The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-29 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CIIANCE.RY, Jan. 27. THE ROYAL ETCHINGS. ALEELT V. STRANGE AND JITDCE. The arguments in this important case were resumed by Mr. Russell on the Lord Chane , Hoc taking his seat. Mr. Rolt followed Mr. Russell in support of the appeal of Mr. Strange from the order of Vice Chancellor Knight Bruce, refusing to dissolve the injunction granted against the appellant. Mr. WARREN, who followed Mr. Ro lt, for the appel lant Strange, said, that he would confine his arguments nae to those points of law applicable t o the case, which within the province of that part of the profession to which he belonged. The statements in the bill and its prayer raised questions of great moment respecting the jurisdiction of courts in respect to the property that a man had in the labours of his own brain. A parade had been made that Mr. Strange had submitted to that part of the injunction restraining the exhibition of the etch ings; but the reason that he had so done was, that such restriction was, as far as he was concerned, non ad rem; he had only had one of them in his possession, which he returned, and as for the other 63 or 64 he had never seen them. Then, with respect to the catalogue, the Vice-Chancellor had gone a great way indeed in grant ing the present injunction without giving Mr. Strange an opportunity of having his legal title investigated by a court of common law; the more so as his Honour in his judgment had not stated that it was not a fit question for a court of law. The de cision of Lord Lyndhurst in the case of " Spools wode v. Clarke and Phillips" had clearly defined what ought to be the rule of this court in regard to cases of this description. His Lordship there stated that where the question depended upon a legal right the title must be very clear indeed for the Court to interfere by in junction before sending the case to law, as great injustice might be done to the defendant if it should afterwards turn out that the plaintiff 's view of the case was an erroneous one. The same principle had also been laid down by his Lordship in a later case of " Rigby v. the Great Western Railway Company." There could be no foundation for the interference of this court except on the ground of property ; and yet the bill might be searched through in vain for an allegation that his Royal Highness Prince Albert claimed any property in the catalogue, or even in the particular copies of the etchings described in such catalogue. In addi tion, there was no charge in the bill that the pro perty of the plaintiff in the etchings, even if he had any, would be injured by the publication of the cats louge, or that the etchings themselves or the catalogue were of any value. With respect to the charge of fraud, the statements in the - bill did not go to tee extent of saying that Mr. Strange had obtained his information by any improper means, and it was therefore quite con sistent to infer that he had gained it bona fide, although the source from which it came might be taihted. It was extremely painful to have to argue a case of this kind, were the parties concerned a ere of such exalted station, but it was his duty to submit to the Court all the points of law bearing upon the subject. The whole proceed ire's, most likely, were off essive to the royal personage , int r red, and it ,wss much to be lamented that they snouid bs so annoyed; but the answer of Mr. Strange contained a solemn disclaimer on his part of any in tention to cause such pain, and a d, (duration that the instant he discovered the exhibition would be dis tasteful to her Majesty and the Prince he determined to abandon it. It might be asked, what, then, could be the reason that Mr. Strange sought to annul the injunction? The answer was, that he had a character to maintain amongst the members of his own trade in London and the public, and coul I not, thererore, sit down quietly under the imputation that he bad sur reptitiously obtained. p ssi-ssion of his information. In the next place the allegat•ons in the tell were, that some of the etchings in question had been done by her Ma jesty, which, would submit, was no assertion of the plaintiff's having any property in them; for, by the sta tute 3d and 4th Victoria, chap. 2, sec. 3, it was enacted that the husband of her Majesty should not, jure mariti, gain any interest in property belonging to her Majesty, but that the same should continue her own. And yet the injunction covered the whole of the etchings men tioned in the catalogue, which was too extensive, as the plaintiff ought too have have discriminated which were his own property. The real question, however, was, had the plaintiff any property in the copies possessed by Judge, or in the catalogue? It he had, there was no such allega tion in the hill; nor was there toy statement that the cata logue itself was of any value, although at the bar it had been urged that it might turn out to be extremely valu able if her Majesty thought fit to present it to any charitable institution. Could the conclusion, therefore, be drawn from the pleadings, that the legal title of the plaintiff was so clear as to justify the Court in abstain ing from submitting it to the usual ordeal of a trial at law? The case of the appellant was, that no such clear title could be inferred from the bill and affidavits. Ancther point relied upon by the other side was, that privacy was one of the most valuable ingredients of right annexed to property; but he would submit that it was only en accidental adjunct to . property, to which the owner could not lay exclusive claim. The Learned Counsel referred to the cases of " Martin v. Wright" (6 Sim.), " Giles v. Wilcox" (2 Atk.), and others, as proving this proposition, and also that the bona fide abridgement of the literary work of another person could not be restrained by injunction. lie now came to the effect likely to be produced by the publication of the catalogue, and in no part of the pleadings was it stated that it would prove injurious to the plaintiff. L must, therefore, be presumed that it was of an entirely innocent character; and there was no reason for the interposition of the Court on the score of viola tion done to private feelings. In point of fact the cata logue, on the contrary, was of a most eulogistic charac ter. The appellant had proved that the catalogue was the emanation of his own brain, and the Court could only interfere with it on the assumption that the defen dant had no property in it, and that the plaintiff had. Now, oould such a state of things be presumed? As well might it be said that a person, who happened to be in a shop when another person was purchasing a variety of articles of vertu, could be prevented from disclosing the fact and nature of such purchase. " Chandler v. Thomp son" (3 Camb. 82). Taking it for granted that the pub lication of this catalogue would be a source of displeasure to the plaintiff, that was not sufficient to give jurisdiction to this Court to interfere by injunction, for his Lordship did not sit as censor morum to punish parties for doing an injury to the feelings of others. It an injury were so sustained that the law could take cognisance of, the only remedy was in a co,,rt of common law. " Gee v. Pritchard " (2 Swanst , m), and the case of " v. Sberward," in " Msrivale's )rts," were then referred to and trammented upon. If the Court did take upon itself to interfere in a question of thii sort, it would be called upor. in every similar case brought before it hereafter—end, without doubt, there would be many such it' sur.ti a precedent were once established—to in quire hose far such a publication might be offensive to the feerines of the plaintiff. This would be an entirely new ietrisdiction, and one very difficult to be carried into operation. Lord Eldon had said that courts of law and equity should be kept as distinct as possible, and yet this ieould be an assumption of the functions belonging to the courts of low, it there could be any remedy Ihr such a grievance. He would, however, deny that there was any remedy by action for the mere deprivation of plea sure,- and consequently none for the violation of a per son's feelings. " Aldridge's case " (9 Coke, 58, A). In looking at the judgment of the Vice Chancellor, be could not help being struck by the confusion t'uerein of law and equity, and equity and ethics. It appeared as if this Court would admit of the argument In d e ve/Tn./jam, which seemed to him quite a novel plea. be ein, he trusted that the injunction would not sustained, as it rested upon uo legal base, but only upon a matter of feeling and character. Ile was well aware of th e onerou s nature of his Lordship's public duties, and hoped that he had not trespassed too much tuitioens to -his valuable time. These, however, were not introduce any variation into the laws of this conntry, and he felt assured that the illustrious person ae/is interested in this case would willingly bow to his Lordship's decisiOn if it should be opposed to their views, 'which he confidently expected it would be. The Loan CHANCELLOR h reobserved, that the por tion of the injunction restraining impressions had been submitted the exhibition of the oby the appellant, and yet he claimed the right of tleose identical impressions. None of publishing h the catalogue of arguments had been addressed to this point, whether the eCourt, having prevented the doing orti.certain act, would allow the public announcement of the party's intention to do that act. It appeared to him that the catalogue was prepa ratory to the exhibition, which hal been restrained ; and that it was connected with and ancillary to such ex hibition. The catalogue even stated that every pur chaser of it, would ibe presented with a fac simile of her Majesty's autograph or of Prince Albert's, with their permiseion ; ought the Court to allow such a statement to be put before the public, which could not be carried into effect, the more so as the appellant had admitted ths4 he had no right to exhibit the articles named Vi the catalogue ? He made these observations as the attention of the appellant's counsel did not seem to have been directed to the • t Mr. S. Poln • for the appelit; was the fourth counsel who was heard consideration sell and said that the cause now under - red to have been anticipated by that of " Miller that there could be nor (4 Bur. 1,0.56). which proved set forth in the the observations tee!. t catalogue in ideßs had S e° appearedf in the newspaper s of 1 went to the entire Cataloc,a4o, and yet the injunction impossible of being carrieTi which rendered it almost proceeded upon the supp ositio u n to nf effect. The injunction breach of trust, and yet, the relations. r between the plaintiff and the p been person int oined, necessary to suppo r t such an d er, had not 'Made out. If there had been a breachu of trust it had been committed by a third party, a n d t h e p in no way connected with it. The injunction was bad, as bei n g too extensive in coveri ng all the was,mpres also sigma of the et c hings named in the catalogue, whilst was admitt e d by t h e plaintiffplaintiffhimself that only portiona • of the et c hi ngs were hi s own property. I t was his duty t_i separate thoie w hi c h b e l onge d t o hi mse lf from those whie . were the prop er ty o f h er Majesty. U n d er the e ciscumstarices the inj unct i on oug h t t o b e dissolved. .e The LORD CUANCELLOR, at the conclusion at the up pellant's case, said, that he would proceed with the motion on Monday. The Solicitor-beneral, Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, and Mr. W. M. James, will then be heard fur Prince Albert. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Jan. 27. (Sittings in Banco.) HOARE V. DIXON. This case, in which a rule had been obtained t o s h ow cause why further proceedings should not be stayed mail the payment of costs in u former :a ct ion, came on for argument today The CHIEF JUSTICE said he had received a letter this morning from the plaintiff (Miss Hoare) which he Landed- to his clerk, refusing himself to read it, and he told hirti that it rel ated to a matter now pending in this court. It was exceediugly improper to send a private comtnunication to a Judge upon any case coming before him in his judicial capacity. Mr. Justice MAULE—I suppose we have all been fa vour( d in th:.. same w J received one, and rt.nd a &tie of it, bat saw quit , enoug!i, indepen rknt of the impropriety of. fl! , s co:i!nauni;:ation, to show mgt that Iw as nut comp li,d 7t z .the rest. Mr. CARTER showed cause against the rule. He tam furnished with an affidavit of the plaintiff, stating that the costs in the former action, amounting to 4081. 10s. had been paid to the defendant or his attorney by the Royal Naval Benevolent Society, and that no sum was now due to him by her. She also stated that the action was not proceeded with in coast quence of her solicitor neglecting to instruct counsel in time, and to get the at tendance of the necessary witnesses. The Learned Counsel stated that the payment by the society was good, that it mattered not from W hom the money came, provided the debt was satisfied, and that therefore the def, ndant had no right to complain. On these grounds, and also on the ground that the merits of this case were substantially different from those of the former action, he contended that the course now taken by the plaintiff was not vexation.. The CHIEF JUSTICE said it was a recognised prin ciple in Westminster Hall, where a party failed on the merits of the case and withdre sr from the decision of the jury from a conscientious conviction that it would be adverse to him, and brought a second action on the s ime grounds, that the Court would, on application, stay further proceedings until the costs in the former one had been paid. The defendant was secretary to the Royal Naval Benevolent Society, to which the plaintiff had rip plied for assistance, and the action Wai brought upon certain communications he had made to it respecting the right of her claims for relief. The case came on for trial, when she elected to ba noasuited on the merits, which were precisely similar to those in the present case. The defendant had been exposed to a demand of 408/, which was enough to ruin many persons, and it therefore appeared to him and his Learned Brethren that the second action was vexatious and unjust. There as no pretence for saying that, because the society had paid the costs, the action having arisen out of the proper discharge of his duties, the plaiutiff was discharged from the debt. The Court were, therefore, of opinion that the rule ought to be made absolute. Rale absolute accordingly. HOARE V. DICKENSON. This was an action brought by the same plaintiff. The CIIIEIt JUSTICE said there was no substantial difference between this and the preceding case, and was, therefore, of opinion that the rule ought to be made absolute. The other Judges concurring, the rule was made absolute. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. James Glyn, a well-known thief, living in Field-lane, was placed at the bar fa- final examination, on the charge of cutting and wounding Thomas Bresnahan, alias Brown, also a well-known thief, -under the follow ing circumstances: — Police-constable Eiger, 85, said, that while on duty on Tuesday morning la-t, about two o'clock, he was passing the White Horse easblic-house in Fann-street, Goawell street, when he saw the prisoner and a number of other persons of the lowest character in front of the bar, quarrelling. He went in and told the landlady she must clear the house, and at the same time ejected the prisoner, who returned into the house. He then again turned him out, as well as the wounded man, and they commenced fighting. Just previous to the fight he ob served the prisoner put his • hand into the right hand pocket of his trousers, and also noticed that he kept the left hand still, and used the right only. He parted them, when Bresnahan exclaimed, " By G—, he has been and knifed me;" and he then saw blood fl }wing down his face and neck, upon which he at once took the prisoner into cus tody, and afterwards conveyed the complainant to Mr. Child's, the surgeon of the police force, who dressed his wounds, and he was then taken home. Ile saw the wounds; one of them extending along the neck under the left ear, about four inches, and the other under the cheek bone, and it appeared as if it had been inflicted by a blow struck upwards. On the way to the surgeon's he imagined the man must have lost a quart of blood. , Police-constable 153 said, he was in company with the last witness, and conveyed the prisoner to the station house. He afterwards returned, and found the knife produced—a small penknife—lying on the pavement, covered with blood, at the spot where the fight took place. Thomas Bresnahan deposed that he was in the public house in question when the prisoner entered, and for a quarter of an hour he never spoke to him, until he inter fered with some one else. Witness told him he had no right to interfere any more than himself. After drink ing a pint of beer he left, and, on arriving outside the door, a girl made use of some bad language, upon which he said that if he could get near her he would slap her face. The prisoner immediately turned round in a fight ing attitude and struck him; before be could return the blow lie was struck a second time, and then felt as if some hot water was thrown over him, but on looking at his hands he found them covered with blood, upon which he turned to some man and said, " By G--; he has done fur me, he has stuck me with a knife." He was after wards examined, and had his wounds dressed by the surgeon, and then went hsme. Mr. G. B. Childs, surgeon to the police force, said, I examined the wounds of the last witness, about halt-past two o'clock en Wednesday morning. He was very faint from. loss of blood. I found that he had received a punctured wound in the left cheek, about one inch in length. It was over the radius of the lower jaw, and ex tended to the bone. There was also ar.o:her wound coming from behind the left ear to the lit nt of the throat. It was superficial, but I-consider it most im portant as it was situated over the jugular vein and the carotid artery. In my opinion, it is a clear ease of at tempting to cut the man' s throat, which only failed from the bluntness of the instrument usx.i. Had it been sharp the man would hive died almost immediately. The prisoner's defence was, that it was an old grudge. The ALDERMAN committed him to Newgate for at tempting to murder the prosecutor. WORSHIP-STREET. A young man named Thcmas Ivory, the son of an ex tensive tl,rist in one of the suburbs, was placed at the bar before Mr. Hammill, charged with the following violent highway robbery : The prosecutor, a shipwright in the London Docks named Peters, went upon a pleasure excursion on the 26.11 ult., accompanied by his mother, brother-in law, end sister, and on their return they all stopped at a public-house in 01(1 Ford-lane to procure so - ne refresh ment. There they stayed some time enjoying themselves, and the prisoner, who was there also, but a stranger to their party, perseveringly forced himself upon their at tention. and ultimately, upon their leaving the house at nine o'clock, insisted up in accompanying them part of the way hotn ,, , more particularly attaching himself to the prosecutor, whose arm he persisted in taking. ril this manner they walked until they reached a desolate part of the road on the edge of Victoria-park, when his brother-in-law left him to protect the women, who had gone in advance, and the instant he had done so the pri soner turned fiercely upon him, and, telling him he was determined to have his watch, grasped hold of the chain, which he tugged so violently that it broke, and left the watch in the prisoner's hand. The prosecutor attempted to recover his property by seizing and struggling with the prisoner, but was struck down by a terrible blow under the ear, an 1 left in a state of insensibility, during which the prisoner effected his escape. How long he remained senieless he could not tell, but he at length became conscious of his relatives feeling about for him on the grass in the dark ; and upon recovering he was in such a state V debility that he was obliged to be supported until a cab could be procured to carry him to the, police station, at which he gave such a description of his assailant as ultimately led to his ap prehension. When called upon for his defence, the prisoner ear nestly protested his innocence, declaring that he had gone straight home after leaving the prosecutor and his friends at the door of the house they had been staying at, and that he had never before been in custody for any offence in his lire. The prosecutor's brother-in law however, likewise swore po3itively to the prisoner's identity, mentioning several facts which could leave no doubt about it, and a man named Wilkins, who hal formerly been in the police force, proved that in October, 1847 the prisoner was in custody upon a charge of felony, for which he was subsequently arraigned and convicted, and sen• tenced to a lengthened term of imprisonment in Ilford gaol. The prisoner upon hearing this became instantly' silent, and, the depositions having been taken, he was fully committed to Newgate for trial. SOOTH WA RK. Robert Duncan, Mary Duncan, and Pierce Wall 0' 8, ien were brought up before Mr. C44tingham, for final examination, charged with conspiring to extort money from the London and North-Western Railway Company by pretending that they had been severely injured by an accident on that railway; they were also charged with defrauding the Eastern Counties Railway of 701., by pretending that O'Brien had lost a valuable carpet bag on that line; and with obtaining 651. from the proprietors of the unfortunate Cricket steamer, by asserting that they were injured by the ac cident on board that vessel. The prisoners were fully com m itt e d- for trial for the co nspiracy against the North-Wester ts Railway. Mr. COTTINGHADI offered to take bail for Mary De n can ' s appearance at the sessions, and Darke (a witne ss) was committed, in default of finding sureties, to attend and give evidence. Maria Ann Wright, Rosina Carter, and Henry Davies, three well-known characters, were brought before Mr. Seeker, charked with committing a murderous assault on Mr. F. Bellinger, a French merchant carrying on busi ness in Gracechurch-street. The complainant, who seemed very much knocked about, static' that on the previous evening he dined with some friends at Camberwell. and on his return home he met with a woman named Newman, and wont into a public-house near the New-cut. While drinking at the b;.rt.ht! saw the prisoners, who seemed to be acquainted About five twiohiiceu,woman who acc imperil. tl him. A littla after _sk he went with Newman to her lodgings in White Horst-street, where he undrepsed and went to bed. the prisoners breaking into o'clock he was aroused by some parties pstreilse to h w is ar p ds urs h e i his pockets and rush e room, and on looking round he saw 7.conThe n i n r g oi: women emp ti sovereign,ed while the male him in a most unmeerece'rf pulled hiin out of bed and beat assistance, and in a few l unmerciful manner. lie called out for him and secured the pristeoinutes a policeman came up to little, but was quite positieveers.l Re had been drinking a his purse when ha enured the t ; l it the money was safe in Police constable 196 L said, h o e use. in question a little after five o'clock t hat Passing the house he beard a scuffle in the fir s t floor fro ntat morning, when room. He lis- teeed, and heard some parties beating initcully procured the assistance of another, when he azwther constable, i, and entered the house. After same difficulty they suc ceeded in entering the room in which the i.risoriers were, when he l erceic - f d the prosecutor lying on the itior, quits raked and ct.vered blood. He sTai spe ,, ch loss, but pointed with his hand that the pri , on ,, rs were behind the Oen r And under tte bed. He seized DAvies, while an( the r cont-,ble secured the ethers. Police constable 67 L corroborated the last witness's testimony, and added that be found the prosecutor's purse on the stairs near the door. A sovereign was found on Davies, who struggled hard to get away. In answer to the charge, the prisoners denied stealing the purse and money. They were drunk when they ar rived home, and were exasperated at seeing a stranger in the room. They were committed for trial. GENERAL ORDER AND BOARD MINUTES RELATING TO THE REVISION OF fiER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS. CIRCULAR TO HER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS "Mr HOME. Admiralty, Jan. 25, 1849. Sir,—l am commanded by my Lards' Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you a series of minutes, numbered from 1 to 26, and a sheet containing the new establishment of the dockyard under your superintea deuce, as about to be submitted fir the approval of her Majesty in Council. The minutes embody such of the recommendations of the committee of revision, which has recently visited the dockyards, as my Lords have been pleased to sane, Lion, anti they are to be carried er.it simultaneously in all her Majesty 'a home establishments on the Ist of April next. The first five minutes regulate the future working strength of the dockyards, the admission of apprentices, the hours of labour. the mode of muster, and the present amount of superintenlenee, which my Lords telieve to exceed the legitimate requirements of the service, and which it is, consequently, their intention to reduce. My Lords will themselves decide upon the proper mode of effecting this reduction, and transmit to you further in structions upon that head. The four next minutes (No. 6 to No. 9) assign fresh duties to the superintendents, the object of which is to secure] 1. A prompter co-operation amongst the different de partments of the dockyard ; 2. A proper check upon the " demand" for stores; 3. A proper control over their expenditure; 4. A proper audit of the large payments made an nually for wages;— all of which it is their Lordships' desire to bring more directly under your control. The discharge of these duties will impose upon you some additional responsi bility; but, to meet this, my Lords have armed you with additional powers, and they are satisfied thatthey require nothing from you that is not indispensable to the good management of the great establishment at the head of which you are placed. The minutes numbered from No. 10 to No. 14 relate principally to the charge of stores; but there are two of them —No, 10, which places all returned stores under the charge of the store receiver, and No. 13, in which you will find instructions with regard to the general survey ordered to commence on the Ist of April next, to which lam directed to call your especial attention, as my Lords must look to you for many of the preliminary arrangements which are necessary to carry their wishes into effect. The remaindear of the minutes refer to separate sub jects, with regard to which the orders given are suffi ciently explicit to render comment unnecessary ; but they all form part of that system of improved economi cal management which my Lords desire to see enforced in the dockyards. You will pay particular attention to the new mode of keeping the accounts, which is to be adopted in the fac tories, metal works, roperies, and other manufacturing establishments under your orders; to the introduction of the ten hours' s) stem of work into the smitheries; the steady application of the principle of partial measure ment ; the improvement of the inspectors' day-books; the better division of labour; and, above all, the prompt and effectual remedying of those defects in the pre sent arrangements for the receipt and stowage of timber, which the committee of revision has pointed out as the great source of unnecessary expenditure in her Majesty's dockyards. My Lords are perfectly aware that improved economy depends much less upon, the written rules laid down by the Board of Admiralty than upon the spirit in which those rules are carried out by the superintendents and the principal officers of the dockyards. But, after a very searching inquiry, they have thought it advisable to lay down certain new regulations, which seem to them calculated to remedy obvious defects, and to give a re gular, and uniform action to all the parts of the exist ing system of management. They trust that you will use wisely the authority thus coc.fided to you, and im press upon the minds of all under you the fact, that the only way to disarm the jealousy with which the grow ing expenditure of the naval yards is viewed, is, to sa tisfy Parliament, and the country, that these great na tional establishments are conducted with the same regard to economy,—the same honest desire to make promotion dependent upon merit,—and the same scrupulous atten tion to those minute details of management, upon which the loss or gain of a manufacturing establishment de pends, that in all private enterprises have constituted the secret of success. I have the honour to be, &c., Jan. 25. 1849. 11. G. WARD. P.S. The form of the monthly return adverted to in No. 8, having been revised and altered in the store• keeper-general's department, will be transmitted next weak. THE SUN, L03.11)0N, ORDER. AND SUBJECT, OP MINUTES. ESTABLISHMENT.—No. 1. Estkblishment of yards. Ni. 2. Apprentices. No. 3. Working hours. No. 4. Muster by tickets. No. 5. Superintendoice, and working strength. SUPERINTENDENT'S NEW DUTIES.—No. 6. Morning meeting of officers. No. 7. Quarterly estimate board, for demand of stores. No. 8. Monthly return of store expenditure. No. 9. Audit of wages. STORES.—No. 10. Returned stores. No. 11. Revision of store ( stablishment. No. 12. Standing contracts. No. 13. Triennial survey. No. 14. Annual visit of storekeeper• general. GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS.—No. 15. Mode of pay ment.. No. 16. Manufacturing establishments. No. 17. Smitheries. Nu. 18. Measurement. No. 19. Reduction of one measurer at Sheerness. No. 20. Inspectors' day boolo, and returns by leading men. No. 21. Burnetit sing process. No. 22. Super.innuation. No. 23. Re sorting hemp. No. 24. Arrangements for the receipt and stowage of timber. No. 25. Timber inspectors. No. 26. Division of labour. NO. 1.-ESTABLISHMENT OF YARDS. My Lords are pleased to direct that the number of shipw rights now employed in her Majesty's dockyards b.t reduced to 3,500; and that corresp .nding reductions be made in the other branches of skilled labour, accord ing to the tell') now in use for regulating the propor tions between the shipwrights and other classes of artificers. A printed sheet, containing the future establishment of each yard, which my Lords have fixed with due re ference to the programme of building, and repairs, pro posel by the surveyor for the next five years, will be transmitted with this minute; and my Lords, having al lowed all vacmcies from superannuations or deiths to remain unfilled since August last, in the anticipation of those reductions, which are not to take place until the commencement of the next financial year (ht April, 1849), they are willing to hope that the pressure upon the working classes will be greatly alleviated by these precautions. The superintendents will take care to hold a genera' surrey of the yard in the month of March, and to re. commend for superannuation those who are unfit for ac tire service, retaining the youngar and more vigorom men, who must otherwise be discharged. H. G. WARD. NO. IL -APPRENTIC ES . My Lords have taken into consideration the number of apprentices admitted of late years into dockyards, as compared with the number of shipwrights. They find a perfect unanimity of opinion as to the ad vantages of filling all vacancies in the yards by young men brought up in them, not only because of the habits of subordination which they acquire there, but also on account of the excellent education that they are now receiving. But, on the other hand, my Lords are satisfied that the entries of the last seven years greatly exceed the an nual vacancies by death, or superannuation ; and they are, therefore, pleased to reduce the establishment of apprentices in each yard by one sixth of the number of shipwrights, in lieu of one fourth ; and the entries in the present, and each subsequent year, to one-seventh of this reduced ,establshrnent, which they believe to be amply sufficient to provide for the wants of the service. This will give to— Established Apprentices. Annual Entry. Deptford 6 W oolwich 75 ... 11 Chatham ... 76 ... 11 Sheerness ... 63 ... 9 Portsmouth ... 135 19 Devonport ... 125 ... ... 18 Pembroke ... 66 9 My Lords conceiving that it would be at once unjust and uneconomical for the public to take charge of boys up to the age of 21, and then discard them, propose to privide for the apprentices coining out of their time during the next five years, by a hired list, under Order in Council, to be composed entirely of those apprentices, and to cease when they are placed upon the establish meat. This privilege, however, may be forfeited by misconduct of an y ki n d ; and the selection of apprait;„ces tor establishment will be decided by the board, not by seniority, but with due reference to the recommerida tiona of the superintendent and the master shipwrie it. 11. G. WAV .P. NO. 111.-WORNING 'TOURS. leaving they ar3. The tickets, w hen taken up by the men, are to be posited in b .xes kept by the leafing en .n, erei eete of the different trail to wiecii ineu Oeieng, t: , - respecrife soi keg placer; sit:' be re-opened witil the ten tninu:e,' for dieine,', qui. tnig the yard, has actaatiy 6.4cuti to ring. The str:er iritendent is to take care that the muster galleries are opened at the same time, and not sooner; so that the men, Navin; to take up their tickets at the ship's site, and then to deposit them in the muster galleries, will , not leave the yard before the time intended by the re gulations. H. G. WARD. NO. IT.—SUPERINTENDENCE AND WORKING STRENGTH. Having fixed the working strength of the yards, my Lords have also considered the amount of superinten dence, and they see reason to believe that it consider ably exceeds the legitimate wants of the service. The whole of the evidence collected by the crmmitree of revision proves that a leadin6 , man may take charge of 20 men as easily as 15. which was the numb-r fixed by the " Dockyard Cinder" of February 27, 1847; and my Lords are consequently pleased to direct that the yards shall be new shoaled in March next, and the six-s of the gangs increased from 15 to 20. including. appren tices, 19 men aid boys being paced under each leading man, and three leading men under each inspector. Tbis will make a redu2tion of 51 hading men out of 219 now employed in the doekyarde; bat as men who have earned their present situation by pa sing the ex aminatien ri quired cannot be deprived of it will out in justice, my Lords desire that, after superannuating such of the leading men as are no longer fit tor active duty, the intended reduction in the number of the remein.ler shall be made by filling one vacancy in t*o, leaving the extra leading men, for the time, at the disposal of the master shipwrights. At Deptford, whore no promotions have been made under the new system, the reduction will take place im mediately, the extra leading men being reduced to their tools after the yard is re-shoaled, with the promise that they shall be note 4 for the first vacancies. My Lords also consider that the present number of inspectors is larger than the new distribution of labour will warrant; and they are, consequently, pleased to re duce eleven inspectors —seven of shipwrights, and tour of joiners, as will be shown by the printed forms of the new establishments. My lords are pleased to direct that from and ate/ the Ist of Match next the working hours in all the dock and victualling yards shall be regulated by one %Worm sc..4:e t which is to be as follows: My Lords are also pleased to reduce eight foremen : —One at Woolwich, one at Chatham, one at Sheerness, two at Portsmouth, two at Devunport, and one at Pem broke. NEW SCALE OF WORKING HOURS IN ALL HER MAJESTY' . 8 DOCKYARDS AND VICTUALLING YARDS. The master shipwrights and master shipwrights' as• sistants remai❑ unaltered. H. G. WARD. NO. VI -MORNING MEETING OF OFFICERS. My Lords, desiring to secure a prompter co-operation between the different departments of the dockyard:;, and to afford to the officers in charge of them more frequent means of communicating immediately with the superin tendent, are pleased to direct that a morning meet:rg of all the principal officers be held at 9f A.M. precisely in each dockyard, where the orders for the day are to be read in the presence of the superintendent, or of the officer next to him in rack. _ _ _ Dell ririgs• Gates close. Bell rings. Gates close. 6 m. before- i Dee. Ito Jan 30 7'45 1150 1.10 4-15 February Mar. Ito Os , :t. 30 7•10 11 . 50 110 6.00 hty Lord:desTrelt to be understood that at this meet ing any principal officer may make personally, and pub licly, such suggestions to the superintendent as he may think necessary for the better conducting of his depart. ment, or for the more prompt execution of the particu lar duty assigned to him, which under the present sys tem he can only do by a written communication, passing through the superintendent's clerk; and where two de partments are concerned in the same order, the superin tendent will have the means of satisfying himself that it is properly understood by both. My Lords see reason to believe that many misunder standings and delays will be put an end to by this ar rangement; but, in carrying it out, the superint ,, ndents will recollect that their first duty is punctuality, not merely because the officers should not be kept from their duties unnecessarily, but because the regularity of their own attendance will serve as the measure of that of the dockyard. H. G. WARD. NO. ♦IL-QUARTERLY MEETIN) FOR THE DEMAND OF STORES. The progressive increase of the vote for stores, which has risen from 4 9 6,958/. in 1835, to 1,694,1521 in 1846 7, and has averaged 1,521,032/ during the last three years, has called for the most st riot's consideration of the Board of Admiralty. My Lords are aware that a large proportion of this increase may be ascribed to the purchase of machinery for the steam navy, which amounted, in 1846-7, to no less a sum than 450,0001., and to the growing consump tion of coals, which reached 108.180/. in 1847-8. But they are also convinced that there is room for much greater economy in the use of stores, and that this Ns ill be best enforced by making the superintendents respon Bible both for the demand and the expenditure, over which at present they exercise no direct or persons control. The storekeeper of each yard now receives, at the commencement of every quarter, from the professional officers, the demands" for their respective departments, and calculates his own by the quantities remaining in store of the principal articles required. But these calcu lations are very loosely made. The " demands" are not formally brought under the notice of the superintendent, nor does he consider it a part of his duty to ascertain, be fore transmitting them to Some rset House, whether there may not be on hand, " repairable" articles fit to supply their place. e-e . My Lords are, therefore, pleased to direct that the professional officers shall make their "demands" upon the storekeeper on the sth day of the first month of each quarter, and that on the 7th, or on the following day, it the 7th be a Sunday, the superintendent shall hold se, estimate board, to be attended by all the principal offi cers, at which the demands of each department shall be discussed arid settled. The result is to be communicated at the usual time, and in the ordinary form.. to the Store keeper-General, who now receives on the 14th, and 21st, of the first month of each quarter, a return of the Tien tities of each article in store, and of the probable wants of each dockyard (Forms No. 162 and No. 163); but the superintendent is to communicate directly with the Board of Admiralty, and to state that the demands for the quarter have been duly considered at the estimate board, and do not, in his opinion, exceed the legitimate requirements of the yard. In those dockyards where there are factories or metal mills a separate statement of their "demands" is to be made at the estimate board by the chief engineer, and not departed from, when sanctioned by the superinten dent, with due reference to the work in hand, and to the probable wants of the ensuing quarter, without the special sanction of the beard. For my Lords ascribe to the novel, and unforeseen, demands of the factories the growing excess, under vote No. 10, upon the standing contracts, which has risen from 6,3351. in 1346, to 74,9961. in 1847, and to 54,0001 in the first six months of the present financial year. My Lerch are also pleased to direct that, in the super intendent's quarterly return, the storekeeper of the yard shall insert the money value of the stores demanded, as well as the quantities, so that it may at once app ar whether the demand for the quarter exceed its fair pro portion of the Parliamentary vote. An account of tle works in progress, and of the pro bable expenditure upon them, should alto be laid before the superintendent, at the estimate board, by the officer in charge of works ; and the certificate of the audit of the wages for the preceding quarter is to be made out, and transmitted, at the same time; so that each of these quarterly meetings will present a complete epitome of the progress and requirements of the yard. A record, or register of the proceeeings of the esq mate boards is to be kept by the superintendent's clerk, and to be submitted to the Board of Admiralty upon its annual inspectioe of the dockyards, it being their Lord ships' intention to examine closely into the manner in which these instructi,ons have been carried out. H. G. WARD. NO. VIM—MONTHLY RETURNS OF EXPENDITURE OF STORES. My Lords having provided for a more regular " de mand " of stores, are desirous to introduce some addi tional check upon thfir expenditure. At present, this is by no means a satisfactory state, for, although the check upon " issues " is complete, no stores being issued, however small the quantity wanted, except upon an " issue note," signed by a foreman. or by the head of the branch, or trade, for which the stores are required—which "issue notes" are sent daily to the superintendent's office, and checked by his clerk into what is termed the " abstract sheet," and from the " abstract sheet" into the ledger—still these minute precautions are not turned to proper account, the total monthly expenditure of stores not being officially shown, or its progress so traced that at the close of the year, when an excess has occurred, my Lords msy at once acertain where and with whom the responsibility rests. My Lords are, therefore, pleased to direct that a monthly return shall bo prepared in the superintend ent's office, embracing all the principal articles of ex • panditure, with a view of ascertaining to what extent they exceed or fall short of the parliamentary vote. All the materials for this return exist already, for the issue notes, when entered in the ledger, are " totalled" monthly, after being converted into money by the rate book now in use; and a balance is struck quarterly in the receipt ledger, the difference between " issues" and " receipts" constituting the " churge" for the ensuing quarter; and the results thus obtained are entered in two " Expense Books" (No. 316 A, and No. 316 13), the one for the " Cost of Ships," and the other for " Yard Services," from which again the annual returns 88 and 89 are compiled. My Lords can foresee no difficulty, therefore, in fill ing up, monthly, the 1 rm of return herewith transmitted; and they conceive that it will have the double effect of bringing the whole expenditure of each yard under the eye of the sup , rintendent, at short and stated intervals, and of enabling the Board of Admiralty, whenever an excess appears, to check it by demanding timely expla nations. H. G. WARD. NO. IX.-WAGES. My Lords find that the exclusive respinsiblity of the wages paid in the dockyards, amounting to near 800,0001. a year, now rests wit h t he storekee p e r s of the dockyards, whose clerks attend the musters, check the absentees, and prepare the weekly pay list, without any inquiry being made, either locally or at Somerset House, into the manner in which these accounts are kept, and without even the semblance of a subsequent audit. My Lords can only regard this system Its an anomaly unprecedented in the public service. In considering the remedy that mi g ht be best applied to it, they fay 1 shit while it would be desirable to bring the dockyard wages, like every other item of naval exp,?nditure, under the direct control of the Accountant Getwral, the inconvenience of transmitting such a mass of vouchers, weekly, to Som- , rs. t House. the inquiries that they would g ive r i se to , and he correspondence to which t hose inquiries wou l d lead, present insurmountable obstacle.Tlaey prefer, therefore, a local check, the inquiry being immediate, and, where error is detected, the remedy alts ays in the hands of the proper authorities; and they are consequently pleas , d to direct that in each dockyard an experienced clerk shall be transferred from the storekeeper's department to the November — ~ 7 . 25 11 . 34 PIO 5•15 H. 0, V TARP. NO, IV.—MusTEft 17Y I'IcKETS.. INfy Lords are pleased to direct that the Chath am sys tem of muster by tickets be adoptod in all the doe, %yards, from the Ist of April next; and they have desire i pro vision to be made in the estimates for erecting c k e ne• cessary buildings for the ticket tables, the muster • ca l ' leries being so placed aa to admit of the ma past, -ng through thern in Orie continu:Jus liuc, when eat , :r irg or office .t the sup:!rimendent. whet° he ‘v j 1 ,sii s t in ciweleing the of eich \welt as s, - ion ai selitt in, prep,r!•,4 them tor a w , .. , 1c1y audit by th • wh:. will pas n , ant. with , yEng thaT to costs paid are those really du: , nrl tort r.o ( t,' iv or gularity has been committed. At ti.r: arid of cavil (I.,:tit - Or the : , superintentient will tr..esait at. eaificate to the baard, stating th the ac c,)unts for the prcc..ding twelve weeks have been exa mined and passed; and the accountant oo deputy Ac conntant-Goneral of the Navy is to visit the dockyards once a year, and to examine the manner in which the wages account is kept, directing such changes to be made as may appear to him to be desirable, either in the form of the account or in the vouchers. My Lords believe that the uniformity of practice, and a proper check upon the expenditure in wages, will he m ore speedily produced by this mode of proceedieg than by any regulations that they could lay don at present; aid they are, consequently, pieased direct that a 1 t ter be written to the Treasury, requesing its sanction to the i,crease of establishment proposed, and recapitu. lating their reasons for considering it indispen-rible. 11. G. WARD. NO. X.—RETURNED STORES. My L :id: are pletted to direct that to' receipt of all " returned stores" shall he plac d henceforward ntt-r the responsibility of the store receiver, as-i ted, as in other cases of receipt, by proper professional offiei-rs, to b. , selected, upon his application. by the waster -,hip• wrlght. An article chitrging him with this duty is to tie udd, d to the dock) and instruetions ; and iii this, the Aortt r, ceiver is to be directed io call the att,lit on of the Boi:s.rd of Admiralty, Ib,ough the super intendent, those slips, from which the largest per portion of stores is lanced in the best state, t.s 'sell a. to those in which neglect and wastefulness are apparent. li. G. WARD. NO. XI -REVISION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF STuIiES My Lords are pie ised u diri,ct that ihu " e,tablish mem" of stores in the dockyard, slit - A be rolls d, anti a list made out of all such si,r(s us have In obso lute, and may in tuture be dispensed with. 11. G. WARD. NO. XII.—STANDING CONTRACTS. My Lordsa'so desire that all standing contracts be opened to public competition, upon due notice, at stated intervals, not exceeding three or four }ears. Whenever this is done, the fullest information is to be given to the contractors as to the average quantities of each article required annually during the previous contract, my Lords consiib-ring that the unc,-rtainty of the liability tends, at present, to enhance the prices. A Lew rate hook of the -value of star, s is to be pre pared for the use of the yards, or the present rate book is to be revised, and to be corrected annudly, by the aid of the most recent contracts and of the price current, which is to be supplied weekly to all the storekeepers. H. G. WARD. MONDAY EVENING, JAN UARY 29, 18,19 NO. XIII.-TRIENNIAL SURVEY. My Lords having considered the present practice in the dockyards, with regard to the charge of stores, con cur with the committee of revision in thinking that the amounts given by the storekeeper's ledger should be checked, periodically, by actual survey. My Lords are aware that the heavy expense with ' which surveys have hitherto been attended has in duced successive Boards of Admiralty to limit them to a charge of storekeepers by death, or removal. But, on the other hand, they see that no private establishment could go on for eighteen or twenty years without taking stock, and they ascribe to the want of a similar ri gala tion in her Majesty's dockyards both the discrepancies that have universally arisen between the results of the survey, when held, and those given by the ledger, and the want of proper economical arrangements for the stowage and preservation for timber. A periodical survey will force upon each superin tendent the necessity of seeing that the whole of the timber, alit:kit-ea and plank under his charge is pro. perly class. d anti stacked, and the quantities duly re corded, or he will be held justly responsible for the delay caused by his neglect of these precautions. There will then be no difficulty in making the survey by the help or the timber- inspecter's register, in which the marks cut upon the butts of each piece of timber, w hen received, are to be entered, aed tie surveying officers will only have to ascertain that the quantities in each stack corr.'epond Kith those registered, or when timber has beet' drawn from the stack or shed, to note the diff"rencss between the remainder and the original entry. My Lords are therefore pleasi/d to direct that a general survey be held in all the dockyards, of timber, and every other article in store, to commence on the lst of April nc-xt; that its duration be limited to three months—pro• vision being made in the estirna.es for this purpose. That the superintendents in each yard be direct, d to make the most strenuous exertions during the ensuing quarter, and before the ustablishm, my are al7oted, prepare the yards for this purpose, by bringing the stores, and particularly the timber, into better order ; and that the storekeepers be instructed to begin the sur vey in their own ch parttnews, when their stocks are lowest, by calling in the aid of the store receiver, and be in!ermod that the results, whi n certified by him to the superintendent, will be considered as the datum hue, from which the general survey will begin. Another general survey will take place on the Ist of Apr..l, 1852, and once in three years from that time forwards, and my Lords expect that the superintendents will give every facility to the introduction of the new s) stem, which my Lords believe to be essential to good order, to sound economy, and, consi quenily, to the best interests of the nasal service, by so shaping the arraT.ge merits of their yards as to make them correspond with the change now ordered. H. G. WARD. MODE OF CONDUCTING SURVEY. The storekeeper general is to privre, and submit to the board, a plan for conducting the survey, which is to coma eace in the Ist of April next, in the most efftc tNe, expeditious, and economical manner. - . 11. G. WARD. NO. XIV.-STOREKEEPER GENERAL TO VISIT YARDS ANNUALLY. My Lords are pleased to direct that the storekeeper g( 'lend shall resume his annual t the dockyards, where he is to take ct:gnizince, personally, of all matters connected with his department, reporting to the board, upon those points, which he may deem deserving of ,pecial attention. H. G. WARD. NO. RV.-MODE OF PAYMENT. My Lords lire pleased to direct that the. mode of pay ment in all the dockyards shall be assimilated, the pay went by distribators being discontinued, and the factory system of individual payments adopted. H. G. WARD. NO. XVI. —MAN UFACT [MING . ESTABLISHMENTS —FACTO- RIES, METAL MILLS, ROPERIES, &C My Lords have alrea, ly sanctioned and circulated in structions for the factories at Woolwich and Portsmouth, which will place them, in all essential particulars, as re• girds book keeping, accounts, and the periodical taking of stock, upon the same footing as the best conducted private establishments. The same principles were also applied by their Lord ships' minute of the 20th of October last, to the metal mill at Chatham, where the whole of the copper used in her Majesty's navy is now " received," refined,and rolled into sheets; and were ordered to be extended, on the Ist of January, 1849, to the other manufacturing establish ments in that yard, which comprise a ropery, a lead mill, a pa:tit mill, a metal and iron foundry, and a sheathing nail shop. At Deptford Victualling-yard, where raw materials to the amount of 87,000/. a year aro worked up, the accounts are kept with en aecuraey that admits of no improvement, with the single exception of the cooperage, which is now to be brought under the same system; and my Lords are pleased to direct that the books and forms used at Chatham and Dlot,ord be adopted, on the lit of April next, in all the other dock yards and victualling yards where any mauulaiitures are carried on, stock being taken, and bioks kept, after Vie custom of private establishments, so as to show a per • feet debtor and creditor account at the close of the finan cial year. With this view, all raw materials issued by the store keeper are to be charged by him at the contract price, which is to be stated in writing, to the establishments to which they are supplied, and the heads of those esta bliihments are to debit themselves with hat amount, and to add to it the whole cost of manufacture, with ten per cent. for the wear and tear of machinery, and with in terest upon the plant and buildings, when these have been constructed within the last ten years. The manufactured articles are to he received back by the store.keeper at the increased value, and so charged by him when re-issued for use. My Lords desire to impri ss upon the minds of all connected with these great national establishments the necessity of the most scrupulous economy in their ma nagement. Public attention has b3en fixed upon 'hem by the inquiries of last year, and the counnry is keenly alive to the disadvantages under which all manufacturing establishments must labour which are not c••ndocte4 under the eye of a master, and cnecked in their expendi ture by the necessity of thawing upon funds at his sole disposal. My Lords are aware that it is difficult to combine a rigid economy with that unlimited command of capital which Government establishments are supposed to pos sess, or to impress those who administer them, by any written rules, with the same frugal ideas which teelings of self-interest naturally and necessarily inculcate. But they have selected as the chief engineers of the three principal dockyards men favourably distinguished in private trade; and, having placed at their disposal the means of commanding success, and secured to the couetry, by the publicity of their annual accounts, the fullest knowledge of the issue, my Lords mils', leave it to time and their exertions to show that an adequate re turn is made in new work and repairs, for th , : vast outlay which Parliament has already sianetbinea in connexion with the steam navy. IL G. WARD. NO. XVII.-SMITHERIES. My Lords having taken into consideration the heavy exp-nse incurred by the introduction of Naswyth's steam hammer into the dockyards, and th,, impossi bility of producing the same amount of work from them that is produced in private trade, unless the work ing hours are assimila•cd, the want of con tinuous labour in the dockyards causing a greater consumption both of fuel and material, are pleased to direct that, from the Ist day of April n, xt, the ten hours' system, recently introduced at Devonport, shall be adoptA in the smitheries o: all the dockyards, the wages of the men being increased in the proportion of 2,719 to 3,130, that oeing the difference of the namber of hours worked under the dockyaro system, and under that now in force at Devonport. U. G. WARD. NO. XVIII.-MEASUREMENT. My Lords find, with pleasure, that the system of par tial measurement, introduced into the yards in March last, is working satiifactorily. They wish, however, to remind the superintendents that the princip!e of the pre sent system is, not to measure all the work don: , in the dockyards, but that all work sh ou ld b e mea sured occa sionally. The measurer is an instrumenr, of which the superintendent., or the master shipwright, is to avail himself whenever he is dissatisfied with the work of a par ticular PEI , and wishes to secerteiu whether the meu are t:: n tlpir y. I c s 0 i ;? J",:'i„~ wit! peril upon t'w di;cretio:i firm r.si which the pos , in &fault by tit- attention paid ty tha sub - g the syfitera geriertOy—wld h , rit t) ora,ion th (ittiu amongst th the superintendent has of estimating accurately the ex ertions of all under hills, will materially guide him in his recommendations for promotion. My Lords desire that a frequent inspection of the measurer's books las considered es one of thy, principal duties of the sup4-riutendents ; end it is Moir intention, at their own annual inspections, to require,.in estth yard, a report of the wonting of the system. arid a l reuis the re-alts which it latti presented quarterly. My Lords are aware that the value of those results depends upon th_+ acouNey of Oat, schemes of prices, upon which they are fmnde:l; end that, in some res- 4 . 6 and run. that t pints, the schemes now in use are defective. 13at many omissions and defects %sill Ix: corrected by the returns already received fr•on the yards, at the c:ose of the first six months; and my Lords have no doubt that, wish_ the experience of another halt' year, when slunk!• returns will be callel for, a committee of master-Oonwri:eits, and measurers will be enabled to supply is e sat • ing, especially as regards shipwright's work, s for which is now founled upon the &it scheato of corrected in 1829, which makes no provisi , n for the new wants and new works conneettd with na evy. My Lords, expect that, particulir t too o the pui,as enurueratod, feditig t , . with proper the system of rnea<nreaw:lt way !I made to work with sitisfa,cfion to aU IN it decided bectiltsto the public. G. WARD NO XIX. —MEASURER. iJ E My Lords are ph aced t-) ct that one nieuiurer shall be reduced at Sheer tens, the >calc of w rk in that yard not requiring. three. H. G. WARD. NO. XX.-INSPECTOR'S DAY BIORS, AND IMTURNS BY LEADING MEN My Lords see much r, anon to b? dis'satisfiecl with th manner in which the inspre . ors' is kept in most of the dockyards, and desire that it may be mucri more strictly looked to than it has bun of 14e, hota by the foremen curl the mast r shipwrights. The day-book, when first introduc, d, was intend.td to be the basis of the weekly " Expense Sheet," and this again is the basis of From 89. in which the litnual cost of labour employed in Abip-building ,s ab,tr , tctett hy the storekeepers for the surveyor. It is. thervf, , re, of the highest importance that the day-hocks should contain sneh an account of work done as will tally with the " Expense Sheet," in nit essential paraculars, and my Lords desire thlt the foremen will acertain this carefully before they submit the " Expense Sheet," which is pre pared by Ehe inspectors, under their superintendence, for the sigma ure of the master shipwright. The r. turns made out, one a week, by the leading men, uudec the Dockyard Circular, as to the conduct of the gangs under them, are to be reduced to once a fort night. H. G. WARD. NO. XXI. - BURNETTIZING PROCESS. My Lords coustderiug t'te tact, that the l3urnettizing proct•bs, al.ht,ugh alteuded with a considerable expense must still be regarded in the light of an txperimeilt, sufficient date not having yet elapsed to test its results practically, are pleased to direct that the process shall be confined to the three yards where it is already in use; 'tamely, Portsmouth, Chatham, and Woolwich; res ry ing to themselves the power of extending it to the other dockyards, when experience shall have e,tablislnd its value. 11. G. WARD. NO. XXIL-SUPERANNUATION My Lords not being satisfied with the present mode of ret.ommending for superannuation in the dockyards, are pleased to direct that a superannuation board shall ba formed in eaei dockyard, which is to consiot of the following m , mbers:— The sup: rintendent; The cap!ain of the ordinary, or flag-ship; The maz er shipwright; assisted by the medical officers of the dockyard. . . Tha 13,aid is to be held on the first Monday of each month, and superannuation cas.is may be brought before it, by the superintendent, the Waster shipwright, the surgeon of the yard, or the otfic-qs gett..2raily, in their r,spective dep.tt :ents; and, atter such a prelimi,ary investigation, my Lords feel coAodent that twiny of the defects, which they have noted filth. rto, wilt be put an end to. H. G. WARD. NO. XXIII.—RE RORTING HEMP. My Lords having taken into consideration that por tion of the report of the commit(ee of revision which re presents the ?nconveniences that rtsult fro►n the practice of re-t-orting hemp after survey, which prevails tat Chat ham, and is sometimes resorted to at Pottsmou , h and Devonport, are pltLsKt to direct that this practice be rtsc)ntinued, arid that the first test, in all cases, he made final. H. G. WARD. NO. EXIV.—IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS Fon THE RE- CEIPT AND ST.iWAGE OP TIMBER. My L.irds have le irned with much regret that the arrangements for the receipt and st , ..w,ge of timber in her Ariz.j sty's dockyards are generally of the Most nu satisfactory character. My Lords are aware that some excuse may be found for 1,,,0 cestiy and s lev, nI y practices brought under their notice by the Com nittee of Itevisi )n, in tlr• great werks that have been going on in many of the yards, end the consequt nt derang, went of the ordinary lines tir commu nication. But tile very first duty or each superiiitend ent, now that the yards are about to be re:lt:wed to their natural ata t, must be to select in ouch yard the largest op4.n space that can be found, within a rea•onahle dis tance of the landing-place, and to set it apart txc:usively for the receipt rapid survey of timber. My Lords have clir_cA provision to be made in the estimates of 1849 50, for opening a communication by tramway and travellers, with the spots selected as the future receiving ground at Portsmouth, Chatham. and Woolwich, and It is their in - ention to provide all the dock) ards with similar facilities, %lion satisfied with the arrangetneyta made for taking advantage of them. Tee superintendents, in conjunction with the mast' r ship wrights and cue timber inspectors, are to ..tibmit a gene ral plan for the mere economical management of timber, to the Board of Admiralty, at the next inspection t f the dockyards, when my Lords will investigate the subject very strictly, as they see too much reason to suppo e that a large proportion of the labour placed by the libe rality of Parliament at their dispt,sal, i ntw wa•ited by the want of proper method. H. G. WARD. NO. XXV.-TIMBER INSPECTORS. My Lords see no reason mafr,erially to alter the duties wbich it was their intention, originally, to assign to these officers, except as regards the timber accounts, which are to be kept, as now, by the storekeeper. The timber inspectors are to test, measure, and " re ceive" all timber, iu conjunction with the store receiver neither being absolutely bound by the decision of the other, and both empowered, in doubtful cases, to appeal to the superintendent, and the master shipwright. A fixed proportion of labour, in every yard. is to be placed at the disposel of the timber inspector, who is then to be held responsible for carrying out, under the sanction of the superintendent, a general plan for the removal of all timber, after receipt, and for its being stacked at the pro per time, in proper order, so as to create no difficulties upon the gene' al survey. The timber inspector is to keep a register of these stacks, as well as of the contents of tach shed where plank or thickstulf is deposited. He is also to be respon sible for the conversions, in which he will be assisted by the first and second converters; and my Lords feel setts fled that, if he show proper activity in the discharge of these duties, a great anprovernent will be Effec:ed in the pres:nit t conorny of the dockyards. My Lords desire, however, to regulate remuneration by work; and seeing t'iat theta, is a great difference, both in responsibility and labour, between the larger and the smaller yards, they are pleased to direct that while the salary of the timber inspector continues to be 400/. a year at Portsmouth, Woolwich, Chatham, and Devon port, it shall be reduced to 3501., upon the next vacancy, at Pembroke, and to 303. at Sheerness and Did', ,r,t. H. C. WARD. NO. XXVI -DIVISION OF LABOUR. My Lords are not satisfied with the present di.tribu tion of labour in the d ckt *rd.. They have alreayy directed that a fixed proportion of labour in tech yid-ti shall be placed at the disposal of the timber inspec or; and, in lieu of leaving the remairLier at the absolute dis posal of the boatswain, they c,nisider that the superin tendents should agree wan the master shipwright% upon some general setseme of labour, taking rare, fir-it, that the shipwrigks themselves be adequately ?upplie:l, so as to prevent tte necessity of ealpl , .yin 4 skillet },rttfic-rr do labourers' av, , rk, and forliing th rethainder of the labourers into g,-ntral service to be em t doyen in loading and unloading stores b 1 tatk and j -,b, on scale of prices whin my L ,rd% wilt chr,-et to be pre pared, with due reference to those now paid in ihe river. In the )ards where ti.ere is convict labour my Lords are please t to direct that it shall, so far as p ssible, b. employed in large masses, and upon dudes distinct from those of the tree taturers, and me superintendents, in conjunction with tLe heads of the convict establishluent, are to prepare and Eubmit a scheme tor this purpose. H. G. WARD. THE COUNTRY MARKETS READING. JAN. 27.—There was a good att.ll , unce of farmers and dealers at market this morning, but the supply of 'wheat %us by no means large. An evident improvement was MAHIit'SL in the deluatal for all kids or grain, w,d in tact it was the on' y mailoa for many weeks pits wilieh business to any extent has been transacted. There was a good clearance effected in win at at full 13 per quarter above last week's prices. Barley was in fair sui,piy and good dt.mand, and all descrip tions were full is dearer. In oats, beans, and peas there is also an imp. used demand, at better prices. W heat. p, r quarter, 34s to 56s ; barley, 25s 365; wits,. 16s to 225; beans, 30, to 403; peas, 30s to 403.-I'4: market: A. short Kipp), of stores, with a fdr trade. Fat 1,0g9, 9s t , 9,6 d. P,rkers, 9. 6d to 10, per score.—Y , Aufty market: Firm Ot, per 3., 61 to 4. 6d; ducks, oitio, 33 61 to 4s Gd; gee.e, each, 5.; to 5i 6d; butter, per pound, Is ld t is 2d; egg.., Bto 10 tor 1;4.. MANCIIESTEII, JAN. 27.—A tolerably fa i r conump tive demand fir flour has been experienc-d throughout the week, occasion:A, no doub', by the reduc-d state of the stocks of this article in the bands of the dealers and au,d the currency of the ly ece(iing market day was ruprrted. 4)44111 , 4 on the eon rary. has met su exceedingly slow sale, at barely pr e viou s rates. This morning a fl:-nier feeling prevailed, and wheat was held tor the tub quotltions i f cr is day se'n• night. Flour moved off' bt , addy, and choice wt marks fully maintained their previous value. Oats mu-t be noted the turn dearer, whilst oatmeal was very ddii cult of sale at late prices. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 27.—Thefduties on wheat, flour, And oats, are at the highr•st poitt . it nydrr th" PXisting corn• law, and there is an advance this wt.uk of 61 per qu'irter each in the duty on barb y, buns, and 1.0 is. Ttieri- , was a modetately f.ir sale of what at our mar ket yes terd~y, Mau trOgrOYenaent of Id per bushel on Tuesday's *II S e. and w c,41 i; ~i >:i. :il , .(1 S . ~' w-r lc: I .4 dull r dtity 1 .0 a 1 corn yesterdsy, but the price was i ty Bond-!‘i flour is again in r quest to-day, but there are tew sellers. The price of Indian corn is rather weaker. Th‘n: is no oth-r change tram yesterday. 8. d. 8. d.l 8. d. 8. 'Barley, Feeding.. 3 6 to 3 9 • 7 oto 7 3;143 e, per it-011) - 0 0- 0 0 6 9 7 IY sh , pr .11 a.;'. oc,S 23; : 1 -..:eut, 50. TO ; 43* to 49. Wheat, pr r 701 b English, white Do. Irish, nt.w Do., old 6 6 01 imperial iimirtr 32 0— 34 0 6 3 6 6!lrisli mlO Dants,c•• . • • 7 0 7 61 p•.-,r dboib.. •• 3:1 0 Do., g0.),1 mixed 6 4 7 ,11. y pd. 26 6 I.o•verlialtie,wilit 6 9—6 10 Europ...an, per An -1)o. r. d• . 6 9 - 610 perial quart. r.. America . .. 7 0— 7 2 Peas, .h.;i1.1.,11, per Canadian .. 7 0— 7 21 imperial quart; 33 0 32 0 30 0 - Spanish, Nd and ]eigui . 0 0 - 0 0 - .11:1!t, English. per white Tuscan and Bar letta, red .. • • Marianopoli • • Odess3, . Do., 11:trd.. . 31 0 27 0 35 0 33 9 i , eri 41 tithatr 54 0 53 50 n 2 0 4., 0 - 50 0 EgypVlll 6 6 6 9i :rish 6 3 6 twos,• 6 0•-- 6 , Flottr. i 4 oer 4,11, : ii,ii:l',.w.,•.i 2 W.•>• .. 2 1)4.. -.1 .1 I, • 7 Olt, 4 3 , 4, EN. JAN. 26.- - ':t .neat row k• i pr ,t ,, ne. ()Ars, !•1, to 16. 4 ;.!, 24s 0.1, :•, 245. 52:6 , r 27 0 5-1 i; oatmeal, 13, 0 14, per Is p r ,Nek ABERDEEN PROVISION iIAttKET. JAN. 26 5.1 to 7,i; mu: Y.tr, Si tl 7J; veal, 5:1 t:, 7 , 1 i.cr lb; pork. 4s od to 5= per store ; lamh, 0, 01 to 0, 0,1; 'allow, 4s 6 to 5s per stone; potatoes, 105 to IN p.l perk; tiver 7d to 8d per Its ; eggs, 7d to 9d [yr doz. 11; hens. 31 to 3s 65; chickens, 2,6 d to 3s; ducks, 2s Od td 2s 6:1; ducklings, 2s to 2s 6d per raj , ; turkeys. 4s 6d C 5s Od; geese, Os to 0, Od , ach Bailer fur rxpr:rtati. n (present cure), 58s per cwt. Eggs, wholesale price, 6ii per dyzen. Bread, 41b lte 8d; 2lb 1 4d. Pork, ef 141'1, 3s 6I; pork, fine small, 5s 6:1; pork, large. 3s 65 to 453 d. Ship pork, per barrel of 204 lbs, 100 3 . ABERDEEN MEAL MARKET. JAN.2S —We had an aye' rage suptit meal at market to- night. Trade ruled heavy, at last week's prices. Oatmeal, is 45 to Os Od; bearmeal, Is 45 to 0, Oil; peasuieal, 2s 05 to 2s 25; side, 65 to 7d; barliry flour, is 5d to 1,6 cl; barLy dust, 7d to 8I; fl 25 to 2s 3d; barley, per lb. 1 1 2,1. INscii, JAN. 25. —The number of cattle brought for .warit to our wio,thly market ou Monday last, far rX' ceeded what w , ? have ever been accustomed to, either la,t season or the present, and •we venture to affirm , that there are few districts in this part of the country who cruld produce a similar surplus stock. Notwith standing the press nee, of a nurne , ous body of dealers , sales were effected with difficulty, at a considerable re' 'uction from that of December. By three o'clock , however, a good deal of bu,itiess was transacted, Inapt be-Jig obliged to submit to the reduction. having 1,0 doubt Feviously taken a survey of their turnip fields , which can bear no comparison to that of the correspond ing per; , d of last season. Others seemed resolved to hold out for some time, in hopes of a reaction tr.king place. Some of the more superior animals brought fron 16/ to 19/ tTONEHAVEN GRAIN MARKET, JAN. 25.—Oats, 401 b, I4s to 14s 6d; barley and beer, 531 b, 223 to 24se per bushel. A 1 MONTROSE, JAN. 26.—Our market had an ur"' tendency to-day for barley and beans. Wheat, 62,b, 445; barley. 531 b, 235; oats, 401 b, 163 to 17s ; beans Bud peas. 621 b, 23s per quarter, INVERNESS. JAN. 23.—Prices are falling, and as the d.tty on fore•gn corn ceases next month, there is lit; l6 probability tit any rise in the southern markets for some tune, unless the wi.ither should prove exeeeding l i stormy, and destrusive to the young brairds. Tningi were dull in our market to day, a nd w h ea t, w hi c h "bad been quoted higher in our market than in others, came down very considerately. 45s was the highest price n't 621 b going, and offers were current as low as 40s. Pf °- bably none were accepted, however, at this low figur e ' as the timers will hold till the spring; but the bakers seemed determined to offsi very little more. Oats ere stationary. First flour is down 3s per sack oa the toP; s•.cond is down 6s. Oatmeal is Is per boll lower. ID the tetaii insrket there has also been a r-duction. Wheat, per qr of 621 b per bush,l 01 to 454 01 Best ley, do 54' b do ... 26s 04 to 0 , 0 ` O,ts, do do do 18s otl to 195 ° 3 INVERNESS MEAL AND PROVISION MARKET, JAN. —0 Jaws!, 16 , in ; sitso s•cood, lss 0,1; e st l e y, al, 1 , 1 , 1 8,1; peasemeal. 145 to 15s per imp boil; bran, 5.1 5" °„ per stone; Ist flour, 40s to 425; 21 ditt o , 30, t o 32i p" 280 It; oatmeal, to s , , 1- 81; ditto, s,cond, 1i 6d; ba r : leynit..l, Is 24; p, al. 1 , 61; Ist. flour, 2s 9d ca sh ' 3 credit; 2 1 ditto, 2 , 3d cash, 2s 61 c redit p s r st",.l of 141 b imperial. Potato- s, 3d to 4d per stone; beet. to 8J; veal. 4 i t 6d; mutton, 41 to 7'; pork, 4,1 to 7 per lb; lowts, 12d to 15d; chickens, 12 t to 164 per psi,; eggs, 7tl to 81 per d. zsn; butter, fresh. 9 I; ditto, si:, t c i lid to 13; croudie (curl ), per lb; 41b loaf, cast) , ° to 74; ditto, credit, 61c1 to 7id; coals, 9d per cwt; 10 )' 6d p r some. BELFAST, JAN. 25.—Whether it is from the severity of the weather, or tr ;in our farm rs joining in the ger' e : sal feeling that we are, after the Ist, t o h ave an a dvanc e in prices, and, speculating accordiegly, are withhtildir* the usual suppli,s, but so it is, that we have had Yeri bare supplies of grain since Friday, yet d,a!ers were o ', disposed to buy beyond their immediate wants, prices, I I ; undernoted, are generally on the decline. Whe t 1 1 0 declined 3d on the best qua,lities, and fully 6d on I ' o other sums on the w, 61; and tile sales of pereels or s very limited at a similar &cline. Flour—All W ile ' sell ai they can, and it is difficult to get at the anu.va selling prices. Our quota'ions are, in some instances . " 7 , lower this week. Barrel flour a pretty tree sale, at 0 to 28s per barrel. Barley is difficult o f s a le at 101 . 0 prices. Oats are 3,1 to 4d lower, but sell readily at th f decline. Oatmeal has again declined 3d, and is dull:, sale. Indian corn is in small beunds, and in few han d and sells pretty freely at 71 7 s 6d to 7/10s ter w hite, all 71 103 to 71 153 for yellow. s 6d; CORK, JAN. 27.—Flour—Firsts, I4s 6,1 to les extra, 16s 6d; seconds, 13a 6d to 14, 6d; housell°' lls to 13s; thirds, 8s to lOs per cwt. M,al-oattro°oll 11s Od to 11s 6,1; Indian meal, 8s Od; wheat meal, 11° 5/ per cwt. Indian corn, 71 to 71 lOs per ton. Bran , per ton. Hay—Farmers', 25s 01 to 45s Od; eve rBg i c i : 38s ; dealers, 42s to 48s per ton; average, 46s per te i, Straw—Farmers', IBs 0,1 to 31s Od; average, 245; d ea f era, 30s Od to 34a 0,1 per tsn. Breed—Wheaten 7d to lid; household loaf, 6d to 6id per 41b. Coels b Newport, 17s; Lydney, 18,1 Landore, 17s; best Ne h a t v. calm, 16s per ton. Tallow, 48s 6,1 per cwt. Wh i , i) ",„q, 25 over - proof, 6a Od per imperial gallon. Meat- - 4d4)ed to 7d; Etymon, 5d to 6irl; veal, s}d to 7d; pSrk , to sitl; bacon, 74 to 8d; sausages, 6d per lb. 1 . 1° P;: 6/ lOs per cwt. Bangor slates, 3/2s 6d to 315 s pet t° l ,, Bark—Barbary, 61 to 71; Volonia, 111 to 13/; Fra nc 61; English, 6/ per ton Fl ece wool, 10.3 t o 125 r s , er stone. Hemp, 351 per ton. Fish—Scotch herring s, to 00s; red ditto, 25s to 27s per Uri; Newfoundland, old to 121 10, .per ton. Timber—New Hemel, 4/ 105; searee red pine. 3/ 15s; yellow tine, 31 per ton; 6rsr quality, 201; second quality, 171 per 120. Hrdeg Marsecs 1 ls to 16s; salted, I Is to 16s per cwt; calf s hl- ti , 2id to 2V; market, 21(1 to 21d per lb. Guano- - r er ocl es vian. 101 10s; leha+m, 9/ per ton. Potatoes, white , , to 124; dinion 18d. lar—Arehangel, 18s per bri• De" DDTCII SIIEEP.—On the loth ins:., an ewe e j loo; Ong to Mr. J ams Leith Walk. droPP. o . twin iambi, one o f is black and the other O i o and both are doi ng w Ptl. It i 3 somewhat singul ir Rte I the same ewe dropped a lamb in January last, w was sold at a high price in Mareit, and a. luster la was then pb-ced to the ewe, which .:he also brough t , m r.- .. 1 , 0:• f ,, rlV:l , • .; ewi. was forted from it, nuiumn 1647.—Edinburg h ,\DvEaTtsEmENT.J—THE E&HL OF ik1.1)0 0RE'll i:0# AND Ilott.owaT's :'ILLS.--An astounding cure by this miraciyo; medicine; atter every other means had tailed. See extract tro t= ' 8 0 Lotdship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21 ' Professor &noway -- Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills ,“fipoiL fected a cure co a disorder in my liver and stomach width al , to', v ot eminent of the facility, at home and all over the continent, tia"gs , been able to effect; nay, not ever the waters of CI rtstvad yr 0 11 rienhad. (Signed) " ALDBoitouoil." These wonderful PO /0 cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also d011 °" 10 Ointin.nt) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, straw. ,,, ts- medicine venaors throughout the civillsed world. n !! mis . . E• On the 14th lost., at Glasgow, the kely of Cap!ain Ittine9, 92d Highlande• 8, of a dxighter. 0,1 the 20th in. t., the wife of W. Bosworth, E“1" , . . Charley-hall, Leicestershire, of a daughter. g nth' On the 23d inst., Mrs. Humpitrys, of Bursledon, — 0 amp At A tun, ut a ion. sn t" • mpthill-square, Hampstead-road, on the 21th ' the wife of T. J. Barker, El., of a daughter. . r ., ~, of On the 25 h inst,. the wife of F. 6 W,liiams, 1' ,3 ` 1 " Lincoln Inn, of a son. , o f On th 's e • - .sth in , at nett. nshire-place, the ladyuy " in Kenneth' Eq, or a . alu:hter. ~r r or On the:26th inst., th e w if e u t H. Whit e , E sq ., `-'" wharf, On the son ondon, of a . 26th inst., at Gibson-scuare. the wife of the eV'. Charles F. Vardy. A.M., of a daughter. ___-- MA OW° RIZIED On the 23d in=t., at KO k Alalow, Isle of Man , L „ D ert Wigram. of Lincoln's I nn . son o f t h e l a t e Sir 1 ; 4 0 6 Wigrarn, part., to Lady CaTterine J. Douglas, 7 0 daughter of the late Eat of :!;elliitk. t V. On the 24 . h ii.st.. at W e lli gt on , Sh ro p s hi r e, 11 °` 1 , e r re l ' Jones, E P q., third son of racy Jones, E q., of Cyff•Tata , 111.ntgoniervshire, to Jane. thi r ! d aug h ter o f Cha non, Esq' , of Apley Castle, in the termer On the • 9th of Septembe l) r i l b as il t . , at Wellington, re lams, Colorei William Wakeli Id. . Le ot• On he I.,:th inst., at the Rectory, CheLfield, All he Rev. J. E. T ar l eton, D . C . L , formerly Fellow 0 Souls College. Oxford. the On the 17th i ns t . . a t Ri c k mansA or th , Hots, 11131. "' ek.ife of Major Wiliam &one, of hat place. On the 2.-td inst ,at Hawing% aged 46, 11. Co leDG- E-q . M.D., of Stockweil-villas, Clapham. On the 24th lust., at St. Leonard's-on-Sea, Gorg 3 Esq.. aged 46. On the 25th inst., at Queen-street, Cheap Ade, 11% Lon Esq., aged 8 l. rd e 4 °I On the 25th inst., James L Jeffree, Esq., church wa St. Luke's, Chelsea, aged I. D 2/. % On th - ,6th Jan Webster, eldest son t'l <;f Laurie te-race, fl'. George' s -r o ad. Southwaik• ag e On the 260 inst , Duoley, of Connaught-terrace Oa the 2'th inst., at Garrick's-villa, tlampt Louise, the el let daughter of S. Phillips, Esq. b.roa°' On the 22t1 inst., at Belgrave cottage. andswor Vauxb,:li, Sophia Elderton, formerly of Clapbarn-ri u,,N"r,, i'e.,,---- o f London Printed and Published by MURDO YO,„ . IP; No. 1 i 2, Strand, Printer, at The Sun (ace, 1 -7 it y vi Strand, in the Precinct o f the S a voy, in the co" Middlesex, Monday, January 29, 1849. 1 0 -- 4 'net tr ' t atter tem Nvith w t er ceiv 11 4 ° b( t hn e be /1 11 a 4ieie l e