The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-17 00:00:00

~l' fox allow a ship to be constantly stationed at Cali '"lB.- There would be abundant opportunities of going Cali ;,, '" 18 .- the other details, and v.ll ho asked at present was 7'4 4 the House would carefully consider before they 4 i °wed th e mo ti on o f the Hon. 'Member. He had not 1 „ 111 4 ',elf been brought up in the school of extravagance, ne trusted that after the large reductions which the 10 , c4- , e rnment had already proposed to make, the House tic tl4l Pause before they forced Government to reduce th e amount of men below that which was proposed by e Vote, and which they believed was necessary to the re al servic e o f th e country. I t 4 r. WO DE HOUSE said:that the Hon. Member for entrose had brought an accusation against the county tie .. el ltiemen, that they would not support him. Their ea 7,° ll for not having done so was, that he never would - I ,Y„ his view with respect to the reduction of the Nvuebraent with a due regard to the circumstances h e Which the country was placed, and he (Mr. Wode- A e ,e) vrould endeavour to show this by a retrospect stety ea r conduct. He would begin with the year 1812. year was a year of danger; there was no a,;„ eri lai tranquillity in any part of the king fi;" There were insurrections in every part of the lttl u °n l —amongst them the memorable insurrection at i,..atichester, which had been ignorantly and stupidly ba d nothing to the operation of the corn-laws, but which nothing whatever to do with it. It was in that WO/ on the third reading of the Mutiny Bill, that they pi ere asked to pause in the passing of that Bill, on the t ja that the country would experience danger from arse, despotism. The Hon. Member pursued his 4 ,7 1 , 8 e, and persuaded Lord Liverpool to reduce in 1822, to he Was obliged to restore in 1825. What took place 826 ? Why they had a proposition from the Right th.,7* Baronet the President of the Board of Control, iAlember for Westminster, who said,that he was not ttePared to go the lengths of the Hon. - Member for t°lltrose, but was prepared to insist on a reduction of the Afiber o f men; an d 3 4 G en tl emen su pported hi m . go ould refer to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, e ~ was Se at War at that time, and who most 11, showed cretar y the danger arising from reforms of any th He asked him whether he regretted the course he „,,en took? —and, if he wanted additional testimony, he ald refer with equal confidence to the Right Honour • p ut e Ba ronet t h e M em b er f or T amwort b, w ho was Home itJecretary in 1820, and ask him whether he did not o t i° ll, that there was not one single part of the kingdom " Was not daily assaulting the doors of the Treasury, titi supplicating for military protection? The Right 1 ,, 0 n. Gentleman had referred to the maintenance of the „radron on the coast of Africa. He admitted the ins ;'ettse of suffering to the captives a n d th e was t e o f ,lrengtb, but if the alternative was eith er t o k eep up the squadron or become passive spectators of th e s l ave tr ade, Jet the question be fairly submitted to the coun tp', and it would be shown w%at the general opinion f e l. These were the grounds on which he had always felt it • • his duty to oppose the Hon. Member for Montrose "EU beginning to end. „ . 114. MITCHELL sa id th a t h e en ti re l y di ssen t e d f rom '`e Motion of the Hon. Member for Montrose. The pro omo a. t0 „,, -- .4e made was to reduce the effective force of the f a - ,mitrY• He could not concur in reducing the effective J e ° of the army, or navy, or ordnance. He thought, Otever, that, except as regarded the treaty which had t i ll e lY been entered into, the expense they were incur ttg in keeping up fleets for the suppression of the slave ide was entirely thrown away. He thought that great ..ra a agance was committed in our dockyards; there ao i l t :',!en great over •building, and a great many failures, bi t . " plight have been obviated by giving an opportu deY for private competition. He placed implicit confi f9ee in the present Foreign secretary—(flear)—and p' r etely he had heard a great many Members of the L o a r ti , s e express the same opinion. He had found the Noble th„ -4 throughout backing the cause of freedom against t ; Pinions of nearly the whole of the metropolitan i,„!s, as far as the press had any influence; he had tend him standing up in an unpopular cause, and for lt, last two years he had never heard him swerve from f ot 4. , 4 e was not for war• he did not believe it necessary a; i t ?iB country to go to'war; he believed that the moral trf Rat o f t hi s country h a d a grea t e ff e ct. Th e fi rs t tZ t of reducing the navy at this moment would be toe, theuraethe idea that this country was so ready for ,uoctriaes of ultra economy, that it would not stand kr i icbr th e rights of nations. He thought that there prole be cases in which this country might go to war to v eil ',eet freedom. He was quite sure that the way to pre -4: this country going to war was for us to have an effec p e„L'avy, to os as to convince other countries that we were f e r 'ered go to war in defence of our rights, and in de al:it/ of the rights of oppressed liberty abroad. For e reasons, as long as the present Government pro -1)1.44 to keep up the e ff e cti v e force of the country to the „ant amount, he should give them his support. e,. URQUHART observed that the Right Hon. tli," t ernati at the head of the Admiralty had said that of e Proper mode of meeting this question was by a vote 4,llsefidence; he believed that in this case the coafi „e Was not with the Admiralty. Having no confi bQo4„,:',e in that department, he could not accept the pro t%c,"orl of the Right Honourable Gentleman when he ol ' that th e nav y requ i re d as man y men as were now tt c , ll e on the books. He firmly believed, however, that Ti ecessities and difficulties in which the Noble Lord s o ,' Secretary for Foreign Affairs had involved the lef ilt rY did require that number of men. He wished to i t4t l e Ya the Admiralty from that incubus and oppression, s ot . he thought that the best mode of doing so was by p r o for the Honourable Member for Montrose, and p o , l3 ,Fing the means of mischief placed at the clis ke, of the Noble Lord. When the navy estimates were ti !ted last y ear , h e h a d ca ll e d t h e part i cu l ar attent i on isr Noble Lord at the head of the government to the 4Netion of the law of 4 this laud and the law of nations ~° t e perpetrated by our foreign board. The Noble a,", might sneer ; but he trusted that his influence 5 t ",,, t1(1, not so far have perverted the minds of the as te7ulY that they too would sneer. The Noble Lord la o te head of the Government would not sneer. The ( E) Lord, on a former occasion, had given him a t 16, ee that the law should not be violated. The ques te they were debating was the employment of her Oesty's forces, and before he gave his vote he should te tl , ti k i re a guarantee that they would not be employed th,`,"eY had been in the Mediterranean. He trusted le ) ," e ,tbe Noble Lord at the head of the government tie' , favour the House with some explanation on the Ject. t o a k, J. RUSSELL said that when last year the Hon a o , l '°oer had as k e d him whether h er M ajes ty' s f orces b ` at • t 'Ll be employed only consistently with th e l aw o r th, o 48 , he had certainly answered without hesitation in 14 4 a ffirmative; but now when the question was repeated 14wans_we.r must depend on the construction put on that di. Without entering at length into a question for the . ,"e lon of which there would be future opportunities, jp,,P,Paared to him that Sir W. Parker had been fully , I "lied in the conduct pursued by him at Messina. The 1 141 , 1 ! 3 iral had received no previous instructions, but Sta ill ,g interfered between the King of the Two Sicilies 1 4 , tee Sicilians on grounds of bumanity, he had subse eo,,,tltlY received the approval of Government for his lip b mu et• The Hon. Member conceived that instead of tes - e t l ° , v al, Sir W. Parker should have received letters of S e - 1 as having violated the law of nations. 'ong, then, as the Government and the 00arable Member were so much at issue as he the' construction of the law of nations, it would impcssible for him (Lord John Russell) to 4 0 ,, Q pledge on the subject. Ho had hoped that the Of a t ember would have imitated the laudable example dap lion. Member for Bridport, and reposed confi tet a to the Government ; but, as he required a guaran- I l i a Which could not be given, he must leave him to take Aria course. e 8 r ' 'URQUHART expressed his dissatisfaction at the ti,oenation of the Noble Lord, and would bring forward &„ e lfio motion on the subject. % e '' W. MOLES WORTH complimented the Hon. t etary for the Admiralty on the ability displayed in leePeecb, and the frankness with which he had acknow lard the presence of abuses in his department from ee er , down to 1848. According to him a new era of tah ° , l nY and retrenchment had commenced in 1848, ti o ea therefore might be attributed to the efforts of the 1, t4 4 ; Members for Montr ose an d th e W es t Ridi ng . 20 8 "„ Year the navy estimates exhibit e d a re d uc ti on o f ' OO Ol., and this year of 730,0001,, and so far Govern deserved credit for their exertions to reduce ex qcliture ; but there was still ample room for furth e r tte tiuta and therefore he hoped that they etild not relax in their exertions. With a eW of ascertaining what reductions might be c9e, he w i s h ed to call attention to the causes which i led to the great increase in naval expenditure. That t7.rease might be attributed, first, to the increase of the b n ', lo of the navy; secondly, to the introduction of steam b e t t er; an d, thirdly, to improvident expenditure in con ta°n with naval works. The naval expenditure must b s under separate heads—ntimerical force, es taie.lehraents, and dead weight. In th e expen di ture for h"!'erical force, he merely included wages and victuals, of: h e ll evidently bore a direct proportion to the amount ft r - ga, force. For instance, since 1835 the amount of bpd shad increased from 26,500 men to about 40,000; ,„, tn e wages and victuals from 1,300,0001. to 1,900,000/. p e , ) ",,,e 1 obvious, then, that if they wished to reduce ex till,,iture in these branches, they must begin with re ilat;ll°R the amount of numerical force. The next Wer e W as naval establishments, under which head kid" included six votes, for establishments at home ste t a broad, for wages of workmen at home and abroad, 44' 8, new works, and repairs. Under proper manage kilot th ese items would have borne a proportion to the tec t 4 L i t of numerical force, bat he found that they had Pep,l?•eed in a much greater ratio. Since 1835 the ex hi)ltilre for those items had increased 150 per cent., in i° the f orce it se lf h a d o n ly i ncrease d 50 p er ce nt. Zie t , tt et, the expenditure had increased in exact propor a 1 0 the number of men employed in the dockyards. Ye itt 3 ,4 the number of men so employed was 5,800; last he e t °eY amounted to 13,800.—(Hear, hear.) In 1834 tatit' 3 q)endit u r e for those establishments was 1,000,0001.; kie tcl Year it was 2,500,0001.—(Hear, hear.) The First th e . Of the Admiralty attributed the great increase to kN i lta troduction of steam power; but in addition, the , 4 4 4 Secretary had honestly admitted that there h a d 4 ia d kost improvident expenditure in connexion with tiAtZ e i Partrnent. Year after year ships.had been built, ac beting only to perish of the dry-rot. During the last , si t iJears 25 line-of-battle ships and 43 frigates had been ( )11 e ql the stocks, involving an expense of 2,500,0001. alti l tis Ist January, 1848, there were in commission 17 Wore °f the line and 32 frigates. In ordinary there the 4 . 64 ships of the line and 63 frigates. What was Npi,,'° of such an enormous fleet, greater than those )% tetti,:,.Y., 11 eti at the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar, alto- B t no twithstanding all this, he found that k itt t r.- ! there had been placed on the stocks 20 line-of- Z g ate - e s uiPs and 16 frigates.—(Hear, hear.) The esti -o,oooer these was 2,000,0001., and they would require Men. The steam navy was returned last year at ves sel f-battle ships, 28 frigates, 48 sloops, and 28 gun , 1 1is t , 4 1 and would require 14,000 or 15000 men. The ?se eto see in this department had been enormously en -I..„ehtly"by what the Secretary for the Admiralty had liCov t ,,,meeignated improvident expenditure. The late ""xlient, with WO,* gucl, uco experiace? ordered no less than 21 iron steamers, but when nearly finished it was found, by experiment at Woolwich, that they were wholly unfit for warlike purposes. (Hear, hear.) Some were abandoned; others were converted into troop-ships ; but in these last cases the engines were found to be too large, and it was not known what to do with them, although they had cost 70,0001. It was suggested to put them in 90-gun ship, but that project was rejected by the naval committee. It did not appear that greater sue cess had been attained in the wooden steamers. (The Hon. Baronet here read a list of the wooden steamers which had all been pronounced " crank," or " slow," or otherwise imperfect, before the naval committee; but the noise of conversation pervading the House prevented our catching the names.) Such was the report of some of our largest steamers; he trusted that there would be better account of the 28 built last year.—(Hear, hear.) Under the pretext of economy large sums had been ex pended on ,the construction of steam-factories, it being alleged that in such establishments vessels could be be built 15 or 20 per cent. cheaper than by contract. He disbelieved that statement altogether.—(Hear, hear.) In private yards the object was to obtain the maximum of work, while in Government dockyards it was the maxi mum of idleness, to which might be added the recent in sane attempts to convert skilful artizens into very in" different soldiers.—(Hear.) The building and repairs of these factories might be set down at 2,000.000/., the interest on which would pay the wole expense of repairs if done in private yards. He had endeavoured to stop the further progress of those works, being of opi nion that it was better to put up with the present loss than to continue a foolish expenditure. It appeared to him that if they really wished to reduce the expenditure they must not only reduce the numerical force of the navy—the number of ships in commission and the num ber of workmen in the dockyards—but they must take care that no new works were commenced without taking means to obtain beforehand a good and accurate esti mate of the cost. The last head of expenditure to which he would refer was the dead weight. The amount of the dead weight depended on the number of officers era , ployed in the navy, and who were afterwards eligible for retiring allowances, half-pay, &c. That number it would be imagined would, after a long continuance of peace, be considerably reduced.—(Hear, hear.) It had been so in the army, but not in the navy. Since 1823 there had been a reduction in the dead weight of the army of one-fourth, while in 'the navy the decrease had been less than one-ninth. He imagined that the number of cadets and admissions into the navy should bear some proportion to the force kept up and the number of men employed. So far from this being the case, he found that the number of cadets had been six times greater in 1846 than it was in 1847, though the number of ships and men had increased only one-third in the same time. This lavish admission of cadets could not, he thought, be too strongly condemned, as, besides the increased expense it occasioned, it pro duced disappointment, dissatisfaction, and discontent amongst the officers themselves, as the natural conse quence of every rank being overstocked—and it occa sioned further that pressure on the Admiralty for war promotion and war employment, which they found so inconvenient, but yet so difficult to resist, and which had induced them to put into commission more ships than the number of seamen voted by Parliament could man. Hence the continuous increase in the number of seamen, and consequent increase in the naval expenditure—hence the vast fleets scattered over every part of the globe, the existence of which afforded to the Noble Secretary for Fo - reign Affairs almost irresistible temptation to interfere in the affairs of foreign states—to regulate the succession to the throne in Portugal and Spain —to enter into a war for the suppression of the slave trade in Africa—to con test the divine right of Kings in Sicily, and to do he knew not what in the River Plate. By limiting the number of admissions they could limit the future amount of the dead weight, but only by that means; therefore, it was the duty of Parliament to insist that the number of men voted should not be exceeded.—(Hear, hear.) Of late years a bad habit had grown up of employing more seamen than the number fixed by the House, and of hiring more workmen than the number for which Par liament voted wages when the estimates were under con sideration. The consequence was, that they had, year after year, votes for naval excess, and a continuous and growing increase in the naval expenditure. The fact was that the Admiralty fixed the navy, not according to the will of Parliament, but according to its own will and pleasure. The House should insist that on no account should the number of men and the force voted be er ceeded, unless good and valid reasons were given imme diately on the meeting of Parliament.—(Hear, hoar.) He now came to the vote before the House, viz., the number of men for the ensuing year. Last year the number voted was 43,000, and the number employed was, according to the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Ward), 3,000 or 4,000 more; this year it was to be 40,000, being a reduc tion nominally of 3,000, but really of 7,000 men.— (Hear.) This was certainly a good beginning. But there was ample grounds for a reduction even to a larger amount.—(Hear.) He agreed with his Honourable Friend (Mr. Hume) on this subject, and would make the reduction on the ships on foreign stations. There were in all six foreign stations beside the Mediterranean (which was not now considered as foreign), in all of which our naval force had been much increased since 1841. The force on the East Indian and China stations, including New Zealand and South Australia, be fore 1840 averaged 10 ships and 2,000 men. When the war with China arose that force was, of course, greatly increased ; it had since been reduced, certainly, but last year it amounted to 25 ships and 4,573 men. He would reduce this force to 18 ships and a propor tionate number of men, as rec:immonded by the Com mittee on naval expenditure. This might safely be done when it was remembered that the East India Company maintained not fewer than 23 war steamers in those waters. On the Pacific and South American stations last year, the force maintained was 25 ships and 5,431 men, costing half a million of money. One half of that amount would be ample for all our purposes, and would be more than we had in those previous to 1842, or before our interference in the affairs of the Plate. This he would reduce by 10 ships and 2,700 men. At the Caps of Good Hope and the African station, previous to 1832, there were 18 ships and 1,600 men. Last year there was 37 ships and 4,647 men, costing 450,000/. The Kafir war having now terminated, he would reduce this by 19 ships and 3,000 men. The reduction he would thus effect on these stations would be 36 ships and 6,000 men, and the force which would then remain would be ample for the protection of British interests and British honour.—(Hear, hear.) Captain BERKELEY observed that the question be fore the Committee was whether they could safely re duce the naval force proposed to be employed. The propriety of such a reduction, he submitted, could be better judg..d of by practical men connected with the department than by any of those gentlemen who had addressed the Committee in favour of the amendment. The Hon. Member for Montrose had said that they were keeping up a war establishment in time of peace; but the fact was that they only asked for one-fourth of the complement which would be required in the event of a war, and with only one-fourth able sailors and three fourths raw men, our ships would not be too well manned should a war break out. Hon. Gentlemen complained that many ships of the line remained in ordinary in the harbours doing nothing, and in the same breath they proposed to reduce the number of men, by the employ ment of whom alone they could be removed and brought into use. It also appeared to be forgotten that to pre pare these ships for sea would cost not less than 10,000/. each. With regard to the surveyor of the navy, in de fending his conduct against the attacks made upon it, he was only proclaiming what he believed to be the fact, when he said that he had done more good for the service than any man in England. Mr. S. HERBERT, having had something to do with that which had been called a profligate system of ship building, would say a word or two on that subject. The increase had been occasioned by the necessity to pro vide a steam navy, and that object being now attained, great reductions in this respect would follow as a matter of course. The Hon. Baronet said that 21 iron steamers ' were built, which were afterwards found to be useless for war purposes; but he forgot to say that all these except six were not built for war at all, but for the packet service, for which iron steamers were found to be well adapted. Now, with reference to iron as a material for shipbuilding, the experiment did not seem as yet to be sufficiently tested; for Captains Hall and Charley wood were the only two officers who had commanded in vessels of that description in time of war, and their opinions had still to be weighed by the scientific public. He passed no judgment upon the subject himself. He certainly had heard a steam navy described as con temptible; and once an American commander had declared in his presence that the Terrible went very slow at twelve knots an hour, and that his American ves sel would go faster. Upon being asked, however, how she would be made to go more rapidly, he professed him self unable exactly to tell; but he admitted that it would be excessively dangerous " to go at full speed.— (Laughter.) He (Mr. Herbert) did not think that we ought to keep up an extravagant line-of-battle ships; but Hon. Gentlemen must recollect that, although we had 71 line-of-battle ships at present, yet that we had n th o e t got which e w e h te ich wh w ie e h c h o e u d ld he s e e n nd ma i d n e to de a p e r ti e o e n eler a y nd ef that navy were not borne out by impartial persons either in England or foreign countries. He did not recollect a single ship which had been built by an amateur builder, but he knew of many which had been constructed in our dockyards by men who had been engaged upon ves sels for the merchant service. He wished that the naval accounts were kept with a greater degree of simplicity, for some of the items appeared so intricate, as to be likely to lead to great inconvenience and inaccuracy. Mr. WARD explained. The accounts were kept in the usual manner, and it was difficult to alter the system. ar. Mr. COBDEN expressed the surprise with which he had listened to the observations of the Right lion. Gen tleman who had just spoken, after the Secretary to the Admiralty had himself avowed that gross —ho (Mr. Cobden) would say profligate—mismanagement pre vailed in the dockyards. He agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman to this extent, that if we must maintain the present system, with all its waste and mismanage ment, it was better for the interests of humanity that the men should remain idle, and the vessels rot in inactivity than in active service. He wished for a small estab lishment, but not an inefficient one. The terms were not synonymous, but totally distinct in meaning. A small establishment might be more efficient than a larger one. Who that had seen the American vessel, the St. Lawrence, at Southampton lately, could deny that she was a model as regarded discipline and equipment? She was a specimen of the American navy which did not cost one-quarter as much as our own on the peace es tablishment. We might maintain an efficient navy at less expense than was now incurred for that pur pose, and yet pay our officers and men as much as the Americans paid theirs, which was from 30 to 40 per cent. more than our own.—(Hear, hear.) We ought not to have more ships at sea than wo could keep con stantly at work. Men kept iu idleness would never bo efficient. The Hon. and Gallant Member for Gloucester §cvLIN4 t 9 think I,IIA U4s waa a quation upon which I civilians should not presume to have an opinion; but ho (Mr. Cobden) protested against that doctrine. If the point at issue referred to the best mode of manning and equipping vessels, he might hesitate before venturing to express au opinion on the subject, but the question of the amount of a peace establishment was precisely that upon which a civilian was competent to form an opinion. —(Hear, hear.) No satisfactory reason had ever been assigned for keeping up the large peace establishment which we maintained. Lord Auckland, to be sure, dealt in some vague generalities about the necessity of be ing prepared for emergencies arising out of the political state of the world ; but with reference to that, he (Mr. Cobden), would call the attention of the Committee to the state of the navy pre. vious and subsequent to the breaking out of the French war. On the Ist of January, 1793, before the commence ment of the war, we had in commission 22 ships of the line and 41 frigates, carrying together 18,739 men. On the 31st of December, after the breaking out of the war, we had in commission 78 ships of the line, 101 frigates, and 76,565 men, being an increase of 58,000 men in the course of one year. The Hon. Gentleman spoke of im pressment. He admitted that they could not have that system again in this country. Every man would be shot who attempted to drag another from his family like a slave—(Hear, bear)—and public opinion would sanction it.—(l tear, hear.) Then they must pay men a bounty to go into the navy, and for that reason he would pay them as much as the Americans did. But the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for Portsmouth said, the number of men must be a matter of confidence in the Government. Why then were Hon. Members sent to that House? Who was responsible for voting this money? They were; and next year the Govern ment would fall back and accuse them of having voted it. The Hon. Gentleman had taunted his lion. Friend for sums that were voted twelve years without his pro testing against them. But the Right Hon. Gentleman said this must be done with reference to other countries, and that he could mention facts connected with other countries that would justify the vote they were about to give. The Right Hon. Gentleman, however, omitted to mention them. Now, what country could be compared with this as to its navy ? He supposed America would be said to be one. He held in his hand the report of the Secretary of the Treasury to the Congress, giving the expenditure for the years 1849-50. It appeared that the American vessels altogether in commission were only 47; there were only three line-of-battle ships in commission, one being employed on foreign service, and the other two being receiving ships. There were 21 ships of all sizes in ordinary, and 11 on the stocks, making altogether 79 ; whilst we had 440, 230 of which were in commission. Then as to France, ho had in his hand an extract from the Constitutbnnet of the 20th of September last, which gave a summary of the French navy. It said, " The Royal ordinance of the 22d November, 1846," which was no sooner published than our Government took alarm and set to work to increase our establishment, " fixed the naval peace establishment at 40 ships of the line (24 afloat and 16 on the stocks), 50 frigates (40 afloat and 10 on the stocks), 136 vessels of an inferior class aft , at, 100 steam•vessels (all afloat), and two floating batteries with from 40 to 50 guns—total 328 ships. In November, 1846, the Navy Board, in order to c o m pl e t e th e p ro j ecte d establishment, had to construct about 17 ships of the line, 27 frigates, 85 inferior vessels, 32 steam-boats, and 2 floating batteries. It demanded seven years and 93,000,000 f. (3,700,0001.) to execute the works. The delay and the money were granted. The year 1847 passed away in preparatory measures. The works in the arsenals were conducted slowly and confusedly. The expenses were ill calculated, and the rum voted for the wages of the operatives was exhausted before the conclusion of the works which those wages were in tended to represent. The money allotted for the pur chase of materials was consequently applied to the payment of wages. In 1848 the naval administration ap peared disposed to display more activity and more order, A statement of the constructions to be executed during the present year to make up for lost time was laid be fore the public. The revolution of February took place, and the new Government lost sight of the navy in the midst of the difficulties which surrounded them. The French navy now consists of 24 sail of the line afloat, 38 frigates, and 86 steam-vessels. Of those 24 ships of the line 12 require to be replaced in consequence of their age ; of the 38 frigates there are 19 condemned ; and, of the 86 steam-boats not more than 70 are effec tive. The situation of the French fleet is, in fact, such as it was on the Ist of January, 1846. As compared with the fleet of Great Britain that of France is insignificant. As compared with other mari time powers, it comes after Russia; and if the 12 ships of the line and the 19 frigates are deducted, the French - fleet falls short of those of Sweden and Holland." The Consti tutionnel next observes, that " it is impossible the French fleet can be improved during the ,present year, inas much as the Minister of Finance requ'ires a diminution of 30,000,000 francs (1,200,000 L) in 'the navy budget. That announcement has caused the utmost consternation amongst the operatives employed in the French dock yards. Then, Russia had been the bugbear, but did any one pretend that she could ever be formidable to England as a naval power? Had not the Hon. Gentle men opposite maintained over and over again that our naval supremacy depended on our mercantile marine? but it was notorious that Russia had none. She had some 30,000 men half-sailors half-soldiers on the Black Sea, but she really had no mercantile marine. Did any one pretend to say that England could fear a naval at tack or any naval rivalry from Russia? Why, if America had not a single war ship, and there was a rupture be tween her and Russia, she could go and destroy the Russian fleet for ever. And we might do the same. This was a question of reducing 5,000 men, but it involved 500,000/. or 600,0001., that might meet the case of Hon. Gentlemen who wanted the remission of the hop or paper duty. He thought his Hon. Friend, and the Hon. Mem ber for Southwark, had shown the way in which the men might be reduced without danger. But they had omitted one case. By a return on the table, it appeared that for six years they had had, on an average, 2,000 men in the River Plate.—(Hear, hear.) In some years the number was from 2,700 to 3,000, and on au average 10 vessels of war, and they did that to interfere in the internal squabbles of two petty states, the population of which together was not equal to that of one of our large towns in the north. Was there ever such folly in the worldl—(Hear, hear.) He should be told, perhaps, that the English merchants and the English consuls sent for those vessels. He believed they would be glad if there was no vessel of war on the coast, and that the blockade was got rid of. If English merchants and consuls unreasonably sent for ships of war, let the Go vernment tell them they did not keep ships to interfere in other people's quarrels—it was much too expen sive a game. Then as to the African squadron, every one had given it up. With China, he believed we carried on the trade at an enormous loss, and that the export trade of 2,000,0001. or 3,000,000/. was burdened with a cost of 400,0001. or 500,0001. a year. The Right Hon. Gentleman said they must keep five ships on that coast because they were bound by treaty. Who imposed it? It was our own treaty, imposed at the point of the I bayonet, and the Chinese would be glad if there was no ships on the coast. Nor would there be any breach in withdrawing them. The Right Hon. Baronet opposite I said he had done so, and tried to keep up the communi cation by one steamer, but that the vessels were replaced because the consuls said they were necessary. Those consuls sometimes gave very bad advice. He himself saw no danger in the proposed reduction. But, of all the extraardinary plans for keeping up this armament was that of the Hon. Member for Bridport. That llonourable Member said he would keep it up be cause he had confidence in the Noble Lord the Foreign Secretary, and because he wished to have a roving com mission over the whole world to set up liberty and constitutions. He (Mr. Cobden) admired our institu tions, and should wish to preserve them; but he was far from thinking that we should send them, like our cali coes, to other countries and enforce their adoption at the point of the bayonet. lie therefore was against keep ing up a large force for that purpose. The Right Hon. Gentleman was rather jaunty on the subject of 1835, and said, he believed that that was thrown over, that it was merely a struggle for•place and popularity, and that the reduction of 1835 ought not to be referred to be cause it was below a proper standard, and was followed by great expense. If he (Mr. Cobden) were connected with the Whig party he should be sorry to use such an argument as that. How did the Whigs come into office ? On the plea of retrenchment. The Duke of Wellington's Government was turned out for its extra vagance; but after three or four years of office the Whigs only reduced their expenditure 2,000,000/. or 3,000,0001., and now they said it was nothing but a trick, that it was only a sale of old stores. He was not susprised that they were loth to return to 1835. He himself never contemplated returning to the expenditure of that year but by steps. They had made one, and if they did not make another that evening, it would be not long before they took it.—(Hear, hear.) Captain HARRIS was for some time inaudible, owing to the general cries of " Divide." He said, it was true prudence on the part of this country always to have re. gard to the state of the French navy. The Hon. Gen tleman who spoke last had not stated the number of men in that navy; for this year it was 29,000 men, and 11,000 marines; and with that force, they could, in a few weeks fit out a largely increased fleet. He was opposed to the system of impressment, and hoped the Lords of tho Ad miralty would consider some well-digested plan for man• ning the navy in ease of war. This was a subject in which he had taken much interest, and in reference to which he had communicated with the late First Lord of the Admiralty. The Noble Lord under whose adminis tration the affairs of the navy had been so well managed had favourably entertained his plan; and he hoped the Government would not allow this year to pass over without something being done. Tho basis of his plan was to render every man in the country liable to service in case of war; and he thought that would be much preferable either to the system of impressment or the plan proposed by the Right llonourable Baronet near him.—(Cries of " Divide.") Col. SIBTIIORP asked when it was likely that the discussion as to the salaries of the Lords of the Admi ralty would come on, as it was his intention then to pro-. pose some reduction.—(Laughter.) Col. THOMPSON said he had no doubt he should be ex ( p l e i c e t a e r, d t h o ea. vote r fo i r ie the w a a m s amendment, ecnot,nfainddenhte that t ul t d h e do G s o. so. —([leer, hear.) if they chose, could find the means of reducing 5,000 men; but he must protest, both on his own account and as believing that to act in a contrary manner would not be agreeable to any one with whom he was concerned —that he did not pledge himself to all the details which had been laid before the Committee. lie alluded more particularly to what had been said on the subject of the African squadron. He had strong doubts as to the pro priety of removing that squadron. He believed the spirit was still existing in jthe country which had led to the employment of that squadron, and which had produced all the measures connected with it; and he believed there would yet be a defence upon that point. He could not altogether approve of the way in which the coming re port of the Committee had been alluded to; but he would recommend that report, when it did appear, to the egAOAt lA9IIOO of 6110 ii9llSo,—(Hear.) THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH l7, 1849. Captain BOLDERO said it was well known that two-thirds of the troops were employed in the colonies. If, instead of reducing the navy by 5,000 men, some relief could be given to the troops in the colonies by employing the navy in their transport, it would be very desirable. Admiral DUNDAS said that troops were much more cheaply conveyed on the present system. Mr. lIUME said a few words in reply to the remarks of Colonel Thompson about the African squadron. He was understood to deny that there was any feeling in the country, even amongst the supporters of the anti slavery cause, for the continuance of that squadron. The Committee then divided, when there appeared— For the vote ... 144 For the amendment ... 5 9 Majority —B5 The vote was then agreed to. 538,6421. for the expenses of seamen and marines was then voted. ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. Colonel ANSON said that as the Ordnance estimates were under consideration upstairs it would be premature to enter into the details of the votes which:comprised the sums for the service of that department. But the Com mittee must be aware that it was necessary to take cer tain votes on account to meet the necessary expenses after the expiration of the present financial year. These estimates had been prepared with a due regard to the efficiency and exigencies of the service, and with a strict attention to economy. _ _ Mr. HUME said he would not object to the votes being taken on account; but he must protest against the observation that they were prepared with strut atten tion to economy. The following votes were then agreed to:-- 350,0001 for the pay, allowances, and contingencies of the ordnance military corps. - 40,0001. for salaries and contingencies of the Ordnance office. 150,000/. for the ordnance military establishments al home and abroad. 70,0001. for the wages of artificers and labourers. 160,0001. for ordnance stores. 250,0001. for works, buildings, and repairs. 45,0001. for the scientific branch. 85,0001. for the non-effective services, inilitary and civil. The resolutions were then reported. Lord J. RUSSELL said that he would proceed with the army estimates on Monday, and then, if they were got through in sufficient time, with the navy estimates. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced : By Mr. BOURKE, for the better preservation of cat tle and sheep, and the more speedy detection of cattle and sheep stealers in Ireland. By Mr. SOTHERON, to relieve tenants at rack rent, having a temporary interest in the lands or tenements, in respect of rates leviable for erecting and providing county lunatic asylums. By Mr. REYNOLDS, to alter and amend the law re lating to proceedings by attachments in Courts of Record in the city of Dublin and other boroughs in Ireland. _ ---- The House then adjourned at a Quarter to One. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) THURSDAY, MARCH 15. LOCAL TAXATION. Order read, for resuming adjourned debate on amendment proposed to be made to Question (Bth March), " That the whole of the local taxation of the country for national pur poses, falls mainly, if not exclusively, on real property, a n d bears with undue severity on the occupiers of land, in a manner injurious to the agricultural interests of the country, and otherwise highly impolitic and unjust : " That the hardship of this apportionment is greatly aggra vated by the fact, that more than one-third of the whole revenue derived from the Excise, is levied upon agricultural produce, exposed, by the recent changes in the law, to direct competition with the untaxed produce of foreign countries; the home producer being thus subjected to a burden of taxa ion which, by greatly enhancing the price, limits the de mand for British produce; and to restrictions, which inju riously interfere with the conduct of his trade and industry: " That this House will resolve itself into a Committee, to take into its serious consideration such measures as may re move the grievances of which the owners and occupiers of real property thus justly complain, and which may establish a more equitable apportionment of the public burdens :" And which amendment was to leave out from the first word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "if the local taxation of the country presses unequally on real property, or bears with undue severity on the occupiers of land, such inequality and undue pressure ought to be re moved ; but, with the view of granting speedy relief to the agricultural and other interests of the country, without de triment to the claims of the national creditors, it is the opinion of this House that the public expenditure, now ex cessive, ought to be forthwith reduced so as to enable Par liament to repeal totally the Excise duties on malt and hops; and to remove, as far as practicable, other burdens which impede the . progress of agriculture and of commercial in dustry," instead thereof: Question again proposed, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question," The House divided:— MAJORITY—AYES, 394. Anson, Viscount Fortescue, J.W. Neeld, John • Acland, Sir T. D. Fox, Richard M. Newdegate, C. N. Adair, R. SLatto Fox, S. L. Newport, Viset. /Ware, Viscount Freestun, Colonel Noel, G. J. Adderley, C. IS. Galway, Viscount Norreys, Lord Alexander, N. Gaskell J. M. Nugent, Lord Anson, Colonel Gladstone, W. E. O'Brien, Sir Lucius Anon, Viscount Glyn, George Carr O'Brien, T. Anstey, T. C. G•ddard, A. L. O'Connell, M. J. Arbutlinett, H. Gordon, Admiral Ord, W. archdall, Captain Gore, W. R. Ossulston, Lord Armstrong, R. B. Gore, W. It. 0. rack°, C. W. Arundel, Earl of Goulburn, Henry Paget, Lord A. Bagge, W. Grace, 0. D. Paget, Lord Clarence Bagot, William Graham, Sir J. Paget, Lord George Bagshaw, John Granby, Marquis of Palmer, Robert Bailey, J., jun. Granger, T. C. Palmer, Roundell Baines, M. T. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Palmerston, Viscount Bankes,r,G. Grenfell, Charles W. Parker. John Baring, Sir F. T. Grey, Sir G. Peel, :Sir Robert Baring, Thomas Grey, Ralph W. Peel, Frederick Barrington, Viscount Grogan, E. Philips, Sir G. R. Bellew, R. K. Grosvenor, Earl Pigott, Francis Bennet, Philip Gwyn, Howel Pinney, W. Bentinck, Lord H. Ilaggitt, F. R. Plowden, W. IL Berkeley, Captain Hale, R. B. Powell, Colonel Bernal, Ralph Halford, Sir H. Prime, Richard Birch, Sir 'Thomas Hall, Colonel Pryse, Pryse Blackall, S. W. Hallyburton, Lord Pugh, David Blackstone, W. S. Halsey, T. P. Pusey, Philip Blandford, Marquis Hamilton, G.A. Reid. Colonel Boldero, 11. G. Hamilton, J. 11. Renton, John C. Bourke, Richard S. Harcourt, G. G. Repton, G. W. J. Boaverie, E. P. Harris, Captain Ricardo, Osman Boyd, John Hastie, Archibald Richards, Richard Boyle, Colonel Hawes, B. Robinson, G. B. Bramston, T. W. Hay, Lord John Roche, E. B. Brand, Thomas Hayter, W. G. RollestonXolonel Bremridge, Richard Headlam, T. E. Romilly, Sir John Brisco, 31.1 Heald, James Rufford, Francis Ilroadley, 11. Heatheoat, John Rumbold, C. E. Brocklehurst, J. Heathcoat, G. J. Brockman, 11.11 D. lleneage, G. 11. Russell, Lord J. Brooke, Lord Henley, J. W. Brooke, lIHI I IIII I ir e eli r lddri b ryyiLe c aney r esrr t ::, , , ciL:JITHIo.m.r.C. Viscount . C. irlscu.osu milvll%wvr.cv.v.ss it ss l vs it v, t ,hiececro ll Ea u ie u vii:yli s' i llloig.sotbspin imdk h a s s oli,tphyol e e ,,ni ° n,Cotee:l l l ,si i ,s,er l r i :ss.i , t ,,J,.ro..l3 ' i F: i isr.LC.....ELJ..roCl.oxl..r.ori..nd Captain e 1 Brotherton, J. Ilerbert, Sidriey Sanders, Joseph Browne, R. D. Bruce, C. L. Buck, L. W. Buller, Sir J. Y. Bunbury, Edward Hill, Lord E. Shafto, R. D. Burghley, Lord Burrell, Sir C. Hobhouse, Sir John Shelburne, Earl of Burroughes, 11. N. Ilobhouse, T. B. Sheridan, R. B. Buxton, Sir E. Hodges, T. L. Shirley, E. J. Callaghan, D. Hodgson, W. N. Sibthorp, Colonel Campbell, W. F. Hogg, Sir J. W. Simeon, John Cardwell, Edward Hood, Sir A. Blaney, Robert A. Carew, W. P. Hope, Alexander Smith, R. V. .. Carter, J. B. Hotham,:Lord Smith, J. A. l Cavendish, C. C. Howard, Lord E. Smith, M. Tucker Cavendish, G. 11. Howard, C. W. a • Smyth,' Sir 11. Cavendish, W. G. Howard, J. K. Smyth, J. G. Cayley, Edward S.! 1 Howard, E. Cr. Somerset, Captain Chandos, Marquis Howard, p. H. Somerton, Viscount Chaplin, W. J. Howard, Sir It. Somerville. Sir W. Charteris, I'rancis Hutt, William Sotheron, T. 11. S. t Chichester, awji,. L Lcaorß o odu r r d. n d Bt J . . Jermyn, Earl ' Spearman, 11. _J. Childers, J. W. Jervis, Sir John Spooner, Richard Cholmeley, Sir M. Jolliffe, Sir W. G. Stafford, Augustus Christopher, R. Jones, Captain Stanley, E. Clay, James Keppel, G. T. Stanfield, W. R• Clay, Sir W. Ker, , Richard Stanton, W. H. Clements, Charles Kerrison, Sir E. Staunton, Sir G. Clerk, Sir G. Kildare,',Marquis of Stuart,. Lord J. Clive, R. H. Knightley, Sir C. Stuart, Henry Clive, 11. B. Knight, F. W. Stuart, J. Cobbold, John C. Labouchere, Henry Sutton, 11. M. Cocks, Thomas S. Langston, J. li. Talbot, J. 11. Codrington, Sir W. Lascelles, W. S. Tancred, It. W. Cole, H. A. Legh, G. C. Taylor, T. E. Colebrooke, Sir T. Lemon, Sir Charles Tenison, E. K. Coles, 11. B. Leonard, T. B. Tennent, R. J. Corry, Henry Lennox, Lori H.' Thesiger, Sir F. Cowper, WF. Leslie, C. P. . Thicknesse, R. A. Craig, W. G. Lewis, Sir T. Thompson, Colonel Cubitt, William Lewis, George C: Thompson, Alderman Currie, Henry Lewisham, Vis?.. Thornely, Thomas Currie, Raikes Lincoln, Barl of Tollemache, John Davie, Sir Henry Lindsay, Colonel Towneley, John Davies, D. A. Littleton, E. R. Townley, R. G. Dawson, T. V. Lockhart, W. Townshend, Captain Denison, , ,W. J. Long, 'VV. Trail, George: Disraeli, B. Lopes, Sir Ralph Trelawny, J. S. Divett, Edward Lowther, Henry Trevor, G. Trollope, Sir J. Lygon, General Tufnoll, H. Dodd, George Mackinnon, W. Macnamara, Major Turner, G. J• Tynte, Colonel Douro, Marquis of M'Cullagh, W. T. Duckworth, Sir J. Mahon, O'Gorman Tyrell, Sir J. Mahon, Viscount wa . .Vaanded,inLgotrodn,llD. avid Duff, George S. Verner, Sir - W. DDED D DD bun ° ci u o rnn n u i ii g' Dunne, Duncan,ca l a :g a r nn, J. t s , OF , I, b ; .nV. George e V i p l r A s . e C . o . un Admiral t March, aaaa nn Mangles, Maitland , lee,il,Manners, 1 B. D. 0 Thomas rrid. Vyse, R. 11. , Duncombe, 0. Duncuft, John Dundas, Sir David Ma rn r e s n h ile al Es l, aL S °l . ro G df . Waddington, H. S. E E i a li s e t e , , Sir J. Marshall, W. Ellice, E., jun. Enfield,EDEi Elliot, t: Edwards,e' Pro,u tVC John i- iCi: E. . Evans, William 33 ,331,131 1‘ 3111 ifii l li if ie e :aaaali nl l uuutrreet g hhtslisen a iie:eer; a s,s. spe:sov d F: N. SliCnn , v.:ola, Viscount .T.rSamuel T. P. A. sep . : l .o li Colonel t Young, West, v lWN vlvv Y' r o i:ielaav 'a lursisrli n :ttiodana g e,eni, Williams,rmls , F ' , ' t :I-IC S joi,sGe.j3i Matthew r .nor. .. 1 nT,cahl(ll. JamesEjls. I, ytw. 1 . h a to ., . .pahir Sirer. B. :13.5.11 . Farnham, E. Ferrer, James Milnes, R. Monckton Wodehouse, E. Fellowes, E. Mitchell, T. A. Wortley, s Ferguson, Col. F itzw s Ferguson, li, rn S: r U. R. w . }t Al 3 M i o o: o u o ff rd s a c e y t : t l, CGl.Vek Georgeol l r . i g a e u m . .- - Wynn, Sir Iv.. .., Firmer, Sir E. Floyer, John Morgan, 0. wyvill, Alarruaduke Foley,l.J, H. Morison, Sir W. Forbes, Wig. Mostyn, E. Fordyce, A. D. Mulgrave, Earl TEramte. Forester, G. C. Mullings, J. R. Beresford, William Forster, M. Mentz, G. F. Mackenzie, W. r e Ferteseue, Chichester Napier, Joseph MINORITY—NOES, 70. Aglionby, H. Hardcastle, J. A. Peto, Samuel Anderson, Arthur Harris, Richard Pigott, Francis Bass, M. T. Hastie, Alexander Pilkington, James Berkeley, H. F. Henry, Alexander Rendleshant, Lord Berkeley, C. L. G. Heywood, James Reynolds, John Blewitt, R. J. Ileyworth, Lawrence Ricardo, J. L. Bright, John Hindley, C. Robartes, T. J. A. Brown, Humphrey Holland, Robert Salwey, Colonel Brown, W. Hurnphery, Ald. Scholetleld, William Rulkeley, Sir R. Jackson, William Smith, J. Benjamin Clay, James Kershaw, James Stuart, Lord D. Cowan, Charles King, P. J. Thompson, George Dashwood, G. H. Lawless, Cecil Walmsley, Sir J. Devereux, John T. Lushington, C. Wawn, J. T. D'Eyncourt, T. M'Oregor, John Westhead, J. p. Duke, Sir J. Moleswertb, Sir W. Wilcox, Brodie Ellis, John Mowatt, Francis Williams, John Evart, William 4 Nugent, Lord:.] Wil'yams, IL Fagan, William O'Connell, J.- Wood, W. p. Fergus, Johu • O'Connor, FearguS Wyld, James FOX, W.". 7. Ogle, S. C. . • - Frewen, C. H. Osborne, Ralph TELLIES; Fuller, A. E. Pearson, Charles Hume, Joseph Gibson, T. M.: Pechell, Captain Cobden, Richard 9i19011V 1 4•9144 Perfuct. s9iNifi --- - FRIDAY, MARCH 16. SUPPLY. Order for Committee read; Army and Ordnance Esti mates referred ; Motion made and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair:"—Amendment pro posed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " in the present state of the Finances of the Country, her Majesty's Ministers, before calling on this House to vote the Estimates for the Public Service, should submit a general financial Statement of the whole cr expected Revenues, and the total intended Expen diture for the ensuing financial years," instead thereof : Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : MAJORITY—AYES, 97. Abdy, T. N. Haggitt, F. B. Feel, Sir Robert /Wand, Sir T. ' Mastic, Archibald Pinney, William Adair, R. Shafto Ilenley, J. W. Pugh. David Anson, Colonel Herbert, henry A. Raphael, Alexander Arundel, Earl or Herbert, Sidney Rice, E. R. Baines, M. T. llervey, Lord A. Romilly, Sir John Baring, Sir F. T. Heywood, James Russell, Lord John Bernal, Ralph Hodges, T. L. Russell, F. C. Blackall, S. W. Hogg, Sir J. .: Sandars, Joseph Boyle, Colonel Hope, Sir J. Sheil, R. L. „ l ij Brooke, Sir Arthur Howard, Lord E. Smith, J. A. Brotherton, Joseph Howard, C. W. Smollett, A. Brown, W. Howard, P. 11. Somerville, Sir W. Bruce, Lord E. Jermyn, Earl Spearman, H. J. Burrell, Sir O. Kildare, Marquis StatTerd, Augustus Carter, John B. Labouchere, Henry Strickland, Sir G. Cayley, E. S. Langston, J. H. Tennent, 1,. J. Chichester, Lord J. Lascelles, W. S. Thicknesse, Ralph Clive, R. H. Lewis,'.Sir T. Thompson, Aid.; Corry, 11. Littleton, E. R. Thornely, T. Cowper, W. F. Mahon, O'Gorman Towushend, Capt. Cubitt, William Motile, Fox Tyrell,2Sir J. Dundas, Admiral Milner, W. M. Ward, H. G. —^ Elliot, J. E. 4 3lilncs, R. M.l Watkins, Colonel Farrer, James Wilson, James Ferguson, Sir R. Morgan, 11. K. Morison, Sir W. Wodehouse, Edmund Forbes, William Morris, David Weod, Sir Charles French, F. Mulgrave, Earl Wyvill, M. Galway, Viscount Mailings, J. R. Young, Sir John Gladstone, W. E. Nugent, Sir Percy Gordon, Admiral Paget, Lord A. Grace, 0. D. J. Palmerston, Via. Granger, T. C. Parker, John Grey, Sir George Patten, J. W. TELLERS. Tufhell, Henry 11111, Lord M., MINORITY-NOES, 49. Aglionby, H. A. Hastie, Alexander O'Connell, John Archdall, Captain Heald, James Osborne, Ralph Baldwin, Barry Henry,' Alexander Pechell, Captain Bennet, Philip Heyworth, L. Perfect, R. Blewitt,'Reginald Hindley Charles Pilkington,7James Bouverie, E. P. Hodgson, W. N.: Scholefield, William Cobden, Richard Horsman, E. Sibthorp, Colonel Duncan,:George Humpliery, Ald. Sidney, Alderman Duncuft, John Kershaw, James Smith, John B. Ellis, John King, P. J. Stuart, Lord D. Ewart, William Lacy, 11. C. Thompson, Colonel Floyer, John Meagher, Thomas Waddington, H. S. Gibson, T. M. Martin, J. Wahnsley, Sir J. Greenall, Gilbert Moffatt, George Williams, John Greene, John Molesworth, Sir W. TELLERS. Gwyn, Howel Mowatt, Francis Hume, Joseph Harris, Richard Munta, G. F. Willoughby, Sir H. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) Motion made, and Question proposed, " That 40,000 Men be employed for the Sea Service for thirteen lunar months, to the 31st day of March, ;1850, including 12,000 Royal Marines and 2,000 sBoys :"—Afterwards Motion made, and Question put, " That 35,000 Men be employed for the Sea Service for thirteen lunar months, to the 31st day of March, 1850, including 12,000 Royal Marines and 2,000 Boys." The Committee divided:— MINORITY-AYES, 59. Adair, Hugh E. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Reynolds, John Aglionby, H. A. Hastie, Alexander Ricardo, Osman Berkeley, C. L. Headlam, Thomas Sidney, - Alderman Blewitt, Reginald Henry, Alexander Smith, J. B. Bouverle, E. P. Heywood, James Stuart, Lord ,D. Bright, John Heyworth, L. Sullivan, Michael Brocklehurst, John 'Lindley, Charles Tancred, H. W. Brotherton, J. Hutt, William Thicknesse, R. A. Cayley, E. S. Kershaw, James Thompson, Colonel Clay, James King, P. J. Thornely, T. Clay, Sir W. Lushington, C. Trelawny, J. S. Cowan, Charles Marsh 11, J. G. Urquhart, David Duncan, George Marshall, William Walmsley, Sir I. Ellis, John Milner, W.M. Westhead, J. P. Ewart, William Moffatt, George Williams, John Fergus, John Molesworth, Sir W. Wood, W. P. Fitawilliam, G. W. Morris, David Wyvill, 31arrnaduke Fordyce, A. D. Mewatt, Francis Gibson, Thomas M. Pechell, Captain TELLSZO. Glyn, G. C. Perfect, Robert Ilume,.„J. Greene, John Pilkington, James Cobden, R. DfAJORITY-AYES, 144. Abdy. T. N. Foley, J. H. Mitchell, T.A. Acland, Sir T. Fortescue, J. W. Mulgrave, Earl Adair, R. A. Gordon, Admiral Muntz, G. F. Alexander, N. Grace, 0. D. Packe, C. W. Anson, Colonel Grenfell, Charles W. Paget, Lord A. Anson, Viscount ' Grey, Sir G. Paget, Lord C. Armstrong, R. B. G ay, R. W. Paget, Lord G. Arundel, Earl of Grosvenor, Earl Palmerston, Vis. Raines, M. T. Gwyn, Bowel Parker, John Bankes, George Hallyburton, Lord Patten, J. W. Baring. Sir F. Wallis, Captain Pinney, William Baring, ThomaS Hawes, Benj. Rice, E. R. Bellew, R. M. Hay, Lord J. Rich, Henry Bennet, P. Hayes, Sir E. Romilly, Sir John Berkeley, Captain Ilayter, W. G. Russell, Lord J. Berkeley, H. lleneage, G. 11. W. Russell, Edward S. Blackall, S. W. Herbert, Sydney Russell, F. C. H. Blair, Stephen Hervey, LordjA. Sandars, J. Boldero, 11. G. Hobhouse, Sir J. Scholefleld, W. Bourke, R. S. llobhouse, T. B. Seyraer, IL K. Boyle, Colonel Hodges, T. L. Seymour, Lord Brockman, E. D. Ilollond, Robert Sheil, R. L. _ Banbury, E. H. Hood, Sir A. Sheridan, R. B. Busfeild, W. Hope, Sir J. Smith, J. A. Buxton, Sir E. Hotham, Lord Smith, M. Tucker Campbell, W. F. Howard, C. W. Smyth, John G. Carew, W. 11. Pole Howard, Lord g. Somerville, Sir W. Carter, J. B. Howard, P. H. Sotheron, T. H. S. Cavendish, C. C. Jermyn, Earl ; Spooner, Richard Cavendish, G.H.: Jervis, Sir John Stafford, A. Childers, J. W. Keppel, George T. Stanfield, W. R. C. Clements, Charlel Labouchere, Henry Stanton, W. S. Clerk Sir G. Langston, J. 11. Tenison, E. K. Clive, Henry B. Lascelles, W. S. Tennent, R. J. Cobbold, J. C. Legh, G. C. Towneley, John Coke, E. K. Lemon, Sir C. Townshend, Captain Corry, 11. Lennox, Lord HG. Tyrell, Sir J. Cowper, W. F. Lewis, G. C. Ward, H. G. - v Craig, \V. G. Lindsay, Colonel Watkins, Colonel Dawson, T. V. Littleton, E. It. Wawn, J. T. Duncuft, John Maitland, Thomas Wellesley, Lord C. Dundas, Admiral Mandeville, Viscount Wilson, James Dundas, Sir D. Martin, J. Wilson, Matthew Dunne, F. P. Martin, C. W. Wodchouse, E. Ebrington, Viscount Masterman, John Wood, Sir Charles Edwards, Henry Matheson, Alex. Wyld, James Elliot, John Mattlet Fox TELLERS. Farrer, James Melgund, Viscount Tufnell,:lleary Ferguson, Sir R. Miles, William Hill, Lord Marcus COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, FRIDAY. The Queen acd Prince walked this morning, and the Prince of Wales and Princess Royal, and younger branches of the Royal Family rode and walked as usual. General Sir Charles Napier took leave of her Ma jesty and his Royal Highness, and left Osborne on his return to London. As some persons have the impression that the days on which the ensuing levee and drawing-room are to be held have been changed, we are authorised to state that no alteration of the kind is intended, and that The levee will take place on Wednesday, the 21st inst; And the drawing-room on Thursday, the 29th inst.; as already announced in the Gazette. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester visited their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge, at their residence at Kew. Baron de Brunnow, the Russian Minister, had an in terview with Lord John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Sir John Burgoyne had an interview with the Chan cellor of the Exchequer on Thursday, at his official resi dence in Downing. street. _ _ . . . Mr. Etwall had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Home-offiee. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. DONCASTER STEEPLE CHASE AND RACES. The Hurdle Race Handicap of 5 sous. each, 3 ft, and 30 added, two miles, 7 subs., was won by Mr. J. C. Lister's Wharfdale, 9st I.olb (H. Edwards), beating Hieover, lOst 91b; Yardarm, lOst 11lb; and Aggrava tor, 9st 121 b, in a canter. The Grand National Steeplechase Handicap of 20 sous. each, 10 ft, and 5 only if declared, with 100 added. Four miles. (10 Subs.) Mr. Simpson's Peter Simpson, list 51b(Cunningham) 1 Mr. Land's P a int e r, lO s t 1011 ••• •.• ••• 2 Mr. Braithwaite's Dubious, 10st 41b ... . ... 0 Mr. T. Harrison's Venom, lOst ... ... ... 0 Mr. Stockdale's Ariel, 9st 101 b ... ... ... 0 6t04 on Peter. Won by twenty lengths. The Farmers' Chase for a Sweepstakes of 3 says. each, with 30 added, 4 miles, 11 subs., was won by Mr. Samp son's Mercury, 12st 71b (Clay), beating Flare-up, 12st, and five others easily. The Municipal Stakes (flat race) of 5 sous. each, and 40 added ; winner to be sold for 1501., and the second to save his stake. St. Leger Course. (11 Subs.) Mr.Pedley's Aministrator, 5 yrs,Bst 41b (Templeman) 1 Mr. Banks 's The Duchess, 3 yrs, sst 71b ... 2 Mr. J. Osborne's Ned, 3 yrs, sst 71b Mr. Pearl's Swaledale, 3 yrs, sst 111 b 4 Several others ran. Won easy, by two lengths. The Selling Stakes (flat race) of 1 soy. eacb, and a purse added, 1 mile, 13 subs., were won by Maid of All Work, 5 yrs (Hanson), beating several others, by two lengths. BETTING AT MANCHESTER—FRIDAY. _ NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 2 to 1 agst The Tartar (taken)-8 to 1 agst Fernhill (taken)-9 to 1 agst Loupgarou-11 to 1 agst Velox-15 to 1 agst Giselle (taken) -18 to 1 apt Watchdog-20 to 1 apt Egret (taken). METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.-100 to 6 agst Do-the- Boys (taken), and 25 to 1 agst Maid of Lyme—nothing else backed. CHESTER CUP.—The only beta laid were 100 to 8 agst Joc-&-Sot (taken) -15 to 1 agst Halo (taken)- 28 to 1 agst Cossack(taken)-50 to 1 agst Ada Mary (t). DERBY.—Nothing done. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Her Majesty's stag hds., Mon., Maidenhead Thicket; Thurs., Iver Heath; Sat., Bedford Toll-gate-11. Crawley and Horsham hds., Mon., Duke's Head, Cop thorpe; Wed., Kinsfolk; Fri., Broadford-11. Duke of Beaufort's hds., Mon., Drayoot; Wed., Lower Woods; Thurs., Cauloot; Sat., Kt- noway Mill. Warwickshire hds., Mon., Eatington Village; Tues., Milford Bridge; Thurs., Snitterfield; Fri., Epwell Vil lage-11i . Wheatland hds., Mon., Church Preen; Thurs., Sid bury-10i. Essex Union hds , • Wed., Tillingham-street; Sat., South Hanningfield Tye-10i. Mr. Lumley's hds., Mon., Sparkin Hill; Wed., Stain ton Village; Fri., Steetley Bir-101. DEPARTURE OF THE COURT FROM THE ISLE or Mour.—The Royal Family leave Osborne on Monday for town, much improved in health by their visit. The Commander-in-Chief of the armies in India dined at the Royal table yesterday;_and remained at the Palace last night. and embarked on board the Fairy yacht from the beach in front of the Palace this day. THE NEWSPA PER TRAIN TO BRISTOL.—MT. Saunders, the secretary of the Great Western Railway, has, in reply to a memorial from the merchants of Bristol, as to the discontinuance of the six A.M. train from Paddington, conveying the morning papers, ap prized them, that while the directors regret that circum stances should have necessitated its being taken off, they , express a confident hope that the prosperous circum stances of the company will shortly enable them to rein kit§tc train in gneatiQui LITERATURE. a UTE MISTORY OF PFNDENNIS. No. V. By W. 11. Thacheray. There is a complete break up of the dramatis persona assembled at Chatteris and its neighbourhood in the present number. Pen and his friend Faker ! leave for Oxford, and consequently the poor curate, Smirke, who has ventured to hint to Pen his love fur liele n, Pen's mother, and has been awfully snubbed then 3for, has no longer the excuse of being Pen's tutor, for his visits to Fairoaks. The Major departs to spend the shooting season with some of his aristo crats c friends, and Miss Fotheringay, having procured a metropolitan engagement, sets off with her father for London. This number is replete with sarcastic wit, and ever and anon the hypocrisies of society are "shown up'' in a vein not unworthy of Rochefou cauld himself. Take the following as an example : " How lonely are we in the world; how selfiz-h and secret, everybody! You and your wife have pressed the same pillow for forty years, and fancy yourselves united. Psha, does she cry out when you have the gout, or do you lie awake when she h4s the tooth-ache? Your artless daughter, seemingly all innocence and de voted to her mamma and her piano-lesson, is thinking of neither, but with the young Lieutenant with w h om s h e danced at th e l as t ball—the honest frank boy just re turned from school is secretly speculating upon the mo ney you will give him, and the debt he ewes the tart man. The old grandmother crooning in the corner and bound to another world within a few months, has some business or cares which are quite private and her own. Very likely she is thinking of fifty years back, and that night when she made such an impression, and danced a cotillon with the Captain before your father proposed for her; or, what a silly little over-rated creature your wife is, and how absurdly you are infatuated about her —and, as for your wife-0 philosophic reader, answer and say—Do you tell her all? Ah, sir—a distinct uni verse walks about under your hat and under mine—all things in nature are different to each—the woman we look at has not the same features, the dish we eat from . has not the same taste to the one and the other—you and I are but a pair of infinite isolations, with some fellow-islands a little more or less near to us." MACPIIAIL'S EDINBURGH ECCLESI ASTICAL JOURNAL. Although we can seldom find an opportunity of noticing this small but deserving periodical—pub lished monthly in the city of Edinburgh—we cannot refrain from noticing the contents of the current number for March ; if only to transcribe the follow ing passage in reference to Macaulay, the historian : " Beyond almost any Member of Parliament whose services have benefited a constituency, Mr. Macaulay has upheld the genuine character of a representative of the best intellect, the best morality, and the deliberate judgment of his constituency, as distinguished from the degraded position of a mere delegate sent to the House of Legislature to vote according to the directions given to him by the party whose influence put him there. As a Member of Parliament, the position held by Mr. Ma caulay was honourable to himself and the city of Edin burgh, as the position held by his successor, the present Member, is discreditable to him and to the faction who elected him. Above all, Mr. Macaulay is a man of that class, the rarity of which is one of the most unhappy and threatening signs of the times—to whom in the discharge of his duty, the hissings and hootings of the l oople whose interests he desires to serve, are more agreeable than their applause would be, if that applause were gained by any base pandering to their passions, or any deceitful flattering of their ignorance. His desire has been with Cato, rather to b 2, than appear to be a good man. It was the manly sincerity of his character, his high sense of what the honour of a gentleman ought to be, and his bold assertion of the independence of the office of a representative, that lost for him his seat in Par , liament at the late election, and lost to the city of Edin burgh the honour and advantages of his services. There was at that time, over the country, a run against talent, and independence, and honour, and a thirst after servi lity and ignorance —and the spirit of the season drove Mr. Macaulay into retirement, and made a senator of Mr. Charles Cowan. The choice was fortunate for Mr. Macaulay's fame, which the publication of this great his torical work will go far to increase, and fortunate for the world, which we trust is destined to reap the most solid advantages from his literary leisure." Tlis eulogium—so eminently well deserved, and so forceful in coming from the city which has repu diated her great representative —occurs in the course of a rather highflown and even hyperbolical panegyric upon Mr. Macaulay's " History of England." Be sides this review, there are other criticisms of a somewhat more discriminating character in refer ence to the poetry of Aird and_to the biography of Campbell. TILE ETHNOLOGICAL JOURNAL. What we have already commended so repeatedly in this new organ of a new science, we still find in abundance. The numbers of the _Ethno logical Journal continue to be replete with sound, pertinent, and practical information. What is of yet greater advantage, this information is conveyed in an agreeable, and even fascinating manner, re lating as it does to so many and such remote quar ters of the globe —a circumstance which invariably throws a film of romance over the most arid reality. THE NATIONAL LTBRAILY OF SELECT LITERATURE. Parts I. and 11. By Charles Knight. Another serial publication, from Charles Knight, the author, the critic, and the publisher. The Notional Library, as far as we can estimate, from merely two introductory portions, is eminently worthy of the originator of the Penny Magazine, of Old England, of the Weekly Volumes, and of the new edition and the new commentaries of Shakspere. Shakspere proves to be the inspiration of the work here commenced, the two first parts being critical observations, written by the accomplished editor, on Pageants and Mysteries, on Titus Andronicus, the hamlet of 1603, on Timon of Athens, on Arden of Feversham, the Two Gentlemen of Verona, the Comedy of Errors, Love's Labour Lost, All's Well that Ends Well, the Taming of the Shrew, and Richard 11. The work, when completed will form a companion to the Ara tional Cyclopcedia lately issued from the same adven turous establishment; the National Library being in reference to literature what the National Cyclopcedia was in reference to general knowledge. STOKERS AND POKERS. By the Author of ii - Bubbles from the Brunnen of As the sixty-sixth number of Murray's Home and Colonial Library, the masterly article about rail ways, which very recently appeared in the Quaatvrly, and which at the time of its anonymous appearance was generally understood to be from the lively pen of Sir Francis Head, has been republished. With considerable additions, a few emendations, and a copious index, the paper has swollen into a goodly volume of 208 pages, constituting the only work ever printed descriptive of the working and the arrange ments of a great railway establishment. Al together, as a composition, the book is one of the pleasantest books we can recollect reading. It possesses the extraordinary and unusual merits of rendering the dullest subjects the most agreeable, the most common-place incidents the most enthralling, and of doing all this in a light, jocular, sparkling, and thoroughly unaffected manner—a manner abso lutely provocative of good humour, and brilliant throughout. The author, without restricting his sketches to any individual line, has culled the ma jority of his facts from the London and North- Western Railway—starting from the grand station, or rather terminus, at Euston-square. In a series of vivid chapters he unfolds to us a succession of myste ries—the mysteries being in connexion with scenes fa miliar to almost every reader, such as—The Trains, Euston—The Railway Carriages—Lost Luggage office—Parcel Delivery-office—The Locomotive En gine, Camden—Goods Department. Wolverton— Letters: and Newspapers—Crewe—A Railway Town —The Electric Telegraph—The Railway Clearing- house" Besides an account of the difficulties en countered and conquered in the construction of a Railway, and a chapter on the maintenance of the Permanent IVay, the volume opens with a facetious " Introduction, and closes with a suggestive "Moral." In the Appendix are a multiplicity of Rules and Regulations. No one who has not chuckled over the bubbles blown by the old valetudinarian, from the effervescent springs, or Brunnen of Nassau, can form an adequate conjec ture of the bonhommie which casts a mellow atmo sphere over the lucubrations of Sir Francis Head. His pleasantries are enough to busy up whole pages of statistics, and to render an account of the railroads of Great Britain amusing to those who have been sa tiated with the pictorial writings of the ronnondcoitst. es Almost every leaf has its anecdote, and the on a l ne are no Joe Millerisms, but such as could re counted in this go-a-head generation. Sir Francis Head observations or calculations made bySeverayl be ef the he says that 10,000,000 d/. c w te o are worthy of being printed i‘norgeoeldxpblazonry—as Parlia mentary Parliamentary contests in mentary inquiries at the, rate of uld, 20,0 , 0 1 1845, 1846, and 1847 0 a , i. an y d r t Z t e, th h a a t ve mo co n constructed u ‘ miles length—saq front national railway on are satisfied ilia the London to Aberdeen. IVe volume will hav e the enormous circulation of which it is eminently deserving. CON CI?EGAN, THE IRISH GIL BLAS. Parts 1., 11., Con Cregan is the most amusing of scamps. He has more wit and devilry than his Spanish prototype, whom he resembles in his cynicism and his fund of worldly wisdom. Con Cregan will achieve a great success. KING DOBBS' SKETCHES IN ULTJ?A MARINE. By James Hannay, Author of "Biscuits and Grog ;" " A Claret Cup," 6-c. Parts 11., and 111. The mantle of Captain Marryat has fallen on James Hannay, and " King Dobbs" is worthy to take his place by the side of " Peter Simple." But it is not as a nautical novelist merely that Mr. Hannay shines; his descriptions of scenery gg 10g4441, Div ups managed to invest with new interest the oft-described scenery of the Bay of Naples, and in the lonian Islands he occupies ground which has hitherto been almost untrodden. His descriptions of the scenery of Corfu and of Patras are perfect pictures. THE RIVER PLATE. SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 15.—The llamburgh barque Capella, Captain Decker, arrived off Cowes this morning in 64 days from Buenos Ayres. She landed mails from the Rio la Plata to the 6th of January, and proceeded on her voyage to Antwerp. We have accounts 12 days later than bad yet been received. On the Ist of January the 26th Legislature of the province was installed w ith th e cus t omary solemnities, and the annual message of the Executive was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing bis Ex cellency the Governor. The document was extremely lengthy, embracing a vast variety of details, and alluded very particularly to the state of relations existing be tween Great Britain and France and Buenos Ayres. The following is a translation of the paragraph:— " The Grevernment solicitously cultivates the good re lations of the Confed erat i en with friendly Powers. These which it felt pleasure in m a i nta i n i ng with the Governments of Great Britain and France have not yet been restored to their former footing. That of her Bri tannic Majesty appears in a much less difficult position to re-establish than that of France. That of th e Confe deration does not cease to entertain sincere wishes for peace, without prejudice to the rights of the Republic and of its ally, the President of the Oriental State, Bri gadier Don Manuel Oribe." In reference to the demands of Lord Palmerston for the settlement of British claims, the Message declares that the Argentine Confederation had been prevented from discharging them by the unjustifiable attacks which Great Britain, in concert with France, had directed against it, and that "up to the present day that Government persisted in the detention of the Mal vine Islands, and other portions of territory belonging to the Argentine Confederation ; the rules of international justice, and the stipulations of the treaty of the 2d of February, 1525, between the Confederation and Great Britain, having been broken in all these serious respects by the Government of her Majesty, without its being possible or the Republic, in such a state of things, to take into consideration the affairs of the loan of the sub jects of a Government which thus attacks it, and deranges its system of finance." The Message further announced that Sir Thomas Herbert, the British Commander-in-Chief, had given up the five pieces of brass ordnance taken in the combat of Obligado, and which had been remitted to him by the British Government for that purpose. In reference to the refusal of the Government to re ceive the Hon. Mr. Southern, the British Plenipotentiary, the Message gave the following explanation:— " Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain accredited a Consul in the Confederation. The Government ac quainted the Consul named of the serious inconveniences that prevented it from granting the exequatur to hia commission, existing as still were the differences between the Republics of the Plate and England and France, arising out of the unj us t A ng l o -F rench intervention, without satisfaction and redress having been given to the former for the unmerited offences that had been eorn mitted against them. " The Government informed the Argentine Minister in London of the powerful motives that in accordance with the exigencies of the national dignity and honour had impelled it to adopt that resolution; and it ordered him to communicate to the Government of her Majesty the observations upon which that of the Confederation founded the postponement of the recognition of the Con sul named by her Majesty, which it had been its painful but indispensable duty to make." The British Packet says, that the Message indicates a speedy settlement of the vexatious question arising out of the intervention so far as England is concerned, but that the position with France was not quite so satisfactory. In mercantile matters there was little change since last advices. norsehair was quoted 45 to 48 for short, 58 to 62 for mixed, and 100 to 110 for long. Salted ox hides, 42 to 46; cow, 33 to 35; horse, salted, 27 to 29; dry, 17 to 19; Matadero, 52 to 54. Ox horns, 800, and cow, 250 to 300. Calf skins, 46 to 50. Melted tallow, 36 to 40 ; second class ditto, 32 to 35. Wool—Fine washed, 40 to 55 ; dirty, 20 to 25. Exchanges on England had risen and were thus marked :-655. per ounce. France, 83 to 45 francs ; on Montevideo, to 1 per cent. premium ; Rio Janeiro, 12 to 2 per cent. premium ; United States, 2 per cent. dis count. Spanish doubloons, 352 to 352} ; patriot ditto, 3471 to 348. Spanish dollars, 22 to 22i ; patriot dol lars, 21i to 22. Six per Cent. Stock, 105 ; Four per Cents. in pro portion. Freights had advanced and were quoted as follow To Great Britain, 41. ss. per 2,2401 b. dry hides, 455. for salted; 50s. per ton, tallow; bales, 30s. to 335. To the Continent, V. per 240:b. dry hides. To France, 901. for dry hides, and 451. for salted; 601. for tallow. To the United States, 15 dolls, per 2,0001 b. dry hides. The Hamburgh brig Friederich Ernest arrived at Buenos Ayres from New York on the Ist of January, having picked up, on the 23d of December, about 40 miles south-east of Cape St. Mary, the crew, 18 in number, of the British barque Nina, Captain Brewer,tfrom Liverpool, bound to Coquimbo, with a cargo of patent fuel, which vessel was burnt at sea on thu 24th of December, from the spontaneous combustion of her cargo. There were 114 merchant ships at Buenos Ayres on the 6th of January, of which 33 were British. The Fortuna arrived from Liverpool on the 4th, and the Napoleon on the s:h. The Adam Smith sailed on the 4th for Liverpool, and the Arab for London on the same day. The Ann Dingwell on the sth for Falmouth. The British steam-sloop Alecto, Commander Massing berg, the American sloop of war St. Louis, 20, and the Brazilian sloop Bertioga, 16, were the only vessels of war at Buenos Ayres. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTS3IoUTII, FRIDAY.—The Fairy went to Osborne at an early hour this morning, and embarked General Sir C. J. Napier at the pier, at a quarter before ten o'clock. She landed him about twenty minutes past tcn at the Victoria pier. The Stromboli steam-sloop, Captain Lord A. W. Beauclerk, is hourly expected here on her way to Ply. mouth. She is to embark supernumeraries here fcr the Caledonia, if she arrives in time. If not, they are to be sent in the Myrtle steam-tender, Second-Master Com mander Scarlett (acting). IN PORT AND FITTING. In Commission—Victory, 22, Port Admiral's flag ship; Illustrious, 10, flag-ship of Admiral Superinten dent; Victoria and Albert, Royal yacht; Excellent, gun gery exercise ship; Blenheim, 56, steam-block ship, and guardship of steamers; Arrogant, 46, steam-Irigate; and Rolla, 6, exercise brig for naval apprentices. Rifle man, screw steam-schooner; Fairy, Fire Queen, and Myrtle, steam-tenders; Bee, steam exercise vessel for Naval College; Echo, steam-tug vessel; Portsmouth, Admiral Superintendent's yacht; and Fanny, Comman der-in• Chief 's yacht. At Spithead—Superb, SO. In Dock—Princess Charlotte, 104; Blenheim, 56, steam guardship; Vindictive, 50; Flying Fish, 12; and Pevastation, steam_sloop. „. In the Ship Bain-LCollingwood, 80 ; Pembroke, 72 ; Defence, convict hulk ; and Sparrow, surveying ketch. In the Steam Basin—Ajax, 56, steam guardship; Retribution and Termagant, steam-frigates; Cormorant, steam .sloop; Bloodhound, Urgent, and Sprightly, steam packets. Wind, N. by E.; light breezes and hazy weather. MANSION-UOUSE.—We are glad to see that the Lo . :d Mayor is k ee pi ng u p th e anc i ent h osp i ta li t i es o f th e (1 y, having this week entertained several large parties, and a numerous company of his own ward . have received invitations for Monday. His Lordship has issued cards to a party of Members of the House of Commons fur Satur day, and we hear the entertainment on Easter Monday will be attended by the French and other Ambassadors and many of the nobility. ENTERTAINMENTS AT THE MANSION-HOUSE.—The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress entertained at dinner a large party of the principal members of the Coal Ex change of on the household y I last. was also The annual dinner to the officers ancient custom of the City. On Mo g n i el v a e y n Mayor will entertain a large party of the gentlemen con nected with Farringdon Ward. ' g a public , n a e c x c t o t r h d e inf or t a o THE GAS QUESTlON.—Thursday even ing city was meeting of the gas consumers resident te i g S n tiee e t, ci fo ly r the held at the London Tavern, oo opened purpose etni eied receiving tteh o det f oopnrrcoact os meetingl; aP committe e-a o f those and also for the purpose of in terested in the Of the meeting on the terms of e app a o t inted on the 21st ult. ?a r J. allon was That h called d o e o to m document n h h tee statedchair, tahn honoraryadt gas companies for the pure t t h al e ci r ti e g po th r e t. determination of calling upon secretary of e ndeavouring to effect a satisfactory arrange pose t with them before proceeding to adopt other mead men sures. A correspondence had followed those interviews, had d u w ta a t i ions of th d h ee e e thi e d : o i gr ff m es e p m r o e i r n t t t t e . ' which had terminated in each of the companies declining for the present to communicate their intentions with re • specs to a reduction in the price of gas. The report then adverted to the measures which were being taken for the formation of new gas companies. It stated that from the great improvements recently introduced in its manufacture, gas could be produced at a price to the consumer of 4s. per 1,000 cubic feet. The report con cluded by an expression of opinion that the only plan whereby the citizens of London were likely to ensure a supply of gas at a fair price was by the encouragement of competition, through tho r p e r p o a m re o d tion to ofp rtiovnee:actogmas puny. Th e report h av i ng b e en adopted, Mr. Bova:), a gas engineer, said ho was p manufactured in the coal district could be supplied to the metropolis at a cost of 3s. per 1,000 cubic feet. The principle had been adopted between Birmingham and Stafford, and was approved by the late Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Brunel, M. Arago, and other eminent engineers. On the suggestion of Mr. C C. P earson, M, P., a resolution was carried to this effect:—That tho meeting rove of gc t l a 4 o e sm p bpo l a a y n ne)r, p ,s proposed which , s h e gi d cah b , by she t e l l) i l the Great sellers r eb e iyi s t t roo C ci e ua n nt r t i r itn a e gl the G a s Consumers ber of shares to be taken by consumers. T v h i a nce to committee do not deem it to be within theirrep s s ro the influence individuals to take upon themselves but e recommend pecu niary responsibilities in respect , of share s, ttake shares to enter such gas consumers of the city as do n en o tr c al City Consumers e eveninge t meeting then e f a r 0 termi nated. m th i: interests of into an agreement with the Gmreat, themselves to 6U at a price not exceed s ce rta p i i r o i lty nu ttise - C e i o ty m Ni p , a i t n h y , g a u s p upon theirsupe superior di g quality Dispatches were n in a g te 4 d s . . per 1,000 cubicsent off yesterday est T er h d e a ra y Coloni a l-office for the Cicrierner of the Rest WWI COmaies.