The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-08 00:00:00

rbtril Wbition SUN OFFICE, Seven o Clock. SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY• It would be remembered that some time ago they were obliged to lodge a large sum of money with the Account ant-General in respect of new lines. When those lines were abandoned the money was returned to them, at a time when they found some difficulty in disposing of ,it, and by an almost unanimous resolution of the board a portion of it was ordered to be invested in the shares of the concern.—(Cheers.) He concluded by moving the adoption of the report, and that a committee of inquiry, consisting of Messrs. Dickson, F. C. Smith, L. Mozley, M. Ryan, and S. G. Walker, be appointed to investigate the affairs of the company, and to report to an ajourned meeting, to be held on the 12th of April next. Mr. KINNARD, one of the recently-elected directors, seconded the motion, and in doing so took occasion to comment upon the unseemly division which had taken place in the direction. It was quite impossible that the company could be successfully carried on while an ill feeling existed between particular members of the board of management.—(llear, hear.) The proprietors, then, must determine whether Mr. M. L. Pritchard and his two supporters should remain in office and find their own colleagues, or whether they would continue their confidence in the majority of the directors.—(Hear, hear.) At all events, either Mr. Pritchard and his friends must go cut, or the other directors muht surrender their trust into the hands of their cons stir uente.—(Cheers.) Mr. LEVY hoped the meeting would stand none of Mr. Kinnard's humbug.—(Hear and laughter.) Ile remembered well that in 1845, when he took occasion to tell the East-rn Counties that Mr. Hudson was a hum bug, Mr. Kinnard threatened to have him turned out. —(:sheers and laughter, and cries of " Question.") Well, he was coming to the question ; he wanted them to stand none of the Chairman's, or Mr. Kin• nard's pallaver—(Cheers and laugh ter)—but appoint a committee out of their own body, and not leave the matter in the hands of the directors.—(Cheers.) Mr. CUNLIFFE, one of the opposition committee, an nounced his intention to move an amendment, which gave rise to a good deal of noise and uproar. He at tributed the depreciation of the shares to the dissen sions which existed in the direction, and unless they made some change in that body, they could never hope to see any improvement in their property.—(Cheers.) lie moved as an amendment a similar resolution, but varying the names. Mr. SIMPSON seconded the amendment, and remarked that one fact would be sufficient to wove the necessity for inquiry. At the last half•yearly meeting Mr. Pritchard stated that 8,000,0001. would be amply suffi cient to complete their works, but it now turned out that nearly 2,000,0001. were to be added to that sum. Mr. M. L. PRITCHARD in an able speech defended himself against what he called the insinuating attacks which had been made upon . him from the chair, and declared that the statement just alluded to by Mr. Simpson was made upon the faith .of statements of the Chairman. He was then ignorant of the charge which had since been made against the capi tal. Had their expenditure remained at 8,000,000/. the line would have been a property; but go beyond that sum, and, so tar as profit was concerned, they might as well sink it in the sea.—(Hear, hear.) Now, then, was the time to stop the expenditure. For his part, had his advice been followed, not a spade would have been put into the land from Rye to Hastings, and from Hastings upwards, and the proprietors might take his word for it, that in making those lines they were digging the grave of their property.—(Cheers.) With regard to the hint thrown out by Mr. Kinnard, that the minority ought to give way, he would take leave to ask who was Mr. Kinnard, who came there, with an infantine interest and connexion with the concern, to advise an old servant of the company, who had spent his time, his money, and his :substance in its service. —(Cheers.) Were the proprietors aware that on the day Mr. Kin nard was elected a director he was a contractor of the company, :but by a wave of the harlequin's wand his contracts were transferred.—(Cheers and laughter.) He should not then take such a man's advice to " cut his stick."—(Hear, hear.) lie was there under Act of Par liament—no man had a right to turn him out, and he should not quit the board until he had set the house in order.—(Cheers.) Mr. J. WILSON wished to ask the Chairman four questions. First—What the piece of plate cost the com pany which was presented to Lord Torrington on his retiring from the directory? Second—What the dinner coat which was given on the occasion of the presenta tion? Third—Were not 1,000 No. 4 shares kept in the books for Lord Torrington if he chose to take them, and allowed to remain on the books till they had greatly fallen in price? And Fourth—What account were these sums charged to?—(Cheers.) He complained that no auditors had ever been appointed. The CHAIRMAN said that fault rested with the share holders.—(Oh, oh.) Let them, however, appoint audi tors now. Now, as to the questions, the plate cost 2,Bool.—(Shame.) It was charged to the capital. The dinner cost 3001.—(Oh, oh, and shame.) The 1,000 No. 4 shares were rated to the Noble Lord.—(oh, oh.) ;:a s ,,Mr. Alderman SALOMONS denounced the practice of publishing insinuations against the directors without stating the grounds for them; but he thought the only way to prevent such practices was to appoint an impar tial committee of inquiry.—(Cheers.) Mr. LEWIN MOZLEY zanse prepared to put many ques tions to the Chairman, but after that lion. Gentleman's clear explanations and candid invitation for inquiry, he thought it best to uhstain fri m putting them, and urged the meeting to adopt the original resolution. Mr. Tuostesots, one of the directors in theminority, co-nplaine f that he was struck off the finance committee, because he expresed a desire to look closely into the accounts.—(hear, and Shame.) He assured the meet ing tt at the books of the company were in a very in complete state. During the last two years speculations in Consols to the extent of upwards of 3,000,0001. had been made, and yet the papers and books relating to those transactions were still open, and he could get no information about them.—(Hear, and shame.) He saw by the books that 15,0001. had been advanced to the chairman's private brokers, and in reference to that transaction he ceuld obtain no information.—(Shame.) These were some of the reasons which induced him to oppose the majority of the direction and court inquiry. Mr. BROGDEN, the other dissentient director, said his son would read to them a statement of the part he had taken in the transactions, but a scene of indescribable confusion took place, and it was some time before Mr. Brogdan, jun., could get a hearing. Some of the share holders called out that he was a mere boy, and he ought to be put down. The boy, however, met this ungenerous remark with the indignant declaration that, boy though he was, he would not stand by and and bear his fa ther calumniated without making an effort to defend him. The meeting, however, by the most dis cordent noises, mingled with hisses and yells, succeeded at last in putting the young man down, and after some further confusion and discussion the amendment was ne gatived, and the original resolution agreed to. A . poll was demanded, and deferred. The dividend mentioned in the report was then de clared payable on an early day. It would be difficult to describe the scene that fol lowed, but it was something like this:— Mr. WIRE said he would just look at the names on the committee.—(Cries of " Down, down—don't make Ion" speeches—turn him out.") He knew Mr. Cunliffe well. Mr. CCINLIFFE—NO, you don't sir—you never saw me till to day in your life.—(Yells.) Mr. MORGAN—IT tell you something about Mr. Cun liffe then. He called upon me and said, if I would g i ve him my proxy, he would put me in possession of some information about the South-Eastern. I said, " Give me the information first ;" but he said, " Oh no."—(Turn him out, and yells, hisses, groans, and stamping of feet.) Mr. COLEMAN saw nothing in the accounts charged for solicitors. How much had been paid to them P—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN—I don't know. Mr. COLEMAN—You ought, then, give me an answer, sir. —(Another storm of voices.) The CHAIRMAN—I have been charged with carrying tha funds of the company in my breeches pocket, and now I am asked if I have not got the accounts in my head. nary egret •went had been entered into with that company, which would be submitted to the meeting for its approval and confirmation. There had been a large , amount of arrears upon the calls, and under recent circumstances the directors had forborne to en force them, but they would now be compelled to do so. The total teceipts from the commencement of the un dertaking was 97,9991. 105. 2d., and the expenditure 97,1551. ls. 7d., leaving a balance of 8441. /4s. 7d. The report was received and adopted, and the meeting made special. The heads of the agreement with the Chester and Holyhead Company were then read and confirmed, and the directors ordered to carry the agreement into effect. Mr. Henry Kingsford was appointed aladitor of the accounts. A vote of thanks having been passed to th e Chairman the meeting was adjourned until the 6th of June next. (THIS DAY.) 'e usual half-yearly general meeting of the proprie tery of the above railway was held this afternoon, at the Brcige House Hotel. The meeting was called for one o'clock, but long before that time the large ball-room at the top of the hotel was tilled with shareholders. Soon after one the directors, headed by Mr. James Macgregor, the chairman, entered the room; their ap pearance was the signal for slight manifestations of ap plause, but it would be difficult to whethersay thclean pliment was intended f o r Mr. Macgregor or Mr. Martin Luther Pritchard, the deputy-chairman, who is at issue with the majority of the board upon the question of ap pointing a committee of inquiry. Mr. GEORGE HERBERT, the secretary, having read the a dvertisement, the business of the day commenced by the chairman proposing the affixing of the common seal of the company to the register of proprietors. Mr. A. K. BAKER moved an amendment, that it be not affixed, amidst some confusion, and cries of " Chair, chair, hear him, hear him, sit down, Sec." The amendment having been seconded, the majority of the meeting stoutly demanded that it should be put at once. Mr. A. K. BAKER, before it was put, was anxious to ask whether it was true or not that the register con tained a number of shares which had been purchased with the money of the company, and it so, whether the votes in respect of those shares would be used in determining any question to be disposed of to-day ?—(Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN said the register contained all the shares of the concern, and of course those belonging to the company, but he Legged distinctly to state that the Totes in respect of the company's shares would not be made use of.—(Tremendous cheering.) The amendment was then withdrawn, and the seal affixed to the register s Mr. HERBERT then read the report, which was to the following effect The traffic receipts for the half-year ending the 31st January, have been 239,130/., and the expenses 117,1771., including 21,6321. for rent of the Greenwich and the Whitstable and Canteekrury Railways, and 21,2931. rates and Government duty, leaving a balance of 120,9531. The same mileage of railway was open for traffic during the last half-year as for the corresponding period of the previous year, but the receipts from passenger traffic for the last half-year were less by 15 . 2981., whilst there was an in crease of 6,1231. from goods, cattle, and parcel traffic, the diminution of receipts during the half-year being 9,175/. During the half-year the sum of 667,1921. has been paid up by the proprietors on capital account; 370,9931. has been paid during that period for land, and 80,4001. on bonds and loan notes have been paid off, and 26,9001. bonds renewed. The only Bill the company has before. Parliament is for the purpose of authorising the partial opening of the Ashford and Hastings, and Tonbridge- Wells and Hastings lines, and to authorise the company to become the owners of steam-boats. The directors suggest that it may be arranged with the proprietors of the present South-Eastern and Continental Steam packet Company to exchange their shares in that com pany, on terms to be agreed on, for shares in the railway company. The cost of the eight steam-ships belonging to ehe Steam-packet Company has been about 130,0001., and therefore 150,000/. may be considered as the full amount of capital which would be required for this pur pose. The directors state that justice cannot be done to the development of the continental traffic, unless that service is performed more with regard to railway celerity and punctuality, than to the profit derivedlfrom the voy age. The general effect of the extension of railway com munication on the continent is to accumulate the con tinental traffic with Great Britain upon Cellist and Bou logne. Hitherto the South-Eastern Railway has hardly reaped any benefit by the traffic in merchandise from the _continent; that traffic, however, it is just entering upon, and the directors will make the necessary preparations at Folkestone and Dover, at the Brick layers Arms station and the London-bridge ter minus, to enable the company to carry it on satisfac o ily. The directors are certainly entitled to great credit and praise for their laudable exertions to elsie!ish the useless system of passports between France and England. The report states that the French Government were appealed to by the directors, in conjunction with those of the Northern Railway of France and of the Boulogne and Amiens Railway, to entertain the question of abolishing the sys tem of passports between France and England, end the application was received with so much favour that the directors believe that nothing but the exigency of the moment has prevented its success, which they still look forward to. The necessity of being provided with a passport to make the now short journey from London to Paris is a hindrance to traffic and intercourse which the reciprocal feelings and englightened Governments of both" countries must desire to remove. The directors are also exerting themselves to establish a branch custom-houee at. London-bridge wile the same laudable view of facilitating commercial intercourse between the two countries, and promoting the traffic on the railway, which must also tend to the direct advantage of the shareholders. It states that the directors anticipate being enabled to establish bonded warehouses for nines and other merchandise in the arches under the Green wich Railway, and that an examining-room for silks and valuable goods will be permitted by' the Board of Cus toms at the station, so as to allow packages to come un opened under the Customs' lock from Dover and Folke stone to London. In addition t t these exertions, the company have eerfosmed considerable service for the Post-office, in forwarding the mails, and the increased amount to which they are and will becenee enti led fur its continuance will be settled by arbitration in the usual manner, and for which they have not taken any credit in their accounts. That it is probable, it the railway company become the owners of the steam-boats, that one contract will be made with the Post-office for the railway and steam-bout service from London to Boulogne and Calais. The opening of the branch line to Folkestone, which took place on the Ist of January last, affords great additional facility in communicating with the continent, as travellers are now conveyed without change of carriage to the steam boat quay at Folkstone, and the convenience has afforded great satisfactian. At Dover the Government works are proceeding, and the pier has been already extended 230 feet into the sea, and there cannot be a doubt that when the present contract, which is for carrying the pier 800 feet into the sea, is completed, Dever will be a deep water harbour, accessible at all times of the tide— s result of great importance to the interests of the South-Eastern Railway Company. The traffic de rived in consequence of the opening of the Great Nor hern Railway of France to Calais has hitherto been very slight; but from the 4th inst. an improved service has been commenced from Calais to Brussels, and vice versd, and the directors have not any doubt that the traffic from the north of France and Germany to Calais will greatly increase; in the meantime the NOrthern Railway of France has united with the South- Eastern Railway Company in providing sueh steamboat accommodation as will insure the requisite communica tion with Folkstone or Dover. The harbour of Calais ia now accessible in ordinary weather to steam-ships of the draught of those of the South-Eastern and Conti nental Steam-packet Company at all times of the tide. the comparisou of the through traffic between Lon• don and Folkestone and D„ver for the last half-year and the corresponding period of the preceding year shows a decrease of 8,551 in the number of passengers; but, in cons quence of an addition made to the fares, the de crease in receipts amounted to 3161. only. The directors expect that the North Kent line will be opened for traffic by the Ist of July. and the Reading, Guildford, and Rei gate line by the Ist of August next. The capital an unt to the 31st of January shows that 8,282,3421. his been received, and 8 ,116,9141. expended, leaving a balance of 165,428/." - The CIELRMAN, in commencing his address to the shareholders, said the proceedings of to-clay demanded t h e especial attention of the meeting, and it was due to th e proprietors., whose confidence the directors were anxious to secure, that a full, a clear, and impartial statement of the present position and future pros pects of the undertaking should hreitygtnt.h----e ee (Chrs.) A short time e g o the mei() directors is ued a statement upon the financial affaits of the cony , ny, and he could now assure the pro prietors that the figures in that statement were strict'y accurate, and disclosed clearly and candidly the real state of their finances.—(Cheers.) Latterly, it had unfortunately become a too common practice with some parties—but for what purpose he could not divine, to make insinuations against the stability of this com pany—insinuations that were unscrupulously indul gcd iu by those parties without letting out any clue by which the grounds and reasons of their ta ckl ss assertions could be ascertained; but if there really were any justi fication for these mysterious and injurious reports, let those who circulated them come forward now and defend their statements.—(Loud cheers.) The truth was, however, and the truth must be told, that the reports he alluded to were utterly des titute of foundation; but, in order that the proprietors should not have simply his bare word for this, ta ssas prepared before he sat down to move that a committee of inquiry be appointed to investigate, without any re serve, the books, accounts, and the entire management of the company, and that this meeting be adjourned till the 12th of April, to give that committee an opportunity of preparing a report upon the results of their inquiry. —(Tremendous cheering.) Ie fact the directors courted inquiry, and if any improve ments could be suggested in carrying on the business of the company, they would be the first to adopt them.— (Hear, h ear.) So much then for these insidious and vague reports of mat administration of the company's affairs; and n ow , w i th the permission of the meet ing, he would say a few words upon the matter of traffic.—(llear, hear.) It was to b 3 regretted, and nobody more regretted it than the directors, that the passengers using the rail way h ad considerably de creased during the past year, but when they rernemb , red the peculiar position of the line, and how entirely its prosperity depended upon the tranquillity of the Conti• nent, it ssas not to be wondered at that the disturbances on the other side of the Channel had seriously aff ecte d their interest.—(Hoar.) The aspect of affairs, however, abroad writ happily undergoing a favourable ch ange, and he would take leave to repeat the opinion he gave on taking office in 1844, that wilts prudent management their rail way possessed large elements of prosperity. Now, with respect to the scandal which had gone abroad upon the disputes which had arisen in the board—(Hear, hear)-- it had its origin in a resolution of the board to discuss the contracts of Mr. Brogden, jun., in the absence of his father, who was in the direction.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Brogden refused to sanction this resolution; and then followed scenes which he thought it best to allow to drop into oblivion.—(Hear, hear.) He would now explain that the investment of money of the com pany it the - shares of the company arose in this way:— Mr. COLE3fAN—Oh! that's nonsense. I can tell you there have been 32,0001. paid to the solicitor. The CHAIRMAN made some observations, which seemed to imply that the information had come from the deputy chairmsn. _ _ _ WEST LONDON RAILWAY. (TilIS DAY.) The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at the London Tavern to-day, at one o'clock; Mr. H. H. Grounds in the cba.r. From the report and speech of the chairman, it appeared that atter the last meeting of the shareholders, o,mmunlcations were opened with the North-Western, who some years ago purchased the line, and agreed to work it with the view of settling the matter, a considerable time having elapsed without the North-Western carrying their cove nant to work the line into effect. A communication had been rectived from Mr. Stewart, the Secretary of the North-Western, stating that the directors consi dered that the line could not be worked profitably, and that the shareholders might 'nave possession of the line on repaying the deposit money which that company had lodged. A reply had been sent by the directors of this company, intimating that alter the delay that had taken place, and the injury the share holders had sustained, that they could not look upon the proposition seriously. Considerable discussion took plack, in the course of which Mr. RIGBY moved " That the directors be empowered to take such legal steps to protect the interests of the shareholders as they might deem expedient." As but a small number of shareholders were present, and as it was desirous to obtain the sentiments of the entire body, the meeting was adjourned for a month with that view. TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING Six O'CLOCK. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 9 to 2 agst The Tartar 8 to 1 agst Feruhill 14 to 1 agst Westow METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. 6 to 1 agst Lugar 8 to 1 agst Can. aou 17 to 1 agst Do•the-Boys TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS. 4 to 1 agst Uriel 4 to 1 agst Honeycomb CHESTER CUP. 17 to 1 agst Joe o' Sot 20 to 1 agst Halo—taken DERBY. to 1 agst Flying Dutchman 15 to 1 agst Honeycomb 20 to 1 agst Osterley—taken 20 to 1 agst Uriel—taken 35 to 1 agst Escalade Business very slack. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CRANCNLLOR took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. The Earl of ERNE presented a petition from some place in the county of Fermanagh against the rate in aid. Petitions with a similar prayer were presented by the Earl of Fitzwilliam, Lord Monteagle, and the Earl of Limerick. The Earl of LUCAN presented some petitions with a similar prayer; also a petition praying for the extension of the poor-rate to mortgagees. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition against the rate in aid from Mr. Macdonald. 11, (Lord Brougham) would urge the Government to take the Irish gentle men at their word, and to give up the rate in aid in order to get hold of a prcperty-tax. Such an offer was made by this petition, and ho thought the Government would do well to accept it. Lord MONTEAGLE bore testimony to the high cha racter of all these petitioners. COMMONS INCLOSURE BILL. The Commons Inclosure Bill was read a third time, and passed, on the motion of Lord CAMPBELL. PALACE COURT. Earl FORTESCUE moved that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, beseeching her to lay before the House the patent of Charles IL constituting the Palace Court. He had moved for certain returns from that Court, which did not furnish the information he required. He felt that the existence of this Court had become, since the institution of County Courts, nut only perfectly useless, but a source ofgreat extortion. Lord BROUGHAM thought it would be a matter of regret to abolish a Small Debt Court, such as this without absolute necessity. He had heard of a com plaint which had been made against this court, and in which an attempt had been made to cast blame upon the counsel practising in that court, but in that instance the Learned Counsel had not been at all to blame. The motion ri as agreed to. PETITIONS. Lord STANLEY presented a petition against the rate in aid from some union in Ireland. The petitioners also compli,ined of the system of out-door relief, and prayed that every landlord should be made responsible for the maintenance of his own tenants, and every townland be made to support its own poor, and for pro tection to the Irish farmer. Also several other petitions from Meath against the rate in aid; also from some place in Lancashire, praying for some law for regulating the sale of beer. The Earl of WINCHILSEA presented a petition against any alteration in the navigation-laws. The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petitiou from St. George's, Southwark, praying for an equalization of the . poor-rates. CASE OF MR. GOTTEN. Lerd BEAUMONT gave notice that he should to morrow put a question to the Noble Marquis respecting the illegal arrest of Mr. Gotten at Manilla by the officers of the Spanish Government. BUCKS ASSIZES BILL. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the third reading of the Buckinghamshire Summer Assizes Bill. The Duke of BUCKINGHAM opposed the Bill. After a few words from the Marquis of LANS DOWNE, the Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. PRITCHARD indignantly denied this, but, as the matter had been mooted, he would tell the meeting what had been doae. No less than 35,0001. had been paid to the solicitor fur fifteen months' work, against which pro ceeding he had protested.--(Sensation.) The CHAIRMAN appealed to Mr. Cunliffe whether it was worth while going to a poll, seeing that the proxies stood thus— For the Di rec t ors i n F s F t E t • h Mr. C A u g N a n i l e i m d under these circumstan l c l es 27 ll B e would decline going to the pill. The other britinesi referred to in the report, such as the election of directors, was then tardily and noisily disposed of. ;dr lionnAND moved a resolution to the effect that no sharebroker or contractor ought to have a seat in the direction. Mr. PRITCHARD took this resolution as a blow aimed at himst lf, but he could assure the meeting that it would not drive him from otlice until he had set the house in order. After a remonstrance against the resol u ti on f rom the chairman, Mr. Alderman Salomons, and Mr. L. Mozley, the motion was withdrawn. A petition to Parliament against the present system of rating was then agreed to. After which a vote of thanks were voted to the c hairman and the directors, and the meeting terminated. The shareholders then resolved themselves into a special meeting, and agreed to a resolution authorising the directors to make the arrangements relating to the steam boats.' MOLD RAILWAY COMPAIN Ty. (THIS DAY.) The half-yearly meeting of this company was held this afternoon, at the offices of the Chester and Holy head Railway, Moorgate• street; Mr. Thomas presided. The report stated that the directors had great pleasure to announce that the works were i❑ such a forward state, that the main line might be opened for passenger traffic in the approaching summer, and that the branch for the mineral district might be completed in the course of the autumn, thus rendering the capital invested in this undertaking immediately re munerative. That progress had been accomplshed chiefly by the aid of the Chester and Holyhead Railway Cora- Fr-Inv, who were equally interested with the shareholdets of this company in opening up the traffic of the district, and without whose assistance it would have been impos sible for the directors, during the present monetary crisis and the general depression of railway interests, to have fulfilled the arrangement which they had undertaken on behalf of the shareholders. Tho Chester and Holy head Company proposed to avail themselves of the power granted by the 47th section of the Act fur the pur chase of the line, and for that purpose a ptehroi- 7 THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 8, 1849. Commissioners, founded on an erroneous construction of the Poor Removal Act. Mr. IBAINES bogged most sincerely to apologise to his Hon. and Gallant Friend for the omission, but in reply to that inquiry he must remind him that the board could take cognizance of no cases of which the whole of the particulars were not beforo them. This much, how ever, he might say, that according to the present state of the law, the Poor-law Commissioners had no power to re-open accounts that had been closed. there was unavoidably formed a far larger stream of f convicts at Van Diemens Land than the colony would bear. The complaints of the colonists were sent home. The population of the three colonies were somewhere about thirty thousand were overmatched in rapid succession by the accumulation of convicts directed to that single point. The c mplaints of the Van Diemen's Land colonists were sent home early in the spring of 1846. At that time Lord Stanley had been succeeded in the office of Secretary for the Colonies by his (Lord Mahon's) Right Hon. Friend who now represented the University of Oxford. When the complaints of the colonies were so well founded, it was really no more than any Minister in the same situation ought to have done than to listen to them. His Right Hon. Friend the Member for Rip( n came to the conclusion that it was absolutely necessary to support transportation to Nan Diemen's Land for two years; but his Right lion. Friend the Membea for the University at Oxford took another step also. Lord Stanley had some time before sanctioned the establishment of a colony iu North Australia, arid had taken all the necessary steps for the formation of that colony. Well now, he (Lord Mahon) brought the his tory of this question to the time when Earl Grey suc ceeded to the office ; when in the summer of 1846, there being a change of Government, Earl Grey became Colonial Secretary. Now, then, he (Lord Mahon) said that he should be prepared to show that Earl Grey announced no less than five changes in his views on this subject in the period between November, 1846, and June, 1848. What was the first step taken by Earl Grey ? lie (Lord Mahon) wished to state this transaction as clearly as possible. Earl Grey, on the 15th November, wrote to Sir Charles Fitzroy-, and counter manded the instructions given by Lord Stanley. and sanctioned by Mr. Secretary Batson on the forma tion of the colony. Now he (Lord Mahon) should have occasion to return to that point. What was the next step? Earl Grey, on the sth of February, 1847, wrote to Sir W. Dennison, " I have to inform you that it is not the intention of her Majesty's Government that transpor tation to Van Dieman's Land shall be reduced at the the expiration of two years, for which it has been al ready decided it shall be continued." He (Lord Mahon) asked, was Lord Grey justified in doing that. He might be justified in deciding what he pleased at the time, but he was not justified in saying, after two years, that transportation should in no possible case be resumed in Van Diemen's Land. Well, then they were still in the first phase of Earl Grey's Administration. The views of Earl Grey at that time were set forth by himself with much clear ness, in his speech in the House of Lords, on the sth of March, 1842. He said, "we wish to carry into effect a c h ange i n t h e policy of the country' with 'meet to punishment, of a very important kind; bat that change is of no less an extent than the vir tual Abolition of the system of transportation, which has so many pears prevailed under different regulations." But then they had Earl Grey's words for the virtual abolition of transportation. Convicts were to be sent out to those colonies on no account whatever. Now this was the first staee of Earl Grey's mistake. When, on the 3d of June they had a debate in that house, and in the course of the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, he stated that Earl Grey had altered his opinion on that particular point. That was stage the second of the Noble Earl's mistakes. It was then stated that the colo nies were not to be sent out in the way of transportation, but as compulsory exiles. That was the next stage. — (Hear, hear.) This was confirmed by the despatch of the Noble Earl to Earl Grey on the 12th February, to Sir W. Denison. Here then was stage number two. Lord Grey's opinion lasted on this point till the 27th of April, 1848. In the papers laid before toe House previous to the debate the Noble Earl appeared to intend to propose the grant of a certain sum, as a remuneration for the convicts which had been taken from Van Diemen's Land. The Noble Lord then read some extracts from the dis patches, to show that the matter was what he reprsented. Ze then resumed, and said that during the debate which ensued, he referred to the dispatch of the Noble Earl, he had asked the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite what sum he intended to move for in the estimates on that occasion. The Right Hon. Gentleman said that the sum of 30,0001., was to be applied to the benefit of Van Diemen's Land. This was the third stage. Now came the fourth stage. In that stage only part of this grant was to be appropriated to that colony. On the occasion w hen the Noble Lord the Member for Bath (Lord Duncan) brought the subject before the House, and did as he always did on similar occasions, made an able exposition of the matter, it came out that the Noble Earl had reverted from the fourth to the third stage of his mistake.—(Neer, hear.) Only a parr, not the whole, of the money was to be applied to the relief of Van Dieman's Land.—(Hear, hear.) Well, this year they had another stage of the mistakes. They had arrived at an epoch of great changes. Earl Grey's opinion upon the question of Norfolk Island seemed to him to have gone the round of the press, but it had answered no earthly purpose. The advantage of the colonies was this—that they might there employ transports without endangering free colonies, and without exposing them to contamination. Many practical evils arise from the accumulation of prisoners in the gaols of England and Ireland. An uctive magistrate in Yorkshire had told him that the aecumulie ion in the prisons was so great in that county the magistrates were actually precluded from comnsitting prisoners even where they deemed it ne cessary. Now, that was a system which the Government ought not to sanction, and which ought not to exist fer any considerable time. The moment gaols were filled beyond what they could conveniently hold all reformatory processes which were adopted were obliged to be suspended. The Govern mnt were bound to p• • de some means to pre vent the collection of a great number of prisoners in one gaol, which bad the effect of neutralising the benefit of that reformatory discipline which this country was so proud in having instituted. He next came to the prac tical suggestions which he thought it advisable to make. He considered that the suggestions put forward by Captain Maconochie, although he enter tained every respect for that Gentleman, ought not to be ;received with implicit confidence. He did not think that a single Member of that House would agree with the unproportionate importance which Captain Maconochil had attributed to the use of music in gaols. The first suggestion which he (Lord Mahon) had to offer was with reference to the colony of North Australia. He challenged the Hon. Under Secretary for the Colo nies to say that New North Australia did not present a desirable spot for carrying out the object which Lord Stanley and Mr. Gladstone had in view. The House knew how ofteu convicts were the pioneers ot free emigration, and how desirable it was that they should be the means of paving the way for free emigration. He thought the House had a right to complain of the abandonment of the new North Australian colony which Mr. Secretary Gladstone had formed. When Lord John Russell put an end to the system of transportation to New South Wales, the free inhabitants ot the colony, in 1840, sent a petition to the House, which was presented in 1840 by Mr. Chas. Buller, who certainly was no mean authority on the question. Of course, they felt the want ot the abstraction of a large amount of labour. Acccording to the report of Mr. Mereweath,r, dated May. 1842, 619,523 went out at an expense of 30,0001.; and in a latter year no less a number than 230,000. No wonder, then, that the authorities at home began to think that there was a glut of labour; yet the colonists, who were the best authorities upon the matter, entertained an opinion, and became afraid that an in sufficiency of labour would be the result of the determination of the Home Government. He would not say that the material improvement of the colonies, or the supply of labour, was by any means first, or anything like the first; but still, if consistent with those things, it were possible to provide a salutary terror, which trans portation had always, up to very recently, bad in this country; and if the reformaion of convicts could be steadily carried out in those colonies, then, and as a subordinate object,he thought the documents he had read were sufficient to show that the expectations of free emigration supplying the place of convict labour to the time& of the colony, had proved fallacious; and that the geeatest distress had been suffered in that colony from the want of labour. He complained on the t ntset of his speech of the ill effects which had resulted from Earl Grey's policy, what had been the consequene.e ? In the list of paps 1.3 he had laid on the the table, the colo nists complained of a breach of faith. He would go further and show the ;11 consequences of that important pledge in the very words of their own officer, in the dispatch of Sir William Dennison. Sir William Dennison acknow 'ed,ed the rec Apt of Earl Grey's dispatch of the 51h February, 1847, and then said, " I am informed it is net the intentention of her Majesty's Go v e rnment that transportation to Van Diemen's land shall be resumed after the expiration of two years." Now what possible defence could be offered for that conduct? If he were to regard transportation as a system to be continued, he must say that of all systems which had been adopted, that in use in Van Diemen's Wakefield was the one most capable of improvement. such was the opinion of the Bishop of Tasmania. The Noble Lord then read an extract from the work of Mr. E. Gibbon Wakefield to show that the founders of Van Diemen's Land had been greatly benefited by the presence of the convicts, and to state that as many as twenty labourers had been employed by one farmer on his property at one time. Now, his object in bringing this subject before the House was purely practical, and would not be bound by what either he himself or others had said on previous occasions. His suggestion then was that conditional orders should be sent out to the Governors of Van Dieman's Land, and of New South Wales, to try the experiment of the transportation system on a limited scale; and, then, if that were suc cessful, it might easily be extended. He should then conclude with moving, as he had stated in the beginning it was his intention to do, for the returns of which he had given notice. If he refrained from moving any sub stantive resolution on the subject, it was because before doing so he wished to hear what the Hon. Gentleman might have to say upon the subject. The Noble Lord concluded by moving for copies of the correspondence on this subject between the Colonial-offiee and the Governors of the colonies relative to this subject. Mr. H. HERBERT said that, in rising to second this motion, it would be disgraceful if an Irish Member did not rise at the very first opportunity to speak upon the subject. PETITIONS. The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions against the national system of education in Ireland. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. BOROLTGII BILL. Mr. BROTUERTON brought up this Bill which 'as read a first time. CORN DUTIES. Lord CHARLES MANNERS presented petitions from the Ashby Agricultural Association, and from other partici praying ; fur the re.ernposition of the corn duties, on the ground that they found themselves unable to compete with the foreign grower. THE LAW OF MARRIAGE. Mr. PLUMPTRE presented several petitions against any alteration in the law of marriage. TIIE PEACE MOVEMENT. Mr. J. WILLIAMS and several other Members pre sented petitions from various places in North Wales, praying that efforts might be made to settle the national disputes by arbitration. RATE IN AID. Mr. EDWARD CAVE presented several petitions against the rate in aid, from different parts of Connaught. AFFIRMATION INSTEAD OF OATHS. Mr. B. SMITH presented a petition from Dunferm line, praying for the substitution of affirmations instead of oaths. PROTECTION TO AGRICULTURE. Sir J. TYRELL presented: a! petition: from a county meeting at Colchester, and also one from the occupiers of upward of 60,000 acres in the neighbourhood of Dun mow, in Essex, praying for the re• imposition of duties on grain imported into this country, on the ground that the petitioners were unable to compete with foreign growers. GENERAL EDUCATION. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented petitions from places in the district of Rochdale, praying that a general system of education might be established in the county of Lacaster, and that it might be paid for out of the county rates. THE SLAVE-TRADE. Sir E. N. BUXTON presented several petitions from different places and religious congregations, praying that steps might be taken for the liberation of all African negroes who had been introduced into colonies over which British Government had any influence, and that the productions of all countries where slave labour was used might be excluded from this country. RATE IN AID. Colonel DUNNE presented a petition from King's County, stating that the measure for this purpose was atrocious, and stating their belief that it was unfair to tax a portion of the empire for the relief of one particular locality, and expressing their readiness to share a tax with the whole of the United Kingdom. BEER HOUSES. Mr. PALMER presented apetition from a number of persons in the county of Berks, complaining of the demoralising etfccts of the way in which beer was re tailed to the public through the means of beer-houses. NAVIGATION LAWS. Mr. CARDWELL in the midst of many ironical cheers presented petitions from the body of shipowners and fr*ln the licensed pilots of Liverpool against the re peal of the navigation laws. THE POOR-LAW. Captain PECHELL said that, seeing the lion. Gen tleman at the head of the Poor-law Board in his place, be would beg to remind him that when he last spoke on the subject of the question which he was about to ask, he had omitted !o say one word respecting the accounts. He would, therefore, now ask him whether the Commis sioner of Poor-laws will sanction the repayment to unions and parishes (where engagements have been made) of the expenses incurred by them in the maintenance of poor belonging to other parishes, whose relief was with drawn in consequence of instruction: from the Yoor-law EMIGRATION. Mr. MONSELL gave notice of his intention, on this day fortnight, to call the attention of the House to the subject of emigration. IRELAND. On the motion of Mr. H. IIERI3ERT, returns were ordered showing the number of persons committed, ac quitted, and convicted in Ireland, for cattle and sheep realing in Ireland, during each of the years 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, and 1848. Return, showing the number committed as vagrants during the same years. Account, showing the tail expenditure for gaols, brid-- wells, and houses of correction for the same years. The total number of persons committed, acquitted, and con victed, for the same years. The number of deaths in the prisons of Ireland during each of the same years. The number of prisoners sentenced to transportation, and those actually transported, for the same period. The number of convicts under sentence of transportation, on the Ist day of January, 1849, where confined, and how the expenses of their maintenance is defrayed. And, the number e f persons in custody in Ireland charged or convicted of crimtnal e.ffences on the Ist day of January, 1649, where confined, and the number of criminal prisoners for whose reception and safe custody the several gaols were built, and the number of persons actually in custody on the Ist day of January, 1849. METROPOLITAN POLICE. On the motion of Lord DUDLEY STUART, the following returns were ordered :—General accounts of the city of London Police for each year from their first ' establishment to the 31st day of December, 1848 (to be made up, as far as possible, in conformity with the an nual Metropolitan Police account). Return of Police constables and others, officers of the Metropolitan Police force, who have been charged with offences before any of the police magistrates during each year from 1844 to 1848 inclusive, specifying the rank of the officer, his age, the time he has been in the force, the nature of his offence, whether convicted or not, the punishment awarded, and whether he was retained in the service; total number of -men who have b•en dis missed, fined, suspended, or degraded by the Police Commissioners during the same period, and the number who have resigned their appointments during the slam period. Similar return of City of London police force (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper 238, session 1844). Return from each division of ;the metropolitan police, of the number of robberies committed, the value of the property stolen, and the value of the proderty recovered, for each year, from 1844 to 1848, inclusive. And similar return from the city of London police (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 238, of Session 1844); return of the number of pet sons taken into custody by the metro politan police, and the results, in each year from 1844 to 1848. inclusive; and similar return from the city of London police (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper No. 238, of Session 1844). ADMIRALTY PRIZES. _ _ Captain PECHELL, pursuant to notice, wished to know whether the Lords Commissioners of the Admi ralty intend to revise the scale for the distribution of the proceeds of prizes, pursuant to the proclamation of the 19th day of May, 1840 Captain BERKELEY said that the subject had been under the consideration of the Lords of the Admiralty for some time; that the result of their opinion would be shortly published, and ho had no doubt that the publi cation of the papers on the subject would give the Hon. Member the greatest satisfaction.—( l- lear.) NAVIGATION LAWS. Mr. PALMER presented a petition from a consider able number of shipowners at Plymouth, against the repeal of the navigation-laws. Mr. URQUHART said, having seen a statement in the Clamor Publice that the negotiations between this and the Spanish Government had been brought to a termination, he wished to know from the Noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) in what situation the neg,tiation, were. There was also another question which had arisen out of recent occurrences, and wbich he wished to put, as to whether the Noble Lord was prepared to lay on the table of the House any of the correspondence which had been brought by Count Mirasol to this country relative to the expulsion of Sir H. L. Bulwer as Ambassador from Madrid ? Lord PALMERSTON, in reply to the first question, said the Government were not in possession of any com munications on the subject. As to the second question, whether ho was prepared to lay on the table of the House the communications brought by Count Mirasol, he had to reply that he certainly was not.—(Laughter) TRANSPORTATION AND DISCIPLINE OF CONVICTS. Viscount MAHON, in rising to call the attention of the House to the instructions issued in the years 1846, 1147, and 1848, with respect to the transportation and discipline of convicts, asked for the indulgence of the House while he dealt with a matter which necessarily involved a--considerable amount of detail. He would deal with it as lightly as the magnitude of the subject would allow; and indeed, I's om the papers which had been laid on the table of the House, the question between him and the Gentlemen opposite was very much narrowed. The Noble Earl the Secretary for the Colonies had again and again declared that he ought to provide for our convicts by the use of hulks e . by the construction of penetentiaries at home. Ile certainly could not consider it a matter of blame against the Noble Earl, to assert that he had, in dealing with a most intricate and difficult subject, been led greatly to modify his views. But what he complained of was this—that Earl Grey had cast aside some valuable recommendations of his predecessors, and had issued instructions which seemed to be liable to the im putation that they had been decided upon with impru dence and precipitation. In the statement which he should make he would show that Earl Grey had since his accession to office changed his views on this subject no less than five times.—(Loud laughter.) But be would at onoe proceed to what was of much greater importance, namely, to some practical recommendations and suggestions as to wba,t should be done for the future, and should endeavour to elicit from her Majesty's Government some express declarations of what their intentions really were as to the system to be hereafter pursued. The main question was, whether after the first time acr i m i na l h a d b een pun ished he was to return to the scene of his former haunts. If they looked at the difficulties with which this ques • tion was beset, they should finis, he thought, that they proceeded in some measure from two orders issued by the Noble Lord now the Prime Minister, but at the time in question Secretary of Stat e f o r the of Colonial Department. He issued two orders for the abolition of the assignment st stem in Australian Co lonies, and for the immediate abolition of transportation so far as New South Wales was concerned. These orders took effect in 1840, and had been attended with ill consequences. He did not mean to impute blame to the Noble Lord for the course he had adopted since the Committee on transportation bad just made its report, and the evidence, which had since been contradicted, justified in many respects the course he had adopted. The immediate effect of the abolition of transportation to New South Wales was the accumulation of convicts in the hulks at home, from which the greatest possible evils resulted, and of which the loudest complaints were made. Of such a nature were these complaints, that be felt it his duty in 1841 to bring the subject before the House. He proposed a resolution condemning the system of crowding prisoners in the hulks. and asking the House to express its opinion that the number ought not to be augmented. Though that mo tion was opposed by the Government of the country, yet it was affirmed by a large majority of the Mem bers. A few months after the Government was dis solved and 'a new one formed, in which Lord Stanley was the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and his Hun. Friend the Member for Ripon (Sir J. Graham), Secretary of State for the Home Department. In the ensuing year, 1842, he asked the Hon. Gentleman how far he would consent to be bound by the resolution of the House in 1841. Wa bad, of course, but two course to pursue, either to act in conformity with it, or in opposition to it and he replied that he con curred in what the House had affirmed, and that he should be prepared to abide by it. Under their adminitration the number of convicts in the hulks were not augmented ; consequently the role of' the House was observed. But an expected evil was the result—the number of convicts in Van Die men's Land was increased. As many as from 4,000 to 5,000 were divided between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land every year. By the order of the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell) the entire number were confined to Van Diemen's Land alone. When the entire system was arranged, it w as right that it should be well understood whether the blame attached to the Government at home or to the per sons employed to superintend its carrying out in the Colonies, Major Childs was appointed Governor o f Norfolk Island by Lord Stanley, who, from the character that that officer enjoyed, was doubt less justified in his selection. Notwithstanding the period and purpose of his appointment, the result had been most unfortunate. There could not be a stronger case made against any governor that that against Major Childs. When there was an outbreak, at tended with loss of life in the island, Mr. Stewart was sent to inquire into the cause. We find 60 or 80 con victs sleeping in dormitories, where they were confined 16 hours out of the 24, in order that the officials might have their earnings to themselves. Subsequently there was another mission by Mr. Hampton, who reported that no proper management was observed; that the pri soners were allowed to take their food; and that the more timid did not get any, unless they obtained the favour of the other and more powerful prisoners. Then with respect to Van Diemen's Land. He did not wish to speak harshly of any one—far less of any one deceased— yet the House was perfectly aware that most pain ful discussions had taken place in that House with respect to his 'policy. Those who had read the recent dispatches of Governor Dennison must have been struck by his ability and aptitude fur business, and the great contrast they presented to those of his imme diate predecessors; yet better things might have been ex pected from him, looking at the experience he had had But besiies any fault in the administration the system itself he thought it would appear was fraught with the most serious objection, for by the rule laid down by the present Prime Minister all the convicts now went to New South Wales or to Norfolk Island. Now this stream of convicts which was divided between the two colonies, between New South Wales and Van Diemens Land, would do no more, as it were, than cul tivate the soil, would, when confined to one colony, prove a pestilence to it. Under these circumstances (LEFT SPEAKING.) Deputations were received yeqerday at the Colonial office, from the Governors of the North American Pro vinces, and also from the Governors of Jamaica and Gibraltar. Sir Anthony and Lady Rothschild had a grand dinner last evening, when Viscount and Viscountess I'altneraton and a cirele of twenty guests were present, GIBRALTAR. The Cronica de Gibraltar of the 21st ult., an nounces that the British squadron, commanded by Sir Charles Napier, and composed of seven ships of war, sail , d on the 17th, with the 34th Regiment on board. The object of the expedition was to destroy the pirates along the coast of the Riff. The latter, however, had completely disappeared on the approach of the squadron, and the Admiral, after landing at Melilla, where he had a conference with the Spanish Governor, returned to Gibraltar on the 20th. BAVARIA. The Deutsche Zeitung has news of an insurrec tion at Aschaffenburg. The insurgents intended to sack the salt works, and to do this the more safely they thought of setting fire to the barracks, which were then garrisoned by 40 soldiers while the insurgents numbered above 800. Among them were many peasants from the electorate of Hesse. The soldiers were forced to retire with a loss of three killed. The loss on the side of the insurgents amounted to 15 killed. Troops of the Empire, foot and horse, were sent off to Aschaffenburg as soon as the news came to Frankfort. HOLLAND. The Niederlandsche Stoats Courant, of the 2d inst., contains the fallowing official notice : " The Oberpostampts Zeitung. and several o; her Ger man p,pers, h , ,ve published intelligence of a treaty b-- tw...en the Nethi-rlands and Austrta, by which a g Fat part of tle Dutch fleet, under the command of an Admi ral, was, for a certain time, to be at the disposal of Aus tria. We are authorised to state that the Dutch Go vernment have not placed ti ne ship nor one officer or sailor at the disposal of the Austrian Government." CALIFORNIA. The accounts from California confirm in some mea sure the statements previously set forth, that large deposits of gold have been discovered on the banks of the Sacramento ; but there are still great discrepancies in the reports of the quantity that had been collected, and the supplies for the future aro so purely hypothetical that it seems needless now to speculate upon them. That many of the adventurers will succeed in realising large fon unes there is no reason to doubt, but that many more will be disappointed in their object is equally certain ; and it is very much to be feared that thousands will lose their lives i❑ this race for wealth, and sacrifice themselves to their own cu pidity. Sickness prevailed to a great extent at the " diggings," particularly in the vicinity of the Tulae marshes at Sutters, and in the valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. From these parts many of the people are said to return to San Fran cisco well stored with fever and ague, if not with plc. But these were minor troubles when compared with the evil passions which had broken loose, and with unre srrained violence were c mtnitting the most frightful atrocities. The moral condition of the country was bad enough before these late discoveries, but now it is in a state of perfect chaos; there is no protection for life or property; might only is right, and all sorts of lawless deeds are perpetrated with Impuni,y. Drunkenness is unfortunately, too prevalent, and robberies and murders are said to be numerous, although all do not come to light. The inhabitants are unsettled, and the whole state of society completely unhinged. Agriculture and the mechanical arts are completely neglected; there are no schools, or any prospect of there being any fur the present; gold occupies the whole attention of the people, and is likely to be a curse on the country. A correspond ent strictly recommends those who can do well at home not to think of going there. He says, " Same will make money doubtless, but more will make them selves sick, and perhaps return poorer than ever, if they do not make shipwreck of good morals, and die, like some already, in revelling and drunkenness. If they can get more gold here, it should be borne in mind that they will have to pay ten times the amount for all the ne cessaries of life, and the chances are against being so well off in the end. At the mines, sugar, coffee, butter, hams, potatoes, and other like articles are selling at 1 doll. per lb.; and real estate at San Francisco had risen greatly in value. One allotment, of fifty yards square, which cost two years ago 15 dollars, was sold lately a , 10,000 dollars. A gentleman, who had bee❑ employed in suveying land in California, and whose expe rience in the gold districts of America gave his tes timony great weight, writes thus—" The geological formations of California are similar to those in other parts of the west coast, where gold has been found, and the deposits correspond in every respect with pre vious discoveries; the veins are confined to the primitive formation, and are found in fissures of limestone quartz high up in the range, from whence it is washed by heavy rains into the mountain streams, which form themselves into rivers; and is thus deposited in the alluvial soil formed by their periodical floods. It is also found in the sand and gravel in the beds of the rivers, from which it is easily separated by washing away the soil, the specific grayly of the gold being greater than the earth. It is f and in the largest lumps near the crevices from which it had been displaced near the source of the streams, and becomes less from friction, as it is carried down the rivers till near the coast, where it is collected in the lorm of fine dust, which is generally the purest metal, being wholly separated from the quartz through which it was originally mixed." Another authority states that the placers of California are not richer than many previous discoveries, which have not only been washed out of gold, but also oat of memory; heece it is argued from analogy that the new El Dorado will not produce anything like the quantity which many people are in clined to believe, and that, considering the enormous ac , cumulation of gold which has taken place all over the world since the discovery of South America, it would re quire a very large annual supply to effect that revolution in prices which appears to be looked for by some, the stock existing in both hemispheres being so large that the tour millions sterling produced annually by Russia alone has failed to bring about any change. However, the information at present available, is still so uncertain that nothing more than a guess cau be made as to the probable future supply. Time only can solve the ques tion; but we augur nothing but good to this country from the discovery; it will give a powerful stimulus to commerce; the merchant, the manufacturer, sad the agriculturist, will reap the benefit of its distribution, and industry will be the heir to it, come in what quantities or in what time it may. THE WomuNG CLASSES.--A very large meeting of the working classes was held last night at the Hail of Commerce, Threadneedle -street, at which nearly 2,000 persons were present. Mr. L. J. Hansard was voted to the chair, and resolutions were moved to the effect that the Government, aided by the Legislature, should adopt means for establishing a system of home. colonisation, self-supporting, agricultural, manufac turing, and educational., It was also proposed that a " Trade and Labour Protecting Board " should be esta blished to regulate the price of labour, and prevent ruinous competition. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE OF TUESDAY. DIVIDENDS. At : the Court, Basinghall-street. W. Stiles, Lisle•street, Leicester-square, coppersmith, March 27, at twelve.—A. Duffield and M. Duffield, Slough, Buckinghamshire, ironmongers, March 27, at eleven.—A. Rainey, Regent -street. Piccadilly, estate agent, March 29, at twelve.—J. Wilson, Green's-end, Woolwich, grocer, March 22, at eleven.—S. W. Young man, Norwich, wine merchant, March 29, at eleven.— T. Day, Three Crown-square, Southwark, secretary of the Southwark Savings Bank, March 29, at half-past eleven.—P. Clarke, jun. ' Colchester, pawnbroker, M arc h L 29, at eleven.—W. IBlackmore, Dean-street, Soho square, plumber, March 29, at twelve.—R. T. Tubbs, Aldermanbury and Shoreditch, silk agent, March 29, at eleven.—L. A. Lewis, Fleet-street, bookseller, March 29, at one.—M. Emanuel and E. Emanuel, Hanover-square, goldsmiths, March 27, at hilf.past two.—J. Starkey, Horseftrry-road, Westminster, builder, March 27, at two. -T. N. Brown, Fetter•lane, pawnbroker, and Throg morton-street, stockbroker, March 29, at eleven. In the Country. G. Thomas, Bristol, merchant, March 27, at eleven, at the Court, Bristol.—W. Keene, Neath, Glamorganshire, brewer, March 30, at eleven, at the Court, Bristol.—B. L. Watson, Bath, hotel keeper, March 30, at eleven, at the Court, Bristol.—F. Gill, Manchester, hardware dealer, March 29, at eleven, at the Court, Manchester.— T. Wrigley, Halifax, silk waste spinner, March 28, at one, at the Court, Manchester.—M. Stephenson, Ay chffe, Durham, common brewer, March 30, at eleven, at the Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS. J. Robertson, Somerset place, lie;niniton-common, baker, 4fd., on either of the three next Wednesdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Graham, Coleman street. F. P, alte and J. Jillings,Honiton, Devonshire, drapers. Gs., on either of the three next Wednesdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Graham, Coleman street. B. G. Clode, Windsor, coal merchant, 4s. 6d., on either of the three next Wednesdays, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Graham, Coleman-street. H. Colenutt, Portsea and Portsmouth, baker, 2s. 9d., on Monday, March 12, and two subsequent M , ,ndays, between eleven and three, at the office of Mr. Canaan, Birchin-lane. J. Wallace, Durham, grocer, 7d., in part of first divi dend of 25., on any Saturday between ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. C. A. %Yawn, one of the partners of West Cornforth Colliery Company, 35., on any Saturday, between ten and three, at the office ot Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. T. Rowell, Hartlepool, Durham, merchant, 25., on any Saturday, between ten and three, at the office of Mr. Wakley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. G. Fletcher, Egremont, Cumberland, tanner, sjd. in addition to 2s. 9d., on Saturday, March 3, or any follow ing Saturday, between ten anti three, at the office of Mr. WAley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. E. Deflinne, Manchester, check and gingham manu facturer, Is. 6d., on the fiat issued Nov. 13, 1848, on Tuesday, Match 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, be. tween eleven and one, at the office ot Mr. Fraser, Man chester. F. Deflinne, Manchest:r, check and gingham manu facturer, 1 9-16 d., on the fiat issued Sept. 26, 1844, on Tuesday, March 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, be tween eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Man chester. J. Ogden, Reddish, Lancashire, cotton spinner, kid., and 3s. 6d., on new woofs, on Tuesday, March 20, or any subsequent Tuesday between eleven and one, at th© office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester. T. S. Goode, Manchester, merchant, Is. a, on Tues day. March 20, or any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. J. Raleigh, Blanchester, merchant, 644., on Tuesday, March 20, or any subsequ9nt Tuesday. between eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. G. Irewiit and G. Hewlett, Manchester, woollen dra pers, Is. 51,t., on Tuesday, March 20, or any subsequent Tuesday, between eleven and one, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. J. Wragg, Melina.place, Westminster-bridge-road, iron merchant, ss. 4d., on Thursday, March 8, and three following T:,urselkys, between twelve and three, at the office of M. Stansteld, Basinghall-street. W. T. Gooding, Old Br ntford, glass cutter, 2s. 5d., on Thursday, March 8, and three following T , ursdays, be tween twelve and three, at tie office of Mr. btansfeld, Basinghull-street. C. Bartlett, Southampton, merchant, V., on Thursday, Mirth 8, and thre- folluvkirz Thursdays, betwe, n twelve and three, at the otfice of blr. S•a:,sfeld B tsiingnall.street. S. Berry, Ipswich, lict-tuisA victualler, 3s. 211., on Thursday, March 8, and three following Thursdays, be. tween tutrlve and ihree, at the office of Mr.- Stanzfeld, Basinghall-stre, t. A. Stewart, Liverpo..l, ship broker, 24, 6d. and 9s. 6i, on new proo•s. 0:1 Thursday, =larch 8, or any subse quent Thursday, between eleven and two, at the office of Mr. Turner, Liverpool. NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES. At the Court, B4sirighslt-srrert. W. Trap, Warmaist. r. Watshire, mason, March 30, It eleven—R. Living, Leadenhall-market, poultry s th•s man, March 29, at half-past twelve—J. Coles, Launron, t)xh.roshire, baker, March 30, at twclve—A. 11.AIley, Rornsk . ) -terrace, Horseterry-road, Westminster, builder, March 29, at twelve—W. Broady, Halkea.str, et W.-at:, liclgr,ve-square, commission agent, March 28, at twelve —J. Bennett, Hart-streetßlooai -bury, a nd Hi g h street, Camden. town, artists' brnh manufacturer, M arc h 29, at eleven—R. W. Humor, Praed-street, Paddington, baker, March 29, at one—T. Poole, South-square, Gray's lan, 'floury scrivener, March 29, at half-past eleven—J. Mavn, Rayleigh, Essex, auctioneer. March 29, at eleven —W. H. Sheldrake, Ipswich, Suffolk, boot and shoe maker, March 29, at twelve. In the Country. J. Faulkner, Manchester, coach-lace manufacturer, March 26, at twelve, at the Court, Manchester—A. Du misty, Liverpool, merchant, March 27, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—W. A. Massey. Liverpool, wood turner, March 28, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool— W. Okill, Liverpool, share-broker, March 28, at eleven, . at the Court, Liverpool—B. Doe d, Liverpool, tailor, March 27, at eleven, at the C .urt, Liverpool —A. M`Comb, Liverpool, tailor, March 27, at eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—H. V. Stroud, Pettisbury, Dorset shire, miller, March 29, at one, at the Court, Exeter G. L. Betty, Taunton, Somersetahire, baker, March 29, at one, at the Court, Exeter—T. Hill, Redditch, Worces tershire, builder, April 5, at twt Ire, at the Court, Bir mingham—T. Potts, Birmingham, metallic tube manu facturer, April 10, at ten, at the Court, Birmingham—J. Bishop, Worcester, carpenter, April 4, at ten, at the Court, Birmingham. At the Court of Review, March 27. • - A. Smith, Meryl.- bone-street, Regent-street, wire rope manufacturer—H. Kennedy, Taunton, Somersetshire, draper—J. Hunter, King William -street, City, and Buckingham street, Strand, merchant—J. Bradbury, Thavies Inn, Holborn, lace merchant—J. S. Gomme, Angel terrace, Hammersmith, cabinet-maker— W. Mapnder, Peel-place, K.nsingron Gravel pits, baker—J. Blackharne, Liverpool, tailor—O. W. King, Hart-street, Bloomsbury, licensed vicrualler—J. Thompson, Shef field, victualler—H. D. Wilkinson, Sheffield, silver plater—T. Sneczam, Rupert-street, Coventry-street, builder. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. G. Walker, S. Coulson, and W. Robson (so far as re gards W. Robson), Sheffield, electr -platers—J. S. Hunt, J. Hunt, R. Ruskell, jun., and C. F. Hancock (so far as regards C. F. Hancock), New Bond-street, Harrison street, Gray's Inn-road, and Manchester, goldsmiths— S. Gould and E. Shem well, Oldham, Lancashire, cabinet makers and upholsterers—H Priestman and J. Priest man, jun., Latchford, Cheshire, tanners and leather dealers—J. Jukes and C. Bereharn, Stone, Staffordehire —J. May, sen., and J. May, jun., Terrace, Sutherland square, Walworth road, Surrey, flour factors—D. Cope and G. Batchelor, Liverpool, oil merchants and paint and colour manufacturers—A. Taylor and T. Taylor, Manchester, tailors anti drapers—R. Harvey and W. Davis, Epping, Essex. brick and tile makers—J. Starr, H. W. Farrar, J. Whitely, and W. Whitely, Leeds, cloth manufacturers—W. Carter and T. Hitchcock, Beckford-row, Walworth-road, Surrey, cheesemoagers and provision merchants—J. Hooper and J. Ormerod, Liverpool, leather and hide factors—R. Belson and G. C. Couch, Norwich, plumbers—A. Gordon and A. Du Bois de Ferrieres, Fludyer-street, Whitehall, engineers —W. Walker and 0. Bailey, proprietors and publishers of an engraved plate, entitled, " A Literary Party at Sir Joshua Reynolds's"—W. P. Piggott and T. Boddy, Wardrobe. place, Doctors' Commons, City, and Ne w Oxford-street, mathematical instrument makers and opticians—W. Watson and J. Lister, Wood house Carr, Yorkshire, dyers and stovers—H. S. Rogers and G. Cornwall, Strand— L. Henderson and C. Lamont, Liverpool, seed and fruit merchants—J. Wood, J. Stott, and H. Stott (so far as regards J. Wood), Hal lifax, Yorkshire, cotton warp makers—T. A: Verkruzen and M. Verkruzen, Liverpool, Berlin warehousemen.-- 11. Brown and W. H. Brown, Harleston, Norfolk, iron mongers—T. Robinson and Sarah Robinson, Burnley, Lancashire, drapers and mercers—A. Young and A. Young, Portsea, Southampt. n, drapers—W. Simpson and U. Simpson, Leadenhall-street, City, woollen dra pers—S. Shieltell and R. Bridges, Rose-alley, New Park street, Southwark, pea and bean splitters. INSOLVENT PETITIONERS. • Robert Ewer, Balsham, Cambridgeshire, grocer. John Gallon, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, smith. Thomas Lambert, Chichester, rope maker. Henry Scrace, jun, Trent, wood dealer. Robert Reeve, St. Johm's-cornmon, Sussex, tailor. Samuel Matthews Banks, Handswerth, Staffordshire, plumber. Thomas Kinder, Birmingham, butcher. • George Lawson Whateley, City-road, Finsbury, at torney at law. Anthony Blanchard Pike, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke.. shire, clerk. John Forster Newcastle-upon-Tyne, l a b ourer . William South, Colwall, Herefordshire, cattle dealer. Elizabeth Williams, Liverpool, grocer. John Finney Reed, Liverpool, professional singer. Edward Gaskell, Great Crosby, Lancashire, omnibus proprietor. _ _ . . Musgrave Todd, Cockermoutb, Cumberland, innkeeper. Francis George Leach, St. Petrox, Pembrokeshire. clerk. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. D. Thompson, Glasgow, manufacturer, to m eet within the Globe Hotel, Glasgow, March 10 and 31r at twelve. J. Hicks, Glasgow, bookseller, to meet within the Globe Hotel, Glasgow, March 9 and 30, at three. T. Boner, Edinburgh, stone merchant, to meet within the writing- chambers of Messrs. Rowland and Thoznr son, Edinburgh, March 13 and 31, at one. J. Findlay, Aucbterarder, schoolmaster and gas ow nufacturer, to meet within Phillip's Inn, Auchterartlert March 10 and 31, at twelve. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, 31Aica T, STOCK EXCHANGE.—We have had a very poor market to-dais and closed without any change worthy of remark.—The sales are- - Caledonian, Preference, 7 per cent., 11 1 4, ez in. —Ditto, Clydesdale Junction, 6014 Great Northern (B) Shares. % dis.—Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, 24 dis.—Ditto, 101. Preference, 13( p.—Ditto, Halves (late Huddersfield and Sheffield), 9 1 4 dis.— Ditto, Halves (law Lancaster and Bury), 9 54 dis.— Ditto, Fifths (l a t e West Riding Union), 4 dis.—Lancaster and Preston 514 dis—London and North- Western, 136% ex div.—Ditto, Quart ers, 5% p. ex in.—Ditto (Leeds andDewsbury), 45 1 4 ex in. — Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 104 Preference, 10%—Midland Stock, 112% c. ez div.—Ditto, New halves, 7% dis.—North Steordshire, 3 c. dis.—North Union (A) , 216—Scottish entral, 25 14 — South-Eastern, Thirds (No. •), York, Newcastle, and Berwick Extension, 1% dis. ex (G. N. E. Purchase), % MANCHESTER, MAJcU 7. STOCK Excite:cur.—The sales are—Aberdeen, Preference, 9.16 P.—Bolton, Blackburn, Clitherou, and West 'Yorkshire, Preference. (B), 17.34 —Caledonian, Preference, 11 8-16 c. in.- East Anglian, Preference (6 per cent.), East Lancashire, New, 6 dis.—Kendal and Windermere, s —Lancashire and Yorkshire, Quarters, 4% Ditto, 3U. Shares (late Extension), 6% dis.—Ditto (W. R. Union), 3% dls.—London and North-Western, Thirds, 9% c.—North Stafford shire, 2 15-16 dis.—South•Eastern and Dover, Thirds (No. 4), 734 c. BIRMINGHAM, Marten 7. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—. North Staffordshire , 2 _,S: Shrewsbury and Ambergate, Prefer ence , 2 p. - Shropsh i re Union, 2% south Staffordshire, 3%. BIRTH.?. On the 3d inst., at Albany-road, Camberwell, Mrs. Jobs R. Algar, of a son. On the 2d ult., at Varna, the lady of Lieut.-Colonel E. St. John Neale, her Majesty's Consul in Bulgaria, of a daughter. On the sth inst., at Chester -street, Belgrave-square, the wife of M Wyvill, jun., M.P., of a son and heir. On the sth inst., at Park-cottage, Pelham-road, Bromptonr the wife of F. W. Du Pre Dyer, Esq., of a sen. On the sth inst., at Russell-square, the wife of R. Bagallal' Esq., of a son. On the 4th inst., at the Rectory, Compton Martin, the Wife of the Rev. R. Baker, of a son. On the 2d inst., at La wn - co tt age , B a t tersea, the l a dy of J. H. E. Ridley, Esq., of a daughter. On the 3d inst., iu St. Jamey's-square, the wife of Charles Sumner, Esq.. of a son. MARRIED. On the Bth inst., at St.. Mark's Church, Kenning' ton, by his father, the Rev. A. Westoby, A.M., rector of Farthingst, ne, Northamptonshire, William A. S. Wegtoby, of Lincoln's inn, Esq., M.A., to Lucy Aycrigg, only child of William Studley, Esq., of that district. On the 6th inst., at St. George's Church, Hanoyer-equsre, ' William Baynes. Esc., of Em swort h , H ants, to Ann, daugn • ter of the late B. Munn Esq., of Rolvelicion, Kent. DIED. On the 6th, at Richmond -terrace, Whitehall, the Big" Hon. Lady Edward Tbynne. On the 2 d ult., in Dublin, John O'Hara, Esq., lat e Of Raheen.lin the county o f G a l way. On the 3d inst., in pally' Robert O'Hara, late Lieut.-Colonel of the h bth Regiment... On the 4th inst., at Edinburgh, .WiLiam H. Dowbiggie , Esq., aged CO. On the 2d inst., at Belfast, aged 68, Mark Sheridan, Escl* , late of the 1 <th Light Infantry, after 50 years' service. On the 6th inst, at Camberwell grove, Colonel Pall e Robinson, aged 58. On the 28th ult., aged 67, Henry Williams, Esq., of DO' dune-house, near Guildford, Surrey. On the d inst., at I )awlish, Devon, Mr. Donald Fraser, of Chitten-house, aged 3!. On the Ist inst., at Balderton, Notts, Jane Anne, sewe d daughter of T. S. Godfiey, Esq., aged 19. On the 2d inst., at Lawn-place, Shepherd's-bush, Thomas Jones, Esq., aged 70. On the ad inst., at Ongar, Essex, Brook B. Hurlock, Esq . On the ad inst., at Manche-ter-street, Manchester-squar e r aged 2.., Emily Jane, youngest daughter of the late Maj or Thomas Fisher, of the Bengal army. t. On the 2d inst., Mary, the wile of Mr. T. Brown, - S Mary Axe.- On the 3d inst , aged 37, vY illiam, second son of the late Mr. d.t t S S. the Fox, of Rectory, st Hackney. o thcburch, Essex, the Rev. Charles Chisholm, aged t 5. London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, e 'No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 11 1 Strand, in the Preci nc t of the Savoy, in the collar .* Middlesex, Thursday, March 8,1849. re vi nc nc • de le