The Sun. — London, England, 1849-04-17 00:00:00

i of agreeing with the Honourable Gentlemen regarti mg the charge made against the Co'.Colo: l , most of the obloquy that fell on it was b,?:;,,use it wit: the, organ of Parliament and of the country. The abo lition of the slave trade, the question of waste lands. and other matters, were instances of that. He could not, however agree with him that British colonial p o , hey, as now carried on, was the most successfu l an d the most beneficial policy which the world ever sa w. No doubt that was quite true, when compared with other countries of Europe as regarded their colonies; but What he should contend for was, that the pre sent police of England was far different from the ancient policy Pursued, for example, towards the United States before the sep ara ti on , an d that that carried out within the last sixty or seventy years differed widely from the system adopted towards the early settlers of America. -(Hear, hear.) Great sums of money were now ex pended, in many instances unnecessarily and uselessly, and for his own part he thought that in planting colo nies they ought alw ays to bear in mi n d th e y were laying the foundation of future states in different parts of the globe, the connexion with which he should hope to see exist as long as mutual good was afforded, and when it ceased, that it should not be like the sever ance of America, but on mutual p r i nc ipl es o f esteem an d affection, which were infinitely more valuable than a mere political connexion. He (Mr. Gladstone) regretted that the Hon. Member the Under-Secretary for the Co lonies made any reference whatever to the present state of affairs in Canada, because, although ho had asked the lion. Gentleman some questions on the sub jrt, it was more for information than to raise a discus sion, or to prejudge a question not yet decided. He should, however, protest against the doctrine laid down by the Honourable Gentleman, when he said that the Members of that House bad no right to discuss any question touching the affairs of their tree colonies, until the subject-matter had taken the form of law, and re ceived the assent of the Crown. He (Mr. Gladstone) should claim for himself; and for the Members of that House, the right to express their opinions, or to raise a discussion, if necessary, at any time, regarding colonial proceedings, when the interests of the empire or honour of the Crown were involved.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member (Mr. Hawes) had referred to the ease of Guiana and of Jamaica. He (Mr. Gladstone) would not speak of Jamaica at present, but he would ob serve, that he thought the reference to Guiana was un fortunate, as the subject was under consideration else where. The Hon. Member had argued, that the Colo nial-office was not responsible for the operation of free trade principles upon the colonies, but that the House was. It was no wonder, however, that when the princi ples of free trade had been applied to the colonies, they should be calling out for economy, and were they to be deprecated for doing so?—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HAWES said he did not say a word about it. Mr. GLADSTONE thought that the colonies, in such case, had a right to expect not negative assistance merely from the Colonial-office, but that every possible assistance should be given for the carrying out of eco nomy in British Guiana.—(Bear.) Mr. HAWES observed, that he could point out an in stance in which it had been done. Mr. GLADSTONE said the Honourable Gentleman had stated that Earl Grey would consent to any reduc tion when vacancies occurred in the civil list; but he (Mr. Glandstone) would most emphatically deny that the Noble Lord acted on that principle. This country Possessed 43 colonies, and as regarded their govern ment, it appeared that 19 o f th em h a d re p resen t a ti ve institutions, and there were 16 in which representa tive institutions were not adapted to their peculiar condition. The Honourable Member had shown that there were many cases which would make it impro •Per., to attempt the application of representative insti /Anions. He - Staid, very fairly, that if a dominant race formed the minority, it was impossible in such case that they could have the working of a representative govern. ment, and it was, therefore, necessary that the Colonial office should step in to supply the want. After alluding to the military colonies, which did not support them selves, he said he agreed that when a colony like Aus tralia did not support itself, it would be wrong to let it be free of Imperial control, but when they came to the last colonies of which the Hon. Gentleman had spoken— not military posts—not colonies unable to support them selves —he did not understand why they should not have free institutions.—(Hear.) He would rifer, for instance, to Newfoundland and Prince Edward's Island, end he did not see why a certain amount of population was ne cessary to the enjoyment of free institutions. Of the 43 colonies only three had responsible Governments, and the remaining 40 were without that advantage. The question was, Whether it was necessary that the colonies should have a certain amount of population before they had responsible governments. The Hon. Gentleman bad said he would give free institutions to a colony as soon as the people were fit for it. But he (Mr. Gladstone) did not understand why any colony of Anglo-Saxon race, able to pay its way, should not have free institutions, whatever might be the amount of its population.— (Hear.) He thought if they had acted on that principle long ago, they would not now have to contend with many of the difficulties with which they were beset. The Hon. Member then referred to Vancouver's Island, and was of opinion that the conduct of Lord Grey, re specting that colony, was deserving of censure, and he hoped that some Honourable Member would inquire about it. An opportunity had in th a t case p resente d itself of founding a free colony, and of making an experiment, which had been miserably neglected.— (Hear, hear.) He thought that after what had occurred last year, such a subject could not fail to attract the attention of Parliament and the country. He hoped they would get rid of the dangerous fallacy that a colony should have a certain amount of population before it was entitled to have free institutions. On that point Le thought that the old colonial policy was better than the new. He might refer, as a proof of that, to the New Eueland States, as these colonies were in posses sion of self-government before the population numbered a great many thousands. Mr. HAWES had doubts about that. Mr. GL A DSTONE was confident that in one at least of the new States the Governor, among other function aries was elected by the colonists. What ho would maintain was this, that the New England Colonies were founded by the home Government, and that, nevertheless, before one generation had passed away the Government of the colonies was in America. He attached little value to abstract resolutions about colonial government, because there were so many pecu liar circumstances which had to be taken into conside ration. But this he would say, that when cases of par ticular colonies came before them, let them decide re garding them upon right and proper principles, and by so doing they would best contribute to their prosperity, and would place them in a position worthy of the cha racter of this great empire. —(Hear, hear.) Mr. MANGLES said he doubted whether the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hawes) had acted wisely on a former occasion in taking up the cudgels and defending the colonial policy of this country gene rally. He (Mr. Mangles), in speaking of the Colo nial-office, ,did not wish to be understood as making any personal reference to any of the distin guished men who had presided over its affairs. He thought the fault was to be found in the system itself, when men of such varied ability had failed in adminis• tering its affairs with satisfaction. He thought it was impossible that any man could be adequate to the dis charge of the varied and important duties which were required at the Colonial-office, even if he possessed the accomplishments of the " admirable Crichton" himself. British India was governed very differently from the colonies; the former was governed by a separate board, While India was governed by a fixed body, he saw no reason why they might not have a permanent board, composed of retired Governors to assist the Secretary of the Coloaies with their judgment and advice. He con curred. entirely in the opinion, that the colonies should .ti..tse every possible advantage of free Government. The Lion. Member referred to the colony of New Zealand, of Sir George Grey was Governor, and said, that in t_heaTcholony, Mr. Fox had resigned the ffice of Attorney neral because the Governor would not give a pledge of his determination to carry out the principle of free in atitutions. , Mr. HUME said the question brought under consi deration was ono of the greatest importance. It was rather singular to be told that the inquiry demanded could be p ro d uctive of no good. He regretted that the debate had not turned on what might fairly be presumed as the tenour of the motion; namely, the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the political and financial relations between Great Britain and her dependencies, With a view to reduce the charges on the British Trea sury, and to enlarge the functions of the colonial le4isla tune. One word had not been said with reference to the expenditure of the country, or the means suggested to reduce the drag on the British Treasury. The Un der Secretary for the Colonies gave it as his opinion that their colonial system was an honour to England. Well, if it were so, he (Mr. Hume) knew nothing that was a disgrace, for nothing could be more fraught with com- Plaint, or attended with more disgrace. He hoped that the se nse o f t h e H o use would be taken on the subject, and that inquiry should take place. Four years ago t hey were promised that free institutions would be in troduced into th e i r colonial possessions, but they had nothing sa ve prom i ses , an d so they would go on to the end of t en y ears, un l ess some d ec i s i ve s t e ps were taken. If the system were properly laid down on which the colo nies Should be conducted, that inexplicability which the lion. Gentleman the Under-Secretary for the Colonies could not fath)m, would no longer exist. He feared it was too much the practice of the Governors of the colo nies to obey the mandates of the Colonial-office, confident that so long as he did so there was no grounds of fear for him- At present two-thirds of their military establish ment were required for the colonies; but if the system of self-government were adopted there would be no such necessity. In times of peace what did th e y require with u t r tt e o e p o s t. to in the co l on i es at all? The coloni es were n ot made that extent th ey ought to be for taking off the aurplus Papu w la e t e io n of th e mot h er country ; the disputes going on between thousands 0;1 them an d t h e C olonial-office prevent- He hop e d that persons from finding their way thither. Lion of a board in Enenition would be paid to the sugges gaveritiaend for the management of the colonies. Self. ought to be carried out in every nation that Was practicable. nothicable. In conclusion he ex pressed a hope that the pres.slember who brought for to. a division. ward the motion would Mr. ANSTEY deprecated the idea that the colonies should not be regard e d as an portion of the em pi u re, and rep u di a t e d w i t h energy lion- Member f or M ontrose would assistance as th e reaglurelite nuisance, g so garded th e C o l o nial-office as a v He re abominable that it admitted of no re pbm fo ions and contended that it was im * bl except ab°li. olonies could be pessl e forty-three properly attended Secretar to by one Colonial for lear, hear.) He did not blame Lord G y havinge originated that system, but he blamed him f o r not ti l iouncing it, and having the evils practised or under ° aw ay with. Uner the present system bu could be So improvement , and no cur e Ait the alteration of the Colonial -office. H embers talked onourab bet let them about the reduction of expen di ture grant this Committee, and do away with THE SUN, 0!e misrule which at present existed, and they v,Toild g re!,,t t Trade, winch regulated the commercial affairs of hits country, regulated also those of the colonies, and that he would leave it as it stood, as well as the protective power which Parliament was sometimes called upon to exercise towards the colonists. For although it might be slid that the Colonial-office could he informed of hese through the Governors of their respective colonies, y,4 where Governors were not appointed by the colo- I iists, and it was only at times that such comp!aints were listened to; and even when they were, they were put in the hands of the favourite clerk in the Colonial-office, to brush up in the garb which most favoured the opi nions of the Coknial-office respecting them. It was not always that their colonies wore so neglected, and it was to take the management of the inquiry into these evils they complained of out of the hands of in terested parties, that he would support the motion be fore the House. Sir WM. MOLESWORTH said he would not long detain the House. The question before the House di vided itself into two parts—namely, whether an inquiry into their colonial policy was necessary? and if so, by whom ought that inquiry to be made, so as to derive the most important benefits from it? The Hon. Gen &man, the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, said that there was no case for inquiry, that the colonial policy of this country was perfect, and that nothing could be better than the conduct of the colonial government. It was, however, strange that none of those who bad ful -1 lowed him in the debate had gone so far in that respect as had the Hon. Gentleman; for all those who had spoken had admitted that there were evils connected with their colonial policy. There was, besides, a growing convic tion throughout the country that there were great errors in their colonial policy, and that great reliance was not to be placed in the Colonial-office for the remedy ing of them. To show that there were good grounds for the latter opinion, it was only necessary to refer to the most prominent and important events which had taken place in the colonies within the last ten or fifteen years. —(Hear.) In the first place take North America. In the course of that time there had been there a bitter war of races, two rebellious suppressed at an immense cost, and now there was a repetition of that war of races, for merly so disastrons to the colony. In the West Indies various disasters had taken place, and in Jamaica and British Guiana the supplies were stopped, and all go vernment was in abeyance. In St. Lucia there had been insurrection, and throughout the whole sugar colonies a state of things the most unprosperous had prevailed. In South Africa matters were in no better state. There had been perpetual feuds amongst the native chiefs—two wars had taken place, suppressed with lavish expenditure—three insurrections of the Boers, while a vast empire had been added to (heir possessions there, inhabited by wild beasts and wilder savages. In Ceylon disturbances of a serious nature had taken place. The finances of the colony were in disorder, taxes of a grievous and vexatious na ture had been imposed, and military executions of the most barbarous kind had taken place—(Hear, hear) — while, in Australasia and New Zealand discontents to a great extent had prevailed. Some of these events had taken place during last year, such as the war of races in Canada, the stoppages of the supplies in Jamaica and British Guiana, the war at the Cape of Good Hope, and the insurrection at Ceylon. All the others had taken place within the last fourteen or fifteen years; and in the course of that time there had been expended on those colonies sixty millions sterling, while for that sum they might have conveyed three millions of emigrants to Australia, and twice that number to America, and by that means rendered those colonies be neficial to this country. As it was, they were in the worst possible condition, for the whole of the exports prom this country to the colonies did not much exceed that to the United States of America. Their colonial policy had, therefore, been unsatisfactory, and conducted with a lavish expenditure; and he contended that all the errors which existed in that policy arose, not in conse quence of the of the colonists to this country, but from a want of knowledge of the principles on which co onial government ought to be carried on. So far, then, he considered inquiry most necessary. He thought, qowever, that such would be best instituted by a Com mission appointed for the purpose, but, as he believed that the Committee moved for would see the necessity of such Commission, and call upon the house to appoint it, he would support the motion of the Hon. Member for Berwicksh ire. 11,jor BLACKALL could not help thinking that. however much the colonies might be said to suffer from the Colonial-office, they would suffer much more were they entirely under the management of that House, were he to judge from the opinions he had heard ex pressed by those who had spoken on the subject. He had always thought that the great argument of the Hon. Baronet was to give the colonies a government of their own ; but in Canada, where such was done, the Hon. Baronet had admitted that the war of races had again commenced. He considered that if they wished to attach their colonies to this country they must do so either by fears or by interest.(Hear, hear.) Were they doing so by interest just now ? It was said that just now the colonists were dissatified with the tree-trade measure of this country, but if there was 4 complaint on that head, it was that their colonists were not allowed to act on the principle of free trade, for while the colonists were not allowed to employ free labour themselves, they were put in competition with those who did so, and therefore were placed in an unfair position. The Hon. Baronet had referred to the dis turbances which had taken place at Ceylon; but these were not caused by any act of the Colonial-office ; and as to the expense of the colonies, in the col on y o f Cey lon, the one referred to, which was as large as Ireland, there was only two regiments, and that surely was not too large a military establishment for such a colony. If there had not been such there what would have been the case during the late disturbances?—(Hear, hear.) Fault was found with Lord Torrington for the manner in which he acted there ; but he could state that the number of taxes reduced or repealed on useful articles of consumption by that Noble Lord had been of the greatest benefits to the colony, and he gave him also great credit for the manner in which he quelled the late rebellion, which had it been allowed to proceed, would have ruined every interest in the colony. One observation that fell from the Honourable Gentle man the Secretary for the Colonies was especially de serving of attention. The Honourable Gentleman said that colonies which had representative assemblies had likewise the entire control over their funds. Now that was so far from being true, that that very matter was precisely the greatest matter of complaint that came home to them not only from the West Indies, but from Australia. After considering the answer of the Hon. Gentleman on the other topics to which he had adverted, he was still of opinion that this Committee of Inquiry should be appointed_ _ _ The Hou . sO then divided, when there appeared— For the motion Against it Majority against —47 REMOVAL OF SMITHFIELD -MARKET. Mr. MACKINNON moved that the following Hon. Members be appointed to serve on the Select Commit: ee to inquire as to the necessity of the removal of Smith field-market to some more convenient site, containing not less than twelve acres:—Lord Robert Grosvenor, Viscount Mahon, Mr. Bramston, Mr. Alderman Cope land, Mr. Masterman, Mr. William Miles, Mr. Yorke, Mr. Stafford, Mr. Pugh, Mr. Mackinnon, Sir Edmund Filmer, Mr. Cornewall Lewis, Sir Charles Douglas, Mr. Childers, and Mr. Christopher. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that as the terms of this motion assumed that the House had voted the re moval of the market, he should recommend the Hon. Member to postpone it for another night, when they would have an opportunity of discussing the merits of the question, and of considering the way in which the different interests connected with it might be affected. Moreover, as the Government had given up the night to the discussion of the motion on the colonies, he hoped the Hon. Member opposite would not allow his motion to stand in the way of their going into Supply. Mr. MACKINNON explained that he had originally drawn up the motion in terms which would answer the intention of the Noble Lord, but that on the suggestion of the Hon. Member behind him, the Member for Lon don. he had altered it to the form in which it now stood. Mr. MASTERMAN said, that as the Hon. Member near him had alluded to his name, he would state that his constituents were not desirous of shrinking !rum an in quiry, but did not wish to have the question prejudged. Mr. Alderman SIDNEY said that if it were a com plaint that Smithfield was a nuisance, it should be re membered that it had only become so in the course of time. The citizens of London said, that if it was the pleasure of the Legislature to pass an Act of Parliament compulsory upon them to close the market, then it was well that the [louse should know that they would have a considerable sum of money to redeem, for the destruc tion of the various interests connected with the locality. The citizens, however, did not object to an inquiry, but the inquiry should not be taken as settled. The galleries were then cleared for a division, but the motion was agreed to without a division. TAXATION IN VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. Mr. ANSTEY moved for a humble addre:;s to her Majesty, on the subject of certiin illegal ordinances or acts of Council for the taxation of the people of Van Diemen's Land, the attempts of Lieutenant Governor Sir William Denison to intimidate the Judges of the Supreme Court of that island into declaring such ordi nances or acts to be legal, and the grievances com plained of by the colonists of that island in their petition presented last year to her Majesty, and printed by order of this House ; and that her Majesty may be pleased to direct the local authorities in future to respect the inde pendence of the judicial functions )n(ctfioannsyoofrtdhiantaencoeurotr, actand also O to signify her disallowance sub sequently passed by thesiallega said Lieutenant ee ieourtdeinoaanotGs or acts Governor in Council, for giving to such the Member e mber rose to second division.aconolud concluded by stating t fo h r a c t e h o e f should law Tprheesshis [lon. motion to ensued, but no Hon. i the A na pu o a tio s n e . j A ou n r H ll. oN. MEMBER then moved that the House do now ad Mr. HAWES said that he wish ed a to make some e nation which he believed would b e satisfactory, would be ngainst the rules of the H ouse, xpl but it Mr. DUNCAN said if the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. ii ,io a ,t we n. s) wished to reply he should have seconded the m The House then adjourned at Twelve o'clock. FOREIGN HORSES.—lmportations of horses are at present taking place, not ordy from Holland and Bel 2-ium, but also from France and the Hanseatic States. The vessel Venezuela, just arrived from Havre, has brought twelve horses, individually addressed, of French production; the Princess Victoria, from Antwerp, has brought fifteen horses of Belgian growth, consigned to order, besides the large number of sixty-tour calves ; and an arrival of horses has also just taken place by a steamer from Hamburgh, consigned to a dealer in the metropolis. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 17, 1849. PARLIAMENTARY _DIVISIONS (14'roin Glib k ores and Proceedings of the iiogise MONDAY, APRIL 16. COLONIES. Motion made, and Question put, " That a Select Com mittee be appointed to inquire into the political and financial relations between Great Britain and her Dependencies, with a view to reduce the charges on the British Treasury, and to enlarge the functions of the Colonial Legislatures." The House divided : MINORITY-AYES, 34. Adderley, C. B, Duncan, George O'Flaherty, Anthony Anstey, T. C. Dunne, F. i'. Pearson, Charles Baillie, 11. J. Fellowes, E. Salwey, Colonel Bald ock, E. 11. Greene, John Sidney, Alderman Bateson, Thomas Harris, Richard Spooner, Richard Blewitt, R. J. Hood, Sir A. Stuart, Lord D. Broadwood, H. Kershaw, James 1 hicknesse, It. A. Chichester, Lord J. King, P. J. Thompson, Colonel Christy, Samuel Masterman, John Clillord, IL M. Molesworth,:Sir W. TELLERS. Cubitt, William Muntz, G. F. Scott, F. Currie, 11. O'Brien Sir Lucius Hume, Joseph Devereux, John T. O'Connell, J. MAJORITY-NOES, 81. Abdy, Thomas N. Ellice, Edward Mamie, Fox Anson, Colonel Ellice, E., jun. Mitchell, T. A. Armstrong, Sir A. Elliot, John Morris, David Arundel, Earl of Evans, John Norreys, Lord liagsha a , John Evans, William Paget, Lord A. twines, M. T. Ferguson, Colonel Paget, Lord Clarence Baring, Sir F. T. Fordyce, A. D. Palmerston, Vis. Bellew, R. M. Fortescue, J. W. Rich, Henry Berkeley, Captain Fox, W. J. Romilly, Sir John Berkeley, H. F. Glyn, George Carr Russell, Lord J. Berkeley, C. L. Grey, Sir G. Russell, F. C. Bernal, Ralph Grey, R. W. Sheil, R. L. Blackall, S. W. Hastie, Archibald Shelburne, Earl of Bunbury, E. H. Hawes, Benjamin Somerville, Sir W. Brotherton, J. Hay, Lord J. Talbot, J. H. Chaplin, W. J. Hayter, W. G. Talfourd, Sergeant Childers, J. W. Hobhouse, Sir J. Tancred, H. W. Clay, James Howard, Lord E. Thornely, T. Cocks, T. S. Howard, Sir R. Ward, H. G. Colebrook., Sir T. Jervis, Sir John Wellesley, Lord C, Compton, H. C. Johnstone, Sir:J. Westhead, J. P. Cowper, W. F. Keppel, George T. Williams, John Craig, W. G. Labouchere, Henry Williamson, Sir IL Crowder, R. B. Lascelles, W. S. Wood, Sir Charles Currie, Raikes Lewis, GeorgelC. Wood, W. P. Dawson, T. V. Mackinnon, W. TELLEAS. Dandas, Admiral Mangles, R. D. Tuihell, H. Ebrington, Viscount Matheson, A. Hill, Lord M. [ADVERTISEMENT.] "GEORGE CATLIN, ESQ. " 6, Waterloo-place. `;Sir,—Having experienced much amusement upon our visit to the picture of the Missouri River, exhibited by Mr. Banvard at the Egyptian Hall, w e felt considerable surprise upon reading a letter which appeared in the Times of this day, from a Mr. Smith, disputing the au thenticity and fidelity of the portraiture of the scenery and objects therein represented. " We believe that the umpire who can best bear testi mony to its truthfulness, or otherwise, is yourself, to whom that country we know to ho especially familar. We feel that you are the person to put the question at rest, and thus to do justice to the rival artists, and to the many admirers of the magnificence of American scenery. I❑ this belief, and with the fullest confidence in your in dependent and unbiassed opinion, we respectfully solicit your reply. _ _ "Your obedient servants, " Capt. CHAS. CALL OHAN , N ew York (Queen's Hotel). " Col. P. RYAN, Illinois, America. " COl. JAMES REILY, 66, Regent-street. "RICHARD MAJOR, 21, Arundel-street. " JoHN HOOPER, King's-cross. "London, April 11, 1849." " Gentlemen,—l, am in receipt of your letter of the 11th inst., and beg to state that though there are several persons now in London besides myself who are familiar with the scenery of the Missouri, and though I am unwilling to give an opinion of the comparative merits of works of art, I still feel boiled, for the character of my country and its noble scenery, as well as from a sense of duty I owe to the people of this country and to myself, to state to you the following objections to that part of the Panorama you speak of, now exhibit iog at the Egyptian Hall, relating to the 2,000 miles of scenery on the ILissouri River, which I do with great reluctance, and all of which objections I have repeatedly named to the artist of that picture, in personal and friendly interviews:— " Within the 2,000 miles of scenery which he pro fesses to show on that river, from the mouth of the Yellow Stone to Saint Louis, I regret to observe that he gives no view of The Mouth of the Yellow Stone The Omaha Village The American Fur Co.'s Fac- The Mouth of Platte tory The Puncah Village The Minitanee Village Council Bluff's The Riccaree Village Roubadon's Trading House Fort Mandan The Black Snake Hills Fort Clark The loway Village Major Bean's Indian Agency The Sac Village The Big Sioux Village Cantonment Leavenworth The Set an Village The Town of Liberty Cabane's Trading House Franklin Major Dogherty's Indian Independence Agency Boonville The Bijou Hills Jefferson City Floyd's Grave Saint Charles which constitute the leading and conspicuous objects of interest and permanency on the banks of that river. " There must be something wrong about: his Mandan Village, which he represents and explains as in ' ruins,' which is known not to be the case, as a part of the Riccaree Tribe have fully occupied it sinco the destruction of the Mandans to the present day, and he has been exceedingly unlucky in placing it opposite to Fort Pierre, 900 miles below its real site, and on the wrong side of the River! "In his representation of the river bluffs he has made the strata, of red, and blue, and yellow clay, vertical in stead of horizontal, and he opens the picturesque clay bluffs in the `Grand Detour,' without showing the streaks of coal and gypsum appearing in their sides. " The Square Bills he makes to extend several miles, and rising out of the water, and their sides white (as of white clay) to their tops; when, in fact, this most extraordinary group consists of four blocks only, making leas than a quarter of a mile, if united all together. They are half a mile distant from the river shore, and their colour a reddish brown, being composed of gravelly deposit and sand, deeply coloured by the oxide of iron. "Fort Pierre, one of the Fur Company's Factories, he represents as a Stone Fort, with inclined Bastions, which, like the other Factories on that River, is a Stock ade, built of Picquets. His representation of the Brick-kilns,' a volcanic remain, and the most remark able and interesting feature 4)n the River, like the Square Hills,' furnishes not ene- line or character like the original ; and whilst he quotes ray published account of it as authority, he has had the carelessness to place it in his connected scenery, in sight of the Mouth of the Missouri, 1,880 miles below its real position, which I have described, and also on the wrong side of the f? fiver. " These, and others, as glaring omissions and incon• gruities, and which need not now be named, together with a total want of resemblance to those scenes in nature, I deeply regret to say, compel me to believe that that part of his Panorama relating to the Missouri (and to which none of his American apprebalions and certificates seem to apply) has been the work of some one's imagination, and therefore does no justice to the truly magnificent and unique' scenery of that noble river, as it has been em phatically and uniformly styled by my former distin guished travelling companions, the Hon. C. A. Murray, the Prince Paul of Wirtomburg, fir William Drummond Stewart, and others. " I have the honour to be, gentlemen, " Your obedient servant, " 6, 'Waterloo-place, London. " GEO. C&TLIN." STRAND THEATRE. The appearance of Mr. W. Farren last night raises this once popular little theatre t.D some degree of impor tance. The pieces in which the eminent comedian acted were Secret Service and Petticoat Government. The first of these is Mr. Planche's excellent adaptation of Michel Perrin, and Mr. Farren's perso nation of the simple and honourable old cure, originally played by M. Bouffe, is well known as one of the most fi.nished and pathetic per formances on the modern stage. The other piece is less generally celebrated; but the ammeter of the old hypo chondriac under the dominion .3f a tyrannical house keeper was well known in the pi Jmy days.of the Olympic Theatre. Mr. Bernard's drama of the Farmer's Story, in which the principal parts were played by Mr. Leigh Murray and Mr. and Mrs. Compton, ttancluded the evening's entertainment. On the whole there is a very good working company for farce and domestic drama at the New Strand Theatre, and, acc( Irding to the announce ments, it will shortly be strengthened by the accession of Mrs. Stirling. The opening of the Olympic by Mr. Henry Farren was prevented by the recent conflagration, and ho has taken his company to this smaller, but better situated, house The reception of Mr. W. Farren, who had not ap peared at a minor theatre since the management of the Olympic by Madame Vestris,. was hearty and en thu3iastic. LEAMINGTON SPA.—The conclusion of a most successful winter season, with itit uninterrupted balls, steeple-chasing and flat running, private fashionable entertainments, such ai fancy balls and tableaux, on a splendid scale, and stirring ex v ploits with the " Old Warwickshire," has been folios Fel by the welcome calm of the Lenten period, during which the pleasing remem brances of the past appear to Kaye stimulated our cate rers to unexampled exertions i n -reference to the forth coming summer and its festivities. The programme of these events includes a series of horticultural exhibi tions, the first of which is to to ke place during the pre sent month, being open to all ] Drtgland ; it will be pre ceded by an inauguration of tl le .statue, raised by sub scription, of Dr. Jephson, fro in the studio of Hollins— a public ceremonial which w ill attract distinguished visitors from all parts of the ki ogdom, in compliment to the wide -spread tame and benevolence of that celebrated townsman, whose former patie.trts still flock round him in his dignified retirement from p rofessional toil. Cricket matches will bring the best ph Byers of the day to the new, spacious, and complete gr ou nd opened here, with a view of giving a permanent encouragement to the healthful recreation, whilst a roun d of archeryfetes, mu sical attractions, &c. &c., will tius,tain the popularity of Leamington during the ensuing :season with becoming spirit, enterprise, and good to ate. The arrivals at the hotels and boarding-houses continue to include the names of some of the most arist .octratic families. THE DEPUTY CORONERSH IP FOR MIDDLESEX.— The office of Deputy Coroner i'or Middlesex has been temporarily resigned by Mr. G. J. Mills, in consequence o f his health requiring a few Imo nths"relaxation from his duties, whic h, owing to the con tinuance of the re cent in e d Mr. Wakley. have latterly been espe cially arduous. The duties of the o ffi ce will, probably, t the expiration of whi c h time it is hoped th at Mr. Mldls' health will be coin h undertaken of for t h tely reAored. Lord Shannon and s uite : arrived in London yes e next six: m oaths by Mr. H. M. Wakley, a son of the coroner , a ' terday morning by the General Steam Navigation Com. partys , team•ship Soho, fro ra A xitwerp. AN EX-TRADESMAN OF YORK, how i.uw, iww now? wilat ,Ay :he eitiv,ll , ?' Richard 111. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sia,—Long before ttie insatiable railway mania pos• sessed the greedy souls of men, and at a time when the worthy, yet unwontedly cautious, citizens of old Ebor preferred paying forfeit to accepting the honoured though somewhat costly post of chief magistrate to the ancient city, it was my good fortune to see one of our tradesmen princes step forward from behind his counter and—after fulfilling the duties of Lord Mayor in a stale well worthy the craft to which he belonged, on their de volving upon him in rotation—volunteer to repeat the onerous task of dispensing law and venison in the magni ficent old Mansion-house of York, The tradesman to whom I allude, and who so man fully refilled the magisterial chair from motives of pure liberality and good citizenship, at a time when the post seemed likely to go Legging, was Mr. George Hudson; and I venture to assert, that to no man was there ever accorded a more unanimous expression of approval and admiration at his uniform impartiality, courtesy, and kindliness, whether presiding on the bench, or at that board where hospitality reigned unbounded, than was justly bestowed upon his bluff and burly Lordship. To a mind and manner equally and eminently based upon common sense and good feeling Mr. Hudson, at the time I write of; was liberal, patriotic, and open-hearted in the extreme; and, though unflinchingly consistent in his political principles, to no public functionary could there possibly attach less imputation of party bias or undue exercise of influence at any of the severely contested elections in which he took part, than to the subject of our short memoir, or reminiscence. And when—in the variable hemisphere of L. S. D.— " The winter of our discontent was made Glorious summer by this son of York," as it was to thousands, solely by the power of his com prehensive views and u tt er contempt f or unworthy pecu niary consid erat i ons , when comingin juxta-position with vast undertaki ngs — aye ! to thousands upon thousands without any r e f erence to the speculat i ng fraternity— that locust herd of su ns hi ne w h o gave t h e i r flattery but not their friendship i n return for the b oun ty scattered through his genius —th en t h e plau di ts t h a t h a d erewhile resounded over the hospitable board of the Mansion house swelled into an anthem of Mammon• worship and hateful sycophancy, as nauseating to a manly mind as it has been proved fickle and worthless in the sequel. For, it is evidently to the sad fact, that— " All the clouds that lower'd upon our house * Have (not) been quite in the deep bosom of the ocean buried," and that " merry meetings," and joyous dividends on railway stock, are not quite so rife as of yore, that the main outcry against Mr. Hudson is to be attributed, rather than to any frivolous, yet reprehensible irregu larity in accounts, to be laid to the charge of his staff, but to which, in the multiplicity of engagements and in cessant dunning at brain the chief was necessarily sub jected to, I opine, even Joe Hume himself could have but afforded an occasional glance, but nothing like a daily and efficient scrutiny. With this I have little concern, and from the facts of the case as they appear on paper and in figures, imagine Mr. Hudson need have quite as little. But, in testifying to a long career of good fellow and citizenship, active benevolence, gratuitous service to many a friend in rail way matters, and the unaffected, manly traits of a suc cessful (ergo. vituperated!) British tradesman and loyal gentleman, I can only hope you will pardon the liberty I take in addressing you so familiarly, and believe me, Sir, your most obedient servant, SYLVAN US. Normandy, April 14, 1849. MR. HUDSON AND THE COM- MITTEE OF INVESTIGATION. — (From the Era.) In the extraordinary history of Mr. Hudson, whose name will always be associated with British enterprise, no event has excited public attention more than a charge which first appeared in the Times newspaper, and bas since undergone official investigation —a charge of having sold to the company of which he was the chairman his own shares at prices above the market quotations. The outcry against Mr. Hudson has been bit ter. very A loud, first rasntd, publicthe ecommentscondemnation n u a p t o i ennhis was o s n o duct ver stronglyy beixt lo u r etshsoerdi , ty,seemed to b that hisvery existence, w septwaasay, and the greatest his pr railway to condemnn defence, anyand tm a n character for honesty seemed threatened. But at that time is not Dl the r .l udso❑n custom i n this country r iny was not heard before he is tried. There are penalties attending all great successes, and c o his ow great is the envy which prosperity excites in those who have been less fortunate. It is not , therefore, to be won dered at that the first accusation against the honour and integrity of so influential an individual and so lucky a person as Mr. Hudson, should be readily taken up by the hworld," or "fortune," has dealt less favourably, and echoed by the million of petty " multitude, with whom the mortals who are at all times delighted at the downfal of Sir. Hudson's high position and wealthy state — the num greater, and, it may be, better people than themselves. ber of his shares, the number of his acres, his mansion at Albert-gate, his seat in Parliament, his chairs at Rail way Boards, his distinguished friends, and his political compeers—these were all calculated to make him liable to attacks from those who saw, or fancied they saw, a vulnerable spot in his character, and we wonder that he has not suffered,fromlthe slings and arrows of the multi tude before this. But George Hudson must be no com mon man to have gained his present strength, and it will be no common assault that will overcome it. Nothing but his own mideeds can give his natural adversaries the advantage over him, and now for the first time his trans actions have been brought into question and disrepute. Let us see what he has done. T into hteheCosmubmjeiettteehaovfe made lnv theirappointedestigation report, and to w inquire consider tho malignant rumours and the grave charges which have, d ur i ng t hi s investigation, been made aga i nst Mr. Hudson, an d w h en, moreover, we consider the hos tile feelings which pervaded th e m i n d s o f the majority of the committ ee aga i nst him, we are considerably relieved by the perusal o f t h e report, which although it is unfa vourable in m an y respects, completely exonerates him from the grave charges which were so industriously pro pagated against him. The fact is, that Mr. Hudson has mistaken the duties of a trustee; and, en passant, we may observe, that if the strict duties of trustee, as the law interprets them, were to be enforced, we would venture to state that very few trustees would be found who have strictly performed their duties; and certain we are, that no railway director or trustee could be found who would pass unscathed through the ordeal. As Mr. Hudson himself observes in his address to the shareholders of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway:— " So far from considering myself in the light of a trus tee, and thereby disqualified from acting in any other character, I may say w i t h truth, that of personal that I have never hesi tated to take upon myself any re sponsibility the intere s t s o f the company might requ i re; and I trust I may be f org i ven for calling th i s to m i n d when I am charged w i t h having, in the character o f a trustee, made a profit of the company. Mr. Hudson very properly observes, that if the strict duties of a trustee are to be enforced, he must lose, not the precise amount he obtained for selling his shares to the company, but cancel the transaction altogether, re gardless of the heavy loss in which the altered circum stances of the times would involve him; and this he offers to do; and it now remains to be seen whether the shareholders will be so ungenerous as to take advantage of his offer. The Times, who first raised this tumult, has the ho nesty to say, " Neither the other officials nor the share holders must hope to escape censure under the cover of a personal onslaught upon Mr. Hudson. The system is to blame. It was a system without rule, withoutecotrade ble, without even a definite morality. men did monstrous things, and were thn which they clever. Thousands rejoiced in pie mi e u retrick, col believed to have been puffed up by n? - that " equity is an lesion, and imposture ." We admit ' ' l " and that Mr. Hudson has made instinct and a principle," e, e himself expressed his conviction that there a wa m s is s t o a m ke et : h h ing wrong in the transaction In 1845. r u e gia p t very immediately after it was completed, and that was in 1846. Let us turn to the investigation. The money paid to him was 131,7671. 9s. 31, and the profit he made was 7,1851., out of which he returned 2,8741. The shares which Mr. Hudson sold were valued by a Mr. Plews, an official, and 1 Mr. Close, the secretary, states:— " Mr. Plows was requested, at a board meeting of this company, by Mr. Hudson, to furnish a valuation of the value of the Great North of England shares to this com pany. Mr. Plews sent me a document (exhibited) giv ing the value of the shares. I added the commission and the stamps of my own accord , but Mr. Hudson was not aware of it. The money was paid to Mr. Hudson's ac count at the York Union Bank , the date of payment 27th of October, 1646; first payment , 81,100 /. on the 27th of payment, the the 27th of N ovem b er, the account. M r. H u d son 5 0 0 c, Oc tober; ; ,s .3 secondd., which came to me some time in the month of January last, and stated to me that, as times were so materially changed, in making up the accounts of the Great North of England purchase, I must deduct any profit ho had reeeived on that transaction. He afterwards said, be fore I had the accounts made up, that he had recon sidered the matter, and that the account was not to be altered, in consequence of his having advanced out of his private account a sum of upwards of 16,0001. on behalf of this company, in the purchase of ' West Dur hamcurit of per s shares,' for which he had no sancti on o f t h e pro prietors; and on the 19th of February l as t , b e i ng t h e day bef ore th e mee ting, Mr. Hud son came to me an d was tthe e t o 11. debit shares his ar e s account on the with I said he was s u r e there was som e thi ng wrong i n the ac• othe 15 h 4 a share unca l l ed har e s ; tha t o I n 2,874 shares which he had sold to the company, and that, after the meeting, he would go into the account with me." Mr. Hudson says to the committee:— " Before I made the sale or fixed the price at which I would dispose of the shares of the company, Mr. Plews and Mr. Oxley were requested by me and the board to furnish an estimate at what price it would be advantage ous for the company to purchase the shares, to the best of my belief and conviction I charged them at a lower price than that estimate; I did not then think, nor do I now think, that, in as much as the company were corn pelted to be purchasers in 1850, my position did prevent me being a seller, at a proper price, as any other indivi dual, and I also felt I bad strong claims on the company for the best price they could afford to give, inasmuch as I had given up to the company a very large sum, guaran teed, which I held in my own right, amounting to 3,2501 a year, which would have produced me a very consider able income." Again, he adds:— " Experience has taught me that in attempting to buy any large quantity of good shares, it is utterly impos sible to obtain them without materially advancing the price." We have no more space for extract, but there is much to pureedse for motile:, ;Loll toe ift•we was tie .0 Mr. Hudson. That he had the right to sell, is evident, and that ho had the right to make a profit is the only question; - but who ever cared as to how their profits were made by railways ? Mr. Hudson's error has been a want of prudence in considering has no t nfic d saeou o ydel n i te e ; bov , uaabttfiet t ohe h nri e ps, auacltini c r, dte i o r iu c stmhh u ti m asshpta s ee t trhc a eot n edi f e oi e hntp aitsrmh w saiud o n ins u i sto l el d nbaoywev —:i n rn o :o t dplrl.:oo7 l p ai a on v rig e s. his position. H a d an y ot h er person d one w h at been ho moret i r o e n at t e o m s t h o per haps, strict equity, entitled him to ; but is not that more the fault of those who gave him such advantage ! Now, let us ask, what good has resulted, or is likely to result, to the shareholders, from this attempt to damage Mr. Hudson ? has it, or will it improve the value of their property to break up confidence in public men, and especially a man who has been raised to such a pinnacle as Mr. Hudson ? On the con try, it must, we should think, have a very damaging effect on railway property, and we must beg emphati cally to impress on candid minds, how very different a transaction appears under altered circumstances. Things were done and sanctioned in the heyday of railway pros perity which now would not bear investigation. We put it to the shareholders of the York, Newcastle, and Ber wick Railway, whether, if such a transaction which has now taken place, had been proposed to be investigated in the glorious days of 1845 and 1846, the proposer would not have been ejected, not from the door, but from the window of the room in which he had the har dihood to moot the question. But now times are changed—dividends have sunk from ten per cent. to six, shares from 100 prem. to discount; and this is Mr. Hud son's real crime—he has ceased to be able to make the fortunes of his shareholders, and therefore he has ceased to be an angel in their eyes. Such is the fate of every one who experiences a tran sition from prosperity to adversity. The very share holders, whose throats were hoarse with receiving Mr. Hudson with acclamation, and would receive him again with acclamation if he could raise their dividend from six to ten per cent., will now perhaps be most vociferous in his condemnation; we say, perhaps, because it is just possible that a true sense of their own interests may in duce them, at the next meeting of the shareholders of the York, Newcastle and Berwick line, to receive the report of the Committee of Investigation but refuse to adopt it. Let them remember that Mr. Hudson has never hesi tated to incur any amount of personal responsibility whenever the interests of the company were concerned; and if, in times of adversity, they forget past services, and because a man is discovered by a hostile committee to be, after all, but human, this is no reason s i e s rvi c ce aabl spaes, front his sudvsaonst knowledge has and experience, of rendering to the railway world, are to ren dered, n .be cast aside. And we do hope, for the sake of the rail dwehrye d , s u a e n h d rail way interest generally, and for that of the shareholders of his lines especially, that a decided stand will be made against any attempt to injure Mr. Hudson any further than he offers to injure himself, via., by taking upon himself the obligation as well as the duty of trustee. Let the shareholders be generous as well as just. for no good, rely on it, will arise from carrying hostility beyond what the actual circumstances of the case will justify. Let shareholders remember that directors are, after all, but mortals ; and that, in nine cases out of ten, it is the fault of shareholders themselves if matters go wrong, by their not exercising sufficient vigilance and control ; and that it is most detrimental to their interests, and speaks but little in their favour as men, that they were willing to take all the good they could from the bands of Mr. Hudson so long as he could bestow it, but the moment a day of adversity arises they torsake him, and verify the adage, that " gratitude is but a lively sense of favours to come." _ _ Neither shareholders nor company will, it is clear, receive any pecuniary damage from the share transac tions of Mr. Hudson; and the shareholders, if they are wise and wish to benefit their property, will not be made the tools of an interested clique, whose only object is to depreciate the shares, and profit by sowing distrust broadcast. At the same time, the duties of directors should be more clearly defined; and it would be highly beneficial to joint-stock companies generally, if directors were made to feel that they are but trustees, and that in future the duties of trustees will be strictly enforced. (From the Sunderland 7 imes). The committee appointed by the proprietors of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway, at the general half-yearly meeting at York on the 20th February last, to investigate the Great North of England Purchase ac count, have at length made their report, a copy of which, along with the evidence upon which it professes to be based, we give at length in our present number. It is obviously impossible to enter into a minute discussion of all that passed in review before that committee. and it is the less necessary owing to the salient points of the whole case, which the discriminating reader will have no diffi culty in separating from the mass of verbiage in the mazes of the volummious report having been ably taken up and disposed of by a metropolitan contemporary, in a couple of articles, which we have much pleasure in ex tracting into our own columns, and whose testimony is the more valuable, inasmuch as it cemes from a quarter politically opposed to Mr. Hudson, and from an autho rity, moreover, whose honesty of purpose is as unques tionable as are the ability and point of its observations. On the most careful and dispassionate examination, we can come to no other rational conclusion than that the whole resolves itself into an unprecedented case of much to do about nothing. But, withal, it is difficult to re strain the workings of a just indignation on witnessing the consummate effrontery and painful pertinacity with which the committee strove, after having already ar rived at all the material facts respecting which they were appointed to inquire, and after those facts had unques tionably exonerated Mr. Hudson, strove to elicit, not withstanding, meeting after meeting, extending over ten days, matter which they hoped might afford them a han dle to deliver a criminatory report. The main accusers were both judges, prosecutors, witnesses and jury. The whole, in fact, turns out to be the scheme of the stock job ber from London who occupied the chair, and his scarcely less suspicious coadjutor, Mr. Love, to damage in public estimation a man whom they would have been better employed in imitating than in seeking by a species of interminable and relentless persecution to browbeat and condemn. Finding they could not extract anything to suit their malevolent purpose from the ample materials for investigation furnished by Mr. Hudson, they at tempted, in succession, but unsuccessfully, to prey into the private affairs of certain respectable share brokers in London, and overhaul the accounts of the York Union Bank and the Great North of England Railway. "No thing," in short, " was too small for their rapacity; nothing too large for their ambition." Even the chair man of the committee did not think it beneath him to become a vindictive witness rather than leave any stone unturned that gave the chance of procuring a con viction against the man into whose conduct he, being the accuser, was so improperly appointed to inquire. And what, after resorting to all the expedients which the fertile malignity of Messrs. Prance and Love could dictate, have they accomplished ? Why, the direct effect is to place the character of Mr. Hudson higher than it stood before. A verdict of acquittal from an un biassed, or even friendly, committee could not have done half so much for him, as the fact that a committee, whose chief members were avowedly hostile partizans, have, after doing their worst, over a protracted inquiry of ten days, been unable to elicit anything detrimental to his position or derogat or y to his character and fair fame. The opinions gi ven in the re p ort are indeed hostile to Mr. Hudson in more than one instance; but the ex pressions of such opinions, dictated as they are in every line by the spirit of the vindictive partizan, can only be regarded as a last desperate attempt to accomplish, by a ferocious ipse dixit, what the absence of all criminatory evidence had rendered them hopeless of doing in any other way. Even those passages of the report which, in express words, acquit Mr. Hudson, could not be allowed to go forth without being interspersed with insulting and groundless inuendos. The publication of the evidence, however, enables the public to judge for itself of the correctness of the conclusions of the report. For our own part, after a careful examination, we feel satisfied that there are few indeed who will fail to perceive that those parts of the report which impute blame to Mr. Hudson, and for the most part to the directors also, as they are utterly un supported by anything in the evidence, must be taken for neither more nor less than the simple opinions of hostile partizans upon a matter which the publication of the evidence enables the entire proprietory of the rail way to judge of as well as the committee themselves. Entrusted, as Mr. Hudson is, with the management of interests so immense that no single individual can enter into all their intricate details, much of the minutiw is necessarily entrusted to the care of as sistants, one of whom, in the case of the 151. shares, which is the principal item in Mr. Hudson's sales, undoubtedly did commit an error in assigning to Mr. Hudson a price 31. more than was paid to others in the open market; but it is admitted, even by the men most anxious to construe everything to Mr. Hudson's disad vantage, that this error, which was wholly uninten tional, is no degree casts the slightest suspicion of im proper motive upon any of the parties interested; indeed it transpired that prior to the meeting Mr. Hudson had himself noticed the error and put it in the way of being rectified, and this would have been done though Mr. Prance had never spoken, and though no committee had been heard of. This head and front of the offending, the prime point which was to engage the investigations of the committee, thus, by 'universal admission, Mr. Hudson's "enemies themselves being judges," being explained, what remains upon which to hang a charge detrimental to the Honourable Gentleman? Why, in the other classes of shares sold by Mr. Hudson to the company, a tabular statement is exhibited in order to show that, basing the figures upon Mr. Plews's calculations, Mr. Hudson had fixed the rate so as to re ceive a few hundred pounds for his shares above the market price. Even the committee, however, are not agreed that on this point blame attaches to either Mr. Hudson or Mr. Plows, and they accordingly content themselves with reporting what they call the facts to the shareholders. But whether the facts are correctly stated is questionable. It is easy to say the rate fixed by Mr. Hudson and Mr. Plews was above the market price ; .but a market price is an exceedingly arbitrary _tahiong: Nothing is more common than for no shares mbe tainable at what is stated as the marketpri a c a; the market And even though we admit that the prices alleged w prices, still if, on the showing o f the report, the purchase of these shares by Mr. Hudson enhanced the market quo tation, the purchase of th em b y the company it was evi dent must necessarily have enhanced it also; and when to this we add that Mr. Hudson was no needy speculator, obliged to sell at any price, and that a price considerably above what he received in 1846 was guaranteed to him in 1850, then it will not appear at all surprising that, though no minally above the market price, the quotation given to Mr. Hudson by the company might not unlikely in re ality, be below it. Any real ground of complaint being thus obviated, these judicial aecusers resort to the for- torn hope of en.leevnetring• to Qhovr that Mr. fltni , mn, nq , Was preclutleti fr. • Hl•ii •r , an,l tn, ;r., at another. And so Mr. Hudson might, if this were a fair statement of the point. But it so happens that the shares which Mr. Hudson sold to the company were pur chased before, by being employed to negotiate for the company, he could be regarded as in any respect pos sessing the character of a trustee; and since, as it is . shown, he bought these shares at his own and that when he subsequently sold them he did so at the market price, wo confess we regard the conclusion at which the committee have ar rived on this point as at variance not less with judicial fairness, than with honesty and common sense. Add to all this, that Mr. Hudson held not a single share in the Great North of England when the agreement was made to purchase that line; and that fact, along with the explanations given respecting the transactions which his enemies have attempted to impugn, not only completely exonerates the Hon. Gentleman from the charges which have been so unsparingly heaped upon him, but, coming triumphantly, as he does, through an ordeal, in which, from the constitution of the committee, purity itself would scarcely have escaped censure, he presents additional claims upon the support of the com munity, especially of the railway public, and upon the admiration of his friends. We can assure the Honour able Gentleman that none more than his constituents in Sunderland have sympathised with him under the discreditable attacks to which he has been sub jected, or now rejoice more than they do that he has so completely and satisfactorily disproved them all. We dare say Mr. Prance and Mr. Love would vary gladly have allowed no one to buy or sell shares but themselves, and perhaps the spleen of the former has been excited by so large a transaction as that of M r . H u d son w ith the com pany being negotiated without going through the stock exchange, and thus giving him an opportunity of pocket ing a commission. But, let Mr. Prance and his brother de tractors, who no attempt to tie th e h an d s o f M r . Hud son, and limit his discretionary power to that of a mere director, ask themselves where would have been the rail way from Darlington to Newcastle, or from Newcastle to Berwick, and where would have been many of the other monuments of a genius which will render his name illustrious to posterity as one of the benefactors of his country, had Mr. Hudson confined himself to the limited responsibility with which they now attempt to shackle him, or had he been actuated by the selfish and sordid motives which they impute, instead of being filled with a largeness of soul and generosity of disposi tion, which, though they cannot understand it, are his distinguishing characteristic. So palpable is the object of these interested stock jobbers and speculators in making these attacks, and so disgraceful are the attacks themselves, against one whose consummate ability and undoubted probity have been so well tried, that we are astonished the audacious slanderers were not rather put down by a storm of reprobation, and their slanders hooted to the winds, by the indignant shareholde'rs on the 20th of February last, than, by appointing them a committee to inquire into what was already in course of being rectified, furnish them with an opportunity of giving an official form to the outpouring of their ground less and vindictive rancour. But it is perhaps better that the inquiry did take place, and that this committee of accusers, whose animus is observable in every step of the investigation, and whose spiteful feeling peeps out in every line of the report, have had an opportunity of doing their worst. Since, however, the disgraceful conspiracy is now laid bare, and, after possessing every opportunity, Mr. Prance and his fellow-accusers have failed to substantiate their vindictive charges, though they reproduce and parade them notwithstanding in their report, of which it is difficult to say whether the hardihood or dishonesty is greatest, we must say that the shareholders will neither do justice to Mr. Hudson nor to themselves, and still less to the safety of their property, if they do not deal with Messrs. Prance and Co., as well as their report, in a way that shall silence both for ever, and place Mr. Hudson and his brother directors in a position where similarly vexatious and disgracefully unjust attacks, if still persisted in, shall at all events assail them in vain, much less be the means of befouling the shareholders into the appointment of any such preposterous committee in future. RAILWAY IN TELLIGEN CE. THE GREAT WESTERN. For some days past a statement, of a very positive character, has been in circulation respecting the alleged acceptance by Mr. Saunders, the secretary of the Great Western Company, of a lucrative and most responsible Government appointment in India. The statement has not the slightest foundation in fact. SOUTH WALES. The rumoured resignation of Mr. C. Russell, the chairman of this company, is, we understand, correct. We believe the resignation has not yet been accepted. EASTERN COUNTIES. The alleged probability that ao dividend will be paid for the last half-year is, we fear, likely to turn out a reality. A careful examination of the position of the company convinces us that unless the working expenses be still very much reduced, or the traffic greatly in creased, the company cannot, on the completion of its system of railway, pay 2 per cent. per annum. This opinion is based on the supposition that the directors have not, as we understand they have, carried to the capital large sums which ought to have been disbursed out of revenue. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, Amu. 16. STOCK EXCIIINGE. The share market was firmer to-day, and there were inquiries for several descriptions of stock, in which there were no sellers at present prices. There were several transactions in Bristol and Exeter, Thirds, at 11 dis.—Tag Tale, New 101. Shares, % p. LIVERPOOL, Aram 16, STOCK Excifeema.—There was a better feeling manifested in the Share Market to-day, although little business was done, the prices being a shade higher than yesterday's quotations. The sales are— Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, 3% dis.—Ditto, Halves (L. and B), 1236 die.—London and North-Western, 133—Ditto, New Quarters, 4% p.—Ditto, Quarters (C), 3► .t p.—Midland, Halves, 9 dis.— Scottish Central, 2336 C.—Shrewsbury and Chester, 101. Shares, ji dis.—Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, 2% dis.—South-Eastern and Dover (No. 4), 7%—Perk, Newcastle, and Berwick (No. 2). 21i dis.—Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), 6 percent. till 1650, 1% dls. :MANCHESTER, Aram 16. STOCK Excultscia.—Tho sales are—Leeds, Preference, 1134 c. die. —Manchester and Birmingham (C), Quarters, 33,( n. p.—Dover (No. 4), 7 % —Leeds, Fifths, 3 13-16 dis. —Eastern Counties, 8% — West Riding Union, 4 11-16 dis.—Caledonlan, S. yreference, 11 7-16 —Leeds, 321. Shares, 6 % dis. BIRMINGIIAM. Amur. 16. STOCK ExcniNoz.— The transactions to-day have been u fol lows :—North Staffordshire, 3/. 13s, 9d. dia.—South Staffordshire, 3/. 19s. 9d. die. YORK, Aram 14. Srock EXCHANGE —The business transacted to-day was as fol lows :--Great Northern, 101. 18s. 9d.—Ditto, Halves (B), guaran teed 6 per cent, 6k—Eastern Counties, B.%—Melton and DM:field Junction, 254—North-Western, 4%—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Newcastle Extension), 171 3s. 9d.—Ditto (G.. N. E. Purchase), 61. Is. 9d. NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE. The Hart, tender, Master-Commander Roskilly, ar rived at Devonport from Sheerness, to be employed on surveying service. APPOINTMENTS. Commander J. B. Marsh, whose nomination to com mission the Heroine, 8, at Devonport, we anticipated yesterday, has been officially appointed. The Heroine is to have a complement of 80 officers and men. Lieutenant—H. W. Corneck (1848), to the Heroine. Master—George Biddlccombe (1835), from the St. Vincent, 120, to the Victoria and Albert, Royal yacht, vice Macdonald, to be assistant master attendant at Portsmouth Dockyard. Midshipmen—George A. Woods, to the Ocean, flag ship, at Sheerness; W. P. Hanbury, to the Powerful, 84, in the Mediterranean; A. D. Mercer and Frederick J. Campbell, to the Heroine. Dr. W. Warden, surgeon of Chatham Dockyard, is lying in a very dangerous state, with but very slight hope of his recovery. PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Penelope, 16, steam frigate, Captain L. T. Jones, late bearing the pendant of Commodore Sir Charles Hotham, 1C.C.8., on the coast of Africa, was paid off this afternoon. She will imme diately have new boilers fitted, which have been manu factured for her by the boilermakers of this factory, and be put again in commission. The Sparrow ketch, Commander G. A. Frazer, fitting for surveying service, bent sails to-day. The Randolph convict ship, with about 300 prisoners, from London, arrived at Spitbead this morning. She is to take on board about 100 more from the hulks at this port, and proceed with the whole to the new convict set tlement of Morpeth, in Australia. _ _ • The Sinbad lighter, with stores from the eastward, arrived this morning. HER MAJESTY'S TREATRE.—An entirely new grand ballet, in five tableaux, entitled Electra, or the Lost Pleiade, will be given to-night at her Majesty's Theatre, the performers being Mdlles. Carlotta Grisi, Marie Tag lioni, Petite Stephan, M. Paul Taglioni, and the corps de ballet. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—The Opera Comique re commenced here last night with a repetition of Les Dia mans de la Couronne, with Charton, Coudere, and Buguet in the chief characters. Fra Diavolo is to be produced on Friday for the first time, with M. Octave, a new tenor to this country. THE LIND CONCERT AT EXETER HALL. —Owing to the heavy expenses of the concert which Mdlle. Lind gave on the 3d instant, for charitable purposes, atExefateif Hall, the surplus amounted to rather less than t he _ cantatrico had anticipated; but, to her great honourahnedr benevolent disposition be it recorded, she has intention to make up the net profithoef 700 1 81 Roy Society of signified to 8001.; so that the four charities, Musicians, the Choral Fun namely , G over nesses' 'etinale Fund,S°aiywoifl Musi cians,leachreceive 2001. .NOTEN.—Yesterday, FoRGED BANK OF ENGLAND forged Bank of England notes which had been taken in business were exhibited in the shop windows of Mr. Heath. 'Poultry; at a tailor's in King William -street, Londost-bridgo; and two other shops in the Commercial road. So many of these forgeries have l a t e ly been pas3ect that the middle class and petty tradesmen abso lutely refuse to take notes at all. ARMS FOR CALIFORNIA.—ii quantity o f different descriptions wer e recentlyim p ort ed arms of into one of the ports on the coast, f or the os tensible and express purpose of being exported to California; but as arms of foreign manufacture of every description are p ro hibi te d from being i mported into this country, they were not allowed, admission for exportation to California as re quired, but were permitted as the only privileg e that could bo g rante d , to be reshipped to the foreign port from which the importation of them had taken place. C ALITORNIA.—LIVERPOOL, MONDAY. —The steam ship Aj as sailed last night for San Francisco, with 73 passengers, three iron warehouses, and a large cargo. The weather, which has been unusually fine for some days previous, underwent a sudden change yester day evening, when a shower of snow fell, and in a few hours mei erect the ground and tops of the houses, but ' was soon succeeded by rain.—. Newcastle Journal. .... '% " i f -..~ ,-~ Gtr LITER A TUR E. qt , „„ IIiSTORY OF THE REIGNING It - 01" LAHORE. By Major G. CaiMicita Now that the definitive annexation of t I;e ' Pr'aub is all but a fait accompli —now that the Govern ment at Calcutta has reso l ve d upon the extension o f th e northern bound ar i es o f B ritish India as far as the base of the Himalayas —the present volume has ac quired a very peculiar importance. Recent occur rences have tended to enhance the interest of the work more than the gallant editor could by any chance have anticipated. The victories of Lord Gough at Chillianwallah and Goojerat have been im measurably better than a thousand eulogistic ad vertisements. Major Carmichael Smyth while penning, as he may have imagined, an account of an adjacent province, has recounted the narrative of one of our own integral dependencies ; unless, that is to say, some miraculous adversity befal the administra tion of Dalhousie ! The history before us is another chapter added to the voluminous annals of Orme, and of Mill. As such we receive it, and as such, we doubt not, it will be regarded by future historiographers. As the writer himself informs us in his " Introduction," the materials here accumulated into a substantial volume have been derived from information variously acquired from the verbal and epistolary, communications of Seik Sirdars, from European officers in the Seik service, and from a miscellaneous assortment of native manuscripts. This information relates to the most interesting histo rical details respecting the reigning family of Lahore, together with accounts of the Jummoo Rajas, the Seik soldiers and their Sirdars. The whole of these narratives are authenticated by the name of the edi tor, Major G. C. Smyth, who is an officer in the Bengal Light Cavalry; and the text is completed by a copious appendix, consisting of notes on Malcolm, Prinsep, Lawrence, Steinbach, Macgregor, and the Calcutta Review. As an additional attraction we may mention the insertion of numerous etchings, taken from native drawings, representing the more illustri ous of the potentates who, in successive generations, have presided over the warlike races north of the Sutlej ; a genealogical table of the Jummoo family ; and a map of the city of Lahore, from the actual survey taken in 1847. Worthy, however, as even these details are of consideration, as tending to throw new light upon a theme hitherto but indifferently compre hended, and one which assumes each day a more prominent importance, they are in a singular degree subordinate to the literary attractions with which the volume is replete throughout. Nothing appears to be loosely recorded upon mere hearsay ; the subject has been well digested ; and the history is related with an admirable sequence. After recounting the earlier history of the descendants of Kauloo—a Hindoo JR of the Varaich caste who, after settling at Sauseree, not far from Ufnritsir, became the pro genitor of the famous Runjeet Singh. It is rather a singular coincidence that the battle which immedi ately preceded the death of Mahe Singh, the father of Runjeet, was fought in 1787 at Goojerat (p. 12), the scene of Lord Gough's last victory. After relating the more memorable occurrence in the youth of Runjeet Singh, when leader of the Sukerchuckia Missal!, the author explains to us the Secret History of the Lahore Durbar, relating immediately afterwards the circumstances under which.Shere Singh laid siege to the capital. Several episodes diversify this portion of the volume, such for instance as those relating to Ghoolab Singh and Affghanistan, to the murders of Jewalla Singh and of Ranee Chund Kour, to the assassinations of Shere Singh and Dehan Singh, and to the punishment of the murderers. Subsequently we are introduced to the other conspicuous chief tains, to Dhuleep Singh, the Wuzeer Heera Singh, Peshora Singh, Jewahir Singh, Raja Lall Singh, the Akalee Phoola Singh, the Wuzeer Zoroveroo, Futteh Khan Tewanah, and the numerous members of the great family of Jummoo. In the career of these remarkable men there are enough vicissi tudes, calamities, and tragedies to furnish subjects for a century of romance writers, and these thrilling tales of treachery and heroism, of murder and con quest are narrated by Major G. Carmichael Smyth with a pen, rapid, earnest, and perspicuous. As among the more striking passages, we may particu larize the vivid descriptions of the Soodhun Revolt, of the mutiny in Cashmere, and of the rise, the pro gress, and the casualties of the war with the British. The work is the fruit of the most laborious research among records sufficiently obscure to baffie the scru tiny of the most accomplished antiquary, and suffi ciently scattered to damp the ardour of the most enterprising traveller. All these difficulties have, nevertheless, been overcome by the gallant author, and the result is a production honourable to his intel ligence as a soldier and to his capabilities as an his torian. Inasmuch as the book under consideration dissipates a multitude of erroneous statements in the well-known writings of such men as Major Lawrence and Colonel Steinbach its value is at once appreciable. And, all things borne in recol lection, we may rest satisfied that had Major Broad foot survived to witness the completion of this history he would not have repented that suggestion which fell from his lips when he was last met by Major G. C. Smyth, at Loodiana, a suggestion out of which the whole composition is acknowledged to have origi nated. Could the former distinguished officer but be conscious now of the realisation of his hint, he would experience an emotion of pleasure on glancing at the volume, to perceive that generous tribute to his memory conveyed in the eccentric but graceful and manly dedication. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERDAY. SOMERSETSHIRE STAKES. 2 to 1 agst Mr. Gregory's Loupgarou, 3 yrs, sst 5 to 1 agst Mr. A. Goddard na. J3randytace, 5 yrs, 7st 71b 7 to 1 agst Lord Strathmore na Bacchanalian, 4 yrs, 6st 41b—taken 10 to 1 agst Mr. Whieldon's Cashier, 3 yrs, 4st 101 —taken METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. 3 to 1 agst Lord ilowth's Peep-o'-Day Boy, 5 yrs, Bst 71b 6 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Lugar, 3 yrs, 4st 101 b 7 to 1 agst Mr. Green's Flatcatcher, 4 yrs, Bst t 7 to 1 agst Sir J. Hawley's Fernhill, 4 yrs, Est Slb 10 to 1 agst Mr. Osbaldeston's Fogleman, 4 yrs, Est 131 b—taken 20 to 1 agst Mr. Gordon's Do-the-Boys, 3 yrs, sst—t The disappearance of Canezou and Executor, both of whom are said to be amiss, brought Peep-o'-Day Boy more strongly into favour than ever, and also gave Fern hill, Flatcatcher, and Fogleman a lift. The investments, however, were on a very limited scale. TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. 500 even on Mr. A. Nichol's Nunnykirk ONE THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. Even on the field agst Rosolia and Sister to Arkwright CHESTER CUP. 14 to 1 agst Mr. F. Clarke's Joc o' Sot, 5 yrs, Est 111 b 15 to 1 agst Mr. Merry's Chanticleer, 6 yrs, 9st 91b —taken 30 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair, aged, Bst 50 to 1 agst Mr. Campbell na Cast-off, 4 yrs, sst Slb—t DERBY. 2 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Flying Dutchman—t 11 to 2 agst Col. Peel's Tadmor—taken 13 to 2 agst Mr. A. Nichol's Nunnykirk—taken 12 to 1 agst Sir C. Monck's Vanguard—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Watts's Chatterer-40 to 1 t. freely 50 to 1 agst Lord Chtden's Honeycomb The three favourites maintain the relative positions in which they were quoted at the Craven Meeting, the Dutchman alone showing any improvement. Vanguard was backed at 12 to 1, and Chatterer at 40 to 1, to 4001., and afterwards for a small sum at 33 to 1. Business very flat. _ _ _ _ DERBY, 1850. 50 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Compass—taken 50 to 1 agst Lord Clifden's Sidus—taken THE METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.—The settling for this race will take place at Tattersall's on Saturday next. An extraordinary general meeting of the proprietors of the Provincial Bank of Ireland was held to-day. for the purpose of electing a director in the room of John Allisten, Esq., who had resign ed. Sir J. W. Hogg, Bart., M.P., was elected in the room of the above named gentleman; and the following alterations in the deed of settlement wer e, after a little explanator y dis cussion, carried unani mousl y :—" That all the dir ectors , a ppointed by th em shall be ally that the sec ur iti es and pro trbuestepelsae. the names of not ed T i l l: 3 l at any prop r i e t or trusteesai td per s o o f n s ae s p b e a c n i fi k c , 1 p e e s r s t ythoafntlitewlcr onfksuschhall ho ldi ng tho necessary qualification may di re ctor, though he may not have been a he elected a six months previous to th e day of een a proprietor for election. That the shares of proprietors shall be subj ect their debts and li a bili t i es t to the payment of o the bank." ROYAL NAVAL BENEVOLENT INSTITIITION.—Yes terday morning a gener a l meet i ng of th i s soc i ety was held at the Thatched House Tavern, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm • Dickson, i n chant.. The secretary,Commander son read a letter from Rear-Admiral Sir C. Ogle, thanking the society for the honour done to him on his withdrawal at their last meeting , • and two resolutions were agreed to, determining to bring the society, under the notice of Sir F. T. Baring, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, with a view to obtaining their assistance and support. The income since the Ist of January last amounted to 1,9531. ss. id., including a former balance of 714/., and annual subscriptions to the amount of 6611 14s. The expenditure, including 3001. distributed in grants to ap plicants, amounted to 612/. 12s. 5d., leaving a balance of 1,3401. 12s. Bd. This report was received, and some in teresting correspondence relative to the efficiency and utility of the Adult Orphan Asylum, and the Royal Naval Female School, both of which are aided and patronised by the _society, was read. The gentlemen present then proceeded to consider the claims of no less than eighty applicants for assistance, and disttibuted in grants between 3001 and 400/. The meeting separated after a vote of thanks to the chairman. GREAT WESTERN RAlLwAter-This company is about, not to re-adopt, as it has been stated, its old sys tem of return tickets, but to issue day tickets. Thee return tickets allowed three days to the passenger going to and returning from Exeter. The day tickets will by precisely what their name denotes. Z n iii cn ;;‘—