The Sun. — London, England, 1841-02-19 00:00:00

!!5 , " n d. • i. ;;_ NRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. - - (From the Globe.) The two rival measures now before Parliament for ame nding the Registration, and, so f ar as re l ates to one offense measures, for defining the elective franchise in Irelaud, are, in their principles and probable results, in calculably . h J e Most important of the Session, and are ll,?.regarded by men of all parties. Lord Morpeth's nill.differs from that of Lord Stanley's in all those VParticulars which a knowledge of the public career dile t wo statesm en wou ld i nduce us to expect. or Stanley's Bill for amending the registration is worthy of himself. It is an adumbration - of his own li kl--a.pr o d uction stamped with the genius which devised a n d proposed in 1831 the re-enactment, with increased penalties for violation, of the Irish Registra ti°ll of Arms statu t Bi e ll. Th e penalty fixed by the expiring ~el 4 :Livoarsdte(n Mr.) nthepounds fine, or two mon th s ' i m p r i son - Lord -y proposed, with his or (tiln"euY fluen c y, in place of fining a d e li nquen t I r i s h man 1"l .tiounds, or i m p r i son i ng him for two months, f or ug an II" old pi sto l i n his possession to trans phim to A ustra li a for seven years ! This pro teeositi nec n e ssit was not prefa ce d w i t h any i nt i mat i on of of strong measures—no description wa pen of the disturbed or cal im ou its state of Ire s loud' It was not said that murder and incendiarisin took nightly walks through the island. It vi as not soggeAed that Ireland should be treated like a man'as, Mb that she must he dened the use of tbo:e pr iv i l eges Ir#l4eh would become a sounder and saser state of I, ll l6 i i n ig ar f eeling But, without P pre ace, without any pre extenuation, xwithout any ' attempt t , ) make `2:e y House of Commons acquainted vs,th any supposed or real necessity for the stringent measure, at once, and almost as m a tt er o f course, and with a sort o f glib i , 111il tY, the S ecietary for Ireland declared his inten 'lea t 0 introduce a clause for the transportation for "tn sears of a n y o ff en d er, i n a proclaimed district, lanion i giliost the Act ! The indignant feeling which this in en and tyrannical prop osa l exc i te d i n t h e H ouse, Inclered Net more manifest b 3 the attempt of a few s s ,„ • ge Members to get up a cheer of approba sr44, compelled the proposer to give pause. The QUile r W as adjourned. Mr. St inley came down a lew hours alter ; and, alter stammering out alethial? which in Parliamestary phrase is deemed 11.4°, xplanation," receded from the lofty ground of Vid assumed : and in a tune and - with a- look m .,e'erence and depression, be intimated thst his Anau had undergone a change, and that he should not /?!!Ila the adoption of a clause which had, to his sur nle, excited so much displeasure. It al iterwasds came ,at that not a single Minister, not a man in office, even that this new ccercive scheiLe was in the Seme phatl4rex contemlation. Not a member of the Cabinet been consulted—not one had even cognizance of No con intended ; but, without consultation, and, s th . " 4l d be added, without reflection, this inea se" which justly exasperated the people of Ireland r e ,,,Vearful s t ate o f i n di gnat i on , an d was un i versa ll y sl i r ,;, ° ultted by both countries, was brought forward by is; Cry memb er o f t h e G overnment w h o, at t h e opens 14, 4 ° 1 Parliament, expressed his conviction that Ire e°llld be pacified, and reconciled to her con 140,1° with England, only by conciliatory means ! selStanley's last att em pt a t l eg i s l a ti on f or Ire ill perfectly in keepi n g with hi s fi rst . T ime h as hit h er 4 improved his understanding nor ameliorated ril,"Srt. Th e N o bl e Lord's Bill' now before Partia ls:B a Compound of clumsiness and cruelty. It let tie,-", t oe . ele c t or in his attempt to register by -restrie ts,!fted confounds him with impediment s . U n d er pre t7 °I purifying and protecting the franchise, it perpc '7!.4 the most f ear f u l i n j ury upon i ts r i g h t f ul cla i mant, 4r ounding him with difficulties, and subjects him esti,: i e rY step to hasra , .sing litigation in his attempts to lsd the his Maim. Contra-t the simplicity of process, Lue efficiency of operation, so strikingly displayed tu~ °r d Morpeth's Bill, with the complicated de fotl difficult requirements of Lord Stanley's—the tl,ll.er clearing the path of the rightful voter in his way lil ai r e Registration Court arid to the polling-booth,.. et n e ,the mere pretender to the franchise is effectually laws by the precautions which it suppl'es—the l i Cer, det err i ng the timid but valid e!ector from making sl: e i l ‘ l n ) , lest he become involved in f ear f u l l oss , if no t resjj tit e ruin, under pretence of keepi ng b ac k th e lise,', e 's pretend e r to the franchise from establishing a (From the Standard.) 0 4 . With I. Contemporary, the Times, laments, we ar e sure 4 14: n eerity, that an opinion prevails in E ng l an d that Pa o is on e l aw f or th e r i c h an d anot h er f or t h e t4 t l and cites the case of Lord Waldegrave in proof 64 . n !,uch is the truth. We shall leave the Morning 1 1 10,,c1e to answer the Times with regard to Lord . 0 0 ; c greve ; and we think that the reply of our Whig ,- ; t4 nPorary will be admitted as conclusive : elis4 ( ° justic e to the Court of Queen's Bench, it may be di t i s (ecl that the practice is universal of . ullouingdefe o t %d ol t') speak with the prosecutor, that to buy him It; trire b i t the sentence is deferred till the result of the co,n kiwe' is known. This practice has grown out of t i e thic se paratio n which the English law makes between 4 tl criminal matters. In the case of an assault, for I the fi ne or i mpr i sonment o f a defendant may be hN,'Aetion to the public, but should tie prosecutor have are n a ul ,„ l ah.led, and subjected to heavy lost, the Magistrates It is led to endeavour to obtain . something for him." k i d 2 8 Plain that no state of society having bot h rich tastlit'or lasi exist, in which there will not to this ex htteill„rev, ail a difference of laws ; that the rich must be able to compensate injuries, and the poor more Va e ,t to receive compensation, than to prosecute ree % e l) or th an even to assert the austere author ity of el i l '. Beyond this, we deny that the criminal law kid land a ll ows o f any distinction between rich Or I Poor --nay , more, we d eny t h at any op inionhe tne /te ll , distinct ion o b ta i ns or oug ht t o o b ta i n . T he e Prosecuted for fighting a duel without omi Ir e Zat e - W he ? A poor man ? N o . A n E ar l ; an d trre,-"Mot help thinking prosecuted chiefly because he of b i t Nobl eman ; f or we cannot t hi n k so b a dl y N ie l of our c oun t r y men as t o b e li ete th at the la'es s l ti lln was suggested and encoura g ed, and P °le ' forwa r d b ecause it s o bj ect was unpo - W e (Perhap s j ust l y - unpopu l ar ) on ot h er groun d s. l i ettd 4re sate that the Times would n o t co nsc i ous ly seciie. to a feeling so ex ecr able, as th e d es i re t o rtes,s'e II Man nominally for one offence because he i'4lf,ttilty o f another. Then there is the prosecution °, e Wald egrave , w h om we k now to b e gu il ty re vere s e grave offence—of an offence meriti ng th e hen Punishment. But is not the publication of the liar s g r a tztes sc an d a l ous m i scon d uct a ser i ous aggrava *eel"' his punishment, whatever that may be—and heti young tradesman or an humble y oung 4 4444 committi ng such an offenc e , as h un d re d s ktkrevatiorcvery u ? week in the year, be subj ec t e d t o th a t te e No ; we say that the criminal laws th e 4 taare heavily upon offenders of exalted rank ‘ l °-..0 4 1 11°4 lioy others : the country knows that they and ,e aristocracy themselves know that they do— kid 411 w rejoi ce at it. We belong to the democracy, e 4 tit „ s tand or fall by o u r own ord er ; b ut we can ker:lL E nglishm en divest ourselves of pride in the t ecre e auPeriority of the present British arise 44 0 t, Y e ! ° any aristocracy existing , or that ever did t ee f i the aristocracy of Englan d are not merely I N „ s nit elikOS in rank they are in intelligence Oat % 'Pal worth certainly inferior to no other Ple gia, 4 , ' the community. The very circumstances, un t° es a nd and disgraceful as they are, brought forward . e rle their order, prove this. A stupid and crimi tete, made is charged—sometimes truly, and much requently falsely (for o ff enders of lower rank have ",titte t ,'" ) et iell to affiliate their misconduct. upon their 9 ;:' -a gainst an anonymous " scion of aristdcracy." A °e,,,,,," %°e cry immediately, " Oh, it must be the one _Ws or the other Lord W. ?" No w th e r e are , !'eoe -e : Peers and sons of Peers of the age of man ity tr i sp r i rcth ablY from 1,500 to 2,000 commo n ly res id en t /4 Poe of these there are but Iwo in the whole 14 alle . " 1 "' conjectur e can fi x an y di sgrace f u l or un - Olt les, violation of the law. Is there any other vetniiit.twould b ear t hi s test ? A n d can i t be sup , y ft bat a cla ss so genera ll y, or rather so univ er ctise t 1,7 what i s two out of 1,500) exemplary, is a t slt_ t j'il'hjog pe cu li ar i mpun i ty f or misconduct ? We tete * I S. fact t o be sincerely reflected on, and there- Wi ll close with it. ." (From the Courier.) ttt it „,„C bites will shortly reassemble at Madrid, as e ti,t :liik e I "' Of the Deputies throughout Spain were :titisepr°4eding. The Correspondent of the Times, 4 404' Nat that capital, enunciates the following rather taliss,L4table opinion regarding these elections. " It ►for the credit of the Regency, that the elec- Zrtne is :nrt°_ne‘vet freer than on this occasion. The Go re.tett., ~so Jar from wishing to influence the votes, hat p et 'ul its subordinates to abstain from all interfe ;tri its orders were so strictly obeyed that h o n ly in rte racial intendant was mentioned as as g ii t.% 4r, who was to be rornoved for hi s Yet we are told f rom t h e same aut hority, 14 , 1'0 , military force was collecting end concen ‘lol.4.7tt,h,e o . rdLis of the Duke of Victoria, about Oaet ... Inca by the end of the present month would La dieciu:: upwa:rd.- of 2.5,000 men. It is sonic -14 - 1' w i th " til t° reconcile the presence of so large an 4k Int erfere e careful abstinence from electioneer 44:44jaiPalit": so reported and commended. . The d tb O n " Y do not appear to have vi ewe d asseinblarre at such a moment, w i t h , elkii?:reed Mme unsuspect ng confidence, for we are 10,,ett I t " angry words had passed on the si o 4 et gr. b et angry that body and the Duke. Iv _ eat notestr of force or policy may be in agita- L otO 'l7 a}4.11 Pretend to divine, but we are %fa r . 1014 n, " v iag t hat his Excellency, the Regent, is ri454 the Poss esses the mascu li ne m i n d, to conso itAtitje ree or work out the regeneration of Spain. bs t rq. by nl ighty hero of a hundred fights, so i SYCOPhantB, at the head of a nume z;tieloruitla,ileo;:isasriinagntilne review the volunteer militia itis'e lt • h ich I : he n he could find no more lofty theme his valorous audience than de e° !"t the libels and delinquencies of the , a party paper in opposition, with menaces sufficiently significant of the fate in .:tore for tLc unfortunate editors. A great functionary fuming, fretting, and iennint , with a few nafr:endiy journaliFto hardly succeed long in coctraing the destinies of a divided and unruly people. MEDICAL REFORM BILL. A public meeting of Wholesale and Retail Che mists and . Druggists, was held at the Crown and Anchor, Strand, to take into consideration the provi sions of Mr. Hawes' proposed Bill for Regulating the .Medical Profession in Great Britain and Ireland. Mr. J. _ . Gifford in the Chair. The room was crowded by the most influential members of the wholesale and retail trades, amongst whom were, Messrs. Pigeon, Herring, Barry, Dinneford, Leafier, Horner, Smith, Farmer, Payne, &c. &c. . The CHAIRMAN opened the business of the day by , reading such clauses of Mr. Hawes' Bill as appeared , likely to injure the interests of the chemists and drug gists. The Bill contains 27 pages of folio print, which amongst others contained claims prohibiting any person after February 1, 1842, from practising medicine far remuneration, or carrying on the business of chemist or Iruggist unless he be licensed—appointing councils and examiners from medical practitioners—ordering a book to be published under the direction of the Council, con taining a list of medicine and compounds—the manner of prescribing them, together with the weights and mea sures by which they are to be mixed, and imposing fines of 1001., 201., and 10/., with imprisonment and hard labour for a breach of certain provisions of the Bill. Mr. BELL moved a resolution condemnatory of the Bill, as containing provisions injurious to the interests of chemists and druggists, opposed to the resources of the poor, and as offering a premium to the common in former to harrass and oppress the two trades by vexa tious informations.—(Hear, hear.) He observed that the object of the Bill was to elevate the apothecaries at the expense of the druggists.—( Hear, hear.) Now that they had the Bill before them, all they had to do was to act with unanimity, and they would prevent so obnoxious a measure being pa s s e d.—( H ea r, h ea r.) Mr. KEATING seconded the resolution, and insisted that the Bill would sadly affect the poor, who, in a great degree, depended upon the druggists for their medi cines.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. BARCLAY acid that the Bill not only concerned the poor, but the middle classes also, who frequently obtained at a druggists, for themselves or children, such advice and assistance as checked sickness in its first stage.—(Hear, hear.) He had been ten years an apothecary's assistant, and during that time prescrip tions frequently came in when they were obliged to send to the druggists for the medicine, as they had it not in their shops.—( Hear, hear.) Persons who obtained medicines at hospitals were often compelled to ask the druggist in what quantities they were to divide the powders, or take the pills. as they forgot the verbal di rections given them.—( Hear, hear.) 'Mr. COOPER, surgeon and apothecary, rose, and sted that he had been requested by Mr. Hawes to at tend the meeting, and to make such explanations respecting the Bill as might be required. He assured them that Mr. Hawes had no other object than that of advancing the interests of the trade.—(" Oh, oh.") He was only anxious to put the question on a fair and proper footing, and was most desirous to receive any communication or suggestion that the meeting might think well to give. The object of the Bill was to exalt a trade which consisted of men of the highest character and first respectability.—(Hear, bear.) Mr. Hawes had no personal interest in the passing of the Bill, as he was neither directly or indirectly connected with the medical profession.—(Hear, hear.) He wished to benefit the public, and protect the trade from parties not qualified to transact it.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. Cooper proceeded at great length to defend the Bill. But his observa tions met with much interruption and considerable dis approbation. Messrs. Barry, Payne, Maber, Walker, Herring Smith, Beatton, Foulger, Dineford, Farmer, Butler, Wilson, Bentley, and Lechen addressed the meeting in condemnation of Mr. Hawes' Bill. After which the first resolution was passed. Another was adopted requiring the second reading of the Bill to be postponed for a month, until the trede and the public expressed their opinion of it. A Committee was also appointed to take measures to prevent it passing into law, mid to raise subscriptions towards defraying the expenses. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meet ng separated. KILRUSH PETTY SESSIONS '• None so deaf as those that don't wish to bean"— Old Play. When men are disposed to quarrel, more especially the mercurial children of Paddyland, small matter will suffice as •• cause of action." " Colonel Montgomery," says an anecdote. compiler, "was shot in a duel about a dog ; Captain Mathews in one about a servant ; Sterne's father in one about a goose ; and another gentleman in one touching an acre of anchovies." What marvel, then, that Siney Cushen (a gentleman following the peaceful occupation, albeit requiring pluck, of feather-picker) should make his debut with a nose like the towns on the coast of Syria, considerably damaged, and as palpable a black eye as ever the mawley of Bendigo, Caunt, or Nick Ward in flicted while philandering in the fistie ring. Master Siny seemed determined from the commence ment to make an impression, and accordingly, with a vast show of privacy, he produced a small bottle, and, wetting a piece of whity-brown paper, turned his back on the Bench, and patted with the nostrum his damaged ogle. When 'twas done, " 'Tis the work, gintlemen," said Mr. Cushen, " of Tim Barrett, there—that boy that's stoopin' his head an' makin' b'lieve to ate the crown ov his bat. The dear knows 'tis no admiration he'd be ashamed to show his face either the manner in which he used mine."—(A laugh.) The individual alluded to, a " Master Slender " in proportions, togged in a cast-off military coat, for which, when his measure was taken, he was evidently absent, popped up his phiz at Siny's appeal, but he might have remained quiet, for a champion was at hand. " Hould the child a minit, Tim Barrett," exclaimed a little punchy red-faced woman, whom we instantly conjectured, and we were right in so doing, to be Mrs. Barrett herself, and no other. " Hould the child, Tim," said she, de positing in his arms what Bulwer calls a pledge of mutual affection. Tim did as he was bid, evidently much pleased with his charge. " Isn't id a hardship, my lord, your reverinces o' the binch," said our heroine, " that honest, industheris, pains•takin', laborious, jine/li keracthered people, ud be dhragged into coort be the like o' that sprisawn ? Eh, isn't id, gintlemen ?" Their worships intimated to the excited questioner, that they had not yet got into the matter, and that she was nat included in the charge. " Your hus band there is the only person summoned," said a Magistrate. Mrs. Barrett looked all over the roof of the Court, and then took as accurate survey of Master Cushen's exterior, as if she were paid by the inch for so doing, and then opened—" Why, thin, the Lord grant the mother ov five childer patience this day, but 'tis enough to—to—to tantalise people, so it is. Errs, misther Justice of the Pace, Tim Barrett is so deaf he would'ot hear a cannon."—(Laughter.) The aggrieved Mr. Cushen looked as though he thOught this was going a leetle too far. "Oh I mercy, Mrs. Barrett, m'am," he inquired in a tremulous voice, and papering his eye as he spoke, " Whin did himself grow hard o' hearin'? Begor I'm acquainted wid the same man these six years, an' till this minit I was full sure he'd hear the grass growin', if ever a man did. Ohl be the tare o' war 'tis surprisin' how suddint diseases comes on people." He then turned to the ac cused, " How long arc you so deaf, Tim Barrett, might I ax ?" But Timotheus had his cue. " Don't cry, now, that's a lama ma'chree, he was," said he, sooth ingly, and patting the dirty cap that contained his child's head ; " easy, now, an' we'll hy cakes." He then clapped his listener close to the babe's mouth, as if trying to catch its attempt at speech, amid the laugh ter of all present. "Oh ! begor that's a nate young man," said Siny Cushen, dejectedly ; " all I know is, that he sthruck me in at Micky Roughen's, for breakin' his dhudeen be accidint." Mrs. Barrett—" Whisht, you goose-exposer. Didn't I see you, wid me own two eyes, pelt a kirawn o'turf at him, an' knock the top ov his pipe off clane an' dear, an he sthrivin' at the time to hear Misther Markham explainin' about the poor-laws. "Oh ! I know ; thrue for you, ma'am, returned Sint', winking his best eye, and bad was the best, and once more applied the wash to his optic, while he glanced pathetically at the bench. Tim Barrett extended his band, looking as uncon scious as possible. " Give us the hand, Siny," he ex claimed. "Is id anything me wife an' yourself has agin each other ?" "Oh ! let by-gones be by-Bones," and he looked quite bewildered, replied Master Cushen, "I'll be gone home, so I will ;" and home he accordingly went. Air. and Mrs. Barrett, having received a lecture from the Bench, then, withdrew. THUGGISM. (From the East Indian Telegraph.) MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF A NUMBER OF SEPOYS SUPPOSED TO HAVE FALLEN VICTIMS TO THUGS.-It appears that twenty-nine sepoys of the Calcutta native militia had left their corps on leave at various times from 1834 up to 1838, but regarding whom authentic intelligence has not been received ; they are supposed to have fallen victims to Thugs. Capt. W. C. Hollings, Assistant , General Superintend ent, has forwarded a roll of the sepoys to Govern ment, soliciting that instructions may be issued to Mr. M•Farlane, the Chid Magistrate, Captain Birch, Su perintendent of Police, and the Magistrate of the twenty four Pergunnalis, to make most strict inquiries as to whether the system of murder by Thuggee prevails in the immediate vicinity of Calcutta. Captain Hollings is informed that Thugs have boats, and are in the habit of frequenting the ghauts in Calcutta, and procuring passengers from the different bazaars in the neighbour ' hood, and from the city itself. There are aleo, accord ieg to %%hat his approvers stete, persons residing iii C:il - in leaeue with them, who procure them pas en gera suppiy them with iulormation, and share their sped. Captaie Hollings is of opinion that the circum etance of a.)9 men of a regiment, all along steaioned in Cal cutta, not being accounted for, confirms the notion that Thuggee does prevail, and many of them must have fallen victims to Thugs ; it is most improbable that the whole, or the greater part of them, should have died. In addition to the 29 sepoys, Captain Hollings mentions that he had lately received rolls of 115 men belonging to the different regiments now in the Presidency di vision who have gone on leave since the beginning of 1838, and have cot been heard of. Inquiries ought to be made as to the characters of the ghaut maniacs, for they are often associated with Thugs, and, in tact. two of the most notorious Thugs in the gang of them still at large, arc supposed to have been formerly ghaut man• jees. Captain Hollings's approvers tell him that the system of Thuggee by murder does prevail in the imme diate vicinity of Calcutta, and that they themselves hive been concerned in murders quite close to the city. They also say that a murder might be committed in any of the ghauts without its being known, fur so little are the Thugs suspected, as their boats generally are good and convenient for passengers, and the Thugs are so practised in the arts of assuming all kinds of disguises ; • and, moreover, they are generally of good castes and connexions ;—some pass off for travellers, others for traders and merchants, or any other character they choose to assume. If Thuggee does actually exist, we doubt not that our active superintendent with his deputy will soon be able to trace the Thugs out. TIIE THUGGEE AFFAIR.—An inquest sat on the 2d of December, on the body of an old woman, who was found strangled in her house. The inquest was post poned to the 7th, and did not conclude till late in the evening of the Bth. The inquiry has proved one of the most important we have lately had, inasmuch as it has conduced to the disclosure of the startling fact that the atrocities of the Thuggee system are practised, hitherto with unvaried impunity, in the heart of the city. As the Coroner has made over the prisoners, three in number, one of whom has turned Queen's evidence, to take their trial in the present sessions, we refrain lrom giving the evidence of the case in full. CHARGE OF MURDER AT SEA.-THE QUEEN V. ROBERT WILLIMAN COOK, AND GEORGE WAKEHAM.—In this case the above-named prisoners, who were committed by Mr. Ballantine, the Thames Police Magistrate, to take their trial at the next Maidstone Ses. for the Wilful murder of Wiliam Sago. a sailor-boy, were brought before Mr. Justice Coleridge on Weine ;day, at his private residence, in Montague-place, Russell-sluare, on a writ of habeas corpus, when the effld..vits of three Maltese seamen, and the stewsi d of the ship, whose evidence was not taken at the Police-office,were put in and read. They contradicted the testimony of the witnesses on the deposi tions. Mr. Justice Coleridge said he had carefully read over the depositions, and the affidavits filed in answer thereto, and under all the circumstances he should accept bail for the prisoners. lie ordered that each of them should enter into securities of 2501., and four respectable housekeepers each in the sum of 751., for the appearance of the prisoners at the next assizes of over and terminer and gaol delivery at Maidstone, on the 15th of March. The prisoners were immediately discharged out of custody, and departed with their friends, consisting of many of the principal ship_ owners and merchants of London, who appeared much in terested in the proceedings. HOAX EXTRAORDINARY.—On Monday even itiga sprightly wag, well known as the " liciston Pocket Volume of Fun and Frolic," raised a report there that the Duke of Saxe Coburg, father of Prince Albert, had been driven by stress of weather into St. Michael's Mount, and would pass through Helston about ten o'clock on his way to London. This intelligence, which soon reached every ear, was apparently confirmed by the fact of eight horses having been ordered at the inn precisely at that hour. Long before the appointed time a crowd of persons of all descriptions took their station at the inn door, where, in spite of the intense cold, they remained eagerly awaiting the arrival of the illustrious visitor. The entrance to the inn was lighted with wax tapers; the waiting-maids sported their richest ringlets and ferbelows, and the post boys exhibited their buffs, while " mine host" himself was busily engaged in inspecting and superintending all the necessary arrangements in doors and out. Many of the town•couneil, too, graced the scene with their presence, and the band animated it with its enlivening strains. At lengtht here arrived a certain man of law and letters dele gated to present a congratulatory address to the illustrious stranger, which address he " then and there" proceeded to read to the by-standers. This display, however, was cut short by cries of " He's coming, he's coming;" and preacutly after two carrittays.and-tour appeared. The band struck up " Ste the Conquering Hero comes," fol lowcl by " God save the Queen ;" the crowd, uncovered, stoo in breathless anxiety; the learned delegate ap proached, but was dumbfounded when, instead of the father of 1, r Majesty's royal cor,urt, he encountered only the guard of the Malta mail ! Cornwall Gazette. - ?NON-INTRUSION.---Mr. M. M. Crichton, 2C corr,3ankd by the Rev. Mr. Grey, Perth,• made his advent at llawick on Wednesday last to enlighten the inhabitants by an exposition of his previously well known doctrines of Non- Intrusion, and hand-bills were in the course of the day placarded about the streets, and in the evening the public er:er summoned the citizens to assemble in the Subscription Rooms to hear this redoubted champion ; but, alas ; out of a population of 6,000, only about 150 could be prevailed on to attend, and these, with the exception of a very few, were artizans. After the lecture various questions were put to him by the audience as to his being paid for going about the country on his evangelical purposes, &c., which he did not seem to relish, while he plainly admit ted he was paid by a certain Society. The petition they distinctly refused to sign, and a perfect hubbub ensuing, Mr. Crichton was glad to escape from the room on the plea of fatigue, doubtless sadly disappointed with the re sult of his visit to this place. Before going from the town he left with the landlord ten shillings, with a copy of the petition for hint, to try and get a person to canvass for signatures; but as yet, we believe, he has not fallen upon one who will undertake the jab. .Though a collec tion was solicited at the door, only a few halfpence were thrown into the plate.—Kelso Mail. BRUSSELS, FEB. 15.—0 n the 12th of the month a contract was entered into between the Ministers of the Interior and the Belgian Maritime Society for the establishment of a regular line of sailing packets between Antwerp and Rio de Janeiro and Valparaiso. A packet is to leave Antwerp every two months on the Ist of the month. The packets are to go alternately to Rio, and thence to Valparaiso and to Rio only. KING'S COUNTY ELECTION.—The Tories have determined to start Mr: Bernard, who, for mere fac tious purposes, is to demand a poll on Saturday next, in order, as the Orange organ avows, to prevent Mr. Arm strong from giving his vote in support of the second read ing of Lord Morpeth's Bill, and, further, to be ready to turn to account any possible want of preparation on the part of the Reformers. Forewarned is forearmed ; but we have no doubt the Liberals are fully prepared to give the faction such a drubbing as will make them sorry for attempting the discreditable trick of which, we regret to find, Mr. Bernard has allowed himself to be made the in strument.—Dublin Evening Post. STAItVING LABOURERS.—Four poor feHows from Somersetshire, with scarcely any clothing, and al most starved to death, were on Wednesdaybrought up to Hat ton Garden, charged with having stolLn a two-penny loaf from a baker's shop. Mr. Greenwood, the Magistrate, kindly ordered that the overseer of St. Sepulchre parish should be immediately sent for, that they might be re ceived, and something done for them ; and in the mean time he directed that they should be provided with a plen tiful meal each and made comfortable. VIENNA, FEB. 6.—His Majesty the Emperor Las conferred the Order of the Golden Fleece en the Archduke Leopold, eldest son of Archduke Rainer, and on Prince Maximilian, of Tour and Taxis. The military officers who have served in India express great r.,rprise at the conduct of the two squadrons of the 2d Regiment of Bengal Light Cavalry in the last affair at Purrah Darrah. They call to mind the affair at Sc tahu'dee in 1317, when the most gallant disposition was displayed by the natives, and their officers waited on Captain Fitzgerald, whose post was sore beset, assuring him that " now was the time to show their devotion to the Company, and seal it with their blood, and that the plain before them was the spot where they ought to die." A correspondent, who has long served with the native troops, expresses great concern at such an instance of degeneracy as is said lately to have occurred, alleging, that he has been with them in various trying situations, both in peace and war, in their own country, in China, and the taking of the French Islands, and that he always found them en. dowed with the most unquestionable zeal and courage. TIIE ULSTER ASSOCIATION.—This body of Reformers, at a meeting held on Thursday, at Belfast, passed resolutions in praise of Lord Morpeth's Registra tion Bill, and condemnatory of Lord Stanley's. They at the same time adopted a particular form of petition in consonance with their views, to the House of Commons, which they recommended all their fellow Reformers in Ireland to join in. " Lord Stanley's ingenious device' respecting the Ulster Association is, therefore (as the Dublin Evening Post remarks), fully detected and ex posed. The Reformers, also, of Nawry and Carrick-on- Suir have set a glorious example. Their petitions, with several thousand signatures, arc now on their way to the House of Commons. We are informed that the number of passengers conveyed upon the Great Western line, in the six months ending 31st December last, amounted to upwards of 648,000, and that not a single fatal accident has happened to one of thorp. Of this number about 492000 were car. lied on the London division of the line, and 156,000 on the line between Bristol and Bath, the opening of which took place on the 31st of August last. There can be no doubt that as soon as the whole line is opened, the number of pas • sengers will greatly exceed one million and a half per an num.—Railway Magazine. The marriage of the Princess Theolinda of Leuchtenborg with Count \Villiam of Wirtemberg was celebrated at Munich on the Bth instant, according to both the Catholic and Lutheran rites. The witnesses for the Princess were Prince Charles, Prince Luitpold, and Duke Maximilian of Bavaria ; those for the 'Count being the Prince do Ilechingen and the Baron de Schmitz Grollenberg, the \Virtemberg Minister at the Court of Munich. According to the contract, t h e c hild ren are to be brought up in the Roman Catholic religion, which is that of their mother. There was a grand dinner at Court, the King and Queen, all the Royal family, ail the Princes and Dukes at Munich, the Baron do Gise, Miniter of the Royal household and of the Interior, and the Wirtemburg Minister ; and on the 9th there was a grand ball at Conn in honour of the bride and bridegroom, who left Munich for Stutgardt.—Gali9nani. I'•.xPERIAL PARLIA?vJENT. OF COMMONS, FEB. IS. The SPEAKER t , ok the Chair at the usual hour. Colonel CLEMENTS was introduced and procecdoi! to ;1;c table for the purpose of taking the oaths and Lis scat for the comity of Cavan, but in consequence of not being a'ile to produce his qual;fica!inn, the adminis tuition of the oaths to the lion. and Gellant Gentleman were postponed t 11 to-morrow. Colonel RAWDON presented a peftion from the county Down against Lord Stanley's Bill, and in favmr of lord Morpeth's, for the Registration of Voters in Ireland. Mr. TOWNELY PARKER presented a petition from Preston, 40 yards long, against the New Poor lAw Amendment Bill. Mr. REDING TON piesented a petition from Dan el,:l!t against Lord Staill..iy's 811 for the Registration of Voters in Ireland. Mr. GREENE presented a pet:tion from the Lancas ter and Preston Juuct'on Railevas, complaining of . toe exo; bitant tix on raLvay passengers, and praying that the House woul'i adopt some means to reduce the duty on second and third (lass passengers. Mr. LITTON presented petition's from Borris-c -kanc, Caher, Cashel, and other places in Ireland, against Lord Morpi tti's Irish Registration 8.11, and in. favour of Lord Stanley's. Lord ASHLEY brought up the Report of the Sd lect Committee on the Factories Bill. Mr. O'CONNELL presented petitions from the inhabitants of the Province of Munster, from Killucan, in the county of Meath, and from ether plates in Ire land, in favour of the 8.11 brought in by Lord Morpeth for the amendment of the laws relating to registrafon of voters in Ireland, and praying the House utterly to reject the 13•11 brought in by Lord Staahy. The HON. and LEARNED ars() presented a t tion from the Lord Mayor of Dublin; 'as Chairman of the West India Association of that city, against the removal of the protectio n at present extended to West India produce. The Hon. and Learned Member pre sented the petition on account of the respectability of the gentlemen vho composed the Association, but he had the misfortune to differ altogether from the peti tioner.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HAWES presented a petition from the parish of St. Mary's, Lambeth, praying that that borough should participate in the grant for metropolitan im provemeate. Sir B. HALL presented a peftion from Marylebone against the window-tax. Sir G. SINCLAIR presented a petition from a place in Caithness against lay patronage in the Church of Scotland. Colonel PERCEVAL presented a petition signed by several of the gentry, clergy, and magistrates of the county of Mayo in favour of Lord Stanley's Bill. Mr. HUME presented a petition agreed to at a public meeting in the town of Linton on the 6th February last, praying for an inquiry into the administration of the Poor-law i i Scotland. Mr. HUME presented a petition from an individual in Montrose, stating that he, in common with many others, was suffering great distress, being unable to maintain themselves, though they were willing to ac cept any employment. The petition attributed the pre sent distressed state of the manufacturing and labouring plpulation to the defective state of the representation in that House, by which laws were made not at all sym pathizing with the mass of the community, and prayed the House to reconsider that subject.—Ordered to be hid upon the table. MONUMENT TO SIR SIDNEY SMITH. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said he rose for the purpose of withdrawing the motion of which he had given notice tor that day ; but lest it should be sup posed that his opinion was in any way changed, he helged to say that he left tie matt,ir in the best pos sihh hands.—(Hear, hear.) POOR-LAW AMENDMENT BILL. Mr. TO WNELY PARKER gave notice that on the. motion for comm'tting the Poor liw Amendment Bail he "should move that it be postponed for six months. TREATY OF TEXAS. Mr. O'CONNELL moved for the production of any Treity between her Majesty and the persons ca led the State of Texas ; and to call the attention of the House to the state of the relations between this country and those persons. Lora PALMEIiSTON said that the Treaty had been signed three months ago, and sent to Texas. As it was hoped that it would be ratified in January he trusted that be should soon be able to lay before the House some further information on the subject. Mr. O'CONNELL said that under these circum- stances he should postpone his motion with respect to Texas until that day fortnight. He would also a'ter the form of Lis motion, and would move for information with respect tl the relations of this country with Mexico and Texa.. The Hon. Gentleman also gave nctice that on the same day he would move for returns of the number of stamps issued to newspapers, with a view of shoving the frauds t`: at had been committed. On the motion of Mr. HUME, tertain returns rela t:ve to the General Poo-office were ordered. CANADA. Mr. PAKINGTON, before the regular business of the House proceeded, wished to put a question to the Secretary of Stata for the Colonies. It would be in the recollection of that Noble Lord that on the 29th of January in the last Session certain ordinances passed by the Governor and Council of Lower Canada were laid on the table of the House ; now, what he wished to know was, whether among those ordinances was the one for the incorporation of the Seminary of St. Sulpice. He alio wished to know whether the ordinances laid on the tildc had been printed. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that among the ordinances laid on the tilde on the 29th of January in the last Session, was the ordinance with respect to the Seminary of St. Sulpice. As to tie printing of the ordinances, he behaved it was not only unusual, but con trary to Act of Parliament. Sir R. PEEL wished to know from the Noble Lord whether he had received any despatches from Canada of a later date than those laid on the table last Session? Lord J. RUSSELL—Yes. Sir. R. PEEL, such being the care, wished to know whether any had been received relative to the union of the two Canadas ? With respect to printing the ordinances, he believed it could not be objected to. Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought nothing could be expected more than the production of the ordinances as they arrived. With respect to the Right Hon. Gentleman's question, he had only to say that he had received within the last two days a despatch from the Governor-General of Canada, informing him that some difficulty had occurred in the consummation of the Union. But it was hoped that the measure would be completed by the Bth or 9th of February. There wan t,o o•jectien t lay that despatch upon the t tble. TLere were also some despatches tel thing to emigta tion, which it e as his intention to lay before .Parliament. ADMINISTRATION OF J[JSTICE (IRE- LAND). Mr. SHAW begged to ask the Noble Lord the Se cre.ary for Ireland, whether it was intended to intro duce into the B:11 for the better administration of the liw in Ireland, an assimilition of the salaries and superanuation allowances of officers of the superior Courts in that country to those in England ? Lord MORPETH replied that it was his wish to rte the Courts in the two countries as much as possible ; but some inquiry was necessary before be could be prepared to assimil ite the salaries and super annuations of the officers of the Courts.—(Hear.) INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT. In answer to a question from Lord MAHON, Lord PALMERSTON stated that he would to morrow be prepared to give information respecting the present state of the negotiations on the subject of inter national copyright. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. The Members of the General Committee of the House on Election Petitions, came to the table and were sworn. CLAIMS OF CAPTAIN SNOW HARRIS. Lord ELIOT trusted he would receive the in dulgence of the House while he called its attention to a subject in which much interest was generally felt. It might be recollected that a Commission had sat in April, 1839, to inquire into the merits of the plan of Captain Snow Harris for the pro tection of ships from the effects of lightning. That Commission was appointed at the suggestion of the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth, and many scientific gentlemen were examined before it. The Report of that Commission concluded in the following terms : " Having now completed our remarks on t h e severa l points to which their Lordsh ips' Instructions directed our attention, we trust we have shown from the evidence of facts, derived from experience of many years, et s well as by the opini.ms, not only of scientific . but of professional ig w h li t i r c ii h ng have been lost Conductors; the immense amount of property which has b a n y n t d ' ; i ; .gohtilti's:iiriti(e'grffii;nega efficacy t o f nU i n r ;be l- r ia o r f " i s v lives been destrovel, as shown by Mr. Harri 3, an d is st ill ex posed without adequate protection ; th e i nconven i ence which has a ris en , a nd is still liable to arise, from the loss of the services of ships at moments of great and c itical importa nce; the difficulty of procuring new spars in times of war on foreign stations (not to mention the great expense of wages and victuals for the c re ws of ships while rendered useless till repair e d) ; we aga i n beg leave to state our unanimous opinion of the great advantages possessei by Mr. Harris's plan above every other plan, affording permanent security a t a ll ti mes , and under all circumstances, against the i n j ur i ous e ff ects of lightning, effecting this protection without an y naut i ca l inconvenience or scientific objection whatever; and we, therefore, most earnestly recommend their general adop tion in the Royal Navy." flaying brought the subject last year before the House, be felt it to be his duty to inquire from the Admiralty what steps have been taken in consequence of that re- commendation. If he had been rightly informed, the Admiralty did not consider the experiments which bad lately been made, with uniform success, in ti:e opinion of all naval and scientific mer, were sufficient, but they were prepared to enter upon a new course of experiments, they having, as he belie;•ed, adapted Mr. Harris's conductors to some ships, but they had withdrawn the plan altogether from (.x Eltr.e;-icteridc ;ee of tl.e inventor. A considerably larger expew e had ti.e-e ote Leen occasioned than if Mr. H Irris had had the superktendenee of it., besides the injustice inflicted on that individual by depriving him of the advantage which was given to very inventor of superintending his own invention. They had 111(..lvise provided a large number of her Majesty's ships with Mr. Edge's plan, which had been pilfered from Mr. Harris's. If the Admiralty held that the experiment had not been fully tried, be should have a strong case against them. Something had been said on the ground of the expense ; that subject, however, had been ful'y dealt with by the Commissioners. He would not advert to it further at present, reeving t) himself the right to go int) the queAion in his reply, if that argument should be made use of in opposition to this motion. The Commissioners bad stated it as their opinion that no solid objection had been urged on that head. Undoubtedly the expense of the improved conductors would be some.vhat greater than by the present inefficient conductors now in use; but when they considered the cost of a line•abattla ship, which amounted to upwards of 100,000/., and the possible loss of life which might happen in consequence of her being struck with lightning, he thought they would b: of opinion that 300/. was not an enormous sum to he paid for an effic:eet conductor.—(Cheers.) 'That was the extreme sum which it would cost, and for that cost the conductor would be applicable for an unlimited period, and might afterwards be sold for old copper, so that the actual expense would not amount to that sum.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Report had as signed to a Gallant Admiral, whom he did not then see in his place, and whose absence he regretted, as he had hoped to hava seen him on that occasion, the future command of her Majesty's fleet in the Mediter ranean, and if that should be the case what would be that gallant officer's fetliug when the thunder should be roaring around him, when his s hip s s h ou ld b e ex posed to the raging of the thments, whit., his gallant salons trembled for their safety—what would be his feeiings of regret that prejudices and jealousy should have prevented his enjoying that safety which might have been afforded him. He (Mr. S. Harris) was not unknown in the scientific, world. It was one of his papers that had led to the formation of the new compass now is use in her Majesty's service.— (Hew, hear.) He (Lord Eliot) held in his hand papers which that gentleman had contributed to philosophical works. 'He had devoted a large portion of his time and uncommon abilties to the prosecution of these researches, acid in doing so he had brought to light a means of securing .to the Navy of England one of the most for midable engines of warfare. He had been subjected to an examination before the Committee of the Royal Society, consisting of such men as Wollaston, Davy, Young, and many others, whose names he could men tion, and • after the full and satisfactory experi ments which had been made it was rather hard that when he came to the Admiralty and askee, not for large grants of money, but for a rea sonable and fair compensation for his labour and ex pense, the Admiralty should turn upon him and say " We admit that you have the merit of drawing atten- tion to the subject, but we do not admit that you have any other merit whatever." It appeared to him (Lord Eliot) that this was not only a cruel but an unjust thing. It was but a few nights since that a pen sion was proposed to be granted to a distinguished officer in her Majesty's set vice—a pension of no incon siderable amount. 'That night they had a notice on the paper of a proposition for erecting a monument at the public expense ter Sir Sidney Smith. God for bid that he (Lord Eliot) should grudge any re ward to the living, or any honour to the den'], if they had deserved well of their country ; but he did not think that the facts of science or the triumph of philo sophy were to be held as of no account. Nor did lie think that Hon. Gentleman opposite would entertain that ... tentitnent.—(Hear, hear.) Many liberal rewards had been-dealt out to literary and scientific individuals. He had a list in his hand of gentlemen who had been thus selected for reward by her Majesty's Government ; and though he would not mention any individual on that list, or make any invidious comparison, he believed that on that list there was no man who was more richly entitled to such a re ward than the gentleman whose claims he was en deavouriog to advocate. He would not detain the House any longer at present. He had endeavoured very succinctly, and as shortly as the case would admit, to lay before the House the exact state of the ques tion. The motion which he had made was not one he believed that would meet with any opposition on the part of her Majesty's Government. It was simply for information► as to whether any and what means had been taken for giving effect t' that recommendation. He continued fervently to hope that Hon. Gentlemen on both sides, however they might differ in other respect , , would take this opportunity of expressing to the Government, and of making known to the country, their decided opinion that the navy of this country ought no longer to be deprived of this means of protec tion. If the statement of tlie Hon. Gentleman opposite should render it necessary for him t) advert more in detail to the papers with which he was provided, he trusted that the House would be good enough to listen to him. The Noble Lord concluded by moving " That an humble Address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to direct that this House be informed whether any and what measures have been taken for giving effect to this recommenda tion." On the question being put, Mr. MORE O'FERRALL rose and saki that no forcible objection existed against the motion of the Noble Lord, nor would there have been much occasion for his (Mr. O'F.'s) rising, if the Noble Lord did not seem to imply in his speech that considerable blame at tached to the Admiralty in this matter. There was great merit due to Mr. Snow Harris for the exertions which be had made, during the la t 1.5 or 16 years, to draN the attention of her Majesty's Governme ,t to the danger to which ships were exposed by lightning ; and not only for calling the attention of Goiernment to that subject, but for his writings and his lectures to sea men who bad raiticularly strong prejudices aga;nst having lightning conductors attached to ships. It was owing also to the exertions of Mr. Harris, that the Commission was appointed to inquire into that im portant subject. The House should bear in recol lection that ships having the most imperfect conduc tors escaped. When the Report was referred to the Admiralty, it became matter of consideration there whether a cheaper plan—and one equally good as recommended—might not de provided. It there fore became the duty of the Admiralty to sup ply the deficiency of the Commission, and that was whether a system might hot be adopted avoiding all the evils of the old conductors ; and, by reverence to the Report of the Commissioners on their assembling, Mr. Snow Harris laid a system before them of the amount of the costs of the different lightning conductors, and he had stated that a conductor for a first rate would cost 3.50/. Now scient fic gentlemen bad ascertained that the siza of the conductors could be reduced, and by which the expense would be lessened to about 2-161. ; since then other discoveries had been made, by which it was found they might ha further re: duced to 219/. The Board of Admit a . ty, before decid ingupon Mr. Snow Harris's conductors, wished to see if they could not adopt some mode by which they might avoid the evils of the old conductors, and they adopted part of the French plan, part of Mr. Snow Harris's, and Mr. Edge's. It bad since been discovered tat it was not necessary to introduce any of Mr. Snow Harris's plan ; and the plan which was now adopted by the Admiralty would cost only 621., and be far more effective. He was willing to admit, that the Admi ralty would be to blame, if, after the Report of the Commission, they had adopted any system which ea dan2ered her Majesty's ships. In the course, however, which they had pursued, they had taken care to pursue such a plan as would not have that effect. With regard to the reward Mr. Snow Harris was entitled to, he con fessed that he met that subject with much difficulty. If every successful inventor were to be rewarded, there would be no end to the claims that would be pressed upon that House. The amount allowed to the Ad miralty for the purpose of rewards was limited to 2,000/. ; and if they ultimately adopted a part of Mr. Harris's plan, he would be entitled to a portion of that sum.—( Hear, hear.) But, according to his own estimate of his claims, if they gave him the whole sum it would be only one-seventh or one-eighth of what he comidered himself entitled to.—(Hear, hear.) If that gentleman's plan were found to be the best, it would be the duty of the person holding his (Mn. OT.'s.) office to come down to the House and move for an adequate reward.—(Hear, hear.) But whilit the experiment was still proceeding, for the purpose of determi:hing whether the expenditure should Le 2621. per ship, or 62/., it would be premature on his part to say that Mr. Harris was entitled t) the very large re • ward which was chimed for him.—(Hear, hear.) Lord INGRESTRE said that after the clear, dis tinct, and unanimous Report of the Commissioners, he did not understand why there was any hedtation on the part of the Admiralty, in giving a fair trial to this scientific invention.—(Hear, hear, hear.) [The Noble Lord then read an extract from the Re- port, in which the Commissioners pronounced their unanimous opinion in favour of the invention, and affirm ing its superiority over every other in all circumstances, and recommending its adoption in the Royal Navy.] He would venture to say that the conductors generally used in the Royal Navy were comparat;vely useless, and the lives of the men were consequently endangered by them. Then with regard to the expense of Mr. Harris's plan, he did not think that a few hundred pounds, ►nore or less, . was to be put in competition with the loss of the vessels and the lives of her Majesty's seamen. Why it did not amount to 6d. per cent. upon the pro perty in the way of an insurance. He did not think the objection of the Hon. Secretary of the Admiralty at all valid, and he could not help thinking that there was some under current working against Mr. Snow Harris, which could not bear exposure to the light of day. .He had a letter which bad been addressed by Mr. Harris to the Lords of the Admiralty on the subjeA, and the reply was rather a caustic one. It was to ti e effect that tine Lords of the Admiralty, alttnough willing to admit that he had t;.e alerit of di: ectmg public attention to the subject, of preventing injury to ships by lightning, yet did not think him entitled to compensation. Now, instead of Mr. Harris having directed attention to the subject, he had shoal] that be had brought the invention to a state of perfection, and he must say that it was a bad way to treat men who had devoted their time, their energies, and their talents to any new and important discovery. Ile thought it was easy to see that there were persons who had more powerful friends and greater political influence at the Board of Admiralty, and that would account for their plans being in the course of adoption. Unfortunately for Mr. Harris, he thought it his duty, in exercising his fran chise, not to support the views of her Majesty's present Government, and thus an invention of considerable im portance to the country was marred by political dislike. He was glad the Hon. Gentleman had no intention of opposing the motion of his Noble Frie id, and he trusted the result would be the placing the merits of Mr. Harris's invention in its proper light before the public. Mr. WARBURTON said, that there were two questions raised by the motion. The first was, why after so very decisive a Report on the merits of Mr. Harris's invention, as appeared on the face of the docu ment, tl.e invention had net been generally adopted for ships of the Navy ; and the second was, why, after such a Report as that, Mr. Harris had not received any compensation. When the question ha I been last before the House, the: e bad not been a doubt raised as to the expediency of using metallic conductors in order to avert the dancer to vessels from lightning. The only question vas, as to the particul it merits of the contrivance of Mr. Harris at all times and under all circumstances ; and that was the only matter referred to the consideration of the Commis sion. It appeared, however, that the Commission had also examined other contrivances having the same object in view, and that Mr. Harris's invention was aacertained to be superior to every other. The Secretary to the Admiralty had told them that there were other plans which bad been subsequently taken into consideration by the Admiralty, and some of those had been thought capable of supplying the pl ice of Mr. Harris's inven tion. The Hon. Member the Secretary to the Admiralty went further, for he threw doubts upon .the value of metallic conductors, for he - Zn7d 'there had been a parti cular ship, with a metallic condUctor, struck by I;ght• Ring, and that conductor: was melted, while another ship, not defended by a metal conductor, was struck and escaped.—(No, no.) Mr. MORE O'FERRALL had said that light ning having struck a vessel defended by an iron con ductor no damage had ensued. Mr. WARBURTON said, that such a circumstance could prove nothing in the ca: e. Many ships without met illic conductors had escaped, but that did not mi litate against the value of the invention. Much, no doubt depeneed on the magnitude of the curre n t o f lightning ; and that should b taken into consideration in any experiment by the Admiralty. It was now as certained that Mr. Harris's was a successful plan—that both in point of experience and scient;fic adaptation, it deserved to be generally introduced into the Navy ; no further delay was required, and Mr. Harris ought to be reasonably compensated for his invention.—( He Ar, hear, hear.) He should like to know whether the other new experiments alluded to by the Hon. Secre tary had been referred to the same Commission, for that would be the proper way of tre itin,g Mr. Harris. (Hear, hear.) He thought the Noble Lord had quite made out his case, and some reasonable compen sation ought to be made. The adaptation of metallic conductors ought to be introduced into the Navy, at any rate for the present. Sir R. PEEL wished to say a few words, as the Commission, he believed, had certainly originated at his suggestion, for he thought that a Commission of scien tific and naval men would form the best tribunal to judge of the comparative advantages or disadvantages of the plan. No doubt it was quite open to the Govern ment at the time to have objected to the Commission ; but when they had undertaken to appoint a Commis. sion, and they themselves bad the exclusive nomination of the persons appointed, he would not say they were conclusively bound to act upon the recommendation: of the Committee, but they were bound to show a very strong case why the recommendation of that Committee should not be adopted. It did appear to him that that department was taking upon itself a very great respon sibility, by refusing to adopt the conclusions of the Commission. Nothieg could be more conclusive than the Report presented by an officer, whose scientific skill and nautical experience were known and appreciated by all, be meant Captain Fitzroy.—(Cheers.) That gal lant officer had reported the result of his experiments on board the Beagle ; she was a small vessel, which during five years had been cruising on every variety of coast, exposed to all varieties of climate and to every variety of weather. That gallant officer in bis report to tl:e Lords of the Admiralty st tted that the Beagle had sailed on her last voyage in 1831, that she had been at sea for j five years exposed to eery variety of climate—that she had been fitted up with Mr. Snow Harris's lightning conductors—that she had been frequently exposed to lightning, but had never received any dama ge , a lth oug h it bad been e ' supposed that she had been struck on two occasions—that on each occasion a hissing sound had been heard proceeding down the masts, and a tremu lous motion of the ship had been experienced, indi cating that something extraordinary had occurred, and that if allowed a choice he would always prerer haring a ship fitted up with Mr. Snow Harris's conductors to one without—( Hear, hear)—and that even in such small spars as the royal masts of the Beagle the plates of copper had been found to increase their stteagth rather than otherwise.—(Loud cheering.) The Ad miralty had been withheld from adopting this pl ►n by motives of economy solely ; tbese motive; were, he would admit, on ordinary occasions, ery laudable, but un der the circumstance; of the pre eat. case he thought the Lords of the Admiralty were taking upon themselves a very heavy responsibility. The Hon. Gentleman hail stated that the sole object of the Lords of the Ad miralty had been to endeavour to find a conductor, if possible, at a less expense ; but the Commissioners had stated that they had examined all the other conductors, and that Mr. Snow Harris's possessed a decided supe riority over them all. The Hon. Gentleman had not referred to that part of the Report. They stated not only their entire approval of the plan of Mr. Harris, but they stated that the result of their experiments had been to prove decidedly the great advantage of Mr. Harris's plan above every other plan that had been pro posed. Such was the expression used, and it did, therefore, appear to him that the Admiralty, unless they could show some conclusive evidence to the con trary, were bound to adopt the recommendation of the Commission. Upon the subject of compensation he should reserve his opinion, but looking at the secu• rity of the navy, he thought the expenses suggested ought to be incurred. Sir THOMAS COCHRANE observed that none were so much aware of the importance of the measure as those who had been at sea, and had witnessed the effects of the absence of efficient conductorp. From the want of those valuable instruments one single flash of lightning might send hundreds to an untimely grave. The Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of the Adiriralty bad mentioned the case of a New York packet, which had encountered a thunder-storm, she placed her conduc tor, and she was struck with lightning ; the conductor was fused by the lightning, and the vessel escaped. He (Sir Thomas Cochrane) had no doubt that that con ductor was one of those suited to a man-of-war ; now, he would ask what would be the condition of that packet if it unfortunately met with another thunder storm ; and such was frequently the case ? Vessels of war were often left in stations where thunder-storms were not once, twice, or three times in succession to be met with, but much more more frequently. In the case to which allusion had been made, that vessel might have been exposed to a second thunder-storm, and if it unfortunately had been, it would have been in all probability destroyed ; whereas, the conductor re commended by Mr. Snow Harris was calculated to guard against the danger of lightning, without injury being possibly sustaned by itself. The Noble Lord stated, that, in placing the conductors according to the system now in use, accidents of a serious nature fre quently occurred. The Noble Lord had stated so rightly. He (Sir Thomas Cochrane) said that on one occasion, in the frigate which he commanded in the West Indies, he encountered a thunder storm, and the mars who was sent to bring up the lightning conductor was, on brin g ing it upon de c k, k noc k e d d own an d very nearly killed. It often happened thus that life was lost, and p ot only that, but also the ship was liable to be destroyed. The Hon. Baronet here proceeded to show that the plan recommended by scientific men, who had taken every means to prove the superiority of Mr. Harris's conductor over that of any othe - , ought to be adopted in preference to that recommended in a ! report coming from ships which were in a distant part of the world, and which might not be placed in circum stances of the most imminent danger. Sir R. INGLIS said, that as this was a que,tion he was glad that w se h e o r ly Secretary alltr unconn ected y pe to r s theon s y nd Admiralty, t th sid p e ar o t ith P eli ti le, except the concurred in the claims of Mr. Harris, to which he hoped the House would accede. Slr C. LEMON said that the Secretaries of the Ad miralty were at variance, one of them having stated to Mr. Harris that he need not expect compensation. It was in vain to deny to Mr. Harris the merits of the invention ; he need only refer to the number of papers published by him, and to the rewards conferred on him by the Royal Society, to establish that fact. The Hon. Secretary informed him that the reward was withheld, because the experiments had not yet been deemed satisfactory; but he would beg the House to consider what was the state of the case. About 20 years ago Mr. Harris p u bli s h e d his plan,. and no im provement or alteration had been effected in it, which was adopted by the Ad m i ralty 10 years ago ; and it was only when Mr. Harris called upon them for com pensation that these new improvements were suggested :EVENING .EIDITION. and brought to light, the only object of which Could bi to dispute his claim to the rewa:d to which he was en titlerl. At the time Mr. Harris hid his plans before the Government, be was told that they might or might not succeed,—that he must wait, till it was ascertained by experiment whether they would succeed or not. Tea experimen t had lasted upwards of I 0 yemee M. Harris had leen out of pocket 3,000/. anti 2,00t1/. en accennt of the Government.• The Hon. Seerutary now turned round upon Mr. Hefei-, and said he roust wai". until a series of experiment=, carried on perhaps for ten years more, would enable them to judge of the efficiency of the pl tie Now be should like to ask the House how the ease would steed supposing Mr. Harris bad taken out (as he had an undoubted right to do) a patent to protect his invention ? Would not all the recent im provements be consicie:ed (wad justly so) an infringe ment upon his invention ? Mr.. Harris might have pre vented the gentlemen from alortiag toe present plan without giving him comrereat l oe.—(llear.) He (Sir C. Lemon) had let pride and plea , Aire in supporting the Government in t e eneoulaeemeet of science; bnt he regretted that their treatment of Mr. Harris was cleaved to act as a discouragement to ingenious men, —(Hear.) He . sincerely hoped the Admiralty would let the House know at once whether they intended or not to acknowledge that gentleman's clams for tea years' assiduous services. Capta'n ATOURT alas astonished that the Admis ralty hesitated one moment in alerting a plan which had been recommended by such high authority. --6 (Hear, Ilea%) They would incur a heavy responsibility if they did trot immedietely introduce it into every ship in the nary.--(hear.) Admiral ADAM said that his Gallant Friend oppes site went further than Mr. Harris himself; the latter gentleman requiring no more than the gradual introduc tion of his plan into her Majesty's ships.--(Hear, hear.) For his part he had no objection to see full justice done to Mr. Harris ; for though economy ea; a good thing% he admitted that it ought not to be put in oppositior, to any reasonable claim. Mr. Harris, however, required a sum of 7,000/. as a compensation for the loss of his time and his labour. The a iswer of the Admiralty was, that though the ievention was a valuable one, they did not think it worth 7,0001, They stated at tire some time, that Mr. Harris had dune considerable good by directing attention to the subject ; but every one must still have known that after the researches of Franklin, the plan could not be considered altogether en invention, The Noble Lord, the Member for StiTurdellirre had said that there-eivas some under-current—that there were some private ear tives— for the conduct of the Government in rt;grerel to Mr. Harris. N ow b e (Ad m i ral Adam) coal' assure the House that he never knew how Mr. Harris voted at el2etions either at Plymouth or at .Deremport ; and more than the', he had letters from his friends at De vonport, recommending Mr. Harris's plan for ;adoption. Mr. COLLYER said that the motion had his entire concurreE ere Lord SANDON protested against the principle adopted by the Admiralty of waiting for multiplied ex periments before they decided on the claims of an indi vidual. Mr. M. O'FERRALL said that the Admiralty had only followed the usual practice on such subjects. He would take the opportunity of saying that the plan of Mr. Harris, and that of wire twee; now in use, were both equally efficient ; and the only question that re mained to be d clad was whether they could be applied with equal facility. Lord ELIOT replied, the Hoe. and Gallant Admi ral had st tel that he thought 7,000/. ;voile be au ex orbitant remuneration. He (Lord Eliot) was not pre pared to say what amount of compensation ought to be given, but he thought it would he but fair if the Hon. and Gallant Admiral woull say what be considered would be a fair and proper rentuareration.—(Hear.) Tne Noble Lord, in conclusion, expressed the greet sa tisfaction it had afforded bins to eiteess the unanimity of the House upon this subject, and he trusted that unanimity would compel the Admiralty to turn their attention to it —( Hear, hear.) The motion was then agreed to, POOR-LAWS. Colonel SIBTHORP postponed his motion for the evidence taken before the Coroner for the county of Middlesex, relative to certain cases connected with the administration of the Poor-law. COUNTY CORONERS. Mr. PAKINGTON, in moving for leave to 'bring in a Bill to alter the mode of electing county coroners, expressed his regret that her. Majesty's Government had not thought it right to take up the subject. Nobody could deny that the mode of taking elections under the Reform Bill was very advanta geous , and: he propo se d that the electi ons f or county coroners should be taken in the same manner. Ile proposed,- by his Bill, that the counties should be divided into a number of districts in proportion to the number of coroners in those counties—that the election should be held for each coroner only in the district in which he waa to act, and that the election should be taken in one day. These were the alterations he proposed with re gard to the mode of taking the election. But be also thought it was desirable that some alteration should take place in the constituencies by which coroners were now elected. Every g.enticmake who had given the least attention to the subject, must know that very great abuses,. and very great frauds w . ere practised under the existing system. Every freeholder was now entitled to vote, but he believed it was merely by custom, for there had been no distinct law or statute defining the consti tuency. In a late election of coroner for the county of Shropshire, between 80,000 and 40,000 persons voted, when it was well known that there Was nothing like that number of freeholders in the county.—(Hear, hear.) He proposed that the registry of Parliamentary electors should be the- registry of electors for county coroners. It was his desire to limit the Bill as nearly as he ccul 1 to those objects. At the same time, there were other evils which it would be desirable to have remedied. One was the inability of county coroners to hold inquests in detached parts of other counties, near their own localities. In some cases great expense was incurred, in others the important object of holding inquests on dead bodies was defeated altogether. Ile, therefore, propcsed that county coroners should have the right to hold inquests in detached parts of counties, adjlcent to the counties in which they acted. It would also be desirable that some rule should be laid down with regard to the right of allowance established in ceitain cases. These were the p►ineipai alteration: propose(: by his ildi, and which he begged to move for leave to bring in. Mr. Sertzeant JACKSON seconded the motion. Mr. HUME did not doubt but that some regula tions with regard to the election of coroner were ne cessary, but he could not consent to any measure for naming the constituencies for the election of coroner, and placing it on the same footing as the county con stituency under the Reform Bid, which deprived all freeholders, under the value of 405., of the right of voting. Ho was not for any such limitation. The fre, holder to the smallest possible amount had now the right of voting for coroner, and the life of the poorest mu:;, or the vote of the smallest freeholier, vas of equal value with the life or vote of the richest man in the realm. lie should not oppose the bringing in of the 13ill, but he would oppose, in every future stage, all at tempts at narrowing the constituency. Mr. Sergeant JACKSON thought the public were ' under great obligations to his Hon. Friend for having brought forward the subject. The same evils were felt in Ireland in the elections for coroner. An enormous expense was entailed on the candidates in consequence of the enormous extent of the constituency, and as there was no registry there was no check whatever upon fraud. He hoped his Hon. Friend would extend his measure to Ireland.—(Mr.Pakington here expressed his dissent.) He had hoped that such would have been the case, and in that hope had seconded the motion. The • giving the franchise to the 19r. freeholders was surely going low enough, and if the constituency was narrowed ' on the one hand by the exclusion of freeholders under it would be enlarged on the ether by the admis sionwho possessed the franchise of the leaseholders, under the Reform Bill, and who were a better class of constituents. It would be a great advantage to have the voters registered, as candidates could then tell ex actly who would have to be brought up to the p o ll__ there would he an effectual check effered against fraud, He trusted the Bill would meet with no opposition. Mr. IVAR I3URTON would not opp ose t h e bring ingi nof the ßill ;as fee. as it afforded tare it f ac ili t i es fo the poll it met with hi s concurrence, but wi r in takingtiiey , talked of narrowing th e const i tuency, he hoped if such a desi gn were persist e d i n , t h e Bill at its second reading w ou ld meet. with th e e that, if most doped resistance from the House.—(A laugh f rom the oppositi o n.) Wh en t h ey considered the im portant questions that sometimes came before the coroner, particularly in cases of death by the military, they would see how necessary it was that the franchise should be widely extended, and that the coroner should be a supporter of popular privileges. Above all, it was necessary.that such cases as the Manchester massacre should be investigated by elected a very popularly officer. GALLY KNIGHT supported the motion as the coroner was at present the most anomolous officer in existence. He had been formerly possessed of great powers, and the visions of these still haunted Lim. It was necessary that some legislative regulat ons should be adopted, for at present the coroner was regulated solely by the unwritten law. He was not mentioned in the statute book, and had only tic visions of his for mer power. He sometimes interfered with Magis trates and Sheriffs, thinking he was of as great consequence as formerly. This Bill would regu 'ate the manlier in which he was to perform the motions of his office. The alteration in the man acr of election he also thought a great improvement. He thought that coroners for counties should be al lowed, in case of ilkess, to exercise their office by d eput y. He kne.v there tve-e inst ►nces in which the late Mr. Stirling, the coroner for Middle: ex, had had his office performed by deputy ; be had been blamed for it, but that gentleman had not adopted that course till he he had discovered a precedent for it. Another point to which he hoped attention would be paid, was P. V 111 NTNt4 EDITIOI*7 PTA StTN. LONDON. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY It!llP4i. - I T lir 1/4 00, de. ay, Int