flippant individual, and had calumniated the people of Ireland by saying in a letter to the Treasury from Tralee that he regretted many of the depositors had placed money in that bank in order to avoid the payment of their rents, and that many were subsisting upon charity and receiving out-door relief, and that they had been guilty of perjury and of subornation of perjury in order to substantiate their claims. Mr. Tidd Pratt had said he xamined many of the depositors upon oath, and Mr. Tidd Pratt charged them with subornation of perjury, and when he was asked what subornation of perjury meant he could not translate the offensive term. — (Laughter.) Now he (Mr. Reynolds) called that whole sale calumny. Let him then call attention to the Cuffe-street depositors. He knew Mr. Tidd Pratt had been trying his hand at calumniating them too. He should read for the information of the House the classes of persons to whom that money was due, and then the House would say whether they ought to be so calumniated. The number of depositors in the St. Peter's Savings' Bank, Cuffe street, Dublin, under 11, was 59 ; under 21., 71; under 31., 56; under 41., 72; under 51., 92; under 101., 193; under 151, 175; under 204, 131; under 251, 125; under 301., 82; under 401., 143; under 504, 190; under 601., 62; under 70/., 38; under 801., 27; under 901,, 24; under 1004, 21; under 1101, 24; under 1201., 16; un der 130/. 17; under 140/., 11; under 1504, 8; under 1604, 11 ; under 170 L, 3 ; under 180/., 10 ; under 1904, 7 ; under 1951. 4 ; under 2001., 4 ; and under 237/. and 2804, I—making the total depositors in the Cuffe street Savings' Bank, whose deposits were under 1504, 1,617 ; and, with those that varied from 150/. to 2001., making a grand total of 1,664. The average sum for each depositor was as close as pos sible 271_ Thee the 11e... —„„1,1 1-.‘ a bl e to estimate the wide-spread misery which the failure of Cuffs-street bank had occasioned. He was not anxious to harrow up the feelings of the Members of that House, but he was bound to say that the scenes of human misery which he had witnessed within the last eighteen months in the city of Dublin, and which had grown out of the failure of that bank, were, he believed, unparalleled in the history of human suffering.—(Hear.) He knew an industrious bookseller who had contrived by great self-denial to save a little money, and a man with a wife and seven children. That poor man had lodged about 1501. in that bank, which was his entire all. His anxiety of mind, consequent upon the failure of the bank, brought on brain fever, which ultimately turned to typhus, and he died, leaving his wifo and seven children penniless, and five of those children were now ill of typhus.—(Bear, hear.) He knew, too, of some cases of suicide which had occurred from the same cause. Here, then, were 1,664 persons practically working out the principle of self-reliance by accumulating 50,0001., and intrusting it to a bank which was believed to afford Government security. A case of gross fraud had been practised, but the trus tees had denied their liability, and a mandamus had been sued for and denied. Another man damus had been sued for, which it w a s in tended should eith e r establish or entirely disprove the liability of the trustees of savings' banks.— (Hear, hear.) He begged the particular attention of the Right Honourable Baronet the Chancellor of the Exchequer to this part of the result of those inquiries. The decision of the Court was that they had no power whatever to interlere. The arrangements lay between the trustees and the Commissioners of the National Debt, and under the Act of 1844 there seemed to be no power to interfere. A verdict which had just been given at Tralee seemed to confirm this decision. There was no power to institute an investigation into the books, and the only persons entitled to make any investigations were the Commis sioners of the National Debt, and even so far as they were concerned, it must be a matter of private arrangement between them and the trustees of the particular bank to which any reference was made. In order to render any trustees liable it was necessary, under the Act of 1844, that they should give their consent in writing to become responsible. A question on this point had been submitted to Mr. Tidd Pratt upon this subject, in which it was stated that out of the 50,0001. for which the bank had originally been indebted, the amount of the debt had been reduced to 37,000/. since 1844.--(Hear.) (The Honourable Gentleman then read various extracts from a correspondence between Mr. Egam and the official, of the Commissioners for the National Debt, showing in the first place that the ori ginal debt would, if proper care had been taken of the assets, have been reduced to as low as 27,722/., and in which a request was made to send a professional accoun tant down to investigate the circumstances, and to un ravel the several details, but that assistance was refused.) It was in evidence that the trustees had neglected to put their balance-sheets in the bank in Dublin, in order that the depositors should not know that they had been robbed; and for that neglect the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt were responsible, By the Parliamentary return it appeared that there were 1,364 depositors in this very bank, while the total number of depositors in Dublin exceeded 20,000.-- (Hear, hear.) He would not speak of this in any angry tone, but he was desirous of improv ing the law in order that the savings' banks might be what they were intended fur, namely, a place for the safe keeping of the earnings of the poor, which they were not now.—(Hear, hear.) He held in his hand a paper, by which it appeared that in all Ireland the number of depositors in 1844 was 91,243 whose aggregate gainings amounted to 1,749,0174 but if they had a return for the present year, so great had been the doubt created in the public mind as to these banks by the Cuffe-street disclosures, he very touch feared the figures would be greatly reduced. By the same paper it appeared that the number of de positors in England and Scotland on the 30th of No vember, 1844, was 1,120,047, who had lodged with the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt no less a sum than 31,275,6364—(Hear, hear.) Now, the House baying indulged him so long, for which he felt more than thankful, and for which be felt it was hardly necessary for him to offer any apology, as the subject was one of great importance, he would just recapitulate the facts connected with this bank. It was established in 1818, continued prosperous until 1831, but it was insolvent from that period until 1844, as the return of the trustees to the Commissioners of the National Debt showed that at the first there was a deficiency 0f3,:7004 and in 1847 of upwards of 32,0001., and yet the Com missioners had not the courage to put a stop to the pro ceedings of the managers. The Hon. Member concluded by imploring the House to agree to the appointment of a Committee.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. NAPIER seconded the motion, and said he could hardly think, after the able and lucid statement of The Honourable Member for Dublin, that there could be any reasonable doubt whatever that this was a fit case for a full and searching inquiry be fore a Committee of the House. The whole facts had been so fully and correctly stated, that he was spared the necessity of entering into any details, but he wished to refer to one matter, viz., that the proceedings which were pending in the Queen s Bench against the trustees would not stand in the way of an investigation, and he was authorised to state, on the part of the trustees, that they were desirous of appearing before the Committee to give any evidence :1 that eni t b sired f"lt tt tht! oblv (-I;bir, r. Tidd P. xawirp, their fore dents d his right to demand the inspection of the books. In a word, the sole and only point of difference between the trustees and Me. Tidd Pratt, was, that he claimed the right of settling the matter; whereas the 7th and Bth Victoria removed all liability from the shoulders of the trustees. He looked upon this subject as well worthy of the attention of the House, as he considered it a very great and pressing hardship, that poor servants and other industrious persons, should be so flagitiously deprived of their hard-earned deposits, through the neg ligence and dishonesty of others, and hoped that the motion of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Reynolds) would be ac ceded to. He was empowered, on the part of the trus tet s, to say that they courted an inquiry, and were una nimously prepared to attend a Select Committee, with the hope that this matter would be sifted to the bottom. He did not think that the Exchequer should be held re sponsible, but whatever party might be proved to be morally responsible, that party should make good the losses incurred by the depositors. At the time that Mr. Tidd Pratt went to Dublin, there was no power what ever in the barrister, and when there existed such doubt on the matter, and the depositors were not paid, he thought that the Commissioners of the National Debt should have called for the accounts, and that thosebanks should have been closed. On the whole, he thought that it was due to the trustees that the matter should be in vestigated. Mr. H. HERBERT said it was with much diffidence that he rose to propose his amendment, for the case that he had to support wad equally pressing on his consti tuents as that of the Hon. Member for Dublin. He hoped that the House would grant that the inquiry might be extented to the Tralee and Killarney Savings Banks, and also to the Aucbterarder Savings Bank in Scotland, for a geatleman in that country had written to him, requesting him to propose the extension of the in quiry to that bank also. In April last there was a defi ciency of 34,000/. in the Tralee Bank, the actuary of which had been arrested and sentenced to transporta tion, and a few days afterwards the actuary of the,Killarney Bank went to America, leaving claims to the amount of 36,0001.; but he should 'add that of that sum 16,0001. had been afterwards awarded to the depo sitors. Before the year 1844 there was no doubt what ever, of the liability of the trustees. He did not mean to complain of the Act 7 and 8 Victoria, only as far as that there was no system of inspection, or machinery by which that law could be carried out. He had also to complain that accounts had been frequently sent from those banks to the National Debt Office with the most glaring mistakes on the face of them, and at that time no notice whatever had been taken of them, for at that time a newspaper had been sent to him containing those accounts, and that it was impossible for them to escape detection, so plain and manifest as they were. He would particularly remark two cases of this descrip tion, one an error of 516/. and another of 4272, which have been observed by the officials in the National Debt Office, but which, he regretted to say, had been to tally neglected.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member stated three cases in which, the parties being brothers, the same sum was deposited by each in the bank at Tralee, on the same day, and at the same hour, and yet Mr. Tidd Pratt had set down a different award in each case. The depositors subsequent to 1843 had been de prived of their fair rights, and that, too, by a Govern ment officer, sent down to adjudicate upon these mat ters. He did say that, if ever a case was made out calling for Government interference it was this. The Government were bound to pay off these deficiencies, on the same principle as was stated in Francis's " History of the Bank of England," the Government had paid off 262,0001. out of the 377,000/. of fraudulent Exchequer.. bills, that being the amount iu circulation at the time of the discovery of the fraud. That payment was made by the Government simply because they felt the debt to be a just one. But he could bring an authority who went down to the very town of which he was speaking, Traleee. By an extract from a notification issued by the staff-officer of the district, who paid the pensions, it appeared that that officer was authorised by the Government to offer Government security for the return of all deposits. That, too, was in 1843, and ap plied precisely to the case they were discussing. And yet his constituents had been proclaimed all over the world as fraudulent and dishonourable, and calumniated in every possible way, after being robbed and plundered. Under these circumstances he trusted that the House would deem this a case peculiarly calling for its sym pathy and its assisfauce. Mr. FAGAN seconded the amendment, mid said that if the Government were not bound in fact or in law to repay their money, he thought the House would be of opinion that they were at least morally bound to do so. But he thought there were sufficient grounds in the very facts of the case upon which to hold that compensation should be made. First. These Acts of Parliament were instituted for the safe keeping of the savings of the industrious poor, and it was the duty of the Government to see that the good intentions of the Legislature, in this respect, were carried out. Secondly, every depositor of money in these banks was persuaded that he had the security of the Government for the return of his deposits. This had been stated upon ample authority three times in the course of the debate, and the duty of the Government, arising out of that circumstance, was greatly added to by the fact that the Government had used 28,000,0001. of the savings accumulated by these poor persons, upon which they had trade a clear available revenue of 300,000 L EtuvrnmeAtt, iu the year 1844 relieved the trustees of all liability to pay these depositors. That being so, they were obviously bound to the depositors that they should stand in as good a situation, at least , as they did before. He apprehended that Mr. Tidd Pratt was altogether wrong in the construction which he had put upon the Act of Parliament. If the Government had done its duty with respect to Cafe" street savings bank, that of Tralee would not have fallen into so embarrassed a situation. The Hon. Member then directed the attention of the House to the Killarney Bank, and said that the money of the poor depositors, subsequent to 1844, was transferred to the account of the previous depositors, and that all those poor people got was three shillings in the pound. He would not longer detain the House than to say that he felt great pleasure in seconding the amendment. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was quite clear that the motion before the House was simply for the appointment of a Committee to inquire into and report upon the circumstances connected with the failure of certain savings banks in Ireland, and int* any security or liability that might exist for the satis• faction of the losses thereby occasioned; but the Honourable Gentleman who had just sat down was of opinion that the Government ought to take upon itself the payment of the deposits. He would confine himself to the motion before the House, and show that the appointment of such a Committee would lead to very considerable expense and inconvenience conse quent upon the summoning ofpersons over from Ireland , and that it was not, in his opinion, necessary, inasmuch as they already had all the information that appeared necessary, as given before a former Committee. Ile did not mean to-night to enter into the very great and im portant question whether the Government was to take upon itself that which it never did take upon itself, liability for the whole demands of the depositors in savings banks. Those banks were founded by kind-in tentioned individuals in their own neighbourhoods, and those individuals had taken upon themselves to estab lish them for the benefit of the poor and the indus trious in their localities. They had also taken upon themselves the whole management of those banks, and the first act of the Government was, when the trustees sent up account of the money, for the Commissioners f or th e R eduction of the National Debt, to take account of them ; but no one con nected with the Government had anything to do with the management of the banks, nor with the appointment of their officers. The actuary, for instance, was ap pointed by the trustees, and checked by the trustees. Ile agreed in the opinion that when the liabilities to deposi• tors amounted to 2 8,000,000/., the ease was very differ• ent to that which existed at the time when they did not amount to one and a half million. It was his intention to lay upon the table of the House, in a short time, Bill which would show what the determination of the Government was with respect to savings banks, and he at present entreated the House not to be carried awn,' to an assent to the appointment of a Committee. I° England, when persons ran away with the money in their hands, the trustees of the savings banks invariably came forward and refunded the deficit, by depositing sufficient sum of money for that purpose; and in one case which had come to his knowledge a sum of 7,000/. had been paid in that way. It was the law in England, that whenever a deficit took places it was to be made good by the trustees, and in no case had the d e fi c i ts b een made good by hadd?e Go vernment. The th ree I r i s h cases w hi c h were brought under the no ti ce o f t h e House, in which any complai n t s h a d b een ma d e against Govern mentthe first in respect to fund s over w hi c h they had no control. and over again th a t th e ac t ua ry The Hon. Memb er f or C or k (A h ir a . d F b a e g e a n n) ap s p ta o t i e n d ted ov b e y r. . ir G el e y n u tl n e d m_ e a r n th sh e o a u u l t d ho h i a i v ty e , h b e u a t c u te s d an no u tz r a e n s known the Go v t e h r a t ti the m en t f fi b e u e t r a th et e ed H e o n n t of the Act of Parliament, officer officer appointed by t under the pr ov i s i ons of the 9t h o a v n e d rnm th e a n t t as regarded th e li a b ility of Go' h G i e s e. au l th v o . rity sc d ) er fa iv r ing vernment with respe ct to savings banks, there was not, he deemed it right to add, any l aw whatever that t sy never h a d b een li a ble. Hon. Gentleman c i te d evidence taken before the judge at the Tralee assiz es i n re f erence to the de f a l-_ the in similar c ases, of the judges in E ng l and. In the case of cTohueld !tight t e them liable—they j u d ge as bei ng contrary to the decisions, cat i on in the Tralee bank, an d adverted to the decision o f the Tralee bank, the actuary made away with a very consider able sum of money, by falsifying his accounts; and those accounts were certified by Dr. Denny and Xl' Fitzgerald, two authorised pt r-ons. Mr. Fitzgerald was asked how he could put his name t ) such a fallacy? and his answer was that he had never examined them, and took th em t o b e correct. Mr. Tidd Pratt made his award in the cast' of the Tralee bank, and the opinion of the judges in England was that he was the sole judge in those cases; however, the judge in Ireland upset that opinion, and inasmuch as there were still pending sows p o int s o f l aw connecte d with the Tralee bank, 11,°; awaiting the decisi on o f th e C ourt o f Q ueen ' s B en en and as that decision would be pronounced early in th e approaching term, he (the Chancellor of the Exche: quer) thought th a t it was a d v i sa bl e for the House of Commons, pending such decision, not to a ppoint a Committee. He did not for a moment deny that gre. s- t injury had been done to th e p oor d epos i tors by the roguery of the actuary, and th a t great m i sery had beT- : occasioned ; but he thought it wou ld b e hi s duty to submit to the House wheth er t h e appo i ntment 0 f $ Committee was likely to lead to any satisfactory con elusion? In 1831, when the t rus t ees were willing that the banks should be closed, M r . Tidd P ratt went 00' ,l to not a opinion c sl T itow tha U 7 those wht-thc National their am missionei no power opinion E opinion Governm and with forward vernment That was Commissi had no d number c count of in, and tc duty to k the Act c go farther that the I pointmen Court of Mr. J( those poc for their cellor of What, th A great g number c placed th 4 peered, w After a Strang , House di. It was motion. Upon Mr. F strangers cleared. The di considers On ou main que The in The otl House ad A ful the Obse 2. The mences day's edi . Monday I enclosed a copy o ver regul bone, Pal THE ] Club din Tavern, Clifford Admiral ham, Ca Cllfurd, Johnston